Softly, I repeated the word, “Inari.” Like a key in a lock, the name brought a memory of a discussion I’d had with a vampire slayer, back when I first learned about kitsune. They were associated with the goddess of rice and the harvest. I’d missed out on meeting the real Isis, but here was another deity. Or perhaps just someone who’d had that label slapped on them by superstitious folks back in the day. After all, one person’s goddess was another person’s extra-terrestrial dimension hopper, right?
Inari gazed at me with a gentle smile in place. “Are you ready to go, child?”
“I can’t. My mother will be worried. She already thinks I’ve been kidnapped.” And then there’s my other mother… How am I going to explain all this?
The white foxes at her feet bared teeth at my reluctance. “Ggggirrrrrrhh!”
“Enough,” Inari said. “She has every right to refuse my protection. The Trickster will simply fend off the wild ones as long as he can while she runs for her life.”
One of the foxes yipped.
“You’re right,” Inari said, “she won’t get far. There are simply too many nogitsune out there.”
The horses nervously stamped hooves, flicking ears, whinnying in tones of dismay. They looked around, nostrils flaring wide. I sniffed deeply, trying to catch the scent that had them spooked.
“Nogitsune?” I hesitated to pull the name into clearer focus, ransacking my extensive memory. I knew I’d regret knowing. Until this new threat had a name, I could pretend it wasn’t real. Just a dream … a dream.
“Wild foxes,” the Trickster said, “They-Who-Walk-Their-Own-Path. They will not serve the goddess, and shun the demon path as well.” He cast me a long, searching stare. “If the outlaws get you, they will keep you. Good breeding stock is hard to find off the kitsune home world.”
I heard yipping in the distance, a song of joy, a song of the hunt.
Inari’s smile had a savage edge. “Are you very sure you don’t want to come and visit with me for a while?”
I smiled back, meaning nothing by it. “Well, when you put it that way…”
The white foxes darted out from under her skirts, coming right at me. Except they swerved and went around, growling at full rev. I spun and watched them climb the rise to its mid-point where they stalled out, holding ground. The white foxes had grown on-the-run and were now the size of ponies.
At the lip of the rise, not caring that he was framed against piercing blue sky, a man stood in rough-sewn leather pants, boots, chest bare except for a leather vest. He was thin with abs of steel and broad shoulders. His head was covered by a shoulder-length mane of bronze with tawny highlights. His eyes were dark brown or black, hard to tell at this distance. He showed no concern at the white foxes confronting him, blocking his path.
His stare slid over me, and went on to Inari. He spoke to her, “Here to steal another one of us?”
“She belongs to herself,” Inari said. “Neither mine nor yours by right.”
“Then she is free to come with me.” His gaze was on me once more as he extended a hand my way. His demand slapped out, “Come, we are leaving now.”
I laughed at his brazen expectation that I was just going to march up there and hand myself over.
When I didn’t move, his hand fell back to his side. He frowned. “Wrong decision. You would have done better for yourself by obeying me.”
A whole line of russet-coated foxes popped up beside him, left and right. They stared, eerily quiet now.
I felt strong enough to summon foxfire, but thought it might be expected. I needed to throw these foxes a curve ball. I pulled up deep, cold shadow, drawing on my father’s DNA, and a long blade of shadow grew from my fist, jutting out for three and a half feet. Then I wreathed it in an orange haze of aura to make the darkness more pronounced by contrast.
The white foxes no longer growled. They’d turned their heads to study my weapon. A deep quiet set in.
Inari said, “Demon sword!”
“No,” Trickster said. “Her father is a shadow-man. Only her mother is kitsune. She is the child of prophecy, the shadow fox.”
The stranger on the rim smiled at my blade. “Oh, ho, that is quite a fang you’ve got there. So, how’s your bite?”
“Come and find out,” I said.
He laughed. “I think I will.”
TWELVE
“A serpent’s hiss, a lethal kiss,
a gun left on the table.
Who can resist a wild spin
to find forever’s flavor?”
—Lead Poisoning
Elektra Blue
His wild foxes held position as he came down. Strangely, the two white foxes made no effort to stop his advance.
“Challenge offered and accepted,” Inari intoned. “Let none interfere.”
Okay, it’s an official duel. My fate is in my own hands, so I really hope I know what I’m doing.
He stopped just out of reach of my sword. “Do you have a name, Darlin’?”
“You first,” I said.
He arched an eyebrow. “You’ve got a lot of sass, girl, but we’ll play it your way, for now. They call me Dhonar.”
I nodded. “Like the reindeer,” I said. “Say hello to Blitzen for me.”
He looked confused.
Trickster laughed. “D-h-o-n-a-r, Grace. It’s not Anglicized.”
I shrugged. “Like I care.”
I attacked in a burst of power, trying not to signaling my intention. Shaun would have been proud, if he’d seen me. With an electric tingle, I leaped, trying to flicker into the ghost world long enough to use its lower gravity to augment my attack, but I didn’t cross over. It was as if this reality had no such shadow. Still, I was in motion. Breaking off made no sense, so I carried through, slashing up with my sword as I closed with Dhonar-not-the-reindeer.
He stepped toward me, but to the side as well, angling his body so my sword skimmed the air close to his torso. Then he was sliding along the outside of my sword arm. His lips passed close to my ear. He murmured, “Nice, but you’ll need to do better.”
“Fine,” I gritted out. I moved back a step, bending my elbow to rake it across his face.
He brought up a hand and blocked my elbow strike.
Blindly, I shot a kick behind me, trying to catch his groin with my moccasin boot’s heel. I hit empty air, dropped my foot to the ground, and shifted my weight back. Pirouetting into a sword slash, I tried to figure out where he’d gone, and wound up facing Trickster and Inari. Both were looking over my left shoulder, giving me a vital clue. I reversed my sword, sliding the blazing shadow-point along my ribs. Ducking low, I added length to my weapon so it grew longer without me moving.
I heard a hiss of breath, and a bitten-off curse. “Damn, girl, careful with that thing. You nearly unmanned me.”
I turned to face him, seeing him dancing back out of reach, a tear in the material covering his left hip. “Nearly, huh? Guess I’ll have to try harder.”
He laughed, a gritty sound like desert wind split on barbwire. And still, he pulled no weapon of his own. Maybe he considered that giving me a handicap. He said, “You’ve got a streak of cruelty in you that I find quite attractive.” His glance fell to my flat chest. “Too bad you’ve not got a little more under that dress to interest a man. I like a woman who’ll give you a real handful.”
“Son of a bitch!”
“Well, sure, kitsune, remember?”
Taliesina’s thoughts cut across my own, Don’t let him anger you. That’s what he wants. Anger will make you careless.
Like I don’t know that. But I had needed the reminder. I’m cool. I’m cool.
“What do you expect?” the Trickster said. “She’s a child still, you pedophile.”
A look of horror distorted Dhonar’s face. “I would never. You lie. We saw her in fox form. She can’t be that young.”
“She’s a half breed, remember?” Trickster said. “A prodigy. Go ahead and ask her how old she is.”
; Dhonar’s eyes scanned my face with great concentration. “How old are you?”
“Sixteen,” I said.
“A baby?” His voice heated, “Why is your mother letting you run loose, all alone like this?”
Somehow, all momentum had evaporated. The fight was over.
“I’m not alone, not that it’s your business.” This jerk had no right to criticize Cassie.
“Grace was injured by enemies,” Trickster said, “and stolen away. I rescued her.”
“But you weren’t taking her home.” There was hard accusation in his tone. “You were handing her over to slavery.” His gaze shot to Inari. “Shame on you, stealing a baby from her mother.”
I huffed. “Sixteen is almost an adult by human standards.”
Now he looked horrified. “You’re being raised by humans?” He shuddered with revulsion.
This guy was pissing me off more and more. “Look, if we’re done here, why don’t you people just go away?” I turned toward Inari. “That goes for you too. This may not be the best life around, but it’s mine. I’ll find the answers that work best for me.”
“Grace!” my name was yelled by a familiar voice. I looked over at the wagons and saw Fenn standing on top of the front one. His breathing was labored as if he’d run a long way. He wore jeans, a black tee, and boots. His hands were no longer human, having morphed into claws. His face twisted, darkening with fur. His eyes became angry yellow stars. His head became that of a coyote. This was more bestial than I’d ever seen him, as if this world were having a major effect on him.
“About time you got here,” the Trickster said.
Fenn shot him a furious glare. “I’ll deal with you soon enough, you claim-jumping son of a bitch.” He jumped off the wagon and stormed past Inari, coming toward me. But he passed me without a glance, his stare raking Dhonar. Fenn said, “She’s mine.” His angry posture and the sound of murder in his voice were a direct challenge that left me thrilled. A girl takes pride when she’s fought over—for the right reason.
The white foxes trotted down the hill, giving me, Fenn, and Dhonar a wide berth as they went back to Inari’s side.
I felt a flush of excitement that someone wanted to defend my honor. Fenn was racking up major bonus points with me here, not that I wasn’t doing just fine up until he arrived.
Dhonar cocked half a smile into place, staring at the Trickster. “Your son? Another whimpering pup? What is this, a nursery? I do not war against children. I have a few rules I follow, after all.”
Several of the wild foxes came down the rise, crowding around Dhonar. He looked at them as if hearing their voices the way I hear Taliesina. I got the feeling a silent debate was raging, about me. At last, Dhonar shook his head as if to dislodge the voices. He looked at me then. “They say you need to come with us and let us protect you. Too many fear the prophecy of the shadow fox. The hunters will learn of your existence and will be coming after you soon. Obviously, your family cannot protect you. Besides, you will grow up in time, and marry, and your children will add to our strength.”
“Not happening,” Fenn said.
Inari said, “The girl needs to come with me, to get trained.”
The girl? I’m a person. I have a name.
“To get used by you?” Dhonar asked.
“That’s a little harsh,” the Trickster said. “A gilded temple is better than a coffin.”
“You stay out of this,” Fenn said. “I am really disappointed in you.”
“I think you forget I’m the father here,” the Trickster said.
“It’s a hard thing to forget, unfortunately. Can we save that discussion for a rainy day in hell?”
“Kids should never grow up,” Trickster sighed. “They stop loving you and forgiving your faults.”
Fenn said nothing, but I heard the distinct sound of grinding teeth.
Dhonar took a step toward Fenn, saying, “You can come, too, but the shadow fox is not a prize we can allow to fall into other hands.”
I sighed, realizing I’d let go of my sword all too soon. If this dimension had a ghost realm, I’d have crossed over by now. As it was, I needed Trickster to open a door for me back to my world. Or Fenn. Come to think of it, he’d gotten here on his own, and probably knew how to get back. I stepped up next to him, taking his arm.
He blinked down at me in surprise.
I whispered as softly as I could, “You’re not here to fight. You’re here to get me away. Why are we just standing around?”
His lips brushed mine, and I felt myself blush. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me into an embrace. He put the side of his face against mine, drinking in my scent. His male scent was thick, beast and human, and mixed with the chemical scents of grooming products. His aftershave smelled distinctly of sandalwood. I hadn’t thought he was an after-shave kinda guy.
He murmured, “We need a distraction to get a head start.”
I was already distracted, but said, “Fine, I can do that. I am my father’s daughter. Just follow my lead.”
He let me go, but took the fingers of my right hand in his left. He grinned fiercely. “I will follow you to the darkest shore of forever.”
My heart raced hearing those words. “You’d better.” I need all my friends.
Taliesina’s golden stare turned to me, a blaze in my inner shadows. What about Shaun?
Who? Oh, Shaun! What’s that got to do with here and now?
Taliesina changed the subject. What are you going to do?
The inner darkness you occupy, I’m turning it out, sort of the reverse of a flash bang grenade.
You think you can?
Both of us can. I spoke out loud for Fenn’s benefit, “Three … two…!”
Trickster said, “Grace, don’t…!”
“One!” I’m not sure how—or what exactly—we did, but smudges of winds unwound from my heart, expanding bands of blackness that swelled and fused, a second, black skin that covered me. Fenn’s hand tightened in mine as those winds lifted us on waves of darkness in our own private universe. This was the kind of darkness that made up my father. It had always coiled inside me, caged by my physical form, sluggish, not truly aware. And now I was waking the shadows, setting free in a larger universe, one it had never known. A terrible force I’d never tried to control.
This has the potential to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. All I could do was hope for enough control so Fenn and I wouldn’t get tossed onto some unseen mesa somewhere, leaving us broken and bleeding.
Now you think of that! Taliesina’s eyes were golden moons that kept pace with us as the rest of her dissolved in the whirling blackness. If you kill me, I will never forgive you.
The straw hat I’d worn through my fight with Dhonar finally came loose, whipping off into the blackness, slapping my face with the trailing scarf it had been tied with.
Fenn said, “Grace, what is this? What are you doing?” Though he was next to me, his words sounded filtered, as though dampened by crossing an infinite space. Before I could answer, I felt myself dropping. The sundress fluttered higher up my legs. I should have been able to see some small paleness from the yellow-white fabric, but the displaced darkness was absolute, blindly raging, leaving us blind as well.
The darkness thinned to a kind of charcoal wash on the air. It flinched from the raw face of the universe I showed it, spiraling back into my body with ever lessening force, as if reality were more than it was ready for just yet.
I faced that same feeling everyday I climbed out of bed.
Taliesina’s golden eyes and her fox body were back inside my head where they belonged. She blinked, staggered a few steps, turned and curled into a ball, letting sleep take.
Fenn and I stood on a flat expanse of rock, a dried riverbed that I recognized. We were back on Earth. I’d carried us here, not needing Fenn to rescue me after all. This was Spirit Ranch, a closed-down summer camp where I’d once hidden out from the witches of ISIS, until they’d set some zombie animals on m
e from a local pet cemetery. That was weeks ago. I doubted they’d think to look here again. Not that I was staying long. This place had too many bad memories. Too many federal marshals had died here trying to protect me.
And the woods nearby harbored mothmen. A kid from HPI had been one of them. He’d tried making me his own personal mothwoman, infecting me with moth DNA while attempting to rape me. He’d died, too. This was also where Cassie had revealed herself to be my long lost mother.
Yeah, a real happy place.
We’d find someplace to spend the night since evening was setting in, and then Fenn and I’d leave in the morning. I started to pull away, but Fenn wouldn’t release my hand. He used our touch to reel me back to him, holding me close once more. His lips sought out mine, warm, lingering. I should have resisted. Part of me wanted to. Part of me wanted Shaun instead. But a slightly larger part, didn’t want to let go of comfort in that moment.
Does that make me a bad person?
THIRTEEN
“You’ve come for me at last.
You cross your heart and swear,
you’ll take my secrets to the grave,
and maybe bury me there.”
—Can I Count On You
Elektra Blue
“Don’t read too much into this,” I murmured.
He murmured back, “I know your heart’s divided, but as long as one of the pieces is mine, I can wait to get the others.” His warm lips covered mine once more, not too wet, firm, demanding, hungry…
He made my stomach flutter, but I pulled away.
He could have stopped me, but didn’t.
“Shaun?” he asked.
“And Onyx, and you. All of you mean something to me. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be sending mixed signals.”
“Whatever you want, I’m what you need, but I can wait until you figure that out.”
“What if I don’t wind up loving you that way?”
His grin was feral. “What’s not to love?”
I hesitated.
His face hardened. His eyes glowed soft amber. “Do I scare you? This beast inside me?”
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