Read Online Boots by Angel Martinez - Free Book Online

to the ladies would be one he could keep, or even one he should try to keep. It might endanger them all.
    Rest first. Things will be clearer in the morning.
    Unfortunately, rest had to wait as well. Willem had reached the cabin first, his anger emanating from under the door.
    "Oh, marvelous." Kasha hesitated, briefly considered staying outside, and then decided he was better off facing the confrontation and possibly having the storm blow over before he collapsed on his face.
    He pushed the door open to find Willem pacing in front of the fire. He whirled when the door creaked, fire in his eyes.
    "Damn you, Kasha! What the hell did you do?"
    "In what regard, sir?" Kasha shut the door and went to the fire to warm his paws.
    "Don't hand me that! To Joey! He was all curled up, whimpering in pain when I got there today. Don't even tell me it wasn't you!"
    "It was a small conditional spell, my lord. Nothing more. How is he now?" He found himself unable to look at Willem. It hurt to have him so angry, more than it should.
    "He's... fine." That seemed to temper Willem's rage. "He's fine. But that's not the point. He sure as hell wasn't when I got there. And why is he fine now?"
    "Conditional. A certain act triggers the spell. A certain act rescinds it." Kasha lay down on his side, trying to keep his eyes open.
    "So what triggered it?"
    "Putting on his underwear."
    Willem made a disgusted sound. "Oh, that's low. God. And how did he break it?"
    "What did you do while you were there, my lord?"
    It seemed Willem was too angry even to notice the title. "I... talked to him. I held him. He said it felt better when he thought about me."
    "Yes. You were the crux of the spell. Retribution for the hurt he had caused you. When did the symptoms vanish?"
    "When... " Willem's voice finally regained a normal pitch. "When I forgave him."
    "So it is done. He will be well now."
    He had hoped that was the end of it, but he found himself seized under his forelegs and dangled at the end of Willem's arms, facing his still angry heki-sama.
    "How can you be so fucking casual about something like that? You hurt him!"
    "And he hurt you."
    "The one thing has nothing to do with the other!" Willem gave him a little shake. "You don't go around hurting people for revenge!"
    "It was for you," Kasha pleaded softly.
    "I don't care what it was for! You don't use your magic to hurt anyone! Ever!"
    "Fine."
    Willem pulled him closer so their noses were a mere breath apart. His voice had plunged to a deep growl as he went on. "No, not fine! You promise me! Never again!"
    Kasha heaved a weary sigh. "I will not use my magic for harm while I serve you. This I swear on the gods of earth and sky."
    "Well... good. All right then." Willem's grip eased, concern creased his forehead. "Kash? You okay?"
    "No. Not entirely. I just need to rest by the fire."
    Willem placed him gently on the hearthstones. Darkness crowded his vision, and he knew this was not merely exhaustion. The blackness hit him from time to time, cold and bitter, though normally after battle, or after he had been freed again. The timing made no sense.
    If he were human, he supposed they would call it depression. The word didn't seem quite adequate for the crushing despair. He felt his body melt from fur to skin. Distantly, he knew he lay in his human male form now, naked on the stones except for his boots. He found it difficult to care where or what he was.
    "Kash? Damn... " Willem's voice reached him from the end of a gray tunnel.
    A blanket settled over his chilled skin. "It will pass. Let me be."
    But Willem, being Willem, did no such thing. He gathered Kasha up and held him in his lap, wrapping the blanket close around him. "You're so cold. Are you sick? Do demons get sick?"
    Kasha couldn't bring himself to answer. A sickness of sorts, he supposed, if past failures and pain oozing up from the depths could be called illness.
    "Give me the slippers, Yorukaze."
    "Yoritomo-sama... please! I have been faithful!"
    "The