by Carly Chase
“I mean, if you want, I can…” Akira said, looking quite touched by the consideration.
“Yay!”
Yuki-Shiro told him the details, and then he waved at the party one last time, before disappearing behind the tree. Less than a minute later, a huge tiger raced off. Akira had forgotten he was still wearing Anya’s bandage, and so his new, enhanced form surprised even himself.
Her magic truly is incredible, he thought, as his body thrilled at the new sense of power, his untiring legs carrying him home.
Chapter 23
Two weeks later, everybody was gathered in the meeting hall at the heart of the kitsune village, waiting for the arrival of the happy couple.
Anya had been surprised to see Kiba wearing kitsune clothing, a dark blue kimono that looked surprisingly manly on him. He’d told her that Yuki-Shiro had insisted he, Ikari and Akira didn’t wear their usual style of clothing and had had the village seamstress make kitsune garb for them when she wasn’t working on Yuki-Shiro’s wedding dress.
The plain hall was decked out with pretty banners, a lot of which Anya had painted herself for the occasion, working with some of the women from the village, under the enthusiastic oversight of Sakura. She’d taken care to only paint images she knew wouldn’t have unexpected magic effects. The wedding feast as well as the ceremony were to be held here, as the only structure the kitsune village had that could accommodate everybody. The run-up to the wedding had been a lot of fun, and Anya now felt very much a part of the community – she knew she’d always have a place to call home in this village once she and Kiba set off on their travels.
Anya and Kiba were in the front row of guests, and beside Anya stood Reo, another of the guests of honor, who seemed a little afraid to talk to any of the kitsune but nonetheless showed his excitement at being in this new environment on his face. Akira stood beside Kiba, and then, behind them, were dozens of kistune men and women in their finest clothes – some familiar faces, others Anya hadn’t met yet. The only one missing from the crowd was Sakura, who stood at the front. As the village matriarch, she’d be officiating the wedding, even though the bride was also her daughter. At the back of the room there was a woman playing a gentle melody on an instrument that resembled a harp in both appearance and sound.
Sakura clapped her hands together in almost girlish excitement as the doors at the back of the hall opened, and everybody turned to see Yuki-Shiro and Ikari make their entrance, the standing guests parting to form an improvised aisle for them to walk down. A gasp rippled across the congregation, as everybody saw Yuki-Shiro’s rather unconventional bridal attire. Unconventional, at least, to kitsune. Anya smiled – it had been her drawing of a bride (based on a doll she had worked on in her old job), in response to Yuki-Shiro’s endless questions about wedding customs where Anya came from, that had inspired the design, and though it was the first time she’d seen the finished dress, she, along with Sakura and the seamstress, was one of the only people who weren’t expecting Yuki-Shiro to be wearing kitsune traditional clothing.
The seamstress had done a good job of replicating a modern, Western wedding dress, though it was simple by the standards of things Anya had seen in bridal stores in New York. A long, white silk, strapless gown, with a space at the back to allow Yuki-Shiro’s equally white tails to come out.
Far from being a modest, blushing bride, Yuki-Shiro was clearly relishing in the surprise at her dress and the appreciation of the guests, grinning from ear to ear and waving, her tails swaying in excitement. Ikari looked a lot more self-conscious in his formal red kimono, but, looking down a little awkwardly, it seemed that he knew most of the attention was directed at his bride, and he was fine with that.
The ceremony itself was very quick, and Anya realized that of course it was – to yokai, who knew who they were supposed to be with and that their love couldn’t fail, a marriage was more just a celebration than a serious undertaking with legal elements. There were no lengthy vows or promises to be made, because there was just no need. People wanted to get on with the party. She gripped Kiba’s hand as she thought about this, realizing how lucky she was that she too could have the kind of certainty about being with the right person, about the future of their relationship. It was something humans were never normally afforded, and yet here, in this world, with this man, it was hers.
Later, after the sun had set, after the hall had changed from the setting of a ceremony to a place of music, food, wine and merriment, Anya and Kiba went outside together to get some air, and to get away from the endless insinuations from older people in the village that they’d be next.
“What would their children be like?” Anya asked him.
“Nobody knows! Usually, when two different types of yokai have children, they come out as one type or the other, and because of this siblings, even twins, can sometimes then be different types of yokai to each other. But because Yuki-Shiro is a new type of person – human and kistune both at once – and Ikari is a tiger, well, there’s never been a couple like that before. If children are in their destiny, I think everyone will be very interested to see what they are like!”
“I guess… That applies to us, too, right?”
“Indeed. If destiny gives us children, they could be human, they could be tiger yokai, they could be some new blend of the two. It’s never happened before. At least, not to the knowledge of the people of this region. It is possible there are other couples like us out there in the world, but we are unique in the experience of people here.”
“Maybe there are others. Maybe we’ll meet them, one day, if we travel.”
“Maybe we will. I’m sure the future holds all kinds of interesting things for us.”
But rather than speculate about the future, Anya decided to simply embrace the happiness she was feeling here and now. She smiled, and silenced him with a kiss.
THE END
A Message From Carly Chase!
Thank you so much for reading Tiger, Tiger – I sincerely hope you enjoyed it! If you did, please help support this book by leaving a review!
Look out for the second book in the Fearful Symmetry series, Burning Bright, which focuses on what happens to Mariah after the events of this novel, coming soon!
You may also enjoy my standalone paranormal urban fantasy romance novel, Her Samurai Angel:
Her Samurai Angel
Jael didn't know that angels could fall in love with humans. Rochelle didn't know that angels existed at all - let alone that they could be in the form of impossibly beautiful men.
However, when Rochelle (a stressed out African-American advertising executive with natural hair, and doubts about her natural talent), jokingly prays to a long forgotten goddess for inspiration, she finds a stunning Japanese man with an ethereal glow, a set of wings and no clothes standing behind her desk. When Jael sees the beauty of her soul and falls passionately in love with her, both of their lives change forever!
Jael was once a fierce samurai warrior, but he never got to live out his destined life as a man because he was chosen by the goddess Meret to be ascended, and become one of her five angels. Over the centuries since Meret turned her back on the mortal world, the beautiful goddess has become bored and cruel, and now rules her angels with a tyranny they have become too accustomed to to fight. When Rochelle helps Jael see the way his spirit has been broken, and shows him love and kindness, Jael makes a decision - to break free from Meret's clutches and live the life of a true man, with Rochelle by his side.
Of course, Meret won't let that happen easily, and Jael's rebellion sparks a war among the five angels, as well as causing Meret to use her godlike powers to try and take revenge on Rochelle for turning her angel against her.
Jael will do anything to regain his true samurai spirit and protect the mortal woman he loves - but can he win?
This is a steamy standalone AMBW interracial paranormal romance novel, with sexy scenes, no cliffhangers, a HEA, and no cheating.
If you’re in the mood for mor
e romance featuring a hot Asian hero and a strong African American heroine, you may enjoy some of my contemporary AMBW novellas:
Dangerous to Love: Sensei
East meets West in this hot romance novella!
LA gym owner Candace Jackson is feeling jaded after too many bad dates, and is determined not to get her hopes up about the next man to ask her out. However, when the handsome, wealthy and mysterious Akito walks through the door to ask about starting up a new martial arts course at her gym, she feels an attraction she just can’t fight.
Akito is not all that he seems, however, and has a past in Tokyo that he is terrified might catch up with him. No matter how much he wants Candace, he can’t allow her to be put in harm’s way because of the secrets he is running from. He may have the fighting skills and the strength to protect her, but can she ever be truly safe while he’s around?
Can Akito face up to his demons, and will Candace be able to accept him when she knows the truth about him?
This is a standalone AMBW romance novella with a black heroine and a wealthy Japanese bad boy hero. It contains hot, sexy scenes and is a safe story with no cheating and a happy ending.
Luxe
Sierra Jordan thinks that life can’t possibly get any better. She has her dream job, singing sultry songs as her stage persona ‘Luxe’ on board one of the most exclusive cruise ships in the world, and she’s about to cross the Atlantic from Barbados to Lisbon, fulfilling a lifelong dream of seeing Europe.
Things only improve when she meets impossibly handsome billionaire passenger Seong Joo-Won, who seems determined to spoil her for the whole of the 12 day cruise.
But despite his big romantic gestures and kind, attentive demeanor, Joo-Won is hiding something. Can Sierra trust him? What is the real meaning behind his appearance on the ship? And can their intense attraction survive once Sierra finds out the truth?
Get lost in the luxury of the Aurora Spirit and find out how Sierra’s life changes when she embarks on her glamorous transatlantic adventure!
This is a standalone AMBW romance novella with a strong, talented African American heroine and a sexy, smoldering Korean American billionaire hero. It contains steamy scenes and is a safe story with no cheating, no cliffhangers and a happy ending.
Please look out for more romance stories from me, coming soon!