The haziness of fluorescent lighting was the first thing Ren saw when he awoke. He blinked and stared absentmindedly in an effort to regain full consciousness. Suddenly recalling what had transpired he gasped.

"Shit. I'm still in her house." He thought.

When he tried to push himself up from the floor he felt an acute pain surge through his right arm and muffled a swear. A brief glance brought clarity, and also a shock of horror.

"She stabbed me!" He practically hissed.

"Because you left me no other choice." The painfully familiar voice retorted. "I asked you to leave, and you wouldn't."

Taking a few steps forward, she eyed him warily and added, "Do you honestly think I wanted to?"

Ren narrowed his golden-hued eyes and slowly stood up.

"I was merely trying to-"

"Trying to what - bite me?" A pause. "I know what you are . . ."

Natsumi winced slightly with disgust as she uttered the word.

"Vampire."

Though he had heard it pass from the lips of many, friend and foe alike, somehow hearing it brought about a trepidation in him. Why did it bother him? She was just a girl, a potential meal, a walking stress ball like the rest of the countless women he had encountered. . . or was she? Somehow, she felt that her exclamation had wounded him, and she broke the awkward silence.

"Well, am I wrong?"

"No." He practically mumbled. "That's exactly what I am . . . and apparently what you hate."

He watched as her face contorted into discomfort ever so faintly, and then returned to being composed.

"I don't hate what you are." She replied. "I hate who you are."

Ren couldn't stop from flinching at the pinpoint accuracy of her frustration. He would have much preferred her to hate him for being a vampire - he couldn't change that, and he would simply accept it. What else could he have done in response to such an affirmation? But it was him, Ren Maaka, the suave ladies man with the shimmering silver hair, dazzling gold eyes, velvet voice that uttered the most tempting, alluring promises.

"Is it so hard to believe? Why would I like someone . . . anyone, for that matter, who uses women? You're a misogynist stalker who -"

"Fair enough!" He shouted. "I get it, all right? I'm a complete asshole whose only focus is on getting his next meal ticket! Do you know why I go after women?"

"Because you're a pervert?"

" . . . not only that. But because vampires . . . we all have blood preferences. My preference just so happens to be blood from stressed out individuals."

"So you sleep with them, drink their blood, and then leave their lifeless bodies . . .?" The disgust and obscene nature of the idea claimed her face, at which he quickly explained.

"No, no, I never kill them. In fact, I actually remove their stress by drinking their blood!"

She shot him an incredulous look.

"I'm serious." He stated. Then, he sauntered over to her and placed his left arm above her head. Leaning over her, he smiled revealing his fangs. "If you need proof . . ."

"I'll take your word." She quickly jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow to make him recede a few steps.

"Damn it, why are you so feisty?"

"Oh, is it unladylike to resist your advances?"

He exhaled briefly and retracted his fangs. "Nah, playing hard to get with me actually makes it all the more thrilling for me."

Ren's emerging chuckle was immediately silenced by her venomous glare.

For whatever reason, he decided to check on his injured arm and to his surprise noticed that it had been tied to stop the bleeding. His gold eyes shifted in her direction.

"Why did you do this?" He inquired.

"I wasn't trying to kill you." She exclaimed. "I was trying to make you leave. Believe me, if I had wanted to kill you . . . you would be dead right now."

Ren scoffed at her assumption, at which she raised her eyebrow. "Don't believe me?"

In an instant, Natsumi had disappeared, leaving Ren standing alone in the kitchen confusedly. Within seconds, she had returned with a decent sized rifle in her hands.

"My, my, there really is very little that is ladylike about you, Natsumi." Ren said with a smile. "Perhaps that's what makes you so much more intriguing, hmm?"

"Hardly." She said, dismissing his attempt at flattery promptly. "I brought this out here to show you . . . why I'm probably so different."

Scanning the gun momentarily, Ren's eyes widened in shock.

"You're a hunter?!"

She smiled. "No, but my father is. He taught me how to protect myself from vampires that would intend to hurt me. But I've learned by living here that not all of you are dangerous, so I keep things around that would deter vampires from attacking me."

Something inside Ren must have given way, because all of the sudden he threw his head back and laughed deeply. Natsumi looked at him with confusion.

"Why does that make you laugh?"

"Ah, Natsumi . . ." He uttered breathlessly. "You must have met my un-vampire sister to make a comment like that."

"What do you mean by 'un-vampire?'" She asked.

"That's beside the point." He retorted. "But anyway . . . I think I understand now."

"Understand what?"

"Why my charms and attempts to subdue you never worked." Smiling, he turned toward the door.

"I suppose I never will find out how your blood tastes~"

He paused momentarily at the doorway and said with half-veiled eyes, "It really is a shame. You did weaken me quite a bit, so I thought the least you would do is offer me a consolation."

"Do you hear yourself?" She asked angrily. "You came into my house uninvited, and tried to force me into . . . letting you bite me or whatever. And now you're asking me for a consolation for defending myself from you?"

Ren stared at her smirking.

"Unbelievable." She mumbled to herself.

"Well, that's fine Natsumi . . . I'll just have to drain even more blood from the women I stalk tonight."

Hesitating briefly, Ren smiled sardonically in her direction. He wouldn't leave without getting what he wanted, and as he stared at Natsumi, he could tell she was thinking over what he had said. She knew he was telling the truth, so what would she do?

"I could always kill you right here . . ." He raised his eyebrow as she raised her gun. Staring intently at him ready to shoot she suddenly realized that there was another way to put an end to everything.

"Ren . . . the only reason you're stalking me is because you want . . .?"

"Your very enticing blood, my dear." He smiled, revealing his pearly white fangs once more. "Why else?"

"Well, if that's the case, I think we can put an end to this ludicrous cat and mouse shenanigan.

"Oh, really?" He wondered. Crossing his arms across his chest, he smiled. "Go on."

"I'll let you have some of my blood . . ."

"Mmm, so far I'm on board with the idea . . . what's the catch?"

"You need to leave me alone - forever."

Ren's smile disappeared.

"And . . . you need to stop using women."

"I'm telling you, it's a mutual arrangement!" He argued. "I'm doing a great service by drinking their blood!"

"Right." She said while rolling her eyes. "I'm sure they would line up to be part of your dietary needs."

"Your humor cuts deep." Ren said with a solemn expression.

"It's one of my better qualities." She said dryly. "Now, do we have an agreement?"

" . . ."

Ren pondered the idea momentarily, but couldn't acquiesce.

"I can't give up my blood or I'll die."

"Fine. But it needs to be consensual with any women you choose to . . . drink from."

"Agreed."

Ren casually strode over to her and narrowed his eyes at the gun. She hesitated briefly before placing the gun on the kitchen table. Her subtle, but nonetheless tantalizing scent was mercilessly drawing him to her. He had never felt such an unexplainable pull toward a person before. Inhaling deeply, he smiled and his pupils changed into slits.

"Mmm, you smell so delectable." He purred.

A quick blow to the torso made him snarl and recoil slightly.

"What?"

"I don't know what you thought I meant . . ." Natsumi raised her wrist up to his chin. "This isn't going to turn into one of your 'flings' or whatever the heck they are. You're getting a little blood and that's it."

"Fine, fine." He grumbled. "You could at least let me enjoy this a little."

Slowly, Ren brought his lips to her hand. He couldn't help caressing it with his cheek. As he continued to take in the fresh, delicate aroma of Calla Lilies he smiled. Somehow this simple gesture had touched him in a way nothing else ever had - was it her compliance to his will? Or had she in fact made him the one to comply? Whichever it was mattered not to him. Ren trailed his lips across her wrist and bestowed a gentle kiss. He quivered internally, feeling and hearing her pulse just beneath the skin. His golden eyes took in the beauty of her bright blue vein carrying a liquid far too precious to be spilled. Noticing his hesitation, Natsumi finally spoke.

"What's the matter?" She asked. "This should be routine for you."

But it wasn't. It never would be with her. Something felt different . . . alien even. This experience wasn't something he would ever have again - that was part of the agreement. One taste and it would be over. Sorrow sank into him and revealed itself somewhat across his face.

" . . .Natsumi, I can't." He said, surprised by this as much as she was. "I can't just . . . use you like this."

"Why not?" She asked.

"Because . . . that's not what I want from you."

He ran his tongue along the vein of her wrist and smiled to himself. "I crave you not jut because of your blood, but because of you."

She shot him a bewildered expression.

"I didn't realize it before, but even when I was with other women I kept obsessing over you, wondering what you would taste like, what you would feel like . . ."

He closed his eyes and averted her gaze, his silver bangs covering his face.

"That's why I don't want to do this . . . if I means I never get to see you again."

Natsumi said nothing as she listened to him speak. She was bewildered by his words, and didn't know what to make of what was happening. She stood in silence, looking up at him, waiting for him to do something. But as he panted, trying to fight the desire that had now become need, she reconsidered.

"If you really want to know me . . ." She began. "Then why not do just that?"

Ren looked up at her, his slits menacing. Still, she knew he was struggling with himself and continued.

"I will give you one chance to prove to me that you are a decent person, and that it's possible for us to be . . . well, acquaintances on good terms." She bit her lip. "Maybe more someday. That's all up to you."

"Don't lie to me." He seethed.

"I'm not." She said softly. "This will be our agreement . . . done though blood, I guess."

Ren's eyes fixated on hers and he could feel her sincerity.

"A blood bond . . . very fitting." He thought to himself.

Slowly, he bit down on the skin of her wrist. Ruby blood beaded to the surface and he closed his eyes as he brought it into his mouth.