A Fox's Alliance (American Kitsune Book 10)

by Brandon Varnell

  A frontal assault wouldn’t work; Kuroneko was prepared for that, which meant a sneak attack would be their best bet. Fortunately, Kuroneko did not know about him. Also, now that she had won the battle, she would assume the threat had passed. Her guard would be down.

  “I suppose it is time I return to the Naval Base and come up with my next plan.”

  Returning his HUD’s vision back to its standard setting, Justin took off into the air and flew back toward his temporary base. There was a lot that needed to be done.

  “Don’t disappoint me now, Kevin, Lilian, Iris. The fun is just getting started…”

  CHAPTER 10

  THE YŌKAI CAFÉ OF HEALING

  “Here we are,” Lilian murmured gently as she led a dead tired Kevin into an unused room.

  They were back at The Yōkai Café, alone. Kuroneko was busy negotiating with the commander of the forces they’d captured. Lilian didn’t know what that woman intended to do, but she assumed the nekomata would either ransom them back to the United States, or try to convince them to join her at Saint Byakko. She was betting on the latter, as having an army of 40,000 soldiers would be a boon to them, though how the logistics behind that would work was beyond her. Lilian didn’t care for such things.

  “Lilian…” Kevin murmured as she laid him down on the bed and pulled up the covers.

  Lilian leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. “Get some rest. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

  “M’kay…”

  Kevin’s eyes finally fluttered shut and his breathing slowed. Lilian sighed in relief.

  He’d been slipping in and out of consciousness for a while now. It had nothing to do with lingering injuries—she’d healed all of those. He was simply exhausted. Kevin had put up an amazing fight, holding off a killing machine specifically made to kill yōkai.

  Kevin really is an amazing person.

  Just like when they had first met, and he’d helped her when her family had been trying to make mating arrangements, Kevin’s strong will and tenacity continued to surprise her. How many humans could say they’d done what he’d done? How many yōkai? She didn’t know the answer to that, but she imagined it would be very few.

  Iris was currently off doing something—she was probably masturbating—which meant that she and Kevin were currently alone. It really was unfortunate that her mate wasn’t conscious to enjoy this time to themselves.

  She glanced around their current room. It wasn’t much, just a plain room with little in the way of decoration. It had a bed, a nightstand, a window, a closet, and a desk. Everything seemed fairly standard, as far as rooms went.

  Because she didn’t want to wake him, Lilian decided to do something productive with her time. She went over to the desk and, reaching into her cleavage, she pulled out…

  … a rubber duck?

  “That’s not what I’m looking for.”

  Tossing the duck onto the ground, Lilian reached back into her Extra Dimensional Storage Space and pulled out…

  … a packet of condoms.

  “Why do I have these? Kevin doesn’t use condoms, and I can’t get pregnant unless I’m in heat…”

  Shaking her head, Lilian tossed the condoms away, reached back into her Extra Dimensional Storage Space again, and pulled out…

  … a surfboard.

  A snowboard.

  A dildo.

  Her entire collection of H-manga.

  Her entire collection of shōnen manga.

  Her entire collection of harem anime.

  Over and over Lilian pulled out something other than what she was looking for. Very soon, she had a large pile of odds and ends sitting beside her like rubble, yet she still hadn’t found what she wanted.

  Lilian scowled. “Where is it? I swear, if I left those at home, I’m gonna—oh! Here it is!”

  Grinning, Lilian finally pulled out what she was looking for. It was her sketchpad filled with manga panels and concept art. She also found her studio drawing pencil collection which, along with her sketchpad, had been a gift from Kevin last Christmas.

  I wonder… will we even get to celebrate Christmas this year?

  Shaking off that depressing thought for another time, Lilian sat in front of the desk, opened her sketchbook, and began to draw.

  ***

  Kevin was still groggy when he woke up. He was also naked, which made him question what he’d been doing that night. Only one body was lying against him, a very voluptuous body that he recognized as belonging to Lilian’s sister. A supple thigh grazed against his morning wood, and he suppressed a groan.

  “Good morning, Stud,” Iris greeted him with her devilish grin.

  “Iris, did you strip me?”

  “What makes you think I stripped you?”

  “Because you’re the only one who would do that while I’m unconscious.”

  “Uhuhuhu, you know me too well.” Iris nuzzled her head against his chest, and her index finger drew circles on his skin. “Say I did strip you naked and crawled into bed with you. What are you going to do about it?”

  Kevin’s arm felt like lead, but he moved it anyway, placing it against Iris’s lower back and pulling her closer. Her crotch came into contact with his leg.

  “Nothing. I already know there’s no point in getting angry. You’ve always done what you wanted.”

  Iris pouted. “That’s no fun.”

  “I’m too tired to have fun.”

  “Hm,” Iris hummed, sending reverberations through his chest. “You did do a lot more fighting than anyone else yesterday. You were practically dead by the time Lilian dragged you here.”

  Kevin frowned. “Is that so? I don’t remember any of it.”

  “That’s because you were practically passed out by the time we found you.” Iris tilted her head and slid her body up along his. The act sent jolts down his spine, especially when she pressed her soft lips against the underside of his chin. “You had all of us pretty worried, Stud.”

  “Hm. I’m sorry I worried you.”

  “It’s fine.” Iris placed several more kisses along his jaw, neck, and collarbone before settling down again. “I’m sorry we weren’t able to help you right away.”

  “I guess we’re both sorry then.”

  “That does seem to be the case.”

  A silence descended upon them. Kevin spent a moment doing nothing. He really was tired. Some part of him just wanted to sleep again, to pull Iris closer to him, until their bodies were practically merged together, and allow Morpheus to take him. There were two reasons that he didn’t. The first was that he felt gross, like his body had been dunked in oil. The second was that he didn’t know where Lilian was.

  “If you’re worried about Lily-pad, she’s over there.”

  “Eh?”

  Kevin followed Iris’s finger. Lilian was slumped over a desk. While he couldn’t see her face, he knew from her posture that Lilian was asleep. Her long red hair cascaded down her back, an evanescent waterfall sparkling in the sunlight that filtered through the window.

  “Hey,” Iris groaned when Kevin untangled himself from her and climbed out of bed. “Pillows aren’t supposed to move.”

  “I’m not your pillow.”

  “You say that, but I know you love cuddling with your beautiful Iris.”

  “Whatever,” Kevin mumbled as he slowly walked over to Lilian. His body felt sore, like he’d been trampled by a horde of oni. He reached her side and looked down. Lilian was fast asleep, her head in her arms, and her ears intermittently twitching. A sketchbook rested by her side, its pages open to show what she’d been working on before falling asleep, while pencils lay scattered across the desk.

  Lilian was drooling.

  I don’t understand how such a sight can be so endearing.

  And yet it was. Even when drooling all over her arms and the desk, Lilian was unbearably cute. He would never say that out loud, though. It was too embarrassing.

  Grabbing a small tissue from a box lying on the desk, Kevi
n wiped Lilian’s mouth and arms, then he scooped the redhead into his arms and carried her to the bed. Iris, now sitting up and resting against the pillows, licked her lips as she watched him.

  “I’m loving the free show, Stud.”

  Kevin tried not to blush. He almost succeeded.

  “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

  Iris pulled the covers back, allowing Kevin to set Lilian on the bed. The covers were drawn back up, and Iris quickly snuggled up to the sleeping Lilian.

  “You’re insatiable,” he complained.

  Iris just grinned. “I am what I am.”

  “Don’t try to sound cryptic,” Kevin muttered, searching for his clothes. He found them folded up on a chair and hurriedly changed into them, then grabbed a towel from their trunks, which someone had been kind enough to place in this room. “Anyway, if Lilian wakes up before I get back, let her know that I’m taking a shower.”

  “Leave it to me.”

  Kevin felt a drop of sweat trail down his face as Iris nuzzled her nose into Lilian’s neck. His mate shifted, and her cheeks gained a light flush of red as she let out a soft moan.

  “Are you…” Kevin started, then stopped. He shook his head. “No, you know what? I don’t want to know. I’ll see you in a few.”

  Iris didn’t even say goodbye as he wandered out of the room and into the hall. His bare feet padded along the carpet. He winced several times as pain struck raw nerve endings. His feet felt blistered, torn, and frayed, like he’d been running barefoot over rocks and hard pavement…

  Oh, wait. I did do that, didn’t I?

  Kevin promised himself that the next time he went to the beach, he’d keep a pair of shoes near him at all times.

  The showers at The Yōkai Café were communal. It was really just a large tiled room with multiple shower heads protruding from the wall. Kevin hung his towel up on a rack outside of the shower room, then stepped over to the nearest shower and turned it onto its hottest setting. The first blast was cold, freezing even, but he bore through it until, eventually, it became so hot that steam fogged up the room.

  Pressing his hands against the wall, Kevin groaned under the spray of hot water. The muscles in his back loosened, and the tension in his shoulders eased. He could tell that Lilian had healed him, but healing techniques couldn’t heal the soreness from overused muscles.

  I should’ve woken up Lilian and asked if she wanted to take a shower with me…

  Kevin didn’t think they would’ve gotten up to anything naughty. His body was too sore for something like that, but it would have been nice to have his mate join him. He’d have also asked Iris to join in as well. Oh, well, that was one opportunity lost, but there would be more, of that he was certain.

  The door suddenly slid open while he was lost in thought.

  “Oh, it seems someone is already in here,” a voice said. Kevin froze. Then he jolted into action, spinning around to see who’d entered the shower.

  “H-Hina?!”

  “Hello, Honey.” Hina smiled at him. “I hadn’t realized you were awake, but this is good, isn’t it? Now you and I can have some time to ourselves.”

  Hina stood in the doorway, bereft of her clothes, with only a tiny towel covering her massive frame. Kevin would admit, if only to himself, that Hina wasn’t ugly. She towered over him, her lithe body covered in tautly drawn muscles. Her six-pack abs peeked out from behind the towel, and her massive breasts spilled out as she pressed her arm against him. Red skin glowed with a healthy tint that complimented her black hair, which she’d currently put up in a bun, allowing her long pointed ears to be seen. Speaking from a purely aesthetic standpoint, Hina was actually pretty hot.

  But Kevin wasn’t interested.

  “Uh, a-actually, I’m kinda done now, so, um…”

  Hina grinned as she stepped into the room, slid the door closed, then locked it.

  “What’s the rush. Why don’t you let me wash your back?”

  “I… I already washed my back, so…”

  “Then I can just wash it again. I’m sure there are a few spots that you missed.”

  Kevin’s back pressed against the wall. He had nowhere to go. Hina’s towering frame loomed over him like a Gundam over a tank.

  Why does this keep happening to me?!

  It’s because you’re a harem protagonist.

  “I’m not a harem protagonist!” Kevin howled.

  Hina blinked. “Who are you talking to?”

  “I, um, wait.” Kevin also blinked. “I’m not sure. Who am I talking to again?”

  Kevin and Hina stared at each other, and quite suddenly, Kevin remembered his situation. Judging from the growing smile on her fanged face, Hina did too. Holding out his hands in a calm down gesture, Kevin tried to reason with the kijo.

  “N-now don’t do anything hasty—eeek!”

  Kevin ducked as Hina lunged. Tiles shattered as the woman ploughed into them, but he ignored the rain of broken tiles that battered against his body and ran out from underneath her. He rushed for the door. It was locked, but he knew how to handle that.

  “Combustion-of-manly-souls-break-down-this-door-flying-kick!”

  Performing a flawless jumping spin kick, Kevin slammed into the door, which broke and flew open. It hurt, which he had expected because he was barefoot. He shunted the pain aside, grabbed his towel, and ran out of the room like hell hounds were chasing him—or like a kijo who wanted his baby batter was after him. It was the same either way.

  “You can’t escape from me, Honey!”

  Hina burst out of the room, the door frame exploding as she didn’t bother ducking, and chased after him. Kevin shrieked like a little girl and put on a burst of speed. His heart pounded as they tore through the hall. His breathing was already ragged. It came out in harsh rasps. He still kept running, however. If he could just get downstairs, then he could escape from this crazy woman!

  At that exact second, a door several feet in front of him opened and Kuroneko walked out.

  “Oh, child. I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to—”

  That sentence never got finished.

  Because Kevin, unable to reduce his speed, crashed into her like a human meteor.

  The world around them spun. Kevin yelped as his body was battered, smacking into and rolling across the ground in an uncontrolled tumble. He couldn’t see anything. The only thing he could hear was the pounding of his own heart and the scream that tore from his mouth.

  And then it was over. Everything grew mercifully calm. Kevin still couldn’t see.

  Assuming that he couldn’t see because something was wrong with his eyesight, Kevin blinked several times. Nope. He still couldn’t see—wait! He could make something out. While everything was dark, there were variations in how dark. Certain parts were lighter than others, and he could make out something pink.

  Pink?

  “Mmm?” he tried to say something, but something was muffling his mouth.

  “A-ahn!” a moan echoed from above him.

  Kevin’s eyes widened as the thing that was muffling his mouth became wet. A damp stain was growing on what he recognized as fabric.

  “MMPH!”

  “Oh! You really are a naughty child, aren’t you?”

  “MMMMPPPPHHH!!”

  “AHN!”

  Kevin bucked and squirmed as he tried to get out from underneath Kuroneko. His actions seemed to have the opposite effect, however. The harder he struggled, the more he shouted, the tighter the nekomata’s grip on him became. Her thighs tightened around his head, until it felt like they were trying to squeeze his brains through his ears. His nose was pressed deeper into the pink thing, which he now recognized as a pair of panties. He couldn’t breathe anymore. And his panic had caused him to expend a lot of energy. If he didn’t do something soon, then he would… he would…

  W-wait… what is… going…

  Darkness engulfed him.

  ***

  Fifteen minutes later, a mortified Kevin was
sitting on a bed with an amused Iris on one side and a disappointed Lilian on the other. Standing in front of them was Kuroneko, whose smiling eyes gleamed with a Cheshire cat’s amusement. Hina leaned against a wall, her arms crossed and her expression stern.

  “I can’t believe all that happened while I was asleep,” Lilian muttered.

  “I’m sorry,” Kevin said softly.

  “Think of all the research I could have gotten for my manga!”

  Kevin facepalmed. “That’s what you’re concerned about?!”

  “Isn’t that what she’s always concerned about these days?” asked Iris.

  “I was right to think you would be an interesting child,” Kuroneko said, amused. “However, amusing morning greetings aside, I was hoping to speak with you three before you leave. First, I would like to apologize to the three of you.”

  Kevin, Lilian, and Iris shared a look.

  “Are you talking about how you used us as bait to lure out the US Navy?” Lilian asked.

  While Hina looked surprised, Kuroneko simply raised an eyebrow. “Oh? I had not realized that you were aware I used you three as bait.”

  Lilian’s eyes gained a dangerous gleam as she giggled quietly, much like a certain sword-wielding kitsune back in Arizona.

  “Ufufufu, don’t underestimate me. I haven’t read over six thousand volumes of manga and watched hours of anime just for fun, you know. I’ve seen this plot before in plenty of anime. In fact, one of my favorite manga in the entire world has a plot very similar to this.” She paused. “Although, I don’t think the main characters were used as bait. There also wasn’t as much nudity and there was way more violence in our battle than there was in the anime. Hm…”

  “You’re talking about Aika, aren’t you?”

  “Yes! Aika R-16: Virgin Mission!”

  “Oh!” Iris snapped her fingers. “I remember watching that one!”

  “That was one of the only anime you’ve watched with us,” Lilian muttered.

  “So? Anime isn’t really my thing.”

  “Please continue,” Kevin said, gesturing to Kuroneko. The nekomata peered at the two girls as they bickered, then focused back on Kevin.

  “Very well. As I was saying, I wished to apologize for using you three as bait. I know it wasn’t very kind of me, but I didn’t like how close that naval fleet was to my home. Since I will be leaving for Neo Seiryuu soon, I thought it was best to nip this problem in the bud before it became an even bigger threat.”