alright, so this chapter's kinda dry, just a filler. R&R and enjoy!


It's been 300 years since that night.

The sun is setting, I can feel it. My eyes slowly open as I take in the somewhat downtrodden area around me. I have taken up residence in an old Victorian-style hotel in Tokyo, built during the city's westernization, to give the Japanese people a sense of old western culture. It's since been abandoned, but I've kept the main part fairly intact.

My coffin lies in the cellar, but on the occasions when I feel the need to sleep in a normal bed, I have a room upstairs that I have made 'Vampire friendly'. Meaning that the windows are boarded.

I push the lid of my coffin open and sit up, yawning and stretching out the kinks in my joints from sleeping in the confined space. I stand up and step out of the coffin, before walking over the stairs that lead up into the main bulk of the hotel, my bare feet slapping on the stone floor. I don't like to sleep in my clothes like the vampires in the movies (trust me, it's easier to blend in with the mortals if your clothes don't smell like death. That, and the things are just too stiff.)

I climb up the stairs, fixing the wedgie in my panties, and walk through the kitchen into the grand ballroom. The room seems dismal without the lights on, yet, the night gives it sort of a… Gothic beauty. I cross the polished dance floor and go out of the room on the other side, coming out in the front lobby, in between two sets of stairs that curved as they went up into the second floor rooms.

I ascend one of them and walk along the corridor, dragging my fingers along the walls and doors. I pass by several mirrors, but I don't bother looking in them, the damned cast no reflection. My blonde hair flows freely over my shoulders, occasionally crossing in front of my eyes. I continue walking until I come to another small staircase that leads up to the third floor, and the two suites of the hotel.

At the top, there are two doors in the center of the hallway, I turn and walk into the one on the right. On the other side in an extravagant room, on the left is a wide four-poster bed, its red silk sheets visible through the darkness. Off to the right is a spacious bathroom. I go into it and stare into the nothingness of the mirror.

That's what I've felt like for 300 years, nothing. I never did cry over Yoshiko. Not since the night she died. I've wanted to, but the tears just never came.

I pick up the hairbrush that lies on the counter and run it through my hair a few times, getting the knots out. People always told me when I was a child that my hair was one of my best features. There were times when Yoshiko'd sit by me and brush it for me, always saying that that was one of the things she loved most about me. I toss the brush back down dismissedly and grab a black scrunchie and tie my hair up into a high ponytail.

I walk back out into the bedroom and over to the large dresser that covers one of the windows. I open the cabinet doors and pull out a black button-up blouse and black suit pants. I pull on the pants first, grabbing a belt and lacing it through the holes, before pulling the blouse over and buttoning it up.

I roll up the sleeves slightly, and pull on a pair of 4-inch heels. Before I leave the room, I go over to the vanity and open the jewelry box on the counter. There's only one thing inside, a small pendant that belonged to Yoshiko. The ruby on it as red as blood. I pull it out and fasten it around my neck, tucking it into the blouse before buttoning it the rest of the way.

I'm starting a new job tonight, a night secretary at a 24-hour law firm. After a few hundred years, I need something to pass the time. I came across it a few nights ago when I was out hunting, and after some hypnotism, I got the job.

I leave the hotel through the back, so no one would know it was inhabited. The hotel lies downtown, on the border of the pleasure district. I often go there to feast on the women who sell their bodies. I stop off there briefly to grab a bite. I find spot a very Gothic looking woman on a corner, her black platform boots make her seem a few inches taller than she is. Her brown hair is pulled up into a messy bun. She turns slightly, and I see that her face has multiple piercings on her eyebrows and lips, and a black choker around her neck. She's wearing a black corset that accentuated her bust, and looked as if it was squeezing the air out of her.

"Hey there," she says casually as I approach, her hands on her hips and legs spread wide in a powerful stance, "You lookin' for a good time? I'm Synful Desire." I cock an eyebrow at her, prostitutes these days'll do anyone for money, "I might be." I say, my blue eyes staring into her own, "What is your desire?" she asks, somewhat dazedly, and for show, I hand her a few bills, "Follow me." I gesture for her to follow me into an alley. She does, and when I'm sure we're out of her pimp's sight, I gently put her against the wall.

I stare deeply into her baby blues, her breath starting to become ragged as she's pulled deeper into her trance, I place a hand on her cheek and a shiver runs through her as I pull her head to the right. I place my other hand on the wall next to her and lean in. The hair on the back of her neck stands up and my breath hits her skin. I open my mouth and sink my teeth into her skin, the warmth of her blood spilling out. I remove the teeth and attach my lips, sucking the warm fluid, the feeling of the liquid flowing down my throat sickens me. Not because it's from a living human, but because it's from someone who's so far down on that food chain.

The woman lets out a small scream as the life drains from her. Her arms shoot up and grasp my shoulders, not to push me away, but she seems to want me to go further. I feel her getting colder, and I can hear her heartbeat slowing. I pull away just before the beating stops, her body sliding down the wall and slumping on the ground. I reach down and take back the money I gave her before wiping my mouth off and leaving the alley to get to work.

I make my way into the heart of downtown and find the building I'm looking for. I go in through the automatic sliding doors, "Hey, you're the new girl, right?" The receptionist says as I step in. She's a woman who looks like she's in her mid 20s, her eyes are a bright emerald, and her hair, her hair is bright pink. She steps out from behind the front counter,

"Damn," she says when she's close enough, "You're really pale, are you albino or something?" I say nothing, just stare at her, "Anyway, I'm Sakura Haruno." She extends her hand, I grasp it lightly, "Ino." I say simply before walking away, "Ok, well, I guess I'll see you around the office, Ino-san!"

I ignore her as I step into the elevator and press the button for the 10th floor. According to what the guy who 'gave' me the job, I'm the secretary for one of the name partners who works the night courts, Nara I think his name is. I get off once the door opens. The lights are dimmed because fewer people are around on this floor. I walk around all of the cubicles and find the office I'm looking for.

The nameplate reads Shikamaru Nara. I knock on the door, "Come in." a lazy sounding voice says. I turn the handle and creak the door open. Inside and man sits at a desk, his dark hair pulled up, making his head look like a pineapple. He looks up at me, "Yeah?"

"I'm the new secretary." I say, "Oh?" he checks his watch, "You're an hour late."

"I was tied up." I shrug and put my hands in my pockets, "Whatever." He sighs, "Your desk is right outside. You get off promptly at six in the morning, no earlier. Feel free to wander around and explore. No one ever comes in so I don't really care what happens. And don't be late again. Your time card is by the elevator, and because you were late tonight, I'm going to be checking the timecard every morning. If you're late even once, you're fired." He then gives a wave of his hand, letting me know that I was done in there.

I step out of the office and sit at my desk, needing the think over my options. Because it's summer, the sun rises well before 6, so I need to find a way to get out early if I want to live.

"I need a thrall." I say to myself. Yes, a thrall. Some mortal to keep me safe in the daytime, and clock me in and out on time whilst I slumber. But how do I find one who is good enough? I glance back at the closed door. "Nara said that I can wander…"

I promptly stand up and start to move around the floor. No one is here, save for a couple cleaning people, but none of them would be suitable. "Well, there is that girl in downstairs…" right after I say that, I see her standing in a kitchen space staring at a pot of coffee. She looks up and sees me, "Hey, Ino-san!" she waves at me, "Nearest pot." She chuckles and points her thumb at the pot.

I look her up and down, she might work.

"Haruno-san," I say in a sweet voice, "Hmm?" I bring my hands behind my back as I approach her, giving a small prick to my wrist, "I need a favor."


well, there it is. review plz. now i gotta figure out how to bring Tenten in....