Calming the Storm (Crimson Storm Chronicles Book 2) Page 6

  I faced him with a confused look and stared at his amused expression. “Why did you stop me?” I asked.

  “Ears are sensitive, remember? I don’t think it’s wise if you touch them while we’re in this position,” he suggested.

  “Will it turn me on?” I asked.

  “Yes. Though I’m up for a few more rounds if you are.” He smirked.

  I groaned. “Do all Kitsune shifters have this much stamina?” I asked.

  “Yes, and we love sex,” he stated with a grin. “Are you tired?”

  “Hmm…now that you mention it…not anymore. I was before, but it was more like a winded exhaustion, which I’m over now. If you touch them, would it have the same sensitive effect?”

  “Yup. But let’s relax for a bit and then we can test it out.”

  “Okay,” I agreed. Aki helped lift me up, his cock sliding out of me as he did so. I moaned quietly, the friction of his removal sending goosebumps down my arms.

  “Are we this sensitive to touch and movement?” I asked, trying to understand why I felt warm even after having amazing sex.

  “It’s because this is your first time half shifting. Your body is trying to adapt to the change and your newly heightened senses. It’s normal, as is your desire to be in control and the possessiveness that comes out when you don’t fight your Kitsune’s urges,” Aki explained.

  He laid down on his back, and I curiously looked at his tails, which were all resting on the side. Turning once more, I counted each of mine. “Nine tails…” I trailed off in amazement and a little fear.

  “Crimson, talk to me,” Aki whispered.

  I slowly turned back to look at him, biting my lip as I blinked my eyes. “It’s just…” I trailed off, needing a moment to gather my thoughts.

  “Come lay next to me, Crimson,” he encouraged.

  I studied his position again. “Isn’t laying on your back…painful?” I asked. I was worried to lay on my back or even my side, thinking I’d squish my tails and that it would bring forth a lot of pain.

  “No, but it takes a while to get used to it. Come lay on my chest. Once your body adjusts, you should be fine,” Aki acknowledged. I nodded and crawled forward to rest my body on his chest.

  I let my head lay on his chest, and his arm wrapped around my waist. Now that I’d acknowledged my tails, I could feel them moving side to side. Aki’s tails moved and wrapped around my ass.

  I shivered at the touch but was relieved when his orange and gold tails gently brushed mine and it didn’t cause any pain. I felt the tension leave me, but I couldn’t let go of the memory that just flickered across my mind, and it led to my hesitation.

  “Crimson, what’s troubling you?” Aki whispered. His fingers lazily traced along my upper back, helping calm me as I recalled the memory I’d had when I passed out on the mountain.

  “Storm…When I fell unconscious on the mountain, I saw how Storm died.” I bit my lip, trying not to be overcome with emotion by the images that flowed into my mind. White Eyes and James.

  Aki was silent for a long moment, and I looked up to see his guarded expression. He met my eyes as we shared a moment, simply staring as we laid in each other’s arms in the quiet room.

  “Is it hard for you to talk about it?” he finally asked.

  “Yes and no. Yes, because I still feel Storm’s essence within me, and retelling even a fraction of what occurred somewhat upsets me, which I figure is influenced by her emotions. However, I want to tell someone about it because I think it might be useful information for the investigation and would help us determine why she was killed,” I explained.

  Aki nodded and pressed his hand gently on my head, encouraging me to rest my head back on his chest. “Can you just give me a few seconds?”

  “Sure,” I replied, understanding why he hesitated.

  Even if the guys had stated they were willing to move on to date me, both because they had feelings for me but also with Storm’s permission to allow themselves to love again, I bet her murder was still hard for them to talk about.

  Two months was not a lot of time to get over someone who I felt a few, if not all of the guys, would have wanted to spend their lives with. Our situation was rare, and the guys were handling it well, but that didn’t mean it was easy.

  As I waited, I realized the situation reminded me of when Storm had taken over during my little getaway with Aki. He had been given the opportunity to be with Storm’s presence in my body, almost as if she was testing him, but he refused. Even thinking about it still left me in shock and made my heart swell at his actions and strength in that moment.

  “Okay,” Aki announced.

  I didn’t lift my head, deciding the skin to skin contact would help tremendously as I explained my thoughts. I took a deep breath, feeling Storm’s essence flicker through me, but I didn’t fight it, knowing it would be easier to have a bit of her influence when I explained her death.

  “Two men were there in the courtyard, minutes before my death. The guard was dismissed, and that left the man you know as James and another male. I didn’t recognize him, but the most prominent characteristic was his eyes. Pure white eyes that held a level of coldness that reminded me of how cold and white snow can be,” I began, letting the words flow out in a combination of both our voices.

  “James called White Eyes ‘Master.’ He then talked about Crimson…about her death being imminent seeing as she wouldn’t be reunited with her birthright weapon before her birthday and would die. They talked about her birth parents’ affinities and how once her powers were awakened, she’d be able to bring peace…the peace I died for,” I whispered.

  I lifted my head, looking into Aki’s wide eyes. He blinked a few times. “Crimstorm?”

  Nodding for clarification, I continued, knowing I wouldn’t have much longer before my essence subsided and allowed Crimson to take over once more. It was even harder to take a bit of control after my last confrontation with Aki, and it saddened me just thinking about his denial. He must have noticed the sadness in my eyes, and I hoped he’d comfort me like he always did when I was down and troubled, but he simply shook his head with an expression of hurt on his face.

  “Storm, please continue. I need to know more to help avenge you, with the help of Crimson and the others,” Aki stressed. I frowned at his plea, wishing he’d accept me and not continue to deny me, but I gave in to his request anyway.

  “They stated that Crimson would be the strongest Kitsune shifter, especially with her cherry blossom abilities. Then they revealed Crimson’s birth parents, but that’s when James drove his sword into my chest. He pulled it out and asked me what would happen if two Kitsune shifters give birth to a female,” I explained.

  “Nine tails,” Aki responded. A bit of anger lingered in the edge of his voice, but my heart knew his anger wasn’t for me, but on Crimson’s behalf.

  “A nine-tailed Kitsune shifter with an SSS magic affinity. White Eyes questioned what would happen if Crimson held my pocket watch. He explained she’d be stronger than even Yoshi’s father, the Emperor. I can attest to that…though she’ll need a lot of training and experience to reach such status.”

  “Once they find out Crimson’s alive…” Aki trailed off, talking more to himself than to me.

  “They’ll come after her. Her power will be sought out, or they’ll kill her before she reaches a level of strength where she can defend herself without trouble. I can only imagine what she’ll be like with my pocket watch, though.”

  I took a deep breath. “After that, he removed my crystals one by one, until only the pink remained. I watched my familiars fade…and then, well…I sent Urufu away. I left strands of my magic in my pocket watch so I could try and communicate through the individual who would harvest its power. Then I prayed. And just like that, I died,” I concluded.

  I didn’t see any remorse in Aki’s expression as he stared at me, making the decision to retreat an easy one. “Sayonara, Aki,” I whispered, allowing my essence to return. />
  “Crimson?” Aki asked. I blinked a few times, feeling a little confused as I tried to recall what just happened.

  “Yes. I lost control again?” I questioned.

  Aki nodded. “Storm took over to explain everything to me.”

  “Did she test you again?” I asked hesitantly. I didn’t want to bring it up, but a weird hurtful feeling lingered in my heart.

  “Yes, and I didn’t fall for it. Do you feel sad?”

  “Hurt is a better word. I guess she’s hurt that you didn’t feel sympathy for her?” I tried to put what I felt into words.

  “I did feel sympathy for her but using you to gain my physical response won’t help. I vowed I’d move forward and that still stands. She should know I’m rather stubborn when I make up my mind,” Aki confirmed.

  “That must be a Kitsune trait,” I mumbled with a grin. He smiled, leaning up to kiss me deeply, making me sigh into his mouth. My tails had been resting on the left side of me with Aki’s, but they lifted up, and I could feel them waving back and forth.

  “Are you worried they’ll come after you? White Eyes and James?” Aki inquired after we broke the kiss.

  “I have no doubt in my mind that we’ll confront them sooner or later. I’m just scared that I won’t have the time to become strong enough to fight them when the time comes. I just regained my powers. I don’t know how to use them or properly defend myself. I can fight and set things on fire, but I’m still a noob compared to Storm Yuna, who had years of experience and training. What if they somehow manage to bind me the same way they did Storm? It doesn’t matter if I’m going to be the strongest Kitsune shifter in Homatomashi. If I can’t use my magic, that kind of defeats the purpose,” I admitted.

  “You want to know a Kitsune secret?” Aki asked.

  “Secret? Sure,” I replied, curious to learn what it was.

  “If you’re ever in a situation where you can’t escape, bite the person,” he revealed.

  “Bite? Like…how I bit you during sex? Which by the way, I’m sorry for. I don’t know what came over me.” My eyes lowered to the bite mark at the base of his neck. The area was red and slightly purple, and there were still teeth imprints on his skin. Thankfully, I hadn’t bitten hard enough to draw blood.

  Aki gave me a seductive grin. “That’s different. Kitsunes like to bite their lovers when they’re intimate, especially when they take the dominant role or are really turned on by their lover. It’s known as a reward for your lover for pleasing you and your desires. You might want to control some days, and want your lover to fuck you mercilessly the next couple of times. It all depends on your mood and current needs.”

  “Why is it a reward?” I asked, rather fascinated by the shift in topic.

  “The bite may look painful, but it’s really sensitive and feels nice when something touches it. After a few hours, which is usually during the time a shifter is sleeping, the bite helps restore energy levels as a bonus.”

  “Magic?”

  “Somewhat. Don’t know how it works honestly, but it’s called a reward because of the boost of energy it gives the lover,” Aki elaborated.

  “That’s really cool,” I pointed out while I stared at the mark. My Kitsune was still close to the surface, and I decided to lean in and lick the spot, which made Aki shiver and moan quietly.

  “Crim, you’re getting distracted,” he reminded in a shaky voice.

  “Hmm?” I asked, kissing the site.

  Aki moaned again, a bit louder than before. “Crim, my love. Please, let’s finish before you turn me on again,” he begged.

  I pulled back and slowly nodded, thinking if I finished the conversation fast enough, I could return to my teasing. “Hai.”

  He grinned at my disappointed face and stroked my head soothingly. “Arigato,” he hummed. I smiled and nodded, waiting for him to continue.

  “Biting someone who isn’t a lover is usually done as a defensive action. When you’re sexually aroused and you bite someone, your body knows it’s someone of importance and categories them as a lover, treating them as such. However, if it’s in a defensive manner where your adrenaline or fear levels are spiked, it sends a lethal dose of energy through the person. It doesn’t take effect immediately, but if you know they won’t kill you right away, bite them. They’ll think of your action as an act of anger or distress, and won’t know that you’re secretly killing them with the bite,” Aki revealed.

  “Wow. So, we’re secretly snakes.” I hummed, considering.

  “Seeing your expression, you seem happy with such a comparison,” Aki commented with a lazy grin.

  “A little. Why is it a secret?” I questioned.

  “For crazy Kitsune shifters who would just go around biting anyone they hated out of spite and essentially go on a killing spree. The bite can’t be traced because of the delayed reaction time and looks more like a hickey than anything,” Aki elaborated.

  “Secret weapon,” I sang in delight, and he chuckled quietly.

  “Essentially,” he agreed, returning to trailing along my back with his fingers.

  “Being a Kitsune shifter is nice,” I whispered.

  “Your beauty is hard to resist when you’re in this form, Crim. Maybe it’s my Kitsune side being affected, but I’m impressed with myself for not just pinning you beneath me and fucking you again,” Aki admitted, his eyes darkening with desire.

  “Hmm…won’t that hurt my tails?” I questioned.

  “Not if you’re gentle and slow about it. The pain isn’t as bad as you’re making it sound,” Aki assured.

  “Okay. I’ll try it for the sake of sex.” I grinned, and Aki laughed. In a quick rolling movement, I was beneath him, his arm wrapped around my waist and holding most of my weight. He held me so that only my tails brushed the sheets.

  “I’m going to lower you slowly. If the pain is unbearable, just tell me,” Aki instructed.

  I nodded and braced myself, but as he settled me onto the bed, I barely felt any pain. More like a pinch or poke, and I gave him a wide grin in excitement. “My tails approve of passionate sex.” I giggled.

  “Really?” He hummed and leaned down. He very gently nudged my left ear with what I believed was his nose.

  I flinched at the touch, not in pain but with a pulse of arousal that coursed through me like cold water. “Fuck. What did you just do?” I questioned, lifting an eyebrow at him.

  “That’s what happens when you touch a Kitsune’s ears or tails. Perfect if you want to add some extra stimuli during sex.” He winked, and I blushed.

  “I like,” I whispered, and my Kitsune began running around in my head in anticipation of another round of sex. I think she’ll enjoy this more than even I do.

  “Hmm. Another round?”

  “Two?”

  “I think I can handle that.” I leaned up to kiss him.

  My ears twitched, picking up the sound of little footsteps. The quick taps made me realize Urufu had entered the room. Aki and I moved our heads at the same time to see Urufu’s happy face as she sat a foot away from the bed, her tail wagging quickly.

  I snickered and Aki grinned. “Uru, mommy and I are busy.”

  “Woof!” she replied happily, continuing to wait patiently.

  “Good, interrupt them, Urufu. I need my beauty sleep,” Malachi announced, poking his head into the space to look at us accusingly.

  I blushed, and Aki raised an eyebrow at Malachi. “When did you come back from your run?”

  “When you two were on round two of sexy times. Let me add Crimson, that you’re fucking hot as a half Kitsune, damn!” Malachi complimented, which made me blush harder.

  “Arigato?” I thanked, feeling a little shy, though I thoroughly loved his compliment and the way his eyes scanned my top half.

  After being taken care of by the guys so many times, some cases when I was completely unconscious and needed care with everything which included bathing, I was pretty confident in being naked around them. It still took a moment to rem
ind myself that they loved me regardless of my personal flaws, or they would have left a long time ago.

  “Stop bothering them,” Quillian huffed, and I picked up the sound of scissors clipping.

  “Don’t you dare!” Malachi called out, and in a flash, he was gone.

  My ears twitched a few times, picking up his words. “Quillian and his damn scissors! And he gets bathing time with Crim. I should ask her for a date, so I get time with her.”

  I smiled and glanced at Aki who had a knowing grin on his face, clearly having heard exactly what I had.

  “He’s so sweet,” I commented.

  “He’s annoying, but he has a good heart. I just like teasing him. Now hurry up and have your fun so we can sleep. The others won’t be back for a few hours,” Quil explained before looking to Urufu.

  “C’mon, Uru. You’ll be sleeping in our room tonight.” Quil confirmed.

  “WOOF!” Uru jumped onto the bed, licking my face a few times before moving to lick Aki’s. We both laughed, and she hopped back down and ran out the door.

  Quil smiled. “Crimson, you’re super hot.” He winked.

  “Oi, how about me?” Aki whined and Quil rolled his eyes.

  “I’ve already complimented you in the past, I don’t need to do it again,” he grumbled.

  “Hmph. Rude,” Aki muttered.

  “Have fun, you two. Knock yourselves out. I’ll have my headphones on. Don’t wanna get turned on or be forced to listen to Malachi masturbate. Night.” With that, Quil left, closing the door behind him.

  “Does Malachi masturbate a lot?” I asked.

  “Nah, but Quil and Malachi have this thing going on where Quil loves to piss Malachi off by telling everyone he has an addiction to playing with himself.”

  “Delightful,” I giggled. “I think that’s pretty funny.”

  “Me too.”

  “Sex time?” I asked, lifting my arms to rest them on his shoulders. He smirked and moved in to tug my bottom lip with his teeth.

  “Yes, my Crimson. Lots of passionate sex. We’ll worry about life tomorrow,” he confirmed before claiming my lips once more.