At First Sight (Kitsune's Raven Book One)

by Gina Kincade

  With a heavy sigh, she patted down her clothes, making sure they were neat. She decided she wouldn’t bother with stockings, and just grabbed a pair of ballet flats. Slipping her feet into them, she nodded, satisfied she was ready. She grabbed her purse and returned to the room where her parents waited. They hadn’t moved, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. There was definitely trouble brewing. She just hoped it wouldn’t delay her return to Australia for university. She only had the one week off, to allow for the long flight.

  Kitsune marched to her bedside table and grabbed her phone, noticing there was a text message. Glancing at her mother with a smile, she quickly checked. It was from Karasu.

  I can’t wait until dinner, my sexy fox. I’ve booked us a table at a very special restaurant. Evening wear required. Meet you near the tree at 7. K.

  She couldn’t help but grin, excitement for tonight causing her stomach to flip flop.

  “It’s so good to see you happy, darling. Did you meet someone last night?”

  She’d forgotten for a moment that she wasn’t alone. “Oh, um, yeah. But it’s nothing. We’re just having dinner to get to know each other more.”

  “Does he know you’re not home for long? It isn’t easy to date when you’re in different countries.” Her father’s stern tone burst her bubble of excitement.

  “Oh, Ken, leave her be. You know Kitsune has a fantastic opportunity studying in Australia. And she won’t be there forever. Her degree is halfway complete. She’ll be returning home before we know it.”

  “Thanks, Mom.” Her mother had always been quiet support, while her father disapproved of her studying overseas. “Dad, we’re taking things slow. He wants to visit Australia anyway, so he might fly over later in the year. But for now, we’re just having dinner. Nothing more. Now, I thought we had a date?”

  Ken’ichi hmmmfed, then nodded as he led the way from her hotel room. They walked in silence, Rei, her mother, shooting her smiles that only made her even more nervous about what had her father so stoic today.

  They finally reached the little café attached to the hotel and sat at a table, waiting to be served. Kitsune’s stomach growled, reminding her she’d not had a substantial dinner last night. Biscuit sticks weren’t really filling, especially when followed by intense sex. Memories of last night made heat build in her cheeks, so she buried her face in the menu to avoid her mother asking questions.

  A waiter soon approached, took their orders, and hurried to fulfill them. Kitsune glanced around the café at the other patrons, all engrossed in their coffees and newspapers. She noticed many of them had nodded to her father as they walked in, and assumed they were hotel employees. Her family was in charge of running this and several other hotels in the prefecture, owned by their clan. As the second-in-command and future leader of the clan, her father was a powerful and influential man who received a lot of respect from the townsfolk.

  Ken’ichi had always wanted her to follow in his footsteps, and so when she had left for university in Australia, he had been most upset. Even now, a few years later, he still made his disapproval of her choice clear. Assuming that was what had him in such a foul mood, Kitsune prepared herself for a lecture about how she was letting him and the clan down. His words, when he finally spoke, were far from what she expected.

  “It will be good when you’re back in Australia. Your mother and I will feel much better knowing you’re safe at home.”

  “Ummm, okay. Since when did you refer to Cairns as my home?”

  The glance her parents shared worried her. “What’s going on?”

  Her mother patted Ken’s hand and gave him a gentle smile. Kitsune’s heart pounded as she was gripped by panic. There must be something pretty big happening for such public displays of affection between her parents. They were very private, and had rarely shared more than a smile when they were around other people. For her mother to comfort her father by touching his hand, it meant it was a massive deal.

  “The raven clan is back in the area, encroaching on our territory, and threatening the truce your grandfather headed over thirty years ago.”

  Cold washed over her. The raven clan were mortal enemies of hers, a clan of fox shifters. A truce had been declared between the clans when her father was a child, and everyone had known peace since. Fear set her heart aflutter, and her mouth dried out.

  “When? How—Who?”

  “A younger member of the clan was spotted by the docks yesterday evening. He’s around your age, actually. His name is—"

  “Karasu.” She spoke the name with dread as she cut her father off.

  “Yes, Karasu. How did you know? Kitsune…” Her father’s voice was gentle yet stern as he stared at her.

  “I didn’t know.” She shook her head as she tried to come to terms with this new information. Had it all been a trick? Was seducing her a way to start the clan war again? What was his plan? Nausea gripped her, and Kitsune thought she was going to vomit, or faint. Or both.

  “He’s the one I met last night. I didn’t realize it, I swear!”

  “Sweetheart, how could you have?” Her mother grabbed her hand, gently squeezing it in an effort to comfort her, but Kitsune pulled it away.

  “You mean besides his name literally meaning Raven, as mine means Fox? How could I be so stupid?” She put her head in her hands, hiding her face as shame washed over her in hot waves. “He had to know who I was, and it’s all a plan to bring down the clan. It has to be.”

  “You don’t know that, honey.”

  “It would be a perfect plan.” Her father’s soft tone upset her more than if he’d yelled at her for letting her guard down.

  “And, I fell for it. I’m such an idiot.”

  “Now, there’s no need for that.” She heard a chair scrape on the floor, and suddenly her father spoke near her ear. “Ravens are crafty, and know how to trick people. It’s not your fault.”

  His warm hand on her back comforting, her thoughts flashed back to when she was a child. She’d often come home from school crying about a bully, or a fight she’d had with a friend, and he would sit next to her, his hand resting on her back. Just that small token of affection was enough to calm her down, just as it did now. Soon, her cunning mind began to work over a trap to find out exactly what was going on.

  Kitsune lifted her head and looked her father in the eye. “Well, he messed with the wrong fox. Two can play that game. I’m going to turn this back on him and find out what his plan was. No raven is going to fool me again. I will not be used to bring down the fox clan.”

  “I’m not sure I like this plan, honey.” Her mother’s eyes were large. Kitsune could almost smell the fear, even without tapping into her fox senses.

  “I can do this. I’m a big girl, Mom.”

  “I believe you, sweetheart.” Her father’s support brought a smile to her face. “I’m glad to see you taking an active interest in protecting the clan.”

  “No one plays me for a fool.”

  Ken’ichi beamed. “That they don’t. This Karasu is about to learn a valuable lesson about my girl, and about us foxes.” He sat back in his chair, crossing his arms. “So, what is your plan?”

  “We have dinner reservations. He’s taking me somewhere really nice. I need to go shopping for a stunning evening dress that will blow him away. I’ll make him want me, get him to my room, and then spring the trap. You will meet us there, and he won’t leave until he has confessed to the raven clan’s plans.”

  A grin spread across her father’s face, while her mother’s lost all color.

  “You’ve changed, honey.”

  “I’ve grown up, Mom. And, I don’t take to kindly to being used.”

  Ken’ichi pulled his wallet out of his jacket pocket and flipped it open to reveal his credit cards. He slipped out the gold card, which had an unlimited amount of credit. “Go wild, sweetheart. Bring that feathered devil to his knees.”

  Kitsune grabbed her sweet roll the waiter had finally brought over. “Thanks,
Dad. I’ll make you proud.” She kissed him on the cheek, took the card and left, chewing her food as she decided on the best stores to try for the sexiest dress. It momentarily crossed her mind the whole situation was so odd. The enemy was trying to use her to bring down her clan, and her father was supporting her plan to use her sexuality to trip Karasu. The things we do for family.

  ***

  The evening air was cool as the sun dipped below the horizon. Kitsune strode along the walkway by the harbor on her way to meet Karasu. Her heart pounded as she neared the tree where they were to meet. She couldn’t see him and wondered if he’d stood her up. She was running late, and he wasn’t even there.

  She began to feel foolish. Surely having a one-night stand with the daughter of the future head of the fox clan was part of the plan. To humiliate her and bring shame upon her family, therefore undermining the entire clan, would be a fantastic way to weaken them enough for an attack from the ravens.

  Kitsune’s face burned as her anger took hold, overwhelming her in its ferocity. She had spent the morning shopping after leaving her parents. Not a big deal to most girls, but she loathed shopping. After searching through half a dozen stores, she had eventually found the perfect outfit. A slinky, strapless, red dress with a slit that rose to just above the knee. it clung to her body, alluding to curves she wished she had, making her feel like Jessica Rabbit. She was slim and wiry, just like a fox. Her hair was curled and pinned high, with enough hairspray her nose was still twitching. The gold pumps she wore were murder on her feet. And while her make-up was subtle and smoky, it was still more than she liked. Overall, Kitsune felt alien in her own body.

  When she had looked at her reflection earlier, however, she was astonished at how beautiful she was. Kitsune had never been very feminine, but she had decided, with results like these, she was going to try to dress up a little more. She felt like a princess, all dolled up, and she loved it.

  As she approached the deserted tree, though, it seemed her discomfort and efforts were for naught. He hadn’t shown. Just as she turned to leave, the leaves above her rustled. She glanced up and noticed a small shadow hopping around in the tree.

  A spy! A raven spy! Panic struck, her throat constricted and breathing became difficult. She swore to herself and spun on a heel to try and run.

  A cawing sound came from the shadow, followed by a whoosh as wings swooped over her head. Kitsune screamed, dropping into a defensive position, grateful for the slit in the dress as her fox instincts took over. She focused on the raven in front of her as she readied herself to fight or shift. She could feel the telltale ripple under her skin as her body reacted to the threat.

  The bird’s form began to melt, then grow, and she recognized the shifting process. Her heart sank as she realized she’d fallen into a trap, cut off from retreat by the large tree forming a natural screen behind her. The urge to shift grew.

  Within moments, the figure before her became solid, revealing a very naked Karasu. Kitsune glanced appreciatively at his body, remembering vividly their night together. She almost lost her nerve. After a moment’s hesitation, she gathered her composure and set her mind back on track.

  “What the hell, Karasu? Are you trying to scare a girl to death?” She straightened and placed her hands on her hips.

  His sheepish smile warmed her heart, and her panties, but she had to stay on task. He was the enemy. Still, she hadn’t expected him to reveal himself.

  “Sorry, my lovely fox. I wanted to clear a few things up before our date.” He gestured to the platform hidden away above them. “I stashed my clothes up there, and it’s chilly. Can we do this up there, please?”

  Kitsune nodded and let him lead the way. Part of her didn’t want to turn her back to him. A resounding majority of her mind, though, just wanted to check out his ass as he climbed.

  Kitsune slipped off her high heels, carrying them as she followed him up the branch that formed a natural, and subtle, ladder.

  By the time she joined him on the platform, Karasu was already wearing satin boxer shorts and was buttoning up his gold shirt. He flashed her a smile she could only see by tapping into her fox’s excellent vision.

  Leaving her shoes off, Kitsune crossed her arms and stood there, waiting. He simply ignored her and kept getting dressed.

  She cleared her throat. “So, you’re a raven shifter.”

  “And, you’re a fox shifter.”

  Her heart skipped a beat, and she opened her mouth to protest. This wasn’t going the way she’d planned.

  “Don’t bother denying it, Kitsune. I knew it as soon as you introduced yourself yesterday.”

  She frowned. “So that explains the look you gave me. But, why didn’t you say anything?”

  “What look? And I didn’t say anything because I wanted you to see I am a good guy. I’m more than just a shifter from a rival clan. I hoped we could, you know, be more than sworn enemies.”

  Shock drained the blood from her face, leaving her dizzy. Kitsune sucked in a deep breath before speaking.

  “So, let me get this straight. You recognized me as a fox shifter, an adversary, yet you still wanted to get to know me. What was the plan? Seduce me as a way to get to my clan? Humiliate me in an underhanded attempted to discredit my family and thereby weakening the clan for an impending attack?”

  Kitsune pinned him with her gaze, silently demanding answers.

  He threw his hands up as though in surrender. “Kitsune, no!” Karasu approached her, reaching out to touch her, but she shrugged him off, backing up a couple steps. He furrowed his eyebrows and sadness seemed to surround him. “I left my clan a few months back. I was sick of the constant bickering over how to defeat your clan. The negativity was making me sick, so I left, just roaming the country. It wasn’t until I bumped into you that I realized I was in fox territory.” His voice became a low, husky plea. “You felt our instant attraction, I know you did. And, I didn’t want to jeopardize what could be something special, so I waited. By the time we left this morning, I knew I had to tell you who I was. I wanted you to get to know me as the man, first, before I showed you the raven.”

  Kitsune sighed and watched him as he stood before her almost fully dressed in a suit. His jacket was carefully draped over his arm, and his shoes and socks were on the floor beside his bare feet. Shit. He was so hot. And, his words felt true. But, he was a raven! He was the enemy. Wasn’t he?

  She shook her head and dropped down on the cushions left from last night. She was so confused.

  He sat down in front of her, close but not touching her.

  “So…”

  “I think I believe you. But—”

  “The war, I know. It is ingrained to hate each other.” Karasu shuffled closer and grasped her hands.

  She didn’t fight him. Instead, she just gazed into his eyes.

  “Trust your heart, my love. You will see I mean what I say. I am genuinely yours.”

  She stared at him long and hard, finally heaving a sigh. “Oh, my dad is going to love this! First I leave the country to study, deserting him and the clan. Now, I’m about to bring home the enemy.”

  Karasu grinned, his eyes almost glowing in the darkness. “Really?”

  “Yeah. He’s going to be thrilled.” She laughed, then pulled him in for a kiss. It was deep, passionate. Everything she’d been taught told her this would lead to trouble. Her dream from the other day flashed in her mind, silently screaming doom, but her body told her to just enjoy this night. Even her instincts were quiet. Things would work out. Somehow.

  Kitsune lost herself in their embrace, and her sexual hunger from last night returned. She broke the kiss and growled. “What do you say to skipping dinner? I have another appetite that needs to be sated.”

  Karasu smirked. “A nice plan. Yes. But, I have a different thought. I actually made the reservation a little later, to factor in a lengthy talk. At the minimum. So, we can satisfy one hunger, then the other.”

  “You are so hot right now.” K
itsune fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.

  Karasu took over.

  “Just right now? Not all the time?” He winked as he reached for his tie.

  “Leave the tie.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Kinky, I like that.” He finished undoing his buttons, and removed his cufflinks, gold circles with what looked like black onyx stones. Black and gold, raven and fox. The symbolism didn’t escape her, and drove her arousal higher. He had sincerely submitted to her last night. He was hers.

  Kitsune leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Unzip me. Slowly.” As he obeyed, she nibbled on his neck and earlobe. The sensation of the zip being undone, and Karasu’s moans vibrating against her shoulder, was exciting and hypnotic. She waited, barely contained, until her dress slipped down, then roughly pushed him back on the pillows. She moved her dress out of the way, turning her attention to his pants and the bulge straining against the fabric. Kitsune walked her fingers up his legs, gently brushing over his crotch.

  Karasu hissed in a breath and grunted.

  Staring into his eyes, thier gazes locked, Kitsune unbuckled his belt and pants, grabbed the waistline of them and his boxers, and tugged them down. He lifted his hips to help, and soon his cock sprung free. She pulled his pants off one foot and then the other. She stood to wriggle out of her own underwear, performing an impromptu strip tease, and dropped her panties on his face, knowing they would be scented with her juices. She heard him take a deep breath, exhaling in a guttural growl that set her hair on end.

  “You like that, do you?” She stood over him just like last night, except this time she was over his chest.