Dark Daughter

Chapter Four

Sacrifice of the Demons


"They always say at tragic scenes a rain of blood falls. I followed you because I wanted to say thank you...but you really made it rain blood."

Rurouni Kenshin - Yukishiro Tomoe


"Ki…mi…ko…"

A light touch was nudging her. She struggled and spluttered inhaling a sharp painful gasp of much needed oxygen. Her back ached and she could feel the tender bruises lying under her skin while something warm and wet was dripping down her face. It ached to breath, flames seemed to lick at the back of her throat and she could taste the burning. Small pinpricks of light danced in front of her eyes causing her head the throb when she attempted to open them. Something lifted her head, she moaned because this only made her head throb worse. There was something cold pressing against her lips, instinctively she opened her mouth as a cool unfamiliar liquid trickled down her throat relieving the burning.

Her heart clench painfully before suddenly surging into life as a dull echo in the back of her ears. Something strong and sharp prodded her head and warmth seeped through her body. The ache of her back and the sore bleedings of her feet seemed to be extinguished. When she opened her eyes the ceiling came into view with distinct precision. She groaned flexing her sluggish muscles until she propped herself up rolling over into a sitting position rubbing the temples of her head. When she raised her eyes the world slammed back harshly and she gasped staring up at the mirage of blue crackling energy before her eyes like dancing lashes of lightening hissing throughout the room bathing it in a pool of azure.

"Papa?" She mumbled disorientated as her eyes darted around her. Using the sleeve of her kimono she wiped the moisture off her face and felt her breath come sharply as she saw the red stain. Blood; her heart sank and she felt urgency rush at her. She managed to stand up shakily using the surgical bed to support herself, her eyes were drawn to the black filing cabinet which was laying open revealing vial upon vial of clear scarlet liquid; almost like a refrigerator it emitted a chill.

"Papa!" Kimiko cried as she saw the figure of her father slumped against a unit with his head lolled. An angry bloody stain was sprayed across the white fabric of his shirt while his chest kept rising and falling as he gave out deep weary harsh breathes. Sweat dripped from his brow and blood oozed in a steady puddle growing at an alarming rate around his body. Kimiko felt the urge to vomit rise along with a frenzied desire to run away from the horrible image; to find a way of scrubbing her mind clean of it. Her legs trembled as she moved closer before they bucked as she collapsed to her knees in front of him. "P-Papa?" She whispered tentatively reaching out a hand to his weak one.

Blue eyes struggled to open with fatigue and a strained smile appeared on Murakami Satoshi's face as he recognised his daughter, "Ki…mi…ko…" He wheezed coughing as he struggled in his uncomfortable position. Kimiko instinctively moved his head gently looking around for something soft to rest it on. Shaking hands found an abandoned lab coat to substitute as a pillow for him to rest on as she laid him out gently on to his back. A lump rose in her throat as she witnessed the brutality of his injuries; the large gash like something from a horrific war film oozing blood and flesh. Already she could feel a cold icy hand clenching around her stomach with a voice whispering tauntingly in her ear uttering the devastating truth she didn't want know. This couldn't be real, she kept closing her eyes and opening them wishing something would happen to change it.

"Kimiko…what are you doing here?" Gasped Satoshi managing to speak fluently.

"Y-You," Stammered Kimiko feeling the words spill off her lips numbly, "Y-You're birthday…everything was…everything was planned…for you…" Was it possible that not very faraway people were dancing in a garden full of flowers? The idea of such a thing suddenly felt very strange and abnormal. So much blood…she shook head. She had to get him out…phone for help. An ambulance; anything. She went to stand up but a weak hand gripped at her wrist reluctant to let her go. "I have to get help, I won't be long…please…Papa you need a doctor," Kimiko tried to explain exasperatedly feeling real waves of panic wash through her making adrenaline throb and urgency rise gripping her chillingly. Satoshi managed to shake his head and Kimiko followed his gaze and felt her heart pound when she noticed the painfully obvious. The final tome of doom deciding their fate. Beyond the haze of blue crackling energy she could see the door.

"I-I…"

"Kimiko…the party…tell me about it…please…" Begged Satoshi holding her hand. Kimiko glanced from the door to her father feeling despair flood her worse than a physical slap to the face. They couldn't get out. They were trapped in this room until somebody came to help them. How long would it take for the fire brigade to get there? Twenty minutes? Half an hour? Could her father survive that long? Her eyes held him doubtfully full of fear. He had too…which meant he needed to stay conscious. Bile crawled up her throat; she wanted to be sick. She wanted to protest, to scream in frustration but nothing left her lips which trembled. "Please…" Her father implored his blue eyes wide and pleading with her with the same desperation she felt. Kimiko squeezed his hand trying not to think of how cold it was getting as she knelt next to him bending over him trying to ignore the wound.

"I…arranged it all," She began with a wavering voice, "Sae helped…she helped me a lot…she invited everyone…two hundred guests. Fireworks…the band…the food…even the décor is your favourite colours. I wanted everything to be perfect." It would have been perfect. Tears leaked down her cheeks and she gulped back sobs staring ahead at the opposite wall feeling surreal and lost as she spoke. The party - the night she would dance with Ash, the night everyone would applaud her work, the night everyone would be together. Ruined and torn to pieces as though somebody had taken a katana and shredded it apart in front of her eyes. None of it mattered. How pathetic, how idealistic, how naïve, how very Kimiko. Satoshi squeezed her hand tenderly and she looked down at him feeling as though somebody had clawed through her abdomen too.

"The garden…" Choked Murakami hoarsely, "How is the garden?"

She wanted to scream at him, to yell that his stupid precious garden meant nothing while he was lying there…but no she couldn't bring herself to contemplate it. She closed her eyes feeling her body shake as her stomach tied itself in knots. The garden; the wonderful fairy land created for his family, their perfect haven of flowers and insects. She recalled the sereneness of the plum blossom trees and Sakura petals flowing in the breeze, the lotus flowers floating on top of the pond and the lilies swaying. Kimiko managed a bittersweet smile as she looked down at her wounded kin, "Beautiful," She told him as thought pretending this were just another conversation over the phone even though her voice betrayed the pain she was feeling, "It's spring Papa and the Sakura trees are finally blooming. I showed them to Izumi, Akiko and Chiyo yesterday. They said it was just like Eden."

Satoshi smiled faintly closing his eyes and sighing, "Hai…and the plum blossoms?"

"Coming out too. The whole area near the pond is full of white petals…the Lilies and Irises are budding too. Everything is perfect Papa…you'll love it…when you come home maybe the Primroses will have bloomed," Kimiko said as bowing her head as the tears trickled down her cheeks. They were talking of flowers. Why did he want her to tell him this? She felt like she was being ripped apart inside and he wanted to hear of petals and blossoms? His breathing was becoming more and more laboured by the minute and he was smiling at her peacefully, she wanted him to understand. Yet she couldn't bear to tell him, she needed to believe that they could both get out fine. They had to because the alternative wasn't one she could bear living with. She flinched as a cool hand reached to stroke her cheek wiping the tears away for her while blue eyes seemed to speak to her as though trying to reassure her that everything was going to be fine.

"Kimiko…the timer…" Croaked Satoshi suddenly restless. Kimiko glanced around the walls before she finally locked gaze with a digital timer on the walls counting down the minutes and seconds. Thirty-three minutes, twenty one seconds but what was it counting? She glanced back down at her father confusedly but then panicked as Satoshi made to sit up his voice tumbling out urgently an order, "Kimiko…get out before…use it…and get out before it goes to zero. You must!" He demanded as his other hand shoved something into her own. She examined it, something that almost resembled an old fashioned I-Pod and knew exactly what it was. A teleport, she'd seen one before many years ago during one of those close calls. The significance of it struck her but not as much as the way he was referring solely to her.

"I…Papa…" She made to protest but faltered as she noticed drops of tears streaking his own cheeks. Words died inside her. Papa never cried, the last time she'd seen him cry was after her mothers death and she hated it. She felt like screaming for him to stop but her gut clenched and she held his hand softly caressing his palm.

"I…wanted so much," Murakami confessed shakily, "To see you marry…to have grandchildren…to see you both happy…to see the garden bloom. Kimiko…my Kimi-chan please…I did do the right thing? You're not angry at me…I did do the right thing?" This almost more than she could bear seeing him in such distress. The way his eyes widened wildly as he tried to sit up; she restrained him gently nudging him back down as she nodded. All those things…she couldn't imagine doing it without him. She didn't want to; she didn't want to lose another parent. She couldn't cope without him, her comforter, her stable rock. And now he was crying because he knew he wouldn't be there. Her heart was breaking into fragments, she had no idea what to say. She wanted to beg him, she wanted to yell at him not to leave her alone. She couldn't be alone without him.

"Y-You did Papa, you did the right thing," Kimiko murmured kissing his hand as tears flowed, "Please…Papa don't go…I need you…if you love me you'll stay with me…promise me. Promise me Otousan…" She was begging now. Everything felt so disorientated and impossible to accept. This couldn't be happening, she didn't want to be here yet she was trapped. This wasn't right. She wanted to hit and punch something because this wasn't how it was supposed to go. They were supposed to be at a party teasing her Grandmother or dancing with Ash or giggling with her friends. Not here in this accursed room alone with death laying its icy fingers on their shoulders.

"I did…Katrina…arigatou…I did…"

There was a rattled gasp before she felt his hand go limp in her arms. Kimiko shook violently, her whole body was rocking backwards and forwards while her heart pounded uncontrollably. For a few seconds there was nothing but silence and the faint hissing of the barrier. She couldn't take her eyes off his corpse…the way his skin had turned so pale that his lips were fringed with blue. How his eyes stared distantly at something she couldn't see, how something had suddenly left him. This wasn't her father so still and lifeless but his shell. The blood was still pouring out of him staining her purple kimono but no longer was it warm. No. This couldn't be happening, she wasn't here…this was somebody else's nightmare. She shook his body. Any minute now he would wake up. She shook it again more roughly but it was a dead weight. "Wake up!" She demanded, "No! Papa get up!" When the tears did come they came from her like a wave crashing her body as she doubled over him pressing her head to his chest. Sobs tore her throat apart, she gripped the front of his shirt trying to salvage him. Memories replayed in her mind if times long ago when they would all play in the garden.

The seconds became minutes and the minutes seemed to last an eternity. Nothing mattered anymore; not why this had happened, not who had done it and not how the timer was growing thinner. She felt like she could remain there forever weeping and never cry enough. However there comes a point when the tears have came and gone that they are replaced with a hollow empty barren feeling. Your eyes sting, your throat aches and you lay still just waiting. Kimiko found that moment and lay perfectly still protectively over her fathers broken body listening to the quiet beeps of the timer and the fizzle of the barrier. Exhaustion claimed her body, she felt so utterly desolate and weary as though she had been in this way for her entire life. When she did eventually raise her head something had smothered the light in those blue eyes leaving them hopeless and empty. She turned her head towards the rippling blue edge of the barrier. For a few moment she was mesmerised by the colours of blue and florescent indigo waving together before she actually stared beyond it.

Then she saw them.

And she remembered.


"Dominic? Is she…?"

The Dragonseeker did not answer; his horrified gaze was locked firmly on her body. The way it was slumped distraughtly over the empty shell of her fathers corpse, the way her shoulders shook with the force of the tears coming from her eyes, how she kneeled in a pool of blood, how most of the blood was seeping on her flawless kimono and her bare skin. How the smell of plum blossoms seemed to mingle with the raw pungent fragrance of blood. Her black hair hung like a curtain shielding her face. He didn't know what was worse, those wrenching sobs or her pleading and begging with the deceased to come back. A part of him wanted to look away from the monstrosity he had created, wanted to run and run to erase the terrible image from his mind. The way her eyes had widened as blood sprayed on her face, the way her father had struggle with his last ounces of strength to feed her the precious Carpathian blood in the vials, the way she was now crouching and weeping.

And yet a part of him wanted to tear down the barrier and scoop her up in his arms and hold her closely. Dominic could feel her every emotion, the pain, the confusion, the numbness and the fear. He wanted to wipe them from her but he couldn't. How could he? He had harmed the one thing dearest to him and so doing had only showed her the true beast inside him killing her father without a second thought. He didn't even know that the doctor had a child. Would it have mattered to him? Never had he felt so repulsed by his actions than he did now, so thoroughly aghast that blood was dripping down his forehead in waves.

"She is…my life mate…and what have I done? I've orphaned her! She's nothing more than a child and I stole her father from her right in front of her eyes!" Dominic roared in anguish feeling his prized self control slip and melt. His attention was drawn swiftly as he watched her raise her head limply from her fathers body to eye the clock on the wall. The words of Murakami returned to him; he'd handed her something and told her to get out. Why? What was the timer counting down to?

"A bomb like the one in New York. They would rather destroy their research than let it fall into our hands," Gregori informed him soberly, his own dark silver gaze was firmly locked on the teenage girl. Dominic could tell that this was disturbing Gregori as much as it was him. None of them had ever encountered this before; none of them had ever really thought of those human butchers as proper people before, they were nothing but murdering fanatics. The Dark one struggled to offer up the right words to his comrade, how could he find any to adequately cover what was happening? None would have worked; the Dragonseeker felt his heart freeze as a pair of light cerulean eyes pierced into him. For a moment she didn't see him but then he saw a spark of recognition. Until now she had paid them no attention as if forgetting they were even there. Now they widened in terror and her mouth hung agape in pure fear.

"Y-You…did this?" There was no accusation in her voice, just a frightened apprehension as her wide pale eyes stared into his own shimmering emerald ones. Dominic felt paralysed unable to speak and even if he did the barrier would not let her hear him with her human ears. And if he could what would he say? He couldn't deny it…she gulped her voice shaky, he could feel the fluttering vibrations of her heart and her emotions of shock and dread. She feared him now, he could see it in her eyes and knew that she would always think of him as a monster. It ached to watch her struggle to her feet, her face was drained, the black substance used to outline her eyes was running down her cheeks while the blood covered her partially. She stared openly as if trying to grasp the concept, labouring to understand.

"W-Why?" A weak whisper that would haunt him as those empty orbs sought his own filled with betrayal and hate, "You murdered him…you…I saw you…you killed him…" Again he made no effort to correct her, no attempt to defend himself, to tell he had done so to protect his kind, to avenge the female on the brink of death, it now seemed so pointless when she was staring at him like that. Dominic watched as his life mates expression twisted into one of rage. Her body quaked, her muscles tensed but this time with pure wrath as a feral look burned in her blue eyes and her mouth was set into a cold line and her voice rang with hatred and revulsion.

"You murdered my father! You killed him!" Her voice screamed echoing around the room like the call of a banshee paining him worse than any physical blow, "You murderers! Why? You killed him you bastards! You…you…I hate you!" She seemed beyond words, she moved as though it were not enough to simply tell them. They had to feel some tiny portion of the hell she was feeling, Dominic could feel the desire to main, to inflict so much pain that they would understand. He had done this; she alone could judge him and she had already condemned him. However when she hurled her body towards the barrier he felt panic seize him brutally in its grasp.

"NO!" He roared knowing she could not hear him and would not obey him as she charged defencelessly towards the force field keeping them trapped. He didn't know what would happen if she touched it but he knew he definitely did not want the risk. He watched powerless to stop her feeling his heart rush as a queasy feeling embraced him digging it's icy claws into his abdomen. It seemed in slow motion he watched her, her features etched with fury and accusation, her raven hair fluttering out behind her, the blood staining the beautiful kimono and the smell of flowers.

"KIMIKO NO!"

A frantic male voice crashed through the din. Dominic had been so engrossed in watching his life mates plunge to danger that he had barely noticed the approach of another human. When he did turn around the stench of singed flesh greeted him and he felt a fresh emotion of surprise as a young man smashed through the barrier. His face contorted with agony, his skin was burnt mercilessly and he fell to the floor limply barely breathing as angry red burns covered his exposed skin bursting into blisters. However his mild concern for the human was quickly replaced with a ferocious fury. The beast inside him crawled to the surface and he clenched his muscles feeling his incisors long to burst as a red haze covered his eyes.

The way his life mate was looking at him, the way her heart trembled, the gentle anxious expression in her eyes and her cry of shock and pain as his body collapsed on the floor. When she kneeled over him, her fingers gently caressing his burns and spoke his name in a tender concerned tone he didn't need anymore evidence.

"Ash.."


Stunned.

All she could see was the wide arc and rain of blood flowing from her fathers body as somebody sliced through it in a blur. All she could think of was those gleaming emerald eyes smoking like fire into her soul. Pain, as if the anguish she had been feeling was suddenly replaced with a burning hatred and an all consuming anger pushing at everything inside her. Never before had she been greeted with such a desire to hurt, to torture and to kill but now it pounced at her relentlessly driving her onwards. He did it. He killed Papa, he deserved to die. She would kill him. All she could think about was hurting him, him and that tall silent one next to him who surveyed her like a man would look at a crazed animal. And then from nowhere Ash had suddenly appeared screaming as he writhed in the barrier, his face a compression of agony as he finally passed out slamming against the cold tiled floor.

"Ash…" She moaned kneeling over his body, her finger gently tracing the blisters from which steam curdled rising through the air. Why was he here? She felt sick, disbelief tore at her fighting her logic and she couldn't take it anymore. This couldn't be happening…why was this happening? She didn't want to turn around and look at her father corpse - it just made things real. She didn't think she could survive accepting his death but now Ash…a part of her was relieved to see him, a part of her insanely hoped he could somehow find a solution to make things right but the other part wanted to be left alone.

"Ash…please…don't do this…" She begged taking in his half closed eyes and vacant expression. The blisters looked horrendous, the skin was an angry red colour and ripped apart as large hives appeared with pus. Kimiko struggled to think of a way to help…not happening. All her mind kept telling her was that this couldn't be real but it was. "Cool the burns…find something…" A voice within her own mind seemed to speak earnestly too her beseeching her common sense. As if in agreement Kimiko nodded standing up tottering over towards the open cabinet. On her way past the hem of her now thoroughly blood-stained kimono brushed her fathers deceased body and a wave of bile threatened to choke her. She could feel eyes watching her movements…they would kill her. They couldn't pass the barrier but it could drop at any minute and then she would join her father in the afterlife.

Grabbing one of the vials she held it up to the light watching as the scarlet liquid danced a golden gleam. She didn't know what it was; Papa had used it on her and it had helped with her back. It was the only thing she could see in this room. Closing her eyes she tried to take some deep breathes; she'd meditated for years but now when she needed it most her inner-calm had disintegrated leaving a chaotic turmoil in its wake. Finding her way back to Ash she lifted one of his arms around her shoulder; he was a dead weight and the effort of lifting him off the ground was tremendous. "Ash…please…I need you to walk with me….can't do this alone…" There was a faint groan and his legs almost gave out as he attempted to stand leaning solely one Kimiko for support. Gathering what remained of her strength she heave his torso onto the surgical bed with it's crisp white sheets. Once his upper body was on she lifted his legs until he was laying down spread out.

She glanced back up at her audience feeling terror, there's seemed to watch her harshly. Especially those green eyes that almost glowed in the darkness behind them; an almost hungry look. She didn't concentrate on any of his other aspects because it was difficult to see in the dim light. The barrier cast shadows, she glared defiantly. They killed her father, they weren't getting Ash too. Pulling the stopper from the vial she moved one hand gingerly under Ash's head wincing at his burned face and peeling skin as she raised the liquid to his lips. At first there was no respond and it merely trickled down his chin until sluggishly he pursed his lips allowing for more. Was it some sort of painkiller? She gazed back at his horrific burns…if only there was some water or something cold for them. Her hands touched the side of the glass vial…it was chilly. If only she had a cloth…

The young Japanese girl looked down at her bloody kimono; the only part free from any stains was her obi. With nervous fingers she slipped her hands behind her and pulled undoing the tight knot Izumi had tied until at last the soft silk came loose. Her kimono parted revealing the thin white under-layer, lifting the plum material she poured the last of the liquid on to it and doused it before pressing it against her lovers wounds. Praying to Buddha for a miracle, she recoiled sharply astounded gasping. No…that was impossible…and yet…

"Kami-sama," She uttered amazed. The skin appeared to mend before her eyes; quite literally the peeling skin seemed to fade slow motion, the redness dulled, the blisters dissolved until finally there was nothing but healthy albeit slightly flushed skin. Lifting her obi she examined it before glancing back at Ash. His shirt was charred black and sticking to him irritating his wounds. It would have to come off, almost nervously she reached over him her fingers trailing the buttons. This was the sort of intimate action she had only fantasised about having with him but now it felt so surreal. One by one the buttons fell away revealing a scarred burned chest. Of course she had sneaked peeks at him topless before but she'd never noticed how many scars he had…scars that had nothing to do with the burns.

Kimiko continued her ministrations developing an almost rhythmical pattern soothing her slightly. She couldn't cry anymore and neither could she afford to fall apart. It seemed her quiet nursing's were the only thing keeping her sane because as long as she concentrated on something else and breathed she could forget. Years of meditating came into practice, the deep cleansing breathes, the familiarity of switching off from the rest of the world. She continued to dab away; she wondered vaguely about his legs and rolled up his trousers to reveal the patched singed skin. It was not quite as bad as his torso since the material of his trousers was thicker than that of his thin feeble shirt. Once she was finished she sat back and watched him; his skin was pinker almost like bad sunburn, sweat was dripping off him and his hair was damp and clinging to his face. Resting her head on his chest she tried to sooth herself by listening to his heart.

"Kimiko…" Her name was followed by a groan. Kimiko blinked as his body moved as Ash sat up, slipping off the side of the bed she stood up feeling relief wash over her as he sat up gazing around him. Shock, his eyes widened as he beheld the blue barrier and the figures behind it before he looked back at Kimiko who trembled.

"K-Killed Papa…Ash…I tried…b-but he just…" She sank her head into the nap of his neck. For a moment he remained rigid trying to digest the unpleasant news of his mentors death. Perhaps he noticed the body from the corner of his eyes and the open cabinet taking into account the damp obi and empty vials. Strong arms wrapped themselves around her and oddly Kimiko felt an urge to shrug them off. She didn't want a hug…she just wanted to be alone because being with people hurt so badly…and yet at the same time raw fear consumed her making her cling to him as a drowning person would cling to a life-raft.

"Shh…I'm here…it's alright…" His voice was soft and lulling but she shook her head. She wasn't crying anymore; it felt like she had no more tears to cry. She wanted to protest - it wasn't alright. Nothing in the world was right. Why was Ash here? She already knew though…he'd came back for her. Why? Why would he do something so reckless? "The same reason you did…you cannot desert the pack…" A voice answered deep inside her.

"N-not alright…Ash…couldn't save him…and I-I…what's going on…I-I…" Her voice kept shaking even though she wasn't crying. For a few moment Ash made no move to answer her question, his fingers gently stroked her hair as his blue eyes glanced from the timer which was now at the numerals 18 minutes and thirty-one seconds marking the time slipping away. He sighed, Kimiko could feel the warmth of his bare shoulder. Ash must know what was happening….who those murderers where…could they get to them? Could they fight them? Two on each side…Kimiko wasn't sure how useful she would be but she did know some self-defence and if she could find something heavy to use as a weapon…the fire brigade had to arrive soon.

"Kimi-chan…before he died what did Murakami-sama tell you?"

"I…I…don't want to talk about it…what does it matter…stupid…" Kimiko mumbled incoherently; her words muffled by his chest. She didn't want to relive that moment, she wanted to erase it from her mind so she wouldn't be feeling this agony anymore. Ash tilted her chin with his forefinger allowing her to stare into his blue eyes which were unusually sombre. Laying a gentle kiss on her cheek she nodded a little trying to find some small remain of reason. "He…he said I needed to get out….he gave me a teleport…he said about the timer…Ash…what's going on? Why'd they kill him? Are we going to die?" Death; such a morbid subject had only pierced her sunny clouds occasional but now the realisation threatened to drown her.

"No…of course not. Don't say things like that," Ash said firmly moving aside as he stood up surveying the room. His eyes lingered in a shadowed corner beyond the cabinet near the sink before he gulped staring back up at the timer and then to the teleport in Kimiko's hand as if solving a difficult equation. Without some form of contact to cling to Kimiko felt oddly bare and exposed sitting alone, those green eyes staring at her from the dark unnerved her like a wail in a graveyard. Standing to her feet she shuffled nearer to Ash taking in the chaos with her own eyes. The bloody smears all over the floor…the turned over vials…even the body of her father made it look like the aftermath of some tragic explosion from a war film - a scene of terror where they found the victims bodies.

"Kimi-chan," Ash breathed slowly sucking in air and moving out a hand to stop her, "Whatever you do, don't look in the corner."

Her eyes reacted before her mind could process the order drawn instinctively towards the spoke area. Eyes widened, breath stopped and froze but this time she did not stop the scream tearing up her own throat. There was a few moments of baited horror from Ash before a loud shrill howl cut through the air. Kimiko recoiled as though burned before falling to her knees and promptly puking in the corner retching up bile and what remained of her lunch. She couldn't breath anymore completely, her body convulsed and she was vaguely aware of somebody calling her name and picking her up while she remained as stoic as a stone caught in time. All she could see was the dead…the dead bodies burnt and shrivelled black skin callused and mangled clinging to the outer skeleton like fluid moulding to a glass displaying fleshless hollow eyes gaping into nothing.

Something touched her, she jumped gasping because she couldn't breath. Somebody was speaking, they moved away, she couldn't breath. Not real. Not real; an unholy mantra repeated to herself. They couldn't ever have been people. Distantly there was a sound of running water before a glass was pressed to her lips and a hand behind her head forced her to drink uttering soothing lulls. "Kimi…breathe…it's okay…just breathe for me…please…Kimi…" Kimiko shook her head spluttering on the water.

"Wanna…go home…I can't…can't…why?"

"Kimiko…listen to me okay? I'm going to cover your eyes for a minute…but I'll keep talking yeah? You've got to talk back though…and take deep breathes like meditation. Can you do that for me Kimi? Just concentrate on something…like the garden. Think of the garden…" Ash urged. Kimiko shook her head shuddering. She didn't want to be left alone in the dark. What if they killed her? What if Ash was covering her eyes to spare her the trauma of witnessing her own demise?

"N-No…don't leave me!" She begged clinging to his arm desperately.

"I'm not leaving you…I promise Kimiko…I'm not leaving you…trust me. You trust me…trust that I will never let anything happen to you," Ash whispered bending over her to look into her eyes. Kimiko nodded waveringly still not loosening her hand from his wrist. Looking up at his face she felt a sort of wrenching despair as if he were slipping from her. Lifting an arm she pulled it around his neck before pushing him closer to reassure herself of his presence before she abruptly leaned forwards pressing her lips against his almost clumsily half afraid she might not get another chance. For a moment he was unresponsive; probably in shock at her actions but then he gently dipped his head in and lightly begged entrance to her mouth which she allowed kissing back with a furious vigour. She closed her eyes; she didn't want him to leave her. She wished she had done this sooner, last month, at new year, on her eighteenth.

He responded almost as passionately and urgently as she before breaking it off and feathering a gentle kiss on the corners of her mouth. He smiled; a small motion that set her at ease as it reminded her of his old teasing grin before he raised her obi which was damp and hand obviously been ran through a tap hurriedly to wash off most of the blood. Ash tied it around her eyes shrouding her in darkness where she panicked for a moment before feeling his lips press against hers briefly before his warmth was gone. Noises could be heard behind her; sickness rose as she realised it was near the area of the burnt corpses. She squeezed her eyes tightly digging her nails into the bed linen as she took a few deep breathes. The garden, the flowers…focus on an image - the sakura tree's and their blossoms raining on the ground.

"Ash?" She said tentatively.

"I'm still here like I told you silly," Ash sighed, "Just think of something else…like…um…how about the day we met? Talk me through it; I want to know if you can remember it properly." There was a groan and heave as something heavy was moved, Kimiko cringed feeling her stomach lurch as she tried to mentally move herself from the room and the creatures watching her. That day…she'd been eight years old. It had been summer and she'd been in the garden playing with her skipping rope.

"Summer…it was summer," Kimiko said slowly, "The sakura tree was in bloom…am I right?"

"Hai, it was in June. You're doing great Kimi-chan, keep it up."

Spurred by the encouragement she plunged onwards with her reminiscence, "I'd been playing in the garden. I didn't want to play with Kichiroú, he had his friends around and I didn't like them. They laughed at me, they stole him from me. I liked the rope…Sae taught me…I used to do rhymes." Concentrating on the memory she tried to think back to that day. She'd always been jealous of her brother friends feeling that they hogged her twins attentions diverting them from her. They played games that she was useless at and they got annoyed when she couldn't score any points. That's when she'd taken off with the skipping rope; she wanted to see how many she could do backwards, "I got bored though…I wanted to climb the trees but I knew I wasn't allowed. I tried to lasso a branch and the rope got stuck. I couldn't reach…then…" At this point she broke off remembering her father.

"-Then I came," Ash said his voice sounding oddly quiet, "Remember Kimi? I could barley speak Japanese, I felt like an alien that had landed on the wrong planet. Everyone else treated me like an outsider…except for your father. He took me back to his house to make me feel welcome…and I met you. I can even remember what you were wearing…that frilly lilac dress. Do you remember? You were scared of me…"

"You were tall…and you spoke funny," Kimiko said smiling a little, "I wanted the rope back and Papa said he was too old to be climbing trees. And then you went and climbed it…and you gave it back to me and messed up my hair."

"I spoke funny huh?" Chuckled Ash distantly, "Well imagine having some tiny little brat come up to you and kick you in the shins because you burst the piñata at her birthday party. You always had a hot temper…but then when I gave you the teddy you stuck your tongue out at me."

"I still have it," Kimiko said softly, "In my bedroom. I called it Coop."

"Do you? At least that's something…after that you got better. Like at your eleventh birthday we got ice cream and you let me carry you back," Ash said nostalgically before his voice picked up a sad sincere sort of tone, "Kimiko…what I'm about to ask you is going to sound crazy but in light of what's happened tonight just bear with me; What do you know about Vampires?"

The room seemed to drop in temperature and Kimiko gulped swallowing back. Vampires? The question was so astray that it caught her off guard. She had a nasty feeling that the pieces to some intricate jig-saw were being drawn together; perhaps even then she could guess but she didn't want to face it. Instead she attempted a feeble smile, "W-What? Ash…what the hell are you going on about?"

"I know it sounds insane but humour me."

"I…uh…" Kimiko struggled for a few moments before concentrating on the sakura blossoms. This was insane but then Ash must have a reason, except she wasn't sure she wanted to know. Eventually she found her voice and obliged him thinking back to the vampires she'd encountered in fictional novels, manga's and on the television, "They…well drink blood and they can't stand sunlight. They're skin is pale white and ice cold, they can outrun a human…" An image flashed before her eyes. Her fathers body dropping to the ground, a shadowed hand clawing through it spraying blood. Her mouth turned dry…impossible…but…her heart lurched as she continued, "They have strength…they can read minds and hypnotise their victims with their voices. They look beautiful to enchant us, deceive us and they can turn us into the undead. Why? What…it's stupid…impossible…right Ash? They don't exist in real life…they can't…right?"

"Listen to me Kimiko; what I'm about to tell you is going to be difficult but you must know why your father died. You're whole life you've lived on the fringes of this world and I know you've wanted answers…well I'm going to give them to you. I'm going to tell you the truth Kimiko, because after tonight everything changes," Ash said his voice resolute as he sat down beside her slipping and interlocking fingers with her. The blindfold was not removed, she was still sitting in the dark unable to see anything with only his voice to guide her.

"I…I can't…I'm scared…Ash…?" Kimiko felt him squeeze her hand.

"I don't want to frighten you but you have to know," Ash said wearily, "Maybe calling them 'Vampires' is over doing it a little but they're certainly the origin of the myth. The point is that they're not human and they do consume the blood of the living in order to survive. I know this sounds impossible…but I also know you know I'm telling the truth." Kimiko nodded…how could she doubt any sort of madness after tonight? Vampires though…or similar creatures? It sounded so ridiculous…like something cult fanatics came out with. Yet…he'd been so fast…and those green eyes glimmering like fires in the dark…

"They have inhumane abilities; they can control the mind, read it, wipe it, confuse it. You name it and they can do it. They can summon fire, lightening, they can turn themselves invisible. They can hear and smell ten times better than a human and they can even change shape. They live among us, pretending to be like us, infiltrating us and waiting to strike. They slaughter and kill without thought and they never get caught. That's what they are…" Ash announced gravely. Kimiko felt her heart stop, struck dumb. At any minute somebody was going to say this was all a sick joke….but those burnt corpses…the speed. How could she possible hope to do anything about them? The thought of all control being taken away? She pictured herself fighting an unseen enemy who turned into smoke whenever she struck them. What hope did she stand to a person who could read her mind, see her thoughts?

"What…they can get us! They'll kill us…kami-sama…we're dead…we're-

"They can't get through this barrier. Look what happened to me when I got through? Trust me if they try they'll only incinerate themselves," Ash said confidently, "And they have weaknesses. That's what you're father did…he found their weaknesses. That's what the Society does…sort of like uh…I guess Torchwood is a good example…yeah sort of like that only without the super-cool guns and things. Much duller with more paperwork." Kimiko tried to understand this…and strangely it made sense. All the drills, all the business trips, all the secrecy. Her father…trying to protect the world from vampires? Mad…even madder than the secret agent theory. Still…a small ember of pride flared into life. Her father; he had tried to save people…

"Anyway," Ash continued matter-of -fact, "I guess we've existed for centuries in some form of another but a couple of decades ago we were united properly. You've met Morrison right? He's our leader. He's set up secure facilities all over the world to help our research. He recruited your father because your father was the best at what he did. We've came up with multiple toxins and poisons that can paralyse them. Sunlight is lethal to them, they cannot survive being incinerated either. They're not all powerful…and there aren't many of them left now."

"B-But…what do we do? They've seen us…how long does the barrier last? Do you have like a…weapon or something? Or do we stay here until sunrise…Ash…please tell me…what do we do?" Kimiko begged feeling as though the world had just toppled over. She was drowning in a lake with no surface. Secret societies? Vampires? Mind-control? This was beyond her and her comprehension. What could she do against those sorts of powers? What could she possibly hope to achieve? And now everyone was in danger. Her entire family…what could she do? Nothing…just like when her Papa died she couldn't stop it. Weak, stupid pathetic Kimiko.

"Calm down," Ash instructed soothingly as his fingers unwound the obi from over her eyes. She blinked blinded even by the fading light and the bright gleam of the barrier before they adjusted and she jumped back as though trying to distance herself as much as possible from those on the other side, "It's alright Kimi…they can't touch us and we can't hear them. There's nothing they can do…don't look at them, just ignore them." A lot easier said than done but Kimiko lowered her eyes to her lap and then to the floor as she stood up. Ash placed something heavy on her back. A black rucksack filled with something…she didn't know what but he adjusted the straps for her patiently until it was comfortable and secure, "In seven minutes this place is going to go up. There's a bomb, if we don't destroy what we have then they'll get it and that means that everyone died for nothing. That's why you're father gave you the teleport. It'll take you somewhere safe."

"What about you?" Kimiko asked frantically.

"And me, of course," Ash corrected before leading her over towards the cabinet. She could see the trails of white-lab coats. Now she realised what Ash had been doing, cloaking the corpses from her sight. She thanked him for it although she was quite angry in her fear about the vampires. She could see now why her father had chosen not to enlighten her and her brother about all this. At least her twin was safe; did vampires go to Vermont? The idea of even seriously considering such a question seemed bizarre and obtuse. How many of them were there? Feeling exposed and naked she wrapped her arms around herself while Ash withdrew something from the cabinet.

A small black safe about the size of a book with a digital pin code on the front. Half-heartedly she watched Ash type in the pin before it sprang open creating a soft purple glow, drawing nearer she noticed it was a perfect mini-replica of the force-field protecting them while in the heart of the tangled and burning energy there was a rectangular box the size of a necklace case. Handling the safe with great care he presented it to Kimiko as though it were a crown jewel, holding it aloft before her as her pale eyes were mesmerised by the display of rippling, shimmering light.

"I can't touch it," Ash said firmly locking eyes with her, "But you can. It's locked on to your fathers DNA and will adapt to the nearest suitable match which is you. Just say your name clearly…trust me Kimi; this is important." Everything seemed to be important now, there was no time to mourn or to digest as she was thrust from one trauma to the next.

"Murakami Kimiko," Kimiko said quietly. A bright red light scanned her face, a retina scan checking her DNA to see if it matched correctly.

"Access Verified," Said an electronic voice. Kimiko leant forwards, her fingers hovering over the surface of the barrier. The purple energy crackled almost like a fusion of liquid and fire melting and moulding, or like two opposite forces crashing together in a blaze of indigo. Trepidation mounted…did she really want to do this? Nothing was going right tonight and she could hardly think straight or gather her thoughts. Fire. Death. Blood. Vampires. Ash. Corpses. Lights. Too much, too soon and she felt like her head was going to burst with the amount of negative energy churning inside it like a storm. However what was there left to do? Taking a deep breath she plunged her fingers through to grip the case.

It felt like scalding warm water, it itched her like a static shock but it was not unbearable. Wincing she plucked the case from it's depths and withdrew swiftly. Opening the case was simple; all one needed to do was to push the button and the lid jumped open. Nestled inside were three syringes; two containing a swirling amber liquid while one held vivid blood like scarlet. Chemicals, toxins or possibly poison. She didn't know but Ash breathed a sigh of relief.

"Put them in your bag," He commanded opening a compartment and slipping them in before he stood in front of her gripping her firmly by the shoulders, "Listen to me Kimiko, I don't know exactly where that teleport is going to take you but wherever it is it will be somewhere safe and they'll be instructions. Obey them and at all costs get to Morrison. He made a deal with your father; he'll protect you and Kichiroú, provide you with new names and identities. You must forget you were ever Murakami Kimiko. Do you understand me?"

She remained silent staring over his shoulder at her fathers lifeless form. Forget him? Forget his dying words? Forget everything…Sae? Her grandparents? Her friends? Her university? Her entire life until that point? Ash was asking the impossible; she could never forget. Brushing his hands away she walked forwards uncertainly towards her deceased relative. Corpses had always belonged in films…she'd never seen one before; not even her mothers. Dropping to her knee's she gulped at his wide open eyes staring like glass into nothing. Was this her farewell? No funeral? No wake? Just this moment to find the right words to convey how much she was going to miss him? It was crude, wrong and devastating but she had to say something, anything. She touched his bloodless skin doubtfully tracing the small wrinkles on his cheek…a memory snuck upon her unbidden. Her father had despised wrinkles using almost as much products as a woman to rid himself of him. She used to tease him for it…her fingers trailed up towards his eyes…and now she would do what she had to do.

Closing the lids she sank her head into his chest. No heart beat; he was gone forever. That horrible ugly word and all it's finality. She hated it; forever. Her hands found the thin gold chain under his shirt and she gently pried it from his neck feeling the ring slip into her hand - a band of platinum gold with a small, priceless diamond set into it like a star. Slipping the chain around her neck she moved to his fingers retrieving the matching plain band. Wedding rings; he'd always told her someday she'd get her mothers ring. The day had came sooner than expected for both of them. She slipped the ring on to the gold chain and tied it so it rested on her breast displaying openly the two rings. Goodbye…she couldn't think of the right words to say.

"Otousan…gomen nasai…arigatou…sayonara…" She whispered as her trembling lips pressed a final kiss to his forehead. Goodbye; this was it. She felt as though he had taken a part of her with him. She felt dead inside like a dark voice sucking up everything. Standing up she glanced up at the timer…two minutes left. And then she would be plunged into the unknown with Ash. It seemed so strange to think not faraway people would be wondering why their host had not returned. Already it seemed like hours ago yet it was probably only sixty minutes since she left. Turning around Ash slipped his arms around her hugging her so closely to him so she could burry her head in his bare chest.

"I'm sorry," Ash said his voice faltering…for the first time, "This isn't fair on you…"

"D-Doesn't matter," Mumbled Kimiko dully.

"Course it does," Ash said gruffly, "Never say that…he loved you Kim. You and Kichiroú were his life…I'm sorry this had to happen. We could have done so much you and I right? I was so stupid…such an idiot…you were there the whole time. Right under my nose and I never noticed and now it's too late," There was a bitter sort of laugh but something about his statement troubled her. He kept speaking in past tense…too late? No! She tried to pull away from him but he was far stronger and he held her so close she could feel his erratic pulse pumping In his chest. His mouth ghosted her hear and his breath tickled her neck as he whispered to her, "Kimiko…do me one favour. Live a fantastic life…live for me Kimiko…and know that I don't have any regrets about this." Something fell into her open palm. Kimiko thrashed as though trying to fight off invisible demons. He wouldn't…he couldn't…

"Ash!" Kimiko wailed in confusion and fear as she slipped out his grasp. The moment she saw his blue eyes she knew what he was going to do and that she couldn't stop him. The teleport was only designed for one…and he would never leave her behind. He smiled, the old cheeky grin he used to tease her even as the tears slipped down his cheeks he smiled for her before lowering his head to silence her protests. His arms drew her in, slipping under the outer layer of her kimono and wrapping themselves around her tracing the form of her body from her hips to her breasts. She raked her fingers through his hair desperately…the urgency and fear in that kiss was too much to bear. When he released her for the final time she was breathless.

"I'm not sorry for this Kimiko, not one bit…sayonara…" Ash said and before she could stop him he had pressed the vital button on the teleport and had thrust it into her open hands. There was a shrill beeping noise…as if in slow motion struggling against the wind she ran forwards trying to grab him but he was just out of reach…she was falling to the floor, plummeting with no escape.

There was a flare of blinding light.

And all faded to darkness leaving only the echo of her scream.

"ASH!"

Ash listened watching as her body was encased in a bright glow before she faded from sight entirely. Dread and fear hung over him, he turned his eyes towards his departed superior knowing he would soon be following into the valley of the dead. Strange, he'd never really believed in anything before. Not Buddhism, Christianity or Islam. Religion just didn't matter and the afterlife wasn't something he gave much thought to. Live for the minute…that had always been his motto. Life was too short…the irony of that sentiment struck him like lightening. Better he had died like his colleagues than this death march to his death.

"I kept her safe sir…" He said aloud before his eyes flickered towards the creatures opposite him. He grinned; he had earned that right now because he could ultimately have the final laugh. He'd just sealed their destruction in the hands of a girl. They would hunt her but they would never find her. He had to believe that…because if he believed in anything then it was Kimiko Theresa Murakami. "You can try…but you'll never understand it. That's why we're different." He told them watching as silver and green eyes glowered at him. Glancing up at the timer he sucked in a deep breathe.

3...

2...

"Aishiteru Kimi-chan…."

1...

Ash Cooper died that day in a shower of flames and smoke. There was no body to recover, nobody to know of his final sacrifice except one girl who lay unconscious many miles away from Tokyo unaware of the secret she now harboured and the lives that rested in her hands. Even at the party they noticed the pillar of smoke and idly wondered as to where their young host was but laughed speculating about her rendezvous with her new boyfriend. On the edge of the city a father worked tirelessly chanting in order to save his dying daughter never understanding the look upon Gregori's face when he eventually appeared. Away from the healing chants and wailing sirens one lone hunter stood upon the edge of a building watching the chaos below feeling his new weight rest on his shoulders.

For Ash it was the end; for them it was the beginning.


I know it's a mega long chapter but it had to be. The quote at the beginning is from one of my favourite mangas Rurouni Kenshin. Those of you familiar with Yukishiro Tomoe will understand it's significance...I was always more of a Kaoru fan but it sort of fitted. Bacially Gomen Nasai translates as I'm sorry, Sayonar - farewell and Aishiteru - I love you. The next chapter is called Farewell Tomorrow. Kimiko receives a final message from her father that sets her on her new path which if successful spells doom for all the Carpathians and Vampires alike. I know this was like an angst overload and the next few chapters will be but it does pick up with more action.

Also I've started a Twilight/Carpathian xover called Dark Blood about Andromeda - a female vampire and member of the infamous Volturi meeting her lifemate Tiberiu Boscovitz. Problem? She craves his blood and feeds to kill. Talk about relationship issues....please check it out as I'm looking for reviews on it. Criticsm is accepted providing its constructive. As for this story...

R&R

Daydreamer!X