Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. If I did, Orochimaru would not exist. Also, I do own this storyline, but not the characters. So do not pirate my work please. Thanks.

Notes: This is Chapter two. Yes, it is shorter than the first. Please R&R now if you liked either part. (I figured out how to turn on reviews, so my appologies for the inconvience.)

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Recap:

"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. "We shall see… "

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She sat in the familiar room nervously smoothing the lilac covers. Hinata had stayed here often when Lord Hiyashi was away on business. Looking over the dark wood full length mirror, she stared at her reflection critically. Compared to most of the vampires, she was plain in comparison. Yet to mortals, she seemed as though she was a model.

Gently she took a brush from her nightstand, running it through her long raven locks as she stared out the window. The sun was coming over the city, shining in the window of the manner with soft golden rays that ended the night. Allowing them to play over her skin, she smiled softly as she turned her hand over to reveal the soft silvery glow she seemed to emit. Yet as the sun grew higher, it passed over her face, and the once pale blue eyes turned a dark midnight. Darker than any night sky and lighter than any shade of black, they seemed to have sapphire reflections in their centers. The eyes that hypnotized any human who saw them.

Turning she slowly used a cord of her lilac power to close the blinds. There was no point to wishing the sun away when their eyes would draw in any human who looked at her. Walking through the silent manner, she also wished that there was someone else around. Her cousin had returned earlier, offering no explanation as to his leave. His clothes were spotless as always, not a single dark hair out of place. The only hint she noticed was that of a thin slice at one sleeve.

Tenten, too, had returned. Her usually calm chocolate gaze was fired and from the way that she was twirling senbon, Hinata had guessed that her mission had not gone well and avoided the weapon's mistress. She had listened to some unintelligible dialogue between the two, but there was no hint as to if things were well, or on edge. The emotions were masked beyond that of which she could read.

Drawn out of her thoughts back into the lilac room, she carefully considered the red eyes she had seen. The Uchia were known for the strange trait and the only form of vampires that eyes did not become masked out of the light of the sun. Of their coven, there were only two clan heirs left. Itachi Uchia, and his younger brother Sasuke were both the darkest and most feared heads that the coven had seen in a long time. They held perfect control over the three houses they controlled, which included her one time friend Sakura Haruno's clan, the Hatake's, and the Hoshikage. A balance of power that had grown them to rival the Hyuuga's.

She reflected on the deep rivalry which had grown over the past three years. It had almost been a race for power, but much more subtle than normal. A darker side, as vampires began to disappear, appeared though, shadowing every day with suspicion and distrust. Hiyashi had hoped that bringing the two covens together through the marriage of Hanabi and Itachi would calm the peace. Instead it had brought about their destruction.

Swallowing the lump that was forming in her throat, she stared at a painting, eyes running over its swirling designs of red and gold. She had painted this as a parting gift for Neji when he was married. It was a perfect design of a phoenix spreading its wings before the sun, each feather painted carefully and the brilliant golden eye seemed almost to stare around the room. It fit her cousin's personality well, proud and proper, yet graceful also, and holding an edge of power.

The hair on the back of her neck began to stand up as some unknown source of power sent static through the air around her. On her feet in an instant, Hinata whirled as two cords of lilac energy appeared in her hands, winding their way up to her shoulders like that of ribbons. Pale eyes scanned the room cautiously, silently shifting to view each and every shadow. Relaxing her stance, but not her power, she turned quickly around as she stared in the mirror. If this was some kind of illusion, then the mirror would show her the truth.

Two chrisom eyes stared back at her, ominous and challenging. The dark haired young man was taller than her by perhaps six inches, dressed in a dark suit that accented his shorter hair. Not Itachi, then. But Sasuke. "I see you're familiar with concealing arts, Hinata," he remarked. "Where is Neji?"

She glared at him, her purple energy lashes hovering tight in a defensive spiral around her. Rumor had it that he was even more talented than his brother in the realms of battle. Yet, she also knew enough to understand that he did not have the same power levels. Pale eyes challenging him, she shook her head. "None of your business, Uchia. Leave." The words were surprisingly forceful despite the nervousness that pooled in her stomach, her eyes flaring with the challenge. "Or fight."

"It's not worth my time against you." He replied, eyeing her irritably. "I will find your cousin some other time. You might want to mention that it's bad tactics to leave a key player undefended when several other pieces just got knocked out of the game…"

Her lips tightened and she grit her teeth to keep from attacking him. "Then you are a coward and therefore not fit to be here. I will ask you only once more. Leave." Her voice lowered in volume, but the malice that laced it was intense as though each word were a dagger that she intended to send for him. Subtly, she registered that his eyes were darkening to a chrisom. A warning not to push him further echoed behind their red depths. But he turned and gave a mock salute before vanishing into the shadows of her closet.

Silence hung unbroken as she stared at the spot. The traces of his smell still lingered, bitter against the soothing lavender that usually radiated around the room. But his power was not in the vincity. Turning carefully, she scanned each and ever aspect of her room before turning to the door as she heard footsteps approaching. Repelling a shiver, she drew her power up into her hands, hiding behind the wall and watching as it opened. Her heart beat was probably audible, it seemed as though it would explode out of her chest. Taking a single breath as she felt the power crackling between her fingers, she watched the shadow move forward… and then she struck.

Pale gray eyes widened in shock before Neji quickly knocked the hands aside, sending them plunging into the wall. Watching the stone crack at the onslaught of the power, he stared at her incredulously. What drove her to bring that kind of force up against me? Her eyes… they're active. But that is impossible. No one since Hiyashi's father had the Neobyakuugan in the main branch. Only my father… So where did she gain this kind of ability? And what scared her into using it? He thought turning his eyes to her as the veins along his eyes stood out. This was his hereditary gift, his Kekkei genkai that he had inherited from his father. It was claimed to be the strongest among the clan, but they had not known anyone in the main line possessed it.

Scanning over her carefully, he noticed the fluxing of energy along her system at an extremely high rate, adrenaline fueled. It was dangerous for her to be using such energy because it took the biggest strain. And she didn't seem to realize the effect it would have on her eyes. She was using the sight without realizing it. "What is wrong Hinata?" He asked calmly, staring into the hesitant lilac eyes and reading the fear and relief like a book.

"N-nothing," she replied looking to the floor as she quickly stopped her attack. Shifting under his gaze, she turned back to the window. "You just surp-prized me."

"Hinata, if this were merely a surprise, your Neobyakuugan would not be activated and you would not have attacked me," he stated bluntly. "So please do not bother to lie. I can smell something here…"

"It's nothing!" she said firmly, her eyes steeling oddly as she glared at him. And then through him. Something was wrong. Turning her gaze elsewhere she found herself looking in every direction just as comfortably as she had been a staring strait ahead. But she could also see energies lining the room, some blue, some red, and one green. Calming herself slowly as she took a deep breath, she closed her eyes and then opened them again to see normally. "No one has been here, Neji. If they had been, I wouldn't be here."

"Forgive me… " Neji replied stiffly, his eyes narrowing slightly as he noticed a faint red trail. Turning he exited leaving the girl to her own thoughts. He had some tracking to do. Using his sight to follow the energy through the shadows, Neji neatly slid on an over coat and walked out with the hood shadowing his eyes as well as dark sunglasses. He could taste the bitter scent of an Uchia, but this was not the same scent as he had encountered at the mansion. This was a younger smell, more like ash. Hissing disgustedly, he followed the trail at a blurred speed, seeming no more than an illusion to passerby.

Pausing as he reached a white building he sighed and then deactivated his sight. There was no way in hell that the Uchia's would have come here. To the mansion of his departed Uncle. It would be an insult beyond measure, and one that would have to be repaid in war. Growling lowly, he stalked towards the door and entered the dismal house which still reeked of blood and the new scent of ash. Two jade orbs watched with interest before vanishing into the shadows to follow him. After all… the Uchia had more important matters to attend to…

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