::Chapter III: Imperfect melodies of a sad violin::


.

.

.

:::At the gates of Paradise,

A sinner has knocked,

His face was of an angel`s,

But his soul was dead.

His eyes were like blood,

While his heart was crystal cold,

His entrapping smile was poisonous,

His inviting lips were venom.

I tasted them all and lost my own.

I gave up my radiance, to dance on the darkness` strings,

On the illusion of his chimerical sinful dream,

And I was a goner.

His beauty pierced my soul,

And one heartbeat later,

I lost my wings and burned my mind:::

.

.

.


What was going on? his mind kept on clutching to every reasonable explanation he found to explain that need to forgo to the exuberant tight embrace, a thing he did without too much second thought. When Sakura shot up from her seat, whisked her body towards him and slide her hands under his armpits, throwing herself into his chest, entwining themselves into the same brisk energy glowing between their glued bodies, she took Sasuke by surprise completely.

He didn't think it was possible for someone to be able to sneak inside the deepest darkest catacombs of his heart and bring such underlying emotions back to light from him, but she was doing it so damn effortlessly and genuinely, that it made his steel like guard crumble under the touch of her hand.

He couldn't prevent his own hands to lift upon her shoulders, lingering a moment to knead on her bare bones, having a latent thirst dry the back of his throat at the feel of her delightful smooth soft cashmere skin, enfolding around her shoulders and he actually find it in him to smirk.

It was almost unperceivable, as dainty as the landing of a bumble bee upon a tulip`s silk petals, but his sharp hearing has caught it anyways: she actually hummed contently like she has held in her breath, anticipating a rejection, strengthening the hold she had on him, interlacing her fingers behind his back.

"Thank you, Sasuke." Had he known that something so trivia and small would bring her so much delight, he would have made her a mausoleum of sparkling gold and fine jewelry, but Sasuke knew that the rosette was nowhere that elicited by materialistic shiny things entirely, but the gesture behind and the deeper meaning. "Thank you so much."

There have been decades –centuries almost-since someone has ever got close enough to step into his playground, let alone embrace him, but the onyx eyed Uchiha vampire couldn't deny Sakura, he didn't intend to and didn't want to. Part of him, was constantly nullifying the idea of him not being able to stop her display of intimate affection –it definitely lacked the scent of amity gracefulness- even if he wished to do it, simply because he didn't want to be caught in the infinite carousel of intricate feelings, which left him with scars to last for as long as time had mercy on him.

Feelings would only be cured by other stronger ones. A voice at the back of his head, lurking and flaunting to get his attention, kept on stammering to him, but Sasuke chose not to listen to it. He would not let her in so far, he decided. It was too dangerous even if the sublime temptation has beautified the image of her, to the finest work of art, she wouldn't see those feelings from him.

Their agreement has already stepped to the other side of the borderline, flapping the grey area to the other side of the unexplored development of their possible relationship. She would give him her blood and he would grant her happiness.

Oh God. Were they both in need to check up their heads? Happiness was a paramount universal emotion, sought, yearned for and cherished by both vampires and human, and there he was, having a slip of a tongue and promised to try and give her a taste.

She was asking so little from him, yet the poetical intelligent young beautiful angelic woman had an esoteric way to put the sweetest truths in front of the fascination for material luxury in front, being so sublime different than all the rest, that it made his own world quiver.

There he was, the headstrong, independent, terrific Uchiha heir, welcoming a woman in the realm of silence, solitude and coldness, that was his fancy house, thinking if all the psychological battle with his relatives` indoctrinated inflexible ontology, theories and conceptions wasn't getting a toll on him.

"You didn't have to go that far for someone like me…but thank you." Her chimerical siren voice brought him back to his favorite restaurant and it was then when Sasuke realized that some were started to watch at their intimate moment and the intense embracing, probably recognizing the raven haired man but never his mysterious beautiful rose haired companion.

"The stone reminds me of you." He simply told her, not wanting to brag about the shimmering gemstone that flashed before his curious eyes, while he waited for her to dress in the clothes he brought for her, from the opposite store.

It was like destiny stretched his limbs and gave him a gentle push in the right direction, conveniently placing the jewelry shop right across the street, going inside and purchasing the necklace for Sakura being all inconspicuous and secretive, hiding it from her.

But he simply couldn't ignore the fact that he could so elegantly let her know that something as important as the birth of a soul could be a little miracle by itself, and not a heavy burden which screamed for alleviation, so that was why he emphasized the importance of her spending her first birthday party without thinking to suicide and how bad she hated karma, faith, destiny and life for making her go through all the pain alone.

Because a good part of him understood her all too well and shared her suffering. Plus, it looked so fitting around her neck and did another marvelous job, beside decorating her porcelain rose smooth skin, adding sophistication and gentility to her feminine appearance, namely, successfully and subtly covering the two markings along her pulse, as the unbeatable proofs of his fangs tasting her.

If anything, he didn't want the other members of the vampire community to take sardonic arrogant glances at her, foolishly thinking of her as a pitiful idiot human who served as a piece of meat and entertainment for the breathtakingly irresistible vampire prince, or worse, nurture powerful feelings of jealousy because she was under his wing and try to harm her in anyways.

He almost sneered at the idea of Sakura easily passing as a vampire female without a problem, since she was overshadowing most of them in cultivated beauty and delicacy. No one would ever know that she was in fact a mortal. The only way was the feel the beat of her pulse running through her veins.

If the creeping blush prickling her earlobes and veiling her cheeks in a cute shade of burgundy wasn't a solid enough proof to emphasize her shyness and flattery at his words, then the way she glued her temple on his chest did the trick.

By Heavens, the words that swing out of his delectable lips were making her heart infuse with all sorts of zealous twinkling energies, making the poor organ skip two beats. She had no idea of what game was he playing, she had no cultivation in the art of flirt and she wouldn't recognize a well-versed artist in this field, but what Sasuke was doing to her, felt too good to be true.

Whatever he did, he did it so well, so superb, so irresistible, so unpredictable, but having the same eternal elegance, splendor and radiating nobility in his laid back demeanor, that it was leaving her breathless and more connected to his world of mysteries, which normally, would have been out of her league, intangible, superior and mystified.

Why she didn't want to let him go, was sure enough predictable. The moment she felt the handsome Uchiha return her embrace instead of pushing her aside, even aware of the fact that he was probably not the one to welcome physical contact so eagerly, Sakura lost her touch with the floor.

His warm breath was fanning into her cherry tinted hair, relaxing her, she could smell every single high note of his intoxicated masculine spicy cologne and it was Paradise Garden`s most sacred concoction in terms of refinement, luxury and manhood, his touch on her bare skin was helplessly beckoning her to try and mold her more petite frame deeper into his own embrace, she was quivering and trembling of a jittery desire swaying along her spine and she was left…wanting him.

She was as pure as a maiden in the nest of Rome`s ancient sacred temples, but she felt another more resplendent desire blooming within the pits of her belly replacing her shy virtue with a sensual longing fascination for the raven haired man. She yearned to touch him too, feel the sparkles of skin on skin contact, taste his lips, feel his body swinging with her own and maybe let him do what she could feel he knew: have her.

Since when was Sakura thinking of such shameful, scandalous, sinful things? She couldn't help it though, she was a lost young woman thrown in the middle of a glamorous word, in the embrace of luxury, cultivation, education and refinement`s most transcendent work of art: Uchiha Sasuke.

The vampire Prince with the most heavenly beautiful onyx eyes and his charming smirk, which was always managing to tickle her pink. He was to put it simply, any girl or woman`s most idyllic sensual definition of a man: sparkling intelligent, unbelievably beautiful, implacable strong and more than wealthy.

Plus, she loved the way he talked to her. Never too offensive, he refrained from using curse words or vulgar language, he wasn't speaking much, but he was intense, precise, deep, wise and forward. Yes, it was her own guilty little pleasure to have him engaged into a conversation, but Sakura couldn't help it.

It was in the back of her mind and buried on her tongue, he wouldn't know of it if she wouldn't tell him. And maybe the fact that he wasn't one to talk too much and useless, despite him being smooth and eloquent, was making her more eager to hear that onyx eyed Uchiha talk to her more. His fluency was coating her fluttering heart in honey and colors.

Unbeknownst to her, Sasuke was having similar thoughts. During their little dinner, Sakura has been very vocal and expressive, when talking about the smallest most meaningful things that was dear to her, subjects she deemed as intriguing and interesting, and Sasuke found himself actually listening, responding, sharing experiences and smirking when her doey scintillating orbs filled with vivid images, actually letting Sasuke envision fragments of her life –not the most depressing details, she kept those far from the comfort of their elegant date- thought the lens of her eyes, like an old recording camera, recreating sepia images.

He was charmed by those emerald orbs of hers. They were polished with a buoyant brilliance, engrossing Sasuke into every word she spoke and she was actually even more educated than he would have anticipated.

Even as having to basically live inside the library since books to buy was an intangible unimaginable luxury for someone like her, Sakura had a vast acknowledge in various different subjects, like math, physics, literature, chemistry, botanic or biology. And she jolly let him know that she was particularly biased about human anatomy and ancient history and mythology. Those were her oasis of a parallel universe that saved as a sweet escape from the harsh reality.

Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at the way her eyes popped out of their sockets when he let her know that his library was stuffed with everything of the aforementioned and she was free to wander to the content of her heart. She smiled to him in that way that made him narrow his orbs and gaze at those delicious looking –and tasting- lips more than necessary, thinking about what was so charming at the girl that had him trapped.

True, Sasuke would have told her that his parents` old library would make her feel like Alice in Wonderland, having more than 900k volumes, including the oldest collections that were as rare as they were inestimable, but first he had to get rid of his father`s absolutely imbecile opposition to his manner of thinking.

Damn idiot. Maybe he would take Sakura to his old home and introduce her to another part of his past and his mother. Yes, even considering that she was who she was, Mikoto would find her delicacy and purity as mesmerizing as he did. In fact, the rosette was very reminiscent to his angelic mother, in more than beauty and heart of gold.

But all the lyrical and most musical thoughts about the incredible woman who crossed paths with him by chance went straight on the window when Sasuke`s pearl black orbs bump into the most distinctive shade of ocean blue like Poseidon`s realm hues, staring right back at him, astonished.

One of the most idiotic facial expressions almost had Sasuke vanish in thin air, materialize in front of the owner of those aquamarine eyes and punch the living daylights out of him for ruining what he secretly deemed as the perfect way to have dinner, was washing past the owner`s goofy face.

Naruto fucking Uzumaki was on the floor below, in his favorite dinning spot, with his lilac haired charming girlfriend –probably sneaking past Hiashi`s vigilance- ogling him and Sakura in a way that should be illegal, because it polluted the air with idiocy, dumbness and flabbergast.

What a stupid idiot of a best friend he had. And why, oh why was Naruto there, from all the places, and exactly an the same time as he and Sakura did? He didn't need that idiot`s never ceasing bickering, mockery and sure as Hell, when his star stuck foolish expression has been quickly swept with a goofy foxy debauched grin, Sasuke knew that he should make a run for it or leave like an English man.

"Oi, Sasuke-Teme!" Too… damn… late. Sasuke might have promptly slapped his forehead in annoyance before fisting his quivering fingers into a fist to send Naruto skyrocketing on Mars for his audacity to shout at him in a high class deluxe restaurant, where only the crème de la crème fancied to eat delicacies and sumptuous aperitifs and where, surely enough, everyone knew both the Uchiha Uzumaki, as well as the Hyugas.

A quick flicker of his obsidian hues on Hinata`s royally embarrassed and apologetically ones assured Sasuke that there was at least one sane person beside Naruto who also found his completely crack behavior childish, noisome and repellent.

Basically, the entire damn clients along with the personnel of the restaurant whisked their eyes and heads in said direction, some reacting to the famous name –among the vampires- and some simply curious at whoever the owner of the resonating name might have been –or the fried of the childish rude obnoxious honking idiot.

It was beyond humiliating, but then again, when wasn't Naruto the one to get Sasuke in all sorts of deplorable situations? And the dobe wasn't even drunk to justify his behavior, no, he was just being his normally stupid self.

What a major cretin.

Then he was reminded that he in fact, wasn't alone. Sakura, stupefied at the appellative and the suffix that the wielder of the resonating cheerful voice added to her benefactor`s name, poked her head from under his slant arm to follow the direction of the ruckus and she actually giggled.

For the same thing that made Hinata`s cheeks beat the challenge of a velvet bloody horizon at dawn out of shame: it was not that she would ever feel flustered by her lover`s behavior, for she loved him tenderly, deeply and sincerely for exactly who he was, but because there was a piece of noodle stuck to his full lower lip, swaying with every jerk of his cocking head, while his fluttering hand had his ominous looking malice ebony eyed friend roll his hues until they hit the back of his head.

And he was so goddamn funny to see, that Sakura couldn't quite compose herself. Her shoulders tottered, she curled more into Sasuke`s arms –he not once let his arms loose from around her petite slender outline, even if Naruto caught them hugging each other- and continued to jitter.

Hinata on the other hand, wrapped her expression with her palms, stifling her laughter and flush. All the eyes were darting from the odd pair to the loving embracing couple from the first floor. Of course that Naruto wouldn't let such an opportunity to taunt his friend slip past his fingers now that he couldn't go unnoticed –who would, with eyes like the Uchiha`s?- and talk him into spewing everything about who the mystery woman was.

His mouth didn't stop from attracting scoffs and frowns. "Getting cozy without telling us, your friends, huh?" He could clearly decipher the evilness waltzing into Sasuke`s bloody murderous black sapphire orbs and Naruto knew that the Uchiha wanted to kill him right on his spot. The way he was glaring at his absolutely unfazed deep blue eyed best comrade was enough to let everyone know that the Uchiha vampire Prince was anything but impressed by his performance.

Like the amused Uzumaki could give a damn about those infamous Uchiha stares. They sent shivers rolling down to every spine, minus Naruto`s. He was immune to that, since he was Sasuke`s best friend. At most ,it made him snort lauder. "C`mon Hinata-chan, let`s go upstairs and ask all the most embarrassing questions we can think of and find out who was able to steal this Bastard`s heart."

He spun around to breath at his beautiful lavender eyed girlfriend, who in return was not sure it was such a good idea to meddle into the Uchiha`s business. Sasuke was normally a very tempered and collected man, but when he lost his cool those rare times were terrific. "She must be someone of a tremendous strength to be able to move that boulder in his chest." Naruto continued, pinpointing at his friend`s handicap to form long lasting bonds with someone else who was not from his entourage ever since that loathsome ex fiancé of his broke his heart.

Yes, Naruto despised that woman with the price of all the hate his kind heart was able to muster and he had his inner demon, Kurama, the menacing Nine Tailed Fox to despise her for both of them. But…stretching his hand politely to the elegant Madame accompanying him that night, inviting her to silently follow him in his journey of embarrassing Sasuke and finding out who the mystery stranger with the brightest shade of hair he has ever seen was.

"I-I don't t-think that this is s-such a good i-idea, Naruto-kun." Nonetheless, Hinata placed her hand in Naruto`s expecting one, she too being extremely curious of who the rose haired lady was, knowing all too well that Sasuke has never been seen in the pleasurable company of a woman –as in his date- in such a long long time.

Yes, she knew he liked to fool around with various stunning women, who were crawling at his feet, but they were only worth a good steamy night and never something serious. His last ghost of a relationship didn't last more than half a month, so that was strange and she was someone from his social circle, and the noble Hyuga knew everyone as anyone with a good family background and a resonating name knew her.

But Sakura was someone she hasn't ever seen. Both her and Naruto were perplexed to find out that a stranger from the outside has managed to get so familiar with Sasuke, since he was hardly opening up to his friends and family, let alone a drifter. That woman must have been valiant to aim so high, it was a thing that crossed both of the approaching couple`s minds.

Or extremely special. They both added mentally.

"He knows your name. Is he a friend?" Sasuke could see that Sakura was terrible amused by Naruto`s outburst, but he was busy glaring daggers first at the blonde haired idiot, then the clients` around, silently inviting them to go fuck themselves and mind their own business, which they did. Take a glare from one wielder of the Uchiha surname and you will think twice before even entertaining the idea of breathing in their general direction.

"If anything, he is one major loser and he hasn't changed one bit since we first met." Emerald orbs stroll from the approaching mysterious man with a radiating smile and vivid azure orbs and his astonishing beautiful company, to Sasuke`s onyx ones and she found him gazing down at her.

It came as an ultimate test of gutsy to conceal the blush threatening to come into her cheeks when his orbs bore so deeply into hers. No one ever looked at her like that. Hadn't it been for her shaper intuition and sparkling intelligence and flawless ruminating memory, Sakura would have gravely mistaken Sasuke`s mocking playful tone for a darker vile once towards the honey kissed man.

"He is Naruto, right? Uzumaki Naruto, your best friend. The one you referred to as the number one hyperactive knucklehead! The dobe!" Oh, Sasuke might not be a vocal man, he being someone who still managed to be tactful and high class, without beating around the bush, but he actually told her about his entourage and friends, and definitely Naruto has spiced up all the stories.

She had a good time listening to Sasuke coating his apparently grave annoyed tone, revealing deep roots of an unbreakable bond with the energetically man. She also knew that he was in a complicated position due to his lineage and infatuation with another very prominent lady, like Sasuke, namely Hyuga Hinata. Sakura quickly put two and two together. She was the woman ascending the stairs to their table and true to Sasuke`s words, she looked like a shy pearl, hiding within the nest of her shell, afraid of her own shadow.

"Unfortunately, yes. Do not let him assault with idiotic questions. He likes to barge in everyone`s lives, like a mother-in-law. Feel free to punch him if he gets too annoying."

She promptly burst out laughing, while part of her sulked when Sasuke let his hands wrapped protectively around her back, slide along her forearms –he actually took his time for his touch to linger on her perspiring skin, more than necessary, to let her melt like caramel under his spell- feeling it unnecessary to dismay themselves in front of the bouncing idiot howling atop his lungs: "Take a look at that, this one Bastard has finally decided to be a man and come out of his husk! Haha, isn't it cuuute Hinata-chan?"

Seriously, what would it be the price to pay if he would leash out and strangle the obnoxious idiot of his friend right there and then, Sasuke mentally wondered, while doing his best to let his stoic Uchiha genes wrap his escalading fury in detachment and passiveness. He wasn't one to lose cool in public and have Naruto brag about being the one to bring such extreme emotions manifest. His self-control was better than that, and so was his stoicism.

So the Uchiha merely crept a perfect fine raven eyebrow up and welcomed him with his eternal signature "Hn." Which was both meant to keep people at distance, signalizing his lack of interest to acknowledge their presence and engage into a conversation, as well as to highlight his annoyance of unrequested parasites following him suit, when they should have stayed the fuck downstairs, stuffing their foxy faces with ridiculously high gluten food and mind their own business.

All because he knew it annoyed the hyperactive blonde to no end. He crossed his arms upon his broad chest, cocked his head on the side to underline the effect of his sneering velvet tone and jeered. "An idiot pretending to be an aristocrat, dropping by here uninvited and invading people`s privacy."

Naruto, upon sensing the finest source of entertainment coming to him for free, namely laugh his ass out loud at Sasuke`s ridiculous attempt to be chivalrous and appear as impressive in front of the mystery girl who seems to be just as amused as him, beamed even wider, marching towards his friend until he was one step further from him and presented his greetings by punching Sasuke square in the shoulder, with enough force to put a frown on his gorgeous face and wrinkle his clothes.

Other than that, the Uchiha hasn't even flinched, though Sakura was certain that he heard joints crack and bones jitter. Naruto knew what he was doing, for he and the raven haired man were basically inseparable, even if for the most of the outsiders it might seem that they couldn't stand each other`s presence.

Even if Sasuke was undeniable a formidable splendid fighter and a force to be reckoned with and not a vampire or a man to be taken lightly, being as poisonous and sharp as a swift cobra, nesting into the pits of earth, deep inside, he nurtured really conflicting emotions, which were leaving his heart exposed and as fragile as glass. Frozen, steel and unable to connect so intimately to someone, but still breakable, so that was why he was all so able to penetrate his bubble and fructify that acknowledge he had on him.

Plus, it was their own unique way of telepathically communicate, enter each other`s consciousness and find out about the real heartbeats. No, it wasn't a power that Naruto had on Sasuke –and vice versa- because he was his friend, not his enemy. In fact, judging by the intricate incredible history of their ancestors and their monumental connected feelings, they were close enough to brothers.

Not blood relatives, but ones that understood each other`s pain. It was an even more sublime link than genetics could create.

"You are such a Teme for not letting us know that you," Naruto whipped his head towards the staring rosette, flashed her his blinding winning grin, assessing the type of women that was making his friend so edgy and cautious –not to mention intimate and mushy- when introducing her to his friends. "were on a date."

Oh, the way that moron dropped that word made Sasuke cringe and inwardly go through all the most vicious curses he knew, clenching his jaw until he felt his teeth clatter, clicking on his tongue, barely preventing himself from snapping at him. The blond dobe was taunting him, that much was visible, meaning he wanted to confirm whether Sakura was a plaything or the real thing.

He had no doubt that Naruto already read her aura and found out that Sakura was human, not a vampire. That was the reason why he took his time and do a quick check up on her, but at least he was being subtle and discreet, not spiking up his chakra to an unnecessary high level and attract undesired attention.

There were vampires around who would find it troublesome to be witnesses to such unmannered display of excessive outgoing behavior in such a fine place, meant for entertainment and leisure, especially when Sasuke and Naruto were the promoters of blending into the world of mortals and act as normal as possible, refraining from taking advantage and display their vampire abilities.

"What do you want?" He all but spat at the blonde, while briefly and invisibly nodded once to Hinata and she did the same, being polite with the noble fine Hyuga lady. But it was some other story with Naruto. The words 'polite' and 'refinement' had nothing to do with the way they treated each other.

Fists, 'bastards', 'idiots' and bickerings were perfectly depicting their odd relationship. And Sakura was there, reading their attitude and gestures, learning, analyzing, comparing Sasuke`s insight stories with the real thing, judging and formulating her own inklings.

"Being sociable, what else? Not everyone walks with a ten feet pole stuck up their asses and be complete pricks. Plus, I want to make sure you don't scare this pretty lady here too much with those scary faces of yours."

Wow, it was the first thing that surged through Sakura`s mind while staring at Naruto and she actually couldn't believe her eyes that someone so solar could be friends with a man like Sasuke. They were the total opposite of one another, just in the same manner as yin and yang interlaced their fingers and created the perfect mini replica of the universe`s glorious ultimate façade.

While the half vampire and half human Uzumaki –Sasuke briefed her about that too- was radiating a stellar energy, being all cordial, warm, open, approachable with strangers, comfortable enough to be vocal in his thoughts, sanguine, extrovert and unconcerned, the ebony haired Uchiha was the very epitome of the bleeding crimson tranquil December nights. Aloof, reserved, composed, levelheaded and impenetrable.

Day and night, wind and fire, one was easy like a morning spring cool breeze brushing over her temples and making her hair flutter, while the other one was the scorching fire which enticed dark desires within her body.

A friend and a lover.

To prove his point, Naruto abruptly left his raven haired vampire friend`s frowning side and spun around to meet Sakura`s taken aback surprised emerald orbs, stretching his hand towards her and flashing her a heartwarming grin, which she returned with a small delicate polite smile of her own. "Uzumaki Naruto, this Bastard`s best friend!"

She shook his hand –he was a little bit too enthusiastic- while her shoulders relaxed upon the contact with his friendly warmth palm and introduced herself to the blond: "Haruno Sakura, nice too meet you."

"Oh trust me, Sakura-chan, " He couldn't help but let his orbs flash towards Sasuke`s when he dropped the familiar friendly appellative just to barely stifle a grunt when he saw the ebony haired Uchiha gritting his teeth like he was standing on an ice cube the size of his heart, freezing and sending lethal glares to the entertained cerulean eyed man, making Naruto wonder whether his shooting lasers weren't puncturing his skin with its intensity. "the pleasure is all mine."

And it was, because judging from the way Sasuke`s hand surrounded her slim waist possessively, dragging her towards him and out of the getting too cozy and familiar Uzumaki dobe`s reach, Naruto quickly got the answer he was looking for: the extremely beautiful looking, gentle and innocent Sakura was not just another exquisite fuck to Sasuke. There was more transpiring between them and as stubborn as the blonde was, he would pull the words out of the raven haired Uchiha`s tight firmly pressed lips.

Sasuke more than howled the words in his face. "Now that you have futilely filled her mind with another useless name, get lost, idiot. We are busy."

Sakura fought the urge to squirm and melt into his firm half of an embrace when Sasuke took a step front, coming to stand conveniently in between Naruto and her, sliding a hand down her back, and stiffened his hold around her hips –a bit too low- feeling her cheeks burn and blush, averting her eyes from Naruto`s, to his silent stunning lavender haired companion and the girl had a small sheepish knowing smile on her face, nodding subtle to her like both saluting her and sharing her distress.

For the rose haired woman, it was more than crystal clear that the stranger with the translucent pearl pupil less orbs was a female vampire. Her beauty could have been depicted into poems, rhymes and verses about star dust and cosmos, her lunar intelligent and modest eyes and cascading luscious hair oozed of a calming lilac halo that reminded the rosette of the stories with nymphs playing in the waterfalls and she had an incredibly porcelain looking pure white dove silk skin, molding over her graceful curvaceous body, under the fitting elegant dress she wore.

Definitely not a human being. She was too beautiful and dignified for a mortal condition, yet her cute shyness and introvert self were definitely part of her once human soul. Sasuke briefed her about each vampire preserving certain unique dominants of character from their past lives and Sakura could definitely venture to guess that Hinata has never been easygoing and hyperactive like Naruto.

"Na-ah. Free Ramen on you, Teme. We stay." If looks could burn a person alive, Naruto would have been flaming like Vesuvius by the moment Naruto encircled the table to come and drag one of the available chairs for Hinata to have a sit –she reluctantly did, although she knew they were being a total bother- then the plunged on the other one, all the while feeling Sasuke`s vicious glare burning on his nape.

"Dobe…" The unmoving Uchiha grounded dangerously low, and Sakura soon realized that his tone was so lethal and poisonous just because he was being so calm and collected and not manifesting a vocal and temperamental howl, like any other enraged man would do.

The calmer he was, the deadlier his stare became and the rosette knew that someone like Sasuke was only able to display such an astonishing grace and airy demeanor and walk just because of the enormous strength he possessed.

But so did the mysterious Naruto Uzumaki character, who stood his ground with an appreciative nonchalance, pertaining in the almost funny game of calling names and exchanging foamy threats, without pulling a muscle. He either had guts to challenge someone like the onyx eyed vampire, or had skills that could rival his own.

Sakura guessed that the blonde was the embodiment of both aforementioned. Plus, it was the first time when she heard Sasuke spurt profanities, but surprisingly it did nothing to diminish his charm, on the contrary, she swore her stomach squirmed in delight when fragments of him spraying those vulgarities in the realm of his bedroom, stark naked, sweating, growling, panting and down her ear, filled her getting glossy mind.

She wanted to slap her forehead, while hearing the handsome Uchiha click on his tongue, probably to bit back a really nasty retort to his friend` s childish and embarrassing behavior and squeezing the swell of her hipbone, leading her to sit back on her chair, reluctantly strolling towards his own seat.

What the heck was she thinking about?!

"So," The eternal spiky haired sun kissed Uzumaki broke the silence again, while lifting up the menu and letting his azure orbs scan over its contents, a boyish goofy grin spread across his whiskered face. "how did you guys met?"

Of course he would ask that, it was a legitimate question, Sakura decided and before she had the chance to spill something embarrassing that she didn't want to confess, slightly letting her back sink further into the chair, Sasuke faked a cough, silently sending her a subtle message which she immediately caught on and clasped her lips.

She should let him do the talking, because like hell would Sasuke allow the emerald eyed beauty to confess that she wanted to commit suicide and avoid unnecessary drama to unfold. "I found her by the Great Naruko Bridge last night."

Having her fork raised towards her lips, to try and eat away her stress, by stuffing her face, successfully preventing her traitorous unschooled mouth to blurt out bits of the truth, Sakura almost chocked on her food, quickly lunging towards the honey golden bubbling glass of Champagne and emptied it in one single gulp.

What did he just say?!

"Really? Were you out there fishing, Sakura-chan?" Said rosette was still too stunned to talk, plus her rose tinted cheeks were burning from the brief lack of oxygen as she tried to convince herself that Sasuke wasn't that narrow minded to tell his friends the truth.

Right?

"N-No, I-"

"She was drawing it."

She was what?!

Three pairs of deadpanned figures turned to gasp at Sasuke who in return kept on staring languidly at each of them, jerking his shoulders, returning to his sipping of his glass, with less enthusiasm but more craze, trying to alleviate the anger bubbling inside him caused by no other than his imbecile best friend.

Of course he wouldn't have been so out of his damn mind to confide his and Sakura`s encounter up to the finest details, as well as their promise which followed suit. That was only between them. A secret deeply connecting solely Sakura and him and no one else would shove his nose into that business.

The less parties involved, the more chances of him fulfilling his promise was. Plus, he wouldn't stand the scrutinizing reproachful looks that Sakura might get from the other nonpartisans of her ideology. Yes, the rosette had strong motives and solid beliefs, yet she still remained an oblivious naïve extremist.

"Oh, this is soooo romantic!" The Uzumaki foolishly bought his smooth convenient white lie, grinning and winking suggestively at both the creeping crimson cherry blossom haired woman and his annoyed raven haired friend. "You guys are the work of the destiny."

Hinata on the other hand didn't believe a word that flew out of Sasuke`s sharp tongue, for she was a woman who could see the way Sakura` s stuttering emerald orbs kept on peeping at Sasuke like inwardly praying to him not to disclose something very personal and probably embarrassing.

And something else was also winding inside those beautiful gilt-edged unparalleled green jadeite-golden eyes, in those small moments when she gazed at the frowning Uchiha opposite to her and Hinata could feel her own romantic feelings ricochet into Sakura`s chest. Yup, whoever that uncomfortable looking woman was, she had a thing for Sasuke. That was for sure but unlike all the other women buzzing around him, she didn't look like all that interested her was to fuck him or strip him off his money.

And that was the trait that piqued the Hyuga`s interest, when she made up her mind to have a private conversation with Sakura, confront her from woman to woman and see if the depths of her soul were just as genuinely cherry blossom tinted, even if she knew that Uchiha`s intrusive keen orbs have peel every layer of her persona and unraveled her inner self.

Either ways, he wouldn't have been so adamant in bringing her to his favorite restaurant, roar like a hurt lion when she and Naruto barged into their privacy and lie about their encounter. The sparkling marvelous necklace embellishing her slender neck has been a solid proof of their rather mysterious attachment.

"Don't you have anywhere else to be annoying at, Naruto?" Oh, the feral way Sasuke almost groaned the words in his friend`s obnoxious face had the said blonde snort, while he flickered his fingers towards the waiter, who was right on his left side to take his order.

"Nope. I won't let you go away so easily. Not after there have been decades since I have seen your brooding ass actually bring someone out on what looks like a real date and not for getting shitfaced and have animalistic se-"

Sasuke coughed awkwardly once, sternly and silently warning Naruto about trailing off those horrendous and inelegant words, when in the presence of Sakura, who looked like she would have rather dig a hole with her spoon into the floor and crawl in the pits of earth, hiding in shame.

She didn't need to know about what he did with other women and how he did it, it was pointless, irrelevant and not to mention not something he would rather brag about, like some other major perverts and creeps from his –regrettably- entourage or college mates.

Plus, upon seeing how sloppy her shenanigans were when getting intimate contact with men was, made a ghost of a stigma creep down his chest, making something snap inside him. Those impossibly forest green orbs, festooned with myriad of conjured emotions that he couldn't decipher, but he felt like they were slowly getting to him, were boring into his very soul, even though Sakura was doing it unconditionally.

Those eyes…how could someone have aureate irises embed into a labyrinth of sempiternal green like hers? They were crystal glassy mirrors to the tunnel of her spirit and he could flip through all the paths to her deepest abysses of her consciousness and heart and scan over the content.

Was that disappointment he read into her suddenly bowed down eyes? He should dispose of Naruto`s empty skull, after beating the heck out of his foul language and outgoing careless blabbermouth, for even implying such an outrageous –and sadly enough, true- thing about him, while Sakura was present.

Or, he did it on purpose to test the reactions he got from both the parties…Sasuke shot up an eyebrow at the dobe, daring him to state that again, but Naruto wisely kept his mouth shut, probably getting his answer.

He should be grateful for not taking a punch square in the face instead for basically ruining his date with Sakura. A very pleasant date, mind telling you.

After Naruto ordered himself the biggest bowl or Ramen, his beaming cerulean orbs cast upon from the Menu, he returned to his mission, grinning at a rather anxious looking Sakura. She was probably afraid to not be cornered and have a slip of a tongue, but Naruto`s solar friendly demeanor was coaxing her into letting it loose for a bit, drop her guard and open up.

After all, Sasuke was still there and his imperial stoic presence, even if he was still as an alabaster Greek statue guarding the entrance of an imposing Temple of a powerful deity, so she should rest assured.

"Do you like Ramen?" He bluntly dropped to her and actually Sasuke saw how Sakura`s edgy viridian orbs turned into crystalline sparkling gemstones when she changed her pouting mood to a relaxed one, giggling at the obvious food obsession that the man before her had.

It was funny in a distorted unexplainable way that she couldn't explain, but definitely that Naruto Uzumaki was one of a kind. A peculiar nonchalant demeanor was gracing that particular vampire`s easygoing character and she quite understood why someone like Sasuke would fancy –and stand- his solar presence.

They completed each other in the most refined way possible. What one of them lacked, the other came to link the net of their intricate personalities. "Ahm…I…don't think I have ever had any, so I cannot actually give you a honest answer, in lieu of being polite."

It was the painful truth though. It was not like she had money so spare on local fancy foods and taste out new assortments, but it was not like she didn't know how delicious it could have been if only for the smell she could pick into her high school`s cafeteria. But she didn't want to offend him with a lie, somehow, sensing that he could feel the wicked or evil intent in people in general.

The blonde threw his head backwards, tears shimmering at the corner of his squeezed shut orbs, not believing his eyes at what an unpolished jewel has Sasuke set his claws on. "Hahaha, don't ya worry Sakura-chan, here you can have one of the best Ramen in town, believe it!" True to his word, when the order came, Naruto hasn't missed the chance to appeal to Sakura to have a taste.

One bowl of noodles later, the name Ramen was on both their lips. Sasuke has been looking all the times like a hawk, how his best friend has managed to turn Sakura into a Ramen obsessed fangirl, just like him.

"This is absolutely delicious!"

"Isn't it? Man, I swear I could only eat Ramen all day and never get bored."

"You are, in fact, only eating that shit and never get enough of it, dobe." Sasuke injected, while unexplainably enough kept on staring at Sakura and the delighted look on her face, while she was sharing the fourth bowl of that horrendous to him food, looking so jovial in the presence of his best friend.

Something she was not while in his presence. Sasuke couldn't help but pinpoint and that made him click on his tongue, feeling his boil blood with an unexpected rage. He wished he could tear Sakura out of Naruto`s bloody pissing too amiable presence and yank her out of that place, to bring her somewhere more…Naruto-free.

He wished to see the rosette that lighthearted and gleeful more often, but when in his presence, so far, Sakura has only acted like a deer cornered by flashing car lights, or pensive, like ruminating the outside world and trying to understand the course of every second.

At least, that was how his intuitive mind put the two pieces of the puzzle together, when trying to come up with a reasonable explanation to Sakura`s always averting from him eyes, or on the contrary, deep looks into his eyes, being always emblazoned with a blush on her cheeks.

What he didn't know, was the fact that she was only acting like that because the feelings were different and she probably reacted on instinct, not being aware of it herself. While Sakura had no problem when Naruto placed his hand out of reflex on her shoulder when they laughed at some joke about one of his friends that the blonde has said, feeling him being like an older brother that she never had, Sasuke`s touch on the other hand, elicited electrifying sensations that were making her body respond in ways that it has never before, to no one and that was why she was so edgy.

Cautious that the woman in her would betray the obvious attraction and offend him with a careless thirsty lascivious behavior. The way Sasuke was touching her, was definitely not resembling Naruto`s in any ways. Oh, Hell no!

Because it was definitely not Naruto the one her inner, in the spur of an euphoric state induced by the sexiness of the ebony haired Uchiha`s godly presence, was imagining pinning him against the wall behind, peeling those clothes completely out of his body and have him plunge inside her, in every way he could, be it her mouth, her mind, her heart, her soul, or some other choice places that were making her hot, wet and squeeze her thighs together in anticipation.

"You`re such a Teme, you know? Anyways, Sakura-chan it would be great if you could meet the whole gang!" The blonde exploded in a fit of blabbering about their acquaintances, totally ignoring Sasuke. "I am sure you will love them, even though they can be quite idiots some time."

Sasuke silently added 'you`re the one to talk' but decided to follow the interaction between the two, plotting on the best way to grab Sakura`s hand and sneak outside without Naruto following them hot on their heels.

Yes, the dobe had it in him to be the major creep he was and tail behind them, like he used to do just to piss him off further, or replenish his stock of blackmail he had on his onyx eyed friend.

"I would…love to." Sakura honestly confessed, finding it really easy to relate to the man beside her. Naruto was a never-ending pool of radiating warmth, brotherly energy and amicable kindness.

"Hn. You will have the chance to do that earlier than this dobe could think of."

"Why would you say that, Bastard?"

"She will be attending the courses starting by Monday." That statement took both Hinata and Naruto by surprise and their widened orbs did nothing to hide their puzzlement.

Okayyyy…They truly didn't see that coming. For Sakura to actually go to the same College as they did, it was something new and intriguing, which only made some more questions arouse. So, did Sakura and Sasuke knew each other from the classes they had together? Did they meet into the library? Made out in the chemistry lab? Had a group project together? Went to the same conferences on weird-ass subjects that half of the students couldn't begin to comprehend?

"…cool!" The blonde Uzumaki managed to blurt out, while Hinata remained silent and taking in that new piece of information. Definitely, Sakura was someone really interesting. Not only that, but she was genuinely a sweet heart up to the last bone.

And Hinata suddenly understood Sasuke`s point of view and choice of such a woman to be in his presence. She was so different from the other one.

"W-What a-are you studying?" Hinata squeaked like a nightingale for the first time addressing the rose haired young girl, curious of what her points of interest were. To her, Sakura had an airy genuinely jovial personality who could easily place her among the circle of nonchalant and avant garde artists –painters, musicians, dancers, ballerinas.

"I have always loved medicine. Being a doctor was my all times…dream." It was impossible for the cute mismatched couple to miss the skipping of a beat in Sakura`s tone when she spelled her last word and her voice has suddenly seemed coated in a bitter mixture of resentment and anxiousness, like she wouldn't believe it was her own mouth uttering something like that.

Which was weird. It sounded like half of the sentence was masking a very dark spot in her life. But neither Hinata nor Naruto made their incredulity known, not wanting to offend the rosette. Sasuke kept on being his silent composed self, but his senses were lime wire.

"Wow, that one major is a real pain in the ass! Only those insanely smart kids go there, so you must be really brainy! And you are going to be colleague with Shikamaru, who is a lazy bum by default, but definitely nature has been generous with him." The blonde added with a goofy grin that Sakura started to associate to someone who could easily become a friend in the future.

She blushed a cute light shade of coral pink at the induced compliment and laughed sheepishly at him, fluttering her hands in front of her, comically and shaking her head. "Hehe, I don't think I am that great, but I will try to do my best."

Then her amiable light tone changed for a more serious and laid back one, while brushing a fallen lock of strawberry hair off her cheek, briefly locking gazes with Sasuke, staring deeply into his onyx orbs while she stated: "It is my own way to repay someone who has done me a huge favor and show my unyielding gratitude." The Uchiha cracked a phantom of a smirk which didn't go unnoticed by none of the three occupants of the table.

This is getting interesting, was the thing that surged through both Naruto and Hinata`s minds and a brief peek at one another and an invisible nod assured the couple that they were on the same page. So there was indeed something more meaningful and insightful that connected the two of them.

"W-What a b-beautiful way t-to keep a p-promise." The aristocratic definition of beauty and grace from the Hyuga family added with a shy beam of her own, wisely getting close enough to the bond that linked Sasuke and Sakura –for the moment.

"Actually…I am also doing it for myself. I know it sounds selfish, but if there is a chance for me to be good at something…have a way to be of use to the others and prove myself, and not being just another nuisance, then I am willing to stretch my hand and grab it."

"…nice. You are a kind person, Sakura-chan."

A moment of an awkward silence has followed after Sakura`s deep unexpected confession during which Naruto and Hinata couldn't help but marvel at how incredibly reminiscent her way of thinking was to Sasuke`s. The future leader of the vampires too wanted to get out of his family`s clutch and change the way they thought and lived from the beginning of their history and lead them to a rightful path.

In a similar way, Sakura wanted to be of help for the society and cure people, alleviating their suffering. In fact, by an ironic and almost funny twist of events, fate has brought them conveniently together. One would work on the psychological impact, while the other would tend their physical injuries.

But there was something else that both Naruto and Hinata wanted to confirm, thus they didn't know how to politely ask it, plus they couldn't risk to blown away their…cover. That being said, the Uzumaki decided it was time to confront Sasuke about who Sakura was without putting her into an uncomfortable position.

"You won't mind if I kidnap this one brooding Teme here for a second, would you?"

Onyx orbs narrowed at the blonde, glaring at his profile while Sakura shook her head, because she couldn't deny the two friends a particular conversation, though she guessed she would be their main topic. But at least, the Uzumaki vampire was polite enough to not start on asking more personal questions in front of her, which was good.

Sasuke was making her uncomfortable enough. "N-No, of course not. Why would I mind?" She assured in what she hoped it was a convincible sweet and unflappable tone, yet she was boiling on the inside.

Sasuke rose from his seat to follow Naruto`s retracting shadow downstairs, while their gazes locked for a moment and the raven haired Uchiha sent her a silent signal of assurance, clearly understanding that she had nothing to be worried about, because he had anything under his control. "I will be back." His velvet voice dragged a mantle of security upon her shoulders. Her jadeite eyes pursued his back until she couldn't see neither Naruto nor Sasuke anymore.

Then she freed a breath she didn't realize she was holding, getting more comfortable in her seat, totally forgetting that there was another person watching her between long lashes and porcelain irises. "Y-You two s-seem very c-close."

She flinched. Sakura totally didn't expect the lavender eyed girl to make such a statement, addressing her for the first time. She cracked a ghost of a smile, a honest one, finding Hinata`s shyness to be extremely cute, but then she realized how well it suited her. "We have just…met. But I own him a lot."

"I-I am sorry f-for only introducing m-myself no. Hyuga Hinata." Said girl span her delicate hand towards the rosette, who mimicked her gesture.

"Haruno Sakura, it is a pleasure. Sasuke told me about you and Naruto. You guys are very good friends of his. I knew from the very first time I saw you who you guys were, but I didn't mean to be rude."

"S-So you are also…one of us?" Sakura surely didn't miss the beat on Hinata`s coloratura tone which strolled out of her lips, nor the hesitance in weary asking her of her mortal or immortal condition, which gave the rosette a taste of how reticent people were to open up to unconventional and suddenly she felt sorry for the vampires, for having to conceal their stigma as they weren't normal kids of the universe.

"Actually, no. I am human." Emerald orbs followed the horror creeping into Hinata`s pastel lilac ones, but she was quick in assuring the woman before her that her secret was safe. "Don't worry. Sasuke told me about…many things. I won`t tell."

"H-He told you about…v-vampires? R-Really?" Hinata leaned forward to whisper to the rosette and Sakura couldn't comprehend why was she so secretive since there was empty on the first floor, save for two couples who were lost in their own bubble of cheesiness, way too far from their table to peep into their private conversation.

But then she realized that the lavender eyed Hyuga wanted to protect her as well, because humans were not actually supposed to find out about vampires. "Yeah. He briefed me about how you guys are fighting to create a better world for humans and vampires to live together in harmony, without you having to hide your true identities. I know there are many vampires coexisting with us, the mortals, but I wouldn't make out who was what if Sasuke wouldn't have told me that it is impossible to tell them apart, if not for your unbelievable beauty. Now I know what he meant."

Hinata`s wriggling orbs turned shy and she blushed at the obvious compliment, brushing a fallen lock around her pearl shimmering embellished small ear, stuttering. "T-Thank y-you. Though I must confess that I w-wouldn't h-have noticed that y-you were not…v-vampire. Your hair and e-eyes…beautiful."

"Thank you."

What Hinata hasn't voiced out, though it has rammed into her skull, was the fact that she has seen the way Sasuke`s onyx orbs were constantly seeking for the avant garde exotic look of the mesmerizing unique rose haired woman and she understood that he too found her fascinating.

And the luxurious vampire heiress was glad for her old brooding ebony haired Uchiha childhood friend, inwardly cheering at a possible small miracle that Sakura might melt his petrified heart back into a pool of overflowing powerful feelings, like an Uchiha was capable of.

Ever since his former fiancé has broken his heart, thorn the dreams of the future they had together and left the Uchiha transcend through the centuries of eternity alone, broken, more laid back and introvert and swallowed by misery. But instead of having one Uchiha heir sulking and drowning in grief, he became a steel heart.

His heart turned into an impenetrable fortress which no one could even get close to it, let alone conquer it and Hinata has long realized that the one able to overthrow the dragons guarding it was not raw strength, but pure imperishable love. While one`s mind was prisoner of darkness and demons, that person would never cross through the Gates of Retribution. Only innocence and love.

And those were traits that Hinata could easily decipher inside the emerald eyed woman`s heart. Maybe…just maybe she would be the stretch hand that Sasuke would grab and pull him back in the world of colors.

A world he estranged from, a long time ago. "S-So…I am sorry if it is something p-private b-but...w-what did you mean that Sasuke h-has given you a c-chance? I mean…y-you have made it sound like you were…o-on a road with n-no ending." Hinata knew what she was asking Sakura.

Sasuke was hardly someone who did people favors, simply because his ego won`t allow him to own them something back. So what reason could he have had to take that young woman, with the most exotic look and the most vibrant green jadeite orbs in the world, under his protective raven wing?

It made no sense at all. Unless…there was a far more profound connection between them, one that they were conveniently keeping concealed from the peeping eyes. "Your assumption is correct. I know what you all must be thinking about, but I am not after his money. Yes, the temptation is irresistible and I see what a great man he is but…I am not here to merely satisfy certain needs. I am sure you know what I mean."

Her answer both stunned and amazed Hinata. Yes, Sakura was correct in taking a logical guess in the reason why she was clinging to Sasuke`s side, lurking after his shadow, but what the lilac violet eyed Hyuga heiress truly wanted to confirm was the rosette`s willingness to share the burden heaving on the Uchiha`s shoulder.

In fact, she wasn't staying glued to him, but rather yearned for comfort and protection. Like she was afraid of something or someone and she has found solace in the vampire prince`s petrified stoned embrace, which was funny, pitiful and intriguing at the same time. Didn't she know that Sasuke has long entombed any emotions in the casket of his chest and refused to open up to any sort of contact –be it human or not- with anyone, in terms of intimacy?

Surely she couldn't be that stupid and from what Hinata made out rom Sakura`s bright sharp answers and general unpolished clumsy manners, she was a modest girl, raised under the oath of traditions and moral values, being respectful, quiet, yet bright, friendly, carefree and wise. So the other safe thing to assume was that somehow, she coaxed Sasuke into revealing fragments of his former self to her and her only.

"O-Of course, p-please don't take m-my question as offensive. I-I can see that you are n-not superficial and n-nor after his assets. And t-this is what makes m-me curious. T-This isn't like h-he normally is with the rest of…with anyone else."

To arouse Hinata`s curiosity even further, Sakura actually let out a bell like giggle, like that implication about Sasuke`s laid back introvert character deeply amused her, but she spotted no traces of irony and false modesty into that nightingale soft tune of hers. "Haha, yes, you are right, he likes to brood and frown a lot, doesn't he? I love it especially when he sends those glares to certain people that I assume annoy him."

"Y-You like it when he g-glares?" Ok, the fact that Sakura truly had a distinctive looks, with her aquamarine-forest green-golden orbs and the bright hair in the color of the dragon fruit, was something obvious to anyone with a functional set of eyes, but the fact that she was also strange in personality, was something she was yet to discover.

Because, seriously, especially someone as shy and easily scared Hyuga Hinata, would knew that getting one of the Uchiha`s infamous glares, was anything but portraying positive entertaining emotions. The energy their immensurable inner strength conjured was sparkling into those bottomless ink abysses, making the target of it rot and perish from the surface of the ground, not standing the way they basically swallowed the essence of anyone`s spirit, from their very souls, boring into the most confined depths of conscience and mind.

"I do, and you know why? Because I feel like that is one moment when he reveals what he truly thinks and you can peek into his mind, even for a second, and discover that inner Sasuke that I think he has hidden." Even if Sakura has barely met the handsome Uchiha, he could clearly depict that particular dominant characteristic of his demeanor.

Sasuke was hardly someone easygoing and vocal about how the felt, and words were precious rare pearls coming from his mouth, barely speaking more than few, which was too bad because not only was that raven haired Uchiha was smart as hell and had solid logical principles and hazardous interesting ideals, but his cashmere silk voice that pampered her eardrums and made her skin tingle in pleasure and delight.

Of course, being an inquisitive person by nature and a young woman nonetheless, his idiosyncratic tranquil and philosophical being was an obvious attraction. So she tried to peel the numerous layers of arctic frozen façade and discover his essences. She was dying to see how Sasuke truly was and Sakura would take a wild guess that beneath the surface of the unruffled graceful gentlemen, sheltered a passionate untamed man, who was able to lift her up to the swell of euphoria with one single touch. She wasn't able to see it, but she felt it whenever he felt her or caress her.

That thought alone was driving her crazy and made the temperature of her body rise like the blazing sun in July.

Hinata wanted to embrace the woman before her and sworn her undying friendship to that rose haired woman, for the words that came out of her heart. She could see the rosette was honest, because all the colors of her kind intuitive heart were sparkling like million rainbows inside her shimmering vivid emerald orbs.

Being a high class lady, who refrained from displaying an improper behavior in such a place, the Hyuga beamed a honest smile to mirror Sakura`s dreamy one. "I-I don't know how y-you do it, but you s-seem to understand S-Sasuke-kun p-pretty well. I-I think that h-he is lucky to have met you." Something about the woman before her was making Hinata relax and automatically drop her guard, simply because Sakura oozed of a clumsy pureness and candidness, that it was impossible to think of her as nurturing evil hidden ambitions.

After some more girl talk, Hinata was sure that they could become really good friend. There was a tiny voice at the back of her mind which shouted at the lavender haired Hyuga that Sakura was not just another trivia line on Sasuke`s journal. She was someone with a high potential of standing by his side for a longer time than the others did.

So that was why she decided to let aside her awareness and mistrust in people`s shallow ambitions and obvious succumb in the lust of lecherous desires and get to know Sakura better. The poor emerald eyed girl was looking uncomfortable and anxious enough with the entire ordeal, clearly not being accustomed to be invited to dinner and definitely not in such places.

Plus, the way she was absentmindedly patting the contour of her stunning necklace, fingering the sparkling crystal pendant, was cheesy and cliché, but not in the vulgar and boring way. Inwardly, it probably made her think about Sasuke and that was bringing her a sense of confidence.

"So…" The Hyuga began, as she felt comfortable enough to serve another bit of her delicious food, silently inviting Sakura to do the same, but the rose haired woman reached for the Champagne instead. It was Sasuke`s favorite, Hinata knew and inwardly squealed. "…w-would you t-tell me something about you? H-Hobbies, friends, f-favorite subjects?"

The gallant Hyuga heiress smartly and politely stood away of any family affairs and her background, sensing that there was a huge stain tainting her family name, which Sakura would rather not talk about, so she just went with the safest options. But she was genuinely curious to see whether they had some things in common or not. Or how many point of her interest were resembling to Sasuke`s, because that would help her determine the level of a potential link between them, that transcended physical and went deeper, into lyrical, poetical and spiritual.

"Well, there is basically no one important enough in my life for me to call as friends, but I am hungry for literature, especially history and mythology. Also, as I have said before, human anatomy fascinates me. The human body is so complex that it never ceases to amaze me of how many mysteries yet to be unraveled it has. And please do not say this to anyone but…I like to sing. You can say that it makes me vent out in a more elegant way."

"R-Really? I would l-like to h-hear you once, if that i-is all right with you. I can s-say that you have a pleasant voice. I also love mythology, especially Roman mythology or stories about the ancient Egypt. A-And I often r-read about f-famous l-love stories i-in history and literature."

"You too? I would totally admit it to you that I cry whenever I read Romeo and Juliette. It is just that Shakespearean language that is so poetical and fabulous, that makes sensuality be lyrical and ethereal and it melts my heart. Also, there is Cleopatra and Mark Antony`s heartbreaking tumultuous love story, which is sublime and has that exotic fascination of two opposing worlds and mentalities clashing together in an exploding fusion of emotions, makes me get chills whenever I read about it. I can ramble about it for hours, though I must warn you that I do talk a lot." Sakura actually found it easier to be more like her nonchalant and radiating self around people like that Hyuga Hinata and the lady wasn't failing Sasuke`s brief introduction about his entourage.

That apparently cautious, self-conscious, and timid lilac woman, with the eyes shimmering like margarite, had an aura that inspired unflappable commitment, devotion, warmth and friendship, and she was someone that one could rely on and be sure that she was decent, straightforward, ingenuous and virtuous. The embodiment of eternal loyalty and attachment sparkled brightly into that young stunning shy woman and Sakura found herself experience the feeling of confessing and chattering to a friend.

She never had a confident or someone to share secrets between girls back then in high school, elementary or kindergarten. People, girls especially, mocked her for her background and the looks that sometimes attracted guys` looks. Jealousy was rotting their hearts, but Hinata was tremendously different. She displayed genuinely interest in knowing the rosette better and Sakura didn't mind it in the bit.

She had the chance to find out more about vampires, a world alien to her that was yet to be discovered and maybe fantasize about becoming acquainted with them. "I-I also l-love those stories you have mentioned. T-They are among m-my favorite. I-I have some originals i-in my library. Are you versed in o-other languages?"

"I could hardly brag about my skills in foreign language, but I can speak a little Spanish, French and German. I suppose this is something that comes to you naturally, right?"

"A-Actually, I am o-only fluent i-in Italian, Spanish and French. I-Is it true that y-you are attending o-our college?"

"Well…if you are to believe what Sasuke has said, then I guess so. He told me that I will start by tomorrow, though I find it funny but not impossible, knowing him. My guesses are that he somehow knows the Principal and can talk to him for me to find a major that will fit the profile of the high school I have finished and my points of interest. I used to dream about becoming a doctor, so I can cure anyone of any disease and stop people`s suffering…Kids especially."

"U-Used to be? What a-about now?"

"…now I just want to…I just want to be happy. I want to know what that is. It is the only think that life can give to me, since it has taken everything from me and gave me nothing but pain. I know it sounds lame and overdramatic, but it means a lot to me. I used to think that this is a happy place, even if I had nothing, but my foolish perennial optimism, but I stopped the moment I got only bitterness in return of my smiles. I think I let them put me down."

She understood. Hinata swore she comprehended every single line that came out of Sakura`s suddenly melancholic nightingale sad voice and damn right she wished to pick the girl into her arms and embrace her, but she didn't want to invade her privacy and look like a lunatic. But she did give her one of her cherub like smiles, which she returned. "N-No, please d-do not say such things, Sakura-san. I t-think you are a wise person and a very s-strong woman."

"Thank you, but…I am not steadfast and unflinching as you think. If I was, then I wouldn't have tried to…take my own life run from it, like a coward." Slowly, but surely, as Sakura came to find out that there indeed hearts of gold living, laughing and sharing their beams and honesty with the others, yet if she wouldn't have met Sasuke, she would have died a pitiful way, all oblivious.

Sakura couldn't help but inwardly laugh bitterly at the fine irony of the destiny`s genius: if Sasuke wouldn't have taken a detour back home –like he himself confessed to her- and if he would have been one heartbeat later, they would have been strangers and she would have been just an unimportant memory embellished in the eternity`s brocade, with no one to ever know of her story.

But there she was, getting a new chance to rewind and fill that emptiness in her heart, in the embrace of the king of darkness. That handsome vampire Prince and his mesmerizing onyx-bleeding velvet crimson eyes. How ironic. She couldn't help but wonder about how many times had their shoulders brushed as they walked past each other, without knowing.

Nah, she would have noticed someone who looked like that. She actually find it in her to giggle, while Hinata rose an eyebrow at her, wondering about what could go through that woman`s clever inquisitive mind. Sasuke was definitely someone who turned heads and make eyes pop out of their sockets. She would have never missed him. It was just the fact that they lived in different worlds.

Which just happened to collide. Destiny was such a funny unpredictable thing.

"R-Run from it?" Actually Hinata kind of had a click that the rosette was a runaway and she was coming from a family with a gazillion of problems, but she didn't go to a territory that was probably dangerous like a minefield, where she would cause a war inside Sakura`s heart. She didn't want to be offensive, so she kept the inklings to herself, but she couldn't help her mouth to shut up and keep it at bay.

"Home, I mean, but I suppose you already figured me out. You seem like a brilliant person. Sasuke conveniently covered for me, but I feel like you are someone who I can tell it, because I know you won't judge." It was the truth. Hinata just oozed that aura of a longing all time friendship, that Sakura has always fantasized about, but never found it, simply because no one would approach her to befriend her. Plus, even if she was starting to have the feeling of guilt and shame panging inside her heart and mind for her cowardliness, Sakura realized that she didn't want to come as a dark horse, since Sasuke`s friends were all so warm and friendly with her. It wouldn't be fair.

It didn't went unnoticed by Hinata who started to nurture some feelings of sympathy and liking towards the emerald eyed woman, who couldn't have been older than her mortal age, deciding that it was safe to give her a chance.

Despite her having Sasuke`s approval, whose judgment topped the charts, Hinata had her own fair share of wisdom and sparkling intuition and it were all screaming at her to break down her barrier and let the girl inside her castle. She had the soul of a princess entrapped in the body of a pauper, but her inner light was glowing into her exotic beauty and those incredible uncommon emerald eyes. "I will not."

Sakura noticed that for the first time that day, Hinata hasn't stuttered and that only strengthened her trust in the woman she has just met and her resolve. "Sasuke and I didn't just have a chance random meeting. He has…for the lack of better words, saved my life."

"Oh?"

"I was not there to practice my drawing skills." Ok, when she was done telling her pathetic story, Sakura would totally laugh her ass out loud at the nonchalance of Sasuke`s totally ridiculous excuse and Naruto and his lavender eyed companion`s dropped down jaws. The way he said it… "I was there to commit suicide." Of course, she lowered her voice and whispered to her, since there was still a possibility for the other pairs to eavesdrop.

Hinata`s pearl lavender orbs widened as saucers and she actually didn't see that coming. Not from Sakura. If anything, the rosette looked like someone who endured all the hardships of a hard life in poverty, but definitely not a woman to ever entertain such extreme ideas. "B-But why w-would you want to d-do something like that? Why giving u-up such a h-heavenly gift?"

The coral haired woman wasn't judging Hinata for her dogmas, because Sasuke was explicit enough in his explanation and theories about how precious life was in an immortal`s eyes. Basically, she came to realize that being a vampire was not exactly something one should strive to obtain. It came more as a curse and they were all longing for their past lives.

So that was why Hinata`s values were discrepant to her own, but it was not like she had any other options. "I understand that life is a gift that has been granted to me by God and my parents. But up until now, I couldn't find the meaning of it. What is my purpose in here? Why am I still living for if all I am doing is being abused and suffer? Why isn't it fair for all of us? Why am I unable to see the light of a better place at the end of the tunnel? I used to think about it every single minute of my life, but I wasn't able to come up with an answer."

She couldn't help it. Cold crystalline tears aligned with the rim of her long curly fine ebony eyelashes, even if Hinata was struggling to hold them back and not offend the women beside her, feeling that Sakura was already having a trial with her own conscience, struggling with forgiving herself for all the things that she couldn't be. But it was useless from the moment her green sparkling garnet orbs peeped into her own violet ones. Who knew how many people have shown her sympathy before? Or pity? "I-I am s-sorry. P-Please do not take i-it as offensive. I-I am sensitive t-to such topics. It h-has always been a weakness."

Actually Sakura did the most surprising thing and she smiled to her. "I know, Sasuke told me about vampires keeping a dominant trait from their past mortal lives, which I find it incredible and actually…emotional. Once an angel, always an angel. And he also taught me something that I still try to carve it into my mind because I feel like he is right. Never feel like my mortal side is a weakness." She rolled a coral lock of her bang around her ear dreamy, biting her lower lip.

Oh, those feelings ingrained inside her twinkling jade orbs when she talked or thought about the Uchiha vampire with the eyes like charcoal and the grace of a king, were making Hinata inwardly squeal. For as long as she has known Sasuke –few decades- since they were little kids, running with their little bare feet into the vast poppy and roses gardens of the Hyuga or Uchiha households, playing in the wind like kids, without a care in the world, she wished for her friend to be happy.

Back then, when little Sasuke used to smile and laugh along with them, he couldn't be any cutter. And the more he came to be kissed by the hints of manhood, the more breathtaking and fine looking he became. And now that he has ended up thorn, heartbroken, grinded and tormented by both his family affairs and crumbled romance, he has never shown any fragment from what Sakura used to refer to as dominant trait of character.

So Hinata, along with his mother Mikoto and his friends, wished to see once again the swell of romance spring free from the figment of his entombed romance deep seeded in his mind for the rest of infinity, so maybe that his meeting with Sakura was, as Neji would fancy putting it, as the work of destiny.

Maybe Heavens took mercy on Sasuke and pushed Sakura right into his arms, without any of them noticing it. Sure, the rose haired woman hardly strike as one brainless fangirl to only drool and roll at his feet, like a lap dog, only daydreaming at his body and money. But her feelings could pierce deeper within the multitude of layers and barriers he had built over the decades, from the concrete of his disappointment and bleeding heart, and reach for the seed of his heart, to pamper and nourish it.

Yes, if someone was to ask Hinata for a first impression, she could state without stuttering that Sakura was truly someone that Sasuke could grow to love passionately. Maybe someone even better and more ardent than the previous one. The shade of her hair was lighter. So maybe her feelings were also purer. They had to be. She had a thing for him, the lavender haired Hyuga heiress could see it and even smell it, it was written all over her face and the way she was looking at Sasuke, longingly, deeply and almost lyrically, was telling a story of its own and it was something beautiful.

"F-Feelings are the most p-powerful weapons and t-the most versatile." What she was telling a totally interested Sakura, was coming from her own heart and experience, so to make sure they had already established a bond between women that went way past the stage of meeting and greeting each other, Hinata tapped Sakura`s knuckles with the palm of her hand, smiling at her. "They can e-either cut d-deep or c-cure the wounds. It depends o-on the owner."

She had a feeling that Sakura has totally understand what she was trying to convey to her, which she did. Sakura nodded once at her actually not finding it hard to flap her hand and their palms touch, holding her hand. It was warm and had a pleasant sisterly touch.

She had no idea how was it to have a sister but something inside her let the rosette know that the feeling was reminiscent to what she was feeling. "I know. And I also know what you mean by that. I can tell that what you think is totally justifiable but you know what? Sasuke has given me a chance and has made a wild promise that, now that I take my time and let it sink in, seems almost impossible, but I know he is serious and unfaltering. I will not toy with him, even if there is hardly anything going on between the two of us."

Which lead Hinata to another question blooming inside her sharp mind. "I-If you don't m-mind me asking…w-why h-has he made you such a p-promise?" It did take the beautiful female vampire by surprise to learn that the future king of Vampires swore to a woman to make her happy and knowing Sasuke –which she did- it might have been a return of a favor. So what was the thing that sealed their…contract?

Should she let her know? Sakura wasn't sure if Sasuke would be fine if his friends would learn about their secret. Heck, she didn't know if she was prepared to tell Hinata, who seemed to have some sort of odd expectations from her, that she was allowing Sasuke to have her blood. It was almost…crushing everything innocent and beautiful between the image they were trying to portray in front of the others.

What she didn't know, because she was a virgin in terms of acknowledge about vampires` ontology, was the fact that, for a noble vampire who wasn't one brainless zombie in search for sinking his claws in a human`s neck and drink like a beast, never making it to Homo sapiens sapiens, and had some control over his urges, to have someone to willingly share blood, was something incredibly intimate and erotic.

Especially if that vampire happened to be royalty. They were the real deal. Self-control, respect, grace, finesse, manners and eloquence were values seeded in their heads even before they were born, running through their blue blood for generations. Hinata was one of them and her relationship with Naruto was a mutual agreement, based on love and care. So was Sasuke.

But Sakura decided to play it safe and keep it for herself. At least for the moment. A white lie would only seal the trust between Sasuke and her. "I am merely someone he finds intriguing and pleasant to carry on a conversation with. And before you ask, no, I am no whore. I…we are not…sleeping together."

It never crossed Hinata`s mind that Sakura was just someone that Sasuke was sharing his bed with, simply because he wasn't sleeping with women in his own apartment. Hell, Ino, Tenten and she were the only women, beside his relatives, to enter his home. If he had…needs, he would have rather go to a hotel, or a spare room, if he happened to be at some party that Naruto dragged his brooding ass to.

But never his house. Never. So that Sakura didn't have any idea of how privileged she was to share the same space with Sasuke. Plus, she didn't have the traits of a concubine. And Hinata was ready to bet that Sakura was a virgin. It was just too obvious; her purity was glowing around her maiden features. Probably, Sasuke found that appealing too.

"D-Do not worry, such t-thing has never crossed m-my mind. I w-was just curious, since Sasuke-kun d-doesn't o-open up t-to strangers so much. N-Not anymore, at least." There was a flicker of regret twinkling inside Hinata`s lavender eyes as she grew melancholic, and Sakura noticed it.

But she found it hard to believe, since Sasuke has basically welcomed her into his life, even if he didn't know a thing about her and even went as far as to tell her the secrets of the world of vampires, having total trust in her.

Sure, she has seen it with her own eyes that the Uchiha vampire was not the most extrovert talkative person on earth, but it didn't strike to her that his tranquil silent composed attitude could be interpreted as coldness. At least, not in her presence and when they went outside, she only thought that his aloof stuck up cold attitude was just a façade he wore in order to keep unwanted people at bay and elegantly –and seductively- tell them to back the fuck of and mind their own stuff.

Maybe he only find it easier to be so talkative to her because she was inferior in all the ways possible, so she naturally didn't represent any potential threat to him, but she wasn't a knucklehead or a stuck up shallow bitch, so he found it in her an amusing good companion. Yes, she was aware that her unsophisticated clumsy manners were a valuable source of entertainment for him, but she won`t deny the steamy moments between them.

If Sakura was to be completely honest to herself –which she usually was- she would let Sasuke drink from her blood daily and even beg for it, if he would always evoke those sensations deep inside her and send her body to the moon and back, in ecstasy.

Just for his touch, I will…

"I wouldn't have been upset with you even if you did, because that would be understandable. Someone like him…with someone like me…" It did sounded weird and still surreal, but facts were that she was not dead, was wearing a daring and breathtakingly beautiful soft dress, that probably cost more than three lives of hers, in a place she only saw in movies and magazines and in the company of a high class irresistible gorgeous man, who gave her a gift that was weighing a feather around her neck and stole her breath away with its refined beauty. "Nah…he would never look at someone so mediocre in that way."

And it was Hinata`s turn to laugh, but the blush embroidered on her neck and fine cheeks emphasized her inborn shyness towards such intimate conversation, even if she was talking to another female like her. But she couldn't help herself. Sakura was completely oblivious and in denial of her hypnotizing suave beauty and value. "A-Actually, I-I think you should h-have more trust i-in you. I t-think you are a-an amazing courageous p-person, Sakura-san. A-And I a-am positive that S-Sasuke-kun can see it too."

If his eyesight –or sight in general- was not astonishingly precise, than whose was?

For some alien to her reason, Sakura`s heart wobbled at the implication of Hinata`s words. Has she fallen so low down the road of self-pity so bad that she was seeking for Sasuke`s acceptance so bad, or was there any other reason that she was unaware of?

"You will make me blush."

"I-I would l-like to hear m-more about y-you and your hobbies. M-Maybe go s-shopping someday." She couldn't believe that she has said that, but Hinata was sure that shopping with Sakura would be a better and less stressful, tiring and painful experience than shopping with Ino, the crazy shopaholic manic. Believe it or not, the Hyuga girl was almost always using chakra to resist the challenge of raiding for the best pair of heels with her blonde friend. "I-I will like you t-to meet the other girls. I am s-sure they are going to l-like you too."

"You think?"

The rest of the conversation between the two women flow, as well as the appetizing fancy mouthwatering dessert cake that Hinata has ordered for both, taking advantage of the absence –maybe too long- of the two men to freely indulge into a guilty pleasure and she found out that sweet tooth was another thing she had in common with the rosette.


:: lead me to your fire,

Breath intome desire,

As my fingers write ancient rhymeson the ghost of your skin,

I lost the battle with the sea storm inside my head,

To the flames into your eyes ::


As soon as they were far enough for the girls upstairs to peep into their soon to be fierce and heated conversation, in the secure den of the men`s bathroom, Naruto wasted no second to spin on his heels at top speed and unleash the bubbling fury he kept concealed from Sakura and Hinata to explode, throwing his raven haired friend on one of the magenta painted walls, while his shimmy fists latched to his white collar, pure fury blazing into his sizzling cantaloupe frog eyes, as they were pinning down Sasuke`s onyx ones.

The Uchiha merely rose a taunting eyebrow at the blonde, like silently daring him to punch him square in the jaw and make him kiss the floor, as he knew that Naruto wished to do, but he was well aware of where he was and who was he would be challenging.

Nonetheless, the words spewed from his mouths held the venom of the most poisonous snake when he snarled at his totally calm and smug, almost amused friend. "Care to explain it to me what the fuck is going on into that mind of yours, Teme?"

He kept on addressing him with the usual appellative, which meant that Naruto was still not pissed off enough to entertain Sasuke further, but that would suffice for the moment. "Why the heck would I lose my time with explaining anything to an idiot like you?" He threw right back into his face, not pulling any muscle, even if Naruto`s clench around the hem of his shirt tightened and his fisted purple knuckles were digging into his Adam apple, he remained unfazed.

Was Naruto so much of an idiot that he forgot how much a vampire could hold his breath, or was he just trying to come out as menacing and imposing? That was making Sasuke mentally laugh like a hyena. Of course he knew that Naruto would confront him the moment he would introduce Sakura to his group, but what he wasn't expecting was it to be so quick.

No worries, he just had to adjust his strategy and go on with the flow and let his instincts do the talking. As long as Sasuke didn't break any of their rules, whatever the Hell was he and Sakura doing was their OWN private business. Of course, Naruto, being his annoyingly stubborn self-proclaimed hero, he just felt the need to do the other justice and solve their non-existent problems. "Maybe because you coaxed a human into kissing the ground you walk and even went as far as to drink from her blood, you inconsiderate bastard!"

And that successfully whipped any trace of arrogance of Sasuke`s handsome face. His thin lips turned into a fine straight line, as his eyebrows turned into a deep dark frown, emphasizing the pitch sinister bottomless black of his eyes. He was amused no more. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

That kind of uncharacteristically denial only made Naruto grow more livid than he was, and Sasuke could see his unspoken insults run through his protruding veins of his temples and the side of his neck. How come he has missed the moron`s ability to sense the chakra and people`s auras, with that ridiculously op ability of his?

Oh yeah maybe because he has grown to be so subtle over the years and he knew how to hide the fact that he was using his Sage Powers to detect the traces of Sasuke`s imprint into Sakura`s body. It must have been the moment they greeted each other and he made contact.

The moment Sasuke was busy looking at her smile and averted his eyes from Naruto. Damn.

"Don't fuck with me Teme, I can see and smile your mark all over her, and you smell like her! How far did the two of you got?" Oh, so he also found out about him sharing his saliva with the rosette, in that ghost of a kiss.

When he was done bitching at him, Sasuke should invite Naruto to spar and learn about the full extent of his ability, for as long as he remembered, the aquamarine eyed foxy Uzumaki didn't have such sharp insight and perception.

"Why do you care so much? It didn't bother you before."

"Yeah, because you only used to fool around with women, but, for fuck`s sake, Teme, she lives with you! You brought her to your own damn house! I don't remember you bringing anyone to live with you ever since you moved from home! This means serious shit, man!"

"Yeah, so what of it? There is a first for everything." That made blabbering cerulean eyed Uzumaki froze for a moment, pondering the words that came out of Sasuke`s unfazed lips. He tried to grasp the meaning of a 'first' according to Sasuke`s concealed evasive answer. A first as in…was he willing to stop frowning and sinking into misery alone and open up to new possibilities? Then his answer hit him like a slap in the face, and his blazing orange orbs got back to their usual azure color.

"Are you trying to use Sakura-chan to forget-"

"-No." The Uchiha was quick to inject him promptly with another round of venom seeping from his hissing clattering teeth. Why was Naruto so adamant in relating everything he did with his ex-fiancé? That was ages ago. Yeah, sure, he was hurt and he kind of lost trust in people or vampires in general, but he wasn't obsessed. He stopped thinking of her ages ago, she was ancient history, a black spot in his untainted life, but it was over. He was passed her. But when it came to Sakura, who was different from everyone he had the pleasure to meet, Sasuke was confused as well.

"Don't fuck with me, bastard. I can smell your scent on her. You drank her blood, her BLOOD, damn it! Facts is, you have touched her! Are you trying to betray our dogma-"

Slowly, but surely, Naruto was getting on Sasuke`s nerves. The ebony haired frowning Uchiha grasped Naruto`s wrists and unclenched his fists from his fine shirt, raising his voice an octave. "It was consensual. She liked it when I-"

"Bullshit! You tricked her because you knew she won't refuse you. Heck she is more innocent than a bell flower. Even i can see she likes you." It came as consternation for both of them, but when it came to people`s feelings, the Uzumaki had the upper hand, for Naruto has always been receptive to the others beside him, simply because his solar selfless personality and his own resolve to jump into the fire for the other without thinking about his own persona, gave him the chance to unravel the others` most intimate secrets and thoughts, relating with them, up to a certain degree.

Of course he didn't mean to be unfair with Sasuke. If anything, the Uchiha was twice as adamant as their brethren –some of them- to fight for creating a better world, where humans and vampires would live together in peace and friendly terms, and stop concealing in the shadows. So he knew that Sasuke would not sway from his ideals, just to have a slave in the form of an iconic maiden begging for his touch, while he drank from her blood, like a mindless animal.

Someone like Uchiha Sasuke would never allow himself to succumb into his primal needs, always being the one to strive to break his own limitations, the cursed condition and push himself beyond limits, be it strength, control, wisdom or grace.

But he couldn't help the words coming out of his mind, bursting like soap bubbles when he thought about Sakura`s jolly smile, but sad eyes. She wasn't a stupid woman, that much was obvious, but there was a nagging naivety, turbulence, resentment, hate and fright a like she was in the verge of abandoning the fight, and give up. On everything. And Naruto knew that those inner insecurities could easily be manipulated by someone as versatile as the Uchiha was.

He had to make sure. Those emerald orbs of hers were full of sadness and silently implored the entire world to give her a break and stop biting down her ass. Inwardly, Naruto was glad that Sakura remained alone with the lunar epitome of gentility and love, Hinata, because they could become friends and she could open up more to a woman, once the men were out of picture.

It was one of the reasons why Naruto has dragged Sasuke out of there, beside confronting his reasoning and get a plausible explanation for his odd uncharacteristically behavior.

"She doesn't like me. She just doesn't care about her life." Sasuke knew that Hinata at least won`t buy his excuse for his and Sakura`s chance meeting, but probably Sakura has already told the kind Hyuga the truth. He trusted Hinata`s ability to make the others feel cozy and warm around her, probably the two of them revealing feelings of amity, while Naruto was annoying the fuck out of him.

But then again ,that stupid dumb foxy grinned Uzumaki was more than his best friend. They nourished a bond that went beyond friendship and transcended the world of brotherhood. So he couldn't lie to him. From all the people, the honey kissed haired half vampire understood him and never sold him out. Never.

"You can't possibly be serious. Since when do you think so low about life in general?"

"I am not. She is the one who wants to die." Awakening has hit Naruto like a speeding train, making him go blind and see blinding lights when he grasped the meaning of the whole situation. He froze midday of a curse he chose to send to his raven haired friend when he realized that Sakura and Sasuke meeting each other hasn't been anywhere near romantic, poetic or fateful.

The bridge…her obvious anxiety and the scintillating sadness and fear of everything around, Sasuke`s choice to welcome her to live with him, the whole blood ordeal…everything fall into places. Sakura was not there to admire any shit, she was there to commit suicide! He couldn't believe Sasuke`s guts to take advantage of a person in such a state of mind, he must have been still under the influence of alcohol or whatever shit he smoked on the party.

"So instead of letting her do as she pleases, make her own choice, even if they were dumb and desperate, you chose to sugar coat your words so that she would fall into your net, like a fly, with no escape! Have you told her about the lifespan? Does she know she is going to die faster if you drink her blood?"

Was Naruto stupid? Of course he didn't, because in Sasuke`s mind, that was something obvious. Human blood cells would regenerate, but that process didn't go to the infinite. It had to stop sometime and when her life force would start to weaken, so will her body start to rot. He thought it was somehow…logical. Only his treacherous heart seemed to disagree, since the furious organ started to pump faster, protesting at his mind for its choice of denying the truth.

He didn't tell her she would die, afraid of not to make her have a sway of mind and leave him. Problem was, if he chose to listen to the voice of his heart –like he never did- Sasuke would be put face to face with confronting his feelings, and frankly, he didn't know why he was so fixed on that woman. Someone who he has just met. There was no answer and Sasuke loathed swimming into uncertainty. It made him claustrophobic and anxious, since he wasn't the one in control of his own emotions. "It won`t make any difference. She doesn't care."

"Let her decide that."

"Why does it concern you?"

"Look at her! And here I though that you still had a freaking heart down your chest!" The classy scowling Uchiha would have told Naruto to lower the volume of his shriek since some random dude who wanted to go and take a leak, had a sudden change of mind when he caught the glimpse of two vigorous ridiculously tall and ripped guys having a heated argument inside, signalizing that someone may peek at their conversation or worse, embarrass both them and their family names for being thrown outside, because they engaged into a fight breaking the rules of the restaurant. But once he started his rant, no one would stop his teeth to clatter and his mouth to ramble.

"I can now see that it is one big boulder! I hoped she would have been someone to help you get out of that bubble." He pointed his quivering index in the air, like a teacher scolding his student, implying the presence of the pretty cute rose woman. Yes, Naruto knew that his words were gleaming sharp blades grinding dangerously close to Sasuke`s heart but he couldn't care less if the truth hurt him.

Point was, for some reason, Naruto felt the sudden itch to protect that girl, just as much as he had the feeling that she had something familiar, though he couldn't quite place it. Something about her aura, something about the bulb of chakra inbred inside her, awaiting to be discovered and set free, which she probably wasn't aware of, or maybe there was the unusual light in her unique hued eyes, he had no idea, but it made him restless.

Plus, just looking at her he could see that Sakura was a sweet docile innocent lamb, amidst a forest filled with hungry predatory wolves. That woman was defenseless and probably very troubled, since she wanted to kill herself. She didn't deserve someone as cold as Sasuke to crush the wings of the chrysalide in her heart, even before it turned into a butterfly.

Falling in love with Uchiha Sasuke? Biggest mistake of her life. It wasn't in Naruto`s intention to bash on his friend, but he didn't want the girl to be hurt either. And she had all the chances to have her heart broken if she tried to cuddle with the idea of who he could be. But he was just as ice as an arctic storm. Beautiful unpredictable, swift and lethal, yet frozen.

"You are an idiot. I told you to mind your goddamn business."

"Is that a crime to want to see your best friend get out of his misery?"

"Who said I am in pain?"

"She is torturing you!" Naruto was basically screaming in his face. God dammit, was he fucking annoying. He just had to bring her into the conversation, didn't he? "Do you think I am blind? If she doesn't care for her life then good for her but I won't allow you to play with her and take advantage of her pitiful state. I can see she is not a bad person."

Sasuke let out a prolonged heavy exhale, racking his fingers through his ebony messy rebel spikes, visibly forcing himself into holding back from snarling at Naruto. "We have a deal."

"What kind of deal?" He blonde didn't give him a second to catch his breath, before injecting, being rather demanding. Maybe a bit too demanding for Sasuke`s liking, considering the fact that whatever happened between Sakura and him was rather private.

"This doesn't concern you."

Naruto would have none. Not after he basically saw Sasuke curse his lineage to all the Seven pits of Hell and chose to stomp on their longtime dogmas and theories, deciding to follow a new path of his own, intertwining his ideals with Naruto`s, coaxing their friends into joining and supporting their cause, rapidly going international, since they were definitely not the only vampires who shared their view and wished to come into the light with pure thoughts and feelings of amity, sympathizing with the humans.

Humans like they all have been at some point. They were supposed to respect the mortals, and protect them from those greedy narrow minded vampires, who just wished to dominate both the vampire and human worlds and inflict dread, torture and fright, turning the world into a battlefield, which would ultimately end in a massacre. "Since protecting humans from vampires... is our job, then it kind of makes it my fucking business. Say it now or so help me God I will beat the crap out of-"

"She wants me to make her happy." Sasuke couldn't stand in listening to Naruto anymore. That dobe was making no sense, but those vivid onyx eyes which were boring into Naruto`s narrowed marine ones, were seeing too much of the blonde's disbelief and mistrust in his actions. Was Naruto so dumb to think that he was using Sakura in total discrepancy with their oath? After he basically spit on his father`s face and throw his image and reputation in the mud? Really? "in exchange of her blood."

Naruto`s mind had a shut down. HE couldn't believe that what he heard, was coming from Sasuke`s mouth. " What did you say?"

"Are you deaf?"

At that point, the foxy Uzumaki didn't know whether to burst out laughing like a madman, or unleash a chakra inflicted fist towards Sasuke`s jaw. The raven haired man`s words had his spine cringe. Happy? Happiness was an alien concept to Sasuke, anyone knew that. "She wants you to...what the flying fuck?! You cannot make her happy. Hell you cannot eve make yourself happy! You are taking advantage of her. You are using her while she gains noth-"

"Say it, damn it!" It was truly an art to get Sasuke lose his cool, drop the tulle veil of casualness down his face and make him snap, but Naruto definitely was someone skilled. The way Sasuke`s baritone voice rung through Naruto`s eardrums had him shudder. "Go look her into her eyes and tell me she is not smiling."

The necklace. There was an insanely expensive luxurious piece of jewel embellishing her neck, flashing extravaganza and feeling right back at Naruto and he couldn't help but be puzzled by the reason why Sasuke would make such a wild impossible promise to someone, but that gift was the pure evidence of his serious intentions.

"Why? Why her? You didn't meet coincidentally did you?" Of course that Naruto has already figured it out, and Sasuke was seeing it into his going softer cerulean eyes that he understood, but still, the Uzumaki wanted to hear it from his mouth. He needed that assurance from his friend.

For a vampire Prince to give a woman a set of jewelry, be it a necklace, earrings or a bracelet, whatever, was huge and the implications waved from deep commitment to the supreme metaphor of feelings and solid promises. Heck, the last step till admitting those feelings of love and adulation, was to give her a ring!

Was Sasuke crazy, or getting Fugaku furious out of his mind was part of his renewed favorite hobby? Because that was surely to make the Uchiha leader of vampires livid and that was never a pleasant thing, for no one. Especially not for his youngest defying son.

"Of course not."

"I always considered you my brother, bastard. But ever since she...I cannot recognize you anymore. I cannot find my friend anymore." Leaving Sakura aside, Naruto has tried and tried his best to get Sasuke out of the realm of darkness that he himself has built within his heart and hide inside, not allowing any ray of light to come inside, without success.

He was always the one to come up with numerous opportunities to make Sasuke be a little more sociable with the others, dragging his ass to all the parties thrown off in their campus, by their friends, both vampires and humans, and even went as far as to introduce him to some girls, without success.

He was cold as ice and even if that, adding to his tremendously breathtaking gorgeous looks, was clearly a lady magnet, however, he would commit himself to no one. Instead of attempting to get to know them better, he was only using them as one night stands, which was something that made Naruto`s skull crack.

He was acting just like Kiba who was a shame to the males` gender and reputation. That was clearly a total player and a major manwhore, but at least he was doing it with style and flirted with the nonchalance, easiness and irresistible seduction of a real Don Juan, unlike Sasuke whose most appetizing best hook up line was all the variations of 'Hn' he could think of.

Which had Naruto facepalm. And Neji, who valued family commitment, honor and purity to the level of insanity.

"She wanted to commit suicide by jumping off the Great Naruko bridge. I saved her life."

"Well damn. Saved her life?" How was Sasuke saving her life, since he was the one to slowly taking it, with every drop of her blood he had. Unless he… "Teme, please do tell me that you don't plan on killing her, just to turn her into a vampire, right?"

"Are you out of your damn mind Naruto?" Sasuke couldn't believe that his friend was even trying to imply such an outrageous thing. Was he high? If he was to be honest with himself, Sasuke only silently agreed to share some of his…body fluids –in any way she would allow- just to prologue her lifespan, because he didn't want her to die, but if the girl`s desires were such, who was he to go against her wishes?

If by any chance, he succeeded into making her get what she wanted, whatever her definition of happiness was, and she wished to live and be free from him, Sasuke would gladly let her go. He trusted her enough to know that Sakura would not sell him out and blabber about the secrets he entrusted her with, because she was a woman of her words. She would keep her promise.

"Are you, Sasuke? I wouldn't be surprised if you were. What would you do if Sakura-chan falls in love with you? Or are you that blind to not see the way she looks at you? I prefer to believe that you still live up to the reputation of your eyesight."

Oh, how Sasuke irked to show the blonde just how powerful his vision really was, but he remembered where he was and why was he there, so he chose to annoy the fuck out of Naruto by dropping his bodyweight on his left foot, cocking his head on the side, smirking arrogantly at him, while the veil effect of his raven bangs falling from his temple into his eyes, successfully hid his onyx piercing inky orbs. "Wouldn't you want to find out, idiot? Stop sounding like that Hyuga fucker or like Itachi, you look comical. Leave adults handle their own business and go chew on your candy."

"So help me God I will crush you if you play her, Teme, mark my words."

Something was starting to bother Sasuke really bad, though he was successful in concealing it from Naruto. Why was the blonde so adamant in protecting Sakura from whatever threat might have come from him? He couldn't have found out about who she really was now, could he? Whether his brother hasn't informed him –which he most likely didn't- then it was impossible for Naruto to pick it up.

He had Hinata, so he was definitely not having a crush on her, so why all the unnecessary drama? Just because he brought himself a woman and offered her an opportunity and a better place to stay, than her previous home, it didn't mean that he wanted to turn her into a pathetic lewd slave. What was his problem then?

"Why the fuck do you care so much about what I do to her? I don't get you, Dobe. You don't give a damn about what I do and who I do, so why her? Just because I chose to treat her to dinner? Give her some gift? It`s her birthday today, so it was a common gesture that any gentleman would do, won`t you agree?"

There was so much irony in Sasuke`s words, that Naruto felt like sinking and chocking on it. "Because unlike the other times when you just used women just to fuck them or having fun, she is the best potential candidate to cure that poor heart of yours. She is the chance you need to redeem and seek atonement from the temple of love, Teme. Her, no one else."'

Naruto could have question his choice of words to take Sakura`s side, or taunt him about the necklace –did Sasuke just referred to it as some gift- or the fact that he brought her on a date, in his favorite place to dinner, choosing his usual table at the VIP section, offering her his favorite Champagne to drink, treating her like she was his betrothed, going as far as to promise her such a thing, just for him to have unlimited –debatable- supply of blood.

Naruto wasn't stupid nor was he oblivious. Sasuke was among the few vampires blessed with tremendously high levels of thirst tolerance, meaning he could go on for two or even three months, without touching a single drop of blood –human or animal- and still be able to walk straight and be a force to be reckoned with, in battle.

Frankly, he didn't actually need the rosette`s human blood to live like a normal vampire, who hunted down for fresh 'meal'. It was the fact that he was doing it because he wanted it the thing that was making Naruto`s own blood bubble in rage. Since when has his friend started to sway from his self-proclaimed oath to not touch human blood and rely on blood pills, for as long as his body and mental sanity would endure it, and started to step back and indulge into his needs?

Was he secretly trying to betray them, crushing them from the inside out, by acting like a double agent, secretly teaming up with his father? Was he capable of such a thing? Azure inquisitive sharp eyes pierced into Sasuke`s bottomless ink ones. There was nothing inside, beside a steel wall that blocked his inner thoughts.

And the myriad of plausible answers and opportunities all led Naruto in one single direction, giving him that wild idea, namely, Sasuke truly had an interest in Sakura. Maybe…just maybe he saw something in her that Naruto had too and decided to pursue that light and find out whether it lead to a rainbow or the rim of a waterfall.

What he didn't know, was the fact that Sasuke himself had no answer for his question. He didn't need Sakura`s blood, he won`t deny it, but…he was an addict for the taste and he was not necessarily talking about her blood, but to her as a woman. Her impossibly forest green glowing aureate eyes were doing something to him…something he couldn't explain, but it made his chest feel warm and the space of his dim lighted house to glow.

"You won`t hurt her, right Teme?"

"No."

Naruto`s falsetto squeak has turned into a silent low tone and the familiar appellative he had for his long time raven haired friend wasn't filled with so much malice. Even he could see the sincerity beaming into Sasuke`s eyes. If the Uchiha promised to not make Sakura suffer, he could trust him on that one.

If anything, Uchihas were respected for their honor. They always kept their promises, be it good or bad. And Naruto also knew that, as twisted and sadistic as it might sound, Sakura was safe with him by her side.

And maybe, just maybe, her smile could reach places that his friends or family couldn't. She was an angel. She didn't have to crawl with the other snakes and swim against the stream to touch those memories and turn them into smiles, she just had to fly.

Having that in his mind, Naruto turned from sulking and snarling, into his usual hyperactive sugar rushed grinning boyish self, that annoyed the heck out of everyone, Sasuke including, throwing his arm around his deadpanning ebony haired friend`s broad stiff shoulders, hollering down his ears, almost making him go deaf. "Good! Well then…did you just say something about her birthday? We should totally throw a party! A welcome one and introduce her to…"

At that point, Sasuke wasn't even listening. Since Naruto was done with the brotherly mature serious talk –shit- he was back to his loud gibberish, that totally represented no interest to him and Hell might froze before Sasuke would be caught planning surprise parties and…alive –metaphorically speaking.

"Wait a minute…you did brought her a cake, have you?" The blonde blabbered, looking at his deadpanning raven haired friend with a comical silent screaming face. "Oh shit man, you forgot about the cake! How can you celebrate someone`s birthday without a cake?"

"Hn. What are we, kids?" What the heck was that idiot talking about, flailing like a bitch and talking nonsense. They were grown-ups. His definition of a celebration included candles, fancy delicacies, fine beverages and a tantalizing gift. Sweets were definitely not part of his idea of a birthday celebration. That was for idiots like Naruto. Go figure the blonde would say something so stupid.

"Fuck man, what the heck? And they call you a genius." Sasuke would have asked his friend about what was he thinking about when he buried his hand down his pocket and fingered his phone, tapping something on his screen, but he got his answer two seconds later, when Naruto dialed a number he hasn't seen, gluing the device on his ear. They were back into the main hall, with people eyeing them.

"Hello? Ino? There`s an emergency! I need a huge birthday chocolate cake as in NOW!"

Horror crept down Uchiha` spine and he swore he saw the film of his life playing before his slightly widened onyx orbs, in slow motion. Like he was about to die. For real. From all the people the idiot would call to ask for such a thing, it had to be that Ino, the exuberant and equally hyperactive Yamanaka, whose parents owned a flower shop and a fancy bakery.

The high soprano banshee shriek blasting from the other side of the line, made Sasuke shake his head in disbelief, looking at the thumb up that the grinning blonde knucklehead has given him.

That didn't sound good.


::A crystal butterfly was caressing the sky,

Reflecting the lights of the rainbow,

But in the splendor of his mesmerizing colors,

I failed to see his broken wing::


"It`s a gift for my birthday. I know I don't deserve such a fancy present, but it is not the necklace itself the thing that makes me…feel like smiling uncontrollably." Sakura hummed to Hinata, while unconsciously tapping her fingers over the span of the golden chain, sliding down to the pendant that mesmerized and taunted her view with its glowing beauty, rolling it between her thumb and index. It had an unusual warmth and gleam, which brought her an odd sense of comfort and security.

She and Hinata have taken the chance that Sasuke and Naruto have probably lost their way back or were waiting in line at the men`s restroom –Hinata`s idea, not hers- and talked about the most girlish trivia they could think of, discovering and marveling at all the things that could bond them and they were many.

They had similar taste in sweets, music, literature, favorite subjects and also, their view over the world was reminiscent. Hinata liked to study the others` personalities and so did Sakura. Both women were deep and poetic and each had her own style, which ultimately led to being profound in feelings and mentality.

Hinata had solid principles. Sakura valued ethic and integrity. Even if she felt that life has been unfair, it didn't mean that she lost her trust in morality and dignity. Among their hobbies and fancy for gossip about stars and movies, they were also engaged in a conversation about clothes and jewelry and even if Sakura could hardly call the clothes he had back home a 'wardrobe' per se, it didn't mean she has lived under rocks.

She too used to wander alone and window shop and she also loved beautiful clothes that would make any woman depict her womanhood and feel like a Princess.

So Hinata couldn't help but ask about Sasuke`s gift, but she was polite and only wondered if it was for a special occasion. Sakura immediately told her that in fact, it was. "R-Really? Then w-what e-else it is?" The Hyuga was dying to know what else was there to make a poor woman like Sakura be happier than getting an expensive gift.

Sakura`s answer almost had it fall of the chair. "The fact that he has remembered that it was my birthday. The meaning of his gesture…I cannot help but think about it." That could have been quite a romantic lyrical and deep prologue of an upcoming love story, which she has crushed with the rest of her sentence. "Even if he was dead drunk when he has heard me say it."

Of course, Hinata mentally knocked her head. Sakura did mention that Sasuke was coming from a party. In fact, she knew what party for Naruto has called her in the middle for the night, all stuttering, half screaming and half stuttering and talking gibberish, being equally shit faced, begging her to come up and pick his limp ass from there, because he couldn't spot his friend anywhere.

She had Neji to help her get out of the Hyuga household unnoticed, letting her borrow his car.

Then the implication of Sakura`s words hit her full force. "Y-You wanted to…j-jump on your o-own b-birthday?" Surely, Hinata was hardly someone to seek for the spotlight, but even someone as shy and unconfident as she would shine on her birthday and wished for a marvelous party, so she couldn't comprehend Sakura`s masochistic gesture.

"Now that I hear it from someone else…it does sound pretty dumb, though at that time, it was my own way of taking it back at life and…do it on the day I was born, as it was the worst day of my life." Shockingly enough, Sakura found herself unable to spell the word 'suicide'. At least not in the present of Hinata, because the look those amazingly beautiful gleaming pearl translucent lavender eyes were making her feel deeply ashamed.

Damn was she stupid and pathetic as hell. She wondered what was Sasuke seeing in someone like her, beside her blood? Wasn't idiocy running through her veins as well? So why was the Uchiha so eager and hungry to taste it on his own tongue?

"N-No, I-I understand i-it. K-Kind of…I-I am sorry for n-not knowing. I w-would have b-brought a present."

"Oh, don't worry about that, there was no way you would have known that we will be here today. Truth to be told, it was a surprise."

"M-May I ask you s-something m-more p-personal?" Hinata knew that maybe it was too soon to be fancying such a thing, but she was also a woman and she couldn't help but wonder. Plus, she truly hoped that Sakura would give a positive answer. She hoped for the rose haired woman to be around for a long long time, since her presence was so tonic and pleasant.

"Go ahead."

"D-Do you like S-Sasuke? A-As a man?" Did she? Sakura didn't answer her immediately, but of course, she wasn't upset that Hinata has asked her that, it was reasonable she supposed. Problem was, she didn't know herself.

It was too soon and the events happened too quickly and they were tumultuous. In all honesty, there were many alluring things she found on Sasuke and she couldn't help but feel tempted by his sophisticated tact, his good breeding, the gentility and cultivation of his vocabulary, the refined sense of aesthetics, his regal aura and not to mention, his unreal beauty.

Plus, there was that irresistible mystery floating around the way he stroll, straight, firm, confident, radiating just the perfect amount of arrogance and intimidation that was both making people back away and be attracted. "He is a very intriguing man. I have never met anyone to be this…." She didn't know what to say.

Sakura was not a stupid high school girl with a crush. She was way over that and so were her feelings and expectations. She never thought that a decent man would ever watch her, not when she was a commoner and a no one. Maybe someone as poor as her from her neighborhood, who had a kind heart and a not so average appearance, but at least he would treat her right and be gentle. But never someone like Sasuke. Those were fantasies, even for ladies that were way over her social status.

She would be like any whore who would gladly throw herself into his bed, begging him to take her and let him have his way with her, as he deemed fit. She wanted more. More feeling than physical, though the attraction was something she wouldn't deny. Someone like the pearl black eyed Uchiha would mesmerize any sane woman with his charm, but it was way too soon to be asked such a thing.

She didn't think about nurturing romantic feelings for him. If anything, she was grateful for the chance she got. But still…she was a young woman and he was a gorgeous hot man. So until she would be able to sort the mess into her head and clear her mind, she refrained from jumping to wild conclusions.

Of course Hinata saw everything that flashed into her viridian orbs, even if the rosette was not facing her, rather than fixing the flickering candle of the chandelier. Oddly enough, the dancing jolly flickering limbs of fire were reminding her of the flames into Sasuke`s eyes. So she has asked her such a thing because she wanted to test Sakura`s self-control, the depths of her feelings and her commitment to her dignity and morals. And she wasn't disappointed. Sakura was not a hooker, nor was she an easy woman with no backbone. Even in front of someone like Sasuke, she was able to hold her ground –and hormones- look deeply into his eyes and not burst into a bubble of lewd dark superficial thoughts.

Yes, Hinata has been right. Sakura was someone that could do Sasuke so much good and she could get something deep and beautiful from him in return to her affection. How much could she got, on the other hand, it solely depended on the level of intimacy they could reach together. Sasuke and Sakura, as far as Hinata was concerned, were million miles apart, yet they had such a mysterious link that brought them together.

They weren't meant to be, but they were surprisingly so fitting together. "Y-You don't want t-to hurt h-him by giving him f-false h-hopes, right?"

"Precisely, yes. Don't misunderstand me, I am not a saint, even if I can shamefully admit that I have never been…intimate to someone. It is not that I don't find Sasuke to be very attractive, but…I want everything to come to me as natural and do things at the right time, when I feel like I am ready to give it my all. He has been so good to me and treated me good. I don't want to offend him in any way." She couldn't deny the obvious attraction but it might have very well been just physical.

Even if Sasuke has been blunt –she knew he wasn't the type to beat around the bush- enough to let her know that he had no problem in them sleeping together –her face turned like a steaming funnel when she thought about the way he said it- she wouldn't be just one of those one night stand. That was not the way things worked between them. So far, he was gallant, so she would rather have him keep that safe distance between them.

Did they really look like lovers in the other people`s eyes, if Hinata was questioning her on such things? Or was Sasuke just that wanted by women, and she found it to be a normal occurrence? Poor man. She couldn't help but pity him. To get so much attention, yet to not find one single honest dignified pure smile, void of debauched intent.

Of course, her traitorous body was having all other ideas about how much would she seriously wanted to squirm in delight when he touched her with those appetizing lips of his, but she would put it past her hormones. Sadly, she was still a woman. A moral and respectful one, but still a woman.

"D-Don`t w-worry. I see it in y-your eyes. Y-You are not t-that kind of woman. W-Which is good. S-Sasuke-kun d-doesn`t need a-another superficial w-woman in his l-life to break his h-heart." It was too late to take back what it has just slipped past her lips, but Hinata couldn't help herself.

She was inwardly cheering for Sakura to steal Sasuke`s heart, she was almost entirely precise that the rosette was a good match, who was thinking the same way he did –deep and wise, pondering over the smallest things, before making a decision- and she had control and cared about the people around her. Truly cared even if it became quite clear to the lavender eyed female vampire that Sakura was someone that was utterly, painfully and fully alone.

Sasuke too has alienated from everyone, hiding in his own cold secured den. Maybe, if just by some miracle of fate, Sakura could break down that door and enter, even if she decided to shut the door after her, at least there would be two of them inside. So the loneliness would metamorphose in intimacy.

Of course, the intelligent emerald eyed woman caught her mislead right away and she kind of furrowed her eyebrows, placing down the dessert fork to dig into the newfound information. "What do you mean by another woman to break his heart? Did Sasuke have a serious relationship which turned up bad? Is this what you are talking about?"

No, if anything, Sasuke never even brought such subject up. He hasn't been a hypocrite with her and he kind of admitted that he had occasional flirts and one night stands with women, but he never let her know that there has been someone very important in his life and from what she could make up from Hinata`s words and attitude –she cast her translucent margarite orbs down her half eaten dessert and curled her fingers around her silver spoon like she was cursing herself for telling something she shouldn't have- it was something rather serious and it let a mark down on the Uchiha`s heart.

And it happened too fast for her to actually dwell on that and stop herself. She felt a painful pang inside her throbbing chest at the idea of someone playing with a man like Sasuke. Why? Why would anyone sane not want what he had to offer? That, she couldn't comprehend. "Did he have a lover?"

Hinata threw her head backwards, peeping past her shoulder and scanning her surroundings to make sure that Naruto and Sasuke weren't around, before she went on, telling Sakura something that she has probably figured out herself. Hell may swallow her if Sasuke caught her telling Sakura about his… "A-Actually…t-this was s-supposed to be a s-secret. H-He doesn't l-like to t-talk about h-her."

"I am sure he doesn't. He didn't say anything about that. So? Did he indeed have a woman he loved? Who was she? And why aren't they together anymore? Because I suppose….they aren't together anymore, right?" Oh just the mere thought of someone claiming the Uchiha`s heart was making funny things to her insides.

If only Sakura knew… "N-No. They are n-not together a-anymore. I-It was a v-very l-long long t-time ago." And by that, Sakura knew that for an immortal, long time probably meant decades. Maybe centuries. But it didn't matter that much, by that time. She was glad she could learn such a thing anyways. She leaned forward seeing that Hinata did the same, bending her spine to come and whisper to her.

"S-Sasuke was very i-in l-love with her. T-They h-have known each o-other s-since they were kids. I-I thought s-she liked him t-too. The w-way she would fawn over h-him, speak about him…I-I should have s-seen that s-she was insane. T-That h-her feelings w-were not g-genuine."

"You mean, she didn't love him back?"

"I-I don't know. M-Maybe she did, I-I do not mean t-to be u-unfair. She d-did make him happy u-up to a point. H-He even got engaged to her."

That almost made Sakura fall from her chair, if not for the fact that she was half lying with her elbows on the table and her shoulder was brushing Hinata`s, the two women basically muttering and breathing the words to each other.

Oh, things were getting interesting. Sasuke had a fiancé? If anything, he truly strike like a man who would woo many women, but not because he acted like a total player and a manwhore, who would disrespect the female gender, but simply because he would have a line of women fighting to steal the place beside him. He got everything a superficial woman would want –and sadly, that was majority: unlimited financial resources, insanely good looks, elegance, cultivation, a good family background and, to add to the almost surreal perfection, he was damn smart.

But…he wasn't just that flawless. In fact, deep inside, he was lonely, hurt and he didn't trust the others. She knew and then Sakura was finding out the reason for his reticence.

Seeing all those questions whirling inside Sakura`s quizzical analytic viridian orbs, the pale eyed Hyuga went on. She has already revealed the skeleton in the closet, so she might as well go on and let Sakura know about it, just in case, so she wouldn't hurt Sasuke unintentionally by asking him whether he had a girlfriend.

Plus, she felt like she could trust Sakura`s intuition and judgment. "W-When they a-announced it to everybody they are g-going to marry, n-no one believed it. B-But I guess w-we should have s-seen it coming. S-Sasuke-kun told h-his parents t-that she would live with t-them from there o-on out, but h-his father s-strongly opposed. H-His mother, M-Mikoto-san supported him l-like always and a-approved of their relationship. S-So s-she moved to t-the Uchiha household, g-going against Fugaku-sama`s strict w-will."

"Why was Sasuke`s father opposing to their relationship? Was she not wealthy or did she offended him in any way?" Sakura couldn't be sure, but from the way Sasuke refused to talk about his family and referred to his father like he was his worst enemy, he guessed that Fugaku had a tendency to disagree with everything his son did.

But then again, it was always the father who was a pain in the ass when it came to their child`s spouse. Good thing he didn't have girls, instead of boys. In any case, Sasuke`s father truly seemed like someone really scary who gave Sakura the creeps.

And, the more Hinata would open the puzzle box, the sadder her pastel lilac orbs would become and her voice would stutter even more, but it was not because her cute shyness. It was because she could detect sadness and pity in her tone.

Actually…that was the question that Hinata didn't know how to properly answer, without scaring and offending Sakura, so she was letting the wheels inside her mind work frenetically, searching for the best way to put it, but it simply wasn't. "W-Well you d-do know t-that S-Sasuke is t-the next in l-line to take o-over t-the reign o-of vampires, a-after his father, right?"

"Yes, he did tell me that he was a Prince, or something like that, but I might not fully understand the implication of it. From what he told me, it means serious business, but he refuses to step into his father`s shoes, because he has his own plans." She so didn't like where that was going. Sakura hoped it wasn't that kind of totally cliché idyllic romances that ended up bad, just because one of the parents opposed.

It was unfair to make the lovers suffer such a tragically breakup that would mark them for the rest of their lives, just because of the generation gap and the over protectiveness and different opinions and ideals. She started to hate Fugaku really really bad, and she hasn't even met the man. She was biased, yes, but she couldn't help it.

"Y-Yes, h-he decided t-to advocate for a w-world where w-we will be a-able to tell the w-world who we are. N-Naruto-kun s-supported h-him right away. T-Then w-we have joined them too. H-He and his f-father were never on the same page and f-fights would often b-break."

"It was that the reason why Sasuke and his fiancé didn't get married?" It was needless to ask, because Sakura had the feeling that the raven haired youngest Uchiha and his fiancé didn't make it up to the altar and that broke her heart. He did deserve to be happy with the woman he loved.

"N-No."

That surprised Sakura a little. "Then what was the real reason?"

The answer made her heart come to an abrupt halt and her forest green eyes went wide as two moons. "She was a h-human."

"You two ladies seem to have become quite good friends, didn't you?"


::Crystal butterflies cannot fly,

They shatter and perish, like phantoms,

Inner demons lurking from the past.

Just like my crushed dreams,

It was your lips that sent me reeling,

To love::


A/N: First of all, I want to take my time and send all my kisses and deepest gratitude to you guys, for taking your time to read my story, follow it, favorite and of course, sharing those amazing reviews, which always brighten up my day! If I could give all of you a million hugs and cookies, I would do it!

You guys are amazing, thank you for the feedback –really, your words are even more beautiful than the story itself, really!- I am always looking forward to hear what my readers think about my stories, especially if I am at the beginning. It makes me hopeful and…inspired? Hehe.

Secondly, before I stop boring you guys with my rambling and go bury my nose into the books I am supposed to read –those school projects- I want to answer some of the…er…not that positive feedback. Ok, I will not be rude to my readers and call it constructive criticism?

Oh well…the interaction between Sasuke and Sakura is the way I wrote it, because I find it odd, unrealistic and not to mention extremely childish, to have them jump on each other from the very first time.

Plus, Sasuke is not human, so I want to create this aura of royal elegance and unnatural –to the point of exaggerated traditional- cultivation and manners, simply because this is the way I envision vampires. If anything, I will definitely make things really erotic and hot –trust me, those are my favorite scenes to write, mwhaha- between them later on, because that too is part of my definition of immortals…

Also, I know that I might be professional sometimes…ok, many times, but I have graduated from the Law School and trust me, lawyers and magistrates can be really stuck up. I am swaying between these two extremes –poetical and stiff. I guess it depends on the mood. I hope it doesn't ruin the feeling of the story too much.

Oh, I get this from time to time, so I beg you guys, pretty pretty please, bear with my grammar mistakes or any other mistakes, because, I am not a native –just someone who finds solace in writing- and even if I definitely check on the grammar and spelling, there are still things that slip my vigilance. See? If I am not a vampire my vision is limited.

Anyways, thank you for letting me know the parts that you don`t like in my story, so I could have a clearer view of what I might should improve. Thank you and please do not feel offended by my answer. I love ALL my readers, especially those who bother to leave a reply. *bow my head in respect*

All in all, I hope you guys liked this chapter.

Till next time…