She closed her eyes no longer able to look him in the face. He'd done it. He'd killed them just as her sister had told her he would. And now she was alone with only him left. The lilac eyes snapped open as her midnight hair swirled in the hellish wind that rose through the night. "You won't kill me."

"Who will stop me?" he laughed scornfully. "A half fledgling vampire who is barely sixteen centuries? You couldn't even stop me from killing them… how will you protect yourself?"

His steps were deliberately slow as he formed a ball of chrisom energy in his hands which lit his strange eyes and shone off his dark hair. He was tall, perhaps six feet in height, muscled and over fifty years old despite his teenager appearance. Itachi was a prodigy in the vampire world. And to him, she was nothing but a block in his way that he intended to eliminate.

Before him, she twisted two lilac energy cords in her palms. Her anger grew colder than the air around them; her fear had long since died. Summoning her energy full force, she stared him down before hurling the first of the cords. As he sidestepped, she threw the other using her energy to expand it slightly wider so that it burned his side when he attempted to sidestep again.

He gave a low growl of anger, his pale eyes growing dangerously wild as he stared at her with a loathing like none other. So the little sasobi had managed to catch him in his weak spot. That wouldn't be happening again.

Vanishing in a burst of black smoke, he shot forward with speed unrivaled his white ball of energy still held steady as he aimed it for her heart. Revealing in the surprised look in her eyes as he appeared in front of her, Itachi brought his hand up towards her undefended stomach. Triumph shone as a warm liquid splattered over his hands, sticky to the touch as she coughed heavily.

"You…" jerk. You won't even allow me to date my first human love, to let him actually kiss me. You couldn't wait one day. And you killed my family just to test your power. I hate you and I will never forgive you.

She fell forward, unable to complete her sentence as the rush of blood fell onto the floor to surround her in its chrisom stain. He licked the droplets from his fingers, noting its slightly spicy flavor as he stared condemningly at her, the one he'd thought could possibly have it in her. "You weren't strong enough, Hinata. And you never will be because you don't even carry your family's kekkei genkai of Neobyakuugan. I'm disappointed."

The words stung her more than her injuries. She could no longer feel anything but the blows to her pride that he continued to inflict on her. But yet, she could feel a soft warmth deep inside her, one that she hadn't felt in a long time. It shifted so that it was around her stomach, almost like a healing presence to the cold injury that had been done there. What is going on? She thought feeling the skin beginning to reconnect before she blacked out.

The silence hung thick as Itachi paused suddenly, aware that her dark eyes still sparked with life, her chest still stole breaths from the air. It was impossible, but yet it was happening before his red eyes. He had been wrong. "So…" he said lowly. "You do have the blood trait. This will be interesting after all."

Picking her up as gently as if she had been his own sister, Itachi carried her through the dark night. A smirk was playing about his lips and his chrisom eyes faded to a strange storm gray that reflected cool confidence. She wouldn't remember what happened. He would ensure that himself. "Little Hinata is mine to play with," he thought.

Hinata eyes opened slowly. Everything was blurred or spinning, and for a moment she was tempted to close her eyes again. Yet something told her that she shouldn't, that something wasn't quite right. Sitting up slowly, the young vamp held her head in her hands as she stared at her open door, then at the black silk nightgown she wore. Wasn't I wearing my red one?, she thought slowly. Or did I change at all? It's too early for it to have been hunting time. That was only three days ago and I can go two weeks. And I always leave my door open. Why can't I remember anything?!

Sliding slowly to her feet, Hinata dressed in her standard back boots, with sturdy but comfortable jeans, and a strappy half revealing top that only came down to her midriff. Sliding on her dark, silver studded coat, Hinata arranged her hair in a simple twist before applying make up. Girls these days had so much more they could do with her looks than three centuries ago, and Hinata had been blessed with a naturally willowy figure. Adding just a touch of sparkle to her eyes, the vamp buckled her boots before attempting to open her door.

The knob twisted, but the wooden structure refused to budge from the frame. Irritably, she tried again, throwing her force against it. But it stayed stationary, almost mocking her pitiful attempts. With a sigh of annoyance, she drew upon her dark energy and sent it snaking up the door before bursting it so that the entire wooden frame broke loose.

Heading down the stairs, Hinata couldn't keep her mind off the fact it was finally Friday. She was going on a date with her first human love. Naruto was everything she wanted: kind, understanding without being prying, and he respected her odd schedule. More than that, he also loved the night, Hinata's one time when she didn't have to worry.

Dreamily she thought of his dark eyes and luscious brown locks that hung in his warm eyes. There was his muscled arms, which she always seemed to find herself in. Naruto reminded her of her sister's boyfriend Kiba. Where was her sister any way? She didn't recall hearing the creaks and groans of Hanabi getting up, and she was usually the one to wake Hinata. "Hanabi?" she called, heading towards her sister's room. The door was shut, meaning she should still be there… but a sinking feeling in her stomach told her that she wasn't. For the second time that morning she felt that something wasn't right.

When there was no response, she hesitated with her hand on the knob. Though she had forbidden her to enter… she had to know if her sister was alright. Closing her eyes, she twisted before pushing the door open to see the room. It was a wreck, and blood splattered the walls and bed sheets as if a massive fight had taken place. Shelves, her night table and her bookcase were all overturned, and on the bed lay Hanabi. Blood seeped from around her chest in a gaping hole that stole Hinata's breath. "No… no it can't be…" she whispered, tears seeping down her cheeks to drip to the floor like crystals.

Suddenly she felt arms around her and turned to see Naruto looking at the scene with shocked eyes. Hinata hadn't even heard him come in, much less behind her. Snuggling into his arms, she wept as he stroked her hair soothingly trying to find the words to comfort her. "We need to call the police… where are your parents?" he asked seriously as she froze. She hadn't seen her parents either…

"I… don't know," she whispered fearfully staring towards their shut bedroom door. "I don't want to look in there… I can smell the blood." Shaking, she felt another wave of tears threaten to over flow. Her family was dead… killed gruesomely. But she had been left alive. Why?

Nodding, Naruto slowly led her downstairs and sat her in a chair as he dialed the police. Hinata was numb, unable to think or even answer the door as the cops arrived. Finally, though, she turned to see her cousin Neji standing in front of her. His eyes were downcast, his hands folded as he listened to what the police said. "She's seventeen, and will be eighteen in a month. Surely you can't be looking to put her in foster care," he argued. "I know there is the worry the murderer will come back, but you can't just uproot her from everything she knows. And more than that, she has special needs that a foster home can't provide."

The officers blue eyes were serious as he matched glares with the young man. Drawing himself up full height, he replied, "She's a minor. Three deaths have already occurred here, do you want a fourth? Foster care is the best thing for her, and once she's eighteen, she'll be allowed back. There's no guardian over nineteen to take her right now. She'll be well looked after, and the family should be able to look after her needs."

"Yes there is. I'm twenty two," Neji said, pulling out his I.D. His eyes flickered for a moment before returning to their grayish white color. "I'll look after her here until then, and I know what her needs are. It will also ease the transition…"

His voice was soft, but commanding. Hinata knew he had the ability to shift people's decisions to his own likings, and it seemed as if he were trying to now. Glaring at the police officer, his power ran in a thin cord to the other man and his irritation was plain. Neji was not known for his patience, but he cared for Hinata deeply. "Now please finish your investigation and leave. I will take her to my home…" Neji finished as the officer nodded dazedly.

Walking over to her, Neji helped her to her feet before leading the way to his Mercedes Mercilago. As he helped in the car, she paused to give Naruto a hug. "I'll see you at school I guess…" she whispered softly before getting in and closing the door.

The drive was short, but seemed to take forever. Neji remained silent, aware that his cousin was probably in deep shock, and besides he had his own thoughts to deal with. The death scene were different than a normal murder. The Hyuuga's would not have fallen so easily to a normal hunter, nor to a regular vampire. This person was powerful. And only one clan matched them, the Uchiha's.

As they entered his manner, Hinata noticed the small reflecting pool in the entry hall. She had been told that through it, a person could locate their enemies or friends. Hesitantly, she walked to it and gazed into its surface to see her reflection of pale lilac eyes and dark hair. But then it changed and there was a man beside her with chrisom eyes and dark hair.

With a soft gasp, she turned to see no one beside her. Yet, her heart beat echoed in her ears, and a dangerous aura hung about the room. Glancing back at the pool as she got to her feet, she summoned a cord of energy as she noticed him behind her. Wheeling sharply, she struck out… only to have her cousin stop her blow. "What's wrong, Hinata?" he asked, frowning as her eyes turned shy.

"No-nothing c-c-cousin," she stuttered, looking to her feet. For some reason, Neji intimidated her and she couldn't stop the stutter in her voice when they were together. Questioningly, her eyes flickered back to the water, but the image had faded.

He studied her form, not believing her words. Finally he stated, "Your Neobyakuugan is activated… which tells me you did see something even if you deny it. The reflecting pool has properties which are useful to our clan's eyes. So who did you see?"

Blushing, she turned slightly away, but he caught her shoulder. His penetrating gaze told her that she was not going to be able to leave until she told him. Though he was only two centuries older than her, he was the closest thing to head of the household left, which gave him authority. "I saw a man with dark hair and red eyes that seemed to have black swirling commas. It was the same one in my dream last night. He killed my family, I know it," she replied softly.

Suspicion confirmed by her words, Neji nodded curtly, releasing her. His pale eyes glittered fire as he turned to leave. "I have some business to take care of. Your room is up the hall," he said with a smile. "Tenten will be back soon." Then he vanished in a burst of black smoke.

Tenten walked through the Uchia manor, her hazel eyes flaring beneath her brown hair, which was elegantly twisted up into buns. Dressed in a black halter top and pants, she hid her dagger in the top of her boots. "Itachi, get your sorry ass out here!" she called irately as she felt his prescience, taking out the paper clips to straiten them into lethal senbon.

There was a slight puff of red smoke, then the Uchia prodigy was standing in front of her. His chrisom eyes were unamused as he glared at her. Arms folded across his chest, he warned, "Watch it Tenten, your language could be taken as insulting… what do you want?"

"I want to know what possessed you last night," she hissed, a senbon burying its self by his head as she turned. As a weapon mistress, she was not one to mess with. "Why did you go after the Hyuuga's?

He chuckled darkly, a sound that rose the hairs on the back of her neck. As the deep sound echoed off the stone halls, he stared deeply into her eyes. "I wanted to test their kekkei genkai before I agreed to Hiashi's marriage proposal. It would have been to Hanabi, but they were all weak. Except one," he said, eyes enchanting her to keep staring into his chrisom depths.

"Stay away from Hinata, Itachi," Tenten ordered, her hazel eyes growing cold as she reached for the knife in her belt. "Or I'll stake you myself. She already has a love and doesn't need your interference."

Itachi smiled, his predatory eyes searching her face. Looking over his purple nails, he remarked, "I'm aware of the Uzumaki kid. But Hinata doesn't know everything she claims to. He's a half-breed wolf who was exiled from his pack for no more than being born. Is he any better, Tenten?"

Her eyes narrowed. That was a forbidden pairing, but it wasn't her place to say and she knew it. "He's better than a murderer who's only interested in his own power," she returned icily. "Wolf or not, he at least cares about her more than her abilities. Let her make the choice to be with him, Itachi. I will be watching her, and if you've done one little thing to scare or hurt her, and I will track you down to the ends of the world. And then you will wish you'd never heards of a Hyuuga."

"Threaten all you like my dear. In truth, you are no better than the wolf."

Wheeling sharply, Tenten's fingers were lined with senbon, her cheeks flushed. Her eyes gleamed against the dark light reflected off her needles' poison. Throwing them like lightening, she added a few of her own stakes as her anger made the darkness spread around her. "In truth, Itachi, you are dead."

With an smirk, Itachi easily deflected the projectiles before vanishing into the darkness