A Fox's Family (American Kitsune Book 4)

by Brandon Varnell

  “You…” Iris narrowed her eyes. “I recognize you. You’re one of the brat’s bitches.”

  Ling twitched, but showed no other emotion. “I am a vassal of Lord Jiāoào,” she confirmed. “Now then, I must ask that you step away from Lady Lilian.”

  “Like hell I will!” Iris stepped in front of her prone sister’s form. “I know what will happen to her if I let you take her. Do you really think I’m gonna let that disgusting freak of nature lay a single finger on my sister? Think again!”

  “I see that you are going to be stubborn about this.” Ling sighed. It sounded odd coming from such an expressionless visage. “Very well, then. It seems I must force you to step aside.”

  Iris’ instincts screamed at her. She moved swiftly, faster than she ever had before. The area she’d been standing on just a second prior exploded with white light, a large pillar of brilliant fire that rose into the sky. Iris began to sweat just by standing near it.

  “I see you managed to dodge my Fire Pillar. Impressive.”

  Iris’ eyes went wide seconds before a sharp, unbearable pain speared through her lower back and stomach. She looked down, blinking, not quite able to believe what she saw. Something long and sharp was sticking out of her stomach. It looked like an ethereal sword. Wisps of red and yellow flame flickered before her eyes like a candle caught in a breeze.

  “However, speed doesn’t matter in a battle between kitsune,” a voice said behind her—the voice that belonged to the person who should have been in front of her.

  Iris looked up just in time to see the “woman” standing before her vanish.

  “That… an illusion…” she gasped, agonized by the fire surging through her veins.

  “Indeed. This whole time we were conversing, you were simply speaking to an illusion. The real me was hidden this whole time. Do not worry. I did not hit any of your vital organs. While

  Lord Jiāoào wants Lady Lilian for himself, he is not willing to risk war with the Pnevma Clan. You are very lucky in that regard.”

  Iris could have cursed―she probably would have, too, if she were thinking straight. To think she’d been fooled by something as simple as an illusion!

  Her legs gave out, unable to support her weight. She fell on her stomach, raven hair spilling about her face and across the ground. Thanks to how she fell, she could see Lilian lying on the ground several feet away, eyes still closed, legs straight and feet canted inwards. Were it not for the blood on her face, Iris would have almost assumed Lilian was merely sleeping.

  A pair of feet garbed in kunoichi sandals stopped in front of Lilian. Ling bent down and lifted Lilian underneath her left arm. The redhead dangled limply, her feet, arms, and head swaying as the lapdog of that brat, Jiāoào, stood back up.

  Iris wanted to move, to lift her hand, grab Lilian, and pull her sister into her arms. She couldn’t, however, because her entire body refused to move, or rather, it was incapable of movement.

  That vixen… she must have grazed a nerve ending in my spine.

  Ling disappeared, leaving Iris alone, in pain, and trying to come to terms with the fact that she had just let Lilian be kidnapped.

  ***

  Kevin sat in front of the television, staring at the screen. A show was playing, Furry Tail, one of his favorites. Oddly enough, it was a story about a world where yōkai created guilds to take on missions and stuff. He had always loved watching this show, and would normally be quoting the anime while he watched. Not today, however. Today was not normal.

  Lilian wasn’t there. He was far more lonely than he had thought he would be with her gone. His chest ached. There was an abnormal emptiness that threw him off his game. In a way that Kevin simply could not understand, Lilian had become an integral part of his life. Without her there, everything appeared in monochrome.

  There must be something wrong with me.

  “You look troubled, Lord Kevin.”

  Kevin shuddered. No matter how many times he heard it, he would never, EVER, get used to the way these kitsune addressed him.

  “I’m just thinking.”

  “Would you like to talk about it?”

  Kevin debated for a moment. He didn’t know Kirihime all that well, but still, she was nice. Ever since she and the other two members of Lilian’s family had arrived, she’d been nothing but kind to him.

  In the end, he decided to explain his problem. By the time he had finished, Kirihime was smiling.

  “I think I understand what the problem is, Lord Kevin.” Nope. The shuddering would not be going away anytime soon. “You’re overwhelmed by the depths of your own feelings for Lady Lilian.”

  “It’s not that. At least, I don’t think it’s that.” Kevin shook his head. “I just don’t understand how Lilian’s become so important to me in such a short amount of time. I’ve only known her for three months.”

  “That is what I mean. You’re overwhelmed by how important Lady Lilian has become in such a short amount of time.” Kirihime’s smile was like a panacea for his troubled mind. It was kind and warm and full of compassion—nothing at all like her sister’s smile. “What I think you’re forgetting is that you’re not dating a human girl, but a kitsune. As a species whose lives are governed by intense emotions, we have no middle ground. It is either one extreme or the other when it comes to matters of the heart.”

  “But, I’m a human.”

  “Yes, you are,” Kirihime agreed. “However, you are mated to a kitsune. Lilian has offered you everything that she is, freely and without reservation. Unlike a human girl who will always keep secrets from you, Lilian has none. If you ask, she will answer. If you want to know something, she will not hesitate to tell you. She is an open book, and all you need to do is turn the pages to learn more. With that kind of open honesty, combined with the depths of her love for you, is it any wonder that you would eventually feel the same way?”

  “I… I guess not.” Kevin closed his eyes. “Though I don’t know how to feel about that. It’s kind of frightening to know that I have a girl who’s that dedicated to me.” A light smile touched at his lips. “I’m afraid of breaking her heart.”

  “The only way you could break her heart, Lord Kevin, is if you decide that you don’t want to be her mate anymore.” A dazzling smile lit up Kirihime’s face. “I do hope that never happens. I would hate it if I had to kill you.”

  Kevin froze. “W-what?”

  “Oh, nothing.” Kirihime stood up and wiped the imaginary dust off her maid outfit. “Now, then, I think you should stop moping around and―”

  The phone rang.

  “I wonder who that could be calling at this time?” Kirihime asked as she went over to the phone and answered it. “Hello? This is the Swift residence. May I—oh. Oh, no!”

  Kevin stood up, alarmed as Kirihime’s body went stock still and her eyes widened in horror.

  “Yes, I-I see. Thank you. We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

  As Kirihime hung up the phone, Kevin stepped in front of the woman.

  “Kirihime, what’s wrong?”

  Kirihime shuddered. “It’s… It’s Iris.” She looked at Kevin, tears in her eyes and worry written plain as day on her face. “She’s in the hospital. They say she was found unconscious on the road and that she has been horrifically injured.”

  ***

  Kevin didn’t have a car, nor could he drive. Unfortunately, neither could Kirihime or Kotohime. However, that did not mean they were not without options. Kevin made a call to Kiara, who arrived several minutes later and drove them all to the hospital.

  Kevin Swift’s mind was a tumultuous storm as he paced around the waiting area close to the operating room where Iris was located. There were so many thoughts whirling through his mind, so many questions, so many worries. What had happened to Iris? Where was his mate?

  “You need to relax, boya.” Kiara leaned against a wall with her arms crossed over her chest, her calm expression a stark contrast to her disciple’s. “Pacing around like that is
n’t going to help you, your friend, or your mate.”

  “That’s easy for you to say!” Kevin snapped before he realized what he was doing and took a deep breath. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just―”

  “Worried?”

  “Mm.”

  “I understand where you’re coming from, but you’ve got to calm down. Remember one of the first rules I taught you?”

  “A true warrior never acts on emotions alone. They must always keep a calm and collected mind in order to better analyze their current situation,” Kevin recited.

  “That’s right. So, take a deep breath and calm down.”

  Kevin did just that—or, he tried to. No matter how many deep breaths he took the worry, the anxiety and the fear persisted, a small black ball of negative emotions churning inside of his gut.

  “Do not worry, Lord Kevin.” Once again, Kirihime’s hand on his shoulder served to calm his raging thoughts. “I know that you’re worried, but remember, all of us feel the same. Acting out like this isn’t going to solve anything.”

  “Right. You’re both right.” He tossed them an uneasy smile. “I’m sorry.”

  “There is no need to apologize. I’m glad you’re worried about Lady Lilian and Lady Iris. Your kind and caring nature is truly something to be cherished.”

  Kevin didn’t know why, but he felt a little better.

  He looked back at the operating room doors and sighed.

  Please be okay…

  ***

  While Kirihime calmed Kevin’s emotions with her gentle demeanor, Kiara walked over to Kotohime. The swordswoman was kneeling against the wall, her katana in her lap. Although her eyes were closed, Kiara wasn’t fooled. She knew that Kotohime was perfectly aware of everything happening around her.

  “Not going to comfort your charge’s mate?”

  A single eye cracked open. “Should I? He does not need me to comfort him, and even if he did, what would I say?”

  “Hn.You may have a point.” Kiara leaned against the wall. “But are you sure there isn’t another reason you’re leaving him to Kirihime?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I think you do. While they couldn’t look more different, the boya’s personality is strikingly similar to―”

  “Do not go there, Kiara-san,” Kotohime interrupted, her voice harder than steel and sharper than any blade. “There is no need to bring up the ghosts of the past.”

  Kiara ran a hand through her unruly mess of hair. “I guess not.”

  ***

  Though he was no longer pacing, Kevin remained worried. He didn’t think anyone would blame him. When the hospital had called and told them that Iris was in the ICU, he’d been shocked. When he was told that her injuries were severe and that she might be paralysed from the waist down, he’d been worried. And when he realized that Lilian was not with her, his mind had nearly gone into a fit. He didn’t know what was going on, where his mate was, or what had happened.

  “Kevin?” a voice startled him from his thoughts. He craned his neck to see a familiar figure walking up to him.

  “Lindsay?”

  Lindsay didn’t appear to be in the best shape mentally. Her eyes were wide and her hair frazzled. If Kevin didn’t know any better, he would have said that she was in a mild state of shock.

  “Kevin, what’s going on? My mother…”

  At the mention of Mrs. Diane, Kevin’s eyes widened. With all the worry and anxiety he was feeling about Lilian’s absence and Iris’s injury, he’d completely forgotten about Lindsay’s mom.

  “What happened to your mother?”

  “She was in a car accident. The paramedics found her car turned over and her strapped to the front seat. Dad’s here, too.” She bit her lower lip, her eyes threatening to water. “Isn’t that why you’re here, too? I mean, Lilian and Iris—”

  Kevin shook his head. “Iris was attacked by someone, we think.”

  “B-but Iris was with my mom, wasn’t she? She and Lilian were on their way to my house!”

  “I know, and Lilian is missing. We don’t know where she is.”

  “Oh.” Lindsay’s eyes suddenly softened. “Oh, Kevin. I’m so sorry.”

  Kevin’s smile was strained. “Don’t be. None of this is your fault.”

  Lindsay bit her lip. She didn’t look convinced. Kevin decided to change the subject.

  “How’s your mom?”

  “She’s fine. The doctor said she only has a minor concussion and that she should be back on her feet in a day or so.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Yeah…”

  The door to the operating room opened, interrupting the awkward silence that followed their conversation. A man wearing a standard white lab coat and carrying a clipboard walked out of the room. He looked at the group and gave them all a reassuring smile.

  “Ms. Pnevma is going to be okay. She’ll have to stay the night, but she’s out of danger.” A collective breath was released. “It seems she received damage from a stab wound of some kind. There’s a scar where it impaled her in the back and went through her abdomen. The wound was cauterized, oddly enough, and no vital organs were hit. She’ll be fine after a few days of bed rest.”

  “Is she awake?” asked Kevin.

  “She is. She’s actually requested all of you to join her.” The doctor frowned for a moment. “I don’t think I need to tell you this, but Ms. Pnevma is extremely weak right now. She needs a lot of rest, so try not to stay too long.”

  The group entered the room that Iris had been moved to. Lindsay, at Kevin’s urging, joined them.

  Iris was laid out on the only bed. The smell of antiseptic filled the room, sharp and poignant, invading Kevin’s olfactory senses like a dagger through the nose. He’d never enjoyed that smell and could only imagine how bad it must have been for the kitsune with him. They had a much stronger sense of smell than he did.

  “You’re all here.” Iris sounded weak as she reclined on the bed. “Good.”

  “L-Lady Iris, h-how are you feeling? Do you need any help? Is there anything I can get for you? Shall I kill something for you?”

  Kirihime was the first to Iris’ side. Camellia would have been second, but, well…

  “Hawa!”

  She tripped.

  Even while injured, Iris still had the good sense to facepalm. “Gods above, Mom. You’re such a klutz. And you,” she pointed at Kirihime, “stop worrying.”

  “H-hawa… Iris is so mean.”

  “B-but, Lady Iris, how can you possibly expect me to not worry after seeing you in this state?”

  Iris rolled her eyes. Kevin walked up to her bedside. Lindsay and Kiara hung back, while Kotohime remained by Kevin’s left side and four paces behind him.

  “Are you alright? What happened?”

  “Concerned for me?” Upon hearing that mischievous voice and seeing the glint in her eyes, Kevin turned his head.

  “I’m only worried because you’re Lilian’s sister.”

  “So you say, but I know you can’t get enough of me.”

  “Pfft! As if… like I could ever…”

  “Kevin,” Iris interrupted, her expression serious, “Lilian’s been kidnapped.”

  ***

  Lilian had been kidnapped.

  How could this have happened?

  The words rang out in Kevin’s mind, a hollow sound that filled him with self-loathing and a sense of failure. He should have been there. If he had been with her, then…

  What could I have done? She wasn’t kidnapped by a human, but a kitsune. I… I probably would have been a hindrance.

  He stood outside of Iris’ room, staring at the wall in shock. According to Iris, one of Jiāoào’s “lapdogs” had attacked Mrs. Diane’s vehicle, stabbed Iris with some kind of fire technique, and taken Lilian.

  Jiāoào had kidnapped Lilian. Jiāoào, the kitsune that Kotohime had warned him about.

  What am I going to do? What am I supposed to do
?

  Kevin pressed a hand against the wall, hunching over as he clenched his eyes shut, fighting against the incertitude that waged war within his mind.

  He wanted to go. He wanted to rescue Lilian, but—

  “How long are you going to stand there?” a voice said behind him.

  “Kiara…”

  Kevin turned around to see Kiara stomp up to him. He didn’t react when she grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him off his feet.

  “Well?” she asked, her face inches from his own. “How long are you going to keep moping? Your mate’s in danger! Isn’t it your duty to go and save her? Don’t you want to rescue her from this guy?”

  “Of course I do,” Kevin whispered, eyes turning downward, “but I…”

  “But you what?”

  “I’m just… I’m only human. Every time something bad has happened, Lilian was always the one who saved me. Whenever I was in trouble, she would come to my rescue. It’s pathetic, really. I’m so weak and helpless. How could I possibly rescue Lilian when I can’t even rescue myself?”

  “You…” Kiara seemed shocked, but she quickly hardened her glare to finely honed points. “Listen here, brat! I didn’t train a weak little fool who would get frightened at the first sign of trouble! If I didn’t think you had a fighting chance against the people who would do you harm, then I would never have trained you in the first place. You should be more than a match for some brat with a chip on his shoulder.”

  “B-but Jiāoào is a kitsune—”

  “I don’t care what he is! Everybody has a weakness, even kitsune—especially kitsune. You have training, but what does he have? A couple illusions at most. There’s no way someone I trained would ever be defeated by someone like that.”

  “B-but I’ve been barely training for a month.”

  “And he likely hasn’t trained at all,” Kiara countered. “Now…”

  Kiara dragged Kevin so close their noses were touching.

  “… are you going to rescue Lilian, or am I gonna have to beat you for being a coward?”

  Kevin stared into Kiara’s eyes, his mind searching for answers. Could he really defeat Jiāoào? Could he really beat a yōkai, a creature so far beyond him in power that it was almost ridiculous?