A Fox's Alliance (American Kitsune Book 10)

by Brandon Varnell

  “You’re thinking about Justin.”

  It wasn’t a question. She knew her mate well enough to know what he was thinking.

  “Yeah… I haven’t been able to get our last battle with him out of my mind.” Kevin’s lips twisted into a mirthless smile. “You know, it’s almost funny. When I first met Justin, he was being bullied by a couple of idiots at the park near my old apartment complex. I remember trying to fight them off. They were older, so of course I ended up getting beaten up, but that first meeting is what started our friendship.”

  “You’ve been friends with him for a long time?”

  “Since about seventh grade.” Kevin leaned back even further, as if to burrow himself inside of Lilian’s warmth. She welcomed his desire and tightened her hold on him. “After that, I introduced him to my friends. They were kinda wary at first because of his strange speech impediment, but everyone eventually accepted him. However…” He trailed off.

  Lilian held him tighter. Kevin was the sort of person who cherished his friends. With his mom always gone and his dad a complete unknown, Kevin had tried to replace familial connections with bonds of friendship. When he learned of Justin’s betrayal, it had hurt him. To know that someone who meant so much to him was his enemy must have been painful. Having been nearly sold off to the Jiāoào Shénshèng by her own family, she sort of understood where he was coming from.

  “I’m sorry,” Lilian apologized. “I know this must be hard for you, especially now that he’s gone.”

  “That’s just it.” Kevin shook his head. “I don’t think Justin is dead.”

  “What do you mean? You saw what happened. Justin blew himself up!”

  “Did he really? Or were we just given a show to make us think he blew himself up? Justin doesn’t strike me as the type who’d commit suicide for no reason, especially if surrendering quietly would have given him a chance to escape. No, I’m pretty sure he’s alive, and that he and I will fight again.”

  “That’s what’s bothering you, isn’t it?” she realized. “You don’t want to fight your friend.”

  “Not really, no. Who would ever want to fight against a friend?” Kevin brought a hand up to his face. Staring at it, he clenched his hand into a fist. “But it’s not like I have much choice. Justin isn’t being held back by sentimentality or friendship. Every time we’ve fought him, he’s tried to kill us. I can’t afford to let myself be blinded by a friendship that may have never existed, but it’s… it’s really hard.”

  Lilian knew Kevin well enough by now to know that changing the subject was the best course of action. If she allowed him to think about this any longer, he’d start to wallow in self-doubt.

  “Ne, Beloved, what do you wanna do once the war ends?”

  Kevin paused, as if startled by her question. Humming, he thought it over before coming up with an answer.

  “I just want our lives to go back to the way they were. I want us to go to school and spend time with our friends. I want to deal with Camellia’s antics, and watch Kirihime worry over every little thing she does. I want to come home to Kotohime’s cooking… heh, I’ve even grown used to Phoebe and Polydora to the point where I wouldn’t mind them barging over to have dinner with us every night like they used to.”

  Lilian buried her face into Kevin’s neck. The lingering scent of shampoo combined with his natural male scent soothed her. Actually, it kind of aroused her. She was tempted to lick his neck, but now wasn’t the time.

  “That does sound nice, but can we really go back to that after everything that’s happened?” she asked.

  He sighed. “Probably not. Now that humans have learned about yōkai, there’s no way the world can just go back to the way it was.”

  Lilian nodded against his neck. Nothing would ever be the same again. Even if the war ended, humans would still know about yōkai. There was no way to hide their presence now. It was an irrevocable change that could never be undone… unless some convenient plot device came along that erased the memories of yōkai from the minds of all humanity, or something like that.

  In times like these, we need to be positive.

  “Don’t worry about that, Beloved!” Lilian let go of Kevin and beamed at him. “Even if things can’t go back to the way they used to be, I’m sure everything will work out in the end. We just need to think positively!”

  Kevin chuckled. “You really are something else. What would I do without you?”

  Lilian rubbed her nose. “Without me, you wouldn’t be nearly as cool as you are now.”

  “That’s probably true.”

  “Right. Now, come back to bed. It’s still early, and we had a really long day yesterday. I’d like to sleep some more.”

  Lilian grabbed Kevin by the hand and dragged him back into the bed. She pushed him into the center of the bed and lay down on his side. Almost immediately after they settled down, Iris scooted over until she was practically on top of Kevin.

  “Glad you finished your pep talk,” she mumbled, nuzzling his shoulder like an affectionate house pet. “Had you been any longer, I was going to drag you two back to bed with me.”

  “Sorry,” Lilian apologized. “We didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “Whatever. Just go back to sleep, you two. Hug pillows don’t talk, or move.”

  “Is that what I’ve been relegated to?” Kevin asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Well, glad to know I can be useful.”

  Kevin settled down. Lilian watched his eyes slowly close as he fell asleep. When she was sure he wouldn’t wake up, she snuggled against him, twining their legs together and wrapping her tails around him. Using his shoulder as a pillow, Lilian closed her eyes and smiled, her mind slowly drifting off into a land of dreams.

  ***

  Justin winced as he stepped into his private quarters. His body ached. Bruises had formed along his skin, which he’d noticed after peeling off his suit. They stood starkly against his pale flesh, dark purple marks and splotches that covered much of his body. Most of them were centered around his torso, but a few were located on his arms and legs.

  “It’s a good thing my suit is resistant to explosives,” he muttered, “or those charges I set would’ve blown me sky high instead of allowing me to escape.”

  Wincing as he walked into his room, Justin limped to the computer station, where his console had been set up. Once there, he activated his laptop and screen called Commander Paine, who picked up several seconds later.

  “…”

  A long moment of silence passed between them. Justin weakly raised a hand.

  “Sup, Commander?”

  “You look like shit.”

  “That’s a rather harsh thing to say.”

  “I take it from your condition that you’ve failed to neutralize Swift and those two kitsune,” Commander Paine stated.

  “Your mission had me going up against Kuroneko and the entire yōkai community of Saint Byakko. What did you expect was going to happen? I’m damn good at what I do, but I’m not a miracle worker.”

  Commander Paine grunted. “I already figured as much. You really are a failure.”

  “You’re the one who’s keeping this failure busy,” Justin shot back. “Let’s face it, this mission was a bust the moment you asked me to not act until I knew what their plan was. Had you just asked me to kill them after they left Arizona, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

  “Don’t act like a such a smart alecky brat, boy.”

  “Hey now, I’m not being a smart aleck. I’m merely stating a fact.”

  “I should have had you disposed of,” Commander Paine growled.

  “You probably should have,” Justin agreed. “You still could if you wanted to, but we both know you won’t. You don’t like to admit it, but you kinda need me. No one else can do the suicide missions you send me on, and those YK units aren’t very good at acting independently.”

  YK units didn’t have a logic function. They used to, back when they’d been merely
prototypes, but after they had the youki generator installed, they no longer had the ability to act on their own. The scientists who built and designed them claimed that the youki powering them destroyed their logic processors.

  Justin didn’t know anything about that. He honestly didn’t care. This was just his excuse to further frustrate his boss.

  I probably shouldn’t be so disrespectful, but it’s too much fun. And it’s not like the outcome will change anyway.

  Justin understood the fundamental truth of his existence. He was a tool, something to be used and discarded once he’d fulfilled his purpose. That simple fact made it hard for him to hold back. Why should he bother being polite when he was just going to die in the end anyway? Why bother holding back when he would be disposed of no matter what he did? If he was going to die, then he’d like to have some fun before that time came.

  “One of these days, Verräter, your use will come to an end, and you’ll be discarded like the rest of the trash,” Commander Paine warned.

  “Yes, I imagine that will happen eventually,” Justin agreed. “However, until that time comes, I’m gonna have some fun.”

  Commander Paine’s scowl told Justin what the man thought of that idea, but thankfully, the grizzled man decided not to pursue that line of questioning.

  “Your mission objectives haven’t changed. You are to eliminate Kevin Swift, Lilian Pnevma, and Iris Pnevma as soon as the opportunity to do so presents itself. Don’t fail me again, Verräter.”

  “Understood, sir,” Justin said as the screen went blank. He stared at the black screen for a while, then slowly stood up and limped over to his small cot.

  Laying on his back, Justin stared at the dull gray ceiling. Even after all this, his mission still hadn’t changed. It had taken a lot of effort to keep both himself and Kevin alive, and he’d been hoping Commander Paine would pull him back after failing in his mission, but it appeared the commander was still intent on eliminating those three.

  It was enough to make him wonder why. Was it because Kevin was the commander’s son? Because Lilian and Iris were members of the Pnevma clan? Or was it something else entirely?

  I suppose tools aren’t really supposed to question orders, are they?

  It was just another reason he was a defective tool. He questioned everything, though he hadn’t always been this way. Years before arriving in Phoenix, Arizona, he had never questioned his orders—not even once. It hadn’t been until eighth grade, nearly a year after meeting Kevin and his friends, that Justin had begun to ask questions. Why shouldn’t he have some fun? Why couldn’t he at least pretend to be normal until his time was up? The questions had kept pouring in until Justin had finally come to a decision. He would be normal and have as much fun as possible before he fulfilled his task.

  I suppose that’s what happens when a tool is sent to live among people.

  It really was the commander’s fault for sending him to Arizona in the first place. He only had himself to blame for the way Justin acted.

  This is quite the mess I’ve found myself in.

  Justin closed his eyes. One last thought occurred to him before he fell asleep.

  Whatever happens from here on out, I’m sure it’ll be exciting.

  ***

  Phoebe really did have to marvel at how varied the United States’ geography was. At her previous home, nothing existed but mountains and deserts. Further out there were lush lands, but that only happened once you reached the Caspian Sea. Here, in this country, the geography was as varied as its people.

  Michigan was a lot different from Arizona. The state where Kevin lived was mostly desert. It had areas that were lush and full of greenery, but all of that was manmade. Michigan was a state of natural vegetation.

  The city where their investigation had led them reflected this. It was a small city of about 2,500 with plenty of flora and fauna. Streets were lined on either side with grass and trees. Small patches of thick forested areas remained within the city, dotting the land and displaying the state’s natural beauty. Numerous marinas lined the area.

  It was called Charlevoix, and it was an interesting city. Situated between Lake Michigan and the western end of Lake Charlevoix. A short round lake/pine river located within the heart of the city connected the two lakes and caused Lake Charlevoix to drain into Lake Michigan. The city’s beauty differed from that of Arizona, with its desert landscape and exciting city life—before the war—yet it still contained a natural beauty that Phoebe appreciated.

  After arriving in Michigan, she and Polydora had used their natural charm to book passage to this place, more or less hitchhiking all the way there. According to the information provided by Daven, the reconnaissance team’s last known coordinates were this city. They had sent one last transmission—something about a pair of islands located within Lake Michigan—then they had vanished into thin air.

  “My Lady?”

  Phoebe sat within a small restaurant located at the inn that she and Polydora were staying at. It was a modest bistro with decent food and friendly customer service, though a number of people avoided her for some reason. She wondered if it was because of the large spear resting against the table, but she discarded the thought soon after. If no one was going to question her about it, then she wasn’t going to let herself be concerned.

  Then again, perhaps it is making me more conspicuous than I should be.

  “My Lady Phoebe?”

  Humans didn’t often carry spears around, but neither did yōkai. When most humans thought of yōkai, they thought of people with animal features: tails, furry ears, that sort of thing. Yama uba were lucky in that regard. They looked completely human on the outside. She was sure the frightened looks being sent her way were due to the spear and not her.

  “My Lady!”

  “Hm?” Phoebe looked up to see Polydora sitting across from her. “Yes, Polydora? You were saying something?”

  “I was asking if you were okay? You seem distracted…” Polydora trailed off, her eyes growing wide with horror. “Please don’t tell me you were thinking about procreating with Kevin?”

  “No, not this time,” Phoebe assured her friend and aid, though she didn’t know why Polydora was so bothered by her desire to create a strong child with Kevin. It was natural for yama uba to desire strong children. “I was merely contemplating whether or not I should hide my spear so other people are not unsettled by it.”

  “Right…” Polydora rubbed a hand over her face. “Well, I don’t think there is anything you can do about that now. Everyone is already aware of your weapon, so I doubt hiding it will change anything.” She eyed the giant spear, which had a total length of six feet. “We are lucky airplane checks only scan for metal objects. Had they seen this, we would have been detained.”

  “Indeed.”

  “Lady Phoebe, now that we are here, perhaps you could inform me about how you plan to go about locating the reconnaissance team?”

  “The first thing we must do is gather intelligence,” Phoebe determined. “Therefore, we shall ask around and see if anyone knows where the reconnaissance team was last located.”

  ***

  Unfortunately for Phoebe, no one seemed to know about a group of people disappearing—at the very least, no one said anything whenever she asked. Not even threatening them with her spear seemed to help, though that might’ve been because everyone ran away when she brought out her spear.

  The sun had begun to set. Colors splashed across the sky like paint on a canvas. Pinks and reds mixed with orange and purple, swirling together in neverending patterns.

  While the sight was beautiful, Phoebe could not find any beauty in it, not when she was wallowing in her own sense of failure. She and Polydora had spent hours asking around, and they were no closer to solving the mystery of where the reconnaissance team had disappeared to than they had been before they started.

  “Please cheer up, My Lady. It has only been one day. I am sure that we’ll be more successful tomorrow,” Polydora
said.

  Her friend sat on a cushioned chair next to a round table. She was painting her fingernails, an activity that she had picked up after they moved to Arizona. Phoebe could still remember the first day they went grocery shopping and Polydora had discovered nail polish. Almost an eighth of their budget was spent on the stuff.

  I do not understand what makes having pink nails so appealing.

  Still, she did not complain. It was good that Polydora had found something she could find enjoyment in. Phoebe likened it to the joy she felt when pursuing Kevin to convince him to conceive a child with her.

  Phoebe sat on the bed, knees drawn up to her chest. She wore pink pajama bottoms and a spaghetti strap shirt of the same color. While pink wasn’t really her color, they had been a birthday present from Kevin and Lilian, so she always wore this outfit to bed.

  “I am not sulking,” Phoebe said, sighing.

  “Then what are you doing, My Lady?”

  “I am pondering our next move.”

  “Ah, as expected of My Lady Phoebe. You are always thinking ahead. My apologies for assuming you were wallowing in depression and pity.” Polydora’s eyes sparkled as she spoke, clasping her hands in front of her face and gazing at Phoebe with a disconcerting expression of awe.

  Phoebe smiled at the woman. “Worry not. If my constant failures to convince Kevin to conceive a child has taught me anything, it is that perseverance trumps everything.”

  “I really wish you’d stop talking about that boy.”

  Phoebe tilted her head. “Why do you dislike him so?”

  Polydora’s cheeks became tainted with red as she looked away. “N-no particular reason. I simply do not believe he is worthy of carrying My Lady’s child.”

  “Kevin Swift is a strong warrior,” Phoebe defended. “He proved himself to me when we fought last year on that train, and he has continued to prove himself. A child born of his seed would be very strong.”

  Polydora clenched her skirt, which bunched up and showed off her athletic legs.

  “I am not disagreeing that Kevin is strong… for a human. I am merely concerned that—”