Home for Horny Monsters - Book Six

Not a Creature was Stirring

Yuki sat in bed with her knees pulled up against her chest. In one hand was an old copy of Alice in Wonderland and in the other was a handful of foxfire. Her bedroom light was off since the foxfire provided plenty of light to read by.

Alice wasn't even open. Instead, she ran her fingers over the well-loved cover, tracing the portrait in the middle. It had been a gift from Emily, the only true love of her life. The two had been inseparable until Emily had fallen under the influence of the shadow and locked Yuki in a tower-world. The last time she had seen Emily alive was when the former Caretaker had returned to steal her eye for a magical ritual.

A single tear fell on the book, and Yuki wiped it away, smearing condensation across the cover. Her relationship with Emily had been a lifetime ago, in human terms, anyway. The hurt was still there, but time had a habit of helping old wounds scar over.

She opened the book and ran her fingers over the pages. There was once a moment where she had opened this book for the first time. Its pages would have seen a young, vibrant kitsune that was hopeful for a future filled with love and laughter. Later, it bore witness to heartbreak followed by inconsolable rage. The book was like an old friend. It had seen her both at her best and her worst.

Moving the foxfire closer, she wondered how long it would take the book to burn away completely. It was just one of many tendrils remaining that connected her to the past, but it was easily the one that hurt the most.

Her conversation with Naia had been a long one. She hadn't wanted to have it in the backyard where anyone could listen in. However, walking in on Mike and Naia having sex had definitely thrown her off. It wasn't the first time she had seen it, but it was perhaps the longest she had actually watched.

"What do I want?" she wondered aloud, then set her book down on the nightstand. She closed her hand, extinguishing the foxfire and plunging the room into darkness. Yuki laid back on the bed, her gaze on the ceiling. More than once, it felt like she was still trapped in that other world while this one kept spinning without her. It was easy enough to put on a brave face, to act like nothing was bothering her. Out of everyone in the house, it was Mike who had seen through the mirage. He seemed to understand exactly what she was going through.

Sighing, she pulled a pillow over her face and groaned as she went over her conversation with Naia.

"Is it okay that I'm ready to move on?" she asked as she stared blankly at her feet. She sat naked in the tub, her back pressed against Naia's knees as the nymph rubbed her shoulders.

"That's something only you can know," Naia had replied.

"It's strange, but I feel like I should be happier about it. Forgiveness hasn't been easy, but..." Yuki shrugged, which sent ripples through the water. "It's like that gaping hole in the middle of me is finally...okay. It's not great, but I no longer feel like I'm one step away from falling apart."

Naia stopped rubbing Yuki's shoulders and started braiding her hair just below the ears. "I think it's wonderful that you feel that way. It's been over a year since your return. I often thought it would take you much longer to get to where you are today."

Yuki flicked the water with a finger, releasing just enough of her magic to freeze the water droplet as it formed. It plunked back into the bath, then floated away from her and melted away.

"Realistically, it should have," she replied. "But I think you know part of the reason why I feel this way."

Naia leaned into Yuki, hugging her tightly from behind. "It's him, isn't it?" she asked in a low whisper.