Foxfire (Nine Tails, 1) (4 page)

Hiro put his clothes on the bathroom
counter and then walked to the door. He peeked out and saw a
covered tray, different from the one his dinner had been served on,
sitting on the floor. He picked it up and brought it inside,
finding a plate of cut fruit and two slices of toast along with a
sealed bottle of orange juice in a tiny silver bucket of ice. He
hadn’t heard a sound, yet the “servants” were obviously seeing to
everything. A handwritten note under the plate read, “Just ask if
you need anything.”

After eating a piece of toast and an
orange slice, Hiro stripped and got in the shower. He definitely
felt paranoid being in a new place, but so far he’d been left
alone. His mind kept flashing back to the giant fox he’d seen, and
it was hard to remember that the creature and the man living here
were one and the same. But he also remembered something Masaki had
said—his brother did love him and would never have left him if he’d
thought something was off. Hiro could work in his room until he
felt braver and then, maybe, he would venture out and explore. His
erection had flagged, finally, but he still wanted release. An
aching need sat low in his belly, and it would distract him all day
if he didn’t do something about it. He wrapped his fingers around
his shaft, a sigh escaping his lips. His emotions still hadn’t
quieted, confusion bothering him the most. He needed release, a few
moments of pleasure to take him away from the strange situation he
found himself in.

* * * *

Masaki felt a change in the air.
Desire flooded him, and he turned his eyes to the closest mirror.
Hiro appeared before him, moaning as he leaned against the shower
wall and pumped his cock. Masaki let his eyes drink in the sight,
but then he turned away. He’d seen Hiro naked before—had spied on
him many times—but with the man here in the house, Masaki could do
so much more than watch. He closed his eyes, concentrating, and
pure lust and need rushed through him. Masaki sensed so many
emotions mixed in with the need that filled him. Hiro’s sexual and
mental frustration came through, as did his anxiety and confusion.
Another surge of lust, and then release washed over him. Masaki
didn’t actually come, but it felt as if he had. He turned back to
look at Hiro, his own emotions rushing forth as he watched Hiro
trembling. Hiro pumped the last drop of cum from his cock, wiping
his cheek with his other hand. The water from the shower made it
hard to see, but his eyes did shimmer a bit. Masaki had never seen
Hiro upset or crying, and he wondered if the stress of the
situation had caused that reaction.

Hiro finished cleaning up and then
stepped out of the shower, drying off and dressing quickly. He
stared at his reflection a long time, and then dried his hair and
combed it. Masaki sat down, letting the image in the mirror fade.
At least Hiro no longer seemed afraid. Would he come out of his
room, or would he stay in there all day? Masaki had promised no one
would bother him, and he wouldn’t break his word. Inari had given
him a task that morning, and he rose to leave the house and get it
over with. If Hiro ventured out to explore later, Masaki wanted to
be there to talk to him. He’d given his word he’d let Hiro go in
thirty days, so he had to make the most of each opportunity to
convince the handsome artist to stay with him forever. He couldn’t
come right out and blatantly say that he knew Hiro was gay, and
offering him material things seemed condescending. No, for once in
his life, Masaki would have to work for something instead of having
it handed to him simply because he willed it. He smiled as he
descended the stairs, thinking how worthy Hiro was of any work he
would have to do to win him.

* * * *

Hiro sat at the top of a staircase
that seemed to lead to the back of the house. An elegant crystal
chandelier hung over the open space at the bottom, and Hiro took up
his pad to sketch it. He’d spent the morning working on a
commission, which was the last of his present projects. He’d have
it done within a few days, but he’d grown tired of looking at it
and wanted a break. The house remained silent as he sat there. He’d
placed the necklace Masaki had given him around his neck, but he
wondered if the kitsune would stay away until summoned.

The ringing of his phone startled
Hiro, and he reached into his pocket. Akira. He answered right
away. “Why did you just walk away? I was scared out of my mind, and
you fucking left!”

“
Well, that’s a friendly
way to answer your phone.” Akira sighed. “Did Masaki harm
you?”

Hiro bit his lip before answering.
“No.”

“
Did anything else scare
you?”

“
No, but it’s weird here.
Silent and empty. But there’re servants. Yokai. No idea what kind,
but he said I’m safe.” He let his breath out in a huff. “I know you
told me the truth, and I apologize for not believing,
but
you didn’t prepare
me for this. Not really.”

“
Are you shocked? That
it’s all real, I mean.”

“
I guess.” Hiro heard a
door open in the distance. “I heard something. I’ll call you
later.”

“
All right. Just wanted to
check in with you.”

“
Thanks.” He closed his
pad and shoved his pencil in his pocket. In a lower voice, he said,
“Still kinda mad at you.”

“
I know, but try to be …
happy. Okay?”

Hiro hesitated.
Happy? About being stuck here?
“Okay, sure. Bye.”

“
Bye.”

Hiro stood, not sure what
to do. He wanted to go back to his room, where he’d feel more
secure, but he also wanted some human contact.
Human?
He laughed to himself.
Not quite.
He walked
back toward the large staircase they’d come up the night before.
Someone had slid a map of the house under his door while he
showered. Being in an enchanted mansion wasn’t bad, if slightly
creepy. Masaki strode across the foyer below him, looking up just
as Hiro came to a stop.

“
Hello, Hiro.” He moved to
the stairs and mounted them.

“
Hi.” Hiro held his
sketchpad close and waited.

“
I had errands to run, but
I trust you were taken care of.” Masaki stopped only inches away
and looked down at him.

Hiro nodded. “I’m fine.”

Masaki’s gaze lowered a moment.
“You’ve been sketching?”

Hiro nodded again. “Yeah, just
clearing my head. I’ll be done with my last job soon. Akira said
you could have it delivered to the client.”

“
Yes, of course. Just let
me know.”

Silence fell. Hiro felt
far more awkward today, perhaps because his fear had
evaporated.
Or maybe because I can’t stop
thinking this might be my only chance to touch another
man.

Masaki cleared his throat. “Will you
have dinner with me tonight? I want you to feel welcome. At
home.”

“
Yeah, that’s fine. Last
night, I was overwhelmed.”

“
You feel better
today?”

Hiro nodded once more, feeling like a
bobble head doll. “Yeah.”

“
I was glad to see you
exploring, given the circumstances.”

“
I thought about what you
said. Akira wouldn’t have agreed to anything that could harm me.”
He clutched his pad tighter. “What do you want?”

Masaki’s gaze heated a bit, his tongue
coming out to lick his lower lip. “What do I want?”

Hiro realized how his question had
sounded. “My work, I meant.” His face flamed, but he tried to keep
going. “A painting, sketches, a triptych maybe? I saw a few blank
folding screens in one of the hallways. I could work with those or
paint scenes on them.”

“
Anything you desire,
though I would like for you to sketch me before you
leave.”

Yet again, Hiro didn’t understand.
“You … you like my work that much? You don’t care what it
is?”

Masaki came forward and took him by
the chin. “Yes. I wish to watch you work, if I’m allowed. I told
you I wanted you with me. Just having your work isn’t the
same.”

Was Masaki going to kiss him? Akira
hadn’t mentioned the man—fox, whatever—being gay, but he obviously
was. Or perhaps gender didn’t matter to such a creature.

“
Sure. I don’t mind.” Hiro
didn’t dare move, his anticipation building as he felt something he
didn’t understand passing between them.

Masaki backed away and let his hand
drop. “You’re very talented. It’s good you’re humble, but I truly
love your style. Perhaps in the garden, after dinner? Everything is
beautiful under the moonlight with the colored lanterns
lit.”

“
It’s a Japanese
garden?”

“
Part of it is. Other
parts are different. There are roses and some other plants I
brought here. Everything here is magical, and I want you to enjoy
it while you’re here. There’s even a waterfall. We’ll walk there
later.”

“
Okay.”

Masaki bowed slightly and then turned
and strode off. Hiro watched him go, feeling relieved yet lonely.
He didn’t want to spend the next few hours alone, but he did need
time to think. Had Masaki wanted to kiss him? Would he have liked
that? What would it feel like? And why, though their lips hadn’t
touched, had he felt such a strong connection, as if the man had
actually kissed him?

* * * *

Masaki walked out of his bedroom and
nearly collided with a tall, slender woman. He apologized and bowed
to Inari, who wore a flowing red kimono covered in white cherry
blossoms. Her eyes, now bright blue, studied him as she smiled.
“Not seduced him yet?” Inari teased.

“
No, not yet.” Masaki had
known the calm approval and well wishing would soon enough give way
to teasing and perhaps even meddling. “But he only arrived
yesterday.”

“
I can feel the tension in
the house. He needs an enchanted evening, Masaki. I want to
help.”

Masaki couldn’t stop her, even if he
wanted to, but he folded his hands in supplication. “I’ll arrange
something next week. Please. Like I said this morning, I frightened
him. He’s adjusting. And doing so pretty well, so I want to tread
carefully.”

“
I know he’s adjusting,
but he thought you were beautiful, despite being scared.” She
smiled. “Though he likes you more in this form. Much
more.”

Masaki wondered if Inari would tell
him more. She might only be here to tease him, his relationship
with Hiro her newest distraction. “What else did he
think?”

She examined her nails, which were
long and red. “Hmmm. Such a jumble in his head.”

Masaki smiled politely. “Then let me
go to him so I can start wooing him. You approve of him, so you
must want me to get on with it.”

Inari glanced up. “Take him to the
grove over the bridge. He won’t be able to resist the feeling of
magic there.”

His smile fading, Masaki said, “I
don’t want his body without his heart, without his mind and
soul.”

“
You can win those later.
That boy’s ready to explode. Twenty-three and a virgin!”

Masaki had expected as much, but
actually knowing made him a little nervous. “All the more reason
not to take him to the grove. It should be special. I want him to
feel something for me besides desire or curiosity.”

Inari turned her head, as if she heard
something. Smiling, she said, “Very well. But I expect that
invitation soon.”

“
Yes, my lady, of course.”
He bowed and then watched her walk away before turning to head
downstairs.
Knew she wouldn’t be able to
stay away.
He briefly wondered if Inari
would come as a man or a woman when the time came to meet Hiro.
Masaki hoped for the female incarnation, not wishing to see his
kami flirting with Hiro. Not wishing to see any other man anywhere
near Hiro. None of his brothers had visited for quite some time, so
it wouldn’t be unusual for one of them to show up soon. Though he’d
never voiced the idea to any of them, Masaki believed the curse
that had brought them to life had given them all a preference for
male company. However, he knew several of his brothers would
bristle at the suggestion. He shrugged as he moved to the dining
room, and he was disappointed to find it empty. A glance to one of
the mirrors on the wall revealed Hiro leaving his room, so Masaki
relaxed. At least he wouldn’t be stood up.

Masaki looked at the table, frowning.
He waved his hand, banishing the long table with a place set at
each end and replacing it with a small circular table. With another
wave, he removed the centerpiece as well so nothing would be
between them. He felt Hiro enter the room and turned to greet
him.

“
How was your afternoon?”
Masaki asked.

“
Good. I sketched, did
some reading.” He looked around the room, and his gaze eventually
settled on the table. “I thought there was a bigger table in here
earlier.”

“
There was. I thought it
would be hard to talk.” He gestured toward the table. “Come sit
down.”

Hiro did so, folding his hands in his
lap. “What do you do all day?”

Besides watching
you?
Masaki sat and rested his hands on
the arms of the chair, linking his fingers over his abdomen.
“Whatever Inari requires. Sometimes, nothing. I find ways to amuse
myself.”