A chilling fog hung heavy in the air as Mika made his way down the factory's pathway. The morning sun was still rising, peeking through the curtains of condensation. Already the village was bustling with sounds and smells. Along the shore there was a group of men preparing to launch a small boat loaded with nets and bait. Nearby, a few children could be seen playing with their makeshift fishing poles. As he made his way towards the village center several people watched him warily. A bold child saw him and called, "Hello, vampire Mikaela!" His mother clamped a hand over the boy's mouth and pulled him away.

Mika took no heed as stopped in front of the small garden surrounding Dr. Tsurigi's house. He had been to the doctor's home several times before when one of the squad was sick or injured but had never ventured inside. The vampire's ears picked up voices from inside: Dr. Tsurugi speaking with someone. Mika moved silently to the front door and listened.

"...but at least it doesn't hurt," came a woman's voice. She sounded young.

"This won't take long," replied Dr. Tsurigi. "Just relax and keep still."

"How much does he need?"

"Just a bit more. You're almost done," the doctor assured her. He sounded tired.

"Hey!" Mika turned back to the garden. A bearded, middle aged man was coming up the path towards him. His face was red and eyes were hard, but Mika could smell the fear pouring off of him in waves. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I need to speak with the doctor," he said coolly.

The angry man stepped up to him, fists clenched. "What business do you have with him, vampire?"

Mika turned to face him fully. "Nothing that concerns you, human."

"Damned right it concerns me! That's my daughter in there and I don't want you-" Just then the door to the house was suddenly pulled open. Dr. Tsurigi stood there looking haggard and none too pleased.

"What's going on out here?" the doctor demanded.

Blood.

The undeniable aroma hit the vampire so abruptly that he almost cried out. As it was he had to turn his head to catch his breath. The small front room seemed filled to the brim with the intoxicating scent of fresh, hot blood. No. Mika grit his fangs and composed himself. He looked to the bearded man.

"I came to pick up Mya from her appointment and I find him," the man gestured sharply towards the vampire, "sniffing around the door."

The doctor looked from the man to Mika. His gaze turned icy and his lips tightened. "Give us a moment, Mikaela. We're almost finished here. Please," Dr. Tsurigi inclined his head towards the older man, "come inside. She's done now." The door closed behind the two men smartly.

The vampire walked to the entrance of the garden and waited. A handful of villagers had stopped to listen when they heard the commotion earlier. Mika's crimson gaze scattered them easily enough.

It was another few minutes until the doctor's door opened again and the older man from before stepped out, this time accompanied by a young girl.

Blood.

The cloying smell encircled him, carried by the faint ocean breeze. Mika looked at the girl. Her father was too busy talking to Dr. Tsurigi to notice something was wrong. She had frozen in place, her wide, dark eyes fixated on the vampire in the garden. A small, almost inaudible gasp escaped her quivering lips. Mika narrowed his eyes. She knows. Her face was pale, almost pallid. As if by nstinct, his eyes were drawn to the thin arms at her side. There, in the crook of her left elbow, was a small cotton swab secured by a gauze bandage. In the center of the swab was a faint ruby smudge.

Blood.

The girl's father finished his discussion with the doctor and began to descend the garden path, his daughter following behind cautiously. Upon spotting Mika he grimaced, scooped up her fragile frame, and hurried past the vampire.

From his place in the doorway Dr. Tsurigi watched them leave, then turned around and headed back inside. "Come along, then," he called over his shoulder to Mika. The vampire entered the small abode and closed the door behind him. In the dim light of the front room Mika saw the doctor standing behind his desk. Laid out on the there was a set of medical equipment-a syringe, some rubber tubing, a scalpel, and six corked vials of a familiar red liquid. Dr. Tsurigi followed Mika's gaze.

"Did you need something?" asked the doctor wearily. He too was pale and wan, strain and lack of sleeping obvious on his face. He gathered five of the vials gingerly and placed them in a small refrigerated box to the left of his desk. He took the remaining vial and began to attach the rubber tubing to it, his hands steady.

"Sorry..." Mika began, tearing his eyes away from the alluring liquid. Sickening. "I came to... Uh, I came to apologize and to... check on him, to see how he's doing."

Dr. Tsurigi paused in his ministrations, his black eyes fixated on the vampire. "Apologize to me, or the boy?"

Mika grimaced. "Both."

"Well, I don't need an apology," the doctor said stiffly. "And I doubt he'd be able to hear it in his condition, much less accept it." Dr. Tsurigi finished attached the tube apparatus to the vial. Pinching one end, he turned it upside down. The blood began to flow through the tube slowly. The doctor watched the vampire; the vampire watched the blood.

Dr. Tsurigi crossed to the far side of the room. A small area had been sectioned off with a curtain to afford some privacy to his patients. Drawing the curtain, he knelt down and began to administer to the shrunken boy that lay on the examination table. He secured the tubing to the IV that was in the boy's arm.

Blood.

Mika watched, entranced, as the blood flowed from the faux vein of the tube into the living veins of the boy. He felt an insistent ache beginning in his fangs. Monstrous. He's sick, nearly dead... The vampire looked at the two humans. The smell of blood in the room was dizzying.

"Then, at the very least, let me thank you," Mika said after a moment. "I-I didn't intend to-"

"What?" the doctor snapped. He took the now empty vial and recorked it. "You didn't intend to drink his blood, bleed him dry?"

Mika's mouth went dry. "No, that's not-"

"Mikaela, "Dr. Tsurigi rounded on him, his eyes bright behind his glasses. "I can not deny that you are integral to your squad, and have done our village service time and again. But if you harm another person in this manner," he gestured to boy, whose chest rasps with labored breaths. "Then I will not hesitate to spread the word and run you and yours out of this village." His face was grim, harsh lines etched deeply as he scowled. "Do I make myself clear?"

A white hot flash of anger ripped through Mika, but it was gone as soon as it appeared. He turned his face, eyes downcast. For Yuu... For my family... "Yes, I understand." Without another word, the vampire turned and left the small house. Outside, a light rain had begun to fall.