“Then you’re really planning on seeing her?”
“Are you worried?” A smile curled her lips at the look on Taer’s face. That expression was just too cute. “Do not fret, Love.” She placed a finger under Taer’s delicate chin, tilting the woman’s head so that she could place a kiss on those sweet lips. “You needn’t worry about me trying to claim that woman. She has already spurned me once. She even had the audacity to flaunt her human mate in front of me. She’s been tainted by both man and human. I’ll never let someone like her have the honor of bedding me.”
Taer smiled in relief before snuggling her face into Luna’s bare bosoms. Luna gazed fondly at the younger kitsune resting between her thighs.
Such a sweet girl, this one.
Luna closed her eyes and felt herself fall into slumber.
Soon, she promised herself. Soon, I will make you regret spurning my love, Tsuki-chan.
Chapter 12
Cats Love a Good Tale
Kotohime sat in one of the booths at the Yōkai Cafe. She sat alone this time. She would have invited Kiara, but she didn’t feel comfortable having Kirihime and Heather watch the children alone, not after everything that had transpired on this trip.
“Here… you go,” a burly voice said. She looked at the speaker. Dark red skin hid behind a maid outfit complete with an apron. A jutting lower jaw filled with razor sharp teeth and two horns protruded from a head full of thick black hair marked this woman as an oni.
Oni were a violent race that rarely communicated with others. While they could talk, most preferred to let their fists talk for them. Only a few ever rose above their violent nature to make something of themselves; Shuten Dōji being the prime example.
Due to an incident that had happened a decade before Lilian gained her second tail, Kotohime had acquired a strong aversion to oni. However, she tried to hide her unease behind a polite smile.
“Thank you.”
“You are… welcome,” the oni spoke in a halting voice, as if she wasn’t quite used to speaking. “Kuroneko will… see you shortly.”
“I see. Thank you again.”
While she waited for the infamous Saint to arrive, Kotohime observed her surroundings some more. All around her, humans sat while being served by various yōkai. It still amazed her that something like this existed. At the same time, she was surprised that no one else had thought of doing something similar.
“Well, now. I didn’t expect to see you again,” a purring voice reached her ears. Kotohime turned her head to see yellow eyes dancing mischievously as Kuroneko slid into the booth with the sensual elegance of a cat. “I see that Kiara isn’t with you. That’s too bad. You two were in such a hurry the other day that we didn’t get to catch up.”
“I apologize—” Kotohime started, only to stop when Kuroneko raised a hand.
“If you really want to apologize, how about telling me how you two met? I’m most interested in hearing that particular story.”
“I… suppose I could tell you that.”
Kuroneko eyed her speculatively.
“You don’t want to, though.” It wasn’t a question.
“I dislike thinking about that particular point in my past.”
“Hmm… well, I’m not one to pry into someone else’s unwanted past. We all have skeletons in our closet, so I suppose I could let it go.” Kotohime sighed in relief. Kuroneko leaned back and gestured at her. “So, then, what exactly are you here for?”
“Information.”
“Ho?” Dancing eyes glowed with the brilliance of two moons. “I certainly have plenty of information to give. However, information isn’t cheap.”
Kotohime felt something push her down. It was that pressure again. It felt lighter this time, but no less potent.
Sweat trickled down Kotohime’s forehead. She clenched her hands, clutching the fabric of her kimono. Heart pounding in her chest, breath catching in her throat, she almost decided to forget about asking for help.
Almost.
“What do you want in exchange?” Kotohime asked.
The smile on Kuroneko’s face was reminiscent of a cat who’d been given a bowl of cream. “A story,” she said simply.
***
Lilian didn’t know what to think. Her day had started off so well. She and her friends had taken a tour around the city. They’d gone to several stores and done some window shopping, and she and Kevin had even found a store that sold anime and manga.
Kotohime had been waiting for them when they arrived back at the hotel. She didn’t know where the woman had gone, but she hadn’t thought much of it, until her maid-slash-bodyguard invited her, Kevin, and Iris to her hotel room. There, she sat the three of them down and dropped a bombshell.
“We’re leaving California. Right now. Pack your belongings and tell the others to do the same.”
“W-what? You can’t be serious!” Lilian said, aghast. The other two were also gawking at the woman like she’d sprouted five more tails.
“I am being completely serious, Lilian-sama.”
“You can’t demand that we just leave like this!”
“That is where you are wrong,” Kotohime spoke, her voice calm. “I can, in fact, do this. While Kiara-san is the one who planned this excursion and rented these hotel rooms, I am the one who is in charge of yours and everybody else’s safety. That safety is currently being threatened by a vindictive woman, and trust me when I say that this woman is as dangerous as they come.”
Lilian stared at Kotohime in shock. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Her maid wanted to take them home after all this planning, after she and Kevin bought those tickets and found their costumes, because of something like a woman with a grudge?
“Who’s this woman you’re talking about?” asked Kevin.
“Her name is Luna Mul,” Kotohime sighed. “Back when I first met her, she was a member of the Mul Clan’s branch family. I’ve recently learned that she has somehow managed to become the clan’s matriarch. She is currently here in Los Angeles.”
“How do you know this Luna chick?” asked a curious Iris.
“We met around one hundred years ago. This was before I became a servant of the Pnév̱ma Clan. Back then, I had a mate.”
“I didn’t like him very much,” Kirihime admitted from where she sat on the bed, pampering Camellia with some head petting.
“Hawa…” the blissful mother of two muttered, oblivious to everything around her.
Kotohime nodded. “That is true. You were not fond of Corban, as I recall.”
“I tried to kill him several times.”
“You tried to what?” Kevin and Lilian asked at the same time.
“Getting back to the story,” Kotohime continued, “it was during this that I met Luna-san. She became somewhat… attached to me after our first meeting.”
“Attached?” Kevin asked.
“I believe you would call it an obsession.” Upon seeing Kevin’s incredulous expression, Kotohime grimaced. “She wanted me to become her lover. I already had a mate, and aside from that, I am straight. I told her no.” Kotohime gave him a very bitter smile. “She didn’t take the rejection well. She kidnapped Kirihime to get revenge. We mounted a rescue mission, but Kiara got caught in the crossfire, and my mate died trying to protect her.”
“Wait. How does Kiara fit into all this?” Lilian wondered out loud.
The question, while directed at Kotohime, was answered by Kiara, who leaned against the wall.
“I had been traveling with my brother in search of a teacher to help me get stronger, for reasons that are my own. During that time, I met Kotohime, saw how strong she was, and tried to make her teach me.” Kiara’s faint smile spoke of amusement. “I don’t think she liked me very much.”
“With good reason. You’re a dog.”
“How is that a good reason?”
“The only reason you and I get along now is because I promised Corban that I wouldn’t allow the inborn hatred of my race to cloud my
judgment towards you.” While Kiara gave her a very mild pout, Kotohime continued. “In either event, that is why we cannot stay in this state any longer. Doing so puts the lives of you and your friends in jeopardy.”
A long silence ensued among those present. No one seemed to know what to say. Kevin stood next to Lilian, his expression contemplative. Iris also seemed to be contemplating something.
“So, you don’t go for tacos?”
Iris’s contemplation apparently had nothing to do with the fact that they were in imminent danger.
Kotohime’s expression was that of someone who’d been slapped in the face with a dead fish.
“Of course not,” she blustered, her cheeks surprisingly red.
“Huh, I didn’t know that.”
Kotohime twitched. “You thought I was into women?”
“Course I did,” Iris declared. “You’ve gone through, what, one hundred heats since your last mate died? And you haven’t once sought out a man to fuck? How can I not think you went for tacos over hot dogs? I thought you and your sister were doing the nasty together because, really, there’s no one else you could’ve used to satiate your desires with—except for Mom, but that would just be weird.”
“L-Lady Iris!” Kirihime looked mortified. “H-how could you—I-I mean, I would never—to do such a thing—and with my own sister!”
“Hawa?” Camellia looked up as Kirihime waved her hands frantically in front of her face. “Kirikiri, why did you stop?”
“Ah! S-sorry, My Lady.” Kirihime quickly placed a hand on Camellia’s head and recommenced her petting.
“Hawa…” Camellia experienced heaven.
“Iris-sama, please remember to be respectful of this humble Kotohime and her sister.” Kotohime smiled a glorious, beautiful smile. “After all, I am the one with the katana.”
“Urk.”
“And I would hate for that katana to slip out of its sheath.”
“Ugh.”
“Why, who knows where it might swing?”
“Gurk.”
“It might even end up biting into Iris-sama’s flesh, slicing through her throat with ease, spilling her warm blood onto the carpet.” Kotohime took on an expression of mock concern. “And that would just be awful. I would hate to be the cause of Iris-sama’s death, so please, do keep your opinions to yourself.”
Iris’s mouth couldn’t close fast enough.
“Don’t use me as a shield!” Kevin shouted when Iris hid behind him. He moved out of the way. Iris grimaced.
“Come on, Stud. You heard her. She might kill me.”
“If she does kill you, then you probably deserve it.”
“Ouch. You’re so harsh.”
“I’ll show you harsh!”
“This isn’t fair,” Lilian whispered. Dialogue ceased as the others directed their attention towards her. “You’re telling me that we can’t go to Comic-Con because some woman you knew in the past may or may not try to hurt us? How does that make sense?”
Kotohime withheld a sigh. “Lilian-sama, please understand. This woman is incredibly dangerous and—”
“But there’s no guarantee that she even knows we’re here!” Lilian argued. “Wouldn’t she have already done something if she knew that you were in the same place as her?”
“You do not know this woman like I do,” Kotohime said. “Luna Mul is a cunning and vindictive woman. She’s not the type to instigate a direct confrontation without covering all of her bases first.”
“I notice that you didn’t say anything about whether or not she knew about us,” Kevin pointed out.
Grimacing, Kotohime admitted, “There is a small chance that we have slipped underneath her radar. However, considering the kitsune that Kiara and I fought escaped, that chance is very slim.”
“But there’s still a chance, right?” Lilian said, her gaze imploring. “Please, Kotohime, don’t make us leave just yet. This was going to be my first Comic-Con with Kevin. We’ve spent so much time planning what we would do and getting our costumes ready. This was supposed to be special. Please don’t take this away from me, from us!”
“Lilian-sama—”
“One day,” Lilian interrupted, holding up her right hand, a quivering index finger extended. “Please, give us just one day. Let us stay here tomorrow and go to Comic-Con. We don’t even have to stay for the whole day. We can leave immediately after the costume contest.”
“Lilian-sama…”
She stared at her maid, watching the woman slowly yield under her begging. Just one more push. “Please, Kotohime? I just want have fun with my mate doing something that we both love…”
Kotohime’s shoulders slumped, and her face became the definition of defeated. She breathed a heavy sigh.
“Very well. We shall stay.” Before Lilian could cheer, Kotohime gave her a stern glare. “However, we’re only going to stay at this convention for five hours and no longer. After that, we’re leaving.”
Lilian nodded enthusiastically. “Got it. Thank you, Kotohime.”
Kotohime sighed again. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Seeing this, Lilian grinned at Iris and Kevin as he held up her hand and gave them the victory sign.
***
The door closed behind Lilian, Kevin, and Iris.
As they left, Kiara glanced at Kotohime, a small smirk touching her lips. “Man, that girl has got you wrapped around her finger, doesn’t she?”
Kotohime gave her a mild glare. “Please do me a favor and remain quiet, Kiara-san.”
“Okay. Okay,” Kiara chuckled before heading into the restroom.
Kotohime took one last look at the door. While the chances of Luna doing something to them at the comic convention were slim, given that it was a highly public venue, she still had a bad feeling about attending. But, still, she didn’t want to take this moment away from Lilian, who’d been looking forward to this convention for the past several months.
Kiara-san is right. Kotohime sighed. I really am wrapped around Lilian-sama’s finger.
***
“Yes, we’ll be leaving tomorrow after the comic convention. I know you planned on waiting until the last day to extract me, but it seems you’ll need to speed up your plan.”
“…”
“We don’t really have much of a choice—unless you’re saying that you don’t want to extract me.”
“…”
“Then expedite your plan. There isn’t anything I can do to change their minds. Something’s got Kotohime spooked.”
“…”
“Don’t know. I didn’t manage to catch their conversation.”
“…”
“Very well. Until tomorrow.”
Justin hung up his phone and placed it back in his pocket. Things were coming to a head, and it wouldn’t be long before he left his friends and returned to where he belonged. It was kind of sad, but that was how life went.
Just one more day…
“Justin? What are you doing out here?” a voice asked, startling him.
Turning around, he addressed Kevin with the same bland expression that he always wore. “… Sunset…”
Kevin paused for a second before speaking. “I didn’t know you watched sunsets.”
He didn’t, but Kevin didn’t need to know that. “… Colors…”
“Yeah, I guess the colors sunsets have are pretty.” He watched as Kevin looked at the sunset. “Sometimes, Lilian and I will watch the sunset together—well, we try to at least.” Kevin turned back to him, his smile sardonic. “Iris has a bad habit of interrupting us whenever we try to do something even remotely romantic together.”
It was almost amazing, the change that overcame Kevin’s face as he spoke of Lilian. The strange softness of his eyes, the gentle smile on his face, all of it would have looked out of place seven months ago, but now it came naturally.
“You know, I’m kind of surprised you’re not in the hot spring with the others.”
“… Boring…” He paus
ed and sent his friend a questioning look. “… You?”
Kevin chuckled. “I’m not really into bathing with other men. I know it’s a big thing in Japan, and some places in Europe do it, but I never understood how a bunch of dudes bathing together equated to bonding. Girls I can understand. They go to the bathroom together all the time, but guys? I just don’t get it.”
Justin studied Kevin keenly. This confidence, while not totally new, seemed a lot more natural now than it had been several months ago. Even the way Kevin stood radiated a relaxed confidence that came from definitive life experience.
“… Changed…”
“Everybody keeps telling me that.” Kevin rubbed the back of his neck, a self-conscious gesture, Justin knew. His friend did it a lot.
“… Truth…”
“You think so, huh?” Kevin looked back at the sunset. Light played across his face, casting shadows and making him look older than he was. “I guess I have changed a little. A lot’s happened, things I never imagined possible, meeting new people…”
“… Lilian…?”
“Not just Lilian. I’ve met a lot of people.” Kevin tossed Justin a grin. “Though I will admit that Lilian is definitely the most important. I really have to thank her for everything she’s done for me. I doubt she even realizes it, but all of the changes I’ve gone through are because of her.”
There was that look again. It was that strange warmth, a glimmer of tender feelings that only someone who shared in that intimate concept known as love possessed. This was the biggest change that Kevin had undergone. Before meeting Lilian, that look had never existed on his face, not even when he’d been crushing on Lindsay.
“A-anyway…” Kevin coughed into his hand, a mild blush on his cheeks. “Sorry for going off on a tangent like that.”
“… Fine…”
Kevin patted Justin on the back. “Heh, thanks. You’ve always been a good friend… even if you are a little weird.”
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