Shadow Wolf

by Sessha Batto

Will love be sacrificed when duty and honor rule all? The life of a shinobi is, at its best, a selfless devotion to duty. In modern day Japan, the ninja legends live on in a grim saga of political maneuverings, betrayal, sexual abuse, torture and homoeroticism. The Shinobi clans lurk in the shadows, performing services that not even the hardened Yakuza will touch. Takahashi Yoshi fulfills his duty with soul-stripping resolve, each assignment driving a nail into a coffin of lost faith. After years of sexual abuse and torture in the name of clan honor, Yoshi must learn to trust, but the man who offers him hope is himself flawed. Sasaki Makoto has spent a career in torture and interrogation, exploring not only the dark secrets of his clan's enemies, but also the darkness within his own heart. How far must Yoshi run to escape his shame and torment? And what price freedom when fear and self-loathing threaten to upend the hard fought struggle to find meaning and safety in a world fraught with danger. Yoshi seeks time and space, only to find himself once more at the mercy of power mongers and despots. When Makoto finds him, Yoshi is broken in more than body. Near death, his spirit recedes to find safety within, locking out all who care. They say time will heal but the path to acceptance is never easy, the roadblocks many, and none will emerge unscathed as Yoshi embarks on a struggle for balance.

382 pages, Paperback

Published August 21, 2012

About the author

Sword carrying Buddhist author of transgressive homoerotic fiction

Sessha turned to writing full time after a twenty year stint in video production editing, scripting and creating motion graphics. Published works include the Shinobi Saga (Geisha, Shadow Wolf and the soon to be released Ripples), and Strength of Will. Her short fiction is collected in the anthology Sex Ray Specs. Her short story The Poetry Game is included in New Sun Rising-Stories for Japan. Amadan na Briona, an erotic interpretation of the Celtic legend is part of Eight Cut Gallery's Once Upon a Time collection. Since writing doesn't pay all the bills, she continues to work as a graphic artist, specializing in book covers and trailers.