Page 2 of Curses & Kitsune

A growl rumbles up from my chest. Blue flaming orbs roar to life as I advance on him.

Raiden’s ears flatten, brown eyes going wide. “Jinta? Hey. What are you doing? This isn’t funny!”

No! What am I doing? How can I stop this? I’m not in control of any of my actions!

Tamano walks from the woods. “See how easy it is for me to take control, human? You’re nothing like Namikawa. He was strong enough to control me. You think just because you’re the host that you own me? It is I who owns you. Remember that, won’t you, dear?” The wind blows, turning her to mist.

The rage boiling like lava in my blood simmers and dies. With a crackle, the foxfire disappears. A wave of nausea breaks over me, and I return to my human form. Oh my god. What just happened? I almost killed Raiden. I wanted to kill him! Cold sweat drenches my body. The breath tears from me in ragged pants.

“Jinta! Hey, are you okay?” Raiden leans over me, hands gripping hard onto my shoulders. I try to smile, but it breaks on my face as my eyes sting and blur.

I launch myself at him, arms flying around his shoulders as I nuzzle into his neck. Clutching him to me, I suck in a lungful of his citrusy scent. Thank god. I press my lips into his cheek, then against the shell of his ear. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” My voice shakes as I kiss the words into his skin.

Slowly, Raiden’s strong arms wind around me and squeeze tight. “Good. You’re back.”

“Y-yeah,” I say, exhaling shakily. I stroke his soft hair, curling my fingers.

“What happened?” Raiden’s breath warms the crook of my neck, lips brushing over my skin.

My heart rate slows down, so I loosen my hold on him and slump back against a tree. Words don’t come right away. My throat tightens as I swallow. “T-Tamano controlled me. Just to prove she could. Because I’m not strong like Namikawa was.”

Lips thinning, Raiden gives his head a firm shake. “That was your first shift. Every shifter has to learn control at first. It’s a skill.”

But is it one that I can master? If I can’t learn to control the kitsune, then this could happen again. Cold sweat trickles down my forehead. “She told me to hurt you, and I… I couldn’t resist.” Guilt gnaws at me, and I can’t make myself look at him.

To my surprise, Raiden lets out an amused huff. “Damn. This bitch really has it out for me, huh? Sheesh. You sure I haven’t done something to piss you off?”

The fact that he can laugh this off makes me feel a little better, and charms a chuckle out of me. Somehow, my boyfriend can still cheer me up even when I’m feeling low. “Well, you did overcook the pork last night. Oh, and your snoring is pretty atrocious. Then there’s the fact that you haven’t put out in twenty-four hours.”

Reaching out, Raiden flicks my nipple. “Right. We all know you need your fix.”

“You know I need my insides rearranged at least once a day, or I get grumpy.”

He arches a brow. “Once?”

Okay, maybe more like twice at the minimum. My cock stirs at the idea of being beneath him. He was gone all day yesterday. “How was work yesterday?”

Work being his new duties as the boss of the Namikawa-kai.

“Don’t wanna talk about it.” Sighing heavily, Raiden flops down beside me. Leaning over, he presses warm kisses to my bare chest, lips tickling their way up my neck, then claims my mouth with his.

“Haven’t brushed my teeth,” I say between the soft smack of our lips.

“You taste fucking incredible,” Raiden assures me, voice low.

I could kiss him for hours, but my curiosity is stronger than my desire, for now. “Hey. Come on. Don’t keep me in the dark.” I push at his chest. “Has there been any sighting of the hunters? What was their name again?”

Rolling his eyes, Raiden glowers at me. “No. And they’re the Blades of the Onryo.”

I touch his arm where, not too long ago, a silver bullet laced with aconite had almost stolen him from me. During Raiden’s initiation ceremony a week ago, their leader Akira had walked right in and said hello to me.

“And? What about the Takada-kai?”

Last time we’d seen him, he promised war against our pack.

“Nothing. Done?” Raiden leans back in.

I turn my face away. “How can things be so quiet? What are they planning?”

---