Chapter 1:

Have you ever noticed just how annoying the real world can be?

"Hey. You okay?"

Voice of nosey people who only ask questions but don't really care. They only ask out o curiously.

"Did you see how hot he looks today? I would so do him!"

Irrelevant conversation and the titter-tatter that humans seem to use only because they have to converse with one another. Teenagers happen to be the worst of the species. Vulgar, rude, loud and ignorant.

Why, oh why do I have to associate myself with them? Why do I have to be so much like them?

"Nicola?" a familiar voice calls and I look towards its source.

"Oh. Good morning Gaara." I say as I take my seat in class.

He sits giving me a very suspicious look from his seat directly across the table next to the window. I turn my head from his prying gaze and look out onto the street, watching the secondary school children walk into the main gates of the school. The sixth form building is so much nicer than the main school, and the radiators actually work!

"You alright?" I hear him ask. "You were spaced out the whole walk here."

"I'm fine." I say smiling at him before going back to gazing out the window.

For about ten minutes we sit in silence. Usually this would not feel awkward, but this silence does. But I don't care. Let it feel awkward! After what he said about me this morning he deserves to feel that uncomfortable stupid, stuck-up bastard vampire!

Flashback to earlier that morning…

I hum to myself cheerily as I bounce down the stairs, the morning light glistening on the windows with the remains of the due from the previous evening. I smile to myself, clutching my school bag full of my beloved biology books to my chest and walk into the deserted kitchen. I make myself a quick piece of toast, but no butter. I have never seen the appeal of putting unnecessary grease on food.

Munching on my toast I walk down the hall towards the familiar voices of the residence other tenants that seems to be resonating from the living room. As I finish my toast the voices become clearer and I quieten my footsteps, stopping just outside the door.

"You're going to end up passing out and starving to death if you don't sort yourself out soon." I hear Orochimaru's firm voice state.

I peer towards the door and peep inside through the crack where the door opens. I see Orochimaru sitting on the love seat next to his vampire-hating lover Kabuto. Kabuto is glaring across the room at Gaara who is leaning against the wall opposite them, arms folded across his chest.

"I am fine just how I am." Gaara retorts in a cool manner, giving Orochimaru one of his blank expressions.

"You have to go out to hunt animals more often and pretty soon people might start to seem like fair game." Orochimaru says calmly. "So why not just bite her and get it over with."

"Fuck no!" Kabuto says, turning this burning eyes on the man he loves.

"Kabuto..." Orochimaru sighs.

"No! I will never let that beast touch Nicola! She is a sweet, innocent girl with a heart of gold that I shall never let be corrupted!" He snaps. "The leach is lucky he is still alive! I even let him share a room with her! Do not push me any further." He finishes a pleading look in his eyes.

"But then we wouldn't have to clean up after him, he wouldn't be half starved all the time and heck! The girl might actually enjoy it!" Orochimaru explains casually to Kabuto's horror.

"Myself and my family made a pledge never to feed off humans. I will never drink from her." Gaara growls in a venomous tone.

I step back from the crack and lean back against the wall for support. I stare down at the ground wide-eyed. I know human is what I am, but to hear him say it so harshly, with such venom and disgust…

I push myself off the wall and walk back down the corridor, my one hand clutching my school bag tightly, the other fisted up in the fabric of my shirt over my heart. A sharp pain shoots through me with every step I take. My humanity… that is the reason why I am so weak…

I climb back up the stairs to the first floor and step into the bathroom, locking it behind me.

"It hurts..." I say to myself, holding back the burning tears behind my eyelids that I squeeze shut to suppress the pain.

He sounded so disgusted at the thought of drinking my blood. But why the fuck am I upset over that! I should be happy! Why would I ever want him to drink my blood anyway? Sure in the films it looks appealing, but he is nothing like the movie vampires. He eats normal food, goes to school during the day and crosses and garlic don't bother him at all. Why did I assume that I would be classed differently from any other human he could choose to feed off? I am not special to him. A friend and his captor/prisoner. I lost interest in caring who is the caged and who is caging the other.

But fangs piercing flesh would cause severe pain and draining a person would cause acute anaemia. I could be bedridden for days and thus I would not get to go to biology class, not pass biology, and fail to go to university!

Okay I might be over-reacting just a little bit, but there is a point to it. What would happen to me? Is it the fact that I'm human that he doesn't want o bite me or is t the fact that it is me? What would I do if he did try to?

I sighed as I cleared my head, shaking it to knock out those thoughts. Sometimes being human really sucks. Really, why couldn't I have taken after my mom or dad? One or the other, I don't mind! I wonder what I would look like as a cat or a fox? Like Sasuke? Like Naruto? I guess that I shall never get to know. I will just be the weak little human girl like I have always have been.

End Flashback

The day seemed to go by quickly, not that I can recall much of it. For the most part of it, I was in a total daze. Luckily the teachers don't seem to pay much attention to me and so I was left alone with my thoughts.

My mind still dwelled back to the events from this morning and I ponder on how and why I had such an extreme reaction to the words Gaara said. They were true. So why did that sharp pain in my chest seem so bad that I felt as if I would collapse, unable to breathe? Why would he saying it make me actually care?

I have known for years now what I am. Human. The fact annoys me, that I will admit. But the fact that I have noticed my hearing, smell and sight worsening while the senses of those around me heighten is a slap in the face. My speed has stayed the same, while those of my family have increased; my strength is also in the same situation.

Walking home I decide to pull myself out of my thoughts and pay attention to my surroundings. Naruto is ranting at Sasuke who really doesn't care and looks bored. Hinata is talking to Arisu about the upcoming fashion show which the two are entering an outfit in and what they should do for it. Gaara, like he has been for most of the day, walks silently beside me, giving an occasional worried glance in my direction.

"Just shut up and accept it dope." Sasuke says finally, sighing at the hyperactive fox.

"He is right Naruto." Hinata says, turning to her mate with a kind smile.

At this fake tears roll down his face and he wines at her, clinging to her arm, rubbing his cheek against hers. Hinata has become bolder these last few years and will reprimand Naruto now if necessary. She is very affective and I see Sasuke's satisfied smirk at how Naruto grovels to his blushing mate. Well, it is only a little pink stain which is a large improvement from before when she would faint whenever Naruto even spoke to her.

"Aww poor foxy darling." Arisu chips in causing Naruto to shoot her a glair.

She clings onto Sasuke's arm and sticks her little pink tongue out at him, pulling the lower lid of her left eye down as she does so. Hinata giggles at just how childish our blonde friend can be and her skill at defusing an awkward situation.

Just then we reach Orochimaru's place and stop outside of the back door to chat. Everyo9ne but myself and Garra do so. I look at the couples and feel my heart sink just a little bit. Isn't it only natural to be jealous of how people can be intimate with one another. Yes, I am jealous that I do not have what they do. A mate.

I glance over at Gaara who looks uncomfortable watching the couples as they argue which couple looks cuter. Well, it is mostly Arisu saying that she and Sasuke make a cuter couple while Naruto rebuffs her saying that he and Hinata are a cuter couple. The argument could last for hours. At least this is where my listening has to stop unlike poor Hinata and Sasuke who have to live with it.

"Well," Gaara puts in causing them to stop and listen. The silent red-head never usually speaks unless necessarily, so he gets the attention of the moment. "as much as I love to listen to you love birds argue needlessly I think it is time we said goodbye and you go home."

Everyone blinks and then realises they have been arguing outside of a mortuary for the best part of fifteen minutes and decide to part ways. I get hugs from everyone and they just nod at Gaara who stands leaning against the wall next to the door with his arms folded. Looks like the chatter irritated him a little.

"Bye Nicola. "Hinata says smiling.

"Yeah bye! We won't keep you two from your 'alone time' any longer" Arisu says winking.

My face heats up and I whack her over the head in anger and embarrassment. She laughs at my expense and runs to catch up with the others who are walking off. I glance up to see Gaara who is looking up to the side, but with a surprising pink tinge to his cheeks.

"Sorry." I murmur as I unlock the door, trying to chase the heat from my cheeks.

"It's okay." He says as we step inside.

I rush away as I feel the presence of his body only centimetres from mine as we both stepped in practically at the same time. I slam the door shut and jump onto the soft king-sized bed and sigh as I lye back into its folds. I then sit up after a moment and get out my biology book to read over a few things that I missed in today's lesson while I was dazed out.

I hear the door open and then close a moment later as Gaara walks in. the bed dips slightly as he sits down on it next to me. He adopts the same crossed-legged position opposite me. I feel his gaze bore into mine and I pretend not to notice, but even the diagram of a tuberculosis bacterium blurs as my thoughts of this morning take over and my body becomes all too aware that the person who caused the pain this morning is sitting so close.

"What is wrong?" I hear him ask.

I lower my head and ignore him. How do I explain something that even I don't know the answer to. I don't know why I am reacting like this, I just am. But something about the worry in his voice makes me feel guilty for not answering him.

"Nicola?" he says.

I feel as his weight leans forward towards me and his cool and shoots electricity up my arms as he lays it hesitantly across my hand that sits atop the page. I look up at his face, and expression of worry stained on it. I feel a twinge of pain as I look at his expression.

"Tell me." He pleads, squeezing my fingers.

His face is only a few inches from mine. I turn my head away from him and he leans back, taking his hand away from me and I shift my position. I swap my legs over and place my book closed and on the Chester draws next to my bed.

"I don't know." I lie and look down at my hands that I rest in my lap.

"You're lying." He states. Damn him.

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are." He says leaning forward again and lifting my chin to look at him. "Tell me."

His eyes bore into mine and I push his hand from my chin but keep eye contact. Should I tell him? How do I tell him? How can I say that it hurt? Would he laugh at me? Would he be mad that I was ease-dropping?

"I promice, I won't judge you." He says. And there is the last nail in the coffin.

"What you were talking to Orochimaru and Kabuto this morning about." I say with a sigh, looking down at my hands again.

"You heard that." He states.

I glance up to see that he is looking down at the sheets of the bed, a sad expression on his face. He does not pull away from me however, so it seems like he won't take offence at my listening in on the conversation.

"So, which part made you upset?" he asks after a moment, lifting his eyes up to meet mine.

It is my turn to stare down at the bed sheets. I try to hold down a blush and bite my tongue. How am I supposed to tell him something so embarrassing? Even in my own head it sounds like I'm a rejected girl who just confessed her crush to the guy she likes.

The silence drags on almost endlessly. Finally I hear him sigh and he leans back away from me, supporting his weight on his hands behind him as he gazes up at the ceiling. I can't help but glance up at him, in these types of situations he usually is like a bulldog, he just won't let go until he pries the information out of me.

"Okay I get it." He says, not moving from his position. "You don't want to tell me."

"Not really…" I say cautiously.

"I'm sorry." He states.

"For what?" I ask, tilting my head to the right curiously.

He simply shrugs, continuing to stare up as if he can see the sky through the wooden beams and lead tiles. It is dark now, so if there was no ceiling he would look like he was gazing up at the stars, or the moon. The curtains are still closed from where I forgot to open them this morning, so I couldn't tell you if the sky was clear enough to see either.

"For you having to hear that I guess." He explains. "Talking about my gross feeding habits is not something that anyone likes to hear, especially me."

I frown at this. I know that he was obviously not in the mood for the lecture, but the topic itself was the cause of his discomfort. Now that has officially perked my curiosity. Even though I have been living in this house for a few years now, I have never once seen Gaara drink anything but coffee, water or pineapple juice. The latter being a rather strange choice in my opinion, but to each their own I guess.

"Didn't you talk about it when you used to live with your family?" I asks and he finally lowers his head to look at me frowning.

"Not about mine personally, but they would discuss each other's. I was never one to have to be weaned off human blood." He says.

"You've never drank human blood before?"

He shakes his head.

"But your brother and sister used to?"

"Yes, but this was before I was born and Shukaku adopted me and eventually them as well." He explains.

Shukaku is the name of the vampire who adopted Gaara as a baby after his biological farther rejected him. Shukaku is also the one who killed Gaara's farther in an apparent rage at a insulting comment that he made about Gaara. Gaara doesn't remember any of this, but his siblings do and told him about it. Shukaku ripped the bastard apart, literally.

"Is Shukaku the reason why they stopped?" I ask.

"Yes, he helped them with their urges and bought me up to never have them." He says closing his eyes. "Although, that does not mean that that I am immune to the blood's effect."

"Effect?"

"The urge to drink it when it is spilt." He says chucking and I pout.

"So when have you been feeding then? I've never seen you drink blood before." I inquire.

"When you are asleep I slip out and catch animals from the forest where my safe-house is." He explains, although he looks reluctant to.

We both fall silent as the awkward silence weighs down on us. I look towards the window and see Gaara follow my gaze. I stand and hop off the bed. I walk across the floor and open the curtains. I smile sadly at the clear, star scattered sky and feel my heart sink just a little. I guess for a human, it just doesn't look the same as it does to Gaara.

I sit on the window seat and continue to gaze up at it. I hear the bathroom door shut then and the shower turn on. I breathe a sigh of relief for the noise to dampen the silence. I walk over to my side of the bed and collect my pyjamas from under my pillows (I have two) reaching into the draw next to the bed and getting out my wash bag. I then walk back to the window seat and sit patiently on it, waiting for my turn in the bathroom.

After about fifteen minutes of keeping myself occupied I hear the water turn off. I turn just as the door opens and I can't stop the beat-red blush that takes over my face. Usually Gaara showers while I sit downstairs and read, so I have never seen him when he comes out. It's a shocker alright.

He stands there, half naked in the starlight, the pales skin of his torso almost glowing in the dark. He is wearing black pyjama trousers and nothing else. He doesn't seem to notice me as he rubs his hair dry with a fluffy white towel. I find myself staring at his bare chest. It is slim and toned, but no six-pack to be seen. I have never seen the appeal of those fake abdomen muscles that just fade over time.

I shake my head to snap myself out of staring at him and rush into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind me before he spots me staring at him. I lock the door and glance at myself in the mirror to see that my cheeks have gone as red as my hair. I shake my head for a moment and calm my beating heart. After a moment I look up again in the mirror and sigh at the little pink stains on my cheeks.

Really, what am I getting so flustered about? It's not like I like Gaara. Well, we are friends so I guess I do, but I don't mean in a crush like type of way! No way! Never! He is a bastard who did that on purpose! Yes, it would be the natural reaction of any girl is she saw any guy with a well tined body without a shirt on! Yes, I am normal. A normal reaction to an abnormal situation.

I nod to my thoughts in approval and shake my head to get the image of his pale perfect chest, glistening with water in the light from the stars, out of my head. I refuse to dwell on it. I refuse to acknowledge that this incident even happened at all.

I quickly strip, turn on the shower and crank up the heat as high as it will go before stepping under the scorching water. I grit my teeth and watch my skin turn red. After a moment I feel my composure finally back in place and turn the temperature down slightly before washing my hair and body.

I step out, the water off and wrap myself in a big fluffy towel. I smile at how soft it feels against my clean skin. I dry myself off and change into my pyjamas, packing my shampoo, shower gel and my other wash things back in my bag before stepping back into the bedroom, the steam rolling out around my feet as I do so.

I frown and glance round at the empty room. I sigh and put my wash bag way and walk out of the room and down the stairs where I dump my clothes into the washing basket. I hear voices below and rush back upstairs to get my dressing gown that I had forgotten to take into the bathroom with me. I tie the belt firmly around my waist. It is navy blue in colour with white flows scattered across the bottom half of it where it hangs just below my knees.

I then walk back down the stairs and into the kitchen where Kabuto stands dishing up dinner. I smile as I see him wearing the pink, frilly apron that I got him for Christmas last year, the one he said he would never be seen dead in. I sneak out before he notices me and walk over to the living room where I can hear Orochimaru's voice coming from.

"Well don't go telling Kabuto that. You know how he is when he comes to her." I hear him say as I step inside.

"Don't tell him what?" I ask.

Both turn to look at me as I walk in and sit on the large three-seater sofa, crossing my legs like a small child on the comfy leather. Orochimaru is sitting on the lover's sweat while Gaara leans against the wall opposite. At my comment Gaara looks down, a slight tinge of pink to his cheeks.

"Not tell him about Gaara showering and coming out half naked." Orochimaru says chuckling.

"Oh." I say, feeling my own cheeks tinge pink.

"So, what verdict did you come to then?" Orochimaru asks slyly as he leans back and shooting me a smirk.

"About what?" I ask frowning.

"About his body of course." My boss says chuckling, his snake-like eyes sparkling with glee.

"Shut up!" Gaara says as a book whacks the snake-man in the forehead, sending him toppling over the back of the sofa, landing on the back of his neck. I see that one of the biology text books was the item thrown and mentally pity my boss, but outwardly blush at the comment and glair down at him as he picks himself up off the floor.

"What was that for?" he shouts at Gaara who is no longer leaning against the wall, but standing in the centre of the room glairing in Orochimaru's direction.

"For asking such a stupid question." He snarles.

"So you don't want to know if others find you attractive?"

"No."

"You don't want to know what Nicola thinks of her?" he says and smirks as the pink on Gaara's cheeks deepens.

"Shut up!" he snaps.

"I bet you do really." The home owner teases. "Well I could give a verdict for you if you would like."

"Pervert." Gaara says, glairing.

"Stingy." Orochimaru says sighing and sitting down next to me, his arm snaked round my shoulders. "I could give a verdict on your appearance instead then." He says to me.

Oh no. He has his creepy 'I want to rape you' smirk on that he uses to scare Kabuto with. I shake my head and remove his arm from around me just as another, thicker biology text book smacks him in the head again, and over the sofa he goes.

"No thanks." I say, not even looking as he pulls himself up again.

"Bullies. Ganging up on me when I have been nice enough to let you live in my lovely home." He says, pouting as he sits back down, this time on the opposite end of the sofa next to me.

Dinner passes buy without any more events and thankfully Orochimaru keeps his mouth shut about the whole, Gaara-coming-out-of-the-shower-half-naked thing. So the meal is pleasant. That is until Orochimaru decides to break out the 'special wine'.

I sigh as I stare down at my glass which is still full after three hours' worth of drinking. Orochimaru and Kabuto are completely out of it and Kabuto lies curled up in Orochimaru's arms while the snake-man shouts out drunken banter at the thin air. I also noticed that Gaara has actually drunk just as many glasses as them and seems to be able to hold down his liquor. But his cheeks have a permanent pink tinge to them now, so it seems the alcohol is finally starting to take effect. He wobbles slightly as he takes a seat next to me and pours himself a new glass.

"I think you've had enough to drink don't' you." I say and he turns his head to me.

"I'm fine, just a little hot." He says taking a sip and pulling at the collar of his shirt.

"You're intoxicated." I say and sigh.

I hear him grunt followed by the rustling of cloth. Orochimaru spots it before I do and lets out a loud wolf-whistle. I turn my head just in time to see his black shirt flutter to the floor. A blush creeps up my face as Gaara leans back on the sofa and sighs in contempt. For the second time that day I find myself unable to tear my gaze away from his finely sculpted torso.

"I'll give him a ten!" Orochimaru hick-ups as he drools with his lustful gaze fixed on Gaara's body.

"Don't look at me like that." Gaara snarls causing the snake-man to chuckle.

"Well by the looks of it Nicola seems to agree." He laughs.

Gaara's head whips round and I squeak, jumping in my seat yet somehow not spilling my glass. I stare down at the floor, red-faced with embarissment. I then feel hi shirft position and his body heat is suddenly right next to me.

"What would your rate me as then?" I asks innocently.

My head whips round to see his face inches from mine, a glazed over look in his eye as he stares intently into my eyes. I stand and put my glass on the table, but when I turn he is right next to me again. Geeze, he sure is stubborn when he's drunk.

"Fine, fine." I say sighing and run my fingers through my hair. "I would give it a…" I pause and look down at my feet. "a n-nine."

"WHAT! "Orochimaru screeches and is suddenly standing in front of me gripping my shoulders. "A NINE! ARE YOU BLIND?" he shakes me as he rants. "HE HAS THE MOST FINLY CHIZZLED CHEST I HAVE SEEN IN YEARS. AND I SEE ENOUGH CHEST EVERY DAY TO LAST ANY WOMAN A LIFE TIME! ARE YOU SAYING YOU HAVE SEEN BETTER?"

I then push him off me and avoid the question. Sure I have seen Sasuke and Naruto without shirts, and both of them are pretty good. With the amount of fangirls they have it proves it. But I have to say, Gaara's does trump them both. But that is only because my cousins have small six packs that may be mist with just a glance, but are clearly visible when examined properly. Yes, I have had to examine them. Really the two of them need to stop fighting all the time and carving into each other's upper bodies.

"HAVE YOU?" Orochimaru presses and I sigh walking to the door.

"None of you buissness." I snap and slam the door as I step outside into the cooler corridor.

I sigh as I walk up the two flights of stairs and into my bedroom. I flop down on the bed and sigh as the folds of the bed curl around me with their soft embrace. I lay on my back, my hands behind my head and stare at the ceiling. I quickly glance at the clock which reads 3:18am on it.

I sigh and climb under the covers, closing my eyes. This is way too much drama and frustration for a girl to have all in one day. After a few moments I hear the door open then shut. The bed dips as Gaara lies down on top of the covers. Soon all falls quiet again apart from the rhythmic sound of his breathing. The sound is soothing and before I am able to stop myself it lulls me off into the dark world of sleep.

Sequal to High School Murders!

Please read that one first.

I shall try to update as often as I can.

Rate and reviw please! X3