American Kitsune, Volume 9 (Light Novel)

1. Weak to Strong Protagonist (Expect Kevin to grow both mentally and physically as the series progresses)
2. Aggressive Main Love Interest
3. Accidental Perv Moments / Ecchi Shenanigans
4. Harem Hijinks
5. Classic Harem Archetypes
6. Fourth-Wall Breaks
7. Over-the-Top Fanservice

Justin stood by the door, listening to Commander Paine speak to a bunch of people dressed to the nines in really expensive suits, wondering what he was doing there.

The room they were in wasn’t large, but then, conference rooms never were. Shaped like a rectangle, a long table sat in the center of the room. Sitting around that table were several people, prominent members of the UN, the US, and various world governments. Many of them he didn’t recognize, but that didn’t surprise him either. Standing at the head of the table, before a projector displaying the video feed of a battle between two kitsune, was his boss: Commander Ethan Paine.

“You can see here how the attack unleashed by the yōkai decimated the entire shrine in China,” Commander Paine said, his stern expression glaring at the people present, making them squirm in their seats. Justin snorted. His commander had a frightening glare. “Over two-hundred people died in that attack, a single attack committed by a yōkai during a fight. That kind of unmitigated power is dangerous, which is why I believe we should not allow these monsters to roam free any longer. We must take decisive action against them now, before more lives are lost.”

Justin watched as the group of old men mumbled together, seemingly discussing the situation. One of them, a younger man with shaggy brown hair and eyes of the same color, turned to the commander.

“We’ve long known about the threat that yōkai pose,” he started, his voice confident and strong. “That is part of the reason we agreed to help fund this group—to ensure the protection of humanity. However, it is that same threat posed by yōkai that has kept us from doing what you suggest. Numerous as we are, our numbers do not guarantee us victory over the yōkai, especially if the various races decide to put aside their differences and fight us as one.”

“I doubt that would ever happen.” Commander Paine was dismissive of the young man’s concern, waving his hand as though warding off a bug. “There are hundreds of different races of yōkai, and very few of them have ever gotten along. Even back in ancient times, yōkai tended to fight more amongst themselves than they have us. Back then, we humans were simply so weak and powerless that we would get swept up in their conflicts, which is usually how humans die at the hands of yōkai these days, too. To them, we are like insects, tiny little creatures that scurry beneath their feet. They barely even notice when they step on us.”

Commander Paine paused, though whether this was to let his words sink or to take a breath, Justin didn’t know.

“However, I do understand your concern to some extent. If the yōkai races ever did form an alliance and fought against us, we would surely incur heavy losses, though I am confident in our chances of victory regardless. That being said, my science division as recently created a new weapon, one which should serve as an admirable deterrent in the event that the many yōkai races ever do form an alliance to fight against us.”

A door in the back of the conference room slid open, and in walked something that only vaguely resembled a humanoid. It stalked forward on whirring servo motors, moving with an unusual grace and a deadly intent. Clawed metal feet scratched against the carpet. Its gleaming silver surface rippled as it moved. Strange, undulating patterns seemed to form along its body, as if it was made of liquid instead of metal. A red visor created a V-shape on its face, seeming to glare at everyone from its bullet-shaped head.

“This is the YK series war machine, a killing machine made specifically with exterminating yōkai in mind. We have already field tested it against various different yōkai, and it holds up well against everything that has been thrown at it. This machine can even fight on par with an oni, the most physically powerful type of yōkai that we know ofi. With this invention, gentlemen, killing yōkai will be easy, and we won’t need to sacrifice our sons and daughters to do it.”

That was not technically true. Few of these yōkai killers had been produced. Commander Paine was merely showing his war machine off to make those who would be otherwise reticent about starting a war agree with his idea.

Justin observed the politicians from his place in the back. He could see how Commander Paine’s words affected them, could see how the sight of this machine struck fear into their hearts. Yet as the seconds passed, most of those who might have disagreed with starting a war started nodding at the idea.

He almost scoffed. Idiots.

“This invention of yours does indeed sound promising,” an older man wearing a turban began, “but in my experience, there are always downsides to weapons like this.”

“They do cost a lot of money to make,” Commander Paine admitted reluctantly “With the budget we’ve been given, we have only been able to produce twenty of these. Three prototypes and seventeen finished models. The parts are also difficult to make, so it will be awhile before we can fully replace our troops with them.”

“Then would it not be better for us to wait until production costs are lowered before going with your proposal?” asked another gentlemen, this one speaking with a heavy British accent. “We do not want the yōkai to initiate hostilities between us while we’re still waiting for our forces to gather strength.”

“Of course you would say that,” another scoffed, his accent hard to place. Justin thought he sounded Greek. “Your country has not yet suffered from any serious incursions. Just one month ago an expensive island resort in the Pagasetic Gulf was completely annihilated by a battle between kitsune. We were lucky that no one was there during the time it was destroyed. Even so, the amount of damage done to our land was extensive.”

“The island resort you’re talking about was a kitsune owned resort, wasn’t it? I do not see a problem with that. If they want to destroy their own property, then I say we should let them. So long as they do not involve us, I couldn’t care less.”

“They’re a menace to humanity!”

“So long as they don’t involve us in their battles, I don’t really care what they do.”

Justin looked up at the tiles on the ceiling, absently counting them while wondering what he should have for dinner that night.

If I even make it back in time for dinner. With the way things are going right now, that doesn’t seem very likely.

“They’ve already involved us in their battles,” Commander Paine interjected. “I have already shown you the battles that happened between several kitsune in China, which not only decimated a prominent shrine, but also killed a large number of people, many of which were tourists from your own countries. If you need further evidence of the threat these yōkai pose, then I will give it to you. I have brought one of my subordinates with me. He has first-hand experience with yōkai and can tell you about how grave a threat they truly are.”

Justin knew that was his cue. With something of a sigh, he uncrossed his arms and walked to the front, ignoring the eyes on him and the whispers commenting on his young age.

Coughing into his hand, Justin pressed a button on the console controlling the projector, which changed the video feedback to another yōkai battle, one in which a three-tailed kitsune was attempting to kill a two-tailed kitsune with red hair and green eyes.

“If there is one thing that I have learned from my time observing the various yōkai, it is that they do not care about the lives of us humans. As you can see here, the kitsune with three tails, who we have since learned went by the name of Seth Naraka, enslaved the entire student body of a high school in Phoenix, all in order to kill another kitsune called Lilian Pnév̱ma…”

***

Kevin Swift rested his head on the desk, only paying a modicum of attention to the many conversations flowing over him. His eyelids threatened to droop and his mind wanted to shut down, but he admirably held onto consciousness. School was starting soon.

“You look tired.”

Lifting his head from the desk, Kevin directed his weary eyes toward the girl who’d spoken.

Lindsay Diane was one of his best friends, someone he’d known for many years and once had a crush on. Her pixie cut blonde hair framed a cute face, and her athletic body was slim and toned from years of playing soccer. Despite being in their junior year of high school, she looked more or less the same as she always had.

“That’s because I am tired,” Kevin deadpanned.

“Yeah, I kinda figured that. I was just stating my observation.”

“Whatever.”

The resounding thonk! of a skull meeting a desk echoed throughout the class room as Kevin let gravity do its work with his head. He could hear Lindsay’s chuckling. He also heard the snickers of Iris, who sat behind him.

“What’s wrong, Stud?” came the taunting voice of Lilian’s fraternal twin sister. “You seem so exhausted. Did you have problems keeping up with Lily-pad and I last night?”

“Last night?” Lindsay asked.

“How many times have I told you not to call me Lily-pad?” asked Lilian.

“Don’t know. Probably a couple hundred by now.”

“Tch!”

Sitting in the desk next to him, Lilian Pnév̱ma ran her fingers down his back, soothing his agitated nerves with her gentle ministrations.

“What’s this about Kevin having trouble keeping up?” Lindsay questioned.

Kevin somehow found the strength to lift his head again. He turned and pierced Iris with a baleful stare.

“I can keep up with you two just fine, or did you forget who had both you and Lilian panting on the ground from exhaustion? As I recall, you were practically begging me to stop.”

Lindsay suddenly turned red. “B-begging you to stop—just what were you three doing last night?!”

“He’s got you there, Iris.” Lilian grinned at the now pouting Iris. “Though I will say that if you hadn’t gotten the drop on me with that surprise attack of yours, there’s no way you would have been able to tie me up like that, which, I might add, is the only reason you won.”

“T-tie you up?!” Lindsay squeaked, her already red cheeks turning sixteen shades darker than before.

Kevin scratched the back of his head. “Okay. I’ll concede that you might have won if I hadn’t surprised you, but you know what they say about love and war. Trickery and deception are just as important in a fight as combat skills.”

“I guess.” Lilian leaned down and kissed him on the cheek, earning a sleepy grin from him. “It’s not like I can’t say I didn’t enjoy being tied up by you. It was kinda hot.”

“Hot?!” Lindsay was practically shrieking by now. “Just what happened last night?!”

“Is your masochistic side coming out, Lily-pad?” Iris asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Lilian stared her sister down. “I don’t think you’ve got any room to talk, especially since you were the one who was panting and drooling all over the place by the end of it.”

“J-just what are you three talking about?!”

“Hmph!” Iris crossed her arms under her chest. “That’s because I was going easy on him. I thought I would be nice since it was his first time with both of us. Now that I know better, I won’t go easy on him ever again.”

Lilian and Kevin shared an amused glance.

“So you say…” Lilian began.

“… But we all how hard you were trying to keep up,” Kevin finished, his voice teasing. “Face it, without those supernatural abilities of yours, your stamina is seriously lacking compared to mine or Lilian’s.”

“Tch!” Iris turned her head to hide the way her cheeks flushed at being double-teamed. However, it was easy for anyone to see how red her face had become. “Stop acting so cocky. The only reason you managed to pin me down like that was because you have more actual experience than I do.”

“That might be true,” Kevin agreed, nodding along with her. “Lilian and I have been doing this a lot longer than you have.”

“There, you see? If I had the experience that you two do, then I wouldn’t have been so thoroughly humiliated like that.”

Lilian leaned and cupped her hand to Kevin’s ear, whispering in an exaggeratedly loud voice. “She says that, but we both know that she enjoyed it when you wrestled her to the ground and pinned her down. Iris is surprisingly meek when it comes to these kind of things.”

Her cheeks finally puffing out in a pout, Iris opened her mouth to speak—

“WOULD YOU THREE STOP IGNORING ME?!”

Kevin, Lilian, and Iris stopped talking amongst themselves and turned to look at Lindsay. The tomboyish blonde was panting, her breathing labored and her face beet red. She looked like she’d spent several hours playing soccer in the middle of an Arizona summer.

“Sorry,” the three said in unison.

Lindsay huffed and crossed her arms. “If you guys were really sorry, then you’d stop ignoring me and tell me what you’re are talking about.” Her face suddenly took on a brighter hue of red. Kevin mused that she might be red enough to glow in the dark. “You weren’t… I mean, you three aren’t talking about doing… that… are you?”

“That?” Kevin tilted his head before eventually shrugging. “I’m not exactly sure what you mean by ‘that,’ but we were just talking about our training last night.”

“W-what? Training?” It was almost amusing to see the flabbergasted expression on Lindsay’s face.

“Um!” Lilian beamed brightly as she explained what they’d been doing. “Ever since that Fan lady attacked us at the end of the school year, Kevin and I have been training to get stronger. We normally train with Kotohime because she’s way more powerful than us, but recently, we’ve been sparring against each other, too. Last night, Iris asked to join us.” Lilian sent an amused glance toward her sister. “I don’t think she realized that ‘sparring’ actually meant fighting without any kitsune techniques.”

“I think you two didn’t tell me what sparring entailed on purpose.” Iris pouted. “I bet you got a real kick out of watching me suffer.”

“Whatever gave you that idea?” Kevin and Lilian asked in unison.

“See that?!” Iris pointed at them. “Those smiles are perfect indicators! They tell me you two were getting your rocks off!”

“We have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kevin and Lilian said, hiding their smiles behind their hands. Iris clicked her tongue. Grumbling, she slowly crossed her arms, then her legs, and looked away with a pout.

“Oh, I see.” Lindsay’s embarrassment slowly disappeared. Kevin could only shake his head at how she had jumped the gun. “Yeah, I guess that would make sense. With how injured you guys were after that attack, I think I understand why you’d start training like that.”

She really didn’t understand. Lindsay was aware of their battle against Fan Shénshèng, which had nearly ended in their deaths, but that was all she remained aware of. She didn’t know about how Lilian had been kidnapped, nor about how he and Iris had traveled into the very heart of the Shénshèng Clan’s stronghold, the Citadel of Light, to rescue her. Despite that, she knew enough about what had happened to know why he, Lilian, and Iris were training.

But Kevin knew that his friend’s thoughts weren’t necessarily on what they had gone through.

“Are you thinking about Christine?” he asked.

Lindsay looked down at her feet. “Yeah…”

Christine Fraust, another friend of theirs and a yuki-onna/neko hybrid who possessed a surprising hatred of cold weather, had left Arizona while Kevin, Lilian, and Iris had been living in the Pnév̱ma Clan estate.

Kevin had been shocked to hear that Christine had left to learn how to better control her powers. It had taken time, but he had eventually come to understand how helpless the yuki-onna must have felt. To have these powers and not be able to help her friends must have hurt her a lot. Tsundere personality aside, Christine was a very kind individual who cared a lot about her friends.

Lilian placed her hands over Lindsay’s and gave the girl her most encouraging expression. “I’m sure you’ll see her again. She left because she wanted to get stronger so she could protect her friends, right? That means she’ll come back. After all, she can’t protect her friends if she’s not even here.”

Lindsay stared at the girl for several seconds before, unbidden, her lips twisted, curving into a delicate u-shape that lit up her entire face.

“Yeah,” she chuckled, “I guess you’re right.”

Kevin felt bad for Lindsay. He knew of her feelings for Christine, but, well… he was pretty sure their tsundere gothic lolita friend went for hot dogs instead of tacos.

“So,” Iris started, breaking up the touching moment between friends. Her devious grin struck fear and arousal into the hearts of those who saw it. Kevin almost facepalmed when several boys and a few girls were blown back by nosebleeds. “What exactly did you think we were talking about just now? Could it be that our little Lindsay has a dirty, perverted mind?”

“Wha—no!” Lindsay’s face looked ready to spontaneously combust. “O-o-of course not! I wasn’t imagining Kevin’s half-naked, sweaty body pinning you and Lilian to the ground or anything! Why would you even think that?!” she shouted, waving her arms in front of her face as fast as she could.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then…

“Kevin?”

“Yes, Lilian?”

“I like this girl’s idea. Can we try it?”

To his credit, Kevin actually looked like he was considering the idea. “Uh… well… maybe… some other time.”

While Lilian pouted, Iris’s grinning face peered over his shoulder. “Oh ho. So, you are considering doing some naked wrestling with Lily-pad and me?”

“No!” Kevin shouted at the same time as Lilian’s, “Maybe later.”

“Hmph!” Iris leaned back, crossed her arms, and puffed her cheeks in a petulant expression. “I swear, Stud, you never let me join in on yours and Lily-pad’s fun.”

Before anyone could give her a comeback, the teacher walked in and class began. As Kevin took out his pen and some paper to jot down notes, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Looking up, he tried to ascertain who was staring at him, but couldn’t see anyone. Just Dr. Allan Spencer gazing at the class from where he stood at the front of the classroom. With a shrug, he went back to taking notes.

***

“… And that concludes my report,” Justin finished giving his report on yōkai to the delegation of government officials. He’d told them about the types of yōkai he had observed, to the many ways they manipulated and abused humans. What he didn’t tell them was that most yōkai didn’t abuse humans and just wanted to live in peace. He also didn’t mention that the ones who abused humans were a very small minority.

“It would defeat the whole purpose of our coming here to humor these fools,” he could practically hear Commander Paine’s words in his head. How many times had the commander said that on the way here? 10? 20?

“I always knew these yōkai were no good, but I didn’t realize they were this dangerous,” one said.

Another nodded. “They’ve clearly learned how to cover their tracks well over the years.”

“Something must obviously be done about these menaces!”

Justin watched with what almost passed for amusement as the government officials all rallied against the threat posed by yōkai. They were like a group of children ganging up on that one boy because he was different.

However, even while many of the people present spoke in agreement with Commander Paine’s idea of getting rid of yōkai, one voice rose above the din.

“I have not heard anything that would warrant us initiating hostilities between humans and yōkai.”

The woman who spoke was young. At a guess, Justin would say she was in her mid-twenties. Her dark hair appeared to be more of a dark blue than a true black. Intelligent amber eyes peered out from behind smart-looking rimless glasses. The black business suit and skirt combination that she wore made her look more like a secretary than a politician. How she had become a UN delegate was beyond him.

“Of course you would say something like that, Sophia,” an older gentlemen started, his voice dripping with condescension. “We all know that you’ve been obsessed about opening up a dialogue between yōkai and humans for years.”

“Naturally.” Sophia’s glasses flashed as she pushed them up the bridge of her nose. “Just think of all that we could learn if we opened a dialogue with them instead of tried to eradicate them. Their powers could easily be used for the betterment of mankind.”

“The betterment of mankind. Ha!” Another politician barked. “Don’t try to sweet talk us, Ms. Grace. We all know the real reason you’d rather we open a dialogue between them. Your dalliances with these menaces is well-known.”

So, this girl has been sleeping with a yōkai? Justin eyed the woman curiously.

It wasn’t all that unusual for a yōkai to bed a human. It was, in fact, very common. Yōkai had a tendency to seduce humans, though it was rare for someone to actually know they’re sleeping with a yōkai.

“Who I sleep with is no business of yours,” Sophia stated cooly, “especially since rumors about your own sexual appetite have recently come to light.” The man she talked down was practically spitting at her, but the woman ignored him and directed her attention to the others. “However, now that my relationship with a yōkai has been brought up, I can honestly tell all of you that you clearly know nothing about yōkai.”

“And what makes you say that?” one of the more calmer gentlemen asked.

“Because I have first hand experience.” Sophia adjusted her glasses again. “I’ve spoken to them. Having conversed with several yōkai, I like to think I know them better than anyone who has never spoken to one.”

“And what does your experience tell you?” asked the calm man.

“That they are just like us,” was Sophia’s answer. “Aside from their abilities and general longevity, they are no different than a human. In fact, most yōkai have willingly chosen to live completely normal human lives. They have no plans for world domination. They do not want to subjugate or exterminate our species. They, like us, merely want to live their own lives how they see fit.”

“It is exactly because they live as they see fit that we humans have been placed in jeopardy,” Commander Paine cut off any remarks that someone else might have made. “I don’t know if you’ve realized it yet, but over thirty percent of all human deaths are caused by yōkai. Most of the time, these deaths aren’t even done on purpose either. We humans simply get in the way of their secret wars. To them, we are like bugs. We’re not even worthy of being noticed when they squash us.”

The commander’s gloves creaked as he clenched them into fists.

“Of course, that’s not saying there aren’t yōkai who take the time to screw with us humans. There are many yōkai living in the human world who abuse us. They take us in, steal us from our family and friends, use us, and when we’ve been all used up, they throw us away. We mean nothing to them.”

“That is a blatant exaggeration and you know it.” Sophia reminded Justin of a cat. She looked ready to start hissing at the commander. “While there might be a few yōkai who do exactly what you just said, the vast majority merely want to live in peace with us. Don’t let your irrational hatred of the yōkai get in the way of making the right choices.”

Commander Paine twitched.

Uh oh. Looks like she pissed him off.

“Ms. Sophia Grace,” Commander Paine’s voice was a low bass rumble. “I do not appreciate what you are insinuating. I have never let my hatred of yōkai get the better of me. Every decision I make is always made with humanity's best interests in mind.”

“Is that why you want to start a war that could end with our species on the brink of extinction?” 

Sophia’s biting comment caused Commander Paine to smile.

It wasn’t a very nice smile.

“Ms. Grace, I never proposed that we start an actual war with the yōkai,” Commander Paine said, his voice calm yet commanding. “I merely believe that we should put some… precautions in place to help protect humanity from their manipulations.”

“It’s the same thing!” Sophia looked ready to smash her fists on the table. “If we go with your proposal, we might as well be stating our intentions to initiate genocide!”

“You’re young, Ms. Grace. You do not yet see the world for what it is, and you have to understand how it works.”

“I know how this world works plenty. It’s you who understands nothing.”

Before the argument could erupt further, the gentleman with the British accent spoke again. “We do not need these kinds of arguments right now. The United Nations and various world governments must always be united during times such as this, so I would like to ask that you two cease bickering.”

“Very well,” Commander Paine acquiesced easily enough. Sophia did as well, though she did not look pleased.

The British man coughed into his hand. “And now, perhaps we should put Commander Paine’s proposal to a vote. All those in favor of the notion?”

Many hands were raised, though a few seemed reluctant to do so. In fact, only two people seemed to have not raised their hands; Sophia and a younger man who didn’t appear to be paying attention.

“All those opposed?”

Only Sophia raised her hand.

“With one vote against and nine in favor, the notion set down by Commander Ethan Paine has passed,” the British man said. “May our choices today help better protect humanity from the potential manipulations of yōkai everywhere.”

***

Lunch time rolled around, and Kevin, Lilian, and Iris were joined by their friends.

They sat inside instead of outside. Being that it was still august, the temperature was such that none of them wanted to spend more time out in the heat than absolutely necessary. They had chosen to sit at one of the many round tables that littered the cafeteria.

Almost as soon as they sat down, Kevin found himself beset by minor annoyances.

“My Lord, would you like to have some of my lunch?”

“Why would he want your lunch when he can have some of mine?”

“It’s the same lunch, you dolt!”

“Except mine is better because it’s coming from me.”

“As if!”

Kevin resisted the temptation to cover his face with his hands as Alex and Andrew began to fight. Such occurrences happened near daily ever since school had started this year. They’d been fighting long before that, however, ever since he had known them, in fact.

He didn’t know what was worse: How they kept fighting, or how they’d been treating him like some kind of lord ever since Iris jokingly mentioning his non-existent harem?

I guess that question will remain as one of life’s greatest mysteries.

Alex and Andrew Streit were friends that he’d known since his freshman year at high school. They were fraternal twins, much like Lilian and Iris. And just like Lilian and Iris looked nothing alike, these two couldn’t have been more different from each other. In fact, Lilian and Iris looked more alike than these two.

Alex had brown eyes and russet red hair, while Andrew possessed auburn hair and steel-colored eyes. Both had a pale complexion, the result of having been born with mostly Irish blood in them, he assumed. However, only Alex had the freckles that most people from Ireland seemed to have. Andrew’s face was surprisingly freckle-less.

“If you two don’t stop fighting, I’m going to beat you unconscious,” Kevin threatened.

“S-so manly!” the two cried in unison, seemingly impressed by his words instead of afraid.

Kevin pinched the bridge of his nose.

What did I do to deserve this?

As he tried to deal with his exasperating friends, Lilian and Lindsay held their own conversation, when the tomboy noticed the sketchpad situated in front of the kitsune.

“Are you drawing those comics again?” Lindsay asked, leaning over to try and peer at the sketchpad.

“It’s manga, not comics,” Lilian said before she noticed that Lindsay was trying to look at her work. She covered her sketchpad so the tomboy couldn’t see her illustrations. “And yes, I am.

“Right. Manga,” Lindsay agreed, still trying to peer over Lilian’s shoulder. “Can I see?”

“No.”

Lindsay actually had to blink at the swift and blunt answer. “What? Why not?”

“Because they’re not ready.” Lilian’s cheeks colored. “And I don’t really want to show anyone. My drawings aren’t that good.”

Ever quick to defend her lovely sister, Iris jumped at the opportunity to speak. “My beautiful Lily-pad is being modest. I’ve seen some of her completed manga panels and they’re really good. They’re like sex on paper.” It took Iris a moment to realize that Lilian and Lindsay were giving her matching deadpan stares. “What? It’s true. Her manga panels are amazing.”

“I-Iris, don’t tell people about my manga… wait.” Lilian’s face took on a flabbergasted and slightly betrayed quality. “You went looking through my sketchpad?”

“Um, no?”

“Iris!” Lilian hissed, her face flushing a furious red that matched her hair. “How could you?”

“You only have yourself to blame.” Iris stubbornly crossed her arms. “I always ask if I can see what you’re drawing, but you’re never willing to show me. The only person you’ve let see your artwork is the stud over here.”

Having been listening to the conversation, Kevin raised his hand and pointed at himself. “Um, hello, Lilian’s mate here. It’s only natural that she would show me her artwork. Besides, unlike you, I can actually appreciate the magnitude of what she’s trying to accomplish, and I can help her improve by comparing her work to professional works and offering my opinion.”

Iris huffed while Kevin looked at the beautiful redhead sitting next to him. Lilian had removed her sketchpad from the table. She no doubt was hiding it on her lap so no one could look.

“I do agree with Iris on one thing, though. You really do sell yourself short. While you might have not been that good starting out, you’ve improved a lot since then. I was really impressed by some of your more recent illustrations.”

While her cheeks remained somewhat pink, Lilian’s lips curled into a beaming smile filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Kevin.”

Kevin grinned and placed a hand on Lilian’s left thigh. “Anytime.”

They stared into each other’s eyes, getting lost within their depths. They would have remained that way for some time. However, a cough interrupted them.

“So, are you two gonna make out, or are you just gonna keep staring at each other?” Iris asked. “I don’t mind either way, but if you keep acting like such a loving couple, you’re going to make everyone here jealous, myself included.”

“Whatever,” Kevin mumbled as he stopped staring at Lilian, who sent Iris a very mild glare. He scooted closer to his mate until their thighs were touching, and then tapped a finger against her sketchpad. “Would you mind if I looked at your most recent drawings?”

“I-I guess not,” Lilian muttered softly, her cheeks gaining color. “B-but they’re not finished yet. I only have a few thumbnails in this one, so don’t laugh at them, okay?”

“You know I’d never do that.”

Kevin kissed Lilian on the cheek before pulling the sketchpad off her lap, setting it on the table, opening it to look through the last couple of pages.

While she seemed embarrassed to show them off for some reason, Lilian really was quite talented at drawing. While her lines weren’t as crisp as some of the manga artists he knew of, she had a real talent for shading. As he flipped through her sketchpad, a part of him wondered how much better she would be if she had the equipment and programs needed to create illustrations on the computer.

Maybe I should think of getting her Photoshop and a waicom tablet…

“So, um, what do you think?” Lilian squirmed in her seat. The way she looked at him from beneath a curtain of crimson hair, anxiously and nervously awaiting his thoughts, was so endearing that Kevin had trouble suppressing his desire to kiss her silly.

“Well, like you said, these are just thumbnails, so they lack details, but it looks like you’ve got the proportions right. Your panel placement could probably use some work, but you’re definitely improving.”

“Proportions?” Eric, who, up until that point, had been silently glaring at a sheet of paper in front of him, suddenly looked up. “What’s this about proportions?” He saw the sketchpad in Kevin’s hand. “Do you draw, My Lord?”

“Um, no.” Kevin deadpanned at Eric. “Did you not even pay the least bit of attention to the last five minutes of conversation?”

“Not really.” Eric shrugged.

“Figures.”

“So, if you’re not the drawer, then who is?”

“Lilian.”

Eric’s head swiveled to Lilian, like a robot whose neck joints had too much grease in them. “You can draw?”

Under the scrutinizing gaze of the perverted young man, Lilian could only look down. “Uh, yeah, a little.”

“Do you think you could teach me?”

“Eh?”

“Yeah, I need someone to teach me how to draw.”

Lilian peered at Kevin who, upon seeing the questioning glance directed at him, merely shrugged, as if to say, “don’t look at me.”

She turned back to Eric. “Why do you want me to teach you how to draw?”

“Master has given me a most import task that I have yet to finish,” Eric informed them with the utmost seriousness. Even Iris was leaning in to hear what the salacious young man had to say. “She wants me to learn how to draw naked women. That way I can help her draw illustrations for her books.”

In the poignant pause that followed, Kevin could only shake his head.

SMACK!

“Gaoi!”

“Not happening,” Lilian declared, her tail retracting from whence it came before anyone could see it. Eric, whose head had dented the metal table when her tail shot out and smacked it, could only groan.

***

Immediately after the meeting with the UN delegation, Justin returned with Commander Paine to the Sons and Daughters of Humanity’s Headquarters.

While the Sons and Daughters of Humanity had bases located all over the world, their main base of operations was about 50 miles outside of Denver, Colorado, located deep underground.

Justin looked down at the base—what he could see of it—as the military helicopter they were in prepared to descend. The entrance, which had been built on a lake, consisted only of a helipad jutting out of the water and a small elevator entrance that led into the base.

“Are you sure that was a good idea?” Justin asked suddenly.

“Don’t tell me you think I was being heavy handed.” Commander Paine didn’t even look at him. Decked out in his black military uniform and black cloak, the man sat with his legs spread as he leaned back in his seat and stared out the window.

“More like stupid,” Justin quipped. “You not only insulted a delegate in the middle of a UN meeting, you threatened her afterward. That woman looked like she wanted to murder you on the spot.”

“Ms. Sophia Grace is a fool, and she will be dealt with soon enough.” Commander Paine paused, a large red vein pulsing on his head. “And what have I told you about your smartass comments?”

“I can’t remember,” Justin said with a completely straight face.

“Tch! You’re lucky that I have need of your talents.”

Justin said nothing. He merely offered a smile.

The helicopter set down on the landing pad, and Commander Paine exited the vehicle.

“Follow me.”

Justin followed the stern commander out of the helicopter and into the elevator. The giant war machine, a model of the new YK series, trailed behind them. No words were spoken as the elevator descended, and when it stopped and allowed them to disembark, the noise on the other end made Justin’s flinch.

The elevator led into a busy hallway composed entirely of cement. All of the people who were in the hall stopped what they were doing and saluted the commander as he walked past them. Justin simply ignored the salutes his commander received and followed the man to his office.

Commander Paine’s office was a simple affair. It lacked any form of decoration, and the only furniture it had was a desk, which the commander sat behind. Justin looked at the bare walls with a sigh. Why couldn’t this man at least decorate his room a bit? Was some color too much to ask for?

“It seems you finally got your wish.” Justin moved to stand in front of the commander’s desk and crossed his arms. “The UN has not only agreed to increase your budget, but they have also decided to let you kick off the war against the yōkai, even if they haven’t realized it yet. Now you can finally begin exterminating all those big bad monsters you dislike so much.”

“Watch your tongue, boy,” Commander Paine grunted as he pressed a button on his desk, activating a holographic computer complete with screen and keyboard. “I don’t pay you to be a smart alec.”

“You don’t pay me at all.”

“You’re alive, aren’t you? I could have discarded you with the rest of the failures, but I didn’t. I kept you, trained you, gave you a purpose. You should be grateful.”

“Yes, because being turned into a child soldier is so much fun.”

“Quit complaining.”

“Yes, sir.”

Justin knew when to push and when to pull back. Commander Paine looked ready to throw him out a window, so it was probably best to pull back.

“I have a new mission for you.” Commander Paine typed a few keys, the soft click echoing in the mostly silent room. “You’re going to back to Phoenix, Arizona. The details of your mission are in a report that I’m sending to the new division we’ve established there. One of them will get in contact with you upon your arrival and inform you of your mission.”

“You’re not sending me to Arizona merely to take part in one of our operations there, are you?” Justin’s lips twitched. “Worried about your son?”

Commander Paine scowled. “Anyone who willingly affiliates themselves with yōkai is no son of mine.”

“You’re a harsh man as always, Commander.”

Commander Paine ignored Justin’s words and continued talking. “I expect you to be ready to leave by o’thirteen hundred hours.”

Justin tossed the commander a slightly lazy salute. “In that case, I’ll take my leave. I need to get ready for my next mission.”

After being dismissed, Justin wandered to his room, a basic military-style barracks that he shared with several other members. It was small. There was only a little space to move. The rest of the room was taken up by six bunk beds embedded into the wall.

While getting packed, he couldn’t help but wonder about this latest mission the commander was sending him on, and if it had anything to do with Kevin Swift and his mate, Lilian Pnév̱ma.

***

The ringing of the bell signified an end to school. Students rose from their seats, grabbed their stuff, and headed outside in their rush to leave.

Kevin and his two kitsune companions moved with the flow of the crowd. He held Lilian’s hands, their fingers entwined like a pair of lovers. Strolling next to them, her hips swaying exaggeratedly from side to side, Iris looked like a picture perfect sin.

Iris and Lilian were fraternal twins, and while they had different colored hair and eyes—Lilian had red hair and green eyes while Iris had black hair and red eyes—both of them looked similar enough. They were the same height and had the same body proportions. The difference between them lay not in their looks, but in their general disposition and how they carried themselves. Iris acted like a sexy bitch who knew she was a sexy bitch and flaunted it. Meanwhile, Lilian didn’t even realize her appeal, which added a charming innocent that further emphasized her luscious curves.

He led them into the parking lot, past the honking cars belonging to impatient parents, past the first few lots where teachers parked, all the way to the back row near the gate where his own car sat, patiently waiting to be driven.

Kevin didn’t know what he’d done to deserve it—given what happened during the summer, he honestly didn’t think he did deserved it—but his mom had bought him a brand new Honda Civic Hybrid for his sixteenth birthday. Painted all white, his car wasn’t the most sporty nor was it the coolest vehicle around, but it was safe and fuel efficient. Kevin really couldn’t ask for more.

Unfortunately, there was someone already standing by his car when he, Lilian, and Iris arrived.

“Juan.”

Juan Pompadour something or other stood in front of Kevin’s car. His dark skin clashed with his bright clothes, poofy red pants, a blue shirt with ruffles, and a red shoulder cape. Bleached blond hair styled in a pompadour haircut bounced and jiggled as he moved.

“Someone uses waaaay too much hair gel,” Iris muttered. Lilian nodded.

Even now, Kevin didn’t know what to think or how to feel about this guy. On the one hand, it was Juan who gave Jiāoào knowledge of Lilian’s whereabouts. On the other, Kevin was positive Juan had also tried warning him about Seth Naraka, the three-tailed Spirit Kitsune who’d been contracted to assassinate Lilian. The half-kitsune had the moral compass of a drug addict who needed his fix, but nothing he ever did seemed to be done out of malicious intent. He was, in all regards, a paradox, a puzzle that Kevin couldn’t solve.

“Eet is such a pleasure to see you three again.” Juan’s lips curled condescendingly. “I have not seen you three since before the summer break, despite how school started two weeks ago. I was beginning to think you were trying to avoid me.”

“We were trying to avoid you.” Lilian’s annoyed huff made Juan place a hand against his heart.

“You, my sweet hermosa de flor, are harsh as always.”

“Tch!”

“I’ve heard some interesting rumors going around about you three,” Juan continued in his fake spanish accent. “So many interesting rumors. You were quite busy this summer, weren’t you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kevin said bluntly.

“I think you do,” Juan retorted. “I think you know very well what I’m talking about. You might not know eet, but you and the raven-haired one have become quite the legend within certain circles.”

The smug look Juan sent Kevin’s way would have upset him last year. Perhaps he had matured, or maybe he had just realized that Juan merely wanted to rile him up, but the boy’s attitude no longer bothered him as it once did.

“If you say so/” Kevin shrugged to show how much he cared about Juan’s attempts to taunt him.

“Ha…” A dramatic sigh. “Eet is no fun if you don’t react to my words.”

“Then maybe you should find someone else to bother,” Kevin suggested. “You know, some wet behind the ears brat that you can taunt to your heart’s content. I’m sure there are plenty of them out there.”

“You would be surprised by how few people there are that I can screw with. You three have offered me the most fun I’ve had in years.”

Kevin rolled his eyes. “Glad to know you take such pleasure in messing with us.”

“Do you think we can hurry this along?” Iris asked impatiently. “We all know that you’re here to tell us something important or give us some kind of warning. That’s the only time you ever show up in this series, so if you could just hurry up and tell us whatever the hell it is you want to tell us, that would be nice.”

“You’re a very rude young mujer, you know that?”

“So I’ve been told.”

Juan clicked his tongue, seemingly annoyed by Iris interrupting his fun. Lilian and Kevin just glared. The boy sighed.

“I felt eet only fair to give you a warning.” Juan looked Kevin in the eyes. “There’s been a stirring of unease among the yōkai population lately. More and more yōkai are disappearing, especially the younger ones. Rumor has eet there’s an organization kidnapping and experimenting on them, though that ees only a rumor at the moment. What’s not a rumor ees that several yōkai villages in Europe have been destroyed by a creature that, according to eyewitnesses, looks like eet was made of liquid metal.”

Kevin and Lilian shared looks of alarm, though Iris only crossed her arms, as if to say she wasn’t surprised by the news.

“Why are you telling us this?” asked Kevin.

Juan chuckled. “I thought eet would be obvious. You and your mate always seem to be at the center of any trouble that goes on around here. I would hate to lose my greatest source of entertainment because you weren’t prepared. Now then, I bid you all hasta la vista.”

Kevin frowned at Juan’s back as the half-kitsune turned and left.

“Well,” Iris started, “that wasn’t ominous at all.”

“Do you think the creature he mentioned was the same one that attacked Kotohime and Kirihime last year?” asked Lilian.

“Could be,” Kevin mused, “but it’s not like we can know for sure without solid evidence.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Still, we should probably tell Kotohime and Kiara about this. And Heather, too, just to be cautious.”

Iris wrinkled her nose. “Do we really have to tell that dog?”

“That dog happens to be my teacher.” Kevin cast a mildly disapproving glance at Iris. “She has also helped us numerous times. It’s only right that we tell her. Even if she’s not potentially in danger, she might be able to help us.”

“Besides, she’s not bad,” Lilian said, then paused before adding, “for a dog.”

“Fine.” Iris shrugged. “Go ahead ahead and let the dog know about what the pompadour boy told us. It’s not like I care.”

Kevin didn’t even deign to roll his eyes at Iris’s words. He merely unlocked the car, held open the door for Lilian and Iris, and then entered through the driver’s side. After turning on the car’s engine and listening to it lightly thrum, he slowly navigated his way out of the traffic congested parking lot.

***

Justin wondered why a secret organization that had an over 40 million dollar budget made one of their agent’s book a flight on a passenger airliner. He sort of understood the whole “need for secrecy” thing, and he knew that no one would question a teenager traveling on his own these days, but it still didn’t make much sense. Commander Paine never used a passenger airline. He always traveled in one of his customized helicopters.

I wish I had a customized helicopter.

A soft ding sounded out seconds before a female flight attendant spoke up over the intercom.

“We have arrived at our intended destination. I would like to ask that all passengers please exit in an orderly fashion. Thank you very much for traveling with Alpine Air. We wish you an excellent day.”

Unlike everyone else, who jumped out of their seat and rushed to get off, Justin remained where he was, waiting until everyone else had left before grabbing his small duffel bag and exiting the plane himself.

He glanced around upon entering the terminal, searching for the person he was supposed to meet with. It took awhile, mostly because the person he was supposed to meet looked so plain. When he finally did locate his contact, it was only due to the man in question holding up a sign with his name on it.

“Mr. Spencer,” Justin greeted after striding up to the man.

“Justin Verräter.” Allan Spencer nodded at him. “Follow me. I’ll brief you once we get in the car.”

Since Justin had only brought the duffel bag with him, they bypassed luggage claim and walked straight outside of the terminal, where an all black sedan sat waiting for them. Justin climbed into the back seat, having noticed that the front passenger seat was taken by someone. Allan entered from the other side.

Darkness descended upon the vehicle as the doors closed. The windows were tinted to the point where he couldn’t even see out of them, and the only source of light came from a tiny bulb overhead. He couldn’t see the driver or the other passenger, who was blocked from view by a large tinted glass panel.

No one spoke for a long time—not until they were well away from the Phoenix Airport and traveling down the I-10.

“Right,” Justin finally decided to speak up, “are you going to tell me what my mission is, or are we going to play twenty guesses?”

Spencer frowned. “I see that Commander Paine’s report was right. For an individual born and raised for the purpose of spying, you have an awfully… unique personality.”

“All people are unique in some way, in case you haven’t noticed,” Justin fired back. “People are like fingerprints. No two people are ever the same, not even identical twins. If I want to blend in with the crowd, then I need to have my own unique personality.”

Spencer’s frown deepened, but he said nothing more on the subject. “Your mission is to be done in conjunction with a team whose own mission is parallel to yours.”

“And do I get to know what this mission is?”

“At exactly twenty-four hundred hours, a team of specialists and two of our YK series war droids will be sent in to kill two high profile targets. While they are doing this, you will have two assignments. The first is to assassinate Lilian and Iris Pnév̱ma. The second is to either capture or kill Kevin Swift, depending on the situation. We would prefer capture, but if he puts up too much of a fight, then we expect you to properly dispose of him.”

And suddenly, this mission just got a hell of alot more difficult.

“You will be given your own team to command, two elite assassins who have been prepared for this mission, and one of our YK war droids to use in case the mission goes AWOL. Can you do this?”

“Of course,” Justin’s voice was steady and strong, leaving no impression that there might be anything afoot. “It’s just as you said: I was trained to be a spy and an assassin. I won’t have any trouble disposing of a single teenage boy and a pair of two-tailed kitsune.”

Allan Spencer nodded. “Very good. We’ll be counting on you.”

***

Kevin received a surprise when he returned to his condo.

“Welcome home, Master.”

Phoebe curtsied to him, her long blond hair bouncing in strange drill-like curls. No longer wearing her Amazonian armor, the girl had donned a French maid outfit. Her nearly skintight bodice pushed her already impressive breasts up, which were further enhanced by the large dip that revealed vast amounts of creamy white cleavage. Her skirt was indecently short, exposing her muscular thighs. Oddly enough, she was only wearing one black stocking on her left leg. The other was mysteriously bare.

Polydora stood next to the 18 year old woman, the look on her face telling him that she was more than a little put out.

“What are you doing?” he asked. Beside him, Lilian and Iris also looked on, one of them clearly amused while the other appeared resigned.

“I am welcoming you home, Master,” Phoebe answered as if the answer should have been obvious.

“My Lady Phoebe, please do not refer to this miscreant as ‘master,’” Polydora pleaded. “He does not deserve such a title.”

Phoebe tilted her head. “But Master is Master. Why would I call him anything other than what he is?”

“He isn’t your Master!”

“Anyway,” Phoebe decided to ignore Polydora and addressed him, “I wanted to welcome you home, so here I am.”

“Yes, I got that part.” Kevin wondered if sarcasm was needed here. “I meant why are you greeting me? And why are you wearing a French maid costume?”

“Who cares?” Iris said. “I just want to know why I didn’t think of wearing a French maid costume.” She began to drool. “Just think of all the kinky ideas I could come up with. The five of us could easily play French Maid.”

“Dare I ask what that is?” inquired Lilian.

Iris was all too happy to explain. “It’s when—”

“Quiet you,” Kevin quickly put the two-tailed Void Kitsune down before she could get going.

“Tch!”

“I read in that Sekirei picture book that men enjoy it when a woman wears this French maid outfit for them,” Phoebe answered his question with the utmost seriousness.

Kevin resisted the urge to facepalm. “Please don’t go through my manga collection anymore.” A pause. “Wait. Did you say Sekirei?”

“That is, indeed, what I said, Master.”

“Don’t call me master,” Kevin mumbled, his eyes narrowing. “I don’t remember owning that manga. Which volume was it?”

“I know not what volume it is, but if it would please you, Master, I could check.”

“No, no, it’s fine.” Kevin decided to just ignore the way she called him “master.” It wasn’t like she would listen to him anyway. “It’s probably Eric’s—unless you bought it, Lilian?”

“Nope,” Lilian shook her head. “I wouldn’t waste my money on Sekirei. If I want a harem anime with lots of T&A, I’ll buy To Love Ru or Highschool DxD. Sekirei is fun, but I prefer the anime for that over the manga.”

“I figured as much.” Kevin turned his attention from Phoebe to the other girl, who was also dressed as a French maid. “And you? How did Phoebe rope you into wearing that?”

“D-don’t think I am doing this for you.” A blushing Polydora scowled at him. “I-I am only doing this because Lady Phoebe asked for my assistance, and there is nothing that I would not do for Her Ladyship.”

“Uh-huh…” Kevin nodded ever so slowly, his brain trying—and failing—to come up with a proper response. “yeah, I got nothing. Lilian?”

“Have either of you seen Kotohime?” the redhead asked.

“I am right here, Lilian-sama.” Kotohime strolled out of the hallway and into the living room, her bearing the epitome of grace and elegance, her kimono rustling lightly as she walked toward them. As always, the woman was carrying her katana in her left hand. “I hope you three had an enjoyable time at school.”

“It was boring,” Iris answered before anyone else could. “The only upside to school is that I get to see Lily-pad looking adorable as she concentrates on taking notes.”

“It was fine,” Kevin said, ignoring the raven-haired girl behind him.

Kotohime graced Kevin with her beautifully upturned lips. “I am very pleased to hear that.”

“There is something we need to tell you, though,” Lilian added, her expression surprisingly serious.

Kotohime must have sensed the gravity in her charge’s tone, for her demeanor also shifted. It was a subtle thing. Her expression remained unchanged, but her eyes became hard and sharp, much like the katana she wielded so efficiently.

“I see,” she started. There was a short pause as she considered the trio. “Very well, then. I am all ears. What is it that you wished to tell me?”

***

After adjourning to the living room, Kevin and Lilian told Kotohime about what they had learned from Juan. Sitting seiza on the floor, the yamato nadeshiko took in what she had been told with a calmness befitting a swordswoman of her status.

“That is indeed troubling news.” She looked pensive.

“Are you sure the tale that this Juan told you is even accurate?” Phoebe, who’d changed into jeans and a T-shirt at Kevin’s request, asked. She was standing by the couch alongside Polydora, who was back in her armor. “This story of a creature made of liquid silver seems awfully far-fetched to me.”

“That part about the creature made of silver, at least, is most likely true,” Kotohime informed the blonde girl. “Last year, my sister and I fought against two creatures that appeared to be made of liquid metal. Heather-san informed us that these are not actually creatures, but rather, machine’s created by an anti-yōkai organization. They were quite the troublesome foes, but we defeated them easily enough. What concerns me is that Juan said the ones seen in Europe destroyed an entire yōkai village. They should not be that powerful.”

“Do you think this might be an improved version of what you and Kirihime faced before?” Lilian asked. She was sitting next to Kevin, snuggling into his torso. The swell of her breasts pushed into his side, squashing like a pair of marshmallows.

“It could be.” Kotohime confirmed with a nod. “In fact, I am sure that’s exactly what this is. The question, however, is how does this affect us and what are we going to do about it?”

“I don’t think Juan would have said anything if it didn’t involve us in some way,” Kevin added, absentmindedly playing with Lilian’s fingers. “He clearly knows something, but isn’t saying what. He probably wants to amuse himself by seeing what we do with the limited amount of information he gave us, the jerk.”

“What I want to know if why he even told us.” Sitting on the ground, leaning against Lilian’s leg, Iris looked for all the world like a cat who wanted her owner some affection. Kevin frowned as the girl rubbed her face against Lilian’s leg. “Isn’t he supposed to be some big-wig information broker or whatever? I thought those type of people only gave away information when people paid them.”

“He is likely doing this as a favor to Monstrang-dono,” Kotohime hypothesized. “Everyone knows that Kevin-sama works for Monstrang-dono, who controls Arizona and much of the southwestern United States. You can think of it as him paying rent. By looking out for you, Kevin-sama, Juan-san hopes that it will endear him to Monstrang-dono in order to continue conducting business within this state. If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that he has been on thin-ice with Monstrang-dono since the debacle with Seth Naraka.”

“That makes sense.”

“Indeed.”

“This is all well and good,” Polydora interrupted, “but we still don’t know what to do about all this.”

The woman crossed her arms, breasts smashing together within her leather armor. Kevin really had to wonder about her choice in clothing. It was nothing but hardened leather shaped similar to a bikini up top and a skirt on the bottom. She didn’t think she’d blend in wearing something like that, did she?

“In a situation like this, the most we can do is keep our eyes out for any sign of danger,” Kevin said. “If what Kotohime said is true, then Juan probably told us because he thinks these things will attack us soon, which means that we should be on our guard at all times.”

“You are correct, Kevin-sama.” Kotohime gazed proudly at the boy. “That is a most astute assessment of our situation.”

“Eh-hehehehe.” Kevin rubbed the back of his neck while a sheepish grin spread across his face.

“Now then,” Kotohime stood up, “I believe that we have wasted enough time chatting. There is nothing we can do about this threat, if there is indeed a threat, except to prepare for it. In light of that, Kevin-sama, Lilian-sama, Iris-sama, how about a quick spar before dinner?”

***

A barrier had been erected around the small park. Barely visible as a thin layer of translucent lining in the shape of a dome, only those who were already inside of the barrier could see it.

Kevin didn’t know the exact mechanics behind the barrier, but Kotohime had informed him that it would keep all humans from seeing or coming near them. The barrier itself was an illusion based enchantment. It kept people from seeing inside of the barrier, and also instilled a strong sense of wanting to be somewhere else whenever someone came within a certain radius of it. So long as Kotohime refrained from using her extensive repertoire of water and sword techniques, there wouldn’t be any evidence of what was taking place here.

Kevin fired off several rounds at Kotohime, pulling the triggers as quickly as he could. Blue bullets flew from the barrels of his two guns with bright flashes of supernatural energy.

None of them hit.

Despite the amount of youki bullets being fired at her, Kotohime was undaunted. Her sword spun in a blur as she swung it, and she wove a constant dance to avoid the few bullets she couldn’t strike. Flashes of light represented the premeditated death of a bullet that the katana, wielded by a woman who made swordsmanship look like an art form, sliced in half. Kotohime was very methodical in her movements, cutting only those bullets that posed a threat while dodging the rest.

Kevin’s guns clicked empty.

And that was when Kotohime struck.

She reversed her blade and used the pommel to attack him, thrusting her blade forward, striking his body fast and hard—except Kevin wasn’t there anymore.

He was behind her.

Kotohime raised her katana to block the hammer blow that was Kevin’s gun. A loud squeal erupted as gun ground against katana. It looked almost like an even match at first, until Kotohime started enhancing her muscles with a youki, a feat that Kevin could not accomplish. He was, after all, just a human.

Knowing that he was fighting a losing battle, Kevin leapt backwards before Kotohime could hit him. In that same instant, a sphere of light shot forward, using Kevin’s body as cover to sneak up on Kotohime before attacking her in a blitz maneuver.

Kevin knew that despite how well-timed Lilian’s attack was, it wouldn’t be enough to defeat Kotohime. Even as he thought this, the kimono-clad beauty sliced the sphere in half. Of course, that wasn’t the end of it, as the two halves quickly turned into their own miniature sphere’s, which attacked Kotohime again.  They, too, were sliced in half, and those halves morphed into their own spheres in turn.

“Oh, very clever, Lilian-sama,” Kotohime complimented as she spun around to avoid several spheres. She was grace personified. Her breathing was completely even, as if she wasn’t even working up a sweat dodging the now four spheres. “What is this attack called, I wonder?”

“Celestial Art: Many Sun Droplets.”

“Oh, my. That is quite the name you’ve come up with.” Six spheres were sliced in half and quickly turned into 36 smaller spheres. “Still, I believe you’ve given this new technique a most apt name. Ara?”

Kevin had been hoping to surprise the woman by sneaking up behind her and shooting her in the back. Unfortunately, Kotohime proved herself more than capable of sensing his intentions. She also proved herself to be capable of defending against both Lilian’s technique and his barrage of bullets.

The first thing to go was Lilian’s spheres. As ingenuitive as the technique was, It had one major weakness. The youki used to create the technique was divided by half each time the spheres were cut. Kevin liked to think of it in units. If Lilian’s technique cost 100 units of energy, then the first time it was split, each sphere would contain 50 units. When it was split again, the spheres would contain 25, and then 12.5, and then 6.25. Eventually, the spheres would contain so little energy that they couldn’t sustain themselves any longer. Thus they would lose cohesion and disperse. The idea was a little basic, and Kevin knew he was taking liberties with it, but it gave him a means of understanding the overall principle behind Lilian’s attack.

And if he understood the principle, then working out a way around that weakness was easier.

Kevin’s guns soon clicked empty. Acting post haste, he undid the cache and the cartridges fell to the ground. As he rushed toward Kotohime, he brought his guns behind his back, where six more cartridges of ammo were waiting, and smoothly slid two cartridges into his guns.

He bent his body underneath Kotohime’s swing, sliding along the wet grass on his knees, as he pointed his weapons at Kotohime. At the same time, Lilian appeared several feet away, the light she’d bent to render herself invisible falling as she created six spheres of light around her body, all of which flew at Kotohime like blitzcrieg rockets.

It was the perfect attack. Perfectly timed. Perfectly executed. There was no way Kotohime could get out of—

“Ikken Hissatsu.”

“G-gu!”

“Beloved!”

—Kevin didn’t know what happened. One second he was in the process of getting the drop on Kotohime, and the next second he was flying through the air, the world passing around him in a blur. Through squinted eyes, he saw the barrier getting ever closer. He raised his left hand toward it, as if trying to protect himself. Then, just like that time when he fought against Shinkuro, the barrier appeared to peel apart, and he shot straight through, landing on the ground and rolling for several feet before coming to a painful stop.

He lay on his back, trying to figure out why he was suddenly looking at the sky, when a figure appeared before him.

“Beloved? Beloved?! Kevin!”

“Lilian,” he slurred.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“M’fine,” he mumbled, “I think… I can’t get up for some reason.”

Through his blurry vision, Kevin thought he saw Lilian grimacing.

“That’s because you’ve been injured. Hold on one second while I heal you.”

“Kitsune Art: Divine Kiss.”

Kevin felt lips press against his. He tried to kiss back, but his mouth wasn’t willing to respond. He could eventually feel his body mending and imagined this was what it would feel like if someone cast a curaga spell on him. When Lilian pulled away, he felt like he’d never been tossed 20 feet through the air.

“Are you still able to fight, Kevin-sama?” a voiced asked outside his field of vision.

Lilian glared at the voice. “What were thinking, using a technique like that? You could have easily killed him!”

“I used the blunt edge so that my attack would be painful but not fatal. Even if you had not healed him, he would have recovered.”

“But that’s—”

“It’s fine, Lilian.”

“B-beloved?”

Kevin clambered to his feet. His legs shook as he was overcome with a minor sense of vertigo, but he got over it quickly. He then looked down at his mate, grabbing her hand and pulling her up.

“I asked for this. My journey to rescue you from the Shénshèng Clan has taught me that I’ve still got a long way to go before I can really stand by your side. I told Kotohime not to take it easy on me.”

Lilian bit her lower lip, but she eventually nodded, though she appeared quite reluctant.

“A-alright. If this is what you want, then I won’t stop you.”

“Thank you.”

“But!” Lilian pointed at Kotohime. “If you’re not gonna take it easy on my beloved, then I want you to stop taking it easy on me.”

“Are you sure?” asked Kotohime.

“Of course! Beloved and I are in this together. If you stop pulling your punches with him, then you’re going to stop with me, too.”

“Very well.” Kotohime sheathed her katana and slid into battoujutsu stance. “Come at me with everything you have.”

***

“Ugh, we lost so hard,” Kevin moaned from where he lay on the ground. He would’ve tried standing up, but his body felt like it had been squashed by the Beastly Titan. Besides, the damp grass felt nice on his back.

Lilian, unable to form a proper reply, merely groaned beside him.

“Ufufufu,” Kotohime giggled as stood above them, her kimono pristine, with naught a scratch nor wrinkle to be found. “You should have realized an attack of that nature would never work on me, especially since neither of you are fast enough to pull it off.”

“Way to rub it in,” Kevin groaned as he slowly and painfully climbed to his feet. He ignored the way his muscles squealed in protest and helped Lilian to her feet. His mate moaned in complaint as she was forced to stand, but he allowed her to lean on him for support, thereby taking most of the weight off her legs, which shook from the strain of ensuring that she remained standing.

“Thanks, Kevin.”

“Anytime.”

“That was quite the battle brat.” Kiara walked up to the group, her lips curled into an amused smirk. She must have arrived some time during their sparring session. “You two actually managed to last ten full minutes this time. That’s impressive.”

“Kiara-san,” Kotohime greeted cordially.

“Sup.” Kiara raised a hand in a gesture of greeting. Of course, she only had one hand to raise.

“I had not realized you were here. Ufufufu, you must have become quite skilled at youki manipulation to slip through my barrier unnoticed.”

“What can I say? I’ve trained with my youki extensively.” Kiara’s eyes glittered dangerously. “If you want, I’d be more than pleased to show you what I’ve learned?”

“Perhaps some other time,” Kotohime said. Kiara sighed in disappointment.

While the two adults greeted each other, Kevin and Lilian stumbled over to a nearby tree, where the other people their age sat. Phoebe, Polydora, and Iris had all watched the battle from the relatively safe location of the barrier’s edge. As they meandered over to the group, Phoebe was the first to congratulate them.

“A most excellent match, Master. You did quite well to face off against someone with so much more experience and power than you.”

“Thanks, I guess.” Kevin slumped to the grassy floor and leaned his back against the tree. Lilian curled up against his side, using his shoulder as a pillow, while she held his left arm close to her chest. Kevin could feel the elasticity of her bosoms while his arm pushed into her boobs. “We would have lasted longer if someone else had chosen to spar alongside us, though.”

Already knowing the dig was at her, Iris just grinned, her eyes gleaming like twin bloody moons. “You know I never like getting sweaty unless it involves the three of us and a bed.”

Kevin sighed. “Considering you’ve never joined Lilian and I when we do, well, that, I don’t think you can make such a claim.”

“Che, whatever.” Iris clicked her tongue in annoyance at the reminder. She glanced at Lilian, who shook her head slowly, and then sighed. “The only reason I haven’t been able to join you two is because you’re a prude. You know how many guys would love to be in your position? Probably millions, yet you don’t take advantage of it. You’re just too straight-laced. You should learn to live a little.”

Kevin didn’t return Iris’s words with a witty comeback, not because he didn’t want to give one, but because he couldn’t think of one.

His relationship with Iris was strange. They had supported each other during their journey to rescue Lilian several months ago, and he had learned a lot about the girl throughout their travels. He respected her for what she had to put up with, for constantly fighting against the voices that connected her to the Void, and for the love she possessed for Lilian—even if that last point also kind of bothered him.

No, not kind of. Immensely. There was just something… wrong about someone having sexual feelings for her own sister.

Iris had become a lot more affection toward him as well. When the three of them were sleeping together, there were times when Iris would spoon with him instead of Lilian. When he and Lilian were playing video games or watching anime, there was a 50-50 chance that Iris would use his lap as a pillow instead of Lilian’s. And sometimes, when Lilian worked on her illustrations, Iris would spend time with him instead of the redhead.

It was weird, and he didn’t know how to respond to her, but as Lilian never once voiced a complaint or, indeed, even seemed to care, he just let the girl do what she pleased. The one thing that he remained adamant on was intimacy. He refused to let Iris join him and Lilian during their more intimate fun, despite the raven-haired vixen’s numerous attempts at doing just that. It just didn’t feel right.

“I must agree with Iris.” Phoebe nodded at Lilian’s fraternal twin. “You should, how do you say… ‘lighten up?’ Yes, you should learn to lighten up.”

“I know how to lighten up plenty,” Kevin returned fire.

“Then why have you not helped me produce a child yet?”

“Urk!” Kevin felt the metaphorical hammer slam into his gut.

“L-Lady Phoebe!” a scandalized Polydora shouted.

“What?” Phoebe looked at her subordinate. “Is that not the whole reason you and I have traveled all this way? We followed Kevin to this country so that I could convince him to help me conceive a child.”

“Are you really going to start talking about this right now?” Kevin asked and was suitably ignored.

“I still do not know what you see in this miscreant.” Polydora crossed her arms. Her glare could have melted steel. “He is just a beast. He’s not worthy of helping you create life.”

“I’m right here, you know?” Kevin said and was, again, ignored. Iris snickered into her hand, causing him to glare at her. “Quiet you.”

“There will be no baby making going on.” Lilian, who Kevin thought had fallen asleep, raised her head to penetrate Phoebe with her stern stare. “Kevin is sixteen years old. That’s far too young to be procreating.”

Phoebe frowned. “My mother had me when she was fifteen.”

“Your mother was also a yōkai who lived by different social standards,” Lilian argued back. “Kevin is a human, and until you can understand and accept that, you will never get my approval.”

Kevin could almost hear his brain frying as it tried to comprehend Lilian’s words. “Um, what?”

“I see,” Phoebe murmured. “So you are the one whose approval I need to seek.”

“That’s right.” Lilian smirked at the girl. “Kevin is my mate. If you want him, then you need my permission.”

“N-now just hold on a second here…” Kevin tried to say.

“Very well, then.” Phoebe nodded decisively several times. “I understand now. In that case, I shall endeavor to learn more about human culture and understand what it means to be human, so that I might earn your permission to eventually bare Master Kevin’s child.”

“N-now hold on just a minute here!” Kevin tried to say, but he was stopped by Lilian.

“Just let it go, Beloved,” she whispered into his ear.

“But I thought we agreed there would be no harem,” Kevin whispered back harshly.

“We did,” Lilian nodded, “and there won’t be so long as you still think that way. However, she doesn’t know that.”

It took him a second, but Kevin eventually understood what Lilian meant. Ever since Phoebe had appeared in Arizona, claiming that she still wanted to bare his children, the yume uba had been nothing but a pain. He’d come home to find her dressed in skimpy outfits or even buck naked. Sometimes Phoebe would say lines that sounded like they’d been taken straight from a harlequin romance novel, and one time she’d even quoted Miia from Monster Musume. She had also tried to sleep with him, but thankfully, Lilian and Iris had kicked her out of his bed before that could happen.

It had gotten so bad that Kevin actually sought sanctuary at school, the only place that Phoebe would not travel to for some reason.

However, what Lilian had just done could, theoretically, solve his problem. First, she had suggested that Phoebe didn’t know enough about human culture. Knowing the yume uba as he did, Kevin knew that she would begin studying human culture more, which meant she wouldn’t be bothering him as much. Second, Lilian had told Phoebe that the only way she would be allowed to have his children was if she got her permission—and Lilian wouldn’t give Phoebe permission, no matter how hard the blonde woman tried.

In short, Lilian had just solved his problem with four or five sentences.

“Have I told you that I love you recently?” Kevin asked earnestly.

“Every day since you rescued me.” Lilian’s beaming smile reminded Kevin of sunlight breaking through storm clouds. “But it never hurts to hear you say it some more.”

***

After recovering enough to move, the group made it back to the condo, where Kotohime prepared a large dinner for them. During that time, Kevin informed Kiara and Heather, who had joined them, about what Juan told him at school. They had promised to be careful.

After dinner, the various people went their separate ways. Kiara and Heather returned to their condo, while Phoebe and Polydora returned to the condo they shared with the other yume uba who had traveled with them.

Phoebe had originally wanted to share a condo with Kevin, but he and Lilian had shot her down quickly. She had then gone to Kiara and asked for a place to stay. While the powerful inu had not let the yume uba live with her, she had helped them find a job and a condo within her complex.

Kevin hadn’t been very happy with Kiara for some reason.

Lilian stood in the bathroom, brushing her teeth, Iris standing next to her and doing the same. Kevin had finished his nightly ritual first and was likely in bed waiting for them.

“Why didn’t you join us when we were sparring Kotohime?” Lilian asked after spitting out her toothpaste and washing her mouth out. “Didn’t you tell me that you wanted to become stronger?”

“Well, yeah, but that doesn’t mean I have to join you and the stud all the time, does it?” Iris put her automatic toothbrush on its charger. “I’m not crazy about undergoing a shōnen manga training regimen like you two.”

Lilian narrowed her eyes slightly. “That’s not it. Ever since we came back to Arizona, you’ve been more sarcastic than usual.” When Iris turned her head, the frown tugging at Lilian’s lips deepened. “It’s the whispers, isn’t it?”

The whispers were what connected all Void Kitsune to the Void. It was the whispers that allowed them to use their powers.

Lilian knew very little about the Void or the whispers. Her sister had never let her read The Codex of the Void, but she knew enough to be concerned.

“They have been getting a little stronger,” Iris admitted reluctantly.

Lilian reached out and grabbed her sister’s hand. “Do you want me to use my powers to suppress them?”

As a Celestial Kitsune, her powers could suppress the Void, but only for a short time. Back when they were younger, Lilian would always use her Celestial powers to negate the whispers, or at least lessen their influence.

“No.” Iris shook her head and smiled at Lilian. “Thanks, but I can’t rely on you forever. I’ll have to face this eventually.”

Lilian’s eyes widened when she realized what Iris was talking about. “Then…”

“Yeah, the trials will happen soon. I can feel it.”

“O-oh.” No wonder Iris hadn’t joined them in their spar with Kotohime. Using the Void made the whispers stronger. It also explained why she didn’t mind training in hand-to-hand combat with her and Kevin. She wanted to get stronger, but she was unwilling to use the Void because it would make the trials come that much quicker. “If… if you need any help…”

Iris smiled at her. “I’ll be relying on you and the stud for support.”

“Um!” Lilian nodded, slightly reassured by her sister’s words.

The two entered the bedroom to see Kevin sitting on the bed, flipping through the pages of a manga. Natsumo Shinobi.

“One Piece is better,” Lilian said as she crawled onto the bed.

“Heathen,” Kevin shot back with no real heat. “You clearly know nothing of good manga.”

He closed the manga and set it on the nightstand, then laid down as she snuggled up to him. She placed her head on his shoulder and a hand on his chest. Her left leg went over his, and her two tails were quick to wrap around one of his legs, tickling his thigh. She closed her eyes and sighed, but before Kevin’s warmth could lull her into a sense of serenity, Lilian realized that Iris hadn’t joined them yet.

So had Kevin.

“Are you going to stand there all night?” her mate asked. Lilian lifted her head and saw Iris staring at them, her face a mask of concentration.

“I’ll join you in a second,” Iris muttered, her eyes narrowing. “I just have to decide who I’m going to cuddle with tonight.”

Kevin’s face twitched in exasperation. “Do you really have to do this?”

“It’s an important decision,” Iris insisted.

“Um, no, I’m pretty sure you’re the only one who thinks that.”

Her sister ignored Kevin’s words and mumbled to herself. “Last night I slept against the stud, but that was spooning, and I’m rather tempted to rest my head on his pecs. They make a surprisingly good pillow. On the other hand, spooning Lilian is always a pleasure—and I can easily feel her up while she sleeps… plus those boobs are incredibly soft. I just love burying my face in them. What to do, what to do.”

“Lilian, your sister’s doing it again.”

“Just let her be, Beloved.” Lilian scooted her body even closer against Kevin, closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of his calloused hands gently scratching behind her ears. “You know how Iris gets sometimes.”

Iris eventually made her decision and crawled into bed on the opposite side as Lilian. The raven-haired kitsune rested her head on Kevin’s chest and made herself comfortable—or she tried to, at least.

“Stud, wrap your arm around me and pull me close.”

“Um, no.”

“Lilian.”

“Just do what she says, Beloved.”

“Why are you taking her side?”

“Because she’s more annoying than you are.”

“That’s a terrible reason to side with her!”

“Uhuhuhu, what’s wrong, Stud? Afraid of breaking that prudish habit of yours?”

“I’d hardly consider myself a prude.”

“Then how come you and Lilian haven’t had hot, raunchy sex yet.”

“...”

“I thought so. Now shut up and put that arm around me.”

Lilian felt Kevin shift against her as he did what Iris told him to. She wanted to giggle, but she resisted and instead kissed Kevin’s chest.

“You’re becoming awfully genre savvy, Beloved.”

Kevin made a disgruntled noise in the back of his throat. “That doesn’t make me very happy, you know?”

“I know.” Lilian, her eyes still closed, smiled against his chest. “I love you, Kevin.”

“I love you, too.”

“Hey, you two. Where’s my love?”

“You don’t get any love. I’ve only got enough for one person.”

“Don’t be stingy, Stud.”

“I’ll be as stingy as I want.”

“Lilian?”

Lilian sighed, but she still responded. “I love you, Iris.”

“See that?” Her sister sounded condescending. “Lily-pad is giving me her love. Why can’t you?”

“Lilian’s your sister. It’s only natural.”

“And giving your mate’s sister some love isn’t?”

“Yes.”

“Fine. Whatever. Don’t give me some lovin’. See if I care.”

“Okay. I will.”

“Tch!”

As silence fell over them, Lilian thought about her relationship with Kevin. She knew that he wasn’t comfortable with Iris’s inclusion into their relationship, which was why he bickered with the girl, but he still tried to accept Iris for her sake. Despite being a human with human morals, he tried to accept that relationships amongst kitsune were different, and he did his best to accommodate her sister because he knew it would make her happy. Lilian appreciated that. At the same time…

I have to keep my promise.

She had promised Iris that she would talk to Kevin about including her in their relationship. The two of them had made a promise when they were younger, that whoever got the first mate would share him with the other.

Before she drifted to sleep, Lilian vowed that she would do everything she could to make sure the three of them got their “Happily Ever After” ending.

***

Adam and Ian were genetically modified twins. Since the very moment they could walk, Commander Ethan Paine had them trained in kidnapping and assassination. Working with a synchronization that no one else could ever hope to match, they had never failed a mission, be it capturing an important political figure or assassinating a dangerous yōkai. No one had ever escaped from them.

Having waited until the the dead of night, Adam and Ian finally decided to commence their mission. The plan that lieutenant Justin had laid out for them was quite simple. They would sneak in while everyone else was asleep, kill the two yōkai, then secure the third target, and vacate the premise.

The two kitsune bodyguards, Kotohime and Kirihime, would likely try to pursue them, but they had two YK series wardroids waiting in case that happened.

They would need to be quick, however. The plan hinged on them being swift and silent. A single wrong move could end in death.

“It’s a quarter to midnight,” the voice of their superior, one Justin Verräter, said from the comm. unit in their ear. “Your mission starts in fifteen seconds and counting.”

Adam held a hand to his ear and spoke. “Understood.”

“We’ll start the operation in fifteen seconds,” Ian added.

“They won’t know what hit them.”

“Right. I wish you luck in your mission.”

“We don’t need luck.”

“But thank you for the sentiment.”

“Do you two practice that? Because I know a pair of twins and they talk nothing like you.”

“That?”

“What’s that?”

“… Never mind. Start your mission.”

The mission started simply enough. Adam and Ian leapt from rooftop to rooftop, their footsteps near silent as they moved across the red brick tiles. It didn’t take long before they arrived at their targets’s residence, and upon their arrival, they immediately began the next phase of their plan.

Moving in perfect synchronicity, the two secured a rope and pulley to the roof, attached their grappling lines to the rope, and then descended over the edge of the apartment.

Their targets were on the second floor, according to their information. The window leading to their targets’s bedroom was located on the northern side of the building, which actually proved beneficial to them, as it meant they were facing the complex’s interior, and therefore didn’t have to worry about passing cars potentially spotting them.

Upon reaching the window, Ian pulled out a small device. It had three parts; a small conical center, a device that looked similar to a laser pointer, and extendable metal pole that attached the other two parts together. The cone acted as a suction cup. After pressing it against the glass, Ian adjusted the connector to a specific length, then turned the device on.

The surgical glass cutter used a high-intensity precision laser to slice straight through the glass window. Aside from the thin line that was only visible when the moonlight hit it, no one would be able to tell the glass was being cut. When the device had done its job, Ian grabbed the cutter and pulled, taking the glass with it.

Ian entered the bedroom first, followed swiftly by Adam, who pulled the glass back into place, careful not to make any noise. Both of them landed on silent feet.

The room appeared to be a mostly normal bedroom. It was large, about 150 square feet at a rough estimate. Plain white walls decorated with posters of video games and anime greeted them. On one side, an entertainment station with a flat-screen tv and several video game consoles sat. They were situated next to a bookshelf filled to bursting with manga and anime. On the other, a queen sized bed with red sheets and three figures snuggled underneath a large comforter.

It was the bed they went to. Adam on the left and Ian on the right.

The three figures slept on, blissfully unaware of their impending death. A boy lay in the center, his blond hair messy. Two girls lay on either side, as different as night and day. They snuggled against the boy, who had pulled them both close in his sleep. The way the two girls wrapped around the boy reminded them of two cobras crushing a mouse between them. Although the boy didn’t seem to mind. Indeed, he looked rather comfortable.

Adam and Ian glanced at each other. A silent conversation passed between them. They nodded, then reached behind their backs and pulled out a small dagger. As one, they placed a hand over their respective target’s mouth, to ensure silence.

And then they slit their targets’ throats.

Eyes shot wide open as carnelian fluid gushed from open wounds. The two kitsune tried to scream, but the hands muffled any sounds that may have come out. All that was emitted from their mouths was a soft gurgling as they choked on their own blood. Even then, the gurgling only lasted for a second, maybe two, before they bled out. The cuts Adam and Ian made had been quite surgical, slicing straight through the jugular vein. Neither target had time to so much as thrash before they died, eyes dulling and bodies growing still, their life fluid gushing from a deep gash and running down their necks.

Adam and Ian looked up at each other, to confirm the others readiness for the next phase of the plan.

They only had a split second to realize that something was wrong.

They were not standing on either side of the bed, but directly in front of it. Their two targets were not lying in pools of their own blood. They were not even on the bed. In fact, there was no one on the bed.

Someone stood right in front of them. His shaggy blond hair hid light blue eyes reminiscent of ice chips. He glared at them, one hand touching each of their skulls.

“Sneaking into my bedroom and trying to kill my mate and her sister? Bad move,” he told them, and then he slammed their heads together. Hard.

As their consciousness slipped away, Adam and Ian realized what had happened. What just happened, them moving up to the bed and slitting the girls’s throats, had all been an illusion. They had been tricked, though they had no idea of when they had been ensnared.

Mission failed.

Step-by-Step Guide to Sideload EPUB Files Purchased from Shopify onto Kindle

Amazon now supports EPUB files on Kindle, but you need to send them through Send to Kindle or convert them. Follow these steps to get your EPUB books on your Kindle.

Method 1: Send to Kindle (Recommended)

Amazon now allows you to send EPUB files directly to your Kindle via email or the Send to Kindle app.

Step 1: Find Your Kindle Email Address

Go to Amazon → Manage Your Content & Devices (Link).

Click the Devices tab.

Select your Kindle device and note the "Send-to-Kindle Email" (e.g., yourname@kindle.com).

Step 2: Send EPUB to Kindle via Email

Open your email client (Gmail, Outlook, etc.).

Compose a new email to your Send-to-Kindle Email.

Attach the EPUB file you purchased.

Send the email. Amazon will convert it and deliver it to your Kindle.

Alternative: Use the "Send to Kindle" App

Download the Send to Kindle App (PC, Mac).

Drag and drop the EPUB file into the app.

Select your Kindle and send it.

Method 2: USB Transfer (For Advanced Users)

This method requires converting the EPUB to Kindle’s MOBI or AZW3 format.

Step 1: Convert EPUB to MOBI or AZW3

Download Calibre (Link).

Open Calibre and add your EPUB file.

Click Convert books → Choose MOBI or AZW3 as the output format.

Click OK to convert.

Step 2: Transfer to Kindle via USB

Connect your Kindle to your PC/Mac using a USB cable.

Open the Kindle folder in File Explorer (Windows) / Finder (Mac).

Drag and drop the converted file into the Documents folder.

Eject your Kindle, and your book will appear in your library.

Bonus: Use a Third-Party App

Apps like Send to Kindle for Android/iOS or Readwise Reader can also sync EPUBs to Kindle.

Now, enjoy your book on Kindle! 📖🔥