Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler

  Bitch Heiress X Samurai Butler

  By

  KuroKoneko Kamen

  2

  LuLu Publishing

  Copyright © 2010 by KuroKoneko Kamen

  Cover Design by TsukiKamiKat

  Interior Illustrations by KuroKoneko Kamen

  ISBN: 978-0-557-41547-2

  Bitch 3

  Heiress X Samurai Butler

  PROLOG

  No good deed will go unpunished

  Ranmaru, Samurai Butler and Bodyguard of the Yoshimaru Estate - was freezing his ass off. This may have had something to do with the fact that he had lost his freedom a long time ago and was now a Spell-Collared, yokai (demon) slave. And so his

  ‘Master’ saw fit to keep his bodyguard outside the mansion in the kennels along with his other guard dogs as if it were the most normal and natural thing in the world. Keh. Regardless of the fact that he was a fox yokai he was still a ‘male being’ and so in nothing but his boxer shorts was literally freezing to death outside along with the other poor mutts as a light snow fell outside his Master’s mansion. His teeth were chattering and he was pretty sure that he was getting frostbite in his toes - not that his Master seemed to care.

  In fact, if Ranmaru didn’t know better he’d say his

  ‘Master’ hated and feared him so much that he had no other choice than to toss Ranmaru outside to sleep with the other

  ‘dangerous beasts’. Treat a man like an animal...and he may become one though, Ranmaru thought to himself bitterly. Ranmaru’s latest Master didn’t consider yokai human however and so treated Ranmaru as nothing more than literally another useless guard beast. Ranmaru frowned with being compared to a dog. Foxes were majestic creatures - elegant, graceful, tricksters, intelligent, powerful. Dogs were simpleminded, dirty, drooling, slobbering, flea-bitten things that like to scratch and sniff themselves and eat questionable things (including their own shit).

  He had his very own crate - oh joy - which provided minimal warmth against the biting cold wind and snow that was seeping through his skin. He wondered with a pang in his chest where his sword Kuroki Ryu was. It rarely left his side in the 4

  hundreds of years that he had been forced into slavery...it was like losing an arm, no, worse, a part of his soul. His whole body ached for his sword. He felt so powerless...naked without it. And he knew his Master must have known this, which was why he took it away.

  This Master had been intimidated by the sight of Ranmaru with his sword and so had confiscated it -

  The damned coward. Ranmaru thought this was

  particularly silly on the part of his Master since he was his Master’s ‘bodyguard’ and so how was he supposed to be expected to protect his Master to the best of his abilities when he wasn’t even allowed to have a proper weapon in his hands? And protect the man Ranmaru would - even if he didn’t like him. And why was that? Because he was Spell-collared. Didn’t his Master realize the power and ancient magic that lay behind the Control Collar? That even if Ranmaru wanted to cut his Master down he would not be able to? That was the entire point of the Control Collar after all. Sigh. Foolish human.

  His Master had also taken Ranmaru’s clothes away from him and left him in nothing but a pair of undershorts. His Master really must have considered him as nothing more than a beast. Though Ranmaru supposed he ought to be grateful his Master had allowed him even that much.

  “Why should a beast dress like a human? Ha!” His Master had scoffed.

  Master Yoshimaru had also seen fit to add a chain to his collar (which Ranmaru could have broken at any time had he really wanted to, but his Master didn’t really need to know that) so that he couldn’t ‘escape’. Silly Master. The chain was at least a hundred feet long and so Ranmaru was still able to patrol all around the entire estate grounds easily. Again, Ranmaru thought this was a rather silly precaution of his Master since because of the Control Collar Ranmaru couldn’t escape even if he wanted to.

  Bitch 5

  Heiress X Samurai Butler

  6

  Ranmaru had learned this the hard way with another Master centuries ago…

  Ranmaru shook his head as he wrapped his arms around himself as he shivered. His current Master was one sadistic bastard...at least some of his other Masters had been kinder. Some had at least allowed him to be clothed, gave him a room to sleep in, and had kept him properly fed. Those Masters had been smarter to take good care of Ranmaru since he was an exceptional bodyguard, an asset, a powerful yokai slave that would die for his Master whether he wanted to or not... Food.

  Drool~

  When was the last time Ranmaru had had a proper meal?

  Ranmaru’s stomach growled as if on cue. He wondered if his current Master would remember to feed him soon or if this was it

  - and Ranmaru would simply die of starvation. It had to have been...at least twenty days without food now. Any normal human man would be dead by now - lucky for him he was a yokai. Ah well, what goes around comes around, he supposed. Perhaps, this was the law of karma biting him back in the ass for being such a sadistic bastard himself back when he was fighting in the war.

  To think that the once great and powerful Celestial War General of her army would die of starvation. Starvation! Ha!

  How his enemies would have laughed and laughed at that!

  Ranmaru had always hoped he’d at least meet his end in battle, like a true samurai and swords master should. No, that was in the past...a past Ranmaru barely remembered now....

  Although Ranmaru realized things could be worse - he was glad that at least this

  Master hadn’t taken him to his bed...

  Ranmaru shivered at the thought of having to bed his currently chubby and pockmarked Master, a frown marring his face.

  No, his current Master’s tastes luckily and definitely lay elsewhere - as could be confirmed by the sound of a woman’s tittering laughter coming from inside of the mansion. It was far away but Ranmaru’s keen fox ears were able to pick it up. Bitch 7

  Heiress X Samurai Butler

  His Master was entertaining - again. His Master loved to have guests over, drink bottles and bottles of expensive, imported wine, and smoke fine cigars the entire night away. And it seemed his Master had also invited several...‘female companion’s to keep him and his friends company that night. Ranmaru shook his head feeling sorry for them, knowing of his Master’s sadistic tendencies...he had seen the state of some of the girls the morning after - bruises...split lips...vacant looking eyes. But there was really nothing Ranmaru could do even if he wanted; he clenched his fists at the thought, for the time being he was powerless...would he ever get used to that foreign feeling?

  That’s when he heard it, with his keen fox ears - the sound of a smack and then a pained cry - then the sound of a door opening and then the smell of blood hit Ranmaru’s sensitive nose almost immediately. Ranmaru turned his head towards the door hearing the girl running towards him first before seeing her exit the mansion and make her way across the graveled path in his direction.

  A trickle of blood was at the side of her mouth, and her eyes were wide and frantic. His Master certainly was a bastard. Ranmaru was surprised she didn’t trip on those five-inch tall leather boots she was wearing. Why one would wear something like that he couldn’t fathom - he’d been around for centuries and saw the changes in fashion becoming more and more nonsensical

  - would he ever understand even a little of the female mind? He supposed he might need a few more centuries for that one. Ranmaru shook his head of his distracted thoughts and clenched his fists at his sides. Only a coward would use their power against the weak...

  “I didn’t agree to that kind of thing...” The girl was m
uttering angrily under her breath as she hurried past, clutching her long jacket around her body more tightly against the cold, since she wore such skimpy clothing underneath, “I’m getting out of here...”

  “Hey! Where are you going, wench? This party is just getting started!”

  8

  Ranmaru heard the unmistakable sound of his Master’s gruff voice, and noticed that it was slurred. He was drunk. Ranmaru looked over towards the entrance of the mansion to see his Master staggering down the steps towards them. Ranmaru wished he would fall and break his neck. Aw damn, it didn’t happen. Too bad. His Master made his way towards them, red faced, a bottle of rum in his hand.

  Master Yoshimaru then spotted Ranmaru and leered,

  “Ranmaru, how perfect. Stop that girl for me would ya?”

  The dark-haired girl looked over at Ranmaru fearfully, a frightened expression on her pretty face.

  Ranmaru gritted his teeth and instead stood in front of the girl protectively - while ignoring the small shock that Ranmaru felt from the Control Collar for having disobeyed his Master’s words and direct command...(it would only get much worse after all - Ranmaru was used to much worse though.) Ranmaru, with a cool mask of indifference on his face, his expression stoic, spoke in a calm voice, “Master, I believe you’ve had too much to drink. Perhaps, you should go back inside where it’s warmer and I could make you some coffee?” Ranmaru had a fake smile plastered on his face.

  Ranmaru’s voice alone was able to make his Master stop in his tracks - there was something about Ranmaru’s voice and the way he carried himself that unnerved and frightened Yoshimaru, though he would never admit to it. He knew it was stupid to fear his own Spell-Collared yokai slave but for some nonsensical reason he still did. Why? It was his gut instinct. There was ‘something’ behind that stoic, pleasant mask of obedience that his yokai slave usually wore...something dangerous. He just knew it - his yokai slave was laughing at him behind his back - just waiting for the moment when he’d rip his throat out with his claws, lick them pleasurably and laugh and laugh...

  Yoshimaru shivered. It was this fear of Ranmaru that bore the hate he held for him and that made him take away his bodyguard’s sword, clothes and had made him decide to put Ranmaru outside in the kennels with the ‘other’ dogs. Thinking to himself that if he thought Ranmaru was just a dog, just a dog he would be. Never mind that he was a FOX yokai. But yea, Bitch 9

  Heiress X Samurai Butler

  Ranmaru already mentioned that didn’t he?

  But when Ranmaru hadn’t even complained of his harsh treatment - that only made Yoshimaru fear him more. Yoshimaru frowned. He felt like he was playing with fire and feared that one day he was going to get burned.

  Master Yoshimaru quickly pulled himself together as he looked Ranmaru over closely for the first time in weeks. Ha! Just look at his yokai slave NOW. What had he just been thinking?

  What was he so worried about or afraid of? The yokai slave before him now was pitiful...broken. He had nothing to worry about. He smiled, regaining his confidence.

  His slave’s hair had been left uncut and had grown well past his waist, once a beautiful coppery color it was now matted with dirt and filth and almost looked dark brown. Yoshimaru could see Ranmaru’s ribs poking through his deathly pale skin and his fierce golden-yellow eyes now appeared dull, muddy...there was no longer a spark of defiance. Nothing. Ranmaru was a bright flame that was slowly being extinguished…

  What could Yoshimaru have possibly been afraid of?

  Yoshimaru suddenly felt like laughing for some reason and so he did. He let out guffaws of laughter and once he was finished wiped a tear from his eye. His expression then turned serious and he turned to glare at Ranmaru, “Don’t patronize me, dog. You dare to tell me what to do? You really ought to learn your place.”

  An ugly sneer formed on Yoshimaru’s lips and Ranmaru knew what was coming. This was going to hurt. “Embrace.”

  Ranmaru gasped in pain as he felt the Control Collar around his neck constrict painfully, slithering around his neck like a snake, like a living thing, and it sent a painful electric shock through his body as his Master spoke the word of

  ‘subjugation’ that activated the Control Collar to punish a disobedient yokai slave.

  Although Ranmaru was in a great deal of pain he didn’t show it outwardly...

  This only made his Master more fearful and nervous. 10

  “Ranmaru, get out of my way, the girl is mine!” He barked, but Ranmaru could hear the slight tremor in his voice.

  “Master, why not let her go?” Ranmaru didn’t really know what was wrong with him. Had he lost his mind? What was the point of trying to stand up for this frail human woman?

  Humans were all the same weren’t they? They could really give a shit about him. He was a yokai after all. But...for some reason Ranmaru had always had a soft spot for women. They were such interesting, unfathomable creatures. He never had managed to figure them out.

  Though there had been one woman who had seemed to be able to figure him out...one who had been able to see right through him with those clear peridot colored eyes of hers. No, Ranmaru shook his head; the last thing he wanted was to remember about her. So he buried those memories again deep within himself…

  Ranmaru had always felt women should be protected since they were the weaker sex and that it was a man’s role as the stronger sex to do so. He knew his Master would probably end up killing him...that he would end up dying for some girl that didn’t give a shit about him but...that was better than dying of starvation Ranmaru decided. Maybe this was the insanity of remembering the girl with peridot colored eyes that made him decide to do this. He’d always be a bastard but...at least with his last dying breath he may give this girl a chance to escape his Master. And really if he won one over his Master wasn’t that reward enough?

  Yoshimaru stared at Ranmaru in complete disbelief, his jaw hanging open comically before he snapped - “Embrace!

  Embrace! Embrace!”

  The collar slithered around his neck choking Ranmaru painfully and were those teeth biting into his neck? Then painful electric shocks shot through his body again and again and his body was on fire. Ranmaru gasped as the pain his body was feeling caused him to sink to his knees...dark spots were forming in front of his eyes and he knew he was close to passing out... Was this the end? To die for the sake of another?

  Ranmaru had never thought he’d end up going like that. He had failed to protect the girl with peridot eyes long ago. She had been the only one who had ever truly loved him. He Bitch 11

  Heiress X Samurai Butler

  wished he had simply died that day as well. Why had he been cursed to live on without her?

  Could this one act of kindness make up for everything he had done in his past in the name of war? Bullshit. So, he would die alone...but he had always been alone hadn’t he? From the very beginning when he had chosen to tread down the path of obtaining great power - to have great power meant being alone. Because power made one different from everyone else. Power eventually turned one into a monster. And who could love a monster? No, he had known for a very long time that he would die alone…

  A monster didn’t have friends. Or lovers.

  That was the price Ranmaru had been willing to pay for power. Why had he wanted power again? He couldn’t remember…

  Yoshimaru wore a slightly psychotic expression on his face as he smiled down at Ranmaru’s sparking and slightly singed body. “Not so high and mighty now, aye slave? You will pay for your continued disobedience towards me. I’ll teach you to defy me!” Yoshimaru sent his foot into Ranmaru’s gut, the wind was knocked out of him and he fell on his side gasping in pain. But Yoshimaru didn’t stop there and he continued to kick the fallen form of Ranmaru again and again, until a sickening crack was heard. That was a rib. Ranmaru thought dazedly. Yoshimaru continued to kick Ranmaru, while laughing maniacally as though possessed - this was something his Master had wanted to do for a very, very long time.
To just snuff out this dangerous...threat. And he didn’t stop until Ranmaru was nothing more than a pathetic bloody mass upon the ground. It hurt to do so but Ranmaru managed to open one of his swollen eyes by just a crack and saw that the whore had taken his Master’s moment of distraction with him in order to escape. Good for her...

  After his Master’s anger had abated he looked down at the bloody and broken form of Ranmaru’s body with a slightly surprised expression on his face. Opps, he hadn’t meant to take it 12

  that far. He had paid good money for Ranmaru after all and was slowly beginning to regret his hasty actions. “Completely useless...I have no need for a disobedient slave like you.”

  Ranmaru couldn’t help but wonder when he had ever really been disobedient before.

  “I’ve had enough.” Yoshimaru declared suddenly, “I’ve decided I’m going to sell you on the morrow! Hopefully, I’ll be able to get rid of you for a fairly decent price at the slave market to make up for all the trouble you’ve caused me...” Yoshimaru smiled at the thought of getting some more drinking money in his pocket. “I wonder what your next Master will be like, Ranmaru. Hopefully, not worse than me aye? Hahahaha!” Yoshimaru couldn’t help but laugh.

  Ranmaru couldn’t help but think the same thing as he was sliding into unconsciousness. A new Master huh? I wonder how much of a bastard this one will be? Or maybe she’ll be a bitch ka…?

  Bitch 13

  Heiress X Samurai Butler

  CHAPTER 1

  Don’t judge a book by its cover

  Master Yoshimaru, true to his word, took Ranmaru to be sold at the illegal Yokai Market the very next day. There several other Spell-Collared yokai slaves would be sold off to the highest bidder.