Itachi sat on Sakura's living room couch rigidly in annoyance.
It was ridiculous really. How on earth could the silly woman think that Sasuke was him?! It was insulting and damn near stupid of her.
Itachi's ears picked up as he heard the shower turn off and he felt the corner of his mouth twitch in a small smile as she dashed out of the bathroom a few minutes later intent on her bedroom before he could see her or stop her.
Silly woman. Hadn't he proved already doors were no barriers to him?
Itachi glanced at the clock on the wall and felt his eyes narrow slightly.
3:28, nearly 3:30 in the morning. He felt the hidden smile grow into a smirk,
'No time like the present to acquaint ones self with the bed.'
Itachi pushed himself to standing and slowly made his way to the room he heard her moving about in, his earlier annoyance at her misinformation of Sasuke forgotten at the back of his mind.
--
Sakura felt like crying. She didn't know why but maybe it was just too much for her. Maybe too much had happened, maybe he was too crazy, maybe she was too innocent. Whatever it was…
There were far too many maybes.
Sakura tossed the towel on the bed as she stepped into her closet, pulling out a cotton tank top and a pair of loose flannel pants; her standard sleep wear. Pulling them on she stepped out of her closet and closed the door turning back around just in time to see Itachi Snuggle himself down in her bed, naked from the sheet up. If he was naked beyond that, she had no idea.
Sakura felt her cheeks burn in embarrassment as she met his eyes and they flamed with a silent intensity, knowing she had been staring at his exposed body. Sakura sighed dejectedly and ran a weary hand over her face,
"Itachi, what are you doing in my bed?" He sent her flat look,
"Waiting for you to get in it, of course." Sakura dropped her hand from her face and glared at him through half lidded eyes,
"Get out." A smirk,
"No." A fist clenched,
"Now."
"No."
"Damnit Itachi! I just spent the past several hours healing you, give me the courtesy of letting me sleep in piece!" Sakura gasped as he appeared in front of her grabbing her wrist and pulling her forward so she was plastered to his chest,
"You seem to forget your vow. Your body, your home, your bed, you very soul, it is all mine to do with as I wish." He stroked one long digit down the side of her face and along her jaw line as she stared up at him in silent terror,
"But do not fret love. I'm not too demanding. I don't think it's very unfair to ask that I be allowed to sleep on a real bed. I am still recovering." Before Sakura could do anything he had swung her up off her feet and was carrying over to the bed.
Pulling down the rumpled covers with one hand he laid Sakura down and quickly joined her, pulling the covers over them and wrapped a hard arm around her waist, pulling her back to spoon with him. Sakura made a strangled noise in the back of her throat and tried to roll away from him, but he was not to be deterred. If anything, he seemed to pull her closer,
"Fine! You can sleep in the bed, but let me go! You don't need to wrap yourself around me to sleep and recover!" He felt him nuzzle his face into her neck, inhaling her damp hair greedily,
"On the contrary, I crave it." Sakura turned her head to the side to peer at his dim visage with one eye
"What on earth do you mean?" He laughed and slipped an arm underneath her to copy it's mate and wrap around her slim waist,
"I mean that because our destinies are now entwined, our aura's have done the same, that happened when you saw my memories. I am more content and compliant having your soul near me, and your skin touch mine. It pleases me." Sakura snorted,
"I don't really care if I please you or not." He chuckled lightly and she felt the vibrations through her back,
"You will eventually, but for now, it's better to keep me in a good mood; for your sake. I'm much more manageable in an amiable mood." Sakura knew he couldn't see it, but she rolled her eyes anyway.
"Yeah sure." Sakura closed her eyes resolutely and made herself lay as stiff as stone and she pushed his presence to the back of her mind and focused on getting the sleep she so desperately needed.
She almost jumped out of her skin, and she choked back the scream at the back o f her throat when his hands on her stomach began to draw lazy patters over her short, her muscles fluttering involuntarily.
"Stupid demon." Sakura huffed under her breath and under his ministrants soon fell asleep. As the last dregs of her consciousness drifted away, she could have sworn she heard his low laughter.
--
Sakura was alone when she woke up and for some reason that frightened her. She pushed herself upward with one arm; the other running through her sleep mussed pink locks. Yawning, Sakura pushed back her sheets that smelled distinctly musky like his skin, and stood, one arm reaching for the now dry towel left forgotten last night at the foot of her bed.
Her hand never made it.
A stabbing, white-hot pain shot through her stomach and Sakura toppled to her knees, arms shooting around her waist in a vain attempt to ease the vicious pain. Tears clawed at the corners of her eyes, and her throat became scratchy from the effort of holding back pain-filled cries.
And then it was gone.
Sakura gasped for breath as her body trembled in the after shocks of the mind numbing pain that had lanced through her.
'What the hell was that?!' As Sakura managed to calm herself down, her movements becoming steadier, she pushed herself to her feet and stumbled out of her bedroom, down a hall and into her living room.
As she arrived there, she collapsed on the couch closest to the medical supplies she had forgotten last night and took deep breaths, eyes shut tightly.
Taking one more deep breath, she unwound her arms from around her waist and grabbed the edge of her tank top, slowly pulling it upwards. She was shocked, to say the least, on what she saw there.
There were two almost half circles on her abdomen, though they were interlocking-like curved, and the bottom half circle had a strait edge coming out of the bottom that engulfed her belly button. What shocked her most besides the symbols is how she was able to see it. It was lines of red, almost pink, as if there was a strange infection under her skin. She touched it tentatively, fully expecting the searing pain from before, but was surprised that there was only a dull ache, and surprising warmth.
"Got you marked already has he? I expected more of a fight from someone of your type, or at least some blood-curdling screaming." Sakura snapped her head up at the cultured feminine voice as she simultaneously pulled her tank top down.
Her terror filled emerald eyes took in the beautiful woman standing before her. She was frighteningly pale, with long, lustrous chestnut colored hair that tumbled down to her mid back in loose curls and tight waves. She had a classically elegant face, that seemed more suited for hushed conversations behind feathered fans in smoke filled ballrooms, rather then the shadows of her drab, unimpressive living room. What caught you were her vibrant red eyes, and lips stained the same shade. She had on slim white pants and a white wraparound shirt. One arm had no sleeve, whereas the other had a long billowing red one. It seemed as if an olive colored thorn pattern danced around the bottom edge of the shirt.
Despite the innocent color the woman favored, everything about her screamed 'danger' to Sakura in huge, bold-font, neon purple lights. She was bad news, and her demeanor made sure Sakura was aware of it. Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat and managed to whisper out,
"Who are you? What are you doing in my house? Get out." The woman gave a full smile at her, the normal happy response doing nothing to warm up the icy woman's features. But the chilliness is not what sent panic shooting down Sakura's spine.
It was the two large canine incisors that hung from the top of her jaw.
Vampire.
"Who I am is of no importance to you for now. And how I got in? Anyone can get anywhere if they are determined enough." The woman crossed her arms over her chest and walked slowly from her spot at Sakura's left, around a low coffee table, circling slowly until she came to a stop on the opposite side of the couch as Sakura. Her bloody eyes never leaving Sakura's face for a second.
"You must be wondering why I am here." Kurenai ignored the 'No shit, Sherlock.' look Sakura sent her, and instead lift one hand to tap a long crimson fingernail to her chin,
"I am here, because I wanted to meet the one human who was stupid enough to sell her soul for the first time in over seven-hundred years." Sakura felt anger suddenly bubble up and she surged to her feet, an uncharacteristic snarl ripped from her throat.
"Get out!" Her arms trembled from the force of her hands being fisted at her sides, eyes darkening considerably as rage surged through her, "You don't know anything. Leave, now!"
The high tinkling laughter did nothing to appease her as the woman tilted her head back, and let it loose as if that was the most funny thing she had heard in her life.
"I know a hell of a lot more than you do apparently! I know you don't know why you have that mark on your stomach, and I know that you had no idea about what that ritual you so heedlessly jumped into yesterday entailed!" The woman began stalking forward and Sakura was once again terrified as she slowly retreated form the woman, her breathing more ragged,
"I know that Uchiha Itachi is now your soul keeper, after you broke your seal of humanity, and I know that you are utterly clueless about this whole situation." Sakura felt an odd sense of déjà vu as her back hit the same wall Itachi had pinned her against last night.
Sakura flinched and turned her head to the side as Kurenai bent over in front of her so that their heads were almost level,
"I know that you were damn lucky that such a high level cursed spirit was so close to you at the time. And you know what else I know?" the woman chuckled, and Sakura shivered as frigid instead of warm air danced over her skin,
"I know that he can't protect you forever. I know with someone as worthless as you, he will slip up eventually. And when he does…" The cold woman grasped Sakura roughly by the chin and turned her face to look at her,
"I know I will be there to rip your heart out." Sakura felt a whimper escape from her chest as the tears she had been fighting since she woke up spilt over. The woman released her strong pressure on Sakura's face and without the support, her knees buckled and she slid down the wall to the ground.
The woman spun halfway around to look over her shoulder and stared silently before turning back around and crouching down next to Sakura,
"I have the chance, but I'm not going to kill you now. I am going to wait. I'm going to wait until you mean something to that emotionless bastard, and then once you do, I will fulfill the prophecy that my dear cousin Karin made five-hundred years ago." A cold handed descended and patted Sakura on her right cheek condescendingly,
"See you around chicklet." And her image seemed to blur even more through Sakura's tear filled eyes before she disappeared completely.
Sakura stared silently in front of her, seeing nothing, hardly even breathing before she shuddered, and her limp arms raised to pull her knees up to her chest and wrap around them, her face dripping down to bury itself in their protective shelter as the sobs emerged.
Sakura didn't understand. What did these stupid vampires keep babbling about?! Seal of Humanity, rituals, slip-ups, it made no sort of sense! Sakura felt the black cloud of despair that woman had left pull itself closer around her, tightening around her throat, seeming as if it was just waiting for the change to strangle the life from her.
'She was right. What the hell is wrong with me?! Why on Earth would I do something so drastic with Ino, and then drag a half-dead man into my house?! I'm royally screwed. I must have gone insane. I should turn myself into an asylum as fast as I can get there. What did she mean by him protecting me? Why would her do that? What do I need protection from? I just wish someone would explain everything to me! I hate this! I hate being lost and confused!' Sakura drew her legs closer to herself, but stiffened and froze when she heard a voice,
"What happened." It wasn't a question, or a request. It was a clear, low-toned demand.
Sakura refused to look up and silent sobs continued to shake her weary frame,
"Nothing happened." His voice sounded closer,
"Don't lie to me Sakura. It isn't becoming." Sakura gave a short laugh,
"Like I care? And I'm not lying. Nothing happened, I just got a death threat is all." Her voice cracked at the end and the tears started anew. She distantly heard a low growl and with a gasp she suddenly found herself upright, feet barely skimming the floor as he held her up by her upper arms,
"Who threatened you? Damn it Sakura, tell me!" Sakura drew away from him, frightened, a small whimper coming from her before the rage before bubbled up again,
"Don't order me around! Why don't you tell me!? She was one of you vampire friends and certainly seemed to know you plenty!" Sakura snarled the words out viciously and Itachi's eyes narrowed at her as he frowned,
"I don't have friends Sakura." She glared at him, tears beginning to stop their silver treks form her eyes,
"Liar! Everyone has at least one friend. And if you don't have any, how does she know so much about you! She even talked about the curse from five hundred years ago! How else would she know about that?!" His face morphed into a calm silent mask,
"How did you find out Sakura?" Sakura drew up short when she opened her mouth to retort, and quickly snapped it shut,
"I know there was an attempt at a curse. I don't know what the curse entails."
"Perhaps you should learn how to search harder." Sakura hissed at him,
"Perhaps you should go fuck yourself." Itachi smiled wryly and let go of her arms, setting her on the floor, one hand rising to cup her face. He leaned forward so their cheeks rested on each other and his breath ghosted over her ear, her breath starting to shallow out at his close proximity, heart fluttering wildly.
"Now, why would I do that when I have you?" Sakura's breath froze in her throat, and she felt the urge to cover her heart with her hand in a vain attempt to keep it from bursting from her.
He drew back to stare with his cobalt eyes at her darkened emerald.
"Because you don't have me." He arched a brow delicately in vague amusement,
"Oh? I beg to differ." Sakura parted her lips to give a sharp retort when he crushed his own to them.
It was if her blood had turned into fire pounding through as her body sang at their intimacy. The hand on her face slid backward to tangle itself in her hair while the other one wrapped around her slim waist. Sakura's hands reached up to grasp at his head, one hand settling on his face while the other copied his and slid into his midnight locks, loosening the tie that kept them in a neat ponytail
Her body bowed and arched into his lean frame, pressing her soft curves against him as he pushed her backward lightly so she once again rested against the wall, his skilled mouth hungrily devouring her soft willing one.
It was incredible and world-shaking. Sakura could barely register the emotions rushing through her; all she could focus on was his sinful mouth and how if he pulled away any time soon, there would be hell to pay.
A small moan came from her throat as his lips parted gently, tongue slipping through to run along the seam of her lips, silently asking for entrance. Sakura quickly granted the request and her mouth opened slightly to allow him to enter and plunder her moist depths as he willed. Sakura loved the feeling and rubbed her body slightly against his, gasping at the combination of friction and pleasure.
Sakura barely registered it as the arm around her waist loosened and slid down and around and to the front of her body, dropping to the edge of her tank top and slipping one digit under the edge, running along it gently against her skin. It continued it's slow trek for a few seconds before grabbing the hem and pulling to up so the shirt bunched up under her breasts. Before she could make a move or sound the fingers settled lightly on her skin under the shirt and slowly dragged downward, grazing over the warmth and colored marks from earlier.
Sakura broke their kiss with a pleasure shout as her knees buckled and her head tilted back with a groan, the dull pleasure that had burning in her veins jumping to a crescendo making her body arch like a bow against him as her hand tightened in his hair.
His head bent and he began to nibble at her collarbone as she panted lightly, attempting to get her breathing under control. As she came down from the sudden high he slowed his nibbling to light kisses before lifting his head to stare into her eyes. She swallowed thickly,
"What the hell was that?" He smirked down at her,
"A surprisingly pleasant complication." She narrowed her eyes before lightly pulling away,
"What do you mean?" He didn't answer her, instead taking one of her hand and entwining their fingers and silently leading her over to the couch. He sat and pulled her onto his lap, which she grudgingly complied to,
"I was not aware that your family was once a clan, or that it has a clan symbol." Sakura's eyes widened and she dropped her head to stare at her stomach,
"Is that what that is?" She took her free hand and lightly traced the lines, as he shook his head,
"No, that is mine." Her head snapped up to stare at him,
"What." He smirked,
"That is the Uchiha clan symbol." He gently shifted her before using his own free hand to raise his shirt and showed his own stomach,
"That is yours." She stared at it; it looked like one large circle with another smaller one directly inside of it. Sakura reached out silently to touch it but his hand let go of his shirt and grabbed hers silently, bringing it to his lips so he could press a kiss to the knuckles, eyes softened in a silent apology,
"I… don't think that would be the best idea Sakura." She blinked at him,
"Why not?" He released her hand,
"You know what happened when I touched yours, I believe the experience would be very much the same for me, if you were to touch mine." Sakura blushed heavily and turned her head away to look at her own stomach again,
"So what is it?"
"I'm not entirely sure, I think it may have something to do with the ritual and-..." Sakura scoffed and raised her head to roll her eyes,
"I meant the symbol genius."
"Oh. That, like I said is the Uchiha Clan symbol. It is supposed to symbolize a Uchiwa fan." Sakura tilted her head,
"Uchiwa fan?" he nodded,
"That fan is how we got our last name. An Uchiwa is a fan traditionally used to keep a fire alive and burning, or to have it burn hotter. Uchiha's were skilled at controlling fire or their chosen craft involved it in some way." Sakura made a low sound of understanding as Itachi lowered his head to stare at his own stomach,
"Yours is a cheerio."
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End chapter three: It's What you Know
Bundyangel: I'm sorry! I couldn't resist the last sentence; it was too good to give up XDD
I hope everyone enjoyed that brief lime, yes? Great.
Anyway, the back-story of the Uchiha symbol is essentially true, if my memory serves correctly
I think the identity of the female vampire is fairly obvious. She is actually from the show –le gasp- not an OC o.0!!
I'm sorry this took so long. I'm a bad procrastinator, but it's summer so I should try and get the fan fiction wagons on a roll.
Tell me what you think?
I apologize in advance for any spelling errors or grammatical mistakes.