A heavy silence settled on the group. The idea of family hiring an assassin to go after their own kin was anathema to Kevin. However, with the idea implanted into his mind, the possibility suddenly seemed much more real.
Lilian shivered, which caused Kevin to wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her close.
“Pnév̱ma-denka would never hire an assassin to dispose of someone from her own clan,” Kotohime dismissed Kiara’s theory. “It’s not her style. Nor would she let a member of her clan hire an assassin to kill her granddaughter. If one of them did do this, it wouldn’t matter how far up in the hierarchy they are, or how important they are to the clan, she would have them publicly executed for going against the orders of their matriarch.”
The group breathed a collective sigh of relief. Worry was still clearly reflected in their eyes, but they all knew that Kotohime’s words could be trusted.
Breakfast soon came and the group dug in with much gusto. It was only after their food was nearly gone that Eric, of all people, realized they were missing someone.
“Hey, where’s the French maid hottie and the MILF?”
Kotohime and Lilian would have glared at Eric for the crass nicknames he gave their mom and sister respectively, but at that moment, loud crashes, bangs, and shouts came from above them.
“HAWAWAWAWA!”
Kevin, Lilian, and Iris all shared a collective sweat-drop. They knew who that was.
Crash!
“My Lady!” cried Kirihime.
“My luggage!” came the voice of some random guy none of them knew.
“Those two,” Kiara muttered, facepalming.
“Oh, my,” Kotohime added, rather unnecessarily in Kevin’s humble opinion.
***
After breakfast, everyone traveled to the bus, which they used to drive to Long Island Beach.
Lilian was the first one out of the bus. She stepped onto the blacktop of the parking lot, which sat next to a small carnival. She would’ve been the second person out, but Camellia had tripped over her own two feet in her haste to be first.
“Hawa!”
“A-are you alright, My Lady?”
Iris chuckled as she followed Lilian and Kevin. “Don’t worry, Kirihime. Her breasts softened her fall.”
“Hawa…”
“What I wouldn’t give to grab those giant tits and squeeze them… hehehe—GUH!”
“You’re seriously beginning to disturb me,” Christine said to the nearly unconscious Eric. Lindsay followed her friend, snickering. The others came out behind her. They gave Eric looks of pity as they passed—except for Heather, who stopped by his side and helped the young man up by slinging his arm over her shoulder.
“Come on, apprentice. Up you get.”
“Ngg… Mommy? Mommy is that you?” Eric’s eyes focused on the decently-sized, milky-white breasts near his face as Heather half-carried, half-dragged him out of the bus. “Definitely not Mom’s. Too pretty. And too large.”
“Why thank you.”
Thwack.
“Ouch!”
“Now stop staring at your master. She can’t teach you if you’re busy gawking at her tits.”
“H-hai…”
Thwack!
“Ow!”
“Don’t speak Japanese either. It’s not cool, and you’re not Japanese.”
“Ugh… yes, ma’am.”
I can’t believe we’re at the beach!” Lilian grinned as she stared at the ocean. She’d seen it plenty of times back in Greece and Florida, but being with her mate made this experience so much more exciting.
Lilian hadn’t gone with her usual outfit. She instead wore a lovely red two-piece bikini and black flip-flops. Kevin had chosen them for her several weeks ago when they were planning this trip, claiming that the red of the bikini complimented her hair and skin tone.
“Come on, Kevin! Let’s go!”
As Lilian dragged him by the hand, Kevin tried to keep from tripping. “You act like you’ve never been to the beach before.”
“I have,” Lilian confessed, “but it’s not like I ever had any fun. I never had any friends, so I always went alone—well, Kotohime was there, but that’s not the same as being with your friends, you know? And I’m also here with you, which makes this whole experience a thousand times better. By the way, you look good in swim trunks.”
Kevin was, indeed, wearing a pair of swim trunks. They were black with orange lines going down the left and right sides. He wasn’t wearing a shirt, so Lilian also had an unfettered glimpse of his torso. With all the training that he’d been doing for the last five months, Kevin was rocking what several girls had once referred to as a Beach Body.
I wonder what that means? It’s not like being at the beach has anything to do with his body.
It must have been a human expression, she concluded.
Heat rose to Kevin’s cheeks. “Um, thanks.”
“Slow down, you two! Damn it! Stop running!”
Iris tried to run after the pair. However, Kevin and Lilian swiftly outpaced her. Sure, she could have used reinforcement, but she’d never been the type who enjoyed exerting herself.
The only two who matched the couple’s pace was Lindsay and Christine—and that was only because Lindsay was dragging Christine behind her as she ran.
“What are you doing? Let go of me! I can walk on my own just fine.”
“But if I let go, you’re going to take forever. Now quit complaining and come on!”
While the youngsters ran in the direction of the beach, eager to see the crashing waves and sandy shores, the adults hung back and moved at a more sedate pace. Camellia did try to run off, but after tripping several more times, Kirihime held her hand, forcing the woman to stay with her.
Kotohime frowned as she looked around the parking lot. There were a lot of cars, so many that it was a wonder they’d been able to find enough space for Kiara to park that giant bus of hers. There were also a lot of people, and she imagined there would be even more down by the beach.
“Something wrong?” Kiara asked.
“… No.” Kotohime shook her head. “I’m just sensing the presence of a lot of yōkai.”
Kiara nodded. “Yeah, California has a lot more yōkai than Arizona, so I’m not surprised. There are probably a couple dozen hiding out amongst the humans around here. Most of the yōkai here are ocean races, after all.”
Kotohime narrowed her eyes, but didn’t say anything as they continued walking across the parking lot.
Lilian, Kevin, Lindsay, and Christine reached the other side, where only a small wall separated them from the beach. It didn’t take long before they glimpsed sandy white shores and blue ocean as far as the eye could see. To the far left, way off in the distance, Kevin could make out the end of the beach, marked by a large rock formation that protruded into the sea like a tiny peninsula. The other side stretched on for at least several miles before coming to an abrupt end as it ran into a harbor filled with pleasure yachts.
Kevin and Lilian stopped at the wall, allowing Iris to catch up.
“Ha… ha… did you two really have to sprint? Couldn’t you just walk like the rest of us?”
“But we’re at the beach, Iris! The beach!” Unlike Iris, who didn’t seem to care where they were, Lilian’s excitement could not be diminished. “Look around! White sand, blue ocean, clear sky, the sun over our heads, and we’re with friends!” Lilian’s eyes sparkled like two brilliant stars as she waved her free hand around. “Aren’t you excited?”
“Not in the least.”
“She’s lying,” Kevin determined. “You can tell she’s excited just by looking at her.”
Iris smirked at Kevin and, quite suddenly, the young man found his free arm being gently pressed between two soft breasts, which were barely covered by two very thin black triangles.
“Uhuhuhu… you seem to have figured me all out, Stud.” A smirk, alluring and provocative, appeared on Iris’s face. “You know me too well.”
“I
don’t know what you’re talking about.” Kevin turned his head.
“Uhuhuhu… of course not.”
She leaned in and gave his ear a delightfully slow lick—
—and then she found herself eating asphalt when something hard, long, and furry smacked her on the head.
“… Ow”
“Thank you,” Kevin whispered to Lilian, whose tail retracted before anyone else could notice.
“I don’t know why you’re thanking me.” Lilian’s eyes were dazzling as she peered at him from beneath thick lashes. “I know that you’re not interested in going the harem route.”
“Uh…”
“Don’t worry, Beloved!” Lilian clenched her hand into a fist. “So long as that remains your desire, this Lilian Pnév̱ma will make sure no other female touches you!”
“Uh…” Kevin didn’t really know what to say to that. “Thank you?”
“You’re welcome.”
Lilian gave Kevin a quick peck on the lips. After pulling back, she and Kevin laced their hands together and stared into each other’s eyes, as if nothing else existed in this world except for them.
Christine grimaced. “I hate it when those two act all lovey-dovey and crap.”
“Now don’t be jealous,” Lindsay admonished. “Just let them be all lovey-dovey and come with me.”
“C-c-c-c-c—ah! What are you saying?! What the hell is that supposed to mean?!”
“It means we need to beat them to the beach! Now come on!”
“Beat them to the—wait! Damn it, stop pulling me!”
Despite the early hour, the beach was crowded that day. They couldn’t walk more than five feet without running into a group of people. Large umbrellas of all colors created a combination of swirling patterns that would have tripped out anyone with an aerial view. Dozens—no, hundreds of people had already set up their towels and were now lying on the sand, soaking up the UV rays in their never-ending quest for the perfect tan.
Half of these people wouldn’t even look good with a tan. It was only after shaking the errant thought away that Kevin noticed something. The stares. He and his group were receiving numerous stares.
This no longer surprised him. It normally didn’t bother him anymore, but his group seemed to be getting more looks than usual, which surprised him because they always received a lot of stares. He wondered why they were staring now.
Ah, well. I should just ignore them.
Walking through the crowd, they found their own slice of beach paradise—a small space of white sand warmed by the sun’s rays. Beach chairs were soon unfolded and towels set on the sand. The bags were placed by the beach chair that Kotohime claimed as her own, and a large umbrella impaled the white shores.
As she sat on her beach chair, the traditional Japanese beauty, much like the other ladies, drew more than her fair share of stares. She wore a two-piece swimsuit with a modest skirt covering her lower half. Despite not showing off as much as Iris or even Lilian, her natural grace, porcelain skin, and voluptuous figure drew the eyes of many a male.
“Hawa… Kirikiri?”
“Yes, My Lady?”
“That outfit… are you really going to wear that in the water?”
Kirihime looked down at her swimsuit, which looked like a one-piece version of her maid outfit. The difference was that, instead of being made from silk and cotton, its composite material was polyester. It also had a larger dip in the front, exposing ample amounts of her generous cleavage.
Kirihime looked back up at her mistress. “Is there something wrong with my swimsuit?”
“Hawa, I guess not…”
Standing in front of the umbrella, Kiara looked out at the ocean with a large grin. The stump that made up her missing arm was completely visible. In contrast to her kitsune companions, she wore an all-black one-piece. She also received many stares, but most of them were disturbed looks from people gawking at the stump where her arm used to be. Several people turned green from the sight.
Kevin looked around at all of his friends. Lindsay had already discarded her skirt and shirt. She stood by Christine, showing off her cute, dark blue swimsuit. Christine was taking much longer to discard her Lolita clothing, which she’d worn despite knowing she’d have to lose it.
He had to admit, the yuki-onna looked very pretty in her white one-piece. Several frills around the hips helped draw attention away from her lack of chest, while still flattering her figure. Kevin really hoped there weren’t any lolicons in the area—for their own sake as much as Christine’s. She didn’t take well to perverts, after all.
“Waa! My Goth Hottie looks so sexy! Come here, you—griglhurle!”
“Go die in the sand, you vulgar piece of shit!”
Kevin sighed as Eric was kicked in the face after attempting to grope Christine. When the girl proceeded to shove Eric’s head face-first into the sand, no doubt attempting to asphyxiate the boy, Kevin turned away and looked around some more.
His eyes landed onto Camellia. He really didn’t know what to think of her white two-piece. The bikini was certainly modest enough, especially when he considered how kitsune normally dressed. But, still, those breasts, they were just so…
Boing.
“Hawa! Kevin-kyun!” Camellia noticed his eyes on her and gave him a wonderfully childish smile. “What do you think of my swimsuit?”
“Again with the ‘-kyun.’” Kevin sighed, but he still answered her question. “You look nice. It definitely suits you. The white goes well with your dark hair, and white is also a symbol of purity, so it kind of fits your personality.”
“My mom’s not pure, you know,” Iris butt in. “She may be a useless mother—”
“H-hawa… Iris, so mean…”
“—but she’s still mine and Lily-pad’s mother.”
Kevin rolled his eyes. “Yes, I’m well aware of that. I didn’t mean pure as in ‘never had sex.’ I meant her personality.”
“Ah, I see, I see.” Iris fell silent for a second. “Yeah, I guess I can see that. Though I would say it’s more of my mom just being as useless as a child than any sort of purity.”
“Hawa…” Camellia’s shoulders slumped in abject depression.
“L-Lady Iris, you shouldn’t say such things about your mother,” Kirihime admonished the dark-haired vixen with as stern a frown as she could muster.
“Oh, please, like you’ve never thought the same thing.”
“I haven’t.”
“And you expect me to believe that?”
Shaking his head, Kevin left Iris and Kirihime to their bickering. He headed over to Lilian just as she was discarding her flip-flops. It was almost amusing to watch as she stuck her feet into the sand, clenching and unclenching her toes so as to feel the tiny grains between them. It was even more amusing when she took a stance, feet sliding until they were shoulder width apart, left hand on her hip and right clenched into a fist near her face. Kevin knew she’d gotten that pose from an anime or a manga—probably several. It was a common pose, after all.
“All right! It’s time to get wet!”
He facepalmed.
“That’s really not something you should be saying in public.”
He looked over at Justin, Alex, and Andrew, all of whom were lying on the ground, twitching. Blood squirted from their noses like oil from a broken gas line.
“Really not something you should say in public.”
“What do you mean, Beloved?” Lilian asked, looking honestly confused.
Kevin opened his mouth to answer her, but Iris suddenly pounced on her sister before he could say anything.
“Kya! I-Iris, what are you doing?!”
“Aww! My Lily-pad is so adorable when she gets all Dungeons and Dragons on me! Come here you!”
Kevin had to hold his nose to keep the blood from spilling out. Iris had caught Lilian from behind. With their bodies pressed firmly together, and Iris’s chest smooshing against Lilian’s back, her breasts were practically spilling out of her extreme
ly skimpy black bikini. It was more than most boys could handle. The only reason that Kevin didn’t pass out was because this wasn’t an uncommon occurrence for him. He’d become partially desensitized to the erotic acts that Iris committed upon her sister.
“Get off me! And stop calling me Lily-pad!”
“Hmm…” Iris, arms still wrapped lovingly around her sister’s thin waist, absently rubbed her right leg along the redhead’s perfectly-shaped right calf. Lilian shuddered. “I guess I could stop calling you Lily-pad. This joke is kind of running flat anyway. I’ve got it!” Her dark carmine orbs gained a dangerous glint. “How about I call you Lily-buns?”
“No!”
“Lily-cat?”
“I’m not a nekomata!”
“Lily-button?”
“Now you’re not even trying!”
Deciding to ignore the two girls, Kevin began walking towards the ocean, when he was stopped. He looked at the woman whose hand rested on his shoulder. Her dark eyes gazed at him in mild concern and just a little exasperation, as if he’d done something wrong without realizing it.
“I apologize, Kevin-sama. However, I cannot allow you to go into the ocean just yet.”
“Um, why not?”
“Because you have not put any sunblock on yet. Now, if you’d please come this way, I shall put sunblock on your back.”
“Actually, Kotohime,” Lilian interrupted, walking up to them. Kevin wondered how she’d gotten away from Iris, but then he looked behind her and saw the dark-haired twin lying face down in a crater. “I’m going to put sunblock on Beloved’s back.”
The yamato nadeshiko giggled. “Ufufufu, of course, Lilian-sama.”
“Come on, Kevin.”
Lilian dragged him over to a towel and bade him to lie on his stomach. Once he’d done that, she straddled his legs and began spreading sunblock on his back. It felt nice. Lilian’s soft, delicate hands roamed over the muscles of his back, massaging lotion into his skin. It was so soothing that he felt like he might fall asleep.
“Turn around, please.”
Seeing nothing wrong with the request, Kevin did as told. It wasn’t until she straddled his thighs and started to rub his chest that Kevin had a problem—two problems, actually.
A Fox's Vacation (American Kitsune Book 5) Page 15