Yet while this woman was indeed beautiful, there was something about her that set Kevin off. Despite her youthful appearance, she gave off the aura of someone much older, someone much wiser. It made him want to be as respectful as possible. He’d never felt this way in the presence of another person before, not even Kotohime.
“Um, are you Kuroneko… hime?” Kevin asked.
“I am, but you can just call me Kuroneko, if you’d like.”
The woman sat down at their table, leaning back with the sort of casualness that came from being completely comfortable in one’s own skin. She raised her right leg and crossed it. This caused a notorious amount of her thighs to become visible. Kevin was fairly used to seeing skin now, but he recognized that had he met this woman before, she might have killed him from embarrassment.
“So, what’s this message from Daven?” asked Kuroneko.
“Um, hold on one second.” Kevin reached into his backpack and rummaged around, eventually pulling out an envelope, which he handed to Kuroneko. “Here, this is for you. I haven’t read it, but I can take a guess at its contents.”
“Hmm.”
Kuroneko opened the envelope and read the contents that lay therein. Her eyes scanned the letter, her lips slowly curving into a large smile.
“I see. So, the big man has finally decided that it’s time to act, ne? About time. All right! I think this calls for a celebration!”
“Huh?”
The three youngsters stared at the woman as she stood up from her chair. Her sudden action and the swift change in her demeanor was somewhat shocking, especially because the aura of maturity she’d given off until this point was almost gone. None of them understood her newfound enthusiasm.
“Come on down here, girls! And bring the booze!”
“EEHHH?!!”
***
That night, a party was held in honor of the letter that the three of them had delivered. Kevin soon learned that The Yōkai Café was home to far more than just Kuroneko and the oni when, upon being called, nearly two dozen girls came down from the second floor and entered carrying trays of alcohol, which Kuroneko had not hesitated to make them drink despite being underage.
The yōkai who worked there were quite varied, from oni and bakezōri (yōkai that took on the shape of a straw sandal) to bakeneko, furi (monkey yōkai), and a woman with two mouths. One thing that Kevin noticed about all of them was that none of them hid their true forms.
The band that made it impossible for yōkai to take on a human form had long since been disposed of. It was a simple band made of a rubber-like substance which, when snapped, fused back together near instantly. However, it was easy to destroy by overloading the band with youki.
When Kevin asked Kuroneko about how everyone there was in their true forms, the nekomata had surprised him with her answer.
“Because we don’t need to hide. California doesn’t have quite the same problem that Arizona has. We’re still at war with humans, of course, but all of the humans living in this section of the city have long since been converted to our side.”
Kevin had been impressed. Los Angeles was one of the most populous cities in the United States, with something like 3.9 million people living there. Converting so many humans couldn’t have been easy. When he asked about how such a thing was possible, he received another shocking answer.
“We here at The Yōkai Café have never disguised ourselves. We are always in our true forms, so everyone here already knows what we are. When the announcement came, none of our patrons were shocked or surprised. They simply accepted it when we told them that we really were yōkai.”
Kevin understood, then, how Kuroneko had converted so many humans to her side. Like him, these humans had been in the presence of yōkai for a long while, and while, unlike him, they had not necessarily known that these women were yōkai until the announcement, none of the maids there bothered to hide what they were either. It made accepting them that much easier.
Sitting at a booth, Kevin tried to ignore the oni who was practically drooling over him.
“Would you like anything to drink?”
“Um, no. I’m good, thank you.”
“How about something to eat?”
“Ah-hahaha, n-no thanks.”
It was hard to ignore this woman.
“In that case, would. You. Like. Me?”
Very hard.
Kevin managed to say “no” after a good deal of choking and coughing. Lilian rubbed his back, while a joyful Kuroneko laughed herself silly. Iris wasn’t with them, but that was because she’d taken to drinking with some of the maids. He could see her downing alcohol like an up-and-coming alcoholic while the girls around her kept chanting, “Chug, chug, chug!”
“Don’t worry about him for now, Hina. Do you think you can get some more sake? It seems we’re running out.” Kuroneko raised her sake saucer.
“That’s because you keep drinking it all, Kuroneko-hime.”
The oni seemed disappointed for some reason, but she didn’t protest and left the café to buy some sake, leaving the three of them alone. Several meters away, a completely shit-faced Iris laughed and danced with the yōkai maids, who were cheering her on. She seemed to be having the time of her life. However, Kevin wondered how happy she would be come tomorrow morning.
“Are you okay, Kevin?” Lilian asked, rubbing his back.
Kevin groaned as he rested his head on the table. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just feel really tired for some reason.”
“Do you know why Hina is so interested in you?” Kuroneko asked, swirling her saucer of sake around.
He shook his head. “No.”
“Hina is a kijo, the female version of an oni. Legends say they are humans that have transformed into horrible monsters—either out of intense jealousy, wicked crimes committed, or a terrible grudge that’s twisted the soul into pure hatred. After transforming, they retreat from common society, secluding themselves so they can continue to perpetuate their wicked deeds.”
Kevin listened to Kuroneko. Perhaps it was his inner otaku, or maybe it was because he’d been involved with yōkai for nearly two years now, but the woman’s lecture entranced him.
“This is a lie, of course. Like most yōkai, kijo are born yōkai, not transformed from humans. However, it gives you a good base to understand their species. While not inherently good or evil, kijo, like oni, follow the belief that strength is the most important aspect of life. Those who have strength are on top, and those who lack it are at the bottom. Humans have, until the mid-eighteenth century, been at the bottom. Even now, with technology powerful enough to rival all but the strongest yōkai—like the fabled Kyūbi, Nurarihyon the Leader of the Hyakki Yagyō, or the Shuten-dōji of the Oni Clan—they are still the weakest species to exist.”
Kuroneko paused, finishing her sake and setting the saucer on the table. Kevin wondered if he should feel insulted by her words. That said, he also knew that she was correct. Humans were weaker than even the weakest yōkai. It was this weakness that created the fear of yōkai in humans, and it was this weakness that the Sons and Daughters of Humanity had prayed upon to instigate the war.
“Kijo are stronger than humans, though their strength pales in comparison to an oni. Their true strength lies not in their physical prowess, but in their incredible magic. Throughout their many years of life, a kijo will accumulate powerful spells. They’re capable of bestowing hexes and curses, brewing poisons and potions, and weaving powerful illusions…” the woman paused, and tension suddenly clouded the air. “Did you know that Hina had cast an illusion over you?”
“Uh, do you mean the one that tried to make her look prettier than Lilian?” asked Kevin.
Lilian suddenly perked up. “She was prettier than me?”
Kevin shook his head. “No, I said tried, not succeeded.”
An amused Kuroneko nodded. “That’s the one. So, you did notice.”
Kevin tried to shrug off the appraising look on Kuroneko’s face. “Well,
yeah. I mean, it was kind of obvious, wasn’t it? Illusions like that are easy to spot, so I just ignored it.”
“You… ignored it?”
For the first time since meeting her, Kuroneko seemed well and truly shocked. She looked absolutely flabbergasted. Shock soon gave way to amusement, however, and amusement gave way to laughter. Kuroneko held her stomach as she laughed. Loudly. Kevin and Lilian waited in silence, as the nekomata wiped several tears from her eyes and grinned at him.
“Ha… you truly are an amusing human. You do know that you’ve just doomed yourself, right?”
“Huh?” Kevin didn’t know what she was talking about, but he suddenly had a very bad feeling. It felt sort of like a lead ball had been dropped into the pit of his stomach.
“Hina is a kijo, and kijo respect strength. However, while oni respect strength of the body, kijo respect strength of the mind—and you just proved that you have the mental strength to completely ignore her illusions.”
A chill ran down Kevin’s spine as his face was drained of blood. “No… don’t tell me…”
“Yep.” Kuroneko nodded. Her grin was the definition of the cat that ate the canary. “Hina has a crush on you, you sly dog.”
Kevin felt like his world had suddenly gone black and cold.
“B-Beloved?!”
Lilian was startled when Kevin fell limply onto the table. She became downright worried when a white, ghostly spirit suddenly departed his mouth.
“Inari-blessed! Beloved! Your soul! Your soul is coming out of your mouth! Beloved! Stay with me!!”
***
The kijo had returned and brought sake with her. After his near-death experience, in which his spirit had almost left his body in despair, Kevin had taken to lying down on Lilian’s lap, no longer up for a game of twenty questions. He luxuriated in the feeling of her soft, springy thighs, and the feeling of her hands running through his hair.
Lilian could feel the kijo’s jealousy, but she ignored the woman staring daggers at her. Instead she focused on tenderly stroking Kevin’s hair—and also the woman in front of her. Kuroneko hadn’t left her seat. Since her beloved was no longer up to the task of holding a conversation, it was her time to shine!
Don’t shine too much, Lilian.
“Way to spoil my fun, jerk.”
Sorry. Spoiling fun is what I do.
“Whatever,” Lilian mumbled morosely.
“You kitsune always were the oddest creatures among us yōkai,” Kuroneko said as she watched Lilian seemingly hold a conversation with herself. Several feet away, an extremely wasted and red-faced Iris sang karaoke with the maids.
“That’s a mean thing to say,” Lilian muttered.
Kuroneko smiled. “Sorry.”
“You don’t sound all that sorry.” Lilian sighed as she toyed with Kevin’s hair. She supposed it was time to get down to business. “So, I don’t really know what that letters contains, but I take it from your reaction, you plan on helping us?”
“You delivered a letter without knowing its contents?” Kuroneko raised an eyebrow.
“Is there something wrong with that? I don’t care about the contents of that letter. I’m doing this because Kevin is doing this.”
“I see. So, you’re the kind of girl who lives for her mate.” Kuroneko’s indulgent smile changed, though Lilian couldn’t quite figure out how. “I envy you kitsune. I really do. You can love without limit, and you’re always so loyal to the people you love. Kevin really is a lucky young man.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Kevin mumbled.
Lilian smiled down at him.
“Anyway, the letter doesn’t have much in it.” Kuroneko glanced at the letter still sitting on the table. “Daven never was one for words. He’s basically asking for the Four Saints to join forces once again.”
“I thought the Four Saints were already allied with each other,” Lilian allowed confusion to leak into her voice.
“We are, but not in the manner that you’re probably thinking.” Kuroneko paused to raise her saucer, which the still glaring kijo poured sake into. Taking a sip, the nekomata sighed almost lovingly before continuing where she left off. “When we Four Saints came to this land, we forged a path for other yōkai to follow. We worked together, creating a society within American society where yōkai could live free from the rules of the various yōkai clans. This became a place where, much like the many different kinds of humans live in peace, those yōkai who wished to live without the hidden wars our kind suffer from could come to for sanctuary.”
Kuroneko paused for a moment to reminisce. Her eyes glazed over like she was looking back on the past.
“Of course, we do have our own laws and regulations, but they’re in regard to human/yōkai relationships, which is the same everywhere. In either event, after we created this world, we went our separate ways. We keep in touch mostly through courier and the internet, but aside from reporting on major issues that happen, like a bunch of yōkai fighting with humans in the middle of a comic con, we never communicate.”
Lilian blushed at the mention of the comic con. She knew which one Kuroneko was talking about. She’d been there at the San Diego Comic Convention, which had ended with a kitsune clan fighting against the Sons and Daughters of Humanity. She’d been caught in the middle of it. That was also the day when Kevin had taken his first life.
“Daven is asking us to unite again and form an army that can stand up to the forces currently tearing the United States apart. He’s asking me to come to Neo Seiryuu and give the three of you directions on where to find the remaining two Saints. Daven doesn’t know where they are. One of them is sort of at odds with him, while the other one likes to keep to herself. I can find their location, but he can’t.”
“Do you know where those two are right now?” asked Lilian.
“Now, now, let’s not discuss this any further.” Kuroneko grinned. “Today is supposed to be a day of celebration! So, let us celebrate by getting shit-face wasted together!”
As Kuroneko guzzled down sake like it was water, Lilian looked down at Kevin. He cracked his eyes open as though feeling her gaze on him.
“Wanna get out of here?” he asked.
Lilian beamed at him. “I love it when you read my mind.”
Kevin got off Lilian and they stood up. Kuroneko finally seemed to have reached her tolerance. Her face had become red and there was a drunken smile curling her lips. She was also drunk enough that she didn’t notice the two of them sneak away together.
Iris probably would’ve followed them, but she was still drinking.
***
Finding a bedroom wasn’t that hard. Getting into the bedroom was another story.
Barely a second after they’d headed upstairs, Lilian pounced. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Her legs went around his waist, her feet locking together at the heels. Even her tails had twined around him like serpents. Her mouth was on his, attacking him like the act of kissing was going out of style.
Kevin kissed back, just as intensely, just as passionately. His tongue filled her mouth before she could get the upper hand. His hands went to her rear end, grabbing her plentiful flesh and kneading it with the experience of a skilled baker. Lilian’s moan filled his mouth, spurning him on, even as his back slammed into the nearest door. He removed one hand from Lilian’s ass and attempted to find the handle. It took almost a minute before he actually grasped it and opened the door.
Stumbling backwards, Kevin entered the room. He kicked the door shut behind him. As Lilian switched from kissing his mouth to licking his neck, Kevin saw that, indeed, they were in a bedroom. That was good. He would have hated to do more searching.
He went over to the bed and climbed on. Lilian’s hands roamed over his abs and chest as she fell onto the springy bed with a bounce. The touch of her delicate fingers drove him wild.
He returned the favor, his hands reaching for her green shirt, grabbing it and pulling it over her chest, exposing her breasts. Music fill
ed the air as he played with her nipples, but the sounds produced by her vocal cords were cut off when his mouth covered hers. Saliva stirred between them as their tongues danced and pushed and pulled and hooked together in an endless waltz.
Lilian grabbed the hem of Kevin’s shirt and tugged on it. Understanding what she wanted, Kevin sat up and let her pull his shirt off. She tossed the shirt to the ground, then rid herself of her own shirt. They quickly resumed their previous activities after that, returning to their passionate embrace, with Kevin resting on his haunches as Lilian rested her thighs over his.
Already harder than a rock, Kevin groaned when Lilian’s hand snaked into his pants. He nearly lost it, and only his desire to not let go mere seconds after she touched him kept Kevin from tipping over the edge. He returned the favor, slipping his hand underneath Lilian’s shorts and panties to stimulate her directly.
Air was hard to come by. It flowed in and out of their nostrils in muted gasps. Yet those sounds were drowned out by the hums, moans, groans, and wet slurping noises that came from them both.
Saliva had become their sustenance. They shared it between each other, this most desired nectar, this invocation of their passion for each other.
Lilian’s hips bucked into his hand as he stimulated her most sensitive organ. Her thighs quivered and her tails tightened as they coiled around his legs. Her muffled moaning, already incoherent, had become loud cries of ecstasy in his mouth. Sweat began agglomerating on her skin. Her butt cheeks clenched and shook. She was close, and Kevin knew that he wasn’t far off either.
The end came when Lilian’s body spasmed. Every muscle seemed to contract. Her insides became slick with her juices, which Kevin was grateful for, because he wouldn’t have been able to retract his fingers otherwise. After Lilian’s body went completely slack, he let himself go, making a mess of his boxers and Lilian’s hand.
A Fox's Alliance (American Kitsune Book 10) Page 12
