Morg: Heyo! Not my birthday any more, but I'm updating for you guys still!

Ikuto: Aren't you nice.

Amu: Too nice.

Morg: I do what I can.

Ikuto: Is that why everything you do is lame?

Amu: Oh snap!

Morg: You are lucky that I don't own you.

Ikuto: You couldn't if you tried.

~Your Blood in Mine~

Spending his very long life avoiding humans meant that Kukai wasn't exactly thrilled to be in the middle of a small town with Utau. The fact that she was there was the only reason that he was there. Still, part of getting to be with her was still letting her do her job. Since his meeting with Ikuto, the Angel of Death, Kukai had been more helpful with Utau's tasks. He had yet to see her actually take someone out, but he knew she could. His mate was just that awesome.

Pulling the wolf back by the back of his jacket, Utau rolled her eyes. Leave it to the idiot to almost give them away. "That guy is out there. We don't want him to know that we're watching him. Stop sticking your nose out in the open."

Turning so that he was face his mate, Kukai let his wolfish grin show as he moved closer until their noses almost touched. "You're so sexy when you're looking out for me."

Groaning, Utau shoved Kukai back. Not because she didn't want the other close to her, but because she couldn't do her job if Kukai was distracting her. "Shut up. We need to get to work. Ikuto doesn't appreciate those who can't do their job."

Leaning back against a dirty wall, Kukai let his senses work for him as he took in the scents of the small city. "So what do we do first?"

Utau knew what she was doing. This wasn't her first time taking out someone that figured out a way to live longer than they should have. The routine was rather simple. Get close to the person stealing life from others, find their storage spot and take them out. "I get close to him. I find out what he's using and I destroy it."

Licking his lips, Kukai hummed before speaking. "Sounds great except for the part where you have to get close to him."

Rolling her eyes, Utau sighed loudly while crossing her arms. "That's the only way for me to figure out what he's using to store what he's stealing."

Scoffing, Kukai moved back towards the end of the alleyway to look back out into the street. The man hadn't lived for as long as he had just because he was good looking. No, he knew what to do to survive. He was a wolf, after all.

Using his keen senses, the wolf stayed in the shadows while observing the handsome looking man out on the street. The bastard that they were after was currently smiling at a pretty girl. She was young and full of life. Kukai could see that, though he wasn't at all interested in her. No, he was more interested in the pocket watch that the man was swinging around. Cocky son of a bitch. "That's it. You don't have to get close."

Looking over her lover's shoulder, Utau saw what Kukai was talking about. There was no doubt that the fool was using the watch. "Sometimes I don't understand how idiots manage to figure this out."

Kukai sniffed while wiping at his nose. He flicked his finger before shrugging and looking up at his mate. "Me either."

There were times when Utau really wanted to know how Kukai managed to live longer. There was no bigger idiot than her wolf. "Let's just kill him."

Snarling a bit, Kukai grinned. "My pleasure."

Holding her wolf back by the back of his jacket once more, Utau kept the man from charging out into the street. "Part of doing this job is making sure that normal humans don't know what we're doing. You can't just go running out into the street to kill him."

Hanging his head, Kukai stopped trying to get out into the sunlight. "All right fine. What's your plan then?"

Smirking now, Utau pulled her wolf back before wrapping her arms around his shoulders. With her chin resting on his shoulder, the familiar gave a soft sigh. One that she knew would blow against the wolf's ear. "Wait for him to be alone."

Smirk matching his mate's, Kukai didn't have to wait for Utau to finish what she was saying. His teeth glistened in the darkness of the alleyway. "And kill him."

XXX

Ikuto had better things to do with his time. Much better things to do. However, Kairi was his best. The familiar was never failed. The fact that he'd contacted Ikuto for a meeting didn't worry the Angel of Death. Not one bit.

Appearing beside his master, Kairi kept his head down. "Ikuto."

Not turning to look at the other, Ikuto acknowledged his familiar with the return of his name. "Kairi."

A bit nervous about how this meeting was going to go, Kairi swallowed before he started speaking. Though he'd thought about what he was going to say, those words slipped from his mind now that he was actually speaking to his master. Ikuto was the Angel of Death. His orders were final. "The girl I've been getting close to, Yaya, I have spent years with her and haven't found anything that could show that's she's stealing lives. If anything, she's giving them back. The girl helps children-"

With a raise of his hand, Ikuto silenced his familiar. The other two had already found someone. He supposed it was only a matter of time before his third would as well. "What are you going to do about her?"

Considering that he'd thought the question would come from him and not from Ikuto, Kairi was momentarily stunned. "Sir?"

Releasing a soft sigh, Ikuto turned to look at his familiar for the first time. "Do you think she's evil?"

Kairi didn't have to think about the question. There was no way that Yaya was anywhere close to evil. "No."

Moving to walk away even though he really didn't need to in order to leave, Ikuto didn't bother to look back. "Then I don't know why you're here. She either begins working with you or you kill her."

The Angel was gone before Kairi could respond. Not that he had a response to his master's orders. Killing Yaya wasn't an option. Kairi knew that he'd never be able to do it. Not after all the time that he'd spent with the girl. She was pure. He knew that.

Returning just outside of Yaya's house, Kairi moved up the walk. He knew the other was inside. After spending so much time with Yaya, Kairi could naturally feel when she was close by. It wasn't a feeling he could explain. It was just one that he felt.

Upon entering the house, Kairi found Yaya sitting in her rocking chair as she usually was at this time of the night.

Yaya smiled as she looked up at the man walking in through the door. "Yaya wants to know how your meeting went."

Giving the girl a brief smile, Kairi moved to sit in his designated chair. There was nothing to tell. Nothing to think about. He wouldn't kill her. That just meant that there was only one option left. "Yaya, I have something I want to talk to you about."

Yaya stopped her rocking chair to look up at the man she'd become to enjoy being with. "Yaya wants to know what it is."

Kairi couldn't help his smile. Most of the time he didn't show emotions that way. There wasn't much in the world to smile about. At least, not before he met her.

XXX

Walking hand in hand down the road, Rima didn't bother to look at the man walking beside her. She didn't need to in order to know that Nagi had seen the same thing she did. The witch they were tracking down wasn't do a very good job of hiding. Then again, as the years went by, the people that stole to keep themselves alive were becoming more and more sloppy with their work. They were so easy to spot.

Nagihiko didn't bother to do anything but continue walking with his lover. He knew that Rima had seen what he had. Just another target that would be easy for them to take out. They'd done this together so many times at this point that they didn't really have to talk about what they were going to do. It was sort of a given.

Tugging the girl he loved close to his chest after they rounded a corner, Nagihiko smiled down at the other. "This one might be fun."

Laughing, Rima pushed herself up onto her toes to press a kiss against Nagi's lips. "I always have fun when we're working together."

For as long as he'd been alive, Nagi knew that his life changed forever the day he met Rima. Life before her was something he didn't want to think about. "That's because you're with me."

Rolling her eyes, Rima didn't bother to argue what the other was saying. He did sort of have a point. "It's been a while since we've seen Ikuto."

"Going for years without seeing the master isn't uncommon."

Rima knew that, but he had been sort of checking up on their teamwork after she and Nagi started working together. "Does that mean he trusts us now?"

"He's never not trusted us. That's the whole reason we're still doing our job. Ikuto doesn't give second chances."

"Is that a hint that we shouldn't mess this up."

Chuckling, Nagihiko leaned forward to nuzzle his nose against Rima's. "We aren't going to mess up."

Not when they worked together. Rima knew that.

XXX

The room around him was vibrant with life. The Angel of Death couldn't have cared less. The humans could have their fun as long as they didn't try to cheat him. Ikuto made certain that they never did. The girl flirting with another guy across the bar wasn't someone that he was worried about. He could see that she would be an easy target. She wasn't the one that he could feel.

For years now, Ikuto could feel a power growing. He had yet to find where the source was. It vibrated through the earth, pulling him towards Japan, but then he'd feel it other places in the world. Ikuto would find the source.

Finishing the drink he didn't need and had no effect on him, Ikuto moved from his spot. One look at the girl and she followed him. He had that effect on people. They were compelled to whatever it was that he wanted.

There was never someone that he couldn't take out. He was the Angel of Death. No one lived without his knowledge.

XXX

Kneeling before her tree, Amu looked down at the ring that sparkled on her finger. Years had passed since Tadase's death, but she wore it as remembrance. To keep his memory alive within herself meant that he wasn't truly dead.

"Still wearing that, Amu-chan?"

Gritting her teeth so that her tree wouldn't realize her anger, Amu ran her thumb against the bottom of the band. Her ring had gotten her out of some difficulties while she traveled. Mostly because some men respected seeing it on her finger and left it alone. "This is all I have left of him, Tree-san. It's only a memory."

"You don't need his memory. He would have betrayed you."

Ignoring the words of her tree, Amu looked back down at the diamond on her finger. As much as she never wanted anything to happen to the ring, Amu could feel that her tree hated it. This could be her chance. "Tree-san, how can I prove to you that he's nothing to me now? You are my tree. You're the only one in my life."

A breeze ruffled through the leaves of her tree before a response came. "Take the ring off."

A hitch in her breath was all Amu allowed after hearing the tree's demand. "If I do this, you will trust me? I'll come back every six months to see you and you'll let me go?"

"Am I not doing this for you already? Amu-chan only has to come back twice a year as it is right now."

Keeping her head down so that her tree wouldn't see her eye roll, Amu gave a slight nod of her head. That was a lie. Her urges to return were getting stronger and stronger. Pretty soon she'd be coming back three times a year. "Is it a deal?"

Bristling its leaves, the tree gave in. "Deal."

Getting to her feet, Amu dusted the dirt from her dress before looking up at the trunk of her tree. Worrying the ring off her finger, she let it drop to the dirt. A root shot up to hook through the diamond ring before dragging it down into the dirt. Amu refused to let a tear leak from her eyes. "I will see you in six months."

The tree seemed to be blowing around in the wind as it waved her goodbye.

Releasing a breath that she didn't know she'd been holding as she drove away from her house. Six months. She had six months of freedom. She would use every minute of it. She would also push against her urges for more.

.

Morg: Oh hohoho! I'm getting so very close to the end of this story. I hope that all of you can appreciate it!

Ikuto: I'd appreciate it more if you'd just have us meet.

Amu: I'm fine with the story being like this.

Morg: There are five chapters left. You'll take what I give you.

Ikuto: Oh jeez.

Amu: It's almost over!

Morg: Don't sound so excited.