Welcome Yuki Edo! She is sharing her new release, Foxfire, the first book in her Nine Tails M/M kitsune series.
Hiro didn’t think anything could amaze him more than his brother’s revelation that their family’s prosperity comes from the favor of the kami Inari. Yet Hiro soon learns that Inari’s kitsune, fox spirits who act as messengers, watch over his family in exchange for yearly tribute—and this year, Hiro has been requested as an offering by one of the mysterious fox spirits. Hiro’s brother takes him to a strange mansion one night, and Hiro is left at the mercy of Masaki Kitamura, who has yet to reveal what he has planned for his young visitor…
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Hiro sat in the back of the Rolls
Royce Phantom beside his brother, very comfortable, yet at the same time not
feeling quite at ease. Sending the fancy, chauffeur-driven car to pick them up
seemed over the top to Hiro. Despite feeling that way, he ran his hand over the
leather seat again. While he appreciated the special treatment, he imagined Mr.
Kitamura had done it to show off.
He
bought your art and obviously wants more. Don’t mess this up. Rich guys like to
show off. You can deal. He glanced at Akira, who hadn’t even blinked when
the driver had arrived and immediately taken Hiro’s bags and his portfolio and
placed them in the trunk. “Where does this guy live? We’ve been driving a long
time.”
“Far outside the city. A private
estate.”
Of course. Hiro looked out the
window, though it was already dark and there was little to see. They slowed
soon after, turning down a narrow road, and he tried to see where they were.
They came to a complete stop about a mile later. When they moved again, the car
passed through a large wrought iron gate. The estate seemed to be surrounded by
a very tall stone wall, and blue flames adorned the pillars on each side of the
gate. Hiro stared, trying to see the source of the colored flames. It had to be
gas, but the orb-like flames seemed to hover just above the pillars. He blinked
to clear his eyes of the afterimages and sat back.
Blossoming cherry trees lined the
drive, but the rest of the land within sight was open space covered in recently
mown grass. Petals of various shades littered the drive and the area
surrounding each sakura. More pillars topped by flames dotted the area. They
looked eerie somehow, now that he really studied them. The house soon came into
view, set back against what looked to be a dark, thick forest. The design was
simple, everything made of plain gray stones, but the structure itself was huge
and seemed to go on forever in each direction. It had a slanted roof covered in
dark shingles, and it reminded Hiro of houses he’d seen in British period
dramas.
Once they’d stopped, Akira let
himself out of the car, so Hiro followed. The chauffeur took his luggage and
moved to a side door while Akira mounted the many steps that led to the main
door, a heavy slab of oak covered in carvings. Hiro didn’t like being parted
from his portfolio, but he didn’t say anything. He examined the carvings on the
door as Akira reached for a chain and rang the bell. Hiro faintly heard a gong
sound inside the house. The door took his breath away, the carvings seeming to
tell an intricate story. He saw a tall figure and a nine-tailed fox together,
and as the panels progressed, he saw that the fox’s tails had been cut off by the
other figure. Nine smaller foxes ran away, scattering.
This
guy likes foxes. Hiro had given Akira’s tale a lot of thought. Why would
his brother make up such a weird story? It made no sense. Hiro’s stomach
flipped as he looked at the door and then glanced back at the pillars on the
lawn. Foxfire could be blue, couldn’t it? He shook the thought away. The
setting seemed right for a supernatural event, but gods weren’t real. Neither
were kitsune. He took a deep breath as the door opened, telling himself to stop
letting his imagination run away with him.
They walked into the large
entryway, but Hiro only made it one step past the threshold. Sitting at the
bottom of a large staircase in the candlelit foyer was a giant white fox, which
towered above them even in a sitting position. It sat calmly with its bushy
tail curled around itself and watched them. Akira kept walking, but Hiro
grabbed him.
“This isn’t funny! What’s going
on?” The creature was bigger than a tiger or a bear, bigger than any animal
he’d ever seen.
Akira smiled faintly. “I told you
what’s going on, but you didn’t believe me. Now, the proof is before your
eyes.”
“That … that thing looks like it
wants dinner, not a painting.” Hiro raised his eyes once more. The fox gazed at
him, one ear twitching slightly. That mouth looked big enough to chomp him in
half.
“He won’t harm you. I swear it.
He’s our benefactor and protector, and you’re being rude.”
Hiro kept squeezing his brother’s
arm, unable to look away from the fox. Rude? How could anyone act normally
after seeing something like the monster Akira tried to pull him toward? It was
beautiful, but nothing so large could be anything but terrifying. The fox stood
and took two steps forward, and Akira yanked Hiro toward it, the doors behind
them slamming shut as soon as he was completely past the threshold.
“Forgive him, please. I told him
everything, but he didn’t believe me.” Akira went down on one knee, jerking on
Hiro’s arm and making him do the same. Then Akira bowed his head. “Your
tribute, great Masaki.”
Hiro still stared at the fox, its
large black eyes mesmerizing him. The fox bowed its head as well in
acknowledgment. Despite himself, Hiro started shaking, and the creature noted
this, a sound almost like a whine coming from it.
And it vanished. Hiro blinked, and
in the fox’s place stood a handsome man in an expensive navy blue suit. He had
shoulder-length, dark brown hair and piercing brown eyes. He sported a short,
well-trimmed beard, which highlighted strong cheekbones. He licked his lips as
he stepped forward, and Hiro fought his attraction, just as he always did when
he saw any good-looking man. Shame filled him as he imagined what that
broad-shouldered body looked like without a suit covering it.
The man bowed low to Akira and
gestured for him to rise. Then he extended his hand to Hiro, who had no choice
but to take it. He’d already been rude enough, but he told himself he had good
reason. The hand felt human enough, yet Hiro could not forget the giant fox.
“I frightened you. Please forgive
me,” Masaki said. “It’s tradition, something you will soon see is important to
everything here.”
Hiro pulled away as soon as he was
on his feet. The man’s hand was too warm, too soft and strong. “I don’t
understand.”
Masaki smiled. “I’m Masaki
Kitamura, and everything your brother told you is true. I’m a fox spirit, but I
promise to stay in human form if that frightens you.”
Just thinking about it frightened
Hiro. He backed away, his resolve to go through with the arrangement
evaporating. “I’ve changed my mind. This is just too weird. Pick something
else. We’ll get it for you.” Hiro turned and made for the door, yanking on the
knob but finding the door locked. He pulled and pulled, searching for a way to
get out. There was no keyhole, no lock of any kind. He rested his head against
the wood, his heart racing as panic took over.
Wake
up. Wake up. Wake up! This has to be a dream!