Chapter 10

Mistake

"Riku!!"

I ignored him, and continued walking. I had never encountered a boy, through out my entire life, who whined as much as the one straying behind me!! I sighed, and concentrated on the dirt road beneath my boots- leading us to a city even more disgusting than the one we had left just hours ago. Even still some distance away- the fumes of human waste and garbage reached me; wrapping around my face and eyes as I walked, stinging my nose and making me want to gag.

A bitter grin twisted my lips. Other immortals would laugh at me if they knew I sought a cluster of human filth with such vigor…

I wanted to get to it by sunrise- at latest; so I pushed Sora at an unrelenting speed. At first, he had been able to keep up- even insulting me when he got ahead. But as we neared our twentieth mile- I would have to wait almost over thirty minutes for him to catch up to me- his chest heaving and his body drenched in sweat. Sometimes- I just lost track of how fragile and weak human bodies were compared to a vampire's…….I felt as if I had hardly walked a yard.

"Riku! Wait up God dammit'!!"

I heaved another sigh, and stopped- dust swirling around my feet like smoke. I looked up to the sky. My head was so full of thoughts. I didn't want to go to another human city. But, more importantly- I didn't want to lead Sora there. I sensed a wrongness in its dark heart. I wanted, to keep Sora from that- to whisk him away somewhere safe….somewhere with great, towering pines….

It made no sense. Why did I feel so strongly towards this…this boy? I knew he didn't want my company- yet no matter what I did, I couldn't stay away. Whether he knew it or not, he called to me- his eyes, his heart,…..his blood. They were like nothing I had ever experienced- like the sweetest wine. I groaned, and ran a hand through my hair- silver tendrils coiling around my fingers almost playfully in the breeze. What did that mean?! I couldn't figure it out…At least by being near him, I didn't dream of him. That- had almost driven me to insanity…

Sora saved me from my thoughts, as he labored to my side, and collapsed to his knees. I turned a grin towards him, and leant over his shaking form. "What was that about 'eating your dust' Sora? You seem to be eating your own at the moment," I chuckled. His presence always had that affect on me- lighting my chest and giving me warmth without even meaning to. He growled, and turned furious blue eyes to mine. He tried to speak, but his voice only came out as raspy gasps. I laughed again, and crouched down next to him in the dirt. "Would you rather I carry you?" I whispered, and watched his body still. I instantly sobered. "If you continue at this pace, we'll never reach the city by dark." He glanced at me, a hand clenched in his shirt by his heart. "Not everyone- (cough) can be as quick (gasp) as a vampire!!" he spat out, and let out a loud wheeze. I frowned. Mabye I had pushed him too hard? He was even weaker than I thought.

But- strangely, his slowness did irritate me as much as other human's. I rolled my eyes, and put a hand delicately on his shoulder. He truly confounded me. Nothing he did could make me hate him anymore- not his species, not his age- not even his fragility. They all seemed like plusses instead of minuses the more I got to know him…

"That settles is then," I said, and he turned wary blue eyes back up to my face- them glinting like cobalt under the waning moon. "You're riding in my arms now." Is face transformed into that if horror, and he suddenly found his voice. "Don't- (heave)- touch me!" he hissed, and flung himself away from my hand- landing himself face down in the dirt. I laughed into my arm, and tried to be serious. "Sora- you can barely speak. Do you want to risk are positions being found out? If we stay in once place too long, the Daggers will surely find us- and be on us like wolves. I'm sure they've been expecting a retaliation," I whispered furiously to him, and his color paled. "Do you want that?" His brow wrinkled in thought, still panting- and shook his head slowly. I nodded, slipping a finger under his chin- and forcing his eyes up to mine. His skin was so warm, and his eyes so bright- my words almost evaporated from my mind at the combination of the two. Almost- but centuries of schooling my thoughts weren't for nothing.

"I promise not to hurt you Sora, or whatever it is you're so afraid of. I would never, hurt you. Not now…," I said softly to him, and saw his eyes widen. Damn- that was too revealing. I quickly spoke again- less I shamed myself by doing something human like…blushing.. "Plus, we'll reach our destination five times as fast. Agreed?" I asked, letting my hand fall away from his face.

Minutes passed, Sora's breathing slowly going back to normal, and I felt worry begin to nimble at my stomach. Then, he nodded, so slightly I almost didn't catch it. I hid a smile, my heart rising in glee, and lifted him gently into my arms.

I marveled at how light he was- I almost couldn't feel him. I shifted him so that his head rested against my chest, and tightened my hold- so his limbs hung snugly from my arms. "Comfortable?" I whispered to him, some of my hair creeping down from my shoulders to spill into his chestnut locks. He grunted, refusing to look at me, and I laughed.

"Then here-we-go!"

I let my feet go- running at my full speed. I heard him gasp- as he was thrown back into my body. Trees and other scenery whipped by us like murky blurs, and wind pounded at my face like cold hands. I smiled, and held Sora tighter against me- his simple contact warming me like I was holding the sun. I didn't even have to focus as I ran- my feet moving over the ground of there own accord. In fact- I couldn't even feel the dry soil beneath my boots anymore- as if I were running on the air.

It really was like flying. I hadn't run in so long- I had almost forgotten the feeling. I could compare it to nothing else. After a couple minutes- the city entered my sight- and grew closer and closer. To my great relief though- I hardly smelt it anymore. I had a feeling it was the boy next to me who was to blame for that. All I could smell was the scent of cool ocean waves, and salty beach sand as it rose off his skin. It was delicious. I made a mental note never to let him stray too far from my side- less the smells of the grimy humans all around creep back and suffocate me in my sleep. I glanced down at Sora, and almost tripped.

He was asleep. Fast asleep in my arms, a soft snore coming from his lips. I smiled, and looked back to the city. How could he fall asleep in my arms if he really feared me? Perhaps he liked me more than I originally thought- and if so- it was more than I could have ever hoped for….

I reached the city, rented a room in an inn- much bigger and clearly better managed than the one I had last stayed in- and found some food for the boy; and he still did not awake. No one questioned the boy in my arms. The only thing I had to strive to hide- was my hair and eyes. It was harder with more people around- the inn so packed with filthy mortals, I was surprised they didn't start spewing out the windows. It meant there were more eyes looking at me. But, it was also and advantage. If I slowed my steps, and acted horrendously clumsy- I almost blended in with the crowd.

I rushed up to the room- and laid the boy carefully on the bed. Still, he slept soundly. It amazed my how the child could sleep through almost anything. I smiled, and snatched a small, moth bitten quilt from the bed to hang on the sole window of the room. It would be most unfortunate to have the sun shining on my face when I slept. Very unfortunate. With that done, I settled into a stool by the foot of the bed, and let my eyes roll over the human before me. His chest moved gently as he breathed, and his long eyelashes fluttered against his milky cheeks sometimes as he dreamed. He was so peaceful…a selfish part of me wished he would never wake..

Unexpectedly, a wave over hunger ripped though me, and I doubled over. No! Not now! I clenched my fists, my claws piercing my palms to send my dark blood dribbling down my wrists. I focused on the pain to fend of the need to drink. No- I couldn't leave to quench my thirst. The sun was almost up- and my other option was too horrible to even consider…..

I groaned, and clenched my fists harder. I hadn't fed in days- being too preoccupied with keeping an eye on Sora. Almost twelve to be precise. It gnawed at my stomach and throat like a monster- making a small hiss of need to slip out from my clenched teeth. Damn- what was I going to do?! I opened an eye, feeling it glow- and looked at the small form twitching on the bed in front of me.

No- that I wouldn't do that. Just another day. I just had to wait another day- then I could sneak out into this pit- and take my fill of blood. No one would see me, no one would know! Just one- more- day….

Without knowing, I got to my feet and began to walking towards the bed. I gritted my teeth, and ordered my body not to hurt him. I withdrew my claws from my hands- my palms and wrists sticky and dark; and laid down next to the boy- not making a single sound. I sighed- the pain lessened all already. I knew it was the sheer pureness that Sora seemed to generate that did it. What a wonder he was.. I closed my eyes and laid an arm over his body. A small smile twitched across his lips, and he moved closer to me- untill our chests were touching. I chuckled softy, and let my other hand fall behind his head- its blood stained fingers working their way into his soft hair. He sighed in contentment.

So...- I guessed he did like my touch. When he was asleep anyways. It even seemed to please him. Nothing could have made me slip into sleep faster- than the feeling of his body against mine- and his warmth enveloping me like his arms themselves…..

When I awoke, I found the boy still asleep next to me- his arms wrapped around my chest. He breathed softly on my neck, and I sighed in pleasure. After a moment of savoring the feeling, I gently disengaged his arms from my body- and slipped out of the bed. I was by the window sill before I realized I had even moved. Time. It was time to feed….I ripped off the quilt, thrust open the small window, and shot out. I needed to be fast- hopefully before Sora awoke.

After a quick fall, my feet hit the hard stone of the streets- and I was already running. I lifted my face to the air, and choked. The stench of the humans all around me invaded my throat and lungs- stinging like fire, and I had to lean against a nearby building to regain my breath. Damn- I had forgotten that. I quickly steeled myself against it. I had been living with the smell for ages, it was time to learn to deal with it. Beneath the smell of their bodies- I searched for a blood scent that was appealing to me.

I had trained myself to search out the scent of death and decay long ago- so I would only rob those who were on their death bed's of their blood. My eyes narrowed as I found one. There, next to the river was a fisherman- coughing his last breaths. He was old and withered and would not be missed. He would be more than enough. True- those who were close to death had the most disgusting blood. Old and stale- like a drink left to sit too long in the sun and that had collected dust. But, food was food- and I was hungry.

I pushed off the streets- and flew into the air. With a muted 'thump' I landed on a rooftop- and began my flight to the river; my feet not making a sound as they skimmed over the brick and slate. In minutes, I reached the its bank. The man was alone, dressed in rags and ratty blankets. He was asleep- thankfully. I jumped off the building I was perched on, and landed softly at his side.

He smelled horrible- even for a human. I would make it fast. I crouched next to him, and turned him to face me. His eyes rolled in his sockets, and his snores caught in his throat. Pathetic. I tipped his head up, let my fangs lengthen, and glanced at his face.

I froze.

His face was not that of an old man. It was young- so young; almost as young as Sora. With glossy black hair falling smoothly into his closed eyes- and skin tan and smooth. I recoiled from him, but my hand did not leave his face.

What? What was this?!

I moved my face closer to his neck- until my cheek was almost touching his skin- and inhaled.

I still smelled it. The scent of rotten blood, old and decaying. How could such a young boy carry blood that smelled as such? I growled in frustration, and sat up. There must be another reason. I gently pushed aside the filthy jacket that was enveloping him. The scent again hit me like a punch. I gasped, and narrowed my eyes in the dark. His jacket had blood stains all over it- like patches of red sewn in with the tweed of the cloth.

That explained it.

This boy must have killed the man who had been the previous owner of the clothes he wore. His purpose? I could not guess. My nose had been right- almost too right. The blood was dead. Long dead.

I looked down at the boy. He still snored, his peach lips parted as he breathed. Like a sword to my gut- my hunger roared through me once more. I clenched my jaw in frustration. I could not- would not drink from one as young as him. It- it would scar him. But my thirst was growing- I could hardly contain it anymore...

I lowered my face back to his- and searched for his own blood scent. Under the shabby clothes- I smelled it. He smelled of wood, and metal. Like a carpenter, or a blacksmith's apprentice. My mouth watered, and I looked down at his chest.

There, hidden it the folds of his shirt- was a dagger. A silver 'D' engraved on it's hilt. It's meaning was not lost on me.

I hissed in amusement. So, I had stumbled upon a crew members of the Daggers, on my first night out in it's city? He was just a child- probley a scout. How ironic. The sound seemed to awaken the boy, and his eyes twitched open. My humor quickly fled as his eyes focused on me.

Oops.

His face paled to almost white, and his mouth opened as if to scream. I quickly moved a finger to his lips. "Shhhh," I whispered, and let my eyes blaze like red gold. His dark eyes grew wide in terror, and his mouth remained open- still trying to scream but not having the breath to. I smiled, showing him my fangs still elongated- and tears began to roll down his face. Good. The more afraid he was, the harder it would be for him to act. I quickly gathered more than needed strength into the soles of my feet, and leaped off the bank- shooting into the air like a falcon. I left the boy far below me, but I could still see his face- eyes and mouth so wide- in a mask of horror. The night air caressed my face for a time, stars almost completely blocked out by the smog, before I arched and made my descent to another rooftop.

The moment my feet touched stone, my legs buckled and I fell to my knees. My lust for blood wasn't just a hunger now. It was a need. But I had run out of time. Sora would wake any second now- and I needed to get back. I had had a chance to drink- but because of a foolish mistake- had sought out a boy, and not an old one; and thus could not do so. My eyes clenched close in agony, and I felt like roaring out my pain.

I rose my nose to the air again- and could almost feel all the humans swarming beneath me. They were all my prey. Any of them would quench my thirst. All I had to do was jump down, break an unsuspecting ones neck- and drink him dry-

No. My thoughts were beginning to scare me..

That was forbidden. I would just have to wait- again. I rose shakily to my feet, and put a hand to my temple. I could do that. I had to.

I had been such a fool. Not only had I screwed up a hunt- but I had revealed myself to a member of the Daggers. I could have compromised the entire mission! I hoped he was to scared to remember my face…

I took a steadying breath, one hand clenched around my aching stomach- and began my return to Sora…

Wow- that was a quick update. ;3 Let the mission begin!! Lol! Wat you guys think? Good?