AN: Sorry if the chapter feels a bit draggy, I wrote it in chunks :)
Kirishima had seen a lot of moods from Asami. The man had been prone to brood or lash out as a teen, and still showed flashes of anger as a grown adult. But never had his anger reached this point. Waves of fury rolled off the man as he calmly descended the stairwell into the prisons that held all the humans. Thirty of them, total. Despite himself, he was curious. Even the humans, so stupid and impulsive, must have realized that they couldn't win this battle. Facts were facts, however, and the truth of the matter was that they now had thirty rebels to deal with. How Asami decided to go about this would set a precedent for future punishments, and all vampiric eyes were eager to see how the matter was dealt with.
"The doctor has contacted me and assured me that Takaba-san is safe." He ventured a comment.
The man didn't turn, just nodded in acknowledgment. Together, they walked towards the vampire who guarded the prisons. "Asami-sama wishes to talk to the prisoners in Cell 10."
The guard, nodded, red eyes gazing worshipfully at the king. "Right away, sir."
He reached under the table and pulled out a key card, walking over to one of the nondescript doors. With a beep, the door unlocked and he opened it, beckoning Asami in. "They're a little out of it sir, but feel free to interrogate them."
Belligerent eyes glared at him. "Why are you here, vampire?" Kou spat.
Takato laid a calming hand on his shoulder, looking at the two men steadily. "What do you want?"
"I want to know why you humans don't want to live in harmony with us, and instead choose to wage pointless war." Kirishima silently agreed with the sentiments. Why fight when a perfectly peaceful option was presented?
"Harmony?! We're your blood slaves!" Kou snapped.
"It's a harmless blood donation." Asami said smoothly. "Would you rather we drain you all dry? Trust me, we are insatiable, and have been admirably controlling ourselves to take the bare minimum of blood. All in all, I think this system is much better."
"You killed hundreds of people in a blatant act of terrorism; you can't expect forgiveness for that." The other human chimed in.
"Believe it or not, I have given your nation's politicians many chances to surrender. In fact, I even gave your nation as a whole another chance before the final bombings. I'll admit that I've caused quite a bit of death, but I fail to see how this is any different from the petty wars you launch against each other. And I have treated your people far kinder than humans treat to other humans they have vanquished." Asami sounded puzzled.
The humans sat in stunned silence. It was simply impossible that this man was in the right, but somehow…the logic was flawless. "Everything you've said is true," Takato allowed, "But the fact of the matter is that we rebels can't forgive you for all the killings, and feel the need to fight you."
"Never mind that," Kou snarled, "What have you done to Aki?"
Takato looked at Kou in shock. "Aki? Did you see him?"
"He was in the hospital." Kou said bluntly. "What have you done to him?"
"That is none of your business." His voice went as cold and hard as steel. "Suffice it to say that I have cared for him carefully, and that he is safe."
The man stood up, preparing to leave. "I'll give you two options: either join the population of NeoTokyo or die. I can't afford to show mercy to rebels."
And with a resounding boom, the cell door shut once again.
Aki sat up as soon as the hospital door opened. "Asami?"
"We're going home." His tone of voice brooked no argument.
"But, Kou and Takato, what about—"
"Akihito," His entire body trembled with contained anger. "Do not try me."
Aki looked at him, saw his tensed up shoulder under the fancy suit, the dark circles that had begun to intrude. When had this man last eaten? It would've been three days ago, before the break in…
Reaching up, he linked his arms around the man's neck and leaned his head, offering his neck. "You look like you're about to snap and kill everyone in this hospital, drink."
"Not now." The man said, voice tight.
"Yes now." Aki barked. "We're partners now and I expect you to do as I say. This is voluntary." Stupidly stubborn guy.
Asami breathed in deeply, inhaling the sweet scent that drifted off Akihito's skin. Faster than the boy could comprehend, he took out a tiny key and unlocked the choker, letting it fall onto the bed. His eyes reddened as his fangs grew longer, plunging into the vein with ease.
Aki let his head loll as a pleasantly numb sensation spread throughout his body. Asami had mentioned this before, that his saliva could act as part narcotic, part aphrodisiac. The man drank hungrily, pulling sweet streams of blood out. All too soon, he broke away. "That should tide me over for a bit, wouldn't want you passing out from blood loss." Aki nodded in halfhearted agreement, already slightly woozy.
His lips traced the two puncture wounds, tenderly kissing them before his lips entwined Aki's in a slow, sloppy kiss. The boy moaned as he tasted the tang of iron, somehow erotic as Asami's tongue stroked his. "Mhm, you taste as delicious as always." The man remarked, licking his lips to clean off the last few drops of blood. He picked up the choker and fastened it on again, careful to not have the metal rest on the rapidly healing puncture wounds. Vampire saliva should be a medical commodity, I swear, it does so much stuff…
"Kou, Takato." He mumbled again.
The man stiffened, once again shooting him a reprimanding look.
"I have a right to know, they're my friends." Aki glared right back.
"Your friends are rebels who broke into a hospital housing injured vampire and killed eight of them." Asami spat. "I realize it may not mean much to your human psyche, but those were my kinsmen, and the people I swore to protect when I made this city."
Eight people dead. No, eight vampires. But, really, what was the difference? Aki stared at Asami, seeing the look of frenzied hopelessness in his eyes. A king who had failed to protect his subjects. Vampires, humans, there was no difference, they all just wanted to protect their own kind. "I'm not saying that it was right of them to do that, but from what I understand, Kou has just lost the woman he loved due to vampires." Akihito's voice remained surprisingly steady. It wouldn't do to snap now, if he did, everything would degenerate into a screaming match. Asami was that close to snapping. "But please, you have to understand, they're my friends, please, just don't kill them. They're just trying to survive in the best way they know how."
"By killing?" Asami barked out a harsh laugh. "What perfect logic."
"By their standards, there is no way for humans and vampires to survive in coexistence for a long period of time." Aki said calmly. "And you have to admit, you haven't exactly been treating humanity kindly these past few months."
"It's up to them." Asami said simply. "I offered them a choice, join this city or die. I suppose we'll both have to wait for their reply. Of course, this choice was offered to all the other human prisoners too."
Aki feel back as if struck. Join or die? Such a stringent question? No…no! Kou, Takato…please don't be stubborn, please live!
Zhang Shi Ping had lived an unfortunate life, his mother dying to bring him to life, and his father drinking away his grief along with their money. The man had only seen a killer every time he stared at his own child, a demon who had spirited away his other half. His childhood had been a blur of fear and eventual acceptance as he learned the art of keeping his head down and never, ever arguing. Survival was the principal goal, and he would have to do anything to continue his pitiful existence. No one else would care, no help would be given, it was just him. And that was how it would always be.
So, unlike many others in Hong Kong who had been terrified and angry when the vampires had come and taken over, he watched with his signature apathy. It was no different from a new tyrant come to rule his life, save for the fact that this one was a different species. Who cared, as long as he made it out alive? It was obvious who was going to be on the winning side, and he hadn't hesitated to join the vampiric side. The good of humanity? Ha, what was humanity to him but a species that had done nothing for him? Now, he stood rigidly, side by side with his fellow enlisted citizens in the hybridized army of both vampires and humans. They stood, hardly daring to breathe, just staring at the stage.
The ruler stood there, his sleek black hair shining in the lights. His narrowed emerald eyes were stunning and cold as he scanned across the crowd, obviously pleased with the largeness of his force. "I have brought you together today to announce something very important." His voice sounded like he looked, cold and smooth. "Starting next week, I will enter negotiations with Japan to form an alliance and possible melding of states. If, by any chance, the negotiations do not go through and aggression is required, I will call upon you to be my strength. Come, humans and vampires alike, let us defend our country and expand!"
The crowd roared out a bloodthirsty agreement, a rumbling wave of sound and excitement that even Shi Ping couldn't resist. Yes, he thought, looking at the man whose cold beauty shone out onto the people, the vampires had made life so much more interesting.
AN: Reviews are my fuel ^_^
