Foxfire (Nine Tails, 1) Read Online Free PDF

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.”
    Hiro glanced around the room, and then
he opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He went still
and stared over Masaki’s shoulder. The house spirits had entered
the room to bring in their meal, and Masaki realized Hiro would see
nothing but floating dishes.
    “ Would you feel better if
you could see them?” Masaki asked. “You’re safe, I
promise.”
    Hiro shrugged, but then he nodded.
“Sure.”
    Masaki blinked, and the yokai
appeared. Though their bodies still appeared as a fine mist, they
wore blue kimonos and white kitsune masks. Masaki glanced at Hiro,
who still looked stunned. Bowls of soup were placed before them
along with a dish of fried wheat noodles.
    “ Tea or sake?” Masaki
asked, hoping to distract Hiro.
    “ Sake, I think.” He
smiled, as if trying to be polite despite his
discomfort.
    Masaki poured for both of them, but
Hiro didn’t relax until they were alone again. “Is there anything
you’d like to ask?”
    “ Are they ghosts?” Hiro
asked right away.
    “ The yokai? No. They’re
servants given to me by Inari. I am one of Inari’s personal
messengers—along with my eight brothers.”
    “ Eight?”
    “ Yes.” Masaki sprinkled a
few noodles into his soup but waited for Hiro to take up his
spoon.
    Hiro stirred his soup and then began
eating. Masaki ate as well, waiting. Before long, Hiro asked,
“Who’s the oldest?”
    “ We’re all the same
age.”
    Hiro’s spoon stopped halfway to his
mouth. “Nine? At once?” He lowered his spoon. “You must have been
born in fox form. No human woman could hold nine
babies.”
    Masaki decided to go ahead and reveal
his history. Lying to Hiro made no sense, as Masaki wanted him to
stay forever. “We have no mother. We weren’t born.”
    Instead of frightening Hiro, this news
seemed to intrigue him. “Where’d you come from?”
    “ We have a father. In a
way. He was Inari’s favorite messenger, but now he is so out of
favor we aren’t even allowed to say his name. A great family craved
Inari’s favor, and they had a