Blood Brothers by Barbara Sheridan, Anne Cain Read Free Book Online

remained nearly motionless, his long hair falling across his face in a cascade of inky black waves stirred only by the faint drafts that worked their way between the cracks in the building’s old wood. His breath became visible in the cold air, a wispy cloud of warmth that soon vanished.
    “But I want to see the sun,” Kiyoshi protested softly. He kneeled by the window, his legs folded underneath him on the tatami as he fingered the bamboo frame. His longing to feel the sunlight obvious in the gentle and tenuous touch. “It’s been so long…”
    “Get away from the window.”
    A half-whimper escaped Kiyoshi. “ Ge-ge , a little bit of sunlight won’t hurt us.”
    “No, it’ll weaken us,” Liu snapped. The harshness of his tone made Kiyoshi flinch. “We need to be strong, Kiyoshi. We need every bit of our strength to save our father.”
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    Barbara Sheridan and Anne Cain
    “He’s not our father.”
    Liu darted forward and crossed the tatami in a second’s time. “Don’t talk that way about Kuro-sama.” He struck Kiyoshi across the mouth.
    “I’m sorry, dai-dai .” Liu dropped to his knees beside Kiyoshi, the thick folds of his heavy kimono bunching up around the two katana tucked into the ties circling his waist. “But chichi-ue is more important than anything else.” He touched Kiyoshi’s chin. “The samurai in this village want to murder him—they want to take him away from us, Kiyoshi. I won’t let that happen.”
    Kiyoshi could only stare and blink back the tears he wanted to shed.
    The blow hadn’t been that painful, in fact he was much stronger now than he’d ever been, but the pain went deeper, cut through him harder than any physical injury or illness ever had.
    Kiyoshi ached knowing his beloved Liu was lost to him. He’d been lost almost from the moment the samurai Kuro had regained consciousness inside their humble house back in Kozuke.
    Liu had changed so much, now preferring to be called Sakurai—the name he once despised because it was forced on him over the Chinese name his mother had given him.
    “Nothing’s changed at all, dai-dai ,” Liu said softly, gathering Kiyoshi to him. “Nothing’s changed the way I love you, Kiyoshi. Nothing will ever change that.”

    Kuro stirred from his darkened corner of the house they’d taken and listened to the sounds of his perfect little killer fucking that weak adopted brother of his. Kiyoshi had not progressed as he’d hoped. Oh the boy could be a merciless foe when the thirst consumed him, but far too
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    Blood Brothers
    often he let foolish mortal sentiment get in the way. He chose to see their unique abilities as something to be used for a purpose other than reveling in the mere power of it all.
    For all his outward weakness the little wretch was strong inside.
    Strong enough to cloud the judgment of Sakurai, and Kuro would not let that happen. He wanted his new protégé to himself. Together they could conquer this land and make the Nobunagas of the world kneel at their feet and do their bidding. But for that to happen Kiyoshi had to be gotten rid of.
    And Sakurai, for all his newfound cunning and strength, remained completely ignorant of his master’s dark thoughts.

    While the last of the sun sank below the mountain range in the west, Liu stretched out across the tatami . He held Kiyoshi to his bare chest as their pulses slowed and breathing became even once more. “I love you, Kiyoshi,” Sakurai whispered and brushed away sweaty tangles of hair from the younger man’s brow. “You know I do.” He kissed him gently on the cheek and Kiyoshi nuzzled against his neck with a sigh.
    Kiyoshi pressed his lips to Sakurai’s throat. He kissed the raised scar tissue from the marks Kuro had left on his willing brother’s neck. “If I close my eyes, ge-ge , it’s almost like we’ve gone back home,” he said softly.
    For a moment, Liu let himself feel the sadness coming from Kiyoshi, the desire to return to their small farm