Dark Miscellaneous
A/n: This fic is heavily based on my favorite books The Dark Series by my favorite author Christine Feehan! I can't help it! I just had to make it! Really. Carpathian males are hotties and the Naruto guys are complete drools, do the math!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and the Carpathian series. I am just borrowing the ideas and characters, so please don't sue. I'm not a great animator/mangaka like Kishimoto and a very brilliant and famous writer like Mrs. Feehan. They both make millions with their brilliance while I'm just a broke fan girl with a very bizarre obsession with animes and books. Ya dig?
Full Summary: Carpathians are an immortal race with the ability to shape-shift and control the earth, weather, air and water. And every Carpathian male is drawn to a lifemate—a woman who can provide light to his darkness, the other half of his soul. Sasuke Uchiha is a Carpathian male and a legend among his people. Seven hundred years ago, he found his lifemate…but he never claimed her. Now, she is found living with the humans, with human magic abilities, with human thoughts, with human habits and a human…boyfriend.
Prologue - Dark Era
14th century
Sasuke Uchiha, Leaf Village
They were coming. Hundreds of them. Nothing had slowed them down from bringing death and destruction to their path. Everything destroyed, everyone murdered. Brutally so.
The air reeked with the foul stench of death. Stake-impaled bodies littered the earth, crudely lifeless. Rivers of blood stained the soil and the clear waters, a cruel reminder of the slaughter that took place. Grief and sorrow hung over the ancient land, thick and heavy.
The village of Leaf would be next, and it would be easily overpowered for they knew that nothing would be able to stop the Ottoman Turks from killing everyone. They spared no one. Not even the youngest child or eldest elder. Everyone burned, tortured, mutilated. The only thing they left in their merciless wake was rats, blood and death.
All of Leaf's neighboring villages had already fallen into the hands of the terrible and merciless invaders, and sentenced to the cold embrace of death. Rock, Cloud, Sound…the people knew it would be their turn soon. Knew they didn't have the slightest chance of winning were they to fight against those cold-blooded warriors. They were far too few and nothing but peasant weapons with them. All they could do was wallow in their despair and accept. Accept their death. Their end. Their helplessness.
But then, amidst the misery and despair, two great warriors emerged from the dense fog that hung like veils over the grief-stricken land, rising like the avenging angel they were known to be. They strode forward through the village powerful, proud and confident. They moved silently, fluidly and gracefully as one unit, like deadly beasts of prey. Their power, deadly and enormous, clung to them like second-skin as it was clearly made even more obvious by their broad shoulders and defined structures of rippling muscles. They were handsome, their features starkly opposite from each other and yet both held the beauty only archangels could lay claim.
As they passed, villagers moved out of their path. Some even went as far as shrinking into the shadows out of fear and awe at the sight of them. No one dared make a sound. Not even a small child braved a cry. Some barely breathed too. Although the powerful pair hardly seemed to notice. They looked neither left nor right, their minds set on their destination with purposeful strides. And when they stopped, they were as still as the mountains surrounding the region.
Everyone knew who they were. What they were.
They were the dispensers of justice.
Princes of old.
Legends.
Myths.
"Sasuke. Naruto." A thin scratchy voice spoke from behind them accompanied by the soft whispers of crunching grass beneath bare feet.
Said duo turned, as silently and fluidly as ever, only to see a small old man clad in a white tunic walking slowly up to them. They nodded to him politely and acknowledged his presence. "Sautobi."
"What news?" The village elder asked coming up to stand by the two renowned warriors. The most powerful men he knew walked the earth. One an orphan. The other the son of the prince. Two wholly different people…and yet were almost equal in everything else.
"It is said that the prince of our people has been slain." Sasuke provided calmly all the while abrupt and stark. His voice, though, was beautiful and pure, compelling; a deep timbre that could do almost anything. Enthrall. Seduce. Even kill. No one was truly safe from his voice. It was one of what made him so powerful and fearfully dangerous.
Sarutobi frowned, his heart sinking to the deepest bowels of his stomach at the dreadful news the Carpathian brought. "Minato? But that cannot be…"
"We do not yet know for sure, but we intend to find out. We are traveling fast this night to our homeland."
"I hope with all my heart that Minato is alive and well." Sarutobi offered, casting a quick worried glance at the other man standing so quietly behind Sasuke gazing down from the cliff to the forest below.
"Hn." Sasuke nodded as if satisfied with the elder's answer, though his features betrayed nothing, before shifting his gaze down at the scattered huts, watching the people return to their homes with heavy hearts. "Right now, that is what all of us need." He said softly as he returned his deep dark gaze to the elder, his face still perfectly blank. "Hope."
The village elder let his own wise and world-weary gaze down at his beloved village. "Yes…hope." But then he shook his head in defeat making his long white locks swirl around his elderly form.
Hope.
Such a simple word, and yet it was the hardest to do in circumstances like these.
"We heard of the slaughters everywhere, Sasuke. From every direction. We have no where else to go. No where to hide our families. There is nothing left for us to do but fight…and just like the rest, we will only be defeated."
"Naruto and I will do what we can, Old One." The Carpathian assured looking back towards the cliffs, the forest and the mountains beyond, shrouded by the cloak of the night.
"May God be with you…"The elder murmured his thanks, sending them his prayers and blessing.
Sasuke nodded down at him in parting before proceeding further to the cliff where his companion stood. Without a word or a glance to each other, they shape-shifted into two great owls in perfect unison and swooped down, riding the thermals, searching the wide forest for the invader—monsters—threatening to end their way of life…
Miles away from the village, on the other side of the forest, a camp fit for a thousand men settled. Thick fog moved into the dark night, dense and low to the ground obscuring any, if not all, view at a distance.
Two owls circled overhead, soaring above the campsite with keen raptor eyes. Surrounding the enormous campsite, sentries stood alert. Within, tents littered the landscape randomly; a bonfire blazed, lighting in vain to in a vain attempt to fight the impending fog…and probably the doom that came with it.
And then, without so much as a warning, the owls swooped in, diving straight for the sentries; talons wide open and deathly sharp, scraping eyes and faces. They moved in and out so fast, the guards barely had time to process what was going on. Screams of pain and terror rose throughout the fog-curtained night, sounding like echoing knells of an awful dirge. Alarmed, warriors ran from their tents with every intention of going to their guards' aid. Once they got there, however, horror gripped their guts at the gory sight that met them: Men ran around sightlessly, screaming in overwhelming agony, their faces bloody and eye-sockets empty.
The fog rolled in thicker blankets as one by one, men from the inside of camp not very far from where the fire was lit started choking—their airways clogged as if they were being strangled by invisible hands. Loud cracking noises accompanied the breathless struggle as the warriors fell to the dirt, either necks broken or throats crushed.
From the foliages, growls erupted. A heavy feeling of dread prickled the Ottoman soldiers' spine. It only meant one thing…
Wolves.
Not a split second later, the beasts attacked all at once, tearing everything, everyone. All the while hell broke loose.
Whispers of defeat and death resonated in their heads by a voice so pure and beautiful. Impossible to resist. No one would be able to refuse anything it commanded. And it commanded death.
Their death.
The chaotic scene of blood and gore, of massacre and mutilation continued throughout the night. And by the time morning came, the people of Leaf, all ready for whatever may become of their fate, found their enemies—dead.
Sasuke Uchiha, Carpathian Mountains
There was killing and murder all around. Destruction was everywhere, and humans and Carpathians alike were getting killed. And the worst part was there wasn't much the Ancients could do about it. Their killers always struck at noon when the sun was at its peak. The hour where all Carpathians were rendered helpless…and now that their Carpathian prince along with his lifemate was dead, everyone was on the edge, hanging on the last thread.
"You have no other choice, Naruto. You know you must continue the bloodline." Neji's deep beautiful voice rang out fluidly through his spacious study, staring at the three other Ancients in the room from where he sat. His pearl gaze zeroed on the lone blond Carpathian in the group with an intensity few predators could actually manage. Losing their prince was a huge blow to their people and he knew that Naruto was the only one capable of picking up the pieces his father had left off.
Naruto was born to be their prince…so why couldn't he see that for himself?
Naruto, who was standing in front of Neji's desk, tall and straight, shook his bright blond head in calm disagreement. "Our people fear me, Neji. I do not want to lead them like that."
"But they respect you." Shikamaru pointed out from where he sat on one of the two chairs situated in front of Neji's desk beside Naruto. He glanced at the Uchiha leaning on the wall next to the window a few feet away, before returning it to the future prince. Hopefully. "Both of you."
Neji nodded, resting his elbows on the mahogany table and leaning into them, fingers interlaced. "Yes, and Sasuke will be able to help you run things—"
"No." Sasuke grunted gruffly even before Neji could finish his sentence.
Three different pairs of eyes snapped toward his direction. Sasuke, however, remained unfazed, his own gaze averted to the window next to him.
Neji narrowed his eyes at him dangerously. It was clear that he was displeased with the legendary duo. "Both of you cannot shrink away from you duties. Naruto is Prince Minato's heir, and you know very well that you are Fugaku's as second-in-command."
"Right now," Sasuke corrected, finally allowing his dark soulless gaze to fall upon the other Ancients before him still as calm as ever, his voice never rising. "Our duty is to protect the people."
"Sasuke is right." His partner confirmed, sky-blue orbs staring unblinkingly into Neji's pearl gaze. "Everyone is already afraid enough as it is. Telling them that I'm taking over will no doubt only terrify them."
Right now, their first priority should be their people's safety and survival.
Sasuke moved then. An elegant play of sinews, very reminiscent of a large and graceful jungle cat stretching. He moved to make his way to the door, clearly deeming the discussion over. "We will fight these humans. If we manage to end the wars and killing, then we will talk about this problem." He stated without a backward glance as he continued to progress toward the door.
"One moment." Shikamaru's voice, hypnotic in his own way although the brunet wasn't even trying, stopped the Uchiha from his retreat to the exit. Sasuke turned around, eyes meeting the healer's. Shikamaru sighed, averting his gaze to the window. "There is one more problem we need to discuss. Something bigger than any of this combined."
"What are you talking about?" Naruto frowned. He didn't like the sound of that. What could be a bigger problem than this pointless war?
"Have you taken a good look around lately?" Shikamaru stood, walking over to the window where Sasuke had been and gazed out into the night. He didn't wait for an answer. "A lot of our people are getting killed…The women to be precise. There are only a handful left actually, and our children mostly male." An unbearable silence enveloped the elegant chamber forcing the brunet to continue. "What I am saying is that even if we could stop the killing now, after this war, no doubt a lot of our men would either seek the dawn or choose to lose their souls. Either way, both options are not what you would say a good one."
"In short," Neji supplied rather grimly. Too grimly. "We are already in the brink of extinction."
Sasuke Uchiha, Uchiha Manor
The memory was vivid in Sasuke's mind as he strode into the very manor he once lived…where his entire family used to live. It had been a long time since he last set foot in this place. The last time he was there, he could feel the torment the place held for him, every corner had it in it for him. The bloodstained wall. The pale lifeless bodies. Wide sightless-eyes. Everything. Every haunting shadow came to life.
Not anymore though.
He had lived nearly a thousand years. He couldn't feel anything anymore. He couldn't feel the pain, the hatred and the sadness that had once—no—had taken over his entire childhood anymore. But he knew it was there. Always present. Always smoldering. The scars would always be there, and it would never disappear unless the cause of it left the earth.
Sasuke knew he should have been feeling the same pain, hate and sadness right now too. Not just because he was striding around the place that practically sealed his eternal fate, but because…what had happened in this house…was happening outside, to his homeland. What had happened to his family…was happening to his people.
The deaths.
The agony.
The loss.
The suffering.
It was all happening all over again…although what happened to his family happened of a different cause.
See, because while his species was being exterminated by foolish superstitious humans who couldn't tell a Carpathian from a vampire, his entire family was massacred by…a vampire.
The undead.
A betrayer.
His own brother.
"Itachi…" He whispered the hateful name softly, a small deadly hiss. He didn't feel hate or sadness—not that he had much of a choice, but in his grey and bleak existence—literally—he knew one thing was for sure.
He had to be the one to kill his brother.
For revenge. For justice. For Carpathians and humans alike.
…and for his family.
Itachi by now was considered one of the most powerful vampires in the world. A master vampire. And fact is, whether Sasuke liked it or not, he was the only one who could stop his brother. Sasuke was a legend after all. The remaining descendant of the revered and feared Dark Family. Adopted son of their prince, Minato, after the horrible massacre.
It didn't take a genius to know that his reputation spread far and wide that even the undead feared him. A reputation, I might add, that sent a lot—the undead ranks included—quaking, tails down between their legs.
That was why he couldn't stay with Naruto after the wars and help him manage their people. Because…Naruto had his duty as the future prince of their people, while he had his.
As an avenger.
Sakura Haruno, Uchiha Manor
She shouldn't be here. She was trespassing. She was supposed to stay with the other women where it was safe. And Sakura knew it. All of it. But somehow…she couldn't stay away. She just couldn't stay away from the place that had been her play ground for as long as she could remember.
There was just something about the old manor that drew her to it. And right now, it felt like it was actually calling to her. Wanting her there to keep it company for no one else would. The Uchiha Manor was, after all, not a place lot of people were too keen on visiting to, what with all its grueling history and all.
Strangely though, Sakura found the place rather comforting despite the terrible tragedy that had taken place inside its confines. It comforted her and offered solace. You could say both she and the house needed comfort. With all the killing and mutilation, Sakura was sure it was what she definitely needed.
Comfort and solace.
The constant news of losing her family and friends was probably taking a toll on her now and all she wanted to do was weep, weep and weep. And here in the manor, she could do just that without worrying about affecting anybody else of her feelings of hopelessness. God knew that it was the last thing her people needed right now. They were miserable enough as it is.
Sakura sighed wiping the fat salty beads of tears falling from her jaded orbs with the back of her hands. She felt sick and hollow where the silence of the night should've calmed her…but somehow…it only amplified the dreadful feeling. Choking down a strangled sob, she looked up at the family portrait hanging majestically on the high wall of the drawing room. A trembling smile graced her lips as she gazed at the youngest member of the family.
No. She thought with an iron resolve. She had to be strong. A lot of Carpathian Ancients were fighting hard to keep them safe.
She should believe in them.
She should believe in…him.
"Sasuke…" She sighed lovingly.
She knew who he was. But she knew him more than the avenging angel everyone has dubbed him to be. To her, he was more than just the protector of their people.
Their hero. Their legend. Or even their myth.
He was—
"What are you doing here?" A smooth velvet voice cut through the musing silence Sakura had about her.
Sakura gasped in shock, her blood running cold as the equally cold voice traced over her skin with a dangerous edge. She swung around in alarm only to come face to face with the devil, or rather angel, himself. She froze; eyes as wide as saucers as her heart literally missed a few beats…or at least she thought it did. She couldn't really tell.
She gulped, and unconsciously noted that her throat was dry.
Sasuke…
Oh God, what was he doing here? He shouldn't be here—not that she should have been either but that wasn't the point. The point was that he was supposed to be somewhere out there and not…well, here—in the Carpathian Mountains. Much less in his own house!
Okay, that does not make any sense at all! She rattled, unable to think clearly. The only thing her mind could really process properly amidst her racing pulse and her pounding heart that it almost felt like it was going to crash right through her ribcage was the thought of him being there.
Sasuke. The great legend. The feared hero.
Her…her…
Wait…was he?
Was he really the one?
It didn't seem possible…Perhaps there had been a mistake…? Carpathian emotions and connection was after all a very complex thing…
Maybe she was mistaken…
With wide eyes, she watched him. Watched how his long dark tresses framed his pale beautiful face. Watched the intensity of his soulless onyx orbs stare at her unblinkingly like the predator he was. Watched the way his jaw work…as if…as if he was having some inner battle.
Inner battle for what?
Bloodshed? She gulped. Oh she was in deep trouble.
"You know that it is not safe for you to be alone."
His voice tugged at her heartstrings. Her heart clenched. She swallowed, found her throat already dry.
Oh he was the one all right. There was no mistake about it.
He was the one.
"Sa…Sasuke…" Sakura hesitated. Should she tell him? Did he already know? It was said that they would know…but…
She saw his eyes flash at the mention of his name making her take an unconscious step back. She made an effort to keep her knees from shaking.
What if he didn't know? Was he going to kill her? For trespassing into his house? She trembled at the thought.
Maybe…maybe I should just tell him…Maybe…She took a deep breath, lifting her chin up at him, in a vain attempt of a show of bravado. "I…I…I…"
"You are my lifemate." His velvet-laced voice softly stated a fact. Starkly. Straightforwardly.
So he did know…
Sakura held her breath, afraid to even breathe. He was standing by the doorway, a good five feet away from her, but it felt like he was already invading her personal space. He was a big man. Broad-shouldered and muscular. Nevertheless, though, she nodded her confirmation up at him…however tentative it was. "I…I am."
"It is dangerous here." His unfathomable pools piercing into her narrowed a fraction, the only indication she noted that he was reprimanding her when his voice remained deep and calm.
"I-I know." She answered quickly, looking at anywhere and anything else but him, intimidated. She had always dreamed that this day would come when he would find her. It was just that…she didn't think he'd be so much scarier than he was always portrayed in the stories. "I…I was just…"
The soft hiss he let out cut her off.
"I cannot claim you." He ground out abruptly.
Her head snapped up at him at that, surprise written all over her pale features. Shocked green eyes met bottomless onyx. What?
A heavy silence enveloped the duo, and for a heart stopping moment, Sakura's eyes wavered, understanding washing over her like hot acid. She looked away from his harshly controlled features, her heart breaking.
"I…I see…" Her response was barely above a whisper, but she knew that he heard her. He was an Ancient after all.
Carpathian females didn't lose their emotions, unlike the males of their species but…rejection was a rather foreign feeling to her. Really it was. And what's more?
It hurt.
It hurt so much.
"You understand, do you not?" He continued as he, she knew, took a silent step closer to her. She didn't budge though. Only bowed her head making her long pink locks fall over her face so that he couldn't see her face, and the wounded expression it held.
He wasn't going to claim her. And she understood why. Understood why he was so willing to throw out his own salvation so completely. So much so that it was the reason why it hurt so much.
She knew that if he bound her to him, she would be a burden. Once bound to each other, there was no going back. And he still had so much to do, so much to sacrifice. For his people.
"Why I cannot claim you." He advanced closer.
Oh, she understood all right. You bet she did.
And she understood perfectly well that she was a burden he was unwilling to carry.
It hurt.
That there were more important things to him than her.
His lifemate. His other half.
Sakura took a deep shuddering breath, head still bowed, trying to compose herself before answering his question. "I…understand." She immediately bit her lip to prevent a sob from escaping. She wasn't going to cry. Not in front of him. Not in front of Sasuke. Most especially not in front of him. He was their hero and she should show her belief in him.
Besides, now that he made his refusal of her perfectly clear, their relationship was strictly standardized and general.
A fledgling to a powerful Ancient. An inexperienced and weak child to a strong and seasoned adult.
It would be an embarrassment to her and probably all Carpathian women like her to cry like a child in front of a legendary being.
"Do you?"
"…yes." Her response was thin and trembling with unshed tears, but she managed to choke down the sob that followed.
Sasuke stopped abruptly, standing about three feet away from her but said nothing. Only stared, taking every inch of her to his memory. Sasuke gritted his teeth together, hands clenched into tight fists.
He knew what he must do. It was his duty, his destiny.
"…Thank you…" With those final words, he vanished.
And then, and only then, did she let her heavy tears fall from those jaded pools.
Sakura Haruno, Carpathian Mountains
He had walked out of her life even before he was barely in it, leaving her with a broken heart. Sakura sighed looking up at the full moon. Her tears were already spent. No more will fall.
Well no more for Sasuke at least. She added the afterthought dryly. The memory of their first and, probably, last encounter still ran through her tumultuous head day in and day out. Her heart ached.
"…Thank you…" He had said to her that night before he disappeared and walked out of her life for…for who knows how long.
Did he even want to return to her? Did it even matter?
A wan smile graced her lips just as a cool night breeze played with her long pink locks. Funny, it should have been her saying thank you. After all, she wasn't the one sacrificing her soul, throwing out her own salvation. She wasn't the one condemning herself into a bleak and barren existence.
But she was proud of him though despite the pain of the certain realization caused, because he was right. His duty to his people came first. The destruction of the killer of his entire family came first. If he had claimed her, she would've been his biggest weak point. A really, really huge weak point he couldn't afford.
It hurt but she was proud of him.
He was sacrificing so much without any thought of his own needs. And she admired him for that…and she…was, more or less, going to follow his example. In her own way of course.
She looked down at her village from the small hill where she sat with sad green eyes. She was going sacrifice the only thing left to her for the good of her people—so scared, anguished and nearly hopeless.
"Susu, I'm leaving…" she whispered solemnly into the wind, reaching down to touch the earth under her, feeling, for one last time, the comfort of her homeland. It would probably be the last time she would feel it.
It was told that there was only one lifemate for each Carpathian male.
And she knew Sasuke was hers. No one would be able to take his place.
But since he flatly rejected her…well, there was no one else left for her. And she knew that her presence would only torment any single Carpathian male who would see her, a female unclaimed. They would will themselves to believe that she was their lifemate, refusing to see the cruel truth. Only a true lifemate could truly save their other half's soul.
No one else.
Her people were better off without her. And the males would survive longer if she went. Her presence would only help bring them closer to the destruction of their people. She would have to leave.
Staying wasn't an option. At all.
Goodbye, Susu…
She clenched a fist full of soil, held it close to her heart for a moment before releasing it and letting it fall back to the ground where it belonged. She stood up with another heavy sigh, raked a hand carelessly through her thick pink mane. With one last look around at her homeland, she walked deeper into the forest, never once looking back at her precious village.
Goodbye…Sasuke…
Translations:
Susu- home; birthplace (noun). at home (adv.)