Down the gravel road she walked
Intricately carved stone lanterns lining the way
Moss covering them like creeping fingers
Here and there a flicker of orange light
Like a quivering tongue licking the night
Drums sounded in the deep of the forest
In time with each step she took
She hoped he would be there
One of the stories the locals told her come to life
Words turning to limbs
And eyes ready to engulf
Kitsune
She rolled the word around in her mouth
Like a sour cherry that made her shiver
Until the stone lanterns grew more dense
Like a grove of stone and fire
As she neared the top of the hill
Wind twined through the canopy of trees above as
The flapping of garments drew her gaze
There, ensconced in a corona of crystalline moonlight
He waited
His eyes blazed with amber
His pupils were dagger-thin slivers of midnight black
Sharp teeth glinted in the moonlight that surrounded him
She stopped walking as those teeth bared in a smile
Ningen
Human
His voice was warm and throaty
Full of fur and fire and ashes
She wanted to be enveloped by that voice
Wanted to be stripped bare by that voice
Wanted her heart to be devoured by that voice
His pointed ears looked razor sharp
As his head perked up
He could smell her desire
He opened his arms, kimono undulating in the wind
Her feet moved along, pulled by his raw magnetism
And she fell into his arms
The scent of incense and crushed forest leaves filled her senses
As a warm mouth covered hers
Fangs nipping her lips
Until blood ran hot and steaming between them