Chapter XI

Allison moved through the hallways and walked straight out of the front doors of the school. Getting into her car, she drove away. She had no idea where she was going, though, she knew that she needed to be alone.

As she drove, her phone rang, and text messages came in. She picked up her phone and silenced it when she saw that it was Stiles and Lydia calling and texting her. Allison was so frustrated. The tears swelled in the wells of her eyes, and she did everything she could to hold them back.

The worst part about everything was Scott and Lydia. Her parents and Aunt are expected to lie to her. But her friends, her boyfriend, was supposed to be honest with her. She remembered seeing Scott drive away last night. She knew that he was apart of what happened or at least knew what was going on. And to make matters worse, she knew that he was avoiding her all day. She pretended not to notice how he stupidly hid behind a book as if she wouldn't notice him.

Allison's tires suddenly screeched as she made a hard turn around the corner. She soon ended up in the Beacon Hills Preserve before stopping. Just another thing that pisses her off. Unlike San Francisco, there was nowhere besides the woods, full of man-eating beasts, she could go to be alone. It was infuriating.

Allison looked at her phone again and looked at the red ink on her arm. She dials the number, the puts the phone to her ear.

The phone rang for a while. When the call finally connected it was like Allison's heart dropped, mouth dried, and a lump appeared in her throat.

"Hello?" Tenko asked.

"Ye...Yea...Yes, I'm here." she said.

Tenko grinned on the other side of the phone. He knew exactly who was calling him. "Who is this?" he asked.

"Allision...Allision Arg--"

"Mademoiselle Argent... I know" he said. "Ready to talk?"

"Please... Do you have any idea what it's like to be kept in the dark? When bodies are dropping around you and everyone seems to know why, but you're clueless? "

"No... But I would like to help you if you let me."

"That's why I'm calling you. Can we meet somewhere? I'm still kind of new, so where--"

"Me too. But I have a place. I'll text you the address and you can meet me there in fifteen?"

Allison released an elated sigh. She nodded to her self with a small smile. "That sounds good. I'll be there," she said.

____________________________________________________________________________

Allison pulled up at a big manor on a hill, after following a near three-mile dirt road up. Workers were moving to and fro, gutting the house and clearing out the mess. When she stepped out of the car, she locked her doors, pulled her hair back into a ponytail, then walked to speak to the man who looked to be in charge.

"Excuse me... I'm looking for Tenko Nakashige" she said.

The man looked at her and squinted. "I don't know anybody by that name. This is private property, you need to leave," he spoke in a firm and less than unwelcome tone.

"Well, okay..." Allison looked a bit confused and turned to leave.

"Fredrick! Send her up!" Tenko shouted from the house.

The man in charge, Fredrick, nodded to Tenko, then called Allison back. Fredrick walked Allison through the worksite and into the house.

Allison looked around the manor in awe. It was messy and dust was everywhere, but she saw the beauty in the place. And the sheer size made her house look like a condo. But, she also felt like she shouldn't be there. Tenko always put her off in a way she couldn't explain. Things around him always seemed obscure and if she was being honest, a bit dangerous.

"Hey! You made it! How do you like it?" Tenko asked as he gestured to the manor.

"It's...It's amazing." she admitted.

"I'm glad you like it. Because it's for you." Tenko spoke and soft mellow voice. It seemed to convey his seriousness, leaving Allison speechless.

"You... You can't be serious. You don't even know me, let alone like me. Where would you even get the money for this... Tenko, don't fool around." she stammered.

"I'm serious, mademoiselle Argent. c'est ta nouvelle maison."

Allison was stuck. Tenko seemed to be in charge. Now he tells her, that he's was giving her a massive house. She didn't even know how to feel.

Tenko watched as she internalized everything. He then moved to cup the side of her face and gently turned her to face him. He gazed into her soft light brown eyes and Allison suddenly felt a heat growing in her depths.

"Allison, the moment I saw you step out of that car and feasted on your sensual beauty. I knew had to fuck with you."

Allison blinked and her brow furrowed. "What?" she asked.

"I said I'm fucking with you. This house is mine. But you should have seen your face though. It was amazing." he chuckled.

Allison smacked his arm and she wore a subtle smile. "I can still come over when the place is finished, right?"

Tenko held his hand to his mouth and feigned shock. "Allison Argent, I thought you didn't like me?"

Allison giggled, "I just didn't know you. And to be fair, I thought you didn't like me."

"On the contrary, love. I don't like your family, though that aunt of yours is like walking aphrodisiac. But you've got her beat hands down. To bad you're in love with an Omega. I would have loved to take you for a spin."

Allison found herself stuck, again. Though, she couldn't help but find all of Tenko's words strangely amusing, overly pleasing. And she felt slightly guilty for liking his words, even though she felt that he had just insulted her boyfriend.

"Umm, Thank you... And there will be no 'spinning' between us, Tenko." Allison replied. Then the thought of 'spinning' with Tenko turned her cheeks and neck red.

"I'm going to remember that. When you come begging, I'm going to remind of this moment... But enough flirting, you have questions and I have answers. Follow me."

Tenko led Allison outside to the balcony. Allison gasps with reverence at the view. The balcony overlooked the Beacon Hills preserve. In the distance, the town could be seen as if she owned the place but would rather not live there.

Tenko allowed her to take in the beauty of the landscape a little longer before he said, "This was the old Mayor's house. And when I say, old, I mean 'old'. The Mayors of Beacon hills used to be druids. This way, they were able to keep the supernatural in line. Some time passed and some hotshot hunters moved in and got the mayoral seat scrapped. The surrounding areas became Beacon Hills county. They don't even teach that at school."

Allison looked at Tenko like he was nuts, but she had this strange feeling in her gut that believed every word he was saying. "So, this place has been abandon for how long?" she asked.

"Since 1852. come with me, there's something I want to show you." Tenko then led Allison upstairs.

Along the way, Allison asked, "How did you find this place?"

"Well, I'm planning on building a team, per se. I need a place to call my own. So, I found this place in my first week here. Then I started paying Fredrick to gut the place. I eventually became curious and that's when I found out about the old mayor. A friend of mine is a druid, she knows her shit." Tenko explained.

"So this place is really all yours?"

"For the most part. I need to pay property taxes and then yes, it will be all mine," he replied.

Allison smiled to herself. "You know most people our age worry about grades, relationships, college, lacrosse. And here you are buying abandon historical landmarks with odd conspiracies."

Tenko chuckled as he stopped at the only painting left in the entire manor.

"I'm just tired of moving around, ya know?"

Allison's brow furrowed and she slightly nodded her head as she said, "Yeah, I know."

"Anyways, It's not a conspiracy. This is a painting of Beacon Hills in 1850 after California became the 31st state. You see that tree?" he referred to the painting.

Allison nodded and Tenko began to explain what a Nemeton was and what it meant to the druids.

"Do you know why druids are important, Allison?"

She shook heard, signifying that she didn't know the answer. Tenko smiled and recounted a story from the times of the ancient greeks, about a King named Lycaon. He told her of how the King tested the God-King, Zeus. Lycaon wanted to see if the God-King was truly all-knowing. So Lycaon killed one of his sons and fed the boy's flesh to Zeus.

Zeus took one look at the meat and flew into a rage. But he did not kill Lycaon. Instead, Zeus turned Lycaon and his fifty remaining sons into wolfs. Lycaon soon sought out powerful druids, known to be shapeshifters. The druids could not remove the God-King's curse, but they did teach Lycaon how to turn back into his human form. Thus was the birth of werewolves.

"You honestly believe in that story? My Aunt Kate used to tell it to me," said Allison.

Tenko nodded and continued his tale. He told of how years, centuries passed and every few generations, a werewolf could take the original beast form of Lycaon and his sons. Though usually distorted, they became beast none the less. One of the beasts was famously known as the beast of gevaudan.

"You know the story, don't you?" Tenko noticed the look on her face.

"Yes."

"Then you now that all of this has happened before. The animal attacks are werewolves. It's the reason your aunt is in town, and your family sells guns to law enforcement, but Chris hasn't had a business meeting with the town sheriff since he arrived. Has he taken any business calls? Has he left town to make any deals? It's all front for his real job as a hunter... three months ago a dead deer appeared with a werewolf sign for vengeance, carved into its body. Sometime later, Laura hale, an alpha werewolf, ends up dead and your family shows up out of the blue. Well your dad came first, didn't he?"

"I want proof, give me proof and I'll believe you," she said.

"Your damn name means, sliver, in french. Argents kill werewolves. You move around a lot, always to random places. Even last night, what do think that roar was? A mountain lion."

"It could have been," she replied.

Tenko grabbed Allison the arm and gave her a hard tug. Allison fell forward but time suddenly stopped. The next moment she realized that she was staring at herself.

"Trippy, isn't it?"

Allison looked around with wide eyes and looked over Tenko's astral body.

"What's happening?" She asked.

"This is the astral plane. It's a power that some kitsune have."

"And you... are a kitsune?"

"Yes, I am." Tenko's eyes turned crimson red and fox-like. The next moment a massive, white and gold bipedal fox with three tails appeared in its avatar form.

It was a lot for Allison to take in. But after some time the two of them were sitting on the astral plan having a long and serious discussion about the supernatural and the hunters' volatile position in the supernatural world.

When they finally returned to the physical plane, Allison was calm. Tenko could see the clarity in her eyes.

Allison looked at her phone and hissed. "I've already missed two periods. Can we finish this later?" she asked.

"Sure." he nodded.

Allison wore a thankful smile and Tenko just shooed her away. On her way down the steps, Tenko called for her one last time.

Allison stopped and looked up at Tenko with those big light brown eyes.

"Can you keep a secret?" He asked.

Allison beamed. "Between us and no one else? Yeah, I can do that, be on the in for a change."

"Cool. That number, erase it. It's just for you. This place, for now, it's ours. And don't even write about our talk in your dairy."

Allison frowned and walked back up the steps. She stopped right in front of Tenko and then a diabolical smile blossomed on her face. She held up her pinky.

"Pinky swear," she whispered

Tenko locked his pink with hers. Allison shook it then tried to pull away.

"Not yet. Our thumbs touch, like so.

Allison's and Tenko's knuckles pressed together and their thumbs met.

"And now...we kiss," he said.

Allison raised an eyebrow as Tenko leaned forward and kissed his thumb. Allison blinked twice and then slowly followed his lead. They locked eyes as they kissed their thumbs.

Allison could feel her stomach flutter and her cheeks became hot. She felt wrong. Even though their lips were separated by two hands, she felt like she was dancing at the edge of a blade. She could go just a bit further and taste his lips just once, and that too could be their secret. She can trust him, she thought. Her lips then hovered above her thumb indecisively for a lingering moment, before she blinked a few times to snap herself from her daze.

"Our secret... I'll see you around, Mademoiselle Argent"

"I'll call you later," she said.

"Okay."

"Okay...I'm going to go" Allison turned around in a cute and awkward fashion. She then moved down the steps to leave.

"Hey!" Allison called out halfway down the stairs. "Your fox is beautiful, by the way."

Tenko tittered. "Thank you," he said.

_________________________________________________________________

"Hey, Nikita. Can we talk?" asked Mareth.

"Sure, it must be important if you came all the way to my job," Nikita replied.

Mareth pursed her lips, then walked into the classroom. Nikita stood up to close the door behind her and put up a private sign on the window.

"So what's going on with you, girly? Tenko finally piss you off?" Nikita asked.

"No, this isn't about him... Well, it is and it isn't." Mareth's facial expression put Nikita on edge.

"Just spit out already." Nikita barked.

Mareth giggled. "You are Tenko's mother... Look I 've been having these weird dreams since I came to town. At first, I thought it was my subconscious running wild..."

"But?" Nikita asked

"But I'm having dreams about Kitsunes and war that's so old it's not even recorded at Paranor."

Nikita chuckled. "Girl. Kitsunes have been around since the birth of Inari Okami or Huxian Niangniang. From the great Kunlun mountain to the great Inari mountain. Dewi Sri to Dionysus and Bacchus. The fox is a trickster. But if you look closely, Kami has always been here."

"That's why I came to you. I want to know how much trouble is coming our way."

Nikita frowned. "What do you mean?"

Mareth raised her hand and Nikita backed away with a scowl. "Don't touch me," said Nikita.

"I have to if you want to see what I saw," said Mareth.

Nikita exhaled heavily and leaned forward. When Mareth placed her hand on Nikita's forehead, visions of the first Kitsune civil war appeared in her mind. Men that shared characteristic with her late husband and son, led the war against an army in black. Massive golden Toriis lead the way up to Inari mountain. Blood, death, and the song of war and chaos overwhelmed her senses. Finally, she saw a thunder kitsune appear and vanish with the young Prince Nakashige.

Nikita panted and her body shuddered with fear. Mareth became worried, she had never seen Nikita in such a state.

"I knew this day was coming when old Yukimura died. You can't tell Tenko about this, Mareth. If you want to protect your alpha this has to be our secret."

"Nikita, I have no idea what's going on. How can I protect him if I don't what's going on?!"

"It's the Inari Scroll... The war you saw was the last time all 13 types of Kitsune were together at one time. But the 13th type, the Nogitsune, betrayed his people. He coveted the Inari Scroll. He and his fellow Nogitsune possessed nine clans, forming an Army. They attacked the Inari Shrine, where the royal family relocated during China's warring state period...

The nogitsune wanted the power to unite all of china under Inu no Taisho. Tenko's Ancestor. A great general during the Yin Dynasty. The nogitsune, Kai, attempted to steal the scroll and prove himself to the General, his wife and son were killed in the process. He blamed this on the General, King/Emperor of the Kitsune. Kai was exhaled and he came back with a vengeance. The entire royal family died during that war, except for the young Prince Nakashige. He was saved by the protector clan, Yukimura. They took the Inari scroll and went into hiding. Since then the 12 types of kitsunes, although separated, have carried out the last order of the General for centuries. Vanquish the nogitsunes...

If Kami is sending you visions of the first war. Then another Kitsune or nogitsune is coming for the Inari Scroll. And this time, our people are scattered and have no loyalty to my son."

Nikita struggled to control the tsunami of emotions within her.

"What about the Yukimura clan?" Mareth.

"The last Yukimura was old. Even for a kitsune, He was fatally wounded protecting Tenko's father. The last of his energy he could have used to heal himself, he used to give Tenko his inheritance. Then to transport us to America." Nikita had tears streaming down her face as she thought back to that disastrous day.

"Transport?" Mareth asked.

Nikita wiped her tears away and face Mareth. "He was the last Space type Kitsune," said Nikita.

"So if a 1,000-year-old Nogitsune pops up or any 1,000-year-old kitsune for that matter, we're old dead?" Mareth asked shakily.

"Not necessarily. Kitsune are weird. A 500-year-old Kitsune could have 20-year-old tails. That means they sacrificed their tails and they are regrowing them and they are weak. The second set of tails are always weaker than the first...

But a 16-year-old kitsune, with three tails aged less than a decade, like Tenko. He can possibly overpower a Kitsune 500 years with tails just as old. A kitsune is given everything. Our tails are grown when we have an understanding of our powers. But that doesn't mean that one nine-tailed kitsune is as skilled as another kitsune who's been fighting his whole life...

We also get our potential and skills from our Ancestors. A direct descendant of Kai is just as strong as a direct descendent of Inu no Taisho. The point is the rules that governer our race, are loose and arbitrary as opposed to the strict rules that govern other supernatural creatures."

"So what do we do, Nikita? If a war is coming, a lot of people are going to die. More hunters will come, more supernaturals will come just to kill Hunters." said Mareth.

"You let me handle this..." said Nikita.