A Fox's Family (17 page)

“Sounds
dangerous.”

“It
is indeed, and it will be more dangerous for you, seeing how you’re
human.” Kotohime’s intense stare made Kevin gulp.
“Fortunately, you only need to worry about one clan right now.
The Shénshèng Clan, the greatest clan of Celestial
Kitsune in the entire world, has stood at the top of our race for
many generations. They, along with the Great Void Clan of Gitsune,
are the only clan to have never had their position as a great clan
usurped. The ruler of the Shénshèng Clan is the
Bodhisattva, Shénshèng Shinkuro-dono, who has been
hailed as the most powerful Celestial Kyuubi to have ever graced the
earth.”

“And
it’s the son of this Bodhisattva guy who wants to marry Lilian,
right?”

Kotohime
nodded. “The kitsune you’re referring to is a young
two-tails around the same age as Lilian-sama. He’s an impetuous
child, and has a very strong sense of entitlement. That is, I
believe, the entire reason he wants Lilian-sama so badly in the first
place. She is one of the few people in the world who has denied him,
and the only one who has done so with such vehemence. He will come
for her, eventually, and you will need to be ready when he does.”

Kevin
breathed in, held it, and then breathed out. There was no need to be
nervous or frightened. This was why he trained with Kiara, wasn’t
it? So he could stand up to this guy when the time came. Lilian was
his. She had chosen him, had pushed her way into his heart with the
subtlety of Eric in a girl’s locker room, and he wouldn’t
let her go.

“Kevin-sama?”

“I’m
fine.” Kevin released a breath he didn’t know he’d
been holding. “Please continue.”

Kotohime
smiled, and this time, Kevin was certain of it. The smile was
genuine.

“Kevin?”

Before
the lesson could continue, Lilian entered the room, dressed in
flannel pajama shorts and a spaghetti strap shirt. Kevin didn’t
know where to look; her legs, her ears, her tails, her butt, her
swaying breasts, or her feet…

… Wait.
What?

“Something
wrong, Kevin-sama?”

“No.”
Kevin grimaced. “I’m fine. I just had a really disturbing
thought is all.”

“I
see. Ufufufu…”

“I
really wish you’d stop doing that.” Kotohime merely
smiled at him, which Kevin ignored and turned to face Lilian as she
down on his left. “Not going to spend more time with your
sister?” He was startled to see Lilian’s face twist in a
rictus of anger. It only lasted for a second, and when he blinked,
the expression was gone, making him wonder if he hadn’t
imagined it.

“I
would much rather spend time with you.”

“If
that’s what you want…”

“It
is.”

Not
satisfied with where she was sitting, Lilian crawled onto his lap.
Kevin stiffened when she wiggled her bum against him to get
comfortable. Grinning, the red-haired vixen wrapped her arms around
his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. Kevin tried not to
squirm and returned the gesture, his own arms going around her waist.

“Comfortable?”
A vein throbbed on Kotohime’s foreign as she stared at them,
visible due to its bright red hue.

“Um!”
Lilian smiled. “I’m very comfortable.”

“I’m
glad. May I continue with my lessons now?”

“Right.
Go ahead and continue.” Lilian waved her hand up and down from
its position on Kevin’s shoulder. “Just pretend I’m
not here.”

“Ha…
right.”

Kotohime
was about to continue her lesson again—

“M-My
Lady! Please be careful with those bags!”

“Don’t
worry. Don’t worry. I’ve got―HAWA!”

“MY
LADY!”

“Hawawawawawawa!!”

—When
another interruption occurred.

Kevin,
Kotohime and Lilian listened as a series of crashes and screams
echoed from outside of their apartment. They winced as one when a
particularly loud
bang!
signified
someone hitting something hard and unyielding. Then the screaming and
the crashing stopped, and absolute silence returned.

Several
crickets broke the silence, chirping ever so quietly in the
background.

“Please
excuse me,” Kotohime mumbled. “It seems we will have to
continue this lesson some other time.”

Kevin
sweat dropped.

“… Right.”

***

Iris
stood on the balcony, her forearms resting against the wall, allowing
her to lean forward. She stared up at the night sky, ignoring the
almost loving whispers that wanted nothing more than the absolute and
utter annihilation of everything she held dear. The stars were rather
pretty that night, and she didn’t want to ruin the moment by
listening to them.

The
door slid open. Iris did not turn around. What she did do was sigh.
“Is there something you want, Mom?”

“Hawa…
I just… Camellia heard that you and Lilian got into a fight.
Camellia… Camellia doesn’t think Iris and Lilian should
be fighting. It’s not good for sisters to fight, so please
don’t do it anymore, okay?”

Gotta
give the woman credit for trying, I guess.

“Ha…”
A longer sigh this time. “If this is your attempt at being a
better mother to us, then I’ve got tell you that you’re
about sixty years too late.”

“Hawa…
Iris is so mean.”

“Whatever.
Look, just leave me alone, alright? I don’t want to talk to
anyone right now.”

Camellia’s
eyes became dewy with unshed tears. Iris didn’t care. This
woman had never been a good mother, and even though a part of her
knew it wasn’t Camellia’s fault, it didn’t change
the facts.

The
door slid open again and Kirihime walked onto the balcony. She placed
a comforting hand on Camellia’s shoulder and offered the
beautiful, if childish, mother a tender smile.

“Why
don’t you get ready for bed, My Lady? I will speak to Lady Iris
on your behalf.”

“Hawa…”
Camellia wiped the tears from her eyes and gave her maid a bright
smile that should not have been possible for a woman her age to
produce. “Thank you, Kiri-kiri.”

“You’re
welcome.”

With
Camellia gone, Kirihime marched up to her mistress’ dark-haired
daughter. She didn’t say anything at first, just stood there
with the younger kitsune, staring up at the moon and stars as they
painted the velvety sky with their brilliance.

“Having
a sister of my own, I can sort of understand how you feel,”
Kirihime finally spoke. “Back when I was a two-tails like
yourself, Kotohime had fallen in love with a young man, a human much
like Lord Kevin. I remember how jealous I was of her new mate. He
took up so much of my precious sister’s time that I couldn’t
stand it.”

Iris
finally showed interest in what the maid was saying. “What did
you do?”

“I
tried to kill him. Multiple times.”

In
the presence of Kirihime’s bright, wondrous smile, Iris felt a
small thrill of fear traverse her spine all the way down to her
tails.

“I
failed, of course.” Kirihime’s smile turned both wistful
and disappointed. “Kotohime foiled my attempts at every turn.
It was frustrating at first, but I was eventually able to accept him
after several dozen more failed assassination attempts, and life
eventually got better.”

She
gave Iris a conciliating smile.

“It’s
okay to be jealous, you know?”

“Pfft!”
Iris snorted and turned away. “Why would I be jealous of that
kid? He’s just a human brat.”

“Just
so,” Kirihime agreed, “but he is also your sister’s
mate.” Iris’ face darkened at that reminder. “I am
not saying you need to like him, but you should at least be nice to
him. Right now, he is the most important person in Lady Lilian’s
life. However, that will not always be the case. Lord Kevin is a
human, and he will die before Lady Lilian even gets her fourth tail.
Do you really want to cause a rift between you and your sister over
something as transient as this?”

Iris
didn’t respond, and Kirihime eventually left, allowing her to
be alone with her thoughts.

Maybe
I should apologize.

It
would be hard, but she loved her sister dearly and didn’t want
Lilian to hate her because of something like this.

She
blew out a breath and walked back inside, heading toward the room
where her sister would most likely be resting.

***

Lilian
and Kevin were lying in bed. Despite the late hour, neither of them
could sleep. It wasn’t that they weren’t tired, because
they were; they just had a lot on their minds.

“Kevin?”

“Hmm?”

“Have
you ever gotten into an argument with someone you love?”

Kevin
shifted to get more comfortable. Lilian, who lay on top of him, also
moved to accommodate for the new position.

“Sometimes.
Back when Mom was going to college, we would occasionally get into
arguments. They were never anything big, just the standard arguments
that a mother and son get into… I think. They were mostly
about stupid things, and I don’t remember them all that much
because I was so young. Why do you ask? Did you and Iris get into a
fight or something?” Lilian said nothing, but the way she
tightened her hold around his torso told Kevin all he needed to know.
“I see.”

“I…
I don’t really know what to do,” she confessed. “Iris
has always been with me, and I can sort of understand where she’s
coming from, but things have changed. I have you now, and I don’t
think it’s considered acceptable for sisters to bathe
together.”

Kevin
was silent for a moment.

“I’m
kind of surprised you even have something you consider unacceptable.
Weren’t you the one who told me that you and Iris used to kiss
each other?”

With
her face lying on his chest, Kevin could not see the adorable blush
creeping across her cheeks, but he could imagine it easily enough.

“Muu,
that’s not something you should be saying at a time like this.
I’m being serious here.” She lightly slapped his chest.
“Stupid Kevin.”

“I’m
sorry.” Kevin chuckled. Lilian bit his nipple hard enough to
earn a yelp. “Alright, alright, I’m really sorry. I
didn’t mean to laugh at you.”

“You
had better be.” Silence ensued, but only for a moment. Lilian
rubbed her cheek against his chest, enjoying the feel of her mate’s
warmth. “So, what do you think I should do?”

“I’m
not sure I’m the best person to answer that question. I don’t
have any siblings, so I don’t know what you should do. But,
whenever Mom and I had an argument, we would always make up
eventually. I mean, she’s my mom. I love her, and I don’t
want us to hate each other because we were arguing.”

He
looked down at Lilian, who raised her head, bright green irises
peering at him from beneath a curtain of crimson hair.

“It’s
the same for you, isn’t it? Iris is your sister, and I’m
sure you don’t want to remain angry at her for the rest of your
lives, right?”

“You’re
right. I know you’re right.” Pushing herself up, Lilian
straddled Kevin’s waist and graced him with a smile. “Thank
you.”

Trying―and
mostly failing―to act nonchalant and cool, Kevin shrugged.
“That’s what I’m here for… sorta. I-I mean,
as your mate, it’s kinda like, you know, I should support you…
and stuff.”

“Hm,
I suppose. Still,” she whispered, leaning down until her lips
just barely brushed against Kevin’s, “I feel like I
should show you my gratitude. That’s also something mates do
for each other, right?”

“Right,”
Kevin muttered before closing the distance, claiming Lilian’s
lips in a heated kiss.

Lilian
moaned, the noise barely muffled by Kevin’s lips, as a warm
tongue filled her mouth. Times when Kevin initiated tongue action
were rare, so it never failed to stoke the flames of her passion when
he took the initiative.

She
allowed him this moment, moaning at the feel of his tongue exploring
the inside of her mouth. It was a shy, tentative reconnoiter, like a
rookie spy who feared being caught and didn’t want to penetrate
enemy territory too deeply. Despite the shyness of his actions,
Lilian loved what he was doing, and her own tongue soon joined in,
caressing his as saliva was stirred up and shared between them.

Kevin’s
kiss heated up, taking Lilian by storm, especially when a pair of
hands suddenly and quite unexpectedly landed on her rear. Lilian’s
surprised gasp became a lyrical symphony when those same hands
decided to caress, knead, and squeeze to their heart’s content.
And when those same hands pulled her down until something hard and
stiff came into contact with her sensitive lips, the music she sang
into his mouth became louder still.

Her
panties soon became damp, and the wet article of clothing clung to
her skin and brushed against her folds. Perhaps it was simply due to
the novelty of the act but, like ripples created by a stone as it
hits the water’s surface, a delicious and inescapable sensation
spread through her insides.

Lilian
decided to reciprocate the gesture.

“Hnnn!”
Kevin’s hips jerked against hers as he slid between her legs.
The feeling of her, well,
her
rubbing
against him in such deliriously pleasurable ways made whatever
self-restraint he might have possessed evaporate. All that remained
was his desire for the fox-girl on top of him.

Lilian’s
world spun. She could not see this, as she had closed her eyes, but
the feeling of someone rolling her over was unmistakable. Her back
hit the soft memory foam mattress, and Kevin’s weight bore down
on her, pushing against her. Tiny squeaks mixed with low notes
escaped her mouth as Kevin ground against her overly sensitive nub.

And
then it happened. Something unexpected. Something that had never
happened before in all of their previous make-out sessions.

Her
mate’s left hand, which at some point had cupped her right
breast, slipped underneath her shirt. The warm skin on skin contact
caused her entire body to light up like a live wire. His thumb
flicking over her stiffened peak made her body shudder and writhe in
indescribable pleasure.