That meant they had to die.
She moved through them like a storm, slashing at her foes with the two knives that she kept hidden in her French maid outfit, slitting throats and lopping off limbs. She could not use any water techniques, but with her muscles reinforced by youki, decimating her opposition was easy.
The soldiers panicked.
“How can this woman move so fast?!”
“Damn it, I thought kitsune used illusions! We haven’t been trained to fight someone like this!”
“Fuck! We need backup!”
One of the soldiers appeared in front of her. The pistol in his hands shook. He was afraid. That was good.
Feeling the grin on her face widening, Kirihime blitzed him. Gunfire met her advance, but she dodged each bullet with ease by tracking the soldier’s muscle movements and predicting the pistol’s firing trajectory. Left. Right. Duck. The gun clicked empty. She was in his guard.
A scream erupted from the man’s throat as she slashed at the tendons in his legs. Unable to hold himself up, the soldier toppled over. Kirihime let him fall past her, twirling around gracefully to the left, and then slashing out with the knife in her right hand. Steel met skin and muscle and bone. Steel won out. Kirihime didn’t bother watching the man’s head fall from his shoulders and moved on to her next target.
It was just after she finished slaying the last soldier that her instincts warned her of danger. Her body moved before her mind could register the threat, leaping into the air just in time to avoid impalement via six spikes of water that shot up from the ground. The water proceeded to follow her, curving in its attempts to stab her.
Acting quickly, she slashed at the spikes, her reinforced limbs blurring. Unable to remain cohesive after she’d sliced them apart, the water splashed harmlessly to the ground. Kirihime landed on her feet and turned to see who had attacked her.
Her eyes widened. “You!”
Standing before her with unerring calmness was Taer.
***
The moment she noticed what was happening, Kiara had taken up arms and fought.
Unlike the others, who needed a moment to gather their wits, she did not. It didn’t matter how unprepared she was, her mind, her body, the core of what made Kiara who she was would not allow her to stand idle. She attacked before anyone realized that she was there.
It was only after several minutes of frantic battling that Kiara realized she’d left the young ones behind with Heather. While a part of her was worried, another just shrugged. Heather was a capable woman. She could protect the kids, and Kiara could do a better job protecting the group by drawing as much attention to herself as possible. Thus, she continued to fight.
While Kirihime moved through her opponents like a whirlwind of blades, Kiara straight-up mowed them down, plowing into them with the force of a freight train. Her fists pounded skulls with ease. Each hit sounded like a thunderclap. Each strike was a kill shot. Humans, no matter how much protection they wore, couldn’t stand up to the force that her strength could generate. Bones broke. Skulls fractured. Bodies were sent flying, smacking into walls, cracking booths, and skidding along the floor like ragdolls thrown by an angry child. No matter what they tried, it was all useless.
“Shoot her, men! Shoot!”
“I can’t track her movements! She’s too fast!”
“D-damn it! Why can’t I—gurk!”
“Kenny!”
Bull-rushing one of the soldiers, Kiara slammed her fist into his face. She felt it cave underneath her attack as warm blood splashed across her knuckles. She could smell it, the coppery scent of ichor. The soldier was dead before her punch sent him flying into a wall, the concrete denting as abrasions spread from the point of impact.
Darting away, Kiara avoided several bullets and locked onto her next target. The young woman she aimed for panicked and fired off several rounds, but each shot went wide. It took less than two seconds for Kiara to get into the soldier’s guard. Soon after, she slammed her fist into the woman’s chest, which caved in as the punch launched the soldier into the air.
An eventual lull in combat allowed her to assess the situation. The area around her was mostly clear of enemies. Some soldiers were fighting against a three-tailed kitsune who was dual-wielding water whips to her right. The whips struck several soldiers, tearing through their Kevlar vests like a katana through parchment.
One of the dying soldiers managed to get a lucky shot in before his life was expended. Three shots rang out and slammed into the kitsune, who spun around, blood spraying from the open wounds, before the body hit the floor.
Several meters to her left, a familiar-looking fox trapped his opponents in an illusion. The men and women screamed at the top of their lungs, clawing at their faces like something hideous was crawling on them. Their lives were then extinguished by spears of water that perforated their bodies.
Kiara felt a grin split her face. Without any prompting, she dashed toward the four-tailed kitsune who, judging by the widening of his eyes, had not only spotted her but also recognized her.
“Kitsune Art: World of Transitory Perceptions.”
She had to give the fox credit. He acted with admirable quickness. The world around Kiara distorted, flipping upside down and turning inside out. Colors inverted and lines wavered like ramen noodles after they’ve been boiled in water. It only lasted for an instant, the time it took Kiara to break the illusion, then the world reverted back to its natural state.
“That won’t work on me anymore!” Kiara roared. She tucked her fist into her torso, then launched it forward, slamming it into the kitsune’s face quicker than lightning.
Kiara frowned when the face burst into droplets of water. Glistening beautifully as the light was refracted off of the many glittering surfaces, the tiny drops acted as a multitude of prisms that caused a plethora of colors to burn her retinas. The lights shifted constantly, forcing her eyes to continuously adjust themselves to the new change in perspective. It was so distracting that only Kiara’s enviable spatial awareness allowed her to sense the danger that she was in.
She flared her youki, which erupted from her body as a bright red flame. She was just in time. Not even a second after her aura appeared, something splattered against the protective flames encasing her.
Grinning, she spun around and extended her fist in a lightning-quick jab. A bright red bolt of youki burst from her fist. The energy crashed into a booth, sending splinters of wood and shards of plastic flying everywhere.
A figure shot out from behind the booth, landing several feet away. Kiara grinned at the frustrated expression on the kitsune’s face.
“Your tricks aren’t going to work on me this time,” she declared. “I might have been unprepared to fight a kitsune the last time we tangoed, but I’m more than ready for you now.”
“Is that so?” the kitsune scowled. “In that case, it seems I will need to get serious.”
“So we’re taking this up a notch, eh?” Kiara’s grin threatened to split her face. “That’s good. That’s what I’ve been waiting for.” She set herself into a southpaw stance. “Before we begin, do you think I could get your name?”
The four-tails frowned, but he answered nonetheless. “It’s Christian.”
“Christian, eh?” Kiara chuckled. “Well, then, Christian, here’s to hoping you can give me a good fight.”
There was no more need to talk. Kiara rushed forward as her opponent began weaving a specialized kitsune technique.
The battle had begun, and Kiara was looking forward to this rematch.
***
Kotohime led Kevin, Lilian, and Iris down one of the many hallways.
After leaving the backstage, they had discovered that the fighting wasn’t just localized to one area. It was happening everywhere. No matter where they looked, kitsune and soldiers were fighting.
The humans clearly outnumbered the yōkai, and Kevin had realized that almost everyone who’d been at the Comic-Con was, in fact, a member of t
he anti-yōkai terrorist group. He only spotted a few pedestrians sleeping here and there, far away from where the fights were taking place.
Someone must have moved all of the civilians out of harm’s way.
Thanks to an illusion that Kotohime had woven over them, they were all but invisible, allowing them to watch the battles taking place without being sucked in.
About three meters away, a kitsune went down in a hail of gunfire. To their right, several humans were killed when a dozen spikes of water pierced their bodies, soaking the ground with water and blood.
“How are you feeling, Kevin?” Lilian asked. Much like him, she looked slightly sick, but she was more worried about him than she was herself. Kevin was touched, and the nausea that he’d been feeling backed off a bit.
“I’m fine.”
“You look like you’re about to vomit,” Iris interjected.
Kevin glared at her, but he didn’t deny the accusation.
“By the way,” she continued, “why are you still carrying those?”
Kevin looked at the fake boobs in his hands. He’d pulled them out of his shirt a while back because they’d been getting in the way of his running.
He looked back at Iris. “Because they might come in handy.”
“How would they come in handy? They’re silicone tits.”
Kevin opened his mouth to answer, but Kotohime cut him off. “Now is not the time for that. Please remain silent and follow me.”
They continued to move down the hall, keeping as far from the centers of combat as possible. Kotohime occasionally needed to take out someone who strayed too close. Kevin could admit that he felt sick watching their maid butcher people, but he held it in.
“Where are we going, Kotohime?” Iris asked. The girl appeared almost at ease among the violence, like she barely noticed her fellow kitsune being shot, or the humans being mowed down by supernatural techniques.
“We need to find our companions,” Kotohime determined, moving with grace and confidence, her sheathed katana in her left hand and her right hand on the hilt. “I believe you mentioned that our companions were making their way out of the convention, in which case, we must travel to the exit and locate them. They have a head start, so I assume they’re already outside.”
“You mean if they haven’t been killed,” Iris pointed out.
“Iris!” Lilian said, aghast that her sister would suggest such a thing.
“What?” Iris looked at the redhead, whose narrowed eyes stared fiercely into her own. “You know it’s a possibility.”
Lilian frowned at her sister. “You still shouldn’t say things like that.”
“Yeah, fine. Let’s all just ignore the reality of the situation.”
“We’re not ignoring anything,” Kevin cut in. “We just don’t want to think like that.”
Lilian nodded effusively, causing Iris to sigh. “Alright, fine. I’ll pretend there’s a chance that the others are alive. Happy, now?”
“Not really.”
“Whatever.”
As they exited one hall and entered another, two large cyclones of water appeared out of nowhere and tried to drill through them. The group was forced to dodge—all except Kotohime, who unsheathed her blade and cut the cyclones in half with a well-timed slash.
Kotohime turned, and Kevin followed her gaze. Several meters away, walking through a door that led into the main convention room, was a kitsune with four tails.
***
“Now this is a problem,” Kotohime mumbled, turning her head to the three youngsters. “I suggest you three continue on without me. This is not a foe that we can afford to leave at our backs.”
Kevin, Lilian, and Iris looked at each other, then back at Kotohime.
“We’ll leave this to you,” Kevin said before all three of them rushed off, leaving Kotohime alone with Kaine, who made no move to stop them.
He’s definitely smart. He knows that attacking those three would give me all the opening I need to kill him.
“I take it you’re ready to finish our battle from before?” Kotohime asked, resheathing her blade and entering a classic iaidō stance. Kaine frowned as water coalesced around his forearms and hands, forming a pair of amorphous-looking claws.
“It seems I do not have much choice,” he said, settling himself into an orthodox fighting stance. “I was told not to let you leave until Mistress Luna arrives.”
Kotohime frowned. Then her face relaxed. “I understand. However, since I have no interest in meeting your matriarch again, it looks like I’m going to have to cut you down before she arrives.” Her normally placid smile turned cold. “Do forgive me.”
***
Kevin, Lilian, and Iris ran down the hall.
Without Kotohime there to protect them, they needed to be extra cautious. Lilian had used a technique that bent light to render them invisible, but because Iris was a Void Kitsune, there was a chance that the illusion would break.
As they ran toward the exit, they happened upon many scenes that were similar to what they’d seen already. In most cases, it was four or five humans battling against a kitsune with two tails, but every now and then, there would be a three-tailed kitsune combating seven or eight humans.
The humans fired their guns, while the kitsune wielded water like extensions of themselves. Shields blocked bullets. Whips lashed out. Swords sliced humans apart. Spears pierced flesh. Bullets penetrated skulls. Kevin even saw one kitsune turn water into chakrams, which he tossed at his foes, causing them to scatter.
They were almost to the escalator that would lead to the entrance hall, when they were forced to stop. Standing in front of the escalator was a familiar kitsune with blond hair, blue eyes, and a pretty boy appearance. The technique around them vanished as Lilian lost her concentration.
“It’s the fop!” Kevin shouted, pointing at Ken.
Ken snarled. “I’m not a fop!”
“I don’t know… you certainly look like a fop to me,” Iris said.
“Ugh.” Ken lurched forward as if he’d been physically struck.
Lilian nodded in agreement. “You’re totally foppish.”
“Urk.”
“You’re the foppiest fop I’ve ever seen,” Kevin added.
Ken growled. “Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up! I’m not a fop! I’m not!”
“Denial is an ugly thing,” Kevin said.
“Isn’t it also a river in Egypt?” Iris asked.
“No, no.” Lilian waved her hand dismissively. “That’s The Nile, not denial. Denial is when—”
“I know what denial is.” Iris twitched. “I was trying to make a joke.”
“It was a lame joke,” Lilian said.
“Totally lame,” Kevin agreed.
Iris grumbled. “Whatever. You two just don’t appreciate my humor.”
“Stop ignoring me!” Ken shouted.
The trio turned back to Ken, who pointed at Kevin. “I’m here to settle the score with you, and this time, I won’t hold back!”
“That’s fine by me,” Kevin said, stepping in front of Iris and Lilian. “I’d been thinking that my battle with you had been too easy and anti-climactic. I hope you can give me a better fight this time.” He turned his head and looked at his companions. “There’s another escalator on the opposite end of the hallway. Use that to reach the entrance.”
“Okay.” Lilian stared at him with an expression that all but demanded him to be careful. “Don’t you dare lose.”
Kevin smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.”
Lilian grabbed Iris by the hand and pulled her away.
“Don’t think I’m going to let you leave!” Ken shouted as water coalesced around him. Before he could use a technique, Kevin threw his fake boobs, which smacked Ken in the face. The water dispersed.
“Your opponent is me, not them,” Kevin said to Ken, who stared at the silicone mammaries in his hands like he wasn’t sure what to make of them.
Throwing the fake breasts away, the bl
ond fox glared at him. “Fine! If that’s how you want to play, then I’ll kill you first!”
“Bring it on, foppy,” Kevin said, raising his hand and giving Ken a “bring it on” gesture. It was time to prove that being a human didn’t mean he was weak.
***
As Kevin and Ken grew more distant, Iris turned to Lilian. “Are you sure we should leave the stud to fend for himself? I know he’s got some sweet moves, but he’s still fighting a kitsune.”
Lilian understood why her sister was concerned, and she would be lying if she said that she wasn’t worried. Kevin was fighting a creature that was more powerful than him.
However, Lilian understood something that her sister didn’t. Faith. If she couldn’t place her faith in Kevin, then she wasn’t worthy of being his mate.
“Kevin will be fine,” Lilian assured her. “He’s really strong. Besides, he wouldn’t forgive me if I intervened in his battle. Kevin has something to prove, and I would be a terrible mate if I tried to stop him because I was worried over his safety.”
Iris raised an eyebrow. “And what is he trying to prove?”
Lilian smiled at her sister. “That even a human can defeat a yōkai.”
***
Reacting quicker than anyone thought possible, Heather shoved Eric to the ground before she rolled along the floor. The airspace where they’d been standing became filled with bullets. Using her own talent with guns, Heather took aim from her prone position and fired off multiple rounds. Several men were forced to stop firing as they were hit. They stumbled but didn’t go down, their Kevlar vests protecting them.
Realizing that Heather and Eric were in trouble, Christine leapt out from behind the table and, placing her hands on the ground, activated her powers. Ice quickly spread across the floor. Before the soldiers knew what was happening, they were all covered in a layer of ice, though they were still alive and capable of speech—or they would have been, had Christine not filled their mouths with slush.
“Whoa.” Lindsay looked at Christine in awe. “That was really cool.”
Christine blushed.
“Oh, my wonderful Goth Hottie, you’re so amazing!” Crying tears of joy, Eric rushed toward Christine, his arms spread wide as if to engulf her in a hug. “I knew you loved me! Now come here and let me shove my face into those tiny lumps of—”
A Fox's Vacation (American Kitsune Book 5) Page 39
