Ruki44: Wow...record update.

Ruki: Wow you must be really bored or something...

Ruki44: Actually I think I'm on a roll. I really didn't know what I was going to do after that last cliffhanger...

Tetra: The one you made so the story would be less sucky?

Ruki44: Yes! Cliche I know, but I don't care. Trust me, it was going to be worse...a hell lot worse. But anyways, I had like this I dunno...

Hinata: Emphinany?

Rukia: Sudden burst ideas?

Ruki44: Why not. And this came. Oh and the first part...if it doesn't make sense. Don't worry, you won't get it. But it does play an important roll...ish...later...

Rukia: Translation, I'll make it make sense as soon as it makes sense to me.

Ruki44: No editorials!

Tetra: Translation, **** you.

Ruki44: Stop it!

Ruki: Translation, I'm going to kill you in your sleep.

Ruki44: You guys all suck. Anyways, I don't own anything...except Rene...but who really cares?

Dreams and Explanations

White…did I already enter the tunnel? I've heard so many times not to enter the light…because once you do…you can never return. I wonder when I'll see the river Stynx…and will there be anyone to accept me on the other side. Or will I be condemned for being a monster like I am back in the world of the living…

The whiteness began to disappear…knew that wasn't going to last. I wondered if I will be cast deep into Hades or will they allow me an attempt to cross the river…

Wait a minute…I know this place…this is where I grew up…and that's my old house! I walked up the walk way. Was there someone I was supposed to meet here? Someone to guide me into the afterlife? Who could it be…Mom and Grandma are still alive and kicking…and Grandpa died before I was born. Maybe him…family is family after all.

But I wonder if is like Grandma and accepts that his granddaughter is a monster…

I shook my head. No negative thoughts! Even if they hate my guts, family is family! With that in mind I walked up to the door and was about to turn the handle when the door opened and I was standing face to face with a woman with a large belly. I stumbled back and fell on the pavement. She had blonde curly hair and Amherst eyes that I would recognize anywhere. They were my eyes. They were grandma's...and mom's eyes.

"Mom…" I whispered. What was going on? Mom was alive…wasn't she? I mean the last time I heard from her was six months ago…WAIT A MINUTE! WHY THE HELL WAS SHE FAT, MOM WAS A SUPERMODEL, SHE'S ANYTHING BUT FAT!

"Honey come on!" Mom (I think) whined, stomping her foot childishly on the ground, a pout forming on her lips. There was laughter from inside and a man walked out and I found my breath hitch.

"Dad? What are you doing here with Mom? Dad?!" I gasped as scooted back from my parents. That man…he matched everything of the broken memories I had of Dad. Wild and unkempt hair that looked like it was on fire, just like mine. Pale skin, but rather dark for a vampire, and when he smiled, his long canines sparkled in the sunlight. The only vampire to show his canine's and not get people to flinch. In fact nobody really noticed that his were abnormally larger than normal. Quite an accomplishment really…

The man chuckled as he pushed some hair from his face only to for it to fall back right where it was.

"Sorry Rukimo, I was just putting some sun screen on." Then under his breath he added, "Lots and lots of sunscreen." Rukimo…so it was mom… Mom frowned a bit at this.

"We can wait until dusk…we don't have to go right now." She said slowly, biting her lip as she did so. The man laughed as he walked up to her and grabbed her hand.

"Honey, don't worry about me. You wanted to go the festival really badly and I'm going to be damned if I'm the one who ruins your fun." He told her with a smile then put a hand on her stomach. "And the kid isn't giving you a hassle today. I'm its father, I should be setting a good example." He laughed before taking his hand off its stomach. Mom giggled.

"Oh Takeru…" She giggled as she grabbed his hand. My world stopped then and there. Takeru was the name of my father. So this man…was my dad…just like I thought. The man who suddenly disappeared out of my life when I was just five years old…breaking my whole world into pieces.

I grabbed my head, digging my fingernails into my sculp. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening!

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I howled out into the air.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

My eyes shot open. A dream...? But it was too real to be simply a dream… I held my head, confusing swirling around in it…which was quickly broken by a loud yell.

"Ruki!" I was soon enveloped in a pair of arms, squeezing me rather tightly. I didn't even have to look to see who it was. "You're all right! You were lying there on the floor not moving and…" Takato sobbed into my shoulder.

"I'm sorry…it's because of my selfish request that you almost died. Please find it in your heart to forgive me." I looked over to see Rena, Jen, and Juri standing in the corner…WAIT A MINUTE! WHY THE HELL WERE JEN AND JURI DOING HERE.

"I'm fine and that's all that matters…where's Gill and Terry?" I asked, trying to talk myself that Jen and Juri where there due to a near death experience. However that went out the window when Jen smirked at me and walked toward my bed and attempted to pry the still crying Takato off me. Key word, attempted. Takato is very stubborn when he's being emotional.

"In the other room, sleeping. When you hit the floor, according to the little guys, Takato lost it and transformed into a werewolf and then proceeded to rip the guy to shreds. He then was able to get you, Gill and Terry out of there. I think the sight of you lying there on your death bed was the only thing that kept him from going completely feral." Jen explained as he continued to pull on the still crying Takato.

"Speaking of death bed…that bullet according to the scientist who shot me was designed especially for monsters. How come I'm not dead?" I asked confused. That's when Juri decided to pick up the explanation.

"Exactly, it was designed to kill monsters. It's completely harmless to humans. The bullet acted as more as a really deadly tranquilizer to you because you are only half monster. The human blood in you stopped it from killing you. If it had been fired at Takato for example, it would have killed him in less than a second. What they weren't counting on was for a sane hybrid." Juri explained. I raised my eyebrow. Sane hybrid? What did that mean?

"What do you mean sane hybrid?" I asked with a frown as Jen finally managed to pry Takato off me and now was trying to drag him out of the room.

"Monster blood and human blood together is very unstable." Rena stated suddenly. I looked over to her in confusion as she continued on. "Monster blood, depending on the monster, is very different then humans. Monsters, like everything else, have genes and chromosomes. As you know humans have 46 chromosomes. Vampires, werewolves, succubus and witches are the only monster that have 46 chromosomes as well, that's why they look so human. Also, that is the reason why their offspring has their mind about them." Science was incorporated into the supernatural world too? Where can a person turn to get out of the clutches of science!

"Exactly!" Jen piped in and I noticed that Juri too had joined the struggle to get Takato out of the room. "That's why half demons are hard to find since many of them are killed upon birth. They are usually deformed and left to grow up, will go on a murderous rampage because they cannot keep their human mind and emotions separate from their feral monster instincts."

"If that's the case, what about you Rena?" I asked frowning a bit as I fixed my attention toward the kitsune who was watching the spectacle Takato was making with a frown. She looked up at me and scratched her nose thoughtfully.

"I was born human and was taken away from my parents while I still was in the hospital. From there I was given the soul of a kitsune spirit as well its DNA. So I have two spirits inside my body, my own and the spirit of a kitsune. When our two spirits interact with each, the kitsune DNA reacts inside of me allowing me to change into a humanoid fox…" Rena said finally. I sweatdropped.

"You have no clue why it worked for you, do you?" I questioned her. Rena coughed and looked away. I knew it. I closed my eyes and sighed. The minute I wake up from a near death experience and I have to take all this unnecessary explanations in. Why couldn't they just leave it at that I was half human…why did I even have to question the sane hybrid part. Damn you curiosity!

I watched as Juri and Jen finally managed to pull Takato out of my room and I could hear his loud protests get softer as they no doubt dragged him down the hall. Rena chuckled and I looked back over to where she was and she caught my eye and smiled and walked toward me, pulling up a chair and sat in it.

"He only left your side to go to the bathroom. He ate and slept in here." She told me softly before she looked down at her hands. "I asked Takato for your boss' phone number. Jenyra Lee right? I thought it would be best if he knew that you were in the condition that you were in…I didn't expect him to come down here and I certainly didn't expect the witch girl, Juri Katou was it, to come with him. Anyways, it's my fault that you almost died. I know I'm being totally selfish, but please forgive me…I didn't know that such a weapon was in there…if I had…" I began to laugh, cutting her off her apology.

"I said don't worry about it. Anyways, I invent new ways to kill myself all the time. This isn't my first trip to the hospital. Anyways, it's those damn scientists fault if anyone is to blame. They invented the damn gun and they almost tried to kill me. So stop beating yourself up will you?" I told her with a grin. Rena looked at me with wide eyes before she too began to laugh and cry at the same time.

"You are a very kind person." She said finally and I laughed at this.

"I don't know about that, but I'll take the compliment anyways." I told her with a smile. Rena smiled at me.

"It's true, whether you believe it or not. I'm not the only one to see it…Takato…Jen…Juri…Gill and Terry already sort of worship you. And you can believe me or not at this, but I think your…our classmates can see it too. I know for a fact a couple of them can see your cold façade." Classmates…CRAP, RENE!

"Crap! I forgot, the assignment, and I've been out for how long…" This was not good, not good at all!

"Calm down! Everything's covered, rather simply too I might add. You got hit by a car and hit your head and went into a coma. And you've only been out for three days so relax." Oh…that does cover everything nicely, a comatose person can wake up at any time…HOLD ON A MINUTE!

"How the hell does that cover for the shot wound! And speaking of which, why don't I have a gaping hole somewhere in my body right now!" I demanded. Rena leaned back with a thoughtful frown.

"I don't understand the whole thing myself, but apparently the bullet was not a bullet in a physical object. It was more of a compacted energy release designed to enter the youkai and upon meeting with a supernatural form of energy, explode and make the youkai's energy react in a chain reaction to stop the foreign form of energy.

In theory, it should take all the youkai's energy, and hence their life force, to stop it. So in an effort to stop the bullet from killing it, the body kills itself. However your life force isn't based solely on supernatural energy, you have human blood ruining through your veins, which was enough to keep you alive.

However, as you are now, you have no powers of a vampire. You are as weak as the rest of the human race. Your power will slowly return itself in time, but you will not be at even quarter strength by the time this month ends. It's quite possible it could take a year to get all your vampire powers back." Rena told me solemnly. A year! I don't have a year, and what about my assignment!

"I don't have a year to regain my vampire powers!" I cried out hitting my hand against the bed rail. A year, even if I didn't have the assignment or other Youkai Inc work to do, I highly doubt I could last a whole year without my powers. I would be weak and I couldn't stand that, couldn't live with that.

"You could get your powers back faster." Jen's voice came from the doorway. Rena's head snapped around and I widened my eyes. He walked in my room, shutting the door behind him and locking it. I watched as he walked toward my bed and he stopped next to Rena as he stared at me right in the eyes.

"What do you mean, I could get my powers back faster?" I demanded, my mouth getting very dry as my heart beat uncomfortably fast. Jen stared at me and as I looked unwaveringly into his gray eyes I had the sudden sense of the day we first met. The fear I felt at facing somebody who knew what I was and didn't even flinch.

"As you know, vampires drink blood, but unlike the fairy tales, they don't need it to survive. They can survive on human food. You are the perfect example of this. No…vampires drink blood because they need the energy to do their magic. Seduction, transformation, flying... this all takes energy. Energy they cannot regain on their own since they are among the living dead.

But humans and animals can replenish energy they lose. The most direct way to get the energy is through the blood stream. The reason you can regain your powers naturally is because you are living, in short a living vampire. However you lost all your vampire energy like Rena said, so naturally it will take you awhile to regain it on your own. But if you take energy from other beings in moderate amounts, you should regain all your powers by this week's end." Jen told me.

"So…you're saying I need to drink some blood? That's all?" I asked slowly. If I just needed blood, that shouldn't be too hard, just eat a hell of lot of raw food…and if I'm really desperate a blood bank or something… Jen gave a quick dry chuckle.

"I know the way you think Ruki. No, the blood has to be fresh. Raw meat or blood from a blood bank will not suffice. There is no energy left in there. You will have to drink the blood from a living being." My breath hitched in my throat.

"You're kidding me right Jen! I can't do that! You know that! I'm not going to hurt somebody purposely…" I cried out before Jen stopped me with a cold glare.

"I never said you had a choice in the matter. We need your powers as a vampire now. Takato and Rena informed me of Hypnos and their plans.

Also there is the matter of Rene. Since you were incapacitated and Takato refused to leave your side for one moment, I had Rena and Juri temporally take over your job. According to their reports I have come to the conclusion that whoever is stalking her is not merely a rouge youkai, but collective group working under the direction of one person.

We cannot afford to send for back up since it would alert whoever is doing this we are on to them. So I need everyone able to work on this, including you." And with that he turned and walked out the door and unlocked it, walking out, shutting it with a slam. Hot frustrated tears began to roll down my face.

"Damn it!" I growled, clenching the bed sheets so hard my knuckles turned white. The thought of sticking my fangs into another person and stealing their energy and causing them pain sickened me to no end. The fact that Jen who always sympathized with me and understood the fact that I never sucked a human's blood was the only link I had left to humanity was telling me to break that link. The fact that I didn't have a choice in the matter, the fact there was nothing I could do about it…it frustrated me to no end.

I leaned back my head and the hot salty tears were falling faster as I closed my eyes.

"DAMN IT!"

Ruki44: Damn I'm getting good at cliffies! evil laugh

Ruki: How is that a good cliffhanger...

Tetra: Let her have her moment...

Hinata: Well at least it leaves people sort of on edge.

Rukia: How so, she's going to have to drink people's blood! Everyone knows that, how the hell is that on edge?!

Ruki: Whose blood I drink I guess...wow that sounded so wrong...

Tetra: Or if Ruki murders Jen in his sleep and not drink any blood at all.

Ruki: I like that plan.

Hinata: But in the story you hate causing pain to people...

Ruki: In the story being the keyword.

Ruki44: Well lets stop giving her ideas how to get rid of Jen ok...anyways review people. Everything but flames are welcome!

Rukia: Because people who flame are no life losers who have nothing better to do on their hands to attack other peoples work even if it does suck!

Ruki44: Exactly...HEY WAIT A MINUTE!

Hinata: Note, there have been no flamers so far, please keep it that way.

Ruki: Yea, don't make us unleaseh Hinata carnage mode on your sorry asses!

Hinata: What? Hinata carnage mode? What's that?

Tetra: NOTHING! QUICK RUKI44 END IT, BEFORE SHE LEARNS ABOUT THE BUNKERS!

Hinata: What the hel-