Blood.
The thought of it consumed him, burning him with a monstrous thirst.
Mika clenched his fists tightly as he walked, surveying the outskirts of the small collection of warehouses and homes that made up their village. He had been chosen for afternoon patrol and was nearing the end of his route. Much like the last three weeks there was nothing amiss. The Horsemen of John and other such beasts had been avoiding this sector altogether.
Blood.
He looked toward the hills that bordered the town. How much longer until his brother returned?
Yuu, Narumi and Mistuba had left four days ago to help a neighboring village with a monster infestation. They had been scouting the area for foodstuffs and other goods when they had come across a group of about twenty humans living in an abandoned mine. The refugees told Shinoa's squad of their plight and asked for aid, which was readily given. Yoichi-who had been with the initial ranging party and had returned to tell of their departure-said that the infested town was only two days away on foot. They should be back soon.
Blood.
The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon. Picking up his pace, Mika turned and headed back toward their makeshift home. The old factory near the coast had been turned in to a livable space with the addition of a few walls, a kitchen and a vegetable garden.
As he approached, Mika saw a group of children playing a game of chase just outside the building's perimeter fence. He paid them no attention as they squealed and giggled, until a young girl with blonde braids crashed in to his side which sent her sprawling in the dirt.
The other children stopped abruptly, their laughter dying in their throats. Staring up at Mika, the fallen girl grew pale. "S-sorry," she stammered, trying to avoid his crimson gaze. But the vampire wasn't looking at her. During her tumble the girl had scraped her knee. A thin stream of blood began to drip down her leg. Mika's breath caught in his throat as the scent of it hit him.
Blood.
So near and so easily obtained. He could bury his fangs in her neck and slake his abominable thirst before she could let out a scream. His hands began to shake.
Tearing his eyes away, Mika pushed past the gate and climbed the stairs in to the factory. He could hear the vague chatter of the children resume as he shut the door behind him.
"Hello, Mika-san! How was your patrol?" Shinoa asked in greeting from the kitchen.
Saying nothing, he headed straight for the room he shared with Yuu. With the door closed, Mika sat down heavily on his bed, his hand clutching his throat. He could still smell the girl's blood, its heady scent scorching him. Doubling over he tried to regain some semblance of composure, holding his aching chest.
Blood... Blood... Blood...
The thirst was getting stronger with each feeding. So often Yuu had offered his throat to Mika's fangs, telling him to take all he needed. But Mika knew that some day soon Yuu's blood would not be enough, and his thirst would pull both of them down in to the darkest depths of hell.
Throughout the house, Mika could hear the humans. Shinoa was cooking dinner while Yoichi and Kimizuki were sparring in the loft upstairs. He could feel them moving about, their bodies pulsing with rich, hot blood. If he called out to one of them they would come to him without a second thought.
Mika's hands found the hard wood of his bed frame and he gripped it until he felt the wood creak beneath his fingers. The humans are Yuu's family, he thought dully. But the monster within reminded him that they had given their blood to him before. It remembered the taste of each individual member of Shinoa's squad and it wanted more.
A soft knock came at his door. "Mika," Yoichi's voice called from the other side. "Dinner is almost ready. Shinoa asked me to come check on you," he paused, waiting for a response. "Are you okay?"
A dry, sharp chuckle escaped Mika as he sat up. "I'm fine. Leave me alone." He heard the boy shuffle his feet but he did not leave.
" Ah... It's just, Shinoa said you might be thirsty and since, well, Yuu is not here..." Mika's throat tightened at Yoichi's words, his head swimming. "I mean, I don't have any duties tonight so I could-"
"So you could, what? Feed me like some household pet? I don't need your filthy blood, human," Mika hissed. He had grown to like the younger boy somewhat over the last three months, but his control was hanging by a thread. He didn't want to hurt him.
Yoichi was startled by the ferocity in Mika's voice. Hadn't they already gotten past this contention? "Oh, no, I don't mean it like that," he sputtered. "I just wanted to help. Kimizuki says it looks like there is a storm coming in and that it could delay Yuu and them from coming home for a few more days."
A few more days, Mika thought bitterly. His fangs ached at the promise of fresh blood just outside his door. "It is none of your concern. Go away."
"O-okay," Yoichi's said, turning away uncertainly. He could hear the others in the kitchen getting ready to eat. With one last look at the door he went to join them.