Revenge is a Confession of Pain

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Skip Beat nor anything else copyrighted that this story might include. I am a student and as a result very poor and making no money from that fic so suing me would be a waste of time.

Author's Note: Ok I am seriously inspired by the Hollows Series so I decided to do a fanfic in Kim Herrison's style. I hope I did her justice. Here's the deal please review or I will think you don't like the story and no longer update.

Constructive criticism like if I made a consistency error are appreciated. If you flame me I will have to sic my little sister on you and God knows you don't want that. She is feral.

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Sharp teeth on the skin of her neck and the brusque pull of blood drew a pained groan. As he drew away Kyoko Mogami could feel the twin rivulet of liquid roll down her neck. Drained of all energy she felt her knees goes soft and slump helplessly to the ground.

Still despite her exhaustion Kyoko felt elation flow through her depleted veins. Using what little strength she had the young woman managed to raise her drooping eyes to the figure above her. Her angel, her prince charming, wiped a thumb across the side of his mouth. Looking coolly down at her the man licked the remaining blood of the digit before turning.

Kyoko could hear the rustle of cloth as he grabbed his jacket and the loud thunk as the door slammed shut behind him. Through her euphoria Kyoko could feel a sharp twinge in her heart. He almost never stayed anymore.

Slowly grey spots encroached on edges of her vision. Unable to hold her head up any longer Kyoko let it fall to the ground with a thump. With her last conscious thought, as she wondered idly how her life had become like this, was the name of her beloved.

Sho

. .. ... .. . .. ... .. .

A shrill ringing cut through Kyoko's brain like a blade. Struggling she raised herself into the sitting position before grasping her head. The black dots that danced if front of her eyes said she had pushed herself too quickly yet again. Kyoko looked at her alarm clock before letting out a stream of rather creative expletives.

Ignoring the buzzing in her skull Kyoko jumped to her feet and raced into the shower. If she didn't hurry she would be late for work again and possibly be fired, no job meant no money, no money meant no rent, no rent meant no home. Not a pleasant thought.

As she tossed on her uniform Kyoko caught a glance at herself in the mirror. Her long black hair hung stringy and uncut, her skin was pale and there were dark circles under her eyes. Sighing Kyoko tossed her hair back in a messy ponytail.

Paying for rent, along with completing her high school diploma online, left her with little time and even less money for such luxuries as a haircut. Looking around her roomy apartment Kyoko vaguely wondered why she needed so much space.

When she had first moved in with her beloved prince Sho, they had both spent most of their time there. When he wasn't working as a Runner and she wasn't working as a waitress. Still, Kyoko blushed happily, it was great to be living with someone she loved so much. Despite the fact that Sho came home less and less it was still great just being with him, knowing he needed her. After all he had chosen her above all the other girls that had followed him around back home.

Even with his newly dyed hair and almost perpetual frown Sho was still just as handsome, if not more, then he had been. He always smelled strongly of leather with a hint of coppery tang that almost every living vampire did. Sighing again, this time with love, Kyoko let her mind drift through thoughts of her wonderful prince.

A quick look at the clock jerked Kyoko out of her musings. Cursing again she rushed down the stairs and out to her bike. Kyoko wished she could afford a car but she just didn't have the money.

Peddling like the wind Kyoko passed cars and building. Turning down several streets she came to a screeching stop in front of the Darumaya. Panting, Kyoko glanced at her watch, she was just in time. Dragging herself up the stairs Kyoko collapsed, last night was finally catching up with her.

"Kyoko-chan," A kindly voice gasped, "are you alright?"

Strong hands lifted her up and Kyoko found herself looking into the Boss Lady's gentle face. The woman was in her mid 40s and had laugh lines around her eyes and mouth. Her normally cheery demeanour had morphed into a mask of worry.

"Maybe you should go home dear. You look like death warmed over."

"No." Kyoko managed to raise herself up, "I'm fine just a little dehydrated. Besides I need to make rent."

Seeing the Boss Lady staring at her neck Kyoko raised her hand self consciously only to feel wetness. Quickly she reached her hand into her pocket and pulled out a well worn handkerchief and wiped the blood away.

"You don't have to do this dear." Kyoko looked to see the older woman with her hand pressed to a similar, yet far older, scar on her own neck. The combination of anxiety and sympathy in her eyes made Kyoko look away in shame. "There are ways out, even if it doesn't seem like it."

"Thank you for your concern but I'm fine really." Kyoko paused seeing the sadness in the Boss Lady's eyes. "He loves me."

Kyoko winced as the words slipped out her mouth, the flinch she got in return was almost worse. Bowing a respectful exit Kyoko hurried into the kitchen, studiously ignoring the stern looks the Boss kept shooting at her.

Her shift went by in a blur of noise and laughter with an underlying smell of fish. By the evening Kyoko had regained most of her colour and was feeling much better. The earlier conversation with the Boss Lady was pushed back into a corner of her mind. After bowing formally to the Darumaya couple Kyoko peddled leisurely home.

The dark streets were lit by brightly and lined with shops and restraints. As she passed a Curara Soda convenience store and noticed a large sign for a particular brand of pudding. Sho's favourite kind of pudding in fact, and it was on sale.

Doing some mental math Kyoko came to the conclusion that she had just enough to buy one. She would have to go without dinner of course but it was worth it for Sho. Exiting the store with the precious pudding in a plastic bag Kyoko decided to visit Sho at Akatoki Headquarters.

Biking with renewed vigour Kyoko imagined the look on Sho's face when she gave him the pudding. He would give her that lazy unguarded smile like he used to then they were children and thank her. She would blush and say it was nothing. Then he would lean in and kiss her and say the three words she longed to hear.

Blushing at her fantasy Kyoko peddled faster until she slid to a stop in front of the large, intimidating, Akatoki Headquarter Building. It was made of grey cement and had very few windows. In fact it looked more like a prison then anything. There was a car park to the right and a bike rack just outside the front doors. After chaining her bike up outside Kyoko traveled though the front doors.

The Agency was busy as always. The waiting room was filled with people waiting to be booked or have their statements recorded. The Akatoki Agency was after all the second most famous private policing agency in the country.

For centuries humans believed that they were the only race on the planet. They deemed creatures like vampires, werewolves, elves, witches, and pretty much every other race as mythical. For years the Hiragana, as they called themselves, lived among the humans unnoticed. Hiding themselves.

Around the end of the 1800s an epidemic had swept over the world killing thousands upon thousands of humans. The disease didn't affect Hiragana and soon the humans began to look for answers as to why they were dying while their neighbours weren't even affected. It wasn't long before the Hiragana were exposed. Only the joint medical and magical effort that resulted in a cure to the Edan Virus stopped a world war of humans against Hiragana.

Still racism existed as it always had and humans and Hiragana were wary of each other. When the first, known, living vampire was elected president in the US his first order of business was to deconstruct the old military sections such as the army, the marines, and even the police force and reconstructed a new system.

Soon the other countries were following suit. Japan had created a tree system that separated those who prosecuted criminals from those who caught them. The result was a multitude of privately owned agencies. Runners, essentially bounty hunters, were contracted out based on ranking and skill. Better agencies equal a bigger pay off, but also more dangerous missions.

Akatoki Agency was second only to L.M.E Agency and Sho was a rising star. His living vampire status meant he could work longer and harder then his human counterparts. The virus in his system meant that along with his increased strength and stamina he could go out in the sun, worship, and didn't need blood to survive.

The only downside was that at the end of his life Sho could either die like a mortal or lose his soul and become an immortal shell of his former self. An undead vampire was almost indestructible driven only by a shadow of their past selves and a need for blood. The only way to destroy them, the sun or pumping them full of holy water. Neither were particularly easy accomplish. There were of course other deterrents but they would only slow an undead down, and probably piss him or her off royally. Pissed off undead vamp was something no one wanted to deal with.

The mere thought of it sent a shiver down Kyoko's spine.

She nodded a greeting to the secretary at the front desk who apathetically waved her past security.

As she passed people dressed in their work attire Kyoko looked down at her own clothes and felt ashamed. The ratty top she had bought at a second hand store hung loosely on her slight figure. Her jean were ripped and not in the fashionable way. Even her sneakers had holes in them.

Walking down the familiar hall Kyoko came to a stop in front of Sho's office. This was yet another sign of his rising favour, most Runners were stuck in cubicles not cushy spacious offices.

"And then she said, 'Even if other girls do not understand you, I do.'"

Kyoko froze. The door was opened a crack and she could hear Sho.

"Ya then she said, 'You're number one.'" Sho snorted, "as if it was important coming from her or something."

Kyoko leaned forward to open the door but stopped as she heard a woman's voice. Peeking around she caught sight of a statuesque woman with wavy blonde hair puffing elegantly on a cigarette.

"Well I'm sure you can talk like that," she drawled, "Up until now that girl has been working hard for a living, and that's for you too. Being a bit harsh aren't you?"

Sho pouted attractively.

"Heeeey," He whined, "We're talking about me here. You don't expect a rich guy like me to clean or cook do you? Do you think that a poor delicate guy like me could live by myself here in Tokyo?"

The woman seemed unimpressed. She draped one long leg over the other and leaned back on the plush couch she was seated on.

"So basically you only brought her here to take care of you, like a maid or something?"

Kyoko felt sick. In her mind she begged Sho to deny it. To say no, that she was his special person.

"No 'or something' she's a maid." Sho paused, "well that and a blood bank. She's been like this since we were kids. She used to always help me out at the Inn and never got pissed no matter what I said to her. I mean if it wasn't for that I would never have brought her."

Standing at the door Kyoko couldn't breathe. It was like one of those nightmares where you wanted to run, yell, anything, but were frozen helpless in place.

"Anyways," Sho continued obliviously, "it's not like I made her come with me or even placed a glamour on her once we got here. I just said to her 'Would you come with me?' It was a question! I have always given her a choice and she stays of her own free will. I mean it's natural for her to want to give her blood to me since I hate having to work to get blood."

At this something snapped in Kyoko, like a tiny lock had clicked open in her soul. She felt cold, straight out to the tips of her fingers. Memories of long hours, days without meals, wasting her teenage years for the man on the other side of the door.

"Since you can survive on your own now and have plenty of sources for blood you should send her back." The blonde woman leaned forwards and looked Sho seriously in the eye. "She doesn't even have her high school diploma right? You had both you high school and college costs covered by the company after all."

"Fine I will send her back to Kyoto." Sho's reply was immediate and flippant. "As long as you promise to take care of me in her place."

Predatorily Sho stood and crossed the room and draped himself over the woman. Reaching out long fingered hands he played with the ends of her ponytail. Unaffected the blonde merely snorted.

"Oh please I do that already. You come and stay at my house all the time and hardly ever go home."

"Is that really any surprise? Someone like you Shouko-san is exactly my type."

Kyoko felt another click, then another, like a whole multitude of locks were now falling away.

"If I hadn't run away my parents would have tried to hook me up with Kyoko and take over the in. They said she had good sense or something." Sho snorted unattractively, "Seriously like I would ever marry the plain boring girl-next-door."

That was the last straw. Kyoko felt the final lock drop and something emerge from the chains deep inside herself. As invisible wind slammed the office door open sending chunks of plaster flying as it hit the wall.

Mustering all her strength she had Kyoko hurled the glass pudding container at Sho's head. He only just managed to avoid it.

"What the hell?" Whipping around he stared at her. "Kyoko..."

"Seriously?" Shouko gaped, "That Kyoko?"

Feeling numb and dizzy Kyoko lowered her chin so her long bangs shadowed her eyes.

"Even though I was plain and boring and you hate girls like that you still brought me to Tokyo with you."

"Because it was convenient." Sho stared at her dispassionately.

"I see..."

A small choked noise tore loose from Kyoko's throat thought she tried to stifle it.

"Geez don't cry," Sho turned his head sharply away, "It's annoying."

Another noise struggled loose, even as Kyoko coved her mouth to stop it. Then another. She fell against the doorframe wild laugher wracking her thin frame. Her strange behaviour drew puzzled looks from Shouko and Sho.

The dark creature finally shed it's chains and burst forth from Kyoko's body sending wild gales of wind around the room. Throwing her head back Kyoko continued to laugh as papers went sailing off the desk, pictures rattled on the walls, and the one window in the room shattered. Shouko's hands moved to cover her mouth and Sho jumped backwards clearly surprised.

Drawing some stray power into her hands Kyoko formed it into a ball and hurled it at Sho's face knocking him clear off his feet.

"To me you were everything."

Kyoko's voice came out a a low hiss. Her aura was visible around her like a black shadow. It shifted and pulled at her loose clothes and hair. Trendles leaked out and curled around the room whispering words of hate and revenge. Then as quickly as it appeared the aura was gone.

"I will get my revenge Shotaro Fuwa." She pointed dramatically at him.

Sensing her power was gone Sho ventured a smirk.

"You get revenge on me? And how would you do that when you can't even lay a hand on me?"

As if on cue three burly security guards rushed forward. One scooped Kyoko up and planted her on his shoulder with surprising care.

"No! Let go of me! Put me down!" Kyoko shrieked pounding desperately at her captors back.

"You have no chance, none at all." Sho continued, "From here on out I'm only moving up is the world. Soon I'll be the top Runner in the country. Somewhere a nobody like you will never reach me. Of course I won't be seeing you again. Revenge? On me? That is impossible for someone like you."

With that the security guard walked off down the hall with Kyoko glaring at Sho's smirking figure from his shoulder. The trip down the hall was slow but Kyoko could see the faces of Runners peeking out of their cubicles. To Kyoko's surprise they didn't hold amusement or disgust like she had expected them to. They only held...pity.

Then it hit her. They knew, they all knew what Sho was doing, what he thought. Had she really been that blind? Had she really been the only person not to see it? With all her anger spent Kyoko fell limply against the guard's shoulder. Only when she was being lowered back to her feet did Kyoko realize that she was outside. The security guard regarded her with a sympathetic expression. His pointed ears and dark complexion pointed to him being a West African Elf.

"I know this may not mean much to you Mogami-san," His voice was low but kind despite his thick accent, "but I'm sorry that I couldn't let you blow that guy to the Etherworld. He deserves it."

Without another word the elf turned and went back inside leaving Kyoko alone in the dark.

...

There chapter one is done. Remember please review or I won't know if you like the story or not. Ciao for now beautiful people.