It was odd for Kevin, seeing Christine like this—not necessarily getting angry, but her powers. He’d known that Christine was half-bakeneko, but the implications never really set in until now.
“There’s not much we can do about them,” Kevin said. “I don’t like it, but you can’t change how people feel with words alone. If you could, this world wouldn’t be so violent.”
“The best thing we can do right now is stay out of their way,” Lilian added. “If we tried to force ourselves on them, it will just make things worse.”
“I get that,” Christine mumbled. “S-still, I’m really sorry he treated you like that. Nalen was always so nice to me. I never thought he would react to you that way because you’re human.”
“Prejudice and fear have a way of making even the most kind-hearted of people respond with violence,” Lilian said, crossing her arms and nodding several times.
“Stop trying to sound like an old wise man, Lily-pad,” Iris said.
“Tch! Way to ruin my fun.”
“I know other ways we could have fun.”
“We’re not having a threesome here,” Kevin interrupted before Iris could even suggest what he knew she was going to suggest.
“Now who’s spoiling whose fun?” asked Iris.
“Beloved is right,” Lilian said. “Now is not the time for threesomes.”
“Tch!”
“Would you people stop talking about threesomes?!” Christine shouted.
“Christine’s also right,” Kevin declared. “There are more important things to discuss right now than threesomes.”
“Like dinner,” Lilian said.
Kevin nodded, even as his stomach gurgled, reminding him that he still hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast.
“Right, like dinner.”
“Ah, um, I-I can—I mean, I know how to cook and stuff, so… ” Christine started, her cheeks burning like a neon sign. “I-if you want, I could, um, make you all s-something to eat… if you’d like…”
Kevin perked up. “Really? I’d love to try some of your cooking!”
Christine looked startled. “Y-you would?”
“Um.” Kevin nodded. “I’ve never had any of your cooking before. I’m interested in seeing what kind of food you make.”
“Me too!” Lilian added. “Maybe I can even help you make it?”
“Ah, y-yes,” Christine stuttered. “Okay… we’ll need to go back to my place, though. I have some ingredients we can make dinner with.”
“Okay!” Lilian cheered.
“Then I guess the stud and I will stay here.” Grinning, Iris slinked over to Kevin, leaning against his back. He could feel her nipples pressing into his back through the fabric of their clothes.
“Try not to get up to anything bad,” Lilian told her sister. “Seriously, promise me that you’ll help Beloved take care of Polydora and won’t cause any trouble for him.”
Iris sighed, but she released her hold on Kevin. She placed her hands behind her back and thrust out her chest.
“All right. Fine. I promise that I won’t cause him any problems. You really know how to spoil a girl’s fun, Lily-pad.”
“There are other ways to have fun with Beloved that don’t involve sex.”
“I’m not a weeb like you two.”
Lilian didn’t respond to Iris’s words. Kevin assumed she didn’t have any way to defend against them.
Waving goodbye, Lilian dragged a gawking Christine out of the hut.
Left alone, Iris sent Kevin a sly glance.
“Down girl,” he said simply.
“Tch! You and Lily-pad are both a bunch of spoil sports.”
“So you’ve told me before.”
Grabbing a rag from within a small bucket situated next to Polydora’s bed, Kevin wrung the water out before using it to gently wipe the sweat from Polydora’s forehead. She wasn’t tossing and turning anymore, thanks to Lilian’s technique no doubt, but she was obviously still having nightmares.
“Hey, Stud,” Iris said suddenly as she found a place to sit down and watch him. “Are you okay?”
Kevin paused his action, but he soon resumed what he was doing. He pulled the covers back a bit and wiped the sweat along Polydora’s neck and the gentle swell of her chest. He made sure his hands didn’t linger too long.
“I’m not sure what you mean by that. Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
Iris shrugged. “Well, a lot’s happened, right? And you just finished battling with a dog, and now it seems everyone here hates you because you’re human. I just wanted to make sure. Can’t have my second favorite sex toy breaking on me.”
Kevin snorted at her term for him. He knew that she didn’t think of him or Lilian as sex toys. Iris simply had a reputation to keep, and she wouldn’t let anyone know that she actually had a heart.
“Heaven forbid I break on you. That would be a tragedy.”
As he finished wiping down Polydora’s chest, he pulled her shirt back down and moved the covers down further, revealing her legs. He wiped those down as well. Once finished, he placed the rag in the bucket once more, pulled the covers back up, stood up, and stretched his arms above his head.
“Nngg…”
A groan made him and Iris look at the other bed and its occupant. The inu stirred, eyes fluttering open. He looked around the room before noticing Kevin.
“You…”
“I’m surprised you’re already up,” Kevin said. “Anyone else would have gone into shock after losing an arm. You inu really are a hardy species.”
“But they’re not as hard as you, Stud,” Iris quipped. Kevin rolled his eyes.
“Why didn’t you kill me?” asked Cien.
“Because I don’t believe in killing if I don’t have to.”
“I should have died.”
“That’s your foolish pride talking. Only a fool asks for death after his enemy spares him.”
Cien scoffed. “Che. I don’t expect a human like you to understand. To a warrior like myself, our pride means everything. We inu are a proud race. For us to be defeated in single combat, and by a human no less, is nothing short of disgraceful.”
“A human like me, huh?” Kevin murmured, turning his back on Cien. “You can think that way if you want. I certainly won’t try to force your perceptions of me to change. I don’t really care enough to try. Anyway, I suggest you get some rest. You haven’t been out for that long, and you no longer have a right arm. Even an inu can’t shrug that off like it’s nothing.”
Kevin wandered to the hut’s entrance and looked out. No one else was around. The hut that Orin was letting them stay in was further removed from everyone else, over on the outskirts of New Genbu. Kevin didn’t mind, especially since no one in the village liked him.
“That was a stupid thing to say,” Iris started, “even for a dog.”
“What was that?!” Cien growled. “I dare you to get up and say that to my face you—owch!” He yelped when something smacked him in the face. Looking down at the object as it fell to the ground and landed by his head, he frowned. “Is that… a shoe?”
“Don’t fight with my mate’s sister,” Kevin said, grabbing his discarded sneaker and putting it back on.
“She started it,” Cien mumbled as Iris snickered behind her hand.
“What was that?!”
“Nothing,” he said, his body jolting as if he’d touched a live wire. That tone of voice… it had sounded almost feral! Like it belonged to some kind of animal instead of a human!
“I’m glad to hear that. Now, then, do as I said and get some sleep. I’m going to be interrogating you tomorrow, and I want you to be perfectly capable of answering every question I have.” Kevin smiled. “I am the victor, after all, and this is my request.”
“R-right.”
Cien felt his forehead break out in a cold sweat.
Who knew humans could be so frightening?
About half an hour later, Christine and Lilian came back with several trays of food. Kevi
n had been surprised by the variety, and doubly surprised to learn that Christine had cooked pretty much all of it—Lilian had merely followed her instructions, according to the redhead herself. He’d complimented her on the food after ravaging nearly half of it, which had earned him a fierce blush and some weird noises mixed with stuttering. After eating his fill, Kevin decided to take a bath at the hot springs.
No one was present when they entered the hot springs. According to Christine, the hot springs were communal, so everybody could use them, but they were only used during certain times of the day. It was night time now, so nobody would be using it at the moment. After getting undressed and grabbing a towel, which he wrapped around his waist, Kevin entered the hot spring.
Steam rose from the water’s surface. The air felt muggy and stifling. Even standing by the entrance, Kevin could feel the heat from the water.
After setting a bottle of shampoo and a bar of soap by a stool, Kevin grabbed a small bucket and wandered over to the hot spring. He then came back, sat down, and dumped the entire bucket of water over his head, and then began to scrub himself down.
He almost missed the sound of the door sliding open.
“Beloved?” Lilian called out to him.
“I’m over here,” Kevin said.
The redhead turned toward him, her viridian gaze brightening as her lips curved into the most radiant of smiles. There was a towel wrapped around her body, keeping her modesty protected. Yet even so, the towel seemed to strain against her bust and conform to her shapely hips and thin waist. Water clung to her skin, glimmering droplets that trailed slow paths down her body. Kevin watched one particular drop meander over the swell of her right breast before disappearing into her cleavage.
He took a deep breath. His body was already responding to the sight, but he wasn’t in the mood for sex right now.
“You do realize this is the male’s side of the hot spring, right?” he asked.
Lilian’s smile turned into a grin. “I know that. I just want to be with you. I thought you could use some company.”
She walked over to him, her bare feet padding along the stone floor. She knelt down beside him and grabbed the bottle of shampoo.
“May I?”
“You may.”
Having received Kevin’s permission, Lilian squeezed a dollop of shampoo onto her hand. She rubbed her palms together, working the shampoo until it was a thick foam, then worked it into Kevin’s hair.
Unbidden, Kevin’s eyes closed as Lilian’s delicate fingers massaged his scalp. Her nails lightly scraping his forehead felt heavenly. He couldn’t help but relax under her gentle ministrations.
“Are you sure it was a good idea to let that inu live?” Lilian asked as she finished working shampoo into his hair. She then grabbed the bucket, refilled it in the hot spring, and poured the water on his head, washing off the shampoo. Kevin waited until she was done to answer her.
“Do you think I should have killed him?”
“No. I might not like inu very much, but you’re not a killer. At the same time, I guess you could say I’m worried. What if he decides to kill us in our sleep or something?”
It was a very real possibility. At least, it would have been if the person he’d beaten was anyone but an inu.
“I don’t think we’ll have to worry about that,” Kevin said after a while. Lilian grabbed the soap and started scrubbing his back. “He woke up a little while ago, and I got the chance to speak with him. He seems to embody the same warrior spirit as Kiara, and I’ve already informed him that, as the victor in our battle, I have several questions that he needs to answer. His pride as an inu will demand that he answer them.”
Lilian nodded, accepting his words at face value. “I believe you. You know inu better than I do, so if you say he won’t try anything, then he won’t try anything.”
“Our bigger concern right now is Phoebe,” Kevin said. “She’s being held prisoner somewhere, and we don’t know where. Until I can interrogate Cien about all of the Yamata Alliance’s bases where she might be, there’s nothing we can do. We don’t even know if she’s still alive.”
Kevin clenched his hands into fists. He hated this, not knowing if one of his friends was dead or alive. While Lilian was his life, his friends were important to him as well, and he would gladly risk his life if it meant saving them.
“I’m sure she’s alive,” Lilian said.
“Yeah,” Kevin sighed. “I’m sure she is, too. Thank you.”
“Ufufufu, you’re welcome. Now, then, it’s time to wash your front.”
After she finished rinsing the soap off his back, Lilian lathered more soap on her hands, then she leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his chest.
What am I doing here?
The question ran through Christine’s mind as she sat in the hot spring. She had followed Iris after the vixen decided to take a bath. Steaming water lapped at her chest, and she looked down, frowning at how small her breasts were. Cupping them, Christine wondered if they would ever grow any larger than a B-cup.
W-w-w-what am I thinking?!
She shook her head and lowered her hands, steam rising from her hair.
I shouldn’t be thinking about these things! It’s wrong!
‘Is it?’
Christine scowled as a voice identical to her own, but more playful and mischievous, spoke within her mind.
Of course, it’s wrong! How can this not be wrong?
‘I don’t think there’s anything wrong about wanting to grow a little bigger. A bigger chest might even nyelp you catch nyour man.’
My man?
‘Kevin.’
Christine’s face went poof as blood rushed straight to her head, turning it into a boiling cauldron.
E-even if what you say is true, Kevin already has a mate. He doesn’t… he doesn’t need me.
Kevin had already made it clear that she was just a friend. Last year during the Halloween dance at Desert Cactus High School, Christine had confessed her feelings to Kevin. As expected, he’d turned her down, claiming that he loved Lilian. Since then, Christine had tried to bury her feelings, but it was hard, so hard, especially since…
‘Nyou knyow that we’ll probably nyever find anyone else we’re compatible with. That we’ve even found someone at all is shocking. I doubt this will happen again.’
Christine was quiet for the longest time.
I know that… it’s not like I don’t understand, but Kevin… he’s happy with Lilian. I don’t want to get in the way of their relationship.
‘So prude. Who said nyou had to get in their way?’
W-what do you mean?
‘I mean, nyou could always just join them.’
Christine jumped to her feet. Her face was on fire.
W-w-w-w-WHAT?! Ho-how could you—to do something so shameless! I would never!
‘Why nyot? It would solve all nyour problems.’
B-because it’s shameless and disgusting!
‘Nya, I think nyou’d enjoy it.’
Christine felt dizzy. Sinking back into the water, she tried to hide her face from any potential onlookers, though the only person in the hot springs was Iris, who was standing near the wall, pressing one of her ears against it. Despite telling herself that her bakeneko-self’s idea was unappealing, even she could not stop the image that appeared within her mind.
“N-no, we shouldn’t do this. It’s wrong,” Christine said half-heartedly. She was trapped between Kevin and Lilian, both of whom were naked. Kevin’s masculine body pressed into her front, and she could feel Lilian’s breasts pushing into her back.
“This isn’t wrong,” Lilian said, nibbling on her ear. Christine moaned.
“Nothing’s wrong with loving more than one person,” Kevin added as he placed a hand under her chin and tilted her head. “Come on, Christine, join us!”
Kevin leaned the rest of the way down to steal a kiss from her chaste lips…
“Hey, flatty!”
Iris’s
face suddenly appeared mere inches from her own.
“GYA!”
“What’s with that reaction?” Iris asked.
“I should be the one asking that!” Christine hissed as she placed a hand against her chest. “Why did you get in my face like that?!”
“Do you really want to know?”
For some reason, Iris’s grinning face made Christine gulp. Despite this, she nodded.
The grin widened.
“I just found something that I think you’ll be interested in seeing.”
Christine wasn’t given a chance to respond as Iris grabbed her by the arm and pulled her across the hot spring. They stepped out of the water, over to where Iris had been standing before her mind conjured up that erotic image of her, Lilian, and Kevin having a threesome. There was a hole in the wall.
“Go on,” Iris urged. “Have a look.”
In spite of her misgivings, Christine put her face against the wall and looked through the hole. What she saw would become the subject of many steamy dreams.
Kevin went stiffer than a board when Lilian’s breasts pressed into his back. He could feel her nipples, tiny nubs, pushing against him. They rubbed up and down his skin as she moved. It was electrifying.
“L-Lilian… if you keep that up, I’m…”
Lilian peered over his shoulder, looking at him in concern. Her bright green eyes shone with an innocence that a vixen like her shouldn’t have. She clearly didn’t realize how her actions were affecting him.
“Hawa? Is something wrong, Beloved?”
“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”
Kevin took a slow, shuddering breath. He needed to remind himself that Lilian wasn’t actually doing this to turn him on—not right now, at least. She really did just want to wash his back, and then she would have him return the favor. That was how she worked.
He sometimes wished she understood what her actions did to him. Kevin didn’t want her to become like Iris, whose thoughts seemed to revolve around sex 24/7. Lilian’s innocence was one of her more endearing qualities. At the same time, it was hard for him whenever she got like this.
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