Moonlight Virgin

by Kat Cotton

  “After my birth, she rarely left her bed. Because I’d known nothing else, I was such a happy kid. It seemed the whole world was just the two of us. That man, Kazu, didn’t care. He only cared about the money. I never thought of him as a father.”

  My heart ached for that young Kisho. So young and alone.

  “Because I had no friends, I never had any concept of what a father was. I had my grandparents, but I only saw them at night, after the shop closed. Sometimes my grandmother made me toys out of fabric scraps from the kimono store.

  “My mother became weaker, so I looked after her as I got older. So long as I had my mother, I didn’t care about anything else. She taught me to read and write, and she told me stories. She told me that one day, when she got stronger, we’d go to a famous park to see the cherry blossoms. Then she’d sing songs about that.”

  He’d loved his mother a lot; the light shining in his eyes when he spoke of her proved that. Even now, after all these years, he visited her grave. I tried to picture the famous Japanese beauty reclining on her futon, fading away with her young son beside her. Maybe he’d offered her some tea. Maybe he’d brushed her hair while she sang to him.

  “But what about the vampire thing?”

  “When I was a child, it wasn’t an issue. I didn’t even know about it. Until puberty, I was like any other human child.”

  “And puberty?”

  “It became complicated. When I was ten years old, my mother died. Things changed. Things changed so fast. Even with my grandparents still alive, Kazu became head of the family. That meant nothing to me. I’d never once even been to the kimono shop. I lived upstairs. But with my mother dead, that man planned to remarry. He wanted a woman who would give him children. He was happy to have my grandparents around, because he needed them to work in the business, but he wanted me gone. Of course, it would have been hard to explain me. I’d never been added to the family register. No record of me ever existed.”

  “He threw you out?”

  “He sold me to my father. I don’t know how my father found out about me or what transpired, but he turned up one night, this huge dark figure looming in the doorway. I screamed. I wanted my mother, but she was gone. My grandmother grabbed me into her arms, trying to protect me, but he’d been a customer in the store, he’d been invited in, so there was no stopping him. He pried me out of my grandmother’s arms, and I never saw her again.”

  “You lived with him after that?”

  Kisho smiled at me. It was a sad smile.

  “I think that’s enough of my boring story for one night,” he said. “We’ve got to find this kitsune tomorrow.”

  I wanted to hear more, but he was right. We needed to sleep. Plus, I didn’t like the way his face had twisted up when he’d reached that last bit. There was so much more for him to tell, and I had a feeling it would get a lot darker.

  Chapter 10 Nic: The Mayor

  “Tasty?”

  I held up the blood bags. Vlad screwed up his face. As much as I tried to maintain my tough façade, that kid really got me when he did that. I knew how much he craved a real meal. I craved one too. Normally, I only fed a few times a week, but lately I’d been much more hungry. The bond made me feel his hunger.

  In just a few days, he’d had a rapid decline. He stayed curled up in bed with Hellhound. Even the gymnastic equipment didn’t interest him.

  If he continued like that, I wouldn’t be able to travel with him even if we did find a place. I’d reached the point where I’d overlook an ugly sofa if the place fit my other requirements, and there was a place in Lisbon that checked all the boxes.

  I’d been just about to book it and pack our stuff last night, then Vlad had cried out. One look at him made me re-evaluate my travel plans.

  There was no way we could fly to Lisbon with him so weak. Taking him out in sunlight would further deplete his strength, and even if we got an overnight flight, at some point we’d need to be outside during the day.

  “Can you get out of bed?”

  He tried to stand, but his legs were shaky. His hair didn’t shine. His eyes didn’t sparkle. He’d become like an old, faded photograph of himself.

  “Come on, try the bagged blood. You need to eat.”

  Maybe I could get one of the groupies to come over. With him this weak, he might not attack. It was a huge risk, and if he lost control, she’d be dead. But then, if Vlad didn’t feed, he might fade away to nothing.

  “Just a little bit,” I told him. I stroked his hair and did the eye contact thing that always strengthened the bond between us. He had to understand that he needed some sustenance. He couldn’t recover without it.

  He barely had the strength to suck on the blood bag. Maybe I’d need to feed him like I did Kisho.

  I’d just got him feeding a little when someone knocked on the door.

  “Tasty?” he said again.

  “Maybe,” I muttered under my breath. I’d have no qualms about feeding him to random visitors if it made him regain his strength.

  It was the mayor. Back again.

  “I’ve got more cake,” he said.

  When I opened the door, he didn’t just have cake, he had two lattes. It took more than coffee and cake to win me over, though, and his timing was awful.

  He sat down, took the lid off his latte, then dumped in some sugar.

  “The gang problem is getting worse, Nic.”

  “I saw you on TV the other night. You said you had it all under control.”

  The mayor shrugged. “Politics.”

  “I’ve told you where I stand on this. Vampires don’t kill other vampires.”

  “Maybe you could just talk to them, persuade them to move on. I don’t really care what they do, so long as they’re out of my city. Of course, if that didn’t work, you might have to resort to violence.”

  “No dice.”

  He looked up from his coffee. “You seem very certain about that, Nic, but everyone has their price. You must want something. It’s a simple job. This Lucio guy might be the leader of the gang, but he’s nothing on you. Well, he is exceptionally good-looking.”

  I nearly spat my coffee out. Lucio. Good-looking? The guy was a slob. Badly dressed, badly groomed. No fashion sense. Just looking at him made me cringe.

  “I’m kind of busy right now.”

  People never seemed to understand how busy I was. I couldn’t drop everything just to fight a gang. I had to get Vlad healthy, and then I had to move. That was my plan.

  “Taaaasty,” Vlad called out. This time, he barely formed the word. It was more like a plaintive moan.

  There was something I wanted. Something the mayor could give me. Could I agree to his terms, though? If I crossed this line, I’d be in bad with the entire vampire community. I didn’t really have much to do with anyone outside of my pack, but staying friendly always helped.

  Getting mixed up with gang fights meant putting the pack at risk. We never fought with other packs; we never concerned ourselves with territory. Most territory fights were over feeding grounds, and I had my own willing food supply.

  Vlad moaned again, and the hunger he felt gnawed in my own belly. My pain was just a reflection of his, but still it freaked me out a little.

  “There’s something I want more than money. Even more than cake. I’m sure you have some human lowlifes of your own to deal with. You know, the kind of scum who will probably get off their charges on a technicality after the wonderful law enforcement offices of this city have worked hard to bring them down.”

  “I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”

  “If you happened to loan them to me for a short while, I’ll give them back in near perfect condition, all memories erased.”

  The mayor cocked his head on the side as though he had to consider it carefully, but he’d agree. There was no question about that.

  “It’ll take a bit of paperwork, but why not? It’s only fair, right? I’ll have your first one delivered later this afternoon.”

>   This might not be the greatest idea I’d ever had, and I wasn’t sure how many the mayor would get back, but Vlad would get his tasty. Now, I just had to work out how to run the Northside gang out of town on top of my already hectic schedule.

  The mayor squeezed my shoulder again.

  “Got to go. This city won’t run itself. But it’s nice partnering with you, Nic. I think we’ll make a winning combination.” He raised his fist. “Team Mayor and Nic, right?”

  Chapter 11 Nic: Feeding Time

  Vlad’s first meal was delivered. The guard said he’d wait outside.

  “But watch what ya doing. I don’t need the bother of an escaped crim on my hands. This one’s a slippery bastard.”

  The thug did look dodgy in his tight-fitting t-shirt and dirty jeans. Those homemade tattoos looked like a flag for some kind of hepatitis, too.

  “He does have a clean bill of health?” I asked.

  The guard nodded. “Take your time. I’m getting paid by the hour.” He leaned against the wall and lit up a cigarette. “So long as you return him to me intact.”

  “Make sure you dispose of that butt properly,” I told him. I didn’t want the front of my house getting all trashy.

  I didn’t ask what the thug’s name was, or his crime. He wasn’t here for a social visit. I had no worries about him escaping. He had his hands cuffed behind his back, and anyway, I could handle him.

  I dragged the thug down to the basement.

  “This had better not be some kinky sex thing. I know my rights. I have a lawyer.”

  I’d ask the mayor to gag the next one. I didn’t need conversation.

  When we got downstairs, Vlad squealed. “Tasty! Tasty!”

  I nodded, then smiled to see him so happy after having been so listless. That happiness surged through me as well, the two of us connected.

  “Yep, tasty.”

  I’d fed him up on extra blood bags before this to take the edge off his hunger. I’d given him extensive instruction on proper etiquette and safety. I just had to let go and leave it to fate now.

  Vlad’s chipmunky teeth changed shape as he prepared to feed. I didn’t want him drinking directly. That would be too intense for him. If he sank his fangs into the thug, his whole world would disappear. He’d become impossible to control then.

  Instead, I got out a knife and slashed the guy’s upper arm.

  He balked. “Fuck, that hurt.”

  For a hardened criminal, he sure was a cry-baby. It wasn’t even a deep cut. It sliced through his “Mom” tattoo but didn’t hit to the bone. He’d have to toughen up before he hit the big house, or he’d end someone’s bitch. It wasn’t my job to give him life advice, but, maybe, if he’d taken my motivation course, he’d be on the straight and narrow now.

  For a few seconds, before the blood flowed, a whirring tension flowed between Vlad and me. Hope, anticipation and longing. I bet my unicorn baby had never waited to feed before. He’d never known the pleasure of lingering on those sensations, letting the desire reach a crescendo.

  Blood lust is a powerful thing. Still, teaching him to wait before feeding was a crucial part of his training. Only crude vampires lunge at a feed.

  When the smell of the blood hit, Vlad leaped forward.

  “No, Vlad. Wait.”

  He pouted but obeyed. Hell, I could barely resist the smell of blood myself, even if it did come from this dirty punk. It’d been a while since I’d fed properly. It might not be premium blood, but it had a rich and meaty quality.

  “What the fuck is going on?” the thug yelled.

  “Sit down,” I told Vlad.

  He sat. His eyes widened with glee, and he’d begun to salivate. The salivating was something we needed to work on.

  “Where’s Mr. Manners?”

  The thug squirmed and fought, but there was no chance of escape. With his hands cuffed, he had no chance to do any damage.

  “No! No way!” he screamed.

  “Okay, Vlad, stand up. Slowly.”

  He did as I said, but I had to keep eye contact with him. A few droplets of blood dripped from the thug’s arm to the floor. Vlad stared at them but didn’t move. My heart swelled watching that kind of self-control, even if it would be a bitch to wash out of the mat.

  “Good boy,” I said to Vlad.

  He moved closer, actually drooling now. His eyes grew huge with hunger.

  “Slowly,” I told him.

  I turned the thug to give Vlad access to his arm.

  “Tasty!”

  Vlad lunged at that blood-soaked arm. He lapped at the blood. Good. Really good. Maybe this would be easier than I’d thought. My unicorn baby could feed without it becoming a frenzy.

  “OWWW!” the crim howled.

  Vlad had fastened his teeth on the arm.

  “No, Vlad.”

  Of course, he ignored me. My voice didn’t even register with him. The bond disappeared.

  I had to drop my hold on the thug so I could get to Vlad. If I yanked him away too quickly, he’d end up ripping the guy’s arm off. Instead, I tried to pry Vlad’s jaw open. The most important thing in this situation was to bring Vlad’s consciousness back to the present. Otherwise, it was just him and the blood and nothing else.

  “Drop it, Vlad. Drop it.”

  That did nothing, so I whacked his nose. That worked with Hellhound. I knew Vlad was much more sophisticated than a dog, but I had no time to negotiate with him. He had to learn, and he had to learn fast.

  Vlad released his teeth from the man’s arm.

  It’d worked. It’d actually worked.

  The wound continued to bleed. I couldn’t help but lick those droplets. Then I grabbed some bandages and covered the wound.

  “More! More tasty!” Vlad stomped his feet.

  “No. No more.”

  He’d had enough. We couldn’t drain the thug, and we couldn’t overload Vlad.

  Even before the thug left, Vlad jumped up on his gymnastics bars, full of energy.

  “Watch me, pretty man,” he said.

  “I will, just as soon as I get rid of dinner.”

  The wound on the man’s arm would heal quickly. I took him upstairs and used my thrall to wipe his memory before handing him back to the guard.

  “Same time tomorrow?” the guard said.

  I nodded, then returned to Vlad.

  Pouting and foot-stomping beat the hell out of Vlad fading away. The sparkle returned to his eyes, and he shone. The blood had revived him, and my unicorn baby was back.

  As much as I hated joining forces with the mayor, it’d been the right thing to do.

  Chapter 12 Clem: Maid

  “It’s gorgeous, seriously.”

  I walked in a circle around Kisho. I wouldn’t giggle. As soon as I did, he’d freak out and take the maid costume off. I really wanted him to keep wearing that costume.

  “You know, most people don’t actually wear their own uniform to apply for a job.”

  “But you can’t get changed in front of the other girls. They’d know instantly.”

  I walked around to check out his butt again.

  “I’m not going to pass as a girl. I’m far too tall, for a start.”

  “Just find the kitsune quickly, then. Before they realize. The main point is to get into the inner sanctum of the maid café. It’s a pity Nic isn’t here. He’d have your makeup looking perfect.”

  The makeup did look a bit drag-queen-esque. I’d never done makeup on anyone but myself before. But, hey, maybe the café wanted a cross-dressing maid.

  “Nic is never to know about this. You promised.” He put his hands on his hips, looking all determined.

  “He’ll know. You know what he’s like. He finds out everything. How do you put this maid cap on?”

  I put the white lacy cap on his head but wasn’t sure what to do with the ties.

  “Maybe we could leave that until we get there. It’s going to be bad enough wearing this costume on the train. And the shoes can wait too.”
>
  “You’ll be wearing makeup, though. Maybe the old men will start harassing you instead of me.”

  “They already do.”

  Before we left, I gave his outfit a final check. He really did look hot in it. I wasn’t sure why, but it made him seem a helluva lot more masculine. The ruffled neckline highlighted his broad shoulders, and the fishnets accentuated his muscular legs. There was a spot at the back just below where his hair curled onto his neck. The costume dipped down, showing a tiny bit of his flesh. I wanted to touch that strip of skin so badly. I didn’t know what made it so alluring, but it stirred me deep inside.

  I slipped my phone out of my pocket.

  “You’re are taking photos, aren’t you?”

  “Nope. No photos.” I hid my phone behind my back. “Okay, let’s go.”

  We’d only walked halfway down the empty corridor when Kisho spun around and ran back to the suite.

  I ran after him.

  “I can’t do this,” he said. “I can’t go out like this.”

  “Of course you can. Who cares? It’s not like anyone will even pay you that much attention. Have you seen the way people dress here? And if it’s really going to worry you, put a long coat on.”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  He went to his room and returned wearing a trench coat. He’d also put on a pair of trousers under his dress. The makeup remained, but he’d put on one of those flu masks that people wore here. That covered most of it, although his black-lined eyes peeked out most tantalizingly.

  We caught the train, then found the café. In an alleyway nearby, Kisho changed his shoes and put on the lacy cap. I touched up his makeup. There was no way he’d pass as a girl, but hopefully they’d either decide a cute boy maid would work well or he’d find out enough information before they told him he didn’t have the job.

  “Okay, ready to go.”

  “No.”

  “Come on. It’s not like you actually need the maid job or anything. You just have to get in there and do some snooping around. Look for clues. You know all the signs of a kitsune. Reflections or shadows that look like a fox would be really handy. A tail would be even better. I’ll go in as a customer. It’s an hour or so out of your life, and it might be the key to solving this case.”