Chapter 25

A stone path separated a trail from a flat clean cut lawn as Hinamori walked down another set of steps, this time made of wood, the grass felt alternately springy and spongy beneath her feet. The only flowers were dead Convallaria, clumping at the edge of the lawn, called out of the ground by spring only to be blighted by late winter frost. At the far end the geisha paused to look at a round stone basin, half full of dead leaves, which looked as if it had once been fountain. She sat on the edge of the fountain and looked back at the house, hugging her arms around herself in the chill air of the morning. Everyone had gone off and left her behind as if she was the awkward one, the part that didn't fit in, the stray cat that hung around on the doorstep.

Jared leaned out from a window on his floor, "You're still here?"

"What?"

"I assumed you were heading out with my siblings and Sosuke."

"Unfortunately." She sighed. "I wasn't invited."

"Sorry to hear that."

She rested her chin on her knee. Already feeling exhausted, as if it were passed curfew instead of early afternoon. "Sometimes it feels so tense here that I'm surprised no one has taken a bite out of me yet."

"So relax." Jagger coaxed, "And I'll give you a personal tour of the house."

She felt out of place to smile, but she did sigh. "That's an understatement. This place is a maze."

She stood up abruptly, too cold to sit still. Walking back towards the house, she veered to the right, through the vine pathway.

As she made her way up the steps, she saw someone's standing shadow. At first, though, she didn't recognize who it was until the sun highlighted his dark chocolate hair, she recognized him. "Hello?"

He was standing on top of the stone wall, looking down across the back garden. He didn't seem like a daylight person; his hair was shorter than Jagger but it still flared out over his ears and he was dressed showily in a black t-shirt, jeans, and runners. Hinamori was perplexed by his style, but nevertheless he was equally just as striking as Jagger. Varen's emerald eyes seemed to re-adjust to the light, and standing on the wall he looked alarming, especially when he jumped down without looking away from her and landed lightly on the path next to her.

"Yes?" The stranger looked the geisha up and down, coolly. "What do you want?" he asked, nicely.

"I was…" Hinamori went on, now embarrassing herself, "Jared was just giving me a tour of the house."

The man raised his eyebrow. He had a thin sharp face similar to Jagger although Varen had much toner upper arms. He met her eyes for a moment, looking amused.

"Jagger." His voice was deeper and more mysterious than whom he just spoke of.

"Yo, what have you been doing?" Jagger came up behind Hinamori, placing a hand on her shoulder, together they stood at the wooden frames of the entrance.

"We managed to amuse ourselves," Vishco answered, his eyes flicked back for a moment towards the forest in a way that Hinamori distrusted. Jared squeezed her shoulder, "It's cold out here," he said pulling the sleeves of her sweater over her hands.

"No, it's all right." She sounded wary. She traced the vine patterns on the door frame with her fingers while Varen kept on staring at them. The two had to make way as the brother brushed pass them into the house.

They watched him take the red steps four at a time, along his way up, "Woman, you should be careful," he told her. "My brother isn't a good influence on you."

At that moment, Jagger's thoughtful remark disappeared and was replaced with a less friendly suggestion. "Varen," his twin turned on his heels, "Get bent and die."

For weeks Hinamori hadn't said anything about her discovery of the journal, inside it she had been reading a vivid tale of murder and damnation, a new alliance concerning man, possessed by demon. The tale Black and White Society, was inexplicable to her, this writer seemed to have difficulty finding the characters as a majority of them was crossed-out.

How could someone make a thrilling fiction, portraying the darkest fear of humanity, knowing that the truth was darker still? Yet the story had no hero/heroine. Hinamori had been haunted by the words as she flipped back a page; she hesitated and began to read, to transcribe the words:

There are things in a world that do not belong here- sinister things.

Paranormal creatures that are both creation and myth. But they are also, in fact, quite real. The enemies of civilization: a world in dusk.

Yet, in every shadow there is a light: mystical guardians who protect the heart of innocence.

Throughout the centuries there have been many brave men and women who fought to maintain peace, using magic and intelligence. But who will protect innocence from infringed obscurity?

Everything is changed…forever.

A knock at her door erased her train of thoughts. She frowned, wanting to figure how it would all turn out but this journal certainly didn't contain the information Hinamori was looking for, it as just an author's imagination. For the moment, however, she was concerned with her current crisis that had arisen in less than forty-eight hours, she missed her old bedroom but her door opened to discover Ember standing there.

"Sorry for the intrusion, but your dinner is ready."

"Thanks, but I'm not very hun-"

Her stomach betrayed her, as it growled unnecessarily long. Ember shook her head, "No, Momo. She's not here; she's gone out for her own dinner."

Hinamori held her robe more tightly, perhaps due to the chill in the air that swept through the house, or perhaps to the thought of what the others were eating. She nodded and put away her secret, followed Ember to the stairs and descended with her. Jagger was probably reading by the fireplace. And that was exactly where Hinamori found him on the leather couch.

Jared glanced up quickly at her arrival, only to be crestfallen at the sight of her discomfort. "Your sister isn't home yet?"

He shook his head, "My brother will be down shortly. He hasn't completely done his duties, unfortunately. I tend to have a more relaxed approach to daily routines. In fact, we were just about to head out. Unless you'd want…"

There was a moment's awkwardness during which asteroids would have frozen in the air between them. Then Ember made no attempt to wait any long as she ditched into the kitchen. Either she possessed a hint sense of propriety or she was treated well enough to notice the privacy her roommates possessed.

Her roommate wanted tea and chose the jasmine blend, which Violet had never liked. As she prepared her cup, she glanced over to the fireplace.

"You really seem to punish yourself in the company of Jagger."

Hinamori blinked twice, and then turned to stare at her.

"Pardon?"

"Please, Momo, don't pretend with me. He is a good-matured companion and quite the attentive seeker but his loyalty to his family never fails. His importance may damage even your status."

"Thanks for the concern," her friend finally said, wondering if her disdain for the insult was as evident in her behaviour towards the daughter of darkness. Ember froze and wrinkled her nose. "Well, I did warn you."

"And it was absolutely thoughtful of you!" Violet cooed, from the living room where her brothers were, as she went across the kitchen and went to sit in the chair opposite of the red-head along with her rivals teacup and saucer. Hinamori glared and even the slightest anger flicked across the face, contorting her emotions into a bizarre arrangement of thought. The chair in which the intruder intended to sit slide backward and suddenly everyone was caught off guard as Violet disappeared beneath the level of the table. They heard her curse as she hauled herself upward, her face blazing with fury and humiliation.

"How dare you, you bitch," she spat.

Hinamori met her gaze without blinking and was shocked, "But I-I didn't do anything."

"I know exactly what you're capable of," Violet whispered through gritted teeth. "Just like your mother, I didn't think she was insane enough to create a juvenile of herself."

Her roommates were shocked expressionless, "You're the one who's insane!" Hinamori shouted across the room. "You witch!" Her voice rose as she ran out of the room, Jared placed his glass on the counter in the middle of the black and white kitchen, "Nice going, Vecna," he snapped angrily.

"Why are you sticking up for her?" Violet growled back, her eyes flashing. "Are you saying you care about her more than family?"

An unreadable expression crossed his face and then he walked off in the direction of the new girl. He tried not to think about the weird look in his sister's eyes as she talked about Hinamori. He knew how obsessive V could get.

"You bit him below the belt, Vecna," Varen replied, annoyed by her reaction.

He hoped she would get over whatever was eating her and start acting like she used to. That's all any of them really wanted: for things to go back to how they were before. Certainly that wasn't too much to ask?

"How'd you do that?" he asked.

"Go away," Hinamori said, composing herself as best as she could. But a part of her had been extremely prepared for what she had done. She turned to face him, his worried eyes stared at her and she felt guilty for the brush off. The library they were in was almost empty and the corner they chose was completely deserted. Hinamori sat against a shelve of books, her eyes suddenly heavy and burning with exhaustion. She felt strangely nauseous, a bitter taste forming at the back of her throat. Jared sat down beside her, and before he knew what she was doing, her eyes closed and she was leaning her head on his shoulder. "What's happening to me?" she asked, keeping her face pressed against his shoulder.

"There are possibilities that power has an interest in you, but I am certain that my sister can sense that your effort has been unlocking your potential."

Although she could have easily hit him, Hinamori couldn't bring herself to. She stared into Jared's face. She could feel his breath on her cheek as the ripe, warm smell of him filled her senses. She looked into his eyes and saw herself reflected in them, as if she was somehow trapped inside his head.

"Why are you saying this?" she asked.

"Because I want to help you."

She gave a bitter laugh. "Since when does your kind want to help mortals?"

"Because you're not completely human; no human can attack us and then live to scare my sister." He looked to her wrist. "How long have you had that tattoo, Momo? Three weeks? More than a month?"

"How do you know about the bite mark?" she gasped. She looked down at her wrist and saw that her scar had twisted into a fine line art of a black wing, it was still pink around the edges.

"Come on; give me some credit, will you?" Jared smiled, showing his even white teeth to good effect. Again she swore her heart stopped beating. He was a handsome man, Jagger. Yet there were tiny laugh lines encircling his full mouth, all of this made him much more appealing to his flawless features. She wanted to reach out and touch him, make sure that he was real. Instead she looked away, letting time begin to flow again.

"I know my kind when I see one. I won't lie to you because you don't have to keep living a half life, Momo. You can learn from us. I'll see that my sister is properly approachable. You won't have to worry about getting on her bad side anymore."

"You want me to become a night creature?" Hinamori was mortified. "I can't do something like that!"

"You're a crossbreed, Momo. How long do you think your body is capable for passing as a human now that your powers are bound to take over your gullibility sooner or later?"

Her face went as pale as his, and she spoke up. "But I've never shown any interest magic."

Jared smiled apologetically and squeezed her tightly to him. "See this is where you're wrong."

She felt like a porcelain doll, and hoped that he would not break her. She could feel his heart beating against her, and at that moment it seemed as if the humanness of it terrified her more than anything else ever before.

She pulled away, causing him to release her. "I'm sorry, I can't do this."

Hinamori stood up. As she stood there, she was barely aware that her vision was fuzzy and that she was swaying. Her heart raced and she couldn't seem to catch her breath. Her feelings had completely boiled over so that she couldn't construct a single coherent thought.

The darkness wrapped about her, and she fainted.

When she came to, she found herself in his thickly muscled arms. He held her as if she were to break any minute. His understanding yet worried eyes stared at her. "This is a side affect, really," Jared said. He helped her sit, but her head lolled back against his chest too heavy for her neck to hold. "How are you feeling?" he asked, clasping her shoulder. His touch was cold against her neck.

"Listen, hey I'm talking to you," Jared said, shifting her. His words were soft, his lips only a few inches from her ear. A feeling went through her, a wave of prickling tension. She took a single, shallow breath and licked her lips.

"I'm rather tired," she whispered.

"Then let me ask something," Jagger hesitated just long enough to let her gaze into his ocean orbs, listening intently to what he was about to say, then he folded his fingers around hers. "Come with me to the cotillion."

Despite all Embers' hints and jokes. Hinamori Momo hadn't ever thought that Jared would ask her. He could've escorted someone else. Even though they got along and were friends, she never meant for him to think otherwise. And her first instinct was to reject him. But she felt guilty for troubling him so, she could only say, "Yeah, okay."

"Cool." That smile grew more genuine. "It'll be fun."

"Vecna? It's me. Can I talk to you?"

"You'll have to come back later!" she replied. "I'm not entirely dressed. Wouldn't want to offend your tender sensibility."

"And your sense of decorum," Jared muttered.

With a sigh, Violet took a robe and slipped it on. She glanced at her reflection, her eyes gazing back curiously from beneath a strand of dark silk. She tied her sash and pulled open the door that led to the twins' room. Her brother was already dressed for the cotillion, looking like a model in a dark jacket, with a blue and white waistcoat beneath. He stood by the attic window and gazed out at the night, trying as best as he could to shield his emotions as if he hadn't been glaring daggers at her closed door only moments ago.

"I know what this is about," she whispered.

Her brother took a long breath, and then turned to face her. His expression was serious, but the gravity of it did not reach his eyes, which held regret. This was the way she could slip passed his shield, it was his eyes that always gave away the truth about his feelings, and she reminded herself that he was a brother she cared about.

Though she knew he had come to discipline her, she saw that he hated having to do so for the sake of his friendship with Hinamori. For this fact, Violet disliked the girl all the more. Her brother's gaze was searching the room for anything that he might study instead of her face, but he looked at her again.

"I'll be spending a majority of my time with Momo-" she hated that he even addressed her by name- "At least there she could know not to expect harsh treatment and loose talk."

"Are you acting as her older brother or lover?" she asked.

His body tensed, teeth bared. "What?"

She ran her fingers through her hair and moved loose strands from her face. "Your sincere honesty is natural and for that I'll allow a certain amount of idiocy but for treating me like the curse fallen upon us when it's her innocence which you ought to be careful of. I might go as far to say that her arrival on our territory is what is tearing this family apart. She's not one of us, Jagger."

He raised an eyebrow, considering her words. "Perhaps your concentration is slipping. We all have minds of our own and if you'd care to use it, with abilities such as yours; you'd be surprised that there's something so different about her."

Violet crossed her arms. "I will do no such thing as to waste my time prying her thoughts. And you will push this conversation no further. I'm certain Toushiro and his dragon clan would be thrilled to discover just what's she's summoning on her own blind will."

That brought his thoughts up short. As much as he was used to his sister's independent thinking, and her stubbornness...the revelation consuming Hinamori would cause her unending pain. Not that his family was disapproving of her change, but there would be far too many that would decide her fate.

"V, just…I'm asking you," Jared said, placing a hand on her head. "Try to understand Momo. For my sake."

For several moments she only looked at him. Finally, she pouted. "Fine. But you need to set some ground rules for her, if you want her alive. We'll be late but just go."

"Ten minutes?" he asked.

Violet considered her tangled hair and how quickly she could choose her brother sighed, "Half n hour, it is."

A week after Jared's invitation had Hinamori pulling emotions from left to right. She would be fixing her dress and trying on her make-up and within the next thirty minutes she'd be guilty because Jared obviously wanted her to feel more for him than she could.

"Awesome." Ember said, and meant it. The compliment made Hinamori feel bashful and delighted.

"I hope you and Jagger realize just how lucky you two are."

But she couldn't really be happy at the dance if she wasn't with her prince.

When she got ready the night of the dance, at first she couldn't believe the woman in the mirror was her. The sky blue dress clung to her curves and ripples flowed around her legs like a summer skirt. The sparkles added a cuteness to the frilly hems and complimented the creamy colour of her arms and legs. Her dark hair was pulled back from her forehead in several curls varying in sizes; the thinner straight strands flowed down her neck. There were clips small enough to look like gemstones that kept her hair in place.

The second she arrived at the stone steps of the entrance, Hinamori saw her escort's shoulders tense and then he was turning towards her. She saw his lips part slightly and then she looked up into his ocean blue eyes. Hinamori knew that if he could see something in her then maybe the rest of the world could to.

"Wow," Jagger said stepping closer. "You just-" In that moment, it wasn't just the dress or the way her hair was done. But she herself was breathtaking.

"Same to you." He made a tuxedo look better than just an outfit. As handsome as he was, though, she couldn't help glance behind him and gape, speechless. The palace was illuminated by candles the colours of the season that waved against a circular glass dome making a vast winter wonderland of blue and white. The stripes of golden bars outlining the polished white walls added a golden glimmer to the open space. Several chandeliers hung like upside down birthday cakes from the ceiling by golden chains varying in sizes. Dozens of couples danced, in perfect unison in a reflection of windowpanes above them and they seemed to twinkle as if they were dancing on the starry night sky. A few men and their dates were lounging on the side, awed by the gathering. Everyone here knew everyone else.

"Wanna dance?" Jagger offered his hand like a gentleman and bowed to kiss hers when she took it, she could imagine him treating her like his master, carrying out all her wishes. Hinamori never realized just how familiar this dance was before. Not only did she remember the steps well enough along with everyone else, her date was an excellent lead; guiding effortlessly. Nearby she saw his sister smile at her genuinely, before she whisked away into the next step. Each couple was apart of something magical, moving in time at just the right moment and precisely on cue. And for the first time since she'd been with the Kurado-Burado Clan, she knew exactly what to do. Jared never got tired of dancing and neither did she. She was one of them.

What can a helpless human like you do when I have my back turned? Hitsugaya's voice echoed like a bell in her mind, so clear that he might as well have breathed in her ear.

"Oh!" she gasped and stumbled, and her rhythm of the waltz vanished in an instant. Her escort veered her off the dance floor with his hand on her back.

"Watch it!" He pulled her out of the way from a man stumbling, dazed from his new consumption of blood. It wasn't until they stepped out onto the gravel path, did Jagger lean her against a wired fence and she hugged herself. His eyes wavered, clearly concerned.

"I'm fine," she lied. "I just need some fresh air."

"Oh yeah before I forget," Jared said as he shrugged out of his jacket and slipped her arms through holes, "I found this for you."

He held a thumbnail size pendant, she recognized his insignia: red and black yin-yang, he fastened it onto her silver chained necklace.

"Be right back," he told her, clipping her necklace back on. "I'll get you some tea."

Jared came back within seconds, before she took the cup; a flash in the shadows behind Jared shoulder caught her eye. A waiter nodded and was on his way again as Hinamori frowned. When she was about to take a sip, something like a small petal floated to the surface of her tea. When she looked down at the green liquid, the only object she saw was a rolled up leaf. They were abundant outside this time of the year, wilting from trees over the nearby forests. The leaf was crispy in her mouth as she slipped it between her lips and placed her hand over her mouth to slip it back out. Jared turned to her from his chatter. "Tea leaves."

"I'll get you another one."

Before she could protest, her hands were empty and he was out of sight again. Jagger was such a good decent night creature. She wished he'd accompanied someone who wouldn't distract him in more ways than one. With her fingers she pulled apart the leaf and she noticed the tiny strip of white from under the folds as it unfurled itself, revealing a message in green ink: "The descendant requests your presence. An ally is gone. Darkness has arrived. See you at the tallest tower."

Authors Note: Special thanks go to: SoullessReaper and Hirako Senna for their alerts! Super special thanks and congrats goes to Kaishi-chan for being my 300th reviewer! And hugs to those who've been supporting me for months on this story! (you know who you are). See you soons.