by C. A. Storm
Nebulous, wispy tendrils of sickly gray mist dug into my skin with intangible, skeletal fingers. Sharp claws tore at my flesh, leaving blazing, bloody welts as it wrapped me in a sickly embrace I couldn’t escape. It was cold, but not the cold of winter. No, this chill came from within, teased forth by the fog as it lapped at my bleeding flesh, feasting upon the life essence oozing from my body, growing ever stronger as I grew ever weaker.
An eager, wicked hissing filled the air, hidden in that dense fog, impossible to track as it circled me. I was prey and it was time to feed.
Like a puppet, I was yanked into the air by an invisible hand, suspended by the greedy, grasping claws of mist, my body a limp, broken thing that refused to answer my screams.
It didn’t attempt to muffle my cries. No, it wanted my screams, and try as I might, I couldn’t stop screaming. Why couldn’t I stop screaming?
What was it? I couldn’t see it!
The hissing coalesced into a single chorus, an angry, eager, hungry dissonance that sent a primal terror blazing through my veins. Fight or flight? I could do neither. Instead, my body froze as a massive, black silhouette rose before me.
I couldn’t see a face. I couldn’t see any eyes. Just a monstrous, man-shaped figure larger than any I had seen before, but though it was man-shaped, it was…wrong. The body too large, the chest too wide, the arms too long, the legs bent in the wrong way, giving it a hunched, bestial look.
It lifted a massive arm, an enormous clawed hand of blackness reaching purposefully toward me; in no hurry, because I was already trapped and helpless.
A sudden tingle raced across my chest, an icy coolness that chased away the burning pain of my wounds, yet filled me with a warmth that eased that unnatural chill freezing my bones.
Around us, above us, lights began to glow. Some faint, some blazing to life with an intensity that was blinding.
The figure hesitated as the lights began to circle, dancing like fireflies through the mist, coming closer, painting the ghostly gray in brilliant colors.
Once more, it reached forward, toward me, and the lights struck.
Not the figure, no, they struck me.
Light, so much light, my eyes burned, blinded, as the lights pierced my chest right over my heart…and I awoke with a strangled gasp.
My senses returned sluggishly, and it took me a moment to remember where I was, and that the reason I couldn’t see anything or hear anything was due entirely to the fact I was wearing an eye mask and headphones.
Well, that was one fucked up dream. On the plus side, though, my hangover was gone!
Note to self, don’t ever try and keep up with Grandmother Winter when she brings out her special plum wine!
Slowly peeling the mask from my eyes, I squinted against the glare as my eyes adjusted. Through the blur, I saw Kurokō putting away a tablet before he turned to regard me with a bright, eager grin.
The moment I pulled my headphones off, he said, “You’re awake!” There was an almost unnatural cheeriness to his voice that was decidedly odd.
Blinking, still waking up, I returned, “Obviously.” Then, seeing his smile dim a little, I sighed and reluctantly continued, “Did I miss anything interesting?”
Brightening once more, he shook his head, “Nope, not a thing.” He handed me an unopened bottle of water, “Thought you might be thirsty. I can summon the attendant if you’d like anything to eat or drink.”
Wow, I thought, He’s going out of his way to be nice to me…that’s not suspicious.
“Okaaaay,” I said, straightening up in my seat as I accepted the bottle of water and eyed him.
Finally, it came to me.
“You’re bored out of your mind, aren’t you?”
His shoulders slumped as he gave me a glum nod, “Desperately.”
Okay, that made me laugh, which in turn chased away the lingering dread that dream had left me. The dejected look on his pouting face was just plain adorable.
Shaking my head in amusement, I completely pulled off my mask and headphones, stowing them back in my pack.
Glancing down at my watch, a simple, inexpensive all-black number, I scrunched up my nose. We were only about halfway through out flight, which meant we had probably crossed over the International Date Line. With reluctance, I went ahead and set the time for Central US time and date. Might as well get adjusted now.
Glancing up, I caught Kurokō watching me with avid fascination, his lower lip caught between his teeth, his pupils blown out and glinting feline-green. I could almost see his tails lashing behind him as he prepared to pounce on his prey.
Susanō’s Swinging Sword, he’s going stir-crazy, I realized with mounting dread.
The thought of a bored nekomata…bakeneko…cat unleashing his particular brand of monstrosity at over ten thousand meters in the sky was terrifying.
We’re talking huge balls of fire, dancing corpses, and plunging into the icy Pacific Ocean at terminal velocity levels of terror here.
Reaching out tentatively, like one does when trying to pet an angry cat, I placed a soothing hand on his forearm, “Koh, calm down. Would a drink help?”
His unblinking eyes fixed on where my hand rested on his forearm, Koh’s body stilled for a moment.
Koh had taken off his leather jacket once we had boarded the plane, and the sleeves of his turtleneck had been pushed up to reveal tightly corded forearms. His body radiated a comforting, almost sultry heat, while the warm, tawny-gold of his complexion was a stark contrast against my much paler skin.
Hesitantly, I began to withdraw my hand, but he tensed up and suddenly placed his large, strong hand over mine, pinning it against his arm. Looking up, he met my eyes, and his pupils slowly reverted to their natural…er, excuse me, changed to a more human appearance.
Clearing his throat, he took a slow, calming breath before he nodded in agreement, “A drink may calm my nerves. Sorry, I’m normally comfortable with flying, but I didn’t anticipate how flying across an ocean would hit me.”
As his eyes once more slid down to where my hand rested on his arm, I realized I had been stroking his arm, petting him as if he was a cat. And was that a purr I heard? Instinctively, I yanked my hand away from his, and with seeming reluctance, he let me go.
‘Oh, Yuki, what have you done now?’ Masa’s voice whined in my ear, and I winced at the volume, but I couldn’t yell at her, since the same thought had crossed my mind.
It was one thing to think a guy was attractive. It’s a very different thing to find the henchman of the Wicked Queen sexy. Even if you wanted to burrow into his lap and let him surround you with all that delicious, luxurious heat he radiated.
Moth and flame.
“Maybe we could both use a drink,” I said, for want of anything else to say, and without waiting for his response, I pressed the call button with far more urgency than the situation warranted.
And to think, I just slept off one hangover, I thought in resignation as the attendant headed our way. It’s going to be a long flight.
Chapter 7
Yuki | Denver International Airport, Denver, CO | December 6, 2017
I don’t think I have ever been so happy to be on solid ground as I was right now. The moment the plane finally landed, Kurokō had relaxed, the tension draining from his body in a rush that had him almost as giddy as the drinks he had been downing like they were water.
They weren’t water.
Thankfully, while he was a little tipsy, he was still steady on his feet. Just a bit more…affectionate, I think is the word I’d use.
As we exited the plane, he looped an arm around my shoulder, tucking me against his side as we wove our way amongst the sea of people, heading toward baggage claim.
Part of me wanted to pull away, because of the whole he’s an untrustworthy feline working for my wicked stepmother thing, but an equal part of me enjoyed the raw heat of his firm, muscular body as it nestled into my side, and the weight of his strong arm protectively curled around my sho
ulder, protecting me from being jostled by anyone taller and bigger than me—which, let’s face it, was just about anyone over the age of twelve.
Especially here in the States. I mean, come on, what do the people eat out here? Was everyone on growth hormones? Thankfully, after spending four years in San Francisco, I was used to this, but it’d been a few years since then, and I’d almost forgotten just how tiny Americans made me feel.
He kept his arm around me as we boarded the automated train and left the concourse for the main terminal.
Finally, after we had crossed over the bridge and taken the escalator down to Customs, I slipped free of Koh’s arm. I hated myself a little at the twinge of regret I felt when I pulled away, but while I may have grieved the loss of his warmth, I felt a lot more stable on my own feet without his wicked charm working its wicked way on me.
We passed through Customs with little fanfare. Using an app, we were able to submit our passports and customs declaration forms, then with a handy QR code we received, we were able to get through processing swiftly. Between the luxuries of wealth and technology, we quickly made our way through the entire process.
On the other side of the International Arrivals, we were met by a young human, wearing a crisp, black suit and driver’s hat, who held a sign with our names written on it in both Japanese and English. He was polite and professional, escorting us through baggage claim, toward the carousel where our luggage was quickly off-loaded. Again, the benefits of wealth, and apparently, Amaya-sama had not stinted on the expense account.
Even though it was after midnight, there was still a crowd throughout the baggage claim level, and I felt a strange tugging sensation in my chest. Rubbing my breastbone, I was surprised to feel my heart pounding violently, but between Koh and the valet hurrying us through the lobby, I didn’t have much time to ponder over it.
Outside, we found ourselves in the chilly Colorado night, a breeze gusting merrily across the open plains surrounding the airport, bringing with it the crisp scent of winter. I admit, I was a bit surprised not to see a dusting of snow anywhere, but in the distance, beyond the golden lights of Denver, the looming black shadows of the Rockies nevertheless managed to fill me with both a sense of homesickness and homecoming.
Beyond those peaks lay Cœur de Lyon Estates, and theoretically, an entire hidden, underground city I had a little over two weeks to infiltrate, find a mysterious treasure, steal it, then escape back to Tokyo without getting caught.
Fun.
A limo was waiting for us, the driver coming around to help our valet with the bags, while we climbed into the warm, luxurious back. Koh sprawled out in the middle of the back seat, his arms spread wide and a mocking smirk twisting his lips as he waited for me to join him.
When I instead sat across from him, with my back to the driver, his smirk widened. “What’s the matter, princess?”
Leaning back, I shrugged and slouched down, shoving my hands into the large pocket of my sweatshirt. “Honestly? I’m exhausted. I just want to get to the hotel, get some sleep, then figure out where to go from there.”
His smile faded as he regarded me thoughtfully. Drumming his fingers against the leather seat for a few moments, he apparently came to a decision of some sort. Leaning forward, he clasped his hands together and rested his forearms on his knees, still eyeing me like the cat he was.
“Okay, Yuki, let’s be straight. We’re both here for a mission, and neither of us have much choice in the matter, so we have to work together.”
Okay, so where is he going with this? I thought as I reached up and started toying with Masa’s medallion.
“That sounds about right,” I allowed.
Smiling slightly, he canted his head. “We’re going to be working closely together for the next few weeks, at least, and while we should keep our eyes on the overall objective, that does not mean we cannot relax around one another and enjoy each other’s company.”
‘Oooh, he’s a dirty cat!’ Masa huffed in my mind, a faint growl in her voice growing steadily louder.
Wrapping my fist tightly around the medallion to muffle the sound, I cleared my throat loudly and slanted him a pointed look.
“Koh, I don’t do casual entanglements. I don’t do entanglements, period,” I said, deciding to be blunt. “Yes, you’re attractive and you’re perfectly aware that I find you so, because you can no doubt smell it on me, but despite what you might have heard about the yuki-onna, I’m not easy.”
His smile once more widened, revealing a hint of fangs as he purred, “Princess, I don’t want easy. That’s no fun. But I don’t do entanglements either. I’m just looking for a little casual entertainment to pass the time.”
Once more, Masa began to growl. In desperation, I tucked her into my sweatshirt, letting the cool medallion nestle between my breasts. Keeping my hand over where she rested, I tilted up my chin and looked down my nose at the smirking feline.
“Find your entertainment elsewhere,” I said with as much disdain as I could manage.
Susanō save me, but something about his voice, about the predatory stare he was giving me, as if he could already see my body spread naked beneath his, made my inner muscles clench, made everything female in me stand up and take notice.
Inhaling sharply, he blinked slowly, languidly, as his tongue flicked out to trace over his fangs. Leaning back, that smug grin still on his handsome face, he shrugged, “As you wish, princess. Just remember, the offer is open if you get bored.”
Deciding it was time to retreat, I tugged down the brim of my ballcap to shade my eyes and pointedly looked away from him, out the window and into the dark night beyond, toward the Rockies in the distance.
Yeah, the fun had definitely already begun.
❆❅❆
Vilhelm | Denver International Airport, Denver, CO | December 6, 2017
As I waited at the International Baggage Claim for my luggage, I sulked.
I didn’t want to be here, but my cousin had demanded I come to this place as his representative, and since my cousin could be a bit of a controlling asshole, it was just easier to acquiesce than to argue.
He had even ordered me to fly a commercial airline, in Economy class, so that I could acclimate myself to being around so many people in close quarters. Did he not realize how tiny those seats were? Or how little leg-room there was for someone of my height?
He said I could do with a healthy dose of humility. I said he could do with a healthy dose of shut-the-fuck-up, but in the end, I gave in with relative, if sullen, grace.
Thankfully, I had at least gotten a seat with extra leg room, and it had been a direct flight from Reykjavik, otherwise I’d be in a bad mood right now.
Well, a worse mood.
So now, there I was, waiting impatiently for my luggage to arrive so I could go meet my ride to the Estates I’d be staying at for the next few weeks. I’d much rather be denned up in my house, back in Ísafjörður, doing just about anything else that didn’t require me to be social and polite.
I hated social and polite. I wasn’t good at social and polite. That was Audrick’s specialty. Normally, I was only sent in when things went wrong, and things had to be “cleaned” up.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I glared at the carousel, willing it to give up my luggage so I could get away from all these humans.
I hated humans almost as much as I hated being social and polite. The only reason I didn’t hate them more was because it’s not just humans that required all the niceties I despised. Nope, that spot on my list was reserved solely for the Leanaí, who took things to levels of complication undreamed of by humans.
I hated complicated.
And noise!
Fuck, it’s noisy! Didn’t humans speak at any volume besides a shout?
Thankfully, my general size and demeanor kept most of them away from me. Even here, there was a wide berth around me, as if they were too afraid to approach.
They should be.
Puny humans. Although, t
o be fair, they are nice and crunchy, and tasted quite good with ketchup.
That was a joke.
Mostly.
A strange, intoxicating scent suddenly caught my entire attention. It was enchanting. Exhilarating. Arousing. Unlike anything I had ever scented in my life, and I’d lived a very, very long time.
Every instinct in my body responded to that scent. Although I had never inhaled this unique fragrance before, I knew what it was, without any doubts. It was the scent of her.
For a moment, I closed my eyes and grappled with the most difficult fight of my life.
Transforming into my true form, tracking her down, and stealing her away to my lair would be wrong. Or, as my cousin would remind me, impolite at the very least. Not to mention, I was surrounded by humans, and they never reacted well when one of my kind revealed themselves.
It’s why most of my kind retreated into isolation more than a thousand years ago, and why there were only seven of us currently ‘awake’ and active in the world right now. Well, sort of active. Except for Audrick, most of us preferred our solitude, but he was determined to bring us kicking and screaming into this modern world.
I’d been awake for twenty-five years now, and he was still on my case to act more “human.” He said I was too surly, too blunt, and an asshole.
I preferred to think of myself as determined, honest, and an asshole.
Yeah, even I couldn’t argue that I wasn’t an asshole. Instead, I embraced it whole-heartedly. It was my entire purpose, after all. He was the sharp spear that pierced the heart, I was the huge fucking shield you used to bash in skulls.
Sadly, I haven’t been allowed to bash in any skulls since I woke up.
Before I started sulking again, I let her scent sooth me.
It was glorious. The scent of freshly fallen snow, of crisp mint mingled with wild cherries, and a sultry, feminine core; it made my mouth water and my cock surge violently to life.
My eyes snapped open as the scent began to fade. She was moving away from me.
