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A Fox's Family (American Kitsune Book 4)

Page 33

by Brandon Varnell


  Does it even matter? Kevin asked himself. Why should it matter if he’s a yōkai and I’m a human? He kidnapped Lilian. He stole my… my mate from me. Am I just going to let that slide?

  Kevin felt his resolve become like steel. He raised his eyes to gaze at Kiara, whose lips curled into a smirk.

  “I take it you’ve made up your mind?”

  Kevin didn’t answer with words.

  He just smirked back.

  ***

  Kevin entered the room much more calmly than when he walked out.

  “Are you doing okay, Kevin?” Lindsay asked.

  “Yeah,” Kevin smiled at her, “I’m fine. I just needed someone to talk some sense into me.”

  Kiara snorted, which made him turn slightly to glare at her. He then sighed when the woman just grinned back, and turned to look at Iris.

  She still lay on the bed, looking like she’d been trampled by a stampede of Pokemon, but a smirk twisted her lips and a light entered her eyes.

  “So, I take it you’ve decided to rescue my Lily-pad?”

  “Your Lily-pad?” Kevin raised an eyebrow. “You mean my mate, right?”

  “Hmph.” Had Iris not been bedridden, Kevin had the distinct impression that she would have crossed her arms. “You’re only a temporary replacement. No one but myself will ever be truly worthy of her.”

  “There is something seriously wrong with a girl saying that about her own sister,” Kevin mused.

  “Whatever.” Iris became dead serious, which caused him to become serious in turn. “Listen to me, Kevin. You have to rescue Lilian. Jiāoào, he’s… he’s not a good person. He’s the worst kind of scum you can possibly think of, and he’s been obsessed with Lilian ever since they first met. I mean, I’ve always had a thing for my sister, but he’s really obsessed.”

  Kevin made a face. “At least you’re willing to admit that you’re obsessed with Lilian, though it’s kinda disturbing to actually hear you say it.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I love my sister more than I should. Now get the fuck out of here and go rescue her already.” Her eyes gleamed like twin bloody moons as she gazed at him. “If you manage to save her before that dickwad steals her chastity, I’ll give you a pair of my panties.”

  “Oh, shut up,” Kevin snapped. “You don’t even wear panties!”

  Lindsay’s cheeks blushed bright red at the words. She quickly pinched her nose to keep the blood from escaping.

  “Ah, right. I forgot.” Iris paused before grinning again. “In that case, I’ll give you a pair of Lilian’s panties.”

  “There are so many things I could say to that, but I won’t. Do you know where Lilian is?”

  Iris looked grim as she shook her head. “No. Sorry.”

  “I see.” The knuckles of Kevin’s left hand turned white as he clenched it into a fist.

  “Do not worry, Kevin-sama.” Kotohime placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I know how we can find Lilian-sama.”

  ***

  Juan was just about to sit down on his psychedelic couch when the door to his apartment exploded, showering wood chips and fragments across his abode. A figure darted into the room. He barely had time to blink before he was slammed against the wall, and an unsheathed katana was pressed against his neck.

  “Kotohime,” despite having the sharp end of a katana caressing his jugular, Juan did not appear the least bit worried, “it seems you have forgotten what I told you the last time you visited.”

  “No, I remember.” The blade was pressed more firmly against Juan’s neck. “I just don’t care. I know that Jiāoào discovered Lilian-sama was staying in Phoenix because you told him.”

  Juan would have shrugged, but he feared that even the slightest movement would cause the katana’s edge to slit his throat. “Jiāoào offered a large reward for any information on Lilian’s whereabouts. It was an offer I could not refuse.”

  “Where is he?” Kotohime’s eyes narrowed. The air grew heavier. Kevin, who’d entered behind the woman, felt a chill run down his spine. “Where is Jiāoào? Where is he keeping Lilian-sama?”

  “And why should I tell you that?” asked a defiant Juan. “What can you offer me that would be worth my while?”

  “Your life.”

  “Ha…” Juan sighed. “It seems that you still do not understand―”

  “No,” Kotohime’s voice was cold enough to freeze over hell. “You are the one who doesn’t understand. Lilian-sama is my charge. I have been tasked with her protection, and anyone trying to obstruct my ability to protect her is an obstacle that must be eliminated. You, Valsiener-san, have become an obstacle.”

  “I thought I told you, my name is―” The katana caressed his jugular. A trickle of blood ran down his neck. It was only now, as he stared into Kotohime’s eyes, that he realized she really would kill him. “Very well, I will tell you where Jiāoào is currently staying.”

  “And Lilian-sama?”

  “She will be with Jiāoào.”

  “Give me the location.”

  Juan, or Valsiener, as Kotohime called him, gave the kimono-clad femme Jiāoào’s location.

  “I hope you know this transgression will not go unpunished,” Juan said after the threat of death by katana had passed.

  “If you wish to go up against one of the Thirteen Great Kitsune Clans, then be my guest,” Kotohime stared coldly at him. “Your benefactors will not care what I do to you, so long as you remain alive and are able to give them the information they seek. They will not go up against a Great Clan. Not for you.”

  Juan said nothing to that. Not for lack of having something to say, which he really didn’t, but because Kevin had stepped in front of him.

  “Ah. Kevin Swift,” the horrible Spanish accent was back in place. “It has been a while since I’ve seen you, no? I hope you are doing well, though,” he chuckled, “considering the circumstances, perhaps I am being optimistic.”

  Kevin didn’t speak for the longest time. He just stared at Juan, Valsiener, whatever his name was, with a blank expression.

  “You… you are the reason that Lilian was kidnapped by Jiāoào?” he asked calmly.

  “Well, I am the one who supplied him with the information on Lilian’s whereabouts, but that’s about it.” Juan shrugged. “I am an information broker. It’s what I do. I’ve got to earn a living somehow.”

  Kevin’s hands tightened into fists, the only sign of what was about to happen.

  A loud crack echoed around the room as the blond’s right hand crashed into Juan’s nose with a loud crunch! His head rocked back as blood spurted from his nostrils. His pompadour-style hair bounced and jiggled with the motion.

  “Ow…” Juan held a hand to his nose. It was definitely broken. He hadn’t realized Kevin could punch so hard.

  “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” Kevin said before he spun around and walked out of the apartment, leaving a surprised Kotohime and a dazed Juan, holding his bleeding and broken nose.

  ***

  Kevin hadn’t walked more than fifteen feet when Kotohime caught up to him.

  “Kevin-sama?” she sounded almost tentative.

  “So, Juan is a yōkai?” he asked, not revealing his thoughts or opinions. He seemed calm, calmer than she thought he should have been.

  “Yes, the young man you know as Juan is indeed a yōkai. To be more specific, he is a half-yōkai—a half-human, half-kitsune hybrid.”

  Kevin nodded noncommittally. “I guess I should have realized that. The strange quirks, the big hair, and that ridiculous internet-translated Spanish. It only makes sense that he isn’t human.”

  “I somehow feel really insulted by your comments.”

  “Ah! Sorry, sorry,” Kevin was quick to apologize. “I didn’t mean that as an insult to you. You and Iris and Kirihime and Camellia are really nice people. Truly. I… you’ve all become very important to me.”

  “Ufufufu.” Kotohime, in a bout of unusual behavior, ruffled Kevin’s hair. “That’s ver
y kind of you to say. I think I am beginning to see why Lilian-sama is so taken with you, just a little.”

  He and Kotohime shared a smile. Maybe it was just him, but he felt like he and Kotohime had just bonded a little. It left him with a heady feeling, a sense of accomplishment.

  “I didn’t know half-kitsune existed,” Kevin said after a moment. “I always thought anyone born with a yōkai parent would be pure yōkai.”

  “I suppose I can understand that logic, given that our genetics are stronger than a human’s.” Kotohime paused. “There are some yōkai who, when procreating with a human, will always birth a pure yōkai child. Yuki-onna are the best example of this. However, many yōkai will give birth to half-yōkai when they have sex with a human.”

  Kevin nodded as he absorbed this small lesson. It was interesting, but…

  “Procreation is complicated with you yōkai. Not that I’m surprised.”

  Kotohime’s amused smile was preceded by a chortle. “If you think that is complicated, wait until I teach you about how kitsune genetics affect their elemental affinities.”

  Kevin wasn’t sure if he wanted to know right now, but Kotohime apparently felt the need to explain.

  “Kitsune are an unusual breed. Unlike most yōkai, who can only ever be born to a single element, kitsune are among the few that can use every elemental type, depending on the pulse of their blood. A Lightning Kitsune can use lightning; a Fire Kitsune could wield fire; a Celestial Kitsune unleashing light/divine powers, etc.”

  She paused for a breath.

  “When a kitsune is born, the element they’re born with almost always comes from the male. There are some who pick up the element of their mother, but those are few and far between. Even rarer than those who gain their mother’s element are those born with both. They’re a rarity beyond compare, and are highly prized by the Thirteen Great Clans.”

  “Why did you tell me all that?” Kevin asked. “It seems kind of unnecessary.”

  Kotohime paused. “Because the author is really bad at foreshadowing?”

  “Try again,” he ground out.

  “Because I felt like you needed to know?”

  Kevin and Kotohime stared at each other. Kevin was the one who looked away first.

  “Let’s… let’s just get going,” he sighed.

  “Ufufufu, of course, Kevin-sama.”

  They walked into the parking lot, where Kiara was waiting for them with the car ready. She stood beside the driver’s door, leaning against the metal chassis, her arms crossed over her chest.

  “You know where we’re going?” she asked as they walked up to her.

  “Yes,” Kotohime answered. “Valsiener-san was kind enough to give us Jiāoào’s location. It is a little out of the way, but not too far from here.”

  “Good. Then let’s hurry up. I wanna be home in time for dinner.”

  They all got in the car, Kevin in the back and Kotohime taking the front passenger's seat. Kiara started the engine and they soon took off.

  Kevin looked out the window, watching as they left the apartment complex. He didn’t see any of the passing scenery, however. His thoughts, his mind and his heart, were all focused on a single thought.

  Hang on, Lilian. I’m coming.

  Chapter 10

  The Difference Between Humans and Yōkai

  Lilian’s first thought upon waking up was: “Uga wufuguu muffu…”

  Her second thought was: “What the hell hit me?”

  Wanting to know where she was, Lilian opened her eyes… and was immediately forced to shut them again as sunlight burned her retinas. Groaning, she felt her head begin to throb, a slow pounding like someone was using her brain as a bongo drum. She felt a strong compunction to return to the blissful darkness she’d awakened from.

  “I see you’re finally awake, my Lilian.”

  Lilian’s body seized.

  No. It can’t be. He can’t be here.

  “How long are you going to feign sleep?”

  Ice seeped into her veins. She recognized that voice.

  No. No, no, no, no, no!

  Wanting to stop herself but unable to, Lilian opened her eyes, ignoring the way they burned. She turned to the source of the voice. What she saw, who she saw, chilled her to her very core, as if someone had dumped her in the middle of the Arctic Circle.

  “You!”

  Jiāoào smiled at her, either not caring or willfully ignoring the disgust and fear that had appeared on Lilian’s face. “Hello, my Lilian. You haven’t changed at all since the last time I saw you. You’re every bit as beautiful as I remember. I’ve missed―”

  “What happened to me?” Jiāoào’s right eye twitched as Lilian rudely interrupted him. “Where am I? And what are you doing here?”

  “You were the unfortunate victim of a rather atrocious car accident,” Jiāoào explained calmly. “My vassal, Ling, was fortunately in the area and managed to pull you to safety. You really should be more careful when getting into strange vehicles. You never know what might happen,” he chided, wagging a finger at her. “As for where you are, why, you are currently resting within my temporary domicile.”

  Lilian looked around and finally noticed that she was in a room of extreme opulence. Richly decorated walls painted with intricate designs surrounded her. Tapestries hung from those walls, the symbol that she recognized as the Shénshèng Clan crest imprinted firmly on their front. Dark red carpet lined the floor, and the ceiling was painted to mimic the sky at sunset. Decadence didn’t begin to describe the room.

  She also noticed that she’d been bound. Her arms, her legs, and even her tails were wrapped in some kind of cloth. She tried breaking it, even going so far as to use reinforcement to increase her strength. But it didn’t work, which meant the cloth had been made from the silk of a Jorōgumo, a spider yōkai. It was the only known fabric durable enough to withstand youki-enhanced strength. It also absorbed youki, which meant she wouldn’t be able to use any techniques to break out.

  A sudden feeling welled up inside of her. A chill ran down her spine.

  She was being watched.

  She looked around and quickly spotted the woman behind Jiāoào.

  Like her, this woman had red hair and green eyes. She even appeared to be around the same age. There were only a few general differences, those being the shape of her face and eyes and her body proportions. Lilian could proudly claim that she was bustier and had a slimmer waist than this kitsune. Two tails hung limply behind the other kitsune’s back.

  It wasn’t the other kitsune’s physical appearance that Lilian noticed, however. Rather, she saw the glare being directed at her, the insanity in the other vixen’s eyes, the way her lips peeled back to reveal sharpened canines…

  What… what is this feeling?

  Lilian took several deep breaths. She couldn’t afford to panic in a situation like this.

  She focused back on Jiāoào. “Your horrible taste in decoration hasn’t changed, I see.”

  “And your blunt manner of speaking remains the same as always.” A cold smile crawled onto Jiāoào’s face. “I look forward to breaking you of that willful spirit of yours.”

  Lilian shuddered, not just in fear, but in revulsion as well. This boy, she had always hated him, loathed him with her very existence. And now she was caught, trapped within his paws.

  “But do not worry too much.” Jiāoào reached out with his left hand and his fingers brushed against her cheek. “I’ll make you sure enjoy every―”

  Lilian sank her teeth into Jiāoào’s finger. The boy screamed and tried to pull his hand back, but her canines had pierced the skin. She tasted the coppery tang of blood on her tongue, but ignored it in favor of keeping her teeth clamped firmly on his flesh. Jiāoào yanked his entire arm back, and while it wasn’t enough to make her release him, it did make her fall to the floor.

  She groaned as her bones were jarred from her impact. Jiāoào used that moment to pull his finger back—a finger that had been peeled of
its skin and muscle, revealing bits of the white bone underneath thick layers of crimson fluids.

  Lilian felt a moment of vindication. She licked her lips to get the blood off, then spat a glob of it onto the floor. Jiāoào stared at her in shock, as if he couldn’t believe she had just done that. She presented him with her most fierce grin, complete with bloodstained teeth.

  “You bitch!”

  The grin was wiped off her face as a scream resounded throughout the room. It did not come from Jiāoào, but from the woman with him.

  Like a storm she surged forward, the intent to harm clear in her eyes. Lilian tried to move away, but with her arms, legs and tails bound, she could do nothing more than wiggle and squirm in place.

  Fear seized her.

  An icy fist clenched her heart.

  How could anyone have such insane eyes?

  “Maddison!” The girl froze. Lilian held her breath. “Do not go near her!”

  “B-but Master, I―GYA!”

  Lilian winced when Jiāoào brutally yanked on the chain tethered to the girl’s neck. The redhead jerked, choking noises emerging from her throat. The force he put behind his action was such that Maddison fell backwards, hitting the floor with a solid thump!

  “Stupid girl!”

  “AAAHHHH!”

  Lilian watched in abject horror as Jiāoào kicked the girl in the stomach, making her curl her legs into her chest. She was given no reprieve, however, as the next kick was to her face. Blood flew from her mouth as her head jerked backwards. Now lying on her back, the poor girl could do nothing as Jiāoào mercilessly whaled on her.

  “I thought I told you not to move!” Stomp. Maddison’s nose broke. “You’re lucky I even allowed you to breathe the same air as my Lilian!” Kick. All the air rushed from Maddison’s lungs. “Fucking bitch!”

  “Stop it!” Lilian screamed with tears in her eyes. “I said stop! Why are you hurting her?!”

  Jiāoào did stop, if for no other reason than to address Lilian’s question. Lying at his feet, Maddison quietly sobbed. “I am disappointed in you, my Lilian. Surely, you understand the need to ensure that pets like her know their place.”

 

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