FOUR

"I'm picking up some weird reiatsu from a place not far from Bon Temps," said Soi Fong.

It was our fifth night here and Soi Fong was standing a few inches from me. I was seated on my bed. The both of us were alone at the apartment and Renji was out with Hisagi, monitoring the forest area. Soi Fong looked irritated and her face looked darker than ever. Dark circles formed beneath her eyes, indicating that she hadn't good sleep for the past few days.

"Where is it?" I asked, feeling curious.

"The navigator showed Shreveport," said Soi Fong, dulled.

"Are you talking about Fangtasia?" I asked.

As if I was being caught for stealing, Soi Fong narrowed her eyes at me. "How'd you know?'

Neutrally, I replied, "Renji told me."

Soi Fong bit her lip, then massaged her temples and said, "Very well. So, how's this guy Bill?"

My heart beat picked up a quicker pace as his name rung in my ears. How could she not know about Bill? Of course Renji told her about it as his progress on this mission.

I kept my cool and replied, "I haven't seen him. I have been to Merlotte's a few times and he hasn't been there."

Soi Fong said, "He's a suspect. Keep an eye on him. Get him in the night and make sure you know what to do with him."

"Wakarimashita. Demo….." I said.

"Nani?" she asked.

I cleared my throat and said, "I don't think he's an arrancar or bounto."

Soi Fong showed a serious expression on her face. She looked as if she was disappointed but delighted at the same time. "If you feel that his reiatsu doesn't match the bounto's, then what do you think he is?"

I wasn't going to say he might be a vampire. So, I said, "I have no idea but I'll tell you what I find out."

"Good," said Soi Fong and she opened the window of my room and made her exit.

I sighed. I was beginning to wonder why I was being so secretive about this guy. It was as if I was hiding something from all of them about this guy for some unknown reason. I was never trained to be secretive and emotional as a shinigami but I was slowly feeling that I was about to be ripped into two.

I shut the window and that was when I received an emergency call from Renji.

"Rukia,"

"Yeah?"

"Come here, quickly! Hisagi and I found something very gruesome,"

"Brutal."

I immediately changed back into my spirit form, grabbed my zanpakutou and I made my way to the woods to discover something that made my stomach knot in such a way that I could feel like my soul was being tortured. Hisagi and Renji showed me a few deer, covered in blood splatters and their bodies were drained and they were left rotten, their skinned fur ripped apart and flies were hovering around their bodies.

The first creature that I could think of was vampire, not because I was against them but because I've read a bit of them from a certain book, mentioning that some of them drained their victims dry after feeding on them. They would occasionally feed on animals if they couldn't feed on humans.

I looked at each of the dead deer, examined every corner of the bodies to see if there were any vampire bite marks. The result was positive. Vampires do exist in this town.

Hisagi looked as if he had been told off by Genryusai and he tried to look as calm as possible. Renji, standing next to him, had an odd expression on his face. His red hair, neatly tied up was quite messy right now.

"I don't think this is the work of the bounto," said Hisagi.

"I knew it couldn't be those bloody guys again," said Renji gruffly.

"Looking at the bite marks, the deer could be attacked by wolves or maybe werewolves," said Hisagi. It was true. Wolves and werewolves do have fangs too.

In a calm tone, I said, "Maybe not, because it's not full moon. Could be a vampire."

Hisagi folded his arms to his chest and said, "True true. But I'm just not convinced enough because I haven't physically detected any odd reiatsu."

"But Soi Fong said that her navigator detected odd reiatsu in Shreveport," I said.

"We are going there, tomorrow night to investigate more," said Hisagi and he looked up at the half moon.

XXXXXXXXXX

The night for Hisagi and Soi Fong's investigation in Shreveport came. I was properly seated at a table in Merlotte's. Renji and Rangiku patrolled the forest area. I was stirring my drink when suddenly I felt the same reiatsu approaching me. I looked up and saw Bill heading toward me, with a grin on his face. He was dressed in a simple black shirt and dark pants, giving people impression that the both of us just came back from a funeral. I had a black tank top with a printing of random Kanji words on it that I bought with Rangiku previously. I had black slacks on and this time, my feet were covered with black and white checkered Vans shoes. On my arms were black and white hand warmers.

I grinned back, shyly. Finally he came after two days eating miserably alone in Merlotte's in the afternoon and not being able to see him.

The pale skinned Caucasian man sat opposite me and said, "Good evening, Miss Kuchiki."

"Konbanwa, Compton-san," I said and I nodded my head.

He smiled and said, "Great."

Sookie came to our table and took his order. She kept staring at the both of us and I felt painfully irritated. I wish I could knock her head off with my zanpakutou. Bill ordered red wine and she went off, her eyes still glued to Bill. I could tell from her eyes that she was envious of Bill seating with me.

Suddenly, I received a text message from Rangiku. She told me to be aware of three people, whose names are Diane, Malcolm and Liam. It was useful but it would be hell to identify which of them are the ones she mentioned because there would be other people with those names too.

"So, how do you like this place so far?" Bill asked.

I turned my attention back to him. "It's a nice town. More peaceful, quiet and very calm."

Bill grinned. My patience was about to run out. I wanted to see his fangs. I wish he'd reveal his fangs.

"I'm sure your life in California had been very wild," said Bill.

"Hmm…Not really,"

"I don't think so, Rukia,"
"Seriously!"

"Alright, alright,"
"Yeah."

All of a sudden, our conversation just died like that. I didn't know what else to say or ask. I could conjure up a couple of questions to indirectly determine that he was a vampire. I think I would ask that. At the same time, it was very obvious that my social skills have gone really low, at a dangerous level. This is very unhealthy for a shinigami to do investigations.

"Hey, Bill. If you're not working, then, what do you do?" I asked.

The man stared at me for awhile, then said, "You're not wondering if I'm a college professor, are you?"

"Not really. Because I've never see you coming here in the afternoon. You're always here at night,"

"That's because I am not a lecturer and I don't work. I prefer staying at home in the afternoon,"

"Really? I'm skeptical about that."

I was determined to find out. I had a strong feeling I have trapped and cornered him. All I had to do was to wait and hear what he had to say. Bill stared at me, his eyes showed slight annoyance and I could feel his reiatsu raging a bit. I might have made him upset, or whatsoever. His mouth was about to open when suddenly Sookie approached with his red wine. Bill grinned at the waitress and she left.

He sipped a bit and placed the glass on the table. He leaned forward and in a very deep and threatening voice, he asked, "What are you?"

So much for my brilliant plan. Now he had cornered me. I'll try my best to lie.

"I'm Rukia Kuchiki, sister of Renji," I replied and I slurped my drink really quick. I wanted to talk to him in private, outside this diner.

The not so calmed guy looked around to see if anyone was looking at us or listening to our conversation. His expression darkened and he said, "I can tell you are a very good observer, Rukia. You don't seem human at all."

My heart was beating hard. I could not believe he was close to guessing what I am. I had to run away from this topic. Now I was trapped.

I quickly finished my drink and I said, "Bill, I'm sorry but I have to go."

I stood up and Bill held my hand. He stared at me with a softer expression on his face. "Don't go yet, Rukia. I want to talk to you. Outside," he said in a calmer tone.

We paid our bills and we were at the parking lot. He leaned his body against his wonderful vehicle, a black Cadillac. I wondered how he could afford it if he didn't work. Stolen property, maybe. But, who knows? I simply stood opposite him, my mind dwelling over useful chants just in case he attacked me. I would be ready anytime. However, half of my mind was also thinking about his wonderful car. It was too much to die for.

"Rukia, what are you?" he asked carefully, staring at me.

My feet shuffled and I looked down, staring at the checkered sneakers. I was quite afraid to reveal my identity. I wanted to know what he really was before I revealed myself.

I looked back up at him, trying hard to avoid his eyes. I said, "I think you already know what I think you are, right?"

Confidently, he said, "An intelligent girl like you could guess it right if you were to tell me the answer now."

I took a deep breath and said, "If I said you are a bounto, that would be negative. If I said you are a vampire that would be positive."

Bill nodded. Again, he asked, "Rukia, what are you?"

"I will tell you. But before that, I would like to see your fangs, please," I said, feeling stupid and immature about my sentence.

His jaws lowered and his fangs revealed. Then, they retracted. My eyes widened, thinking that I was in a very dangerous state. He could have bitten me off.

"I'm a shinigami," I said as I looked elsewhere. I felt stupid and embarassed and I walked away, heading to my vehicle.

In a godlike speed, he was in front of me. He was smiling. "I don't speak Japanese, Rukia."

"I'm a death god," I said softly. It was awkward but that was the truth.

Bill stared at me incredulously. He looked as if he was listening to some kind of a made up joke.

"I'm not lying," I said, nervous.

"I'm not doubting you but I'm just wondering how decent looking a death god like you look like," he said.

I was about to answer when suddenly I heard the door of the diner opened. It was Sookie. I sighed at the sight of that waitress. Why was she being such a busybody?

"Have you seen Sam arriving, Bill?" Sookie asked.

"He hasn't arrived yet, Sookie," Bill answered.

Sookie stared at me, and then disappeared. What a weirdo.

"Look, I have to go. Renji will be worried about me," I said and I walked away.

The man held my hand and I stopped. I turned around. He was a few inches away from my face and I felt very embarassed for some reason. He ran his hand through my hair. Then, the vampire took out a small card from the pocket of his pants and placed it on my palm. I had a feeling it was his call card.

"Give me a call, Rukia. I will be glad to show you around Bon Temps," he said, eyes monitoring my every movement.

I bowed and said, "Domoarigato. Oyasuminasai."

"Good night, Rukia," he said and he unlocked his car door.

I got to the vehicle and started the engine. In the driver's mirror, I could see his wonderful Cadillac driving out of the parking lot. The call card was on my lap and I sighed. He seemed as if he denied the fact that I was a death god and I could kill him anytime. Of course I wouldn't kill him but I would have a difficult time if Soi Fong and Hisagi were to face him. They might kill him off.