A/N: First fanfic for this fandom, I love this series and hopefully you'll like this too. Sorry if you spot small mistakes.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I just use them in my stories

Rating: T/M

Warnings: Adult content, AU, you've been warned, so read at your own risk.

Part I

I'm staring at the intricate outline of a lizard. It looked so realistic, probably too realistic for my tastes. Maybe this guy possibly went to one of those up the ass expensive 3D tattoos places and got one, that just came alive once added to human skin? Or maybe the artist was just that good. I couldn't keep my eyes off it. The more time I stared at the thing, the more I was waiting for it to move or something.

It was engraved upon his cheek, he was talking to a group of people, palaver grew around the room. I hope they didn't get too loud, stupid high school kids. However the speaker, the one with the lizard tattoo, looked older. Maybe he was entertaining the group of kids? I'm not sure. I can hear the noise of their voices, although I cannot catch what was being directly said.

I'm standing way back at the counter. I'm currently working at a small coffee shop, not far off my current residence. All it really needed was basics to appropriately operate the coffee machine and take orders at the cashier. So it wasn't bad, plus the pay at the end of the week was a little decent. I didn't want to bother the Fujiwara's, the caretakers that took me on when I had no where else to go.

I watched the group of kids and the lizard man for a while longer before the door to the shop opened and yet more customers to take overs from. Surprisingly, this place gets busy during the afternoon and mornings. I didn't think people enjoyed drinking coffee all hours of the day. I have some usual customers that visit for coffee on regulars basis. I turned to the next person as I pulled out a plastic cup with a black top.

"What would you like, sir?" I say politely.

The owner often told me the only reason he was back in business was due to me. Apparently I had this fantastic smile and eyes that attracted people to me. What the owner didn't know was the fact, it attracted other groups of individuals I didn't want to see in general. Ghosts, spirits, monsters, whatever you want to call them. The whole package. I've been able to see them ever since I was little or as long as I could remember. My parents thought I wasn't sane and apparently creepy. They always talked about me behind my back, stuttered when I caught them. Eventually they had enough of my 'lies'.

And ever sadly... they died a while back as well. Thus leading me through the progression of hell and in between. I found out when I was a little bit older, that my grandmother was just like me. This left me a little indifferent. Also, a little hopeful. There was someone like me out there. Being alone sucked.

Of course being how things are nowadays, everyone either accepts you for who you are, or rejects you. Most people, especially my classmates if where to find out about my 'gift', would they reject me as well? I'm used to rejection, but it doesn't mean I enjoy it.

My grandmother's name was Reiko. Even the name sounds pretty, and unique. Reiko almost reminds me of a flower almost in bloom. I never knew why, but when I looked at flowers, it reminded me of her. I never really knew my grandmother and at times I wish I did. To know how she coped with being isolated from everyone and dealing with the spirits so well. I don't know exactly what she looks like in person, however I've been told I'm the splitting image of her. I had her eyes and the color of her hair. I was as tall as she was when she was my age. Being seventeen in counting.

Even the Fujiwara's told me some things about her. My caretakers. They didn't know to an extent of personally knowing her. They were kind enough to care me in and I didn't want to cause trouble for them. Never. Touko and Shigeru were too kind and nice to let them be in danger. They were on my father's side of the family, somewhere in between and all. And their death and passing around family members lead me to them.

The spirits I've seen have always been 'interesting'. Some even threatened to eat me. I wondered how that would even appeal. Eating human flesh and all? When I was little, I was always being followed by a spirit. They always found me. And when they found out I could see them, it was either pleasant to them. Or I ran for my life. I didn't know how many times I was almost eaten by hungry spirit questing for power. They were very enthusiastic about my spiritual powers. How it could increase their powers. Just thinking about how I'm basically a vegetable to any spirit for the picking.

Thinking about myself made me a little bitter.

Even now, I didn't know if there was someone else who could see them like I could.

To find one person who had the same ability as me. It would be wonderful. Just to have someone to talk to and find out I could possibly have a friend. I craved to find someone who shared the same loneliness I had endured for so long. Maybe they had a more extreme loneliness too?

A voice brought me back to reality. I started and blinked dumbly as another customer was asking for a order. Once filling out orders to several people, time was almost short. I stared at the clock, seeing it was almost time for my shift to end, to pack up and head back home. I still had my own homework to do. I returned to the back of the coffee shop to let the owner know I was leaving. He waved to me and bid me a good afternoon.

As I was packing up, my eyes wondered toward the group of high school kids and the lizard man once more. I wonder if anyone else asked about that tattoo? I was tempted to ask myself, however I wasn't really in the mood to be fairly social. But before I could leave, I froze, standing there, my eyes widened. Chills sprayed across my cold skin. Tingled all the way up my back to the very core of my chest. My heart rate increased as I watched the students and the lizard man leave the coffee shop.

I couldn't believe what I saw. I licked my suddenly dry lips.

The tattoo of the lizard...

It moved.

I blinked in shock. What the heck was that? I grabbed my stuff and ran after the guy. However a thought stopped my tracks. Really? What am I going to say to the guy?

'Oh hey... there is a bulging black lizard that's moving all over your body.' and in front of all those school kids too? I think not. I sighed, wanting to hit myself for getting all worked up over it. I should leave it alone for now, plus looking at the time, I need to get back. It wasn't like the lizard was going to eat him or something... I paused at the door again, my lip twitched thinking about the possibilities of that lizard being a spirit. Preying upon that guy, going to eat him. Youkai were known for immediately attacking and asked questions later.

Spirits of the unknown.

I hesitated, thinking about whether or not I should run after that guy with the lizard... monster whatever it was. I'm not sure what I should do, but I can't leave it alone. Not yet, anyway. I slung my bag over my shoulder and exited the shop. Once out on the street, I quickly looked both ways that guy could have possibly gone. I turned around and found myself, alone. I blinked and frowned. I didn't know what direction he went... darn it. I sighed, resorting to my other options. Heading home. Well, my warning and rescue attempt was short lived, I might add.

I started off, down the usually street. I wasn't far off from home, and I hadn't seen anything today, except that lizard. I felt as if I was home free. For once this week, I felt peaceful. Breathing in deeply to get some fresh air. Relieved as I gladly turned around the next corner.

Only to walk into something.

I blinked. My hand immediately reaching rubbing my nose as I grounded out quickly, "I'm sorry! Didn't see you!"

Once I looked up from my nose burning from the impact. I froze. My eyes widened as I stared into two red eyes. They gleamed like crystals bathing in blood. Black sockets laced around the red, sinking into the skull. The massive shadow body was tall, like ten feet tall. The feet were flat against the ground. The hands were already around me—like claws—the fingers stabbed into my shoulders as the head leaned down to greet me. When its huge mouth opened. All I saw was a tongue and rows of sharp teeth.

I gasped as I was greeted with a black smog. Immediately after being hit with it, I felt nauseated, sick, dizzy—everything. My knees felt weak, my body suddenly drowsy. I couldn't keep my footing, apparently the smog was some kind of weapon against this spirit's prey. Which is me. It leaned even closer to me as the tongue flicked out, running across my cheek.

It whispered, "Such a delightful snack." Its red eyes were glinting at me. I—on the other hand—could barely make out what it was saying. My mind felt foggy as the world around me turned black.

I knew my legs give out and immediately felt myself being carried.

Carried away... to be eaten.

When I regained my awareness. My vision was blurry but my surroundings slowly becoming clearer. I blinked weakly, I couldn't move my body though. Although I felt the cold ground beneath me.

I looked up into darkness, but I could make out rock, which meant...a cave?

Then felt it, a hot sensation that trailed between my legs. I quickly glanced down, seeing two red gleaming eyes between my thighs. Its tongue licking my skin... almost savoring me, before it dug in. I couldn't hope to move, my body felt too weak to even respond. I wanted to scream, struggle, anything!

The youkai's fingers spread my legs wider apart. I realized at that point, I was naked. I shook my head weakly trying to move myself away from the monster. Everything was dark around me, without a clear vivid picture to comfort me. All that awaited my body was the sensation of that monster's tongue, licking my skin. Fingers spread upwards, I shuddered in disgust.

Suddenly the monster was hovering over my face.

"Done." It say, its voice ecstatic. Done with what? Tasting me? I didn't exactly understand as those hands grabbed my shoulders again.

"Your spiritual energy is amazing!" the monster purred, his fingers stroking my cheeks, possessively. "I'll eat your energy slowly as I just did now. You'll last me till the end of the week, then I'll devour your flesh. I'm glad I took a stroll around where the humans roamed or else I wouldn't have found you."

I still couldn't connect proper functions to my brain and body. It was hard to just stay awake.

I was in a cave—probably somewhere in the middle of the forest—where no one would find me—on a mountain.

I'm worried about what the Fujiwara's were thinking as I'd go missing. I didn't like the fact I was going to worry them, and some of the few friends I was able to make at school. Shit, I have school tomorrow too! I needed to get out of here! I closed my eyes, which seemed to be the easiest action I could preform. I prayed. I prayed I would get out of here and back home. Something! If anyone could hear my pray, now would be a great time to act!

'Is this really the way I'm going to die? Being savored and eaten by some unknown spirit?' I gulped when the creature looked up at me, I blinked, opening my eyes.

"You're kind of a pretty human, aren't you?" the creature whispered against my ear.

I clenched my eyes shut, not wanting to picture what the demon had in mind. 'I want to go home, I want to go home, I want to go home...' I started to chant, my body becoming tense as fingers slid down the small of my back. I flinched as I was picked up like a rag doll and found myself sitting on the creatures lap.

"You're like a toy..." it mused, clearly enjoying itself with my doll-like body. It moved my arms like a doll and my legs. It was toying with me, I knew it was going to go something soon, something horrible. I peered its face against my cheek, its tongue dipped out next to me.

"Yet you smell so good...let me get a better view of you..." it purred. I had to blink a few times as light, lit the room. Small torches peeked around the cave corners, I even found my clothes laying upon the ground in the corner. I didn't move as fingers surveyed my body. I could still feel my limbs boneless but I could gain the sense of moving and talking a little bit. That was a good sign.

"You're pale," Its fingers clasped my chin and pushed my head up to gaze into its blood red eyes. I felt myself intake a sharp breath. I didn't like those eyes, I hated them.

"Your eyes, are almost honeysuckle... and your hair a worn out peach? Your body is slender, yet strong... Hmm..." the creature seemed to be asking itself a question. Well, almost pondering. Then suddenly those eyes widened drastically.

"Natsume... Reiko!" It yelled, its eyes immediately gleamed brightly. "You... have returned!" It sounded over joyed to suddenly have me in its presence.

"I have not traveled in this area for quite some time, over such a period... and yet the day I return, I mistake you for just some human snack!" It chortled against me, its chest rumbling. This made me sink deeper into fear. What's going to happen now? What does he know about my grandmother?

"Which leads me to my question," it hummed, suddenly fingers grew sharp, digging into my chin, snapping my neck back to look at it in the face.

"Now, Reiko, give me the book."

I blinked up at the monster, I was frozen. 'What book?' I don't have books. Well, books a spirit would want.

"The Book of Friends... Reiko! Give me it!"

My eyes widened at the suggestion.

"Book?" I say.

I felt myself jerk as the monster slammed me against the cave floor. I grunted in pain, yet my body still paralyzed due to the spirit's smog. I coughed, my head felt dizzy again. I am tired of being a rag doll here! If I had the strength right now, I would have punched the monster in the face already! I wanted to growl at the creature. But it beat me too it, its teeth already projected in my face.

"The book! Give me the book!"

I gulped once more and shivered. I hated this. I loathed it. Its fingers suddenly lashed out, binding around my neck and squeezed. "If you want to live any longer, then you will give me the book!"

This books whereabouts are still unknown to both of us as it seemed.

Unless...

'Is... it in that box I got from Touko when I moved in a little of a month or more ago?'

I never opened the box I inherited from my grandmother yet. I wondered if this book this monster was looking for was in there.

"Why...?" I asked, my voice strain due to the monster currently blocking my breathing.

"Why?" The monster mused, its eyes licked up flames. "Why?" It started laughing. "How can you say that Reiko when you made the book! I want that power! Give it to me!"

Power?

Book?

Did Reiko really have something so powerful to make this demon so lustful for it? The claws around my neck told me otherwise. She had something, something apparently every spirit good or bad somehow wanted or was related to it. I remember running away from them once, one of them saying something about a book. However, I didn't pay attention when my life is in danger. I've been a bit oblivious around this small town. Maybe I should start to pay more attention...if I get out of this mess, I think I'll start to take greater caution of myself.

If I can try.

I stared up at the monster, yet my eyes caught something in the corner of the cave. Suddenly black vines lashed out, wrapping around the demon. When they attached to the creature, it immediately roared. It removed one hand from my neck. I gasped, trying to take in the air I'd lost. Then a pale face appear in the corner of the cave, it grunted as the vines of black... were its hair. It had such strength to nearly throw the monster holding me down off balance. I scrambled out of its grasp as I crawled backward, rather weakly.

But I was close enough to my clothes—which I was thankful for—I grabbed them and quickly... or not really. I struggled to get my pants on just in time before hands wrapped around me and picked me up.

My head was spinning as my scenery changed so quickly, due to the ability of a spirit transporting. I nearly blacked out, due to pain, exhaustion, and my eyes were burning. Yet, I smelled something pleasant. Almost like a scent of a musky flower, dripping with honey... I cracked my eyes opened once more.

Then I saw it.

A tattoo of a lizard.