Page 79 of Curses & Kitsune

My heart sinks. Raiden isn’t going to get hurt. Not if I can help it.

Ren shakes her head, lips trembling. “You asshole.”

“We’ll be fine, Ren,” Raiden assures her and steps out.

Tamano materializes in the seat beside me. “It’s almost over,” she says as we follow Raiden.

“Yeah, I hope so.”

She scoffs. “Have some faith in me, won’t you? Have I let you down so far?”

“Well, there was the time—” I chuckle when she growls. “Truthfully, there isn’t any other kitsune I’d rather have been stuck with.”

Her cheeks flush. “I suppose you aren’t that bad… for a human.”

“Come on, you love me, and you’re going to miss all the shenanigans of this world.”

“I certainly will not!” Tamano huffs, then she vanishes into pearly white smoke.

Before we enter the gates, Raiden suddenly grips my shoulders and steers me up against the tall wall that encircles the property. His mouth finds mine, stealing my breath with a hungry, urgent kiss. “Anyone touches you, and I’ll tear them all to pieces,” he growls against my mouth.

I sink my teeth into my bottom lip so I don’t moan. “I should not find the idea of you committing violence sexy.”

A smirk brightens Raiden’s face. “That’s because you’re a freak.”

I grip his shirt to pull him closer. “True, but I’m your freak.”

A pleased rumble escapes Raiden as he kisses me again with such heat and passion, my toes curl. “Damn right.” He drags his fingers through my hair and curls them possessively at the nape of my neck. “Let’s do this.”

Raiden yanks on my hair and marches me toward the gates with sudden roughness.

“Ow! Not so hard,” I say through our bond.

“Thought you liked it rough?” his teasing voice replies. “Sorry, Sunshine. Gotta look convincing.”

The guard behind the gate sneers at us.

“Open up,” Raiden snaps. “We’re here to see Akira.”

“Cause any trouble, wolf, and we’ll mount your furs on our wall.” The guard buzzes us in. Through the windows above, Akira’s guards patrol the home, and another stands watch at the door. The guard at the door directs us to the office on the third and final floor.

My heart pounds faster with every step we take toward Akira’s office, and before I’m ready, we’re through the door. Akira beams like a child on Christmas as we enter. Fear flips my stomach over. All I can hope is that my ability to control the kitsune will be enough to get us out of this.

“Sit,” Raiden grunts, pushing me toward a chair.

I fake a glare at him, then drop into a seat. Raiden stands behind the chair and stares down Akira.

“The Wolf of Asakusa and a kitsune,” Akira says, rubbing his hands together. “I couldn’t imagine a more perfect gift. Although, I’m a bit confused. Last time we met, you were ready to kill us all before we touched the kitsune, Wolf. What’s changed?”

Raiden says, voice thick with feigned anger, “I thought I could control the kitsune, that it could be a weapon to unleash on my enemies, but it’s impossible to control. It’s become a threat to myself and to my pack. Nothing but a burden.”

Even though I know he doesn’t mean it, I still wince hearing those words from the man I love.

“How disappointing,” Akira says, smile only growing. “But why bring it to me? What, you think I want your deadly, uncontrollable beast? Because, of course, I do.” He laughs low in his throat. “But forgive me for not entirely trusting in your questionable intentions.”

Raiden clears his throat. “I’ve brought you the kitsune as a peace offering. Take it, do whatever you want with it, but leave me and my pack alone.”

Akira’s beady eyes sparkle with mirth. “My, my. You must be truly desperate to even think I’d accept such an offer.”

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