Nine Tails Collection 1-3: Kitsune and Shaman novel

by J. L. Weil

  Holy guacamole!

  I couldn’t stop staring at myself. My fur was a soft, fluffy white with a beautiful sheen that shone in the moonlight. The pads of my paws tickled from the carpet as my nails sunk into the fibers. Turning left and then right, I noticed that I was a lot bigger than I’d imagined and darn cute. If this weren’t me, I’d want to keep me and cuddle me like a puppy. And then I showed my fangs. Whoa. I jumped back. My canines were scary and could do some serious damage. Let’s just put those bad boys away before I hurt myself.

  Other than the blue hue of my eyes, nothing of my human form resembled the fox. It was impossible to believe that under the fur, I was me.

  Shifting back into my human skin, I glanced at the clock on my nightstand. There was no way I could go back to bed, not for the two hours I had left before the alarm went off. The transformation left me energized. Why not put it to good use? Instead of catching a few more hours of beauty rest, I cleaned my room, showered, did my makeup, and made breakfast for Mom and Dad.

  “What is the special occasion?” Dad asked, glancing up from the newspaper. Both of them sat at the table sipping coffee in their pajamas.

  The scene of the three of us sitting at the table seemed so normal, and then it hit me. At the end of summer there would be less early morning breakfasts. No more Friday night pizza and a movie. I was going to be miles away at college … or in another world. “Why does there have to be a special occasion for me to cook?”

  Dad peered over the top of his paper. “Because, Kit Kat, you hate cooking. And it’s Saturday.”

  Very true. Mom and I were spoiled. Dad was an amazing cook and did most of the meal preparation. He had even packed my school lunches when I was younger. “I was hungry, and no one had started it yet.” I flipped a piece of French toast onto my plate, scowling at the dark grill marks. Ugh. It might be crispy, but they would never complain.

  “What are you, Jesse, and Hannah doing today?” Mom asked as she forked a piece of French toast. Little, everyday tasks left her weak. Both Dad and I struggled to see her like this. She’d always been a vibrant woman. Sakura Lang had been an art dealer before she had gotten ill. Giving up something she loved doing had been devastating, and Mom clung to the hope that one day she’d be able to pick the business back up. Until then, Mirror Gallery’s doors remained closed.

  Mirror Moon Gallery.

  The name of Mom’s store echoed in my head. Holy crap. I’d never thought much about it, but now that I’d learned there was another world, I wondered if the name of the shop had a meaning I didn’t understand. My eyes bounced from my plate, to Mom, to Dad. Did he know? I stared at the man I looked up to and wondered if he had any idea who the woman he married really was.

  I didn’t just randomly become a Kitsune. It was a hereditary mutated gene or some shit.

  “Karina?”

  My gaze focused on her, pulling me out of my own head. What had we been talking about? Oh right, my friends. I shrugged, drenching my breakfast in syrup. “I think we’re going to hang out at The Dome. One last hoorah before graduation.”

  “That will be nice.” Her long obsidian hair cascaded down her back. “Are you okay? You seem distracted. Did something happen?”

  Hell yes, something happened. I opened my mouth, prepared to spew a bunch of emotions and nonsense that wouldn’t make any sense to anyone but maybe my mom. Yet, I couldn’t do it. I closed my mouth. A part of me wanted to be angry with her for keeping such a huge secret from me. Not only was I a Kitsune, but she was as well and had been born in another world. I was hurt that she hadn’t confided in me, prepared me. Instead, I’d tripped into this new life blindfolded and almost got killed in the process.

  Not cool.

  And so not like Mom.

  Then there was this other part of me that wasn’t a hundred percent sure I could trust Devyn. I’d never had a reason to doubt my mom, and it tore me up inside, unsure what I should or shouldn’t say. We had the kind of relationship that, under normal circumstances, I could tell her anything.

  I pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me. Just get better.”

  She laid her hand over mine resting on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. It was a light squeeze, lacking the strength she used to have, reminding me that even though she might be having a good day, my mom was still sick.

  For the rest of the morning a dark cloud hung over my head I couldn’t shake. Numerous times I opened my bedroom door, prepared to ask Mom the questions I’d been avoiding, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I didn’t want to take the chance of upsetting her.

  Devyn. His name flitted through my head. I wished he were here so I could grill him. He was the only person I could talk to. It seemed weird to depend on someone other than Jesse. He had been the only guy in my life for so long that I never considered there being room for someone else to rely on in the way I did with Jesse. But it was becoming very clear that if I wanted to endure this unexpected twist in my life, I was going to need Devyn.

  He had filled my head with so much information. What he wanted from me I wasn’t sure I could give to him. How could I leave my world? But if I didn’t, would I be putting the Second Moon in jeopardy? My desires and dreams no longer seemed as important, but I wasn’t about to throw it all away without proof.

  I needed Devyn to take me to the Second Moon. I saw no other way for me to decide which choice would be wrong or right without seeing the whole picture. The Second Moon wasn’t real to me, and if I was honest with myself, a part of me never wanted it to be. I’d rather pretend it didn’t exist and go on living my peaceful life.

  But even if I put my blinders on, I could never ignore what I knew now. The first shift had unlocked something inside me, opened it up, and since it had been unleashed, it wouldn’t be locked away again.

  Out of nowhere a restlessness grew inside me, as if the fox felt caged and longed for space. A quick glance at the clock said I had thirty minutes until Hannah and Jesse would be here. Since I was already dressed and ready to go, I went outside for some air and to clear my head, giving into the urge.

  The afternoon sun stood boldly against the dreamy blue sky, like a canvas of vibrant spring colors. A hint of new growth and fresh flowers fragranced the air. As I trotted down the driveway, my nosey neighbor, Ms. Jones, sat on her porch with Maddie, her fluffy pooch, at her feet.

  I waved. Ms. Jones’ lips thinned. The woman had never liked me and constantly watched Jesse and me like hawks. “Witch,” I muttered under my breath, keeping my smile pasted on my lips. Maddie started barking and darted across the yard toward me. She normally loved me, but not today. In fact, she looked like she wanted to tear my face off. With her tiny canines exposed, she growled, trying to take a hunk out of my thigh. I’d had enough.

  Getting down lower, I narrowed my eyes and bared my teeth, doing some growling of my own as I let a little of the fox loose, but not enough to cause a shift. A neat little trick. Maddie’s ears went lower, and she tucked her tail between her legs as she took off whimpering.

  I grinned. There. Problem solved.

  A laugh sounded behind me. “Your control is getting better. She smells the fox on you.”

  I spun around, and my belly did its usual flip-flop. It was him. “Who asked you?”

  “Someone ate a bowl of bitch-flakes for breakfast,” Devyn said, a wicked smile on his lips. He leaned against my car. His dark, unruly hair tumbled over his forehead, making him appear treacherous. He wore dark jeans and an equally dark T-shirt that displayed his muscular chest.

  The sight of him took my breath away, stealing the air from my lungs, a feeling that was quickly becoming bothersome. It happened every time I saw him. What was the deal with this guy? “Lack of sleep makes me irritable.” Devyn had the power to send my pulse leaping. He was trouble. His world was trouble. And yet my insides melted the moment he came within an inch of me … or a mile.

  His eyes drank me in, amused. “Is that what you
call it? Irritable?”

  I crossed my arms, ignoring the effect his intoxicating scent had on me. “Are you here just to annoy me, or do you actually need something?”

  His mouth quirked up. “You seem off today, like you could use someone to talk to.”

  Something about his face, or maybe Devyn in general, affected me inside, like tendrils of heat intensified only by his presence. Glancing at him, I frowned. “What? Are you still stalking me?” His intuitiveness got under my skin. He always seemed to know what I was feeling or thinking—sometimes before I did—like a very attentive boyfriend, but he wasn’t my boyfriend.

  “It’s my duty,” he replied in a tone that was hard to describe.

  “It’s creepy,” I countered.

  He stepped into my personal bubble and angled his head enough to the side that our lips lined up. “Is that what you think?”

  His gaze ensnared me, like an enchanting spell. “No. But I should.” I could feel the heat from his body, as ardent as a fire, and I leaned closer to him for no good reason other than I wanted to be near him.

  His fingers brushed a loose strand of hair off my cheek, tucking it behind my ear. “Have you talked to your mom?”

  Oh dear God, he’d touched me. Don’t faint, Karina. I shook my head. “No. She isn’t well. I don’t want to upset her.”

  Those eyes that had been warm a second ago hardened like glass. “She’s sick?”

  I nodded. “She has been for the last three months. It came out of nowhere. One day she was strong and healthy, and then the next day, she could barely get out of bed. At first we thought she just had the flu, but as the days went by, it became clear it was so much more than a common bug. The doctors still don’t have any answers or successful treatments. Everything they have tried has failed.” Why had I poured my heart out to him? Once I started, I didn’t seem to be able to stop. The words flowed from my mouth like an emotional purge. Strangely I felt better afterwards—less pent-up feelings.

  Devyn might be good for the soul … if he wasn’t so arrogant all the time.

  “That makes sense.”

  “What are you talking about? How does my mom being sick make any kind of sense?” I asked.

  His hands moved to my arms, sending a shiver of tingles down my spine. “She has a connection to Katsura, even though she renounced her heritage and left the Second Moon. You can’t change what is in your blood. And Katsura, the land, is in her blood. Ryo kept the land alive with his power, his essence, and with him gone, the land is dying. With your mother being so far from the Second Moon and not having been back in years, she has felt the effects faster. She is sick because Katsura is dying, because it doesn’t have anyone to keep it alive.”

  The dots all began to connect. “What happens if I go to Katsura? Could I possibly save my mom?”

  “You going there would only be a temporary fix, like a Band-Aid. It doesn’t solve the problem,” he said.

  Swallowing, I debated my next move. “Okay, what does then?”

  “Power. You need more tails. Once you have the ability to commune with Katsura, you will be able to heal the land and all those connected to it. Including your mom.”

  I kept my face impassive and showed none of the hope I felt inside. I was going to save my mom. All I had to do was get more tails.

  No sweat.

  “Not so fast, Kitten. I can see hope in your eyes,” Devyn said, reading my emotions.

  How did he do that? It was pretty unfair. I shook my head. It didn’t matter how he knew what I was thinking or feeling. What mattered was how I could obtain the ability to commune with Katsura, a place I’d never been to in my life. “What’s the big deal? I thought you supported me embracing my destiny.”

  His lips thinned, and he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I am. I just want you to understand what you’re about to take on.”

  What was there to think about? “I need to obtain nine tails, right?” It wasn’t like we were talking about rocket science. How hard could it be? Hell, I got the first tail without even trying. Piece. Of. Cake.

  “Uh-huh.”

  I didn’t like the smug expression on his face, and I was about to tell him so too when a voice I recognized came from behind me.

  “You didn’t tell me Devyn was joining us.”

  I jumped. “Christ, Hannah. You scared me.” Jesse stood rigidly beside her, frowning as if his face was permanently stuck like that. “Um, he was just …” I fumbled for an explanation for Devyn being at my house when I was supposed to be going out with Hannah and Jesse.

  “… telling Kitten that I’m really looking forward to getting to know her friends.” Devyn completed my bumbling thought.

  He is what? My mouth dropped open. And as the cherry on the top, he’d called me “Kitten” again in front of my friends. He was so dead meat.

  A naughty grin crossed Hannah’s face, accompanied by a bounce of excitement in her cornflower blue eyes. “Great. A double date.”

  I choked.

  Devyn grinned like a shithead.

  And Jesse’s eyes flashed. For one brief moment, I thought he might make a snide comment or tell Devyn to get lost, but his jaw only worked up and down.

  I exhaled. My two worlds were colliding, and I didn’t like it. Once I made it through tonight, Devyn and I were going to have words. He needed to understand that I wanted to keep my normal life as far from my supernatural life as possible, for as long as possible.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” I whispered between my teeth as we walked toward Jesse’s.

  “Would you rather I lurk in the shadows?” Devyn murmured, slipping into the back cab of Jesse’s truck.

  I glared sideways at him, occupying the seat beside him.

  A satisfied smirk crossed his lips. “That’s what I thought. Besides, this should be interesting.”

  “I don’t need a babysitter,” I hissed. Jesse cast a wary glance at Devyn and me from the rearview mirror.

  Devyn cleared his throat. “I beg to differ, or have you already forgotten that each time you step out of the house you get attacked?”

  I hated that he was right … and so arrogant about it.

  “What are you two whispering about back there?” Hannah asked, turning so she could look at us from the front seat.

  Jesse circled the cul-de-sac and took off with squealing tires.

  “I was just telling him about The Dome. He’s never been there before,” I replied a tad too cheerfully.

  Hannah flashed Devyn her flirty grin, dimples and all. “Oh my God. You’re going to love it.”

  Chapter Eleven

  The Dome was a huge recreation center and so much more. Besides the rock climbing walls, arcade, and bowling alley, there was also a movie theater and food court. It had a big draw in the small town of Seaside Heights.

  A group of college students left a corner table just as we came in. The four of us claimed it, throwing our bags onto the table. Devyn volunteered to get us drinks, which was really nice and thoughtful of him—emotions I didn’t really associate with the Shaman, but I guess he could still surprise me. There was a lot we still didn’t know about each other.

  Jesse sat beside me, slumped in his chair and stared at Devyn’s back as he strutted across to the food court. “I can’t believe you invited him. Since when are you and your defense instructor hanging out?” If I wasn’t mistaken, I would swear jealousy laced his tone. So unlike Jesse. He could be protective, but his normal personality was so easygoing. Everyone loved Jesse.

  I patted his knee and slapped on a smile. “Be nice.”

  Jesse squinted. “Are you dating him?”

  “What? No. We’re just friends. He helped me through a difficult time … is still helping me,” I added, coating on a layer of guilt.

  “I wish you would have let us help you,” he grumbled.

  “You did,” I assured him. The less they knew about what had really happened to me, the safer they would be, and that was more
important to me than Jesse getting his feelings hurt.

  Hannah made a face at Jesse. “I still can’t believe you’re not dating him. What is wrong with you?” she prodded me.

  I could feel one of Jesse and Hannah’s notorious arguments coming on, and I quickly jumped in to diffuse the situation. Sometimes they could be so frustrating. “Can we talk about something else before he comes back?”

  Hannah and Jesse shared a glance.

  “What is it with the two of you?” I asked, my eyes volleying between them and then squinting. They were acting weirder than usual. And that was saying something.

  Devyn came back with a pitcher of pop and four glasses. He arched a brow when he got a look at my face. “What did I miss?”

  “Absolutely nothing.” I gave a tight smile that didn’t reach my eyes, and I knew I wasn’t fooling anyone, least of all Devyn.

  Thank God Hannah’s mouth took over. “How long have you lived in Seaside Heights?” she asked Devyn as Jesse poured the drinks and passed them around.

  “Only for a few months.” His green eyes slid to mine. “It’s growing on me.”

  “Where did you live before?” Hannah leaned on her hands, hanging on Devyn’s every word. I thought about pinching her.

  “In another world.”

  I kicked Devyn under the table.

  He scowled at me.

  Hannah giggled. “I know what you mean. Sometimes Seaside Heights feels like it is on the other side of the universe.”

  Jesse stood. “I’m going to hit the arcade. You coming?” he asked me.

  Normally I’d take Jesse up on a battle of Pac-Man, but I didn’t want to leave Hannah with Devyn. I was afraid what might happen. “Take Hannah.”

  Jesse wasn’t happy, but he nodded and stood as if he couldn’t wait to put distance between Devyn and himself. Hannah glanced over her shoulder and winked, as if she was doing me a favor by giving me alone time with the drool-worthy Devyn.

  My head whipped toward the Shaman. “What are you doing?”

  He lounged back in his chair, a curve to his lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”