Kane looked slightly embarrassed. Yunomi knew how shy he could be, and tried to reassure him. “Kane, it’s just me. I’m in Union. I won’t molest you, I promise.”

He grinned sheepishly, then pulled off his sweatpants and tee-shirt. Yunomi had never seen him completely unclothed. The scars that ran across his face, shoulder and torso continued over his right hip and leg. She could see that they did indeed form a pattern, as Sandia had told her. His scars were beautiful, in a way, but Yunomi was struck by how different, yet similar Kane was to his brother. He was as beautifully proportioned, and as well endowed. No wonder Sandia is so taken with him, she thought. He’s magnificent.
“Okay, let’s go out about waist deep. You float, and I’ll show you how to move through the water.”

Yunomi started the lesson. Kane learned quickly, showing no fear and only a little reluctance. As he grew more secure in the water, the lesson degenerated into a splash fight, both of them standing knee deep and shoving water at each other. They laughed and splashed until the sun was almost set, then began building a bonfire with the splintered remains of the driftwood from their workout. Kane provided the ignition, and they lounged against a boulder, enjoying the warmth and dancing flames.
“It’s good to spend time with you, Lady. We haven’t spoken alone in a long while,” Kane sent.
“Not since Reaper and I have been in Union,” Yunomi reminded him.
“So what’s that like? Are you really happy?”
Yunomi was quiet for a moment, then said thoughtfully “It’s very liberating in a way. We know what to expect from each other. Yes, I’m happy.” She paused. “Thank you for your concern last night, but it was my decision to return to Hell alone.”
“I didn’t want you to do it just because my brother asked you.”
Yunomi’s eyes narrowed and she answered in a dangerous voice. “I don’t do anything just because Reaper asks. I have my own reasons for my actions.”
Kane cocked his head at her. She had never spoken to him in that tone. “Did I touch a nerve, Lady?”
“A woman who is known only through a man is not known at all. Just because we’re in Union doesn’t mean I’ve lost myself. I am Lady Yunomi, Sword of Vengeance, the Storm Child.”
“That’s quite a change in attitude, Lady. When we first met, you existed only to serve your Lord.”
“Oh, Kane, I love him more than you can imagine. But accepting him in Union meant accepting myself, too. It cuts both ways. He loves you now because I do. Last night he told me he was jealous of the sweetness you and I share. He never wanted that before. So we’ve both had a change in attitude.”

They stared at the fire for a while, watching it burn to coals. “Lady,” Kane said at last, “will you and Sandia be friends again?”
“I’m sure we will.”
“We’ve never fought. I don’t know how to handle this, but I want her back very badly.”
“She’s a handful, Kane. She’ll stay mad for a while, and you better get used to fighting with her. But making up should be fun.” Yunomi grinned slyly at Kane, who looked flustered.
“You women speak so freely about such personal things,” he muttered.
Yunomi laughed. “Yeah, I’m afraid we do.”
“Why would she fight with me, though? Reaper’s fights with you upset her.”
“She’s probably afraid he’ll hurt me. I was staying with her when he busted my lip open, and I guess that made a real impression on her.”
“She’s mentioned that before. And when he tried to hit you a couple of weeks ago, she went nuts.”
“Oh, that. Did she tell you I threw a beer pitcher at him one night?” Yunomi was laughing again.
“So what’s going on? Why do you do that?”
“I don’t know, I can’t even remember what we were fighting about either time. We just react, and when we piss each other off, things fly.”
Kane put his arm around Yunomi and she snuggled up close to him. “If you’re truly happy with him, Lady, then I’m happy for you. But you know I’m always here for you, if you need me.”
“And I’m here for you, babe. Let me know if I can help you with Sandia. I love her too.”

Kane changed the subject. “This place is wonderful. Have you ever brought Reaper here?”
“No, he wouldn’t like it. There’s nothing to do here.”
“Really. So we just spent an entire day doing nothing?”
“Looks like it,” Yunomi laughed. “But it sure was fun. You know how to get here now, if you ever need to blow off some steam, come on out.” She stood up and stretched. “I need to be getting back. Are you ready?”
“I think I’ll stay here a while and make sure the fire’s out. There’s some things I need to sort through.”
“Okay, babe. Let us know when you’re ready to talk to Sandia. We’ll do whatever you need us to.” Yunomi kissed Kane lightly on the forehead and disappeared into the darkness.

When she arrived at Reaper’s house, the only light on was in the library. She found Reaper in the big leather chair with his headphones on, totally engrossed in a huge book open across his lap. Yunomi sat on the floor in front of him. He looked up and smiled, turning off the disc player and removing the headphones.
“Hey. Where have you been all day?”
“Kane and I went out to the Gray Hills to break stuff. And you?”
“I’ve been here. I found some interesting things on the history of the Thirteen. If we don’t move soon, they’ll start the war again.”
Yunomi got up and perched on the arm of the chair, peering at the book in Reaper’s lap. “I can’t read that. You’ll have to teach me some of these arcane languages, Beloved.”
“It says that Carnivean first gathered the Thirteen over three thousand years ago, and that they have suffered a decimation of their ranks three times, the first being a total destruction. Each time Carnivean rebuilt the Thirteen, they grew stronger. You and Kane brought the fourth decimation. If they rebuild again, we may not be able to defeat them.”
“Beloved, I don’t remember our battle as being that difficult. The three died easily.”
“Not difficult! Yunomi, you were killed! Look at the scars on your stomach and wrist, and tell me again it wasn’t a difficult fight.”
“I was killed by a lucky shot,” she muttered. “Besides, Kane wasn’t injured at all, and he killed three too.”
“Kane is a Lord, Yunomi. Only Carnivean could do him serious harm. You were an acolyte at the time.”
“And it still took two Demons, a Seraph and a Demon Lord to kill me. Now I’m Lady Yunomi, and I have two Lords to back me up. We can do this, Beloved.”
Reaper spoke to her sternly. “I never said we couldn’t do it, I said it would not be easy. You need to settle down. One reason it took so many to kill you was that they seriously underestimated you. They won’t, next time, and I don’t want to lose you again.”
Yunomi wrapped her arms around Reaper’s neck. “I’m sorry, Beloved, I get a little overexcited sometimes. I’m not used to being who I am now. Forgive me?” She kissed his ear, sliding her tongue into it, then nuzzled his neck.
Reaper closed the book. “I can see we’re not going to get anymore work done tonight.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Yunomi whispered.
“You’re a bad thing, and I’m gonna take you upstairs.”
“Promises, promises,” Yunomi laughed as Reaper threw her over his shoulder and carried her up the stairs.

Later, Yunomi lay sprawled across Reaper, tracing his face with her fingertip. She softly touched his pierced eyebrow. “Have I ever told you how much I like this?”
“Repeatedly,” he laughed.
“Well, I do,” she said defensively. “It suits you.”
“Really. How ‘bout if I wear a big bone through my nose?”
Yunomi regarded him critically. “Yeah, that’d be good. With some feathers, too.”
He pinched her, making her yelp. “I think you should get pierced.”
“I already am.” She touched the tooth in her right ear.
“Mm, I had somewhere else in mind.”
“Oh, no, not that. Maybe my navel.”
“That’s no fun. How ‘bout right here?” He touched her intimately.
“Yeah, right.” Yunomi laughed. “When you start wearing that bone through your nose.”
“Mm, well, let’s continue this discussion another time. We need to talk about your next tattoo. I want to give you some powerful protection if you’re going back to Hell, and I’ve come up with a design I think you’ll like.”
“I can’t wait to see it, Beloved. Can we do it tomorrow?”
“If you want. It’ll take a while, it’s quite large. We’ll put it here.” He stroked her upper back from shoulder to shoulder.
“Show me what you’re thinking, Beloved.” He pressed his forehead to hers, and sent the image he had in mind. “Yes, I like it very much,” Yunomi said. “Let’s do it tomorrow, we’ll have time.”

The next morning, Yunomi was up early, excited about her new tattoo. Reaper came downstairs to find her drinking coffee, wide awake and happy. “I guess you’re ready to get started,” he smiled. “Let me wake up a little. It’s going to take a while, and the spells are pretty intense.” He got his coffee and sat down.

After Reaper finished his coffee, he sent Yunomi upstairs for a pillow while he looked up a spell in the library. “We’ll do it here in the kitchen,” he told her, “the light’s better.” Yunomi put the pillow against the back of a kitchen chair and sat on it backwards, leaning against the pillow. She had taken her shirt off and swept up her hair in a knot, securing it with a pair of chopsticks, baring her back to Reaper. He ran his hand over her arms and shoulders, envisioning how the design would fit.

Touching her branded armband, Reaper felt a pang of guilt and jealousy. Kane had marked Yunomi in desperation, the only way he knew how, and yet the work was beautiful. Reaper knew he should have given Yunomi tattoos years before, but his anger over her Tengu markings had kept him from it. He caressed her armband softly.
“Did Kane teach you spell chants?” he asked.
“Some. We didn’t have much time.”
“It must have been painful.”

Yunomi was silent. She had never discussed her time in Hell with Reaper, or her relationship with Kane. She wore her armband proudly, because of it’s beauty and because of her feelings for the one who had given it to her. Reaper sensed what she left unsaid, and knew she had her reasons for not telling him what had happened to her on her quest.
“I’ll start here, and teach you the chants as we go. This will be the red dragon. It’s tail will wrap just above your band.” He pulled up a chair next to her, then started to draw on her arm. He chanted the spells softly under his breath, sending them mentally to Yunomi. She picked them up quickly and chanted along. After a couple of hours, Reaper took a break. The red dragon was almost finished. They both got up and stretched, and Reaper pulled a couple of beers out of the icebox for them.
“How are you feeling? We’ve got a long way to go.”
“Fine, good. Your spells are interesting, tell me about them.”
“I chose them for you specially. Since you’re the Storm Child, you must have strong spells, a Lord’s spells.” He stroked her back around the work he had done. “Not too much pain?”
“No, you’re being very gentle.” She turned and kissed him.

They finished their beers and Yunomi settled back on the chair. Reaper finished the red dragon and began on the black one. The spell chants changed. Starting at her left elbow, the dragon wound around her arm and across her shoulder. It took longer to finish, and the chants were more complex. Reaper seemed to be in a trance as he worked. Yunomi laid her head on her crossed arms and concentrated on his chanting. After an eternity, he stopped and got up.
“Almost done, just the middle part to finish. It will hurt, Yunomi, it goes down your spine.”
She sighed, and rubbed her eyes. This was taking longer than she had expected, and it did hurt. Reaper opened a kitchen cabinet and took out a green glass bottle. He doused a soft cloth with the liquid from the bottle, then smoothed it over Yunomi’s burning arms and shoulders. She immediately felt better. “Oh, that’s good. What is it?”
Reaper grinned behind her back. “Stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“Stuff I found in this bottle.”
“Whatever. It feels good.”
“Here, drink another beer. I want to teach you the chants to go with the central piece. It’s your personal magic, and I want you to put the spell on yourself.”

As Reaper began teaching her the chant, it suddenly became very clear and strong in her mind. It was her chant, her personal spell, and it was only as if she had forgotten it and Reaper reminded her. He smiled. Yunomi was coming into her own as the Storm Child. She would indeed be very powerful, his equal in many ways. He felt fortunate that she loved him, and he did not have to count her among his enemies.
“Are you ready to start again?”
“Yes.” She had a strange, distant look in her eyes, and Reaper knew the Storm Child was manifesting her magic. He began the central figure, a dark, winged female done in violet and deep blue. She held a sword point down in front of her. Yunomi chanted as he worked, and he could feel her magic coming through. Then a strange thing happened. The tattoo began finishing itself. Reaper stopped, and stared in amazement as the central figure emerged fully realized, slightly different from what he had envisioned. He moved to where he could see Yunomi’s face. Her eyes were milk white, and she was chanting intensely, lost to her surroundings. The entire tattoo shifted and changed. It was the same as Reaper had drawn it, but with subtle differences. The red dragon was edged in black, and the black one in red. The female figure held her sword in the gedan-no-kamae position, battle ready. Her colors changed slightly, too, becoming dark violet with red and black details and a silver lightning sword.
“Yunomi,” Reaper whispered. “Storm Child.”
Yunomi came out of her trance. “Are we finished?”
“Um, yes, I think so,” he answered uncertainly.
“Yes, we are. I can see it. Reaper, it’s beautiful!” She still had a faraway look in her eyes.
“Okay, if you’re happy with it, then I’ll heal you.” He cautiously started locking in the spells and healing the tattoo, unsure of how his magic would react with hers. As it turned out, it was completely compatible. Of course, he thought. We’re in Union, our magic fits together beautifully. “Yunomi, do you know what you did?”
She had come back to the present. “I think so...I helped with my tattoo, didn’t I?”
“You finished it yourself. You changed it without my help. How can you see it, Yunomi? There’s no mirror here.”
“I can’t, now. But I was looking at it, like I was out of my body.”
“That’s common in trances. You’ve never done this before?”
“No, not that I remember.” Yunomi seemed confused. “Beloved, where did I learn that? It’s like I forgot a lot of things, and they’re coming back, a little at a time.”
Reaper took her hand. “We need to talk. Come on, let’s sit outside.” He led her out to the porch, and they sat on the top step. “Yunomi, it was almost a year between the time you died and when you returned. You’ve never told me what happened, but you must have been learning how to be the Storm Child.”
“I don’t remember what happened, Beloved. I was afraid, for a while, but then I wasn’t. I just can’t remember, I’m sorry.”
He put his arm around her, a strange smile on his face. “It’s all right, it will all come back when you’re ready. Your powers will come to you as you need them.” Reaper was already planning how to use Yunomi’s powers for his own ends.

Reaper and Kane walked along the street toward Sandia’s house. Together they would try to convince her to accompany Yunomi to Hell. Yunomi had come up with a plan she thought was very clever, but wanted Kane and Reaper to make their peace with Sandia first. “Sandia, it’s me,” Kane sent. “Reaper is with me. Will you speak with us?”
Sandia yanked the door open. “What do you want? Where’s Yunomi?”
“She wanted us to make our peace with you,” Reaper said. “Can we come in?”
“When have I ever been able to stop you?” she asked bitterly, glaring at Kane.
“Sandia, please. We only want to talk. I miss you, please don’t be mad anymore.” Kane was pleading with her.
Seeing his distress, Sandia softened. “Okay, come on in. Tell me what’s on your mind.”

Reaper settled in a chair, Kane sat next to Sandia on the couch and regarded her carefully. Reaper spoke first.
“Sandia, you have served me long and faithfully. You’ve always done good work for me, and it has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. But now you are my brother’s companion, and my Beloved’s friend. Therefore, I give you your freedom.”
Sandia stared at Reaper, uncomprehending. “My freedom? I’m no longer your minion?”
“No, you have no further obligation to me. You may do as you choose.”
She looked at Kane. “Is he for real? Am I free?”
“Yes,” Kane sent. “He respects your friendship with Yunomi, and your love for me. He and I have made peace, and we wish to have peace with you. I miss you, Sandia. Yunomi misses you. Reaper realized that, and decided to end your servitude.”
“I...I don’t quite believe it. I’ve wished for this for so long...” She stared at Reaper again. “But you want something in return, don’t you. You would never do this out of kindness. What do you want?” The bitterness returned to her voice.
“I want...would like for you to accompany Yunomi on her scouting trip to Hell. Kane doesn’t want her going alone, and frankly, neither do I. She’s impulsive, and takes risks. You could keep an eye on her, and your skills as a scout are beyond compare. Will you do this for us?”
“That’s all? Go to Hell with Yunomi?”
“Yes. Gather the information I...we need to defeat Carnivean. You two are a great team, and I’m asking you to do it out of friendship for Yunomi.”
“Please, Sandia,” Kane sent. “It’s your decision, you’re free now. But I’m asking you, and Yunomi’s asking, too.”
“All right, I’ll do it for Yunomi. But when this is over, Reaper, I’ll claim my freedom, and go far away from you.”
“Done. Yunomi has a plan, come to her place tonight and we’ll talk.” Reaper rose to leave, but Kane remained seated next to Sandia, looking at her expectantly. She returned his look, and Reaper left them alone to work things out. He was afraid that Kane did not fully understand what Sandia had just said. She would disappear into the Dark Side, and Kane would have to choose between going with her, or staying near Yunomi and Reaper. Yunomi’s love for Kane was not a secret from Reaper; he had accepted it during the Union ritual. He also knew that Kane returned Yunomi’s love, but that they had not acted on their feelings. He wondered why not.

That evening, Kane and Sandia came to Yunomi’s loft. They seemed to have patched things up, but there was still a tangible tension between them. Yunomi hugged Sandia. “Thanks for coming,” she whispered. Then she lightly kissed Kane on the cheek, and they all sat at the table. “Reaper will be along shortly,” Yunomi told them. “I thought it best if we started without him. This is my plan, and I wanted to discuss it with you two privately. Kane and I want revenge on Carnivean very badly, Sandia, and you can help us get it. Nobody in Dark Side out of our immediate circle knows who I am. Yunomi is dead, I’m just another whore. If it became known that you and I, Sandia, had broken with Reaper, we would probably get some interesting invitations. I propose that we start hanging around Hell Town, bad mouthing Reaper, and if someone takes the bait Reaper will show up and cast us into Hell. We can start building our reputations there, and try getting in to Carnivean’s circle.”
“Where do I fit in?” Kane sent.
“Do you want to come with us? I’d hate for Carnivean to get his hands on you again. It would be very dangerous for you, but if you want to...” Yunomi was not happy about Kane coming with them, but saw no way to keep him from it.
“We should do this alone,” Sandia put in. “We’ll probably be underestimated, as usual. Kane is too big a factor in Hell, he wouldn’t be trusted.”
Yunomi put her hand on Kane’s. “She’s right, you’re too well known. Carnivean isn’t sure you’re alive, and would try every trick to get control of you again. Sandia and I can do this, then you and Reaper can come in and kick ass.”
Kane looked dubious. “I know you can handle this, but I’m uneasy about it. Does Reaper know your plan, Lady?”
“Yes, I discussed it with him. He thinks it will work. Carnivean would jump at the chance to get the Dark Lord’s minion and whore on his side. Reaper’s already given me protective tattoos, that will add to my disguise.”
“New tats? Can we see?” Sandia was curious.
“Sure.” Yunomi pulled off her tee shirt, revealing the dragons and goddess figure. They glowed with the same unnatural light as Reaper’s did.