A Fox's Family (American Kitsune Book 4)

by Brandon Varnell

  “Urk… ugh… ooh…”

  Kevin wondered if anyone else was sweatdropping as much as him. Did this woman seriously just give Eric Corrompere, the epitome of concupiscence, groping advice?

  Heather looked up, an amused smirk on her lips.

  Then she made eye contact with Kevin and Lilian.

  The smirk vanished.

  “AAHHHHH!!!” Kevin and Lilian pointed at the woman, who pointed right back, all three of them shouting at the same time. “IT’S YOU!”

  ***

  The boys and girls split up after Heather was introduced, with Coach Raide taking the boys outside while the girls remained indoors.

  “Alex.”

  “Rodriguez.”

  “So…” Eric placed his hands behind his head. “That Heather chick with the mean WWF skills is the woman in charge of those people who tried kidnapping you and Lilian, huh?”

  “Seems that way,” Kevin grunted. He and Eric were standing in yet another line, this one on the basketball court.

  I hate basketball.

  “Philip.”

  “Brian.”

  Eric whistled. “Damn. Never thought we’d bump into one of those people. Wonder how she got a job working at this school. Then again, that Japanese professor guy―”

  “Inagami Takashi.”

  “Right, right, him. Anyway, he also worked at this school. Maybe she had her super secret spy agency or whatever create some false identification stating she was a teacher.”

  “Or maybe your dad let her have the job because she’s hot, and we all know that your dad’s as lecherous as you are.”

  “Christian.”

  “Zach.”

  “That’s a harsh thing to say, My Lord,” Eric muttered. “My old man might be a perv, but there’s no way he’s anywhere near as perverted as me!”

  “That’s not something to be proud of, idiot! And don’t call me ‘My Lord!’ It’s creepy.”

  “Francis.”

  “Jack.”

  “So, what do you think’s going on with the girls?” asked Eric.

  Kevin ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know, but I’m worried. That woman was the one who ordered my kidnapping, or at least I think she was. Either way, she was the one in charge of those people, which means she’s the one who wanted to capture Lilian. Who’s to say that’s not still her goal?”

  “You could always call the police.”

  “And say what? ‘Hey, Mr. Police Officer. I’ve got this woman teaching my gym class. I think she’s actually a spy sent by a secret organization to capture my kitsune girlfriend. Could you please send someone over here to arrest her for me?’” Kevin snorted. “Yeah, I can see that going over really well.”

  “You know, you’ve become awfully sarcastic in the past two weeks, My Lord.” Kevin twitched. “Are you feeling alright?”

  “Just dandy.”

  “Haden.”

  “Eric.”

  “Heh, looks like they’re calling me.” Eric stepped out of line and tossed his friend a wave. “Catch you later, My Lord.”

  “Oh, for the all the gods’ sakes, would you stop calling me that?!”

  ***

  “Shouldn’t you be playing dodgeball with the other girls?”

  Lilian didn’t answer Heather’s question, instead choosing to glare daggers at the blond-haired woman. The new assistant coach appeared more amused by the redhead’s attempt at making her spontaneously combust via her eyes than bothered. She was even grinning.

  “Now there’s a dangerous look. You weren’t wearing that look the last time I saw you.” Heather lifted her eyes to the ceiling. “Then again, I couldn’t really see you all that well, since you were being supported by your boy toy.”

  “Don’t you dare call Kevin that!” Lilian spat.

  “Oh, so you can talk. I was beginning to wonder.”

  Lilian and Heather sat on the bleachers. Well, Heather was sitting. Lilian stood several feet from the woman, hands clenched into fists so tight that it was a wonder her nails hadn’t broken the skin.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “My job.” Heather raised an eyebrow. “You know, assistant PE coach?”

  “That’s not what I meant and you know it!” Lilian’s already narrowed eyes became fierce slits. Her transformation slipped for a second, whiskers appearing for a brief instant before vanishing. “What are you doing here? Are you here to try and kidnap me again? Or are you going to try and use Kevin as a hostage like you did last time? I swear, if you hurt even one hair on his head, I’ll―”

  “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Slow down, girl.” Heather raised her hands in a “settle down” gesture. “I have no designs on kidnapping either you or your boyfriend. I’m not even a member of that group anymore.”

  Lilian remained tense, still feeling wary of letting her guard down around this woman. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean they fired me,” Heather stated flatly. “People who don’t accomplish their mission objectives aren’t people they can afford to keep. When I failed to capture you, they decided I was no longer fit to be a member of their group and they dropped me faster than yesterday’s trash.”

  “So, if you’re not after me and Kevin, then what are you doing here?”

  “Didn’t I just tell you? I’m the assistant PE coach.” Heather shrugged. “I needed a job, so I applied.”

  “And they let you work here just like that?”

  “Yep.” Heather nodded. “The principal said ‘you’re cute, so I’ll hire you!’ and that was how I got my job.”

  Lilian took a second to think about that statement.

  A drop of sweat soon appeared near her temple, trailing down her face and neck, rolling across her clavicle bone, before dipping into her PE shirt.

  Lilian remembered; she had been allowed to enroll despite not having any of the necessary background information for that very same reason.

  “Right. I forgot the principal here is a complete pervert.”

  ***

  Sitting in his office, behind his fancy desk made of the finest mahogany, Principal Corrompere giggled. Several feet away from him was a television, and on that television was porn.

  What? This was the guy who birthed Eric. Are you honestly surprised?

  “Kukukuku… oh, yeah…. you girls are looking mighty fine… oh, yes… just like that… you can do it, baby!”

  As he giggled some more, mumbling out words no principal in their right mind should ever say out loud—especially at a school—a strange sensation came over him, like a feather tickling his nose.

  He sneezed. Then he looked around. After several seconds of nothing happening, Eric’s father shrugged and went back to watching porn.

  And people wondered why this school was so messed up.

  ***

  Gym eventually ended.

  Kevin and Lilian met up after changing into their regular clothes. Eric probably would have been with them, except he’d been sent to the nurse’s office after trying to sneak up on Heather and grope her from behind. Too bad the woman was a former secret agent of some kind. Not even the Deus Sex Machina that allowed all perverts to recover after a massive beating seemed capable of healing the grievous injuries she had dealt to him.

  Almost as soon as they left the gymnasium, Kevin noticed his mate’s mood. “Are you worried about that Heather woman?”

  “Yes. No. Well, maybe a little.” Lilian furrowed her brows and frowned. “I don’t like the fact that she’s working here at our school. That woman’s already kidnapped you once.”

  “Ugh, please don’t remind me.”

  “Who’s to say she won’t try it again?”

  “Yeah, I thought the same thing, more or less.” Kevin paused. “Only our roles in the entirely hypothetical second kidnapping scenario were reversed. Anyway, there’s not much we can do unless you want to pick a fight with her or something. We’ll inform Kotohime about Heather becoming our new teacher. That way, if something happens to
us and we don’t show up at home, she’ll know who the most likely culprit is. Really, that’s about all we can do.”

  “I guess…”

  They stopped in the middle of a busy sidewalk. All around them, their fellow students walked. A few glanced at them, and more than a few whispered as they walked past, but Kevin did his best to ignore them.

  Kevin placed his hands on Lilian’s shoulders, a reassuring gesture that did an admirable job of making the two-tailed vixen relax. His touch was like a panacea for her tumultuous mind. “Try not to worry too much, okay. If anything happens, we’ll deal with it just like we’ve dealt with every other problem that’s come our way.”

  Lilian’s eyes glanced up at her mate. Long strands of silky red glittered as sunlight reflected off her hair, framing her face with sparkles that enhanced her beauty beyond what mere eyes could see.

  “You really have grown a lot more confident these past two weeks, haven’t you?” Lilian’s lips gently curved up into a warm, inviting smile.

  Kevin’s cheeks darkened as he quickly turned his head, even if he already knew that hiding his blush was impossible. “Y-yes, well, I’m trying to be, at least.”

  Slender arms slid around his neck and a lovely, alluring face came ever closer as Lilian leaned up on her toes. Kevin was forced to look back at the young woman when she placed a hand underneath his chin and turned it.

  “I like how confident you’ve become.”

  As if they possessed a mind of their own, Kevin’s hands settled on the curve of Lilian’s hips. Even separated as they were by the fabric of her jeans, he could feel the delightful and artistic curve of her waist.

  Kevin’s face became a bastion of red, and his body twitched as if fighting against the compulsion to run away. “R-really?”

  “Oh, yes.”

  The arms around his neck drew him in closer. Lilian’s breath hit his lips, and the delectable scent of mint and vanilla caused his mind to grow fuzzy.

  “I like it a lot.”

  Kevin allowed Lilian’s arms to pull him down, closer to her face. His eyes, just like hers, began to flutter closed.

  “You two really don’t know the meaning of the word discretion, do you?”

  Jerking apart like someone had struck them in the face with an overpowered kitsune-bi, Kevin and Lilian looked to their left and right respectively.

  “Lindsay.” Lilian did not know whether to be happy at seeing her friend, or angry at the tomboy for ruining her and Kevin’s moment.

  “Hey.”

  Standing a few feet away, Lindsay waved at the pair. Like most days, she had chosen to wear clothing that suited her tomboyish nature. Her black skinny jeans fit snugly on her hips, and the white T-shirt and jean jacket combo reminded Kevin of the clothing he wore back when he was 12. Walking beside her was a silent Christine, whose expression Kevin could not identify.

  Smiling brightly at the girl in lolita clothing, Kevin greeted the Yuki-onna the same way he alway did.

  “Christine, good morning. You look nice today.”

  “W-w-what are you saying, idiot?!” Christine sputtered, her face steaming. She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head. “D-d-d-d-don’t think th-that saying—that being nice to me and giving me c-compliments and stuff w-will make me forgive you!”

  “Huh?”

  And as always, Kevin had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

  Lindsay chuckled. Lilian was just thankful Christine was so tsundere. If the goth girl actually acted nice and tried earnestly earning Kevin’s affection, well, it wouldn’t haven’t really changed anything, but it would have bothered her.

  “It always amazes me to see how you can be so oblivious sometimes.”

  Kevin stared at Lindsay like she’d just told him that he had the power to control vectors. “Um, what?”

  “Exactly my point.” Lindsay shook her head. “Oblivious to the feelings of everyone except your girlfriend’s.”

  Kevin somehow managed to look both embarrassed and confused.

  “… Huh?”

  ***

  Iris observed her surroundings with an amused glance. Everywhere she looked, men stared. Children, adults, teens, it didn’t matter, all males stopped whatever they were doing when she walked past them. A man pushing a cart full of luggage ran into a pillar, while another standing with what appeared to be his significant other began drooling. Even the man’s girlfriend stared at her like she was the rarest delicacy on earth.

  She shook her head. These people, humans, were so pathetic. She wasn’t even using her Call of Ecstasy, and they were still tripping over themselves just to catch a glimpse of her.

  Not that she blamed them, of course, but it was still annoying. Couldn’t they be a little more sporting and at least try to resist their hormonal response in the face of someone who embodied female perfection? It was no fun if they didn’t struggle against their natural impulses at least a little bit.

  “Come on, Iris,” her mother called out to her. The older kitsune was walking in front of her, the ever faithful and kind Kirihime at the woman’s side. “Hurry up or you’ll fall behind―hawa!”

  “M-My Lady!”

  Iris wanted to facepalm, but that would have been redundant. Instead, she just sighed, watching Kirihime set down their luggage and helping Camellia back to her feet.

  “Geeze, mom. You’re a complete embarrassment.”

  “Th-that’s not a very nice thing to say about your mother,” Kirihime muttered, wearing a forlorn expression.

  “That doesn’t make it any less true,” Iris retorted.

  “H-hawa… I’m sowwy, Iris…” Camellia apologized, dewy tear drops in her eyes.

  “Whatever. Let’s just hurry up, okay?”

  “Hawa…”

  Several more trips and a lot more staring later, they eventually made it to their terminal.

  Iris’ stomach chose that moment to growl. “Ugh, I knew I shouldn’t have skipped breakfast.”

  “Would you like some of my Teriyaki?” Kirihime asked, pulling out a steaming plate of food from between her bosom and offering the fragrantly appetizing dish to Iris.

  The girl’s face turned green. “There’s no way in hell I’m ever eating anything you make. Never again.”

  Kirihime’s shoulders slumped. “That’s not a very nice thing to say…”

  ***

  Kevin and Lilian were joined by their friends as they sat at a stone table underneath the gazebo for lunch.

  “So… crap, do we even have a lunch?” Kevin asked, remembering what had happened this morning. His face warmed up and his heart threatened to explode as he recalled Lilian’s warm tongue exploring his mouth. He shifted uncomfortably and hoped no one could see the way his pants tightened.

  Curse you hormones!

  “Don’t worry,” Lilian reassured him, “Kotohime foresaw that we wouldn’t have time to make lunch and packed one for us. She made sure I grabbed it before we left.”

  “How come I didn’t notice this?”

  “You were too busy freaking out.”

  “O-oh. I see.”

  Kevin tried not to blush as Lilian reached into her cleavage and pulled out a large lunchbox. His eyes widened when he saw the box itself. Three-tiered and shaped like a square, the lunchbox had a lacquered finish and Sakura blossoms swirling along its surface like a mosaic.

  Watching as Lilian arranged the food, Kevin saw that each story contained something different. The top story contained eggs and a variety of meats, the second held pickled vegetables, and the third was filled to bursting with rice.

  Everyone gawked at the massive lunchbox, though Christine was the most vocal. “What the hell kind of lunchbox is that?!”

  “It’s called a bento box,” Kevin answered, somehow resisting the urge to facepalm. “A Japanese lunchbox with several stories that can contain a variety of different foods.”

  Lindsay stared at swirling pink petals and beautiful designs like they were something out
of a horror movie. “Why is it that everything you do these days has something to do with Japan? We don’t live in Japan, you know.”

  “I am well aware of that,” Kevin’s reply made deserts seem lush. He looked back at the bento box and sighed. “Seriously though, I know Kotohime’s into the whole ‘adding random Japanese suffixes to people’s name’ thing, but I had no clue she was this into Japanese culture. If she wasn’t from Japan herself, I would almost think she was a Japanophile.”

  “A what?”

  “Nothing.”

  “Hey, I just noticed we’re missing someone,” Alex said, “where’s Eric?”

  “Who cares?” Christine said rudely. “I’m just glad that idiots not here to perv on me like he usually does. Damn, dirty lecher.”

  ***

  Eric Corrompere giggled with all the perversity of a dirty old man.

  He’d woken up from his female-induced coma to find himself resting in the nurse’s office. After waking up and realizing that the nurse’s office was connected to both the male and female locker rooms, Eric had decided to use this opportunity to partake in his favorite hobby.

  No, it wasn’t playing H-games. That was his second favorite. His real favorite hobby was, of course, peeping.

  After sneaking into the girl’s locker room, Eric had swiftly hid himself in one of the many lockers. With his back pressed against the metal and his eyes peering through one of several small slits, the epitome of perversion, the entity of lecherous intent, watched as several girls entered the locker room.

  Clamping a hand over his mouth to stifle his perverse giggling, Eric ignored the fluids running down his face, both the drool coming out of his mouth and the blood leaking from his nose. This wasn’t the first time he’d drooled, gotten a nosebleed or had both happen at the same time, and it wouldn’t be the last.

  “Oh, yeah…” he whispered to himself, giggling some more. “Come to papa… that’s right…”

  His eyes zeroed in one girl who stepped in front of him. She turned away and opened the locker immediately across from the one he’d secreted himself in. A few of her friends stepped up with her and also opened their lockers.