Foxfire (Nine Tails, 1) (13 page)

“
We should rest a moment
before we begin,” Masaki said.

That touch of lips on his skin sparked
something, and Hiro walked over to Masaki with purpose, wrapping
his arms around the man’s waist and pressing to his back. “I’d
rather do something else.”

Masaki turned in his arms and gazed
down at him. “That thing did affect you.”

Hiro didn’t respond, not with words.
He reached up to kiss Masaki, and he found he had to force the
embrace. But soon Masaki yielded, kissing him back with fervor.
They rubbed against each other, both of them hard now.

“
You love me. Tell me
again,” Hiro said as they kissed feverishly.

“
I do love you, but we
need to stop. It’s … we have to go on,” Masaki said, even as he
reached down to fondle Hiro.

“
It’s not that much
farther. Please,” Hiro said. “Let me fuck you.”

Masaki groaned. “It’s a trap.” He
reached into Hiro’s loose linen pants and pumped him. “I’ll give
you release, but then we must go.”

Hiro panted as Masaki
stroked him. He wanted to be inside Masaki, to make him come the
way Masaki had made him come. The idea of taking Masaki thrilled
him, and he shook his head vehemently. “I want
you
.”

Masaki withdrew, glancing around, and
then he worked at his pants. “She knows I can’t tell you no,”
Masaki murmured as he dropped his pants. The strange armor he wore
seemed flexible now, moving like ordinary fabric.

Hiro freed his own cock as he came
forward, and he smiled as he pulled Masaki down. The older man got
on his hands and knees, presenting himself as if his need was just
as great. With the katanas still strapped to his back, Masaki made
quite a sight. His upper body was still covered in the scale-like
armor, his blades ready to be pulled from their sheaths, yet he
also looked vulnerable and exposed. It did something to Hiro he
couldn’t explain. Hiro bent and tongued Masaki’s hole, loving the
gasp he heard escape Masaki’s lips and the way his firm ass flexed
as Hiro explored him. Unable to wait, Hiro licked Masaki enough to
wet his entrance, and then he slipped his tongue in, thrusting in
and out briefly. His body thrummed with need as he got into
position and entered the man who’d sucked him into this strange,
dangerous world.

“
Don’t hold back. Just
fuck,” Masaki said when Hiro paused.

Hiro took Masaki at his word and let
go, thrusting without inhibition. Masaki’s channel felt like
heaven, hot and tight and clenching. Hiro saw pinpricks of light
and grew dizzy. He cried out his release, but it wasn’t enough,
even as he doubled over from the pleasure. His cock still hard,
Hiro kept fucking the kitsune. Masaki moaned and pushed back
against him. Hiro’s own cum lubed the way now, and the slick slide
turned him on even more.

“
So good. I love this,”
Hiro said. “Ah!”

Masaki’s channel clamped around him,
and Hiro looked down to see the man spill his own seed. This
encounter was raw and primal with none of the romance Masaki had
offered him. Hiro stilled, coming a second time. Reality seemed to
crash around him, and he drew back, unable to enjoy the pleasure
this time. He felt cold, a heavy weight settling in his
stomach.

“
Masaki?” he said, amazed
at how small his voice sounded.

Masaki turned, not even bothering to
straighten his clothes. “Focus on me, my voice. Are you all
right?”

“
I’m … sorry,” Hiro said,
though he only vaguely knew why. He closed his eyes and rubbed his
head, only half believing what they’d just done. The hurried
coupling almost didn’t seem real now, yet he knew it had
been.

Masaki tucked Hiro’s flaccid cock back
into his pants and then righted his own clothes. “Something brought
you out of it. Let’s count our blessings.” He drew Hiro to his
feet, and they began up the trail once Hiro was steady on his
feet.

“
No love.”

Masaki turned but didn’t halt his
progress. “What?”

“
I didn’t feel any love. I
was just … fucking.”

“
It was a spell, Hiro.
Don’t give it any more power. Just keep walking.”

“
I’m sorry.”

Masaki did stop this time. “There’s
nothing wrong with just fucking. Don’t give her any more power.” He
kissed Hiro deeply yet quickly. “Stop it. Okay? I allowed it. I
loved what you did to me. No, you weren’t yourself, but it’s not
your fault. No apologies. I’m the one who should be sorry for
taking you away from your family and your safe life.” He made them
start again.

Hiro stayed silent a while. “I’m going
to stay because I like you, not because the sex felt
good.”

“
I know that. You’re not a
shallow young man. Being your first was special.” Though he didn’t
look back, he drew Hiro’s hand close and kissed it. “I felt what it
meant to you.”

“
I think I could love
you.” Hiro wanted Masaki to understand how much he meant the words,
so he tugged on the man’s arm. “I really could.”

Masaki smiled, but his expression held
a heavy note of indulgence, as if he were placating a child. “I
believe you. Please, I want to take you home. Keep
moving.”

Hiro knew with his head that he needed
to obey, but the dismissal hurt his feelings. He began to pull
away, but he cried out when he turned and came face to face with a
ghostly visage. He stumbled back, clutching at Masaki.

“
Run!” Masaki
said.

Hiro did so, glancing back at the
apparition only once. It seemed to be a woman made completely of
smoke, but with sharp claws where her hands would’ve been. She had
hollow black eyes and wild white hair. He heard her scream and felt
her reaching for him, the claws ripping at his clothes. Soon, he
heard more than one voice wailing behind him, and without warning,
Masaki pushed him to the ground and rolled him into a
ditch.

Stunned, Hiro pushed himself up as he
panted for breath. When he looked back, he saw Masaki fighting the
creatures, burning them with balls of foxfire. As he tried to
stand, Hiro felt something wrap around his leg. It looked like a
root, and he glanced up to see a tree swaying as if there was a
strong breeze. There was no wind of any kind, yet the tree moved
even more as he watched. The root began to dig into his skin, and
he jerked to get away, but to no avail.

“
Masaki! Your katana!”
Hiro cried out.

Masaki hesitated, but when he saw what
was happening, he unsheathed and threw one of the blades. It landed
a foot from Hiro, and he grasped it quickly and hacked at the root.
Blood spewed everywhere, but he kept going until he was free and
able to roll out of the thing’s reach. He lay in stunned silence,
trying to breathe, and he couldn’t move until he felt Masaki
lifting him up.

“
A jubokko tree. It
would’ve suck you dry.” Masaki smiled. “Good thinking.”

Hiro handed the sword back, unable to
smile in return. He appreciated the pride he saw on Masaki’s face,
but he couldn’t acknowledge it now. “Let’s go. I can’t take much
more.”

Masaki transformed again and gestured
for Hiro to climb on. Just as he situated himself, more of the
screaming ghosts came out of the shadows and from behind the rocks.
Hiro grabbed two clumps of fur and pressed against Masaki. “Just
go! I can hold on!”

Masaki ran, and Hiro closed his eyes.
The screams grew louder and louder, a chill in the air, but Hiro
focused on the future he wanted to try for with the man working so
hard to save his life. And then peace settled over him, followed by
darkness.

* * * *

Masaki used his last ounce of strength
to leap through the torii gate, the claws of the smoky yokai
digging into his flesh. As he landed, their screams stopped, and
the air became warmer, fresher. He heard another blood-curdling
scream soon, and he looked up to see Kilana outside the torii gate.
Her eyes blazed with fury, her expression one of frustration and
disblief.

Masaki moved carefully so that the
unconscious Hiro slid off him slowly, and he transformed to face
the witch. “It’s over, Kilana.”

She glared at him. “You
and your brothers might be safe,” she said, pointing, “but I made
no promises about
his
siblings.” She turned on her heels and stormed away. Mist
closed around her, and she was gone.

Masaki’s heart sank as he
looked down at Hiro.
I should’ve known
she’d find another way to hurt us if she lost.
Now he would need Inari’s help to protect the Ibuki family.
Masaki briefly considered calling on Izanami here in Yomi, but he’d
never had dealings with her before. To gain her favor and ask for
anything, he might have to sacrifice something precious. He shook
his head, unable to risk it lest it involve Hiro. Masaki lifted
Hiro into his arms, kissing him. Kneeling before the shrine to
Inari, he said, “My lady, take us home.”

The air warmed and whirled around
them, and Masaki opened his eyes to see Hiro’s bedroom. Inari, now
a man again, came over to him. Inari took Hiro from him and laid
the young man on the bed. Kissing him gently on the cheek, Inari
touched his heart and then his head.

“
He’s unharmed,” Inari
said, coming to kneel before Masaki. The kami embraced him and said
nothing else.

“
The Ibuki family. She
threatened them.” Masaki drew back. “As good as it feels to be in
your arms, I beg you to go to them.”

“
I will always love you,
Masaki.” Inari vanished.

Something about the encounter felt
like a good-bye, but Masaki shook the feeling away. Hiro stirred on
the bed, grunting as he rolled to his side. Masaki went to him, and
after rubbing his eyes, Hiro reached into the pocket of the clothes
Kilana had put on him. He opened his fist, and Masaki
gasped.

“
We’re home?” Hiro asked.
He blinked at the object. “What’s this?”

Masaki took the ancient candle from
his lover’s hand. “Something old and special.” He placed it on the
bedside table, his body tingling with power. “But I can explain
later. How do you feel?”

“
I’m tired but fine.
Explain now.”

Masaki caressed Hiro’s hair, checking
for a fever and then examining him further for cuts and
bruises.

Hiro wiggled to free himself from
Masaki’s grasp. “Masaki, tell me.”

Sighing, Masaki said, “While I’ll
always be devoted to Inari, I no longer serve her.”

“
What? Why not?” Hiro
almost looked sad. “I like her. Him. Whatever.”

Masaki held up the candle. “On the
first anniversary of our birth, Inari gave us a great present, the
ability to be free one day, when the time was right. She gave us
each a sacred object, and then she took us to a high tower. She
told us to fling the objects into the mist. She said that, when the
objects returned to us, we would have free will.”

“
Will we see the kami
again?”

Masaki smiled. “Oh yes, but now my
life will be devoted to someone else, if he’ll have me.”

“
You proposing?” Hiro
asked softly.

Masaki laughed. “I think it will be a
long time before two men can marry in Japan, but I’ll ask if you’ll
say yes.”

“
Are you still …
powerful?”

Masaki blew a fireball from his mouth
and let it float away. “Yes. My powers have nothing to do with my
service to Inari.”

“
Then who cares what
others say? We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“
You sure you’ll stay that
long?” Masaki asked, suddenly nervous Hiro might be making promises
too quickly. “Becoming my mate will extend your life. You’ll live
hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.”

The young man’s eyes widened for a
moment, and he looked away and bit his lip. “If you’ll have me.”
Hiro met his gaze and moved closer, wrapping his arms around
Masaki’s neck.

Before their lips came together,
Daisuke burst through the door. “You could’ve called me! I’d have
still been sitting downstairs worrying if Inari hadn’t told me you
were back.”

Masaki sighed and went to his brother,
hugging him and laughing. “Sorry.”

“
That’s all you can say?”
Daisuke scowled at him and pulled away to look at Hiro. “And are
you okay? I’ll bet he didn’t ask before he started to ravish
you.”

Hiro laughed. “Uh, I’m fine. Really.
And I was the one starting the, uh, ravishing.”

“
Hmph,” Daisuke said
before going still.

Masaki knew what had his attention.
“It was in Hiro’s pocket.”

“
So, it’s not a matter of
searching? Inari gave it to you.” Daisuke looked
thoughtful.

“
I believe so. I’ve found
a mate. I’m not questioning it.”

Hiro looked at the candle, touching it
with one finger. “So, you can each be free one day?”

“
Yeah,” Daisuke said,
coming over to pick the candle up. “Weird.”

“
Why?” Masaki
asked.

Daisuke smiled. “Like any of us want
to be free.”