Bleeding Lotus

Chapter 4

I'm abruptly awoken by a rough tug on one of my ears and a string of frantic, high-pitched whimpers. My pink eyes snap open only to meet the wide, panic-filled gaze of a fox-the one who had taken over my watch while the rest of the pack played or slept. Her glossy gold eyes are swimming with fear, her chest heaving rapidly as she lets out a low, trembling howl before sharply jerking her head toward the dense forest in the distance.

Instantly jumping to my feet, every muscle in my body tenses. I perk my ears up, straining to listen through the cool evening air, and quickly catch the unmistakable sounds of rustling leaves, snapping twigs, and heavy footsteps crushing against the ground. The rhythm is wrong for any animals. Too uneven and loud. My stomach twists with dread as I realize it is something far worse than any animal-humans.

Before I even have time to warn the pack or rush them to safety, three men carrying rifles emerge from the shadows of the trees and step into the clearing. My lips curl back at the sight of the intruders, exposing my sharp fangs as a low growl vibrates deep within my chest.

"Well, well, well, look what we got here. Have you ever seen so many foxes grouped together in your life?" A greasy-looking man standing between two other humans asks with a crooked grin. His oily hair hands limply around his sweaty face, and the smug confidence in his tone instantly tells me he is the leader of the small group.

The scrawny young man beside him slowly scans over the frightened creatures now huddled behind me. "Damn," he mutters then whistles, "at most I've only ever seen maybe five together." He grins afterward, revealing a row of yellowed, crooked teeth that make my stomach churn in disgust.

"We were just talking about how hungry we were," the greasy man casually says while adjusting the gun slung over his shoulder. "Looks like we won't have to bother doing any real hunting tonight. A few of these would make for a good meal, and we could sell their pelts for a decent price too."

No longer able to tolerate the vile words spilling from their mouths, I step protectively in front of my pack. My hackles rise along with my spine until every strand of fur stands on end, and a deep warning growl rumbles from my throat. If they want to harm my pack, they will have to go through me first. Humans are usually simple creatures to deal with, cowards that scare easily when faced with something stronger than themselves.

My growling should draw all of their attention to me long enough for the foxes to slip away unnoticed and retreat to the safety of the cave hidden in the hillside. Seeing my appearance, the men laugh. The sound is cruel and mocking as they begin talking amongst themselves about the bravery of a stupid 'mutant' fox. One of them snickers that the 'pathetic' animal wouldn't be acting so fearless if it knew it was just moments away from dying.

Rage burns hot under my skin. Every strand of fur on my body is rigid as I take several slow steps toward them. A vicious growl tears through my chest before shifting into sharp snarls meant to sound as threatening and terrifying as possible. Normally, when humans think a wild animal is about to attack, they panic and flee without hesitation. These men are different. Instead of fear, amusement gleams in their eyes as they smirk and laugh at my display.

"This is the first time I've ever laid eyes on an albino fox," the greasy one says while greedily inspecting every inch of my body. His gaze lingers on my unnaturally large frame and the nine tails fanning out behind me. "Not to mention that size and whatever genetic problems caused it to have so many tails. Her fur could bring in a lot of money... or we could just have her stuffed. She;s make a great addition to our collection."

The way he speaks about me-as though I am nothing more than an object to skin and display-makes fury pulse violently through my veins. Hating them more and more every time one of them opens their mouth I lower my head and spread my legs apart into a fighting stance, claws digging into the dirt beneath me. I start snapping my jaws at them viciously, thick saliva dripping from my sharp teeth as another savage snarl escapes me. At the same time, I unleash my aura-a crushing wave of pressure powerful enough to instill fear into most living creatures and send them running without ever looking back.

Much to my displeasure, my power doesn't seem to affect them at all. If anything, they look even more entertained, grinning at each other as though my aggression is the funniest thing they have ever seen. Dammit. My attempts to scare them off won't work. They are leaving me with no choice but to shift.

Shifting in front of humans is something that I should never do unless you plan to draw blood. It breaks every rule to protect the supernatural from exposure. But at times like this it is either shift... or lose my pack.

Making an ethereal blue light bloom around me, my body morphs from a majestic white nine tailed fox into my original form, the blue light shimmers as it wraps around my body. Too add a little more flare to the transition, I use my powers to lift myself gracefully into the air, settling into a seductive position as though resting on an invisible throne made just for me. One pale slender leg crosses elegantly over the other while I lean back slightly, my long white hair cascading down like liquid moonlight.

Once I am perfectly in position, the glowing blue light vanishes revealing my true self to the despicable humans before me. Silence falls over the clearing at the sight of me. The three men's mouths gape open while their eyes widen in stunned disbelief, completely captivated by my ethereal beauty and the alluring pose I hold so effortlessly. Draped over my figure is a blue flower-patterned traditional kimono cut scandalously short at mid-thigh, the soft fabric hugging my curves while the loose neckline dips low enough to reveal my cleavage. Matching blue stilettos adorn my feet, making my legs appear even longer and more enticing. Because of the way my legs are crossed, the hem of the kimono rides higher, exposing the smooth pale skin under one thigh.

From what I have observed of humans and other beings alike, they are weak creatures when faced with beauty and seduction. They crave it, worship it, and lose themselves within it. The art of seduction was one of the things Elder first taught me, he said seduction can be used to lure humans and supernaturals away from a fox, he was right.