A Fox's Family (American Kitsune Book 4)

by Brandon Varnell

  It was the perfect time to strike.

  ***

  Kevin and Lilian were lounging in the bath together. It was Saturday, and this was the first time they’d done this since the disaster at Eric’s house, in which the perverted teen had walked in on them while they were getting hot and heavy.

  Lilian had asked Kevin if he would like to spend some intimate one-on-one time together that morning, claiming she would miss him during the sleepover and wanted to be with him for as long as possible. Regardless of his thoughts on the issue of physical intimacy, he could not deny his mate’s desire to be with him—part of him would even admit that he was thrilled by the idea.

  After helping each other clean up in the shower, they filled the bathtub with steaming hot water. Lilian even added some bath salts. Kevin would have asked where she’d gotten those, but he already knew the answer and therefore decided to save himself the headache.

  With his back against the tub, the water rising up to his chest, Kevin found it impossible to feel anything but relaxed. Lilian rested against him, laying on her left side between his legs, using his right shoulder as a pillow. The tub was small, but that didn’t bother either of them. Feeling a bit more adventurous that morning, Kevin softly rubbed Lilian’s hips. The lyrical sounds she produced and the warm breathing hitting his neck sent tingles down Kevin’s spine.

  “This is so nice,” Lilian murmured, her voice soft and lackadaisical. She sounded tired. Kevin worried that she might fall asleep if she relaxed any further. “I wish we could stay like this.”

  “We’ll prune if we stay in here for too long.”

  “I know that. But a girl can dream, can’t she?”

  Kevin chuckled. He couldn’t see her face, which was nuzzled against his neck, but he could imagine the adorable pout she wore.

  “We’ll do this again. Maybe it can be something we do on weekends, or whatever.”

  Lilian raised her head and looked him in the eyes. Her own eyes were wide and full of hope. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  Lilian stared at him for a moment longer. Long enough to make his cheeks grow hot. After what felt like fifteen minutes but was really only a few seconds, she smiled, and leaned in to give him a kiss.

  “I love this new, more confident Kevin,” she mumbled against his lips.

  “Not so new,” he whispered back, his voice only slightly muffled by her mouth.

  Lilian leaned back and gave him a bright, cheerful smile. “Perhaps not,” she chirped, “you’re still the same kind-hearted person who saved me and allowed me to live with you, even though I sort of screwed up your life.”

  “Sort of?”

  Lilian had the decency to look mildly abashed. “Okay, so maybe it was more than just a little.”

  “Right, because having someone tell all my friends that we’re engaged when we really weren’t and trying to intimidate my only female friend into staying away from me is ‘more than just a little.’”

  Lilian’s cheeks puffed up. “So, I was a little overzealous in my attempts to win your affection. I needed a leg up so I could be number one in case the author decided to turn this story into a harem. Can you blame me?”

  Grinning, Kevin finally removed his hands from Lilian’s hips, placing them against her cheeks and pushing the air out of them. “Yes. Yes, I can.” A pause. “Wait. What?”

  “What do you mean ‘what?’”

  “I could have sworn you just said something about a harem.”

  “You’re imagining things.”

  “No, no. I could have sworn you said something about a harem. And how many times have I told you to stop mentioning people who don’t exist?!”

  Their skin eventually started to wrinkle and the two were forced to get out. After drying each other off, they got dressed and wandered into the kitchen.

  Iris was already sitting down at the table while Kotohime served breakfast. The two-tailed Void Kitsune looked up when they walked in, as did Kotohime.

  “Lilian-sama, Kevin-sama. I hope you two had a pleasant shower.”

  “We did.” Lilian was the epitome of good cheer while Kevin blushed. More confident he might have been, but he still couldn’t deal with people actually knowing that he and Lilian were intimate.

  “You two were in that shower for an awfully long time.” Iris’s eyes narrowed into thin slits. “You didn’t do anything you shouldn’t have, did you?”

  While Kevin coughed into his hand, mostly to hide the fierce burning in his cheeks, Lilian defiantly stared back at Iris. “Is that a problem?”

  Kevin sat down and busied himself with his food, hoping that doing so would hide his embarrassment.

  “No, no,” the ravenette assured, raising both hands in a defensive gesture. “No problem. I was just wondering if you would let me join you guys next time.”

  Kevin was so surprised by Iris’s comment that the food he’d begun eating went down his windpipe.

  “B-Beloved!”

  Kevin choked and hacked, pounding his chest as he tried to dislodge the food. Lilian rubbed his back as if trying to soothe the panic he felt at not being able to breathe. When he finally coughed up the last bit of rice, he heartily drank the glass of water that Kotohime presented to him.

  “Stop picking on my mate,” Lilian frowned at her fraternal twin.

  “Who said I was picking on him?” asked a devious Iris. “I was being completely serious. The next time you two decide to take a bath together, let me know so I can join you.” She eyed the two with a hungry leer. “I think it’ll be fun.”

  While Kevin tried to pretend he hadn’t heard her, Lilian flushed at the imagery Iris’s words invoked. She then shook her head, dispelling the images, and sent Iris a mildly flustered glare. “Not happening.”

  “Aw, come on, Lily-pad. You can’t share your mate with your dear sister?”

  While Kevin’s face turned into a neon sign, Lilian looked away uncomfortably. “You already know my stance on this subject.” A pause. Lilian turned back to Iris and frowned. “And I thought I told you to stop calling me Lily-pad.”

  “You’re such a spoilsport, sis.” Iris feigned disappointment, then grinned as she turned her attention to Kevin, a wicked gleam in her eyes. “I know, I’ll just ask your mate.”

  Lilian’s eyes widened. “Don’t you dare!”

  “Hey, Kevin, maybe this will convince you to let me join in on your fun.” Iris’s grin made Kevin feel like a mouse trapped between the paws of a jungle panther. “I’m not wearing any panties. See?” Iris stood and lifted up her skirt.

  The reaction was instantaneous. Blood shot from Kevin’s nose with the power of a fire hydrant. The chair tipped over from the force of the crimson jet stream, causing him to also topple over. He landed on his back, his head cracking against the hard tile floor. Good thing he was already unconscious due to blood depletion, or that would have probably hurt.

  “Inari blessed! Beloved!”

  “Fufufu. That was too easy.”

  “IRIS!”

  ***

  Kotohime was washing the dishes when the doorbell rang. She ignored it in favor of continuing her task. Kirihime, who’d been hanging up the laundry, answered the door instead.

  The woman standing on the other side was completely unknown to her. Light brown hair in a short bob-cut adorned her head. The sleeveless pink shirt donning her figure was loose enough that a casual glance would not reveal the slight plumpness of her form. A long white skirt traveled down to her ankles.

  Ever the demure young woman, Kirihime clasped her hands in front of her and offered a somewhat shy smile. “Good morning, ma’am. Can I help you?”

  The woman didn’t say anything for the longest time. She just stared. It was very disturbing.

  “Um,” Kirihime fidgeted nervously, “ma’am?”

  “You are… a maid?”

  “Y-yes, I am.”

  “A French maid.”

  “We-well, technically I’m from Japan, so…”
/>
  “Kevin has a maid.”

  “Uh… n-not quite.” Kirihime hastened to correct the woman. “I am Lady Iris’s maid.”

  “Lady Iris?” The woman squinted at her, as if doing so might reveal the secrets of the multiverse. “And who, may I ask, is ‘Lady Iris?’”

  Kirhime shrunk under the woman’s gaze. “Um, ah, Lady Iris is Lady Lilian’s sister.”

  “Oh…”

  Kirihime squirmed as the woman continued to stare. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead. She wanted to look away from this woman, but that would have been impolite. All she could do was stand there and pray for a miracle.

  “Hey, Kirihime,” Kevin suddenly walked into the living room, “what are you doing standing in front of the―urk!”

  “Kevin!”

  Using her greater size, the woman pushed Kirihime out of the way and bum-rushed the poor boy like an otaku on a hug pillow. Kevin barely had time to squeak before the woman was on him, wrapping her thick arms around his head and shoving his face into her bosoms.

  “Kevin! Just look at how much you’ve grown! And are those muscles I feel? They are! Oh, you’ve become delicious enough to eat!”

  “Mrrphggrlllle!”

  “Yes, yes, you’ve become such a big, strong boy!”

  “MMPPPHHH!”

  “What’s with all the noise?” An irritated Iris stepped into the living room. She stopped upon seeing Kevin being smothered by a large woman’s breasts. A smirk lit her face. “Fufufu, it seems even older women can’t resist you, Stud.”

  “Mm mmff mmph mff mmph!” Kevin’s screams were unintelligible, but somehow, Iris managed to make something out of them.

  “I don’t know if I should,” Iris said, sounding uncertain. The grin on her face belied her supposed apprehension. “I mean, you look so comfortable.”

  “Mrrrmmph!!”

  “Iris,” Lilian called out as she waltzed into the living room with a bounce in her step. “What’s with all the―WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY MATE?!”

  “Your mate?” The large woman squinted suspiciously at the redhead. Her eyes soon lit up in recognition, however, and she snorted derisively. “Ah, you must be Lilian. The one who stole Kevin away from my daughter.”

  “Daughter?” It took several seconds for Lilian to realize what those words meant. “You’re Lindsay’s mom!” Only then did she properly compute the rest of the woman’s words. “And I did not steal Kevin from anyone. He chose to be with me of his own volition. Now get your hands off him!”

  “Hmph! Why would I do that?” Mrs. Diane’s grip on Kevin tightened, pushing him further into her bust. Kevin’s squirming and struggling reached a zenith. “Kevin has always appreciated my affection, especially since his mother has never given him enough love. Isn’t that right, Kevin?”

  “MMMPH mmm Mhppphh Mmmgglllrr!”

  “He’s not even trying to make sense anymore,” Iris noted.

  “Mmmpph mmmm!”

  “Now that’s not a very nice thing to say.”

  “Let go of my mate!”

  “I think not.”

  “Let go of him right this instant!”

  “No.”

  Over on the sidelines, Kirihime, Kotohime and Camellia watched the odd conversation between Lilian, Mrs. Diane, Iris and Kevin. Although, none of them were quite sure if the conversation between Iris and Kevin could truly be called a conversation… and Kevin just went limp.

  “D-do you think we should tell Mrs. Diane that Lord Kevin has passed out?” a worried Kirihime nervously wrung her hands together.

  “Hawa.”

  “We probably should,” Kotohime agreed, “but I am positive that Lilian-sama will notice soon enough.”

  “BELOVED!!”

  Kotohime nodded conclusively. “There you go.”

  ***

  Lilian and Iris sat in the back seat of Mrs. Diane’s car.

  It had taken a long while to pry the large woman off of Kevin, and it had taken even longer to leave. Lilian had been adamant on saying goodbye to her mate and refused to go anywhere until he had woken up. It was most fortunate that he’d become used to asphyxiation-induced unconsciousness. He had regained consciousness mere minutes after nearly suffocating to death.

  Well, that, and Kevin and Lilian’s goodbye—along with the argument that had ensued between Lilian and Mrs. Diane about propriety afterward. The plump woman apparently didn’t approve of the intense, open-mouthed kiss, complete with tongue action, that Lilian had given Kevin.

  “What an indecent display!” she had said.

  Strange words coming from a woman who had shoved a teenage boy’s head between her breasts.

  Iris watched the scenery pass by in a blur. Sighing, she tucked a strand of raven hair behind her ear and turned to look at Lilian. Her beautiful, red-haired sister looked incredibly depressed. Her shoulders were slumped, her eyes were downcast, and she was twiddling her thumbs in her lap. Iris wouldn’t have been surprised if it had started raining over the girl’s head.

  Smiling slyly, Iris slid over to her sister and promptly squeezed the Celestial Kitsune’s right boob.

  “Kya!”

  Mrs. Diane looked into the rear view mirror upon hearing Lilian’s squeal. When she did, her nose wrinkled in disgust and she went back to driving.

  Lilian’s face turned beet red.

  “I-Iris!” she hissed, covering her breasts protectively with her arms. “What are you doing?”

  “I just wanted to make sure you were still my sister.” Smiling with devious intent, Iris’s right hand made creepy squeezing motions not all that dissimilar to those of a certain perverted butt monkey. “Yep, you’re definitely still her.”

  Lilian flushed and looked away. “W-whatever.”

  “What’s got you so down, Lily-pad?”

  Lilian glared at her sister for using that accursed nickname. “Nothing.”

  “Oh, please.” Iris rolled her eyes. “I know you better than you seem to think I do. I can tell when something is bothering you.” Her left arm went around Lilian’s shoulder. “Now what’s on your mind?”

  Shoulders slumping, Lilian looked down at her sandal-clad feet. “I just… I miss… Kevin…”

  “By Inari’s rotting testicles.” Iris groaned. “It’s only been ten minutes since you left him. You can’t possibly be missing him so soon.” When Lilian’s shoulders slumped further, Iris used her free hand to palm her face. “By Inari’s hairy ball sack, you need to get a life outside of your mate.”

  “I don’t need a life outside of my mate,” Lilian argued. The look Iris gave her in return made the redhead awfully uncomfortable.

  “Yes, you do. You need a life, and I’m not just saying that because I don’t want Kevin’s dirty mitts touching you.”

  “I so don’t need to hear this from you.”

  “Sa, sa, don’t be so down.” Iris pulled her struggling sister closer. “Your mate might not be here, but your dear onee-chan is.”

  Lilian looked askance at her sister. “Who the heck is onee-chan?”

  Iris was just about to answer her sister with a sassy remark—a rather good one, too, if she did say so herself—when something powerful struck the car with enough force that the vehicle was lifted into the air and flipped around like a pinwheel.

  Iris felt her world turn upside down. Because she wasn’t wearing a seat belt, her head hit the roof. Her mind exploded with pain. Her vision went white. Everything was tumbling, rolling, including her body, which was battered around with bone-jarring force. Iris thought she heard screaming, but couldn’t be sure, as the noise sounded like it was coming from across a vast distance.

  It took Iris several seconds to regain her bearings. She looked around and noticed that she was lying on her back, on the roof of the car.

  “Lilian?” she groaned. “Lilian, are you okay?”

  … No answer.

  Iris turned her head and her eyes widened in shock.

  “Lilian!”

  Her sister
was hanging upside down in her seat, the straps of the seatbelt keeping her in place. She was unconscious. Her eyes were closed, arms dangling limply above her head as if she were stretching, and her long red hair trailed along the roof. Blood ran down the left side of her forehead from a cut that split the skin like a machete slicing a watermelon.

  Iris ignored the pain wracking her body, pushing past it, forcing herself to move. With some ingenious thinking and liberal use of her tails, she undid Lilian’s seatbelt and caught her sister in a furry bundle before the redhead could fall and hit her head. The tails brought her sister’s limp body over to her, and Iris wrapped her sibling in a tight embrace.

  “Don’t worry, Lily,” Iris grunted, “I’ll get you out of here.”

  It took more effort than she thought it would, but Iris eventually dragged herself and Lilian out of the car. She gently laid her sister’s body on the ground and checked the two-tailed Celestial Kitsune for any injuries that she might have had, aside from her head wound.

  “It doesn’t look like she’s injured,” Iris mumbled. “She’s breathing at least.” Opening the eyelids of Lilian’s left eye, Iris couldn’t see anything wrong with it. Then again, if something was wrong with it, she wouldn’t know. It wasn’t like she had any knowledge of first aid. “Damn it, I wish I had Lilian’s healing powers.”

  “Lady Iris, I must ask that you step away from Lady Lilian.”

  Iris looked up and narrowed her eyes. A woman stood before her. Long purple hair was twisted artistically into a bun behind her head. Pale skin, rosy lips, a small nose and wide, almond-shaped eyes made for an attractive face―at least it would’ve been attractive, were the woman’s expression not so bland. Her dead eyes and blank facade reminded Iris of a corpse.

  Much like Kotohime, this woman wore a kimono. However, whereas Lilian’s bodyguard preferred kimonos in shades of blue with intricate designs on them, this woman’s kimono was black with no designs. It had also been clearly modified. The kimono was shorter than what was considered normal, coming up to her thighs instead of down to her ankles. Wide, voluminous sleeves served to create an unusual contrast and looked awkward when combined with the short kimono skirt. Three tails wavered behind the woman’s back.