2 months later

Sakura's POV

"Kakashi I thought that you told Sasuke that we would get a new member almost 3 months ago."

"I did but I decided to assign him to a different duty for the time being considering that your team has no leader."

"You might as well assign a new one. He isn't coming back."

"Neji! Shut up!"

"Face it Sakura…he has been gone way too long."

"Shut your mouth Neji! Now if we will all be rational about this, we can realize that there is still and 30/70 chance that he will return. Let's not jump to conclusions of whether he will come back or not. He still…" Just then, the doors burst open and a cloaked appeared in the doorway. We all draw our weapons and then he disappears. We hear Kakashi gasp slightly and we all turn to see the figure with Kakashi's hands held behind his back and a knife to his throat.

"It is a sad day when a student surpasses his master." The figure whispers into Kakashi's ear.

"Sasuke? What are you doing?"

"I couldn't have you killing my new friends now could I?" The figure shakes his head making the hood fall off and revealing none other than the teams missing leader of 3 months. Sasuke Uchiha. "Keiko, Hana, Yoshiro, Nanami, Ayame, Akira, and Shiba you can come in now."

"Who? And can you please remove your weapon before you kill me."

"Of course." He relaxes his stance, releasing his master as he takes several steps back. "These are the representatives of the Coven of Besenamy. From left to right, Yoshiro, he is the head. Next is Hana and to her right is Akira. To his right is Shiba and to his right is Nanami. On the right of her is Ayame and last but certainly not least…" He disappears again and as I turn around, he is standing behind the smallest figure who is smiling up at him with the most brilliant smile I have ever seen. "…is Keiko."

"I'm his favowite!"

"Of course you are…" For the first time, I see Sasuke smile. Not smirk but actually smile. I realize that he has an equally dazzling smile.

"Sasuke? You said they are a Coven?"

"Is there a problem with that Gaara?"

"Only that they are our enemies…" I hear Neji say from somewhere behind me. I then see everyone get in their fighting stances at this comment. Sasuke picks up the smallest one in his arms and then crouches into a position that looks almost beast like.

"If they are your enemies then you might as well kill me to. We are the same. We fight as one." I see all the others get into a similar position to Sasuke's and as I analyze each of them, I realize that they each look like a different animal. Sasuke has taken a stance tat is rather catlike, while one to his left is growling and in a position similar to a wolf or some other dog like creature.

"What do you mean you are all the same?"

"You mean Sakura left that part out when she told you all my life story?" All eyes fall on me and I turn my head downwards. "So she did…I see…no wonder you are all confused…you are in the presence of eight Vampires…although that is such a harsh word…we prefer blood drinkers…"

"So when did you become a 'blood drinker?'"

"I thought you of all people would figure it out Shikamaru…the night I attacked Temari…I was one then…I was one a year before then…and even six years before then…which if you do the math…"

"Leads to the date of the massacre."

"I see that you understand." He slowly returns to a standing position and simultaneously moves the small one to his back. "If you are smart you also understand that I will defend them in any situation, by force if necessary." As he stands so do the other vampires behind him. I can't hold it in any longer and have to ask:

"Sasuke I need to talk to you…alone…"

"Of course." He crouches down again but this time it is to release the death grip that the young girl has formed around his neck. He finally releases her hands and before rising, kisses her on the head. She laughs and he follows me out the door. After closing it, He turns to me. My head is turned downwards and I can already feel tears forming in my eyes but I force them back.

"What's wrong Sakura?"

"What's wrong?" My head snaps up and I glare at him. "What's wrong? You ditched me for three months that's what's wrong…" My anger soon turns to sadness… "Why Sasuke? I just need to know why?"

"I don't know how to tell you without offending you."

"What? Do I repulse you? Am I too flirty? Too cruel?"

"No it's nothing like that…"

"Then what is it?"

"You're thupid aren't you wady?" I look down to see the youngest one watching us. She runs over to Sasuke and he simply picks her up in his arms.

"Excuse me?"

"He left because he didn't want to eat you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Your blood smelled too good so he weft before he couldn't control his cwaving for it anymore. He tried weally hard wady…Pwease don't be mad at Thathke…"

"Is this true?"

"I really did try Sakura…I even drank everyday but every time you were near it would just resurface…I didn't want to hurt you…I could have killed you if I got out of control…I'm sorry…I didn't know my leaving would hurt you…I…I just wanted to save you from my fate…"

"He weally is thorry wady…he was even thuithidal (suicidal)…but he won't tell me what that means…"

"You could have left out that little detail Keiko…"

"Thorry…is it bad?"

"Why do you think I didn't tell you?"

"O-o-o-oh…."

"Why don't you go practice that new move I taught you and give the lady and I a little privacy…"

"Okay Thathke!" He sets her down on the ground and she runs off to the other end of the room.

"Thathke?" I ask with my eyebrow raised.

"She's six give her a break…" He scratches the back of his head and laughs nervously. "Please forgive me Sakura…I didn't mean…"

"It's alright…Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"I…well…"

"I love you too Sakura." He leans in and places a hand on each side of my face. His lips meet mine gently at first but them it become slightly more passionate until he pulls away. I realize that he did because of someone pulling on his cloak. "Yes Keiko?"

"Can I athk you thome thuff?"

"Of course…"

"What's the wady's name?"

"Sakura."

"Are you gowing to have babies now?"

"Okay that's enough questions for today…" He says slinging her over his shoulder.

"But I onwy athked one!"

"That's all you need to ask…" He says walking back into the room with Keiko swung over his shoulder.

"Thathke! Put me down!" She says hammering his back with her fists.

"Nope…"

"Thathke! Hey wady! Help me!" She screamed in my direction.

"The lady won't help you until you say her name and ask politely…"

"Fine! Thakura! Help pwease!" I walk quickly over to them and grab Sasuke's arm and spin him around, causing him to lose balance and tumble towards the ground knocking me to the ground in the background. He somehow managed to get Keiko on the ground before completely falling.

I land on top of him, our faces inches apart. The moment is relatively romantic until we hear. "Dogpwile!" Suddenly, I feel someone jump on top of me. Sasuke groans, as do I.

"Keiko…I don't think that the fragile human can deal with much more of this…"

"But it's fun!"

"I'll play that game you like later if you get off…"

"Okay…" I feel a weight lifted off my back and I roll over to get off of him. He rises and helps me up off the ground, before getting tackled again by Keiko. "It's water (later) Thathke!"

"Keiko…I have an offer for you…"

"What?"

"You let me go back in there and talk to everyone and you can sleep at my house tonight…"

"Okay!"

"But only if it is alright with leader. You understand?"

"Uh-huh…"

"Good." He stands once more with her snuggling into his chest and she lets out a yawn. "Keiko just go to sleep when you're tired."

"I'm not tiwed…I want to have fun with you Thathke."

"I'm just going to be in a boring meeting. Go to sleep. I'll wake you up when it is time to have fun."

"Pwomise?"

"Yes…I promise." She yawns once more and he gracefully walks toward the door. He opens it once more and as he enters the room falls silent. I follow him and see his lips begin to move quickly but it seems as if no sound comes out. One of the others nods and walks out the door. When she re-enters, she is carrying a bag of books. She carefully sets them out in neat stacks on the table and then backs away slowly, as if not to alarm any of us 'normal' humans. Keiko still in his arms, he sits down at the table and his lips begin to move again. This time the leader nods and Sasuke turns his attention back to us. We are all sitting around the table while the new company stands at the far side of the room, far away from us. I turn my attention back to Sasuke once more as he begins to speak. "The members of this coven are like me, changed not of their own will and resilient to accept their fate as demons. They are also like me in the way that they can resist the blood of humans as I can. They have agreed to help us in our fight against Itachi."

"Sasuke I know that they are strong but how are six adult 'blood drinkers' going to help?"

"Naruto I already stated that these are just representatives of the coven. This is not even close to all of them. There are about 200 of them." He turns his head towards one of the representatives again and I see the woman who left to gather the books moving her lips as Sasuke was before. "Oh yes…Thank you…minus the children it is 197…thank you for reminding me of that Ayame." She nods. "So we definitely have reinforcements. This way, we can go to him if the time comes rather than waiting for him to come to us. Which in this situation may be a better bet."

"What's in the books?"

"Research and such that I have compiled of Itachi and their own knowledge of the underworld. I will be reading through these but I thought I should prove to Kakashi that I am not getting involved blindly."

"So why did you leave Sasuke?" Naruto asks in a confused voice.

"I didn't want to eat Saskura."

"WHAT?"

"Naruto shut up…" He hisses as Keiko stirs slightly in his arms. It sounded more menacing than any noise a human could make. Once he is sure Keiko is asleep once more he continues. "Maybe that was putting it too bluntly…how can I explain it to you so that you will understand…I shall just explain it too you the way it was explained to me. Blood has all different smells. All blood-drinkers are drawn to different smells. Human blood smells sweeter than animal blood that is why many blood drinkers are not willing to give it up. But sometimes, as in my case, one person's blood in particular is more…appealing than others. For me this person was Sakura. I had a strange craving for her blood alone and no matter how hard I tried to suppress it, I couldn't. So I ran which I thought was the only answer. But then Keiko brought me to her coven." He looks don t the young girl in his arms, "They saved me…from myself…they taught me how to get strong enough to overcome these craving so I would be able to return to my family…although I have two now, you were the first and will always be very dear to me so…" He is cut off as he turns his head and looks at the leader. "I see…you need to leave then…I understand…but this one is too tired to make the journey. She will stay with me tonight…be cautious." They nod and disappear.

"Where did they go?"

"A storm is coming so they are traveling back to their coven. You can't get as good of a grip on the ground in the rain…although it is terribly exhilarating…"

"I see. I will have a secondary team cover for yours tonight. Become reacquainted." Kakashi says before exiting.