Page 22 of Curses & Kitsune

“Really, who?”

She’s pointedly silent.

“Oh. You?”

“You got it!”

“Any ideas where I can start?”

She hums thoughtfully. Behind me, tires rumble along the road. There’s a black car driving along the narrow street, sunlight reflecting on the windows.

Ren snaps her fingers. “I’ve got it! So, there’s this witch. A foreigner from the UK. He runs a cute little English-style pub in Kabukicho. In the past, we’ve used his magic to help track down traitors who cheat the pack. We can go there together if—”

The doors to the car fly open. Two men storm out, clad in furs, faces hidden by demonic masks straight out of a Noh play. They lunge for me, grabbing my arms so hard they cut off circulation. My phone clatters from my hand.

“Hey!” I struggle, kicking at them. “Let go of me! Get off me!” Their grip is like iron as they drag me toward the car. Something sharp pierces my neck, and a fire burns its way through my veins. The stink of silver makes my nostrils sting.

My vision darkens as I collapse into the back seat, boneless and weak.

“Raiden…” I surrender to the darkness.

Sometime later, I open my eyes. We’re still in the car, and my cheek is sticking to the leather seat. My neck throbs where I was injected. Zip ties cut into my wrists, keeping them bound behind my back. I’m all the way in the back seat of the van. The big guys who grabbed me occupy the seats in front of me. I can’t see the driver.

“Where’re you taking me?” My voice comes out a dry croak.

A voice says from the front, “You’re my present to the hunters.”

Between the front seats, all I can see of the driver is his eyes in the rearview mirror. I don’t recognize him, but the contempt in his gaze where our eyes lock makes me think he knows me. I can’t see any tattoos to indicate who these men are affiliated with.

“Who are you?”

“Unimportant, mincemeat,” the driver snaps. “Noboru’s going to know the exact pain I felt when he killed my brother after the hunters have butchered you.”

Wait. This guy must be Ishida. The brother of the guy who tried to join Takada’s side. The horror of my situation makes my stomach twist. “Why not just kill me? Why take me to the Blades?” I ask, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.

His eyes narrow in the mirror. “Because I want to. Makes things more interesting, doesn’t it? The hunters will kill you. Noboru will come to your rescue. The hunters will take him out.”

My breath quickens. “Don’t do this. Just kill me. Just—”

Ishida barks a laugh. “Just shut up. Don’t worry. You’ll see your sweet little boyfriend soon.” Ishida focuses on the road, but he occasionally steals glances at me in the rearview mirror. I focus on keeping my breathing slow and calm.

Stay focused. I have got to escape. If I don’t, Raiden will get hurt or—

My eyes prickle. God. I can’t lose him.

Ishida drives us to Minato. The streets become emptier as we drive, arriving in an area full of warehouses. My heart sinks as I realize how secluded we are. We drive past a chain-link fence and toward a warehouse with shattered windows and overgrown weeds climbing up the sides of the building. I have no clue what to expect once we’re inside that building, but I can’t imagine I’m in for a friendly reception.

Ishida stops the car around the back of the building. I have a view of the Rainbow Bridge over the river. I wish I could appreciate the view. Ishida marches over to my door and yanks it open. “Out. Now!”

Heart pounding, I step out on trembling legs and make my way slowly toward the building. Ishida grabs my arm and makes me walk faster. “Hey! He’s here!” Ishida barks, voice echoing through the yard. The doors slide open with a rusty screech, revealing a dark interior. Ishida shoves me inside.

Grabbing my nape, Ishida leads me deeper into the warehouse. Over my shoulder, two men guard the door. They wear all black, the lower halves of their faces concealed by demonic masks so only their unfriendly eyes are visible. Their most striking feature is the wolfskins draped over their shoulders. Shit. These must be the Blades of the Onryo.

I yelp as Ishida shoves me onto my knees. There are more hunters lurking in the shadows, talking amongst their numbers in low voices. I count over twenty, maybe more of them deeper within the building. Footsteps echo in the vast space, getting closer to me. A low, raspy chuckle makes me shiver.

“Hello, little fox. It’s good to see you again,” a mockingly cheerful voice says, one I recognize. A man, tall and slender with long gangly limbs, comes to stand in front of me. He wears black wolf furs with the head of a wolf still attached and hanging over his face. The sight pulls a shiver of disgust from me. The furs remind me of Raiden in his wolf form. He tugs the hood back, revealing a face I recognize at once.

His name is Akira, leader of the Blades. We met once before when he infiltrated Raiden’s ceremony. At the time, I had no idea who he was, not until he called and revealed himself to Raiden. The scar over his left eye and the one that hooks the side of his mouth should have been a giveaway of who he really was. No werewolves have scars. They heal too quickly.

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