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Ratings: M for adult themes, situations, language
-- CHAPTER 12 – HUNGER
"Wake up, Naruto." Sai waved a small bottle of smelling salts under the blond's nose.
"Huh? What?" Naruto jolted awake. "Where am I?"
"We're just outside of Konoha Gates." Sai recapped the foul incense.
"How'd we get here?" The blond scratched his golden locks while observing his surroundings. He and Sai were in a small clearing, hidden by lush foliage. Naruto felt the cool earth beneath him; which was a nice contrast to the humid, night air. Sai's back was towards the blond as the dark haired teen appeared to be looking for something."I don't remember anything."
"We just escaped from Brigami Castle." Sai's eyes darted amidst the trees and bushes. "Thanks to Hinata."
"She's here too?" Naruto glanced around for the girl he met at the bath house.
"No, she didn't come with us." Sai replied blandly. "It was her choice." Letting out a sigh of relief, he turned to face the blond. "Hinata kept her word. No one's followed us."
Naruto held up his hands. "I thought I had shackles on." His eyes widened when he saw the circular pattern of tiny scars around each wrist.
"You did." Sai said indifferently. "Hinata took them off and stopped the bleeding."
"Wow! She's amazing!" The blond rubbed at his wrists. "They don't even hurt."
"Don't flatter her too much." Sai muttered. "After all, she does work for your master."
"I said it, right?"
"Said what?" Sai raised a brow.
"I called Sasuke, Master Sasuke." Naruto let out a frustrated sigh while leaning back against the tree.
"Yep." Sai tugged on his gloves. "I have to give those vampires credit. They broke you just like they said they would." Naruto clenched his hands into fists.
"I wasn't broken!" The blond glared at Sai. "Bent maybe, but not broken."
"Hmm..." Sai bent next to Naruto and placed the back of his palm on the blond's forehead. "Hinata said you'd be different after your visit with Madara."
"How so?" Naruto questioned.
"She didn't specify, but you don't seem to be running a fever and your color looks to be alright." Sai withdrew his hand.
"That's good." The blond smiled.
"Naruto..." Sai began. "...can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Why didn't the Kyuubi save you from becoming a vampire?" Sai furred his brow.
"Are you kidding?" Naruto scoffed. "He couldn't be happier that I'm like this." Naruto laid a hand on his belly. "The bastard."
"How could he have been 100 that you'd survive the transition?"
Taking a deep breath, Naruto explained,"Kyuubi is the nine-tailed beast that only lives as long as I do. I'm pretty sure that he wouldn't gamble with my life unless he was positive about the results." Naruto ran his tongue over his canines. "Now that I'm a vampire, Kyuubi gets his fill of blood whether it be from Sasuke or someone else. He doesn't care." The blond stated angrily.
"So does that mean Kyuubi will appear more frequently?" Sai stood.
"I don't know." Naruto followed in pursuit. "But if I had to give you an answer right now, I'd say that Kyuubi is going to enjoy watching me kill people for awhile before trying something drastic."
"At least, we have some time." Sai cracked his knuckles. "So, what do you say we have a little drink before entering Konoha?" Sai gazed at the blond, his onyx eyes mixing with a deep purple hue.
"No way!" Naruto snapped as he was being backed against a tree.
"But you taste so good." Sai smiled while placing his elbow upon the blond's upper chest; locking the blond in place. "You owe me, for I did rescue you." He leaned in and bit the blond's neck.
"Stop it, Sai!" Naruto gripped onto Sai's forearm. "You're going to cause suspicion by leaving bite marks." He panted out.
"Who said they are going to be visible?" Sai spoke between intakes of the blond's blood. "I learned a new trick recently that I'll explain to you when I'm done." He buried his fangs in deeper; causing Naruto to wince. "You're so tense." Sai retracted his canines. "Feeding is suppose to be a pleasurable experience."
"Not with you, it's not." The blond narrowed his eyes.
"Oh that's right, you prefer the taste of raven." Sai smirked.
"Are you done yet?" Naruto grumbled; ignoring Sai's remark.
"Almost." Sai gathered some saliva, then spread it evenly on the punctures with his tongue.
"That feels disgusting." The blond closed his eyes; hoping Sai would finish quickly.
"You'll get used to it." Sai backed off Naruto. "It's how we stop the bleeding after biting our victims. That is, if you choose that route. I'd rather just drink the blood completely since I've always hated clean-up."
"Great." Naruto wiped the loose spit from his neck. "This whole vampire experience just keeps getting better and better."
"It's not that bad." Sai smiled.
"Maybe not for you." Naruto walked past the other boy. "You're technically not a vampire slave."
"That could be it." Sai laughed. Soon the two boys were standing in front of the Konoha gates.
"Keep a low profile." Naruto whispered.
Sai nodded and pushed open the gates until they were slightly ajar. "I'm going to find out how much Konoha knows about the horde. I figure I'll check out Hokage Tower first. You with me?"
"Actually, I thought I'd check up on a friend."
"Fine with me." Sai darted inside the village leaving Naruto to close the gate.
"I wonder what he'll find." Naruto thought, then raced towards Sakura's apartment.
OoOOoo
"I can't believe I'm reseaching information about the undead!" Sakura was sitting at her dining room table; facing a huge stack of papers. "There's so many myths out there about vampires that it's hard to distinguish between fact and fiction." She scribbled more notes into her journal, then reached for her fifth cup of coffee. "Thank god for caffeine." Sakura took a large gulp, pushed her notebook to the side, and stood up. "I need a break." She looked over at the clock. It was 2:45 am. Stifling a yawn, she pressed her palms against the window pane and glanced down on the dim streets of Konoha. "Another quiet night." Sakura sighed at her reflection. She was wearing a pink tank top and a pair of pink and white stripped pajama shorts. Her face was pale, complete with dark circles, and she was a bit thin for she had had little appetite due to her constant worry about her best friends whereabouts.
"Please come back soon, Naruto." She murmured. "I want to know that you are alright."
"I'm fine, Sakura." Came a voice, the girl hadn't heard in almost two weeks.
"Nar...Naruto!" Sakura spun around, placing a hand on her heart. "You're okay."
"You weren't waiting for me, were you?" The blond teased, tossing a tiny key onto a corner table.
"You had me worried beyond belief!" Sakura socked Naruto in the shoulder. "Not a word from you the entire time you went missing"
"Sorry, Sakura." Naruto raised his arms in defense of the girl's continuous punches.
"Where have you been?" She didn't know whether to cry or shout. "I...I...I thought something terrible happened to you. I tried to stay strong and believe you were safe, but it was hard. The vampires have claimed so many." Sakura stilled her punches and rested against Naruto's chest.
"I'm alright." Naruto soothingly rubbed the girl's back. "The vampire castle is far from Konoha. You're be safe here."
"Thank goodness." Sakura tilted her head up. "I wouldn't know what to do if I ran into a vampire. I hear they could be pretty persuasive before biting their victims."
"You have no idea." Naruto mumbled while gazing out the window.
"What was that?" Sakura raised a brow.
"Ah...nothing." The blond laughed nervously, placing a hand behind his head.
"Hn." She eyed the blond curiously. "So, no orange tonight?"
"Huh?" Looking down, Naruto completely forgot he was still dressed as a vampire's slave. "Well, I received an invitation similar to the one Sai got."
"You did?!" Sakura was shocked.
"Yes. It came the night we last saw each other."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Sakura chewed her bottom lip nervously. "Those invites are from the vampires."
"I know." Naruto's face was grim. "I learned that after I got there, but I was curious about them, so I stayed and went along with what they asked of me."
"What's with the collar?" Sakura tapped the black and red choker.
"It shows which group I was in." The blond skillfully lied.
"Really?" Sakura raised a brow. "So where is the castle? What happened when you got there? How many vampires did you see? What are they like?" She grew eager with each question.
Naruto silenced the girl by holding a finger to her lips. "Let's enjoy each other's company first, then I'll answer any question you have." Sakura's eyes widened in surprise when she felt Naruto draw her in close. "I've missed you." He whispered into her ear.
"I missed you too." She smiled happily, looping her arms through the blond's.
After embracing for just a short amount of time, Naruto felt an excruciating pain in the pit of his stomach; followed by a burning sensation in his throat. Gritting his teeth, the blond immediately shoved Sakura away.
"What's wrong?" Sakura regained her footing and stared dumbstruck at her friend; who was now trembling.
"I'm just a little dizzy." Naruto gripped the side of a table. "Can you get me something to drink?"
"Sure." Sakura scooted to the kitchen while Naruto sat on a plush floor rug with several large sage pillows thrown carelessly on it.
"I'm so thirsty!" Naruto spoke while licking at his parched lips.
"I'm coming." Sakura called out from across the room. After dimming the lights, she gave the blond a bottle of water and sat next to him. "This should help, along with the decreased light."
"Thanks." Naruto made quick work of the beverage, but his mouth was still dry. He needed something with substance. He needed blood.
"I heard vampires keep slaves." Sakura shyly spoke. "What do you think they are used for?"
"Could be anything." Naruto placed his hand on hers. "Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" His question caught Sakura completely off guard; putting his plan into effect.
She shook her head 'no.' "You've always just wanted us to be friends."
"How about tonight, we be more?" Naruto placed his free hand on her chin and leaned in to claim the girl's lips. Sakura felt her heart soar and closed her eyes. After a few seconds, the blond pulled away, leaving a very breathless Sakura.
"That was amazing." Sakura sighed in pleasure.
"I could do other things too." Naruto seductively spoke; his eyes full of desire.
"What do you have in mind?" Sakura was turning a very dark shade of red.
"If I tell you, there won't be anything to look forward to." He placed a loose strand of her strawberry hair behind her ear; giving him the view he really wanted; her slender throat and vigorously pumping vein. "You're exactly what I want." Naruto whispered while gently massaging her neck.
"I want you too." Sakura replied boldly. "Kiss me again."
"With pleasure, Sakura-chan." He captured her mouth once more, but this time, the kiss was more fierce, pushing the girl on her back. Kissing back, Sakura glided her fingers beneath Naruto's shirt, feeling every inch of his muscular back.
"Oh Naruto." she moaned in delight as Naruto kissed the length of her graceful neck.
"Your blood is pulsing rapidly." He murmured against her virgin flesh. "That makes me very excited."
"It must be because I'm happy and a little scared at the same time." She panted.
"That's alright." Naruto lifted his head to brush his lips softly over hers. "It's my first time too." Sakura smiled while entwining her fingers within the blond's sunshine locks.
"I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else." Naruto massaged one of her shoulders; causing the strap of her shirt to fall. "You have such soft and fair skin."
"Thank you." she mouthed quietly. Next, Sakura felt the blond push her thighs apart; allowing him to slide more comfortably on top of her. New to the experience, Sakura stiffened just a little.
"Relax." He nibbled on her earlobe. "I think you're going to enjoy what happens next."
"O...kay." Sakura said hesitantly. "I trust you."
Naruto just smiled before nipping at her throat while one of his hands played with her breast.
"Wait, Naruto." Sakura heavily breathed out. "This is too fast." The blond ceased his actions and looked deep into her jade eyes.
"Isn't this what you want?" Naruto glided the back of his palm along her jawline.
"I do..." She blushed while gazing up at Naruto through her thick lashes. "...but I want to stop for now, okay." Sakura pressed her hands against his chest.
"We're not done yet." Naruto spat before clasping Sakura's wrists and forcing them at her sides.
"What are you doing?" Sakura fought against the blond's strong hold.
"Getting what I came here for." The blond smirked.
"Are you going to rape me?" Sakura paled; believing this was his intention.
"No." Naruto calmly stated.
"Then what do you want?" She trembled.
"Your blood." Naruto's eyes went from baby blue to violet pools.
"My blood? Why?"
"It's in my nature." Naruto grinned revealing two elongated canines.
"You're one of them." Sakura quivered with fear.
"How observant." Naruto mocked the girl. "Although a little too late." He was about to bite her neck when he was stopped by her sudden outburst.
"You lied to me!" Sakura spoke accusingly.
"Of course. If I told you the truth, I wouldn't have you trapped in the provocative position you're in now." He gloated in victory. "Now be a good girl and lie still. I've been waiting all night to do this."
"No!" She cried out. "I don't want to die! I don't want to be a monster!"
"Just be glad that your friend is the one biting you and not your future master." Naruto countered bitterly.
"You've become a slave, haven't you?" Sakura's voice was full of sadness. "That's the real reason you wear that collar and because of that you've accepted what's been done to you."
"I have not accepted anything!" Naruto yelled.
"Hey! What's going on in there?" Boomed a female voice from behind Sakura's apartment door.
"Sakura! Is everything okay? Your neighbors have been complaining about loud voices."
"It's Tsundae." Sakura gave a smirk of her own. "You'd better get out of here if you don't want to get caught."
Instantly, Naruto jumped up and headed for the window. "Don't come after me." With that he opened it and leapt out the window, vanishing into the darkened streets.
"Sakura!" Tsunade called once again. "Open this door, this instant!"
"Coming!" Sakura raced to the door and unlocked it, allowing her mentor inside. "Oh Tsundae!" She cried out. "Naruto's become a vampire."
OoOOoo
"Deidara?" Itachi muttered in his sleep. "Deidara?" He awoke startled; forgetting where he was. The Uchiha sat up, rubbing his dark eyes until his vision cleared. "That's right." Itachi ran his fingers through his cascading hair while glancing at the door to the medical ward. "I bought Sasuke and Deidara here." Stretching out his arms and back, he then stood. His balance was slightly off from when Konan bit him earlier. He was just too tired to care. "I really hate being her favorite." Itachi groaned as he staggered up to the door. "It's about time I got some answers." He entered the ward.
Once inside, Itachi immediately gazed at the back two rooms. One was brightly lit, the other dark. "Looks like Kimimaro's working late." He silently made his way towards the latter. Brushing aside the black curtain, the Uchiha stepped inside the tiny room. It was laced heavily with a mint fragrance. On the right was a large metal basin with a curved rustic faucet. Fresh water droplets created a zig zag pattern on the stone floor, indicating that someone was recently bathed here. A variety of sponges, gauzes, bandages, and small knives lay upon a mobile cart next to the basin. The rooms only light came from a single candle burning from atop a tall pedestal. The wick was low as was the flame. Directly across from Itachi was a twin-sized bed with a sleeping form on it. A blue sheet covered the patient up to his collarbone, giving the Uchiha a good view of his younger brother's flawless profile. An IV, containing blood, was connected to the young raven's arm and a small, slender tube was taped to the side of Sasuke's mouth. From the looks of it, its purpose was to force feed Sasuke the precious red fluid.
"What is that medic thinking?" Itachi growled. "Blood from a bag like that will not heal Sasuke." He hastily strode over to Sasuke, taking a petite scalpel off the cart with him. Standing over the raven, Itachi sliced his wrist and laid it across his brother's parted lips. Seconds later, Itachi felt Sasuke's fangs sink into his vein, eagerly consuming the rich, strong blood Itachi provided. The older Uchiha gently removed the tube from Sasuke's mouth as the raven slowed his pace. Soon Sasuke opened his eyes and released his hold.
"What are you doing here?" The young raven spoke in a hoarse whisper.
"Making sure you're not dead." Itachi smirked while cleaning Sasuke's face. "You looked like shit when I found you."
"Yeah..well...you wouldn't look much better if you were attacked by a hell hound." The raven coughed in response.
"Was it Deidara?" Itachi asked in a serious tone, leaning over his brother.
"Yes." Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "He morphed right in front of me."
"Damn!" Itachi hissed. "He was telling the truth."
"He actually admitted to it?" Sasuke was taken aback. "Deidara's a fool."
Overlooking the raven's comment, Itachi lifted the blanket off his brother to see the extent of the damage. Sasuke's chest was bound within numerous layers of bandages. Both arms and one leg had matching wrappings. His neck was bandaged up and Vaseline was spread across his throat and breastbone. Despite the raven being tightly bound within his medical constraints, Sasuke seemed to be alright.
"What did you do to him?" Sasuke eyed his brother suspiciously.
"Nothing Deidara hasn't endured before." The older Uchiha shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea as what happened to my slave. Kimimaro has yet to speak to me about it. I guess our medic isn't specialized in Black Blood."
"Black Blood?" Sasuke raised a brow. "I didn't see any."
"Of course you didn't." Itachi grumbled while placing the comforter back on the raven. "It appeared after I had sex with Deidara."
"You screwed him when he was a dog?!" Sasuke was in shock.
"No." Itachi calmly replied. "He was human. Besides after spending time with Konan, I needed a good fuck."
"Itachi..." Sasuke softly spoke.
"What?" The older Uchiha replied harshly.
"Why didn't you tell Deidara about us?"
"There's nothing to say." Itachi scoffed.
"Yes, There is." Sasuke bit out. "We're the reason Deidara tried to kill me. He's jealous that I could take from you neck whereas he can't." Itachi looked down to lock stares with his brother.
"That's what this is about?!" Itachi replied bitterly.
"It's more than that." Sasuke pressed on. "Deidara feels inferior."
"What gave him that idea?" The older Uchiha yelled.
"How am I suppose to know?" The raven shouted back. "You're his master!"
"If that's what Deidara believes then he is mistaken."
Sasuke scowled. "You mean a slave's more important than your own flesh and blood?"
"Perhaps." Itachi stated with apathy. "But, right now, my main concern is Deidara."
"As it should be." Kimimaro cut in. Both Uchihas turned to face the medic. He was drenched in both red and black blood. "Itachi, I need to talk to you about Deidara."
--- END CHAPTER 12--
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