/Author's Note/
Vampire (n) – a mythological undead creature said to feed on human blood
Vampiric (adj) – having the traits of a vampire
Heart (n) – (1) Emotions, kindness, or spirit in general, (2) the core, the essence, or center
My – belonging to me
Vampiric, to possess the traits, can also be said as being in the state of being a vampire. When one is in the state of being a vampire, especially when those traits control the core of a being, then does that not mean that they are a vampire?
My Vampiric Heart – I am a Vampire by nature.
/This section is as of yet unexplained of in the story. They will come into play later, and besides, doesn't it sound cool when you read it?
P.S. I am sorry about the aggravatingly long wait. I went on vacation for a few weeks and came back to a crashed computer. I then had to retype everything from scratch./
Chapter 1:
Location: Downtown Time: Late
A coming storm whispers its warnings to the streetlight lit streets of the city below. Dark clouds rumble softly as distant lightning, high in the clouds, flash dimly. A cold wind dances through streets that are as quiet as graves, tugging at the yellowing leaves clinging to the branches of trees. Many stores are already closed for the evening. Dark windows stare like dead eyes at the empty streets.
At the very end of a dead-end street, a particular building stands out. A neon sign hung at the side of the front entrance blinks weakly in dimming green and blue. 'Open' is all the sign reads, not the name or even what it is open for. The place is not impressive in any aspect. There is no front window, or any window for that matter on the building. The bricks of the building have been spray painted on, and is covered in grimy, yellowed pieces of papers. The front door's paint is chipping, and looks ready to fall right off its hinges. The building itself is a few stories shorter than the surrounding buildings.
"I love this place. It hasn't changed since the last time I've been here. I wonder if they still served that martini that I really enjoyed."
"We didn't come here to drink."
Two men walk up the front steps of the building. Both are wearing identical black trench coats adorned with various golden buckles and trinkets. The tallest of the pair sports a black fedora over his short blond hair. The trench coat he wears is torn and tattered, riddled with holes. His heavy boots are caked in dried mud. His companion's appearance is well kept and orderly, but with an almost grim air surrounding him. His face is hidden by the shadows cast by a hood he is wearing. The young man's steely gray eyes reflect the glowing sign's colored lights. The movement of stepping up the stairs causes a glint of silver to shine at his hip. A gun rests in its holster on his belt.
The young man's features are revealed by the lights of the neon sign when he tugs off the hood of his coat as he approaches the top step. He is quite young, not much more than his late teens, with almost delicate Asian features. His hair is jet black, messy but not unkempt. His stern expression is the exact opposite of his older companion's lax smile.
On the doorframe is a doorbell. The young man pushes the round button. A buzz can be heard coming from the other side of the door along with a soft clatter. A latch of wood falls away from the door revealing a rectangular hole in the door where a pair of eyes studies the two men on the doorstep. The faint smell of liquor and cigarette smoke wafts from the opening.
"Password?" a gruff voice asks.
The young man crosses his arms. "We have no password. Open the door."
"Well, not even heaven's angels can change your bad attitude, Captain." The eyes of the man behind the door turn to the other person on the doorstep. "Ah," they widen in surprise. "Captain Sawada, you have arrived I see. We were expecting you."
The pair of eyes disappears as the latch of wood is fitted back into place. A series of loud clicks signal the unlocking of the many locks on the door. Finally, the door swings open, spilling warm yellow light onto the doorstep and the two men standing outside.
At the door to greet the two is a lanky, balding man. Though he is not much older than the two men at his doorstep, the gray in his hair, the hunch in his back, and the cane at his side gave the illusion of age. He gives the two a smile that makes his twinkling, youthful eyes disappear beneath folds of weather browned skin covered in scars. The man steps to the side, motioning for them to enter with his free hand.
"Come in, come in. And stay for a drink or two. The bar's been quiet since the sun's set. How was your flight, Captain Sawada? You must be tired. I've heard that you've managed to take down that notorious Notre Dame Ghoul. Excellent quarry, that must've been, but ghouls are nasty business. You know, I once tangled with this ghoul in the catacombs of Rome. Took my left pinky," he holds up his left hand where, indeed, the pinky is missing. All that is left is a short stub of scarred tissue. "Almost took my whole hand off, but I got back at it for my pinky. Shot a whole six rounds into that crazy son of bitch's head. Its eye exploded spectacularly. If it didn't turn to dust, its head would be on my wall."
Captain Sawada Iemitsu laughs as he whisks his hat off his head. "I see that you are doing well. Still got enough wind in you to talk up a storm. Take care of yourself okay? Don't lose your other pinky to the blender."
"About the only thing I can lose my pinky to here. I need to get out. I need to see Paris. I need to see London. I need to shoot something!"
"I think that what you really need is less exposure to alcohol. Open the elevator for us."
"Still as fussy as ever, Captain Hibari," the bartender shakes his head, but goes over to the counter. He reaches over the countertop to a button that is hidden from view.
There is a loud click, and the entire wall of liquor behind the counter opens up to reveal a glass elevator.
"There you go, boys. Now hurry up and scurry off, I know that you two are here for that mission."
The glass doors of the elevator part for the two captains to enter. Before the doors slide close, the bartender calls after them.
"I'll send down one of those martinis that you really like, Sawada!"
Iemitsu raises his hand in acknowledgment before the wall slides back into place before the glass doors.
"So, you mentioned something about weapon modifications. Are we going to the weapons department first?"
"We had a breach a few months ago. They've tightened security, so we will have to go to the lobby to register that we have arrived at base before anything else."
"Alright, I'm okay with that. Are there any other security changes?"
"Just one," Hibari pulls off the glove of his right hand and reaches over to the panel of buttons. He selects the button labeled B-1. The button glows red after he presses it.
The projection of a young pretty woman appears on the back wall of the elevator. She smiles pleasantly at them, and with a cheerful voice, says, "We have only registered one person's fingerprint, and that is the fingerprint of Captain Hibari Kyoya from Armed Division 1, Sector 4, Squad 2. Guest, please have your fingerprint registered also or be annihilated."
Iemitsu raises an eyebrow. "Is this annihilation by shredding, mincing, or burning?"
"We do all three, sir. You have t-minus five seconds. Five…four…"
Iemitsu slams his thumb against the B-1 button. The button glows green.
The young woman continues to smile pleasantly. "Captain Sawada Iemitsu of Armed Division 1, Sector 2, Squad 5. Am I correct?"
Iemitsu nods. "Yeah,"
"Very well, that will be all gentlemen. I will meet you in the lobby." The projection shuts off.
Iemitsu stiffens uncomfortably when the elevator suddenly drops. Butterflies continue to flutter in his stomach even after the elevator levels at an even pace.
"So, uh, that's the new receptionist? She's cute."
"Yes. She started just a month ago, retired from the Interrogation Division."
"Oh…" Iemitsu awkwardly places his hat back on his head. "No wonder she's such a crazy bitch, but then again, anyone from the Interrogation Division's bad news, especially the Vindice."
The elevator came to a gut lurching stop. Iemitsu catches himself before he stumbles.
"I hate these elevators," he says as the glass doors hiss open.
B-1 is only a large lobby where new members go to receive their rooms and maps of the base. The round lobby is spacious with a high ceiling and polished floors. Other elevators can be seen about the room. Various exotic species of darkness dwelling plants and ferns grow in large pots between the many elevator doors. The receptionist desk at the center of the lobby is a large circular desk with a glass dome encasing the five receptionists sitting inside. Behind the receptionists, in the very center of the circle created by the desk, is a glowing map of the entire underground complex.
Iemitsu recognizes the young woman that greeted him and his companion in the elevator. "Do we have to meet with the person that threatens us on the elevator?"
"Not really."
"Gentlemen, can we be of service to you?"
Iemitsu draws closer to his companion. "She's calling us over!" he whispers.
"So? Act more professional." Hibari steps into the lobby, making his way swiftly to the receptionist desk. Iemitsu reluctantly follows.
The young woman smiles at them as they walk up to her. "Good evening, Captain Hibari and Captain Sawada. I will like to see some identification. Your licenses, passports, those kinds of things will do."
Iemitsu's hand goes to his pants pocket. He pulls his passport and his cell phone out, and places them on the desk. The woman reaches through the opening in the glass dome to take both items. The passport has a black cover with a complicated golden insignia on it. A golden banner with the word Vongola emblazoned upon it stretches across the bottom of the insignia. The woman flips it open, her quick eyes dart across the content, and the she closes it. She puts down the passport and picks up the cell phone. The cell phone is onyx and silver with a roaring lion crouched across the cover. She examines it carefully before pulling up a wire attached to her computer and plugs it into the phone. The phone beeps loudly until she unplugs it.
"Alright, you're clear." She hands back the passport and the cell phone. "Captain Hibari?"
Hibari rolls up the sleeve of his trench coat and holds out his right arm for the receptionist to see. On his forearm is the image of a bird in flight gleaming silver against his pale skin. The receptionist runs a handheld metal detector over the tattoo. It registers on the detector.
"Very well, both of you pass. Captain Sawada, will you need residence here?"
"That would be nice."
The woman smiles yet again. She raises her webcam. "Please look at the webcam, sir. Don't blink."
Iemitsu does as he is asked. A dim light flashes from the webcam, passing over his left eye. When the light fades, Iemitsu blinks and rubs at his eye. The woman types at her computer for a moment before reaching into a drawer of the desk.
"Here is your key, Captain Sawada. Your room is here."
While handing the cardkey to Iemitsu, a small square glows on the map behind the receptionist.
"Thanks." Iemitsu takes the card from her.
"Captain Hibari, will you be staying for the night?"
Hibari shakes his head. "No, I will be on pa—"
Suddenly, Hibari freezes. His eyes flutter close, and his body slackens. Iemitsu catches him before he falls. Iemitsu leans down to slip Hibari onto his shoulder, and then straightens up, carrying Hibari like a potato sack.
"Yes he will be staying. Where is his room?"
The woman's smile falters for just a moment before regaining its former shine. "Ah, yes, his room is on the same floor as yours. It should be at the end of the same corridor. Here is his key."
"Thank you," Iemitsu pockets the card along with his. "Have a good night."
"Geez," Iemitsu sighs heavily when he is back on the elevator with the unconscious Hibari slung on his shoulder. "You didn't even react until I hit you! How long was it since the last time you slept? You are workaholics, you and your father! It's going to be the death of you one day, I swear."