Men of the Otherworld (39 page)

“Gods require devotees,” the leader said. “That is how we gain our strength.”

“And that is what I am, then? A member of a supernatural race of disciples, like Druids?”

“You are better than any mere Druid. We shared our blood with your kind. We chose a dying race, those who derived their magic from symbols.”

Runes…

“We saved them by sharing our blood, making them stronger, giving them new powers, a subset of our own. In return, we asked only for their devotion.”

“So is that what you want from me? Worship? And how am I supposed to…” I stopped, realizing I had a good idea of the answer.

“From your women, we exact a life of service. Your men—” She smiled. “They are our intimate companions and our partners in reproduction.”

“Stud service?” Jaime said from across the room.

The Kitsune pretended not to hear her. “Through the Kogitsune, we discovered a way to reproduce our own kind, rare among gods and demons alike. When we are impregnated by Kogitsune men, we bear Kitsune daughters, which allowed our small race to grow and take our rightful place in the pantheon of power.”

“But to track me down, after all these years… I'm sure there are younger, more willing men who would be quite happy to …” I trailed off as I remembered what the Kitsune had called me last night. Last of the Kogitsune.

“That's the problem,” Jaime said. “Their stud service has dried up.”

“The Kogitsune betrayed us,” the one on the right spat. “They took our gifts, then turned on us, using their petty magics to—”

The middle one shushed her.

“Using their magics against you,” I said, looking at the rune on Jaime's ankle. “They found a way to infuse their runes with the power to protect them against more than mere human threats. They used them to escape servitude to you.”

“Servitude?” The right one's eyes blazed. “It was an honor to serve us. They—”

Again, the leader quieted her and said, calmly, “They no longer wished to be our disciples. When we argued the matter, they decided the only alternative was to stop reproducing and allow their own race to die out. But there were those who didn't want that. They ran to foreign lands and bore their children there, trying to mask them from us by breeding with inferior races.”

Like werewolves…

“They hid you best of all. But now, we've found you.” That teeth-baring blast of a smile. “And we are very pleased with what we have found. The American Alpha will make a fitting father for the next generation of Kitsune.”

“What about the sons of the Alpha?”

“Your son is not Kogitsune,” the right one said. “He is only a werewolf, and a bitten one at that.”

“Not Clayton. My natural son.”

“You have no natural son,” the left one said, but slowly, as if hoping I'd correct her.

“I do. At least one. I was… less cautious in my youth than I should have been. I only learned of him five years ago, through happenstance. He was already twenty-two, and had gone through years of Changes. He'd realized what he was and was coping very well, so I decided there was no need to enter his life and, for his sake, I'd be better staying out of it. He was safer as a lone werewolf than the son of the Alpha.”

“So he is…” The middle one's lips moved, as if calculating. “Twenty-seven?”

I nodded. “Prime breeding age for a werewolf. Like most, he has no regular lover and, at that age, werewolves feel the need to mate very strongly. They are very restless and very… energetic.”

All three Kitsune smiled.

“I know he might not be Alpha, but I already have a lover, a family, a Pack and responsibilities that I won't give up without a fight. It would be easier to take the willing and younger Kogitsune.”

“And the one who doesn't know the runes to keep you away,” Jaime added.

“Do you know where we can find this son?” the middle one asked.

“His name is Brent. He moves around unfortunately—he's in construction—but he seems to stick to Florida and Georgia.”

I could tell they didn't care for the imprecision of that answer.

“If you found me, I'm sure you can find him,” I added.

It took some negotiating, but they clearly found this an attractive alternative and, finally, released me.

“Nice bluff,” Jaime said as we got into a cab. “Ever consider acting?”

“Who said I was acting? I might very well have a son.”

She gave me a look. When I arched a brow, she started counting off fingers.

“One, I might not have known you that long, but I'm sure you were never young enough to be so careless. You were born checking the road both ways. Two, whatever danger this kid would face as your son, it doesn't compare to what he'd face as a mutt. And you'd be the last person to argue that any wolf is better off outside the Pack. Three, Brent in construction? Like the guy you were sitting next to last night, Brent Delaney of Delaney Construction?”

She settled into her seat, shaking her head.

“You forgot number four. If I had a son, I'd have told you.”

She wouldn't have the confidence to say that herself, but when I did, she nodded, obviously pleased.

“They'll be back, you know,” she said after a moment.

“Well, considering how long it took them to find me, I'm hoping it'll be awhile, at least long enough for me to research this Kogitsune race and develop a plan of attack.”

“And in the meantime, I need to worry about…”

“Dozens of nubile young women out there, eager to fulfill my every sexual fantasy?”

She glared. “Are you trying to bring out my competitive edge? Or make me decide I don't have a hope in hell of competing?”

“Ah, sorry. Let me rephrase that. Several reasonably attractive but probably very inexperienced young women…”

“Much better.” She crossed her leg onto her lap and touched the ankle tattoo. “But this wards them off. Would it work for you?”

“I would presume so.”

She took out her cell and hit speed-dial. “Tara, it's me. Yes, I know and I'm on my way to the interview now. In the meantime, could you find me a good local tattoo parlor? And set up an appointment?”

She listened, then slanted a look my way. “As soon as possible.”