Page 80 of Curses & Kitsune

Of course, Raiden and I aren’t stupid. I know for sure that Akira will take the kitsune spirit and use it for himself, then turn on Raiden and slaughter the entire pack in seconds. The kitsune will make him a killing machine capable of wiping out every werewolf and witch in Japan, and who knows if he’ll stop at paranormal creatures?

But if Akira thinks Raiden is desperate and stupid, it works in our favor.

Raiden growls, “Will you take it or not?”

Akira rolls out his neck, considering our offer. “Bring it outside.”

My heart lurches in anticipation. “R-Raiden,” I say, voice shaking as he yanks me from my seat. “Please don’t do this. I’m sorry!”

Raiden squeezes my arms tight, the gesture comforting as he forces me to follow Akira out into the courtyard. Akira’s hunters gather around to watch, jeering with excitement as they cage us in. Akira forces his way to the front of the crowd and motions to the center of the Zen garden. “Place him there.”

Jaw tight, Raiden marches me to the garden and forces me onto my knees. As he leans down, he whispers in my ear, “Don’t be afraid. I won’t let any of these fuckers touch you.”

Tears sting my eyes. “I know,” I whisper back.

Raiden steps back toward the hunters, breathing hard as his gaze remains locked with mine.

“Priestess, if you will,” Akira calls.

The priestess he’d hired to do my exorcism makes her way toward us. She begins the ritual, spreading a circle of salt around me. Fear makes cold sweat break out over my body. “Ready, Tamano?” I ask.

She materializes beside me, hands clenched at her sides. “Yes. All we need to do is wait.”

The priestess chants a liturgy as she waves her staff over my head. The kitsune writhes beneath my skin, snarling in discomfort, but still under my control. Harsh pants escape me as the kitsune rises to the surface. Fur sprouts on my arms, and my fangs lengthen.

My instincts scream at me to fight, to shift, now! But I can’t. I have to let this happen. Still, I put up a show, thrashing and acting like I’m trying to fight and failing.

Akira throws back his head and howls laughter. “Poor little fox. How cute that you think you’re strong enough to fight back. You weren’t even strong enough to control the kitsune, but I will be!”

Raiden whirls on him, snarling, “That wasn’t part of our deal!” There’s no surprise in his scent. We expected this, and Akira has no clue. Raiden makes like he’s going to storm over to Akira, only to be grabbed by two thuggish hunters who pin him to the ground.

The kitsune roars with fury in my soul, demanding we protect our mate, but I can’t. Not yet.

Akira smirks at me. “As if a weakling like you could ever be good enough to control such a powerful creature. Now, look at you. You weren’t enough for your pack, and they’ve tossed you aside.”

Those words light a spark in me that surges into a roaring flame. All my life, I’ve heard variations of those words. I’m not good enough. Strong enough. Obedient enough. I’m a disappointment. A burden.

My parents thought they could give me shit. So did my brother. My ex-boyfriend. Takada. Now, it’s Akira, standing over me, looking down on me, thinking I’m so weak, so stupid, that I’d just let him win.

Well, I’m not going to take it.

The kitsune surges up my throat, choking me as the spirit billows from my mouth in black smoke. The smoke takes the shape of a fox, curling protectively in on itself. Retching, I catch myself on my elbows, coughing hard as I struggle for air.

Akira is wide-eyed with awe. “Priestess, hand it over.”

I squint up at the priestess through watery eyes. She looks uncertain.

“Now!” Akira snarls, reaching for the short sword at his hip.

“Y-yes…” The priestess summons the kitsune spirit through the salt barrier.

The moment the spirit is in reach, Akira cups the little fox spirit in his hands. “Huh,” he says, a note of surprise in his voice as he watches the smoke churn in his hands. “that was… easier than I thought it would be.”

Too easy, in fact. Before, to transfer the curse, it required a sacrifice. But the kitsune’s feral rage has been tamed, free to do whatever it wishes and no longer bound to the whims of whoever hosts the spirit. As Akira is about to find out.

“At last,” he says breathlessly, eyes gleaming with excitement. “The kitsune is mine to control!” The black smoke crawls up his arm. Akira’s chest rises and falls faster and faster, eyes bulging with anticipation. The smoke flies toward him and plunges down his throat, crawls in through his eyes, and ripples violently under his skin. Akira’s eyes run black, and his throat bulges as the smoke forces its way into his body. The hunter doubles over, coughing and gasping for air.

“I… I can feel it!” He cries, spreading his arms wide. “This power, it’s incredible!”

---