Here's 26. I hope this one answers some questions, and I imagine I'm going to hear a bunch about this one. A lot happens, and I hope you didn't see it coming, so enjoy. -DarkSwordMage
Chapter 26: Cleaning Up A Mess
"What's wrong Ageha-san?" Tsukune inquires curiously; the Aono vampire's interest peeked by the busty Succubi's arrival. Being Kurumu's mother Ageha tends to give them their privacy and is much more hesitant than Shade to barge in on them when they're alone together.
"There's a guest here that needs to speak with you Tsukune." Ageha says again, standing in the doorway with her arms crossed beneath her bosom; the maternal Succubus smiling amicably in spite of the situation.
Maybe it's a cop come here to talk about what happened with Trevor…
"All right." Tsukune agrees with a nod, throwing off the blankets.
Still dressed in his boxers Tsukune gets out of bed and bends down, picking up his discarded pants. Pulling them on the Aono vampire grabs his shirt, pulling it down over his head while both mother and daughter watch, the Aono vampire running his hands down the front of the shirt, smoothing any lumps from the fabric. Sighing Tsukune runs his hands through his hair, pulling some of the knots from his dark locks.
Satisfied that he is somewhat presentable Tsukune starts toward the door. Ageha stepping aside to allow him to pass and Kurumu quickly scrambling off the bed to follow him. The two succubi following close behind Tsukune walks into the hall and makes a right; heading for the stairs. Unlike the night before the club is quiet and the air still. The night before the air had been filled with the smells smoke and sweat and odors that Tsukune chooses not to think about, lest he start gagging. Opening the door Tsukune can see to the opposite end of the club, on any given night such a feat would be otherwise impossible thanks to the horde of customers that visit the den of inequity each evening. On his left the Aono vampire can smell a live human's scent, following the scent with his eyes Tsukune takes in the sight of Shade sitting at the bar, her back to him with a human man in his late twenties to early thirties standing next to her.
Unlike Shade the man has close cropped dark hair cut in a militaristic style. There are several visible scars on his face, one going down his right eye, splitting his eyebrow. Another scar cuts across his nose, a third running down his left cheek. He's dressed in a white t shirt and slacks, a biker jacket hanging open on his shoulders.
On the bar next to him Tsukune can see a folded up newspaper. In front of Shade is a bottle of whiskey, the black label a dead giveaway what brand Shade is drinking. As Tsukune watches Shade grabs the bottle and raises it to her lips, drinking the whiskey straight from the source, taking a long drink from the bottle before lowering it to the bar.
Well, who needs a glass?
"This is the third killing like this in over two weeks, something is fucking going on." The man grumbles insistently toward Shade, the Arch Succubus rolling her eyes in exasperation before raising the bottle once more to her lips and taking a long drink from the whiskey in response to the man's declaration.
Carefully walking toward the bar with Kurumu and Ageha behind him Tsukune keeps his eyes on this scarred newcomer. As far as Tsukune knows this man isn't Shade's friend, and judging from the way he's talking and Shade's body language the Aono vampire is almost sure his purpose here isn't to fill the revolving door position that is Shade's lover. Their eyes' meeting a scowl comes to the man's lips, the strange scarred man turning his full attention to the Aono vampire.
"Who is your friend Shade-san?" Tsukune asks in English, trying to speak casually and be as non-threatening as possible.
The man's eyes look him up and down, a scoff passing the man's haggard lips.
"This is the bloodsucker you were telling me about?" He asks with his voice gruff and filled with sarcasm. Next to him at the bar Shade takes another drink from the whiskey.
Bloodsucker?
Hearing that Tsukune takes a half step back warily. With his tone and the way the man looks at him, Tsukune is almost certain the man knows that he's a vampire, and if that's the case…
If that's the case he's either another monster or he's here because there's a problem and he wants to involve me in it…
"This is Tsukune Aono, the vampire that's been living with us." Shade introduces him to the man at the bar, speaking like the fact that he's a vampire is common knowledge.
Watching him the human doesn't even flinch in surprise. Seeing him casually accept the fact that a vampire is standing right in front of him, the hairs on the back of Tsukune's neck rise in warning.
"Who are you?" Tsukune regards the scarred human suspiciously, eying the man when he simply accepts Shade's declaration of his vampirism without batting an eye in surprise.
"My name is Samuel, and I hunt monsters."
What…?
"You…hunt monsters?" Tsukune slowly repeats his declaration, the vampire surprised by the sudden and albeit crazy introduction.
"You recognize this?" The man asks, ignoring Tsukune's question and grabbing the newspaper on the bar and holding it up for Tsukune to see, showing the Aono vampire the front page of the local newspaper, a headline reading 'Young woman savagely murdered' in big capital letters with a picture of a red haired woman smiling at the audience.
"No." Tsukune answers his question, his eyes darting between the newspaper and the self-proclaimed monster hunter. "Why would I?"
"A vampire murdered this girl last night." Samuel answers him, the man's voice dripping with accusation.
Standing behind him both Ageha and Kurumu watch the monster hunter like a hawk. The three of them have been living in Las Vegas for years and this is not the first time Samuel or someone like him has come to Devil's Little Angels.
Narrowing his eyes toward the monster hunter Tsukune's hand unconsciously drifts toward the Rosario on his left wrist, the Aono vampire ready to rip it off and defend himself if need be.
"You think I killed that girl last night?" Tsukune asks; picking up on Samuel's accusation.
"Did you?" Shade asks inquisitively, the Arch Succubus speaking with her back to him from her seat at the bar.
"No." Tsukune growls in frustration. "I was at dinner with Ria for most of the evening and when I was done with that I came back here."
"Did you really?" Samuel asks curiously. "You didn't stop on the way for a little chop and suck?"
"No." Tsukune denies again, frustration beginning to build inside the Aono vampire.
"How can I believe you?" Samuel asks inquisitively, and Tsukune sighs in frustration.
"What time did she die?" Tsukune asks coldly.
"12:30 last night." Samuel answers off the top of his head, the fact committed to memory.
"Then Tsukune couldn't have done it." Kurumu speaks up, stepping forward to be next to him and show her support. "We were in bed together last night, so unless he could be in two places at once…"
Kurumu leaves the rest of that thought hanging in the air. Tsukune can't possibly be in two places at the same time, so it isn't possible that he could be in bed with Kurumu and kill a girl at the same time.
"I do remember you came in around 10 and you went upstairs and never came down again." Ageha offers her proverbial 'two cents' on the situation, Samuel lowering the newspaper to the bar, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly.
"You honestly think he didn't do it?" Samuel asks, looking at Tsukune but speaking to Shade, the Arch Succubus turning her head to the side and meeting his gaze without flinching.
"Honestly hon?"
"Yes, honestly." Samuel grumbles and Shade slowly shakes her head no, turning her gaze away from Samuel.
"No, I don't think he did, he isn't the sort." Shade answers him. "Plus, little Mumu-chan will give him all the blood he wants willingly."
"Mumu-chan…?" Samuel mutters and Kurumu blushes lightly at her aunt's use of her hated nickname.
Kurumu wraps her arms around her destined one possessively, staring at Samuel, the young Succubus ready to spring into action to defend him from the self proclaimed killer if need be. Looking at the sight of Kurumu clutching onto Tsukune so possessively a grin splits the scarred man's lips.
"Buddy, you must be some kind of monster."
From her seat the bar Shade chuckles mirthfully.
"Hon, you really have no idea." Shade comments, raising the bottle to her lips and taking yet another drink from the whiskey.
"You know that isn't healthy for you." Ageha scolds her older sister, Shade glancing over her left shoulder toward her younger sister.
"And neither is moping around like a lost puppy and trying to kill yourself."
Hearing that Kurumu's mother scowls as though she's swallowed something sour.
"…Touché…" Ageha admits with a slight nod, the word bitter to the maternal succubus.
Turning away Shade turns back to her whiskey, Tsukune ignoring the back and forth between the two siblings. Whatever they're talking about happened in the past and whatever thoughts of suicide Ageha had the maternal succubus has obviously either not acted on them or gotten past them. Either way it won't do Tsukune any good to go digging into the matter further, at least not right now…
"Do you still think I killed that girl?" Tsukune asks, bringing the conversation back to its original subject. Samuel leaning back against the bar, smiling smugly.
"Did you?" He asks again, and Tsukune stifles a growl.
"No." The Aono vampire snaps the word, his patience quickly thinning.
"Then you won't have any issues with helping me find and grease the one who did." Samuel grins at him, and Tsukune blinks in surprise.
"You're going to kill him?" Tsukune asks curiously, Samuel tilting his head to the side, his voice taking on a tint of sarcastic curiosity.
"Is that a problem?" He asks, and Tsukune looks into his eyes, his own gaze hard and unflinching.
"We have a society and laws, I've got connections, let me use them to contact the vampire rulers of this area and they will stop this without making a scene." Tsukune counters, sarcasm filling the monster hunter's features at Tsukune's suggestion.
"The only thing you freaks will do is give him a medal and maybe a bloodsucker image award." Samuel counters. "This freak greased an innocent girl, and I'm not going to let him get away with it."
"So you'll trust a vampire to help you?" Tsukune asks, and Samuel's grin never falters.
"You try anything with me; I'll soak your rice eating ass in holy water and then lop your head off before I torch your fucking corpse."
"That's so comforting." Tsukune mutters with sarcasm heavy in his voice. "You do know that Asians do eat other things other than rice?" Tsukune offers informatively and Samuel shrugs his shoulders indifferently.
"I'm going too." Kurumu speaks up next to him, Tsukune blinking in surprise at the sudden declaration.
"One monster along for the ride is one too many Busty." Samuel denies her request. "No way am I taking a vampire and a succubus along for the ride."
"I can help." Kurumu insists, and Tsukune slowly shakes his head no.
"It's OK Kurumu-chan." Tsukune speaks softly, assuaging the Succubi's fears. "I'll be fine. You were exiled because you nearly revealed the existence of your race before, and you're on probation. If something happens and you do something you could be killed."
Bringing that up Tsukune does feel like a heel. That memory holds a lot of significance for both Aono Tsukune and Kurono Kurumu. For Kurumu it was the last time she saw her destined one for several years. For Tsukune it was proof of how far Kurumu was willing to go for him and the event that ultimately led to the greatest injustice he personally feels responsible for.
"All right…" Kurumu agrees with a solemn nod.
"I promise I'll come back Kurumu-chan." Tsukune assures her quietly.
Hugging him tighter Kurumu lowers her voice to a whisper.
"Be careful Tsukune."
"I will Kurumu-chan."
Standing there it's difficult for Tsukune to wrap his head around the kind of feeling that the succubus in his arms must feel for him. He is after all more or less responsible for her current situation. If not for his refusal to even at least consider Kurumu she would still be living in Japan, not in Las Vegas working as a stripper.
"How touching…" Samuel grumbles sarcastically. "Does anyone else feel the need to blow chunks?"
Slowly disengaging from Kurumu Tsukune focuses his full attention on the self-proclaimed monster hunter. If it is in fact a vampire that has 'gone rogue' and is killing people and putting their entire race at risk of revelation to humanity Tsukune wants to stop him, not only to protect the other vampires but to prevent another human from being hurt.
"What do you need me to do?" Tsukune ignores the human's sarcasm.
"Follow me." He says, pushing off the bar and walking past Kurumu, Tsukune and Ageha as he heads for the door.
Falling into step behind the scarred man the two of them make it to the door when Shade speaks up, stopping both Samuel and the Aono vampire in their tracks.
"Make sure he gets back, or I'll personally rip your tiny little pecker off." Shade warns the man, Samuel swallowing the saliva in his mouth.
She just might too…
"Of course." Samuel grumbles, a part of Tsukune reveling in Shade's open admission of his male inadequacy.
XXX
Leaving Devil's Little Angels both Tsukune and the monster hunter Samuel walk around the club to the garage behind the club, a strange silver 1967 Pontiac GTO that Tsukune's never seen before parked in front of the garage where Ageha keeps her husband's car. Looking at the car it's in pristine condition, not a scratch or speck of dirt on the silver paint.
"Get in." The monster killer grumbles as he walks around the driver's side of the car.
"What's the plan?" Tsukune asks curiously, Samuel already halfway into the car while Tsukune stops at the passenger door, leaning on the roof of the sports car.
"The plan is you're going to get in the car and we're going to go lie in wait for the bloodsucking freak preying on innocent people." Samuel growls at him, getting into the car.
Sighing Tsukune silently opens the door and gets inside, recognizing and smelling the leather interior inside the vehicle. The Aono vampire sends a silent look toward the driver, the human ignoring him as he starts the car, the engine rumbling to life.
Buckling his seatbelt the car swiftly pulls into motion, Tsukune doing his best to try and relax as the GTO pulls around the club, eventually pulling onto the strip, his life literally in the hands of the self-proclaimed killer of 'monsters' like him sitting next to him.
Well, here goes nothing…
XXX
Twenty minutes later the car pulls into a parking lot, Samuel shifting the stick into neutral before he kills the engine, heaving a sigh as he sits back in the seat.
"We're here." Samuel offers in a clipped tone, undoing the seatbelt and getting out of the car.
Not sure what else to do Tsukune decides to follow his apparent ally and gets out of the car. Closing the door behind him Tsukune watches as the man walks around to the trunk, Tsukune following to see as the man opens the trunk.
Looking inside the Aono vampire lets out a low whistle. Inside Tsukune can see all sorts of weapons, from guns to swords, nearly every kind of weapon the Aono vampire can imagine is stored in the car's trunk.
Tsuara would absolutely love this…
Watching silently Samuel reaches into the trunk, pushing aside a sawed off double barrel shotgun before grasping what looks like a small yellow water pistol.
A squirt gun? He knows about our weakness to water?
"Holy water." Samuel grins, showing him the small plastic water pistol before he stuffs it into the back of his waistband, making sure to conceal the weapon with his jacket.
With that done Samuel once again reaches into the trunk, grabbing a machete from the pile of weapons and slipping it into an unseen holster underneath his coat.
"How do you know about our weakness to water?" Tsukune asks inquisitively, Samuel grinning victoriously as he shuts the trunk lid with a loud 'thud.'
"I was taught all sorts of tricks." Samuel grins. "Best plan for dealing with a bloodsucker is spray it with holy water to incapacitate it and then lop its fanged head off." Reaching into his pocket Samuel withdraws a gold Zippo lighter. "Burn the body afterward, just to make sure."
Looking at him a very unhealthy grin splits Samuel's lips, and a shiver runs down Tsukune's spine at the sight of it.
"You look unhealthily happy right now." Tsukune comments and Samuel shrugs indifferently.
"What can I say? I love greasing you arrogant sons of bitches."
Arrogant? He's definitely dealt with other vampires before. I wonder, how many other vampires has he killed who haven't followed the rules?
"So…" Tsukune begins amicably, changing the subject. "What are we doing here?"
Smiling Samuel walks toward the front of the car, Tsukune choosing to follow on the opposite side of the car, in case Samuel chooses to suddenly use that water pistol and spray him with it before he decides to lop Tsukune's head off just for laughs.
"Each of the victims was last seen at the open air café across the street before they were killed." Samuel informs him as he sits on the hood of the car.
Walking around to the front of the car Tsukune stops, looking across the street at the open air café Samuel mentioned.
It looks exactly like what it is, a functional open air café in Las Vegas. Thanks to the climate the people of the city hardly have to worry about rain. Looking at it Tsukune quickly takes in that it's sparsely populated. Of course it's nearly noon, and Tsukune is sure that the lunch crowd will be coming soon.
"Where are the police?" Tsukune asks, leaning against the front of the car. "Why is this place even still open?"
Looking at him Samuel scoffs in disbelief.
"Seriously?" Samuel half asks, the Aono vampire meeting his gaze and holding it, the human monster hunter shaking his head slowly. "You seriously have no idea as to the murder rate in this city? It isn't like on TV, people are killed every night and the real LVPD isn't nearly as thorough as that crap you see on the boob tube. This is a legitimate business and the police haven't even made the connection between the victims, the killings are too spread apart and the police are spread too thin, plus they aren't even going to consider that it's a vampire out here killing people."
"What's the plan?" Tsukune asks gamely, leaning against the hood of the car.
"The plan is we wait here until you tell me when your fellow bloodsucker shows up, you point him out to me and then you stay the hell out of my way, understand?"
"I take it you've fought a vampire before?" Tsukune asks, and the man looks at him, pointing to the obvious scar on his right cheek.
"How do you think I got this?" He asks bitterly.
Swallowing Tsukune mentally kicks himself.
Good job genius, keep it up and he'll burn you right alongside the one killing people…
"Take a load off." Samuel says, patting the spot on the hood next to him. "We're gonna be here a while."
XXX
Five hours later the sun has begun to fall and the two of them are still in the parking lot, sitting on the hood of the GTO in silence, each of them watching the open air café across the street. Unfortunately for Tsukune he can't remain in the sun forever or at best he'll get bad sunburn, so every other hour he retreats into the car while Samuel remains on the hood, the monster hunter ever vigilant even though Tsukune hasn't detected even a hint of another vampire's scent on the wind.
Getting out of the car Tsukune sits down the hood of the car carefully, making sure not to scratch it. Samuel sends a momentary glance toward him, the monster hunter taciturn since parking the car and running Tsukune through the plan to kill the offending vampire.
"So…" Tsukune begins slowly. "How did you get involved in all this?"
Samuel looks toward him skeptically, the monster hunter's face filled with distrust.
"Seriously? You even give a shit why I do this?"
"Well yeah." Tsukune agrees with a shrug. "This isn't exactly something that someone would do without a good reason…"
"Yeah, well piss off freak." Samuel rejects his inquiry. "The last thing I wanna do is tell my life story to some smug blood sucking monster that's been drinking blood longer than I've been alive."
"I wasn't always a vampire, and I'm not that old." Tsukune corrects him. "I was born human, and I'm only twenty-three."
"Seriously?" Samuel regards him with a hint of skepticism, the Aono vampire nodding in confirmation.
"I was human until I got into a special High School; one of them turned me then. My parents are human and have no idea what's happened."
"What about the bloodsucker that turned you?"
A frown parts the Aono vampire's lips.
"I met her in school, thought I was in love with her."
"Let me guess…" The monster hunter begins slowly. "She turned you without telling you and now you hate her for taking your humanity from you?"
"Not at all." Tsukune says with a shake of his head. "She turned me to save my life; if not for her I'd be dead."
"O-kay…so what happened?"
"I fell in love with an illusion." Tsukune says dismissively. "I know now that it was never real, not for her."
Scoffing in disgust the monster hunter shakes his head slowly.
"Of course it wasn't real you stupid shit." Samuel berates him. "She's a goddamn bloodsucking monster; the only thing she cares about is where her next meal comes from."
"You know…" Tsukune begins with a weary sigh. "There's probably some truth to that."
"Believe me." Samuel continues absolutely. "If you're smart you'll just grease yourself and get it over with. Nothing good ever comes from a vampire."
"What makes you so sure?" Tsukune asks curiously, and Samuel sighs, pointing to the scar over his left eye.
"I didn't always hunt monsters." Samuel begins slowly, taking a deep breath to continue. "Used to be I was a normal schmuck, had a fiancée, was gonna get married, had a house, the whole nine yards."
"What happened?" The Aono vampire asks quietly.
Taking a deep breath Tsukune can see bitter memories playing across Samuel's eyes, the scarred man reliving a horrible experience in his past that he would sooner bury than ever speak of again.
"I came home early one night and saw the door to our house busted in." He begins quietly. "I heard my fiancée faintly screaming and I ran inside to see a vampiress holding her against the wall, feeding off of her like some demonic leech. I tried to stop it but the bitch threw me aside like I didn't weigh an ounce, draining my fiancée dry before she turned toward me. I was so afraid, and as she stood there looking at me with those inhuman red eyes she began to laugh." He continues, pausing a shiver runs down his spine. "I'll never forget that laugh, so long as I live."
"What happened? How did you survive?"
"Stroke of luck." He continues. "I landed near an end table with a glass of water on it. In a panic I grabbed the glass and chucked it at her, thinking that the broken glass might slow her down. She must not have been paying attention because she got hit with the glass and when the water hit her she began to scream. After that she ran for the hills."
"Talk about a stroke of luck…" Tsukune mutters and Samuel nods in agreement.
"Yeah…" He begins slowly. "I went looking for revenge and that led me to someone who taught me what to do, how to kill bloodsuckers and all manner of monsters that wanna feast on human flesh. The price for that knowledge was he wanted me to work for him as an enforcer, killing any monsters that don't toe the line."
"You agreed to get revenge." Tsukune summarizes, and the hunter slowly bobs his head in agreement.
"Problem is it isn't that easy." Samuel continues. "That night I hardly got a good look at her and she didn't bother to introduce herself before she took off. I gave my benefactor all the information I had and he said he would look into it for me."
"Have you found her?" Tsukune asks, and Samuel shakes his head no.
"Nope, but I've been close a couple of times." He admits with a weary sigh. "Once a year she likes to go out and gorge herself on fresh blood, but every time it's someplace new and there's no discernable pattern to the locations." He continues, turning his gaze toward Tsukune. "You know any chicks that do that?"
The only woman I know that would something like that would be Ria, but she doesn't need to kill and there's no way Issa would let her do something to reveal their existence like that.
"No." Tsukune says with a shake of his head. "I don't know anyone who does that."
Leaning forward Samuel grabs him by the collar, the human staring into his eyes; desperation clear as day in the hunter's dark gaze.
"Don't lie." Samuel insists. "If you ever were truly human don't lie to protect one of those blood sucking fucks!"
"I honestly don't know any vampires that gorge themselves once a year." Tsukune insists truthfully. "If I did, I would tell you but I don't."
"What about you?" Samuel asks, and Tsukune breaks eye contact with him.
"I normally use blood packets or I feed off of a willing donor." Tsukune explains for him. "I normally take a pint or less, just enough to sate the thirst and that's it. I've only ever killed in self-defense."
Chuckling the monster hunter releases his hold on Tsukune's collar. Watching him Samuel returns his attention toward the café across the street, his voice holding an absolute promise.
"Mark my words, in a few years that will change, I guarantee it."
Turning away from the jaded human Tsukune opens his mouth to argue that point when a familiar scent wafts into his nose.
"One is coming." Tsukune says in a clipped tone and Samuel blinks in surprise.
"Where?" He asks in a low whisper.
"Across the street." Tsukune says matter of factly.
Nodding Samuel gets off the hood, Tsukune following suit. The two of them quickly move to the sidewalk, two pairs of dark eyes scanning the opposite side of the street. Tsukune looks up and down the street, searching when he spots a man in a red hooded jacket with the hood up. Looking down at his wrist Tsukune can see a bracelet with a chain attached at his right wrist, and something inside Tsukune tells him that the hooded man is the one they're looking for.
"Red hood." Tsukune says quickly, pointing toward the man.
"You sure?" Samuel asks, the Aono vampire nodding positively.
"Yeah, pretty sure." Tsukune assures him, the monster hunter looking at the hooded man a moment.
The two of them remain, watching as the man sits down at a table at the café. The guy keeps his hood up as he orders, his gaze always pointing toward a woman sitting alone at a table reading a book.
"He'll try and ambush her in an alley or somewhere away from people." Samuel begins quickly. "We'll watch and wait and when he makes his move, we strike."
"Got it." Tsukune says with a nod.
XXX
Walking down the street red haired Jennifer Olson has had a long day. Working in the lobby of the Planet Hollywood she's seen just about everything her mind can imagine, from Science Fiction Conventions to shows based around those weird Japanese cartoons, not to mention Comic book conventions…
A shiver runs down her spine at the thought of a collection of ten thousand greasy nerds getting together to bitch and complain about the plot of the latest superhero comic book. At 5'8" tall and 180 pounds with 36DD breasts and a coke bottle frame she's gotten more than her fair share of nerds trying to pick her up. She's dressed rather plainly, a t shirt and jeans with comfortable sneakers. It's her day off and she went out to eat at a local outdoor café.
Hanging a right down the alley Jennifer is on her way home, walking the route that she's walked a hundred times before when suddenly someone comes from behind her. She catches a glimpse of a red hooded jacket and white fangs before she's forcefully pressed against the brick building on her right, the right side of her face smashed against the brick, her assailant pulling her red hair aside, exposing the crook of her neck. Hearing him draw in an anticipatory breath terror floods into her system, somehow the woman knows that the man is going to bite her neck and kill her.
"Let her go!" A man with a thick Japanese accent shouts out, Jennifer looking in time to see an Asian man tackle her assailant, pulling the man in red off of her and knocking him to the ground. Holding her would be assailant down her Asian savor struggles to keep him on the ground, turning his gaze toward her only momentarily. "RUN!"
Nodding Jennifer doesn't need to be told twice. Taking off down the alley the red haired woman doesn't look back, putting as much distance between her and her would be killer.
She's halfway home before she thinks to use her cell phone and call the police.
XXX
Holding his fellow vampire on the ground Tsukune clutches at his wrists, wanting to keep the other vampire from getting to his seal and removing it. The last thing Tsukune wants to do is deal with a released vampire, which would mean having to remove his own seal and probably cause Samuel to want to kill him more than the vampire he's currently struggling with.
The two of them wrestling a moment the red hooded vampire sniffs, his struggles stopping his blue eyes look out from beneath the hood toward Tsukune.
"…Brother…?" The man mutters curiously, realizing that the Asian man on top of him is a fellow vampire.
"Now Samuel!" Tsukune calls out to the monster hunter.
Out of nowhere a stream of water lances out, aimed at the red hooded vampire but spraying across them both. The water touching his exposed skin Tsukune suddenly feels as though his skin is on fire, electricity leaping across his body the pain stronger than every other time he was exposed to water as a vampire. Clenching his teeth together to keep himself from screaming Tsukune does his best to hold the murdering vampire down as Samuel continues to spray them both with holy water.
The vampire murderer opens his mouth to scream but no sound passes his lips. He's never experienced so much pain before, combined with the electricity not only from his own body but from the sacrificial vampire on top of him the young pure blood can't suck in the air to scream he's in so much pain.
After ten seconds Tsukune can't take it anymore and rolls off of the vampire criminal, doing his best to put as much distance between him and the criminal vampire that Samuel is going to decapitate and then incinerate. With Tsukune out of the way Samuel heartlessly empties the rest of the water onto the criminal vampire, the hunter grinning sadistically as he sprays the remainder of his holy water onto the condemned vampire.
Tsukune watches as Samuel approaches the now downed vampire. Given time the criminal vampire could conceivably recover and fight back, but that will take time, and Samuel isn't going to give the vampire the time. Reaching into his jacket the monster hunter withdraws his machete, raising the blade the criminal vampire looks up with terror in his eyes before Samuel brings the blade down with a wet noise.
CHOP.
Tsukune watches as Samuel raises the blade again, blood soaking the stainless steel blade, the cut only halfway through to the spine. Growling with effort Samuel brings the blade down again, cutting the rest of the way through the vampire's neck and cutting its head off.
CHOP!
Nodding satisfied Samuel turns away from the decapitated vampire, turning his attention toward Tsukune. Lying there in the alley Tsukune feels a moment of terror as Samuel approaches him with a bloody machete in hand. Tsukune's strength is mostly gone, and he's still in a lot of pain. Watching Samuel approach Tsukune wonders for a moment whether or not the monster hunter is going to use that machete on him or help him up.
Stopping over him Samuel looks down at him a moment, Tsukune partly curled up in the fetal position Samuel shakes his head slowly before he thankfully sets the bloody machete down. Seeing that Tsukune feels a sigh of relief wash over him as Samuel reaches out, offering him a hand up.
"Thank you…" Tsukune mumbles weakly, reaching out and taking Samuel's offered hand.
"You did good..." Samuel praises him as he pulls Tsukune to his feet. "For a bloodsucking freak anyway."
"You could've tried not hitting me." Tsukune grumbles once he's on his feet, and Samuel shrugs indifferently.
"Couldn't be avoided." He says dismissively.
Standing there Tsukune watches as Samuel turns away from him and approaches the decapitated body, picking up the head by the hair and setting it down on the torso. Tsukune watches as Samuel withdraws a small bottle of lighter fluid and sprays it on the body, emptying the majority of the bottle before he reaches into another pocket and withdraws a torn rag. Spraying a small amount of lighter fluid on it Samuel empties the remainder onto the body before pocketing the empty bottle. Withdrawing his lighter Samuel flicks it on, lighting the piece of cloth on fire before dropping it onto the body.
The effect is immediate. The fire from the cloth spreads across the lighter fluid soaked body like dry wheat. Tsukune watches a moment as the flames spread across the body, the weary Aono vampire watching as the flickering fires suddenly stop the air around him suddenly still; every sound of Las Vegas around him stopping.
CLAP, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP.
"Impressive work!" A man's enthusiastic voice calls out from behind him.
Starting in surprise the Aono vampire spins on his heel, taking in the sight of a homeless man standing 6 feet down the alley from him. The man's clothes are in tatters and he has a scruffy and unkempt beard. His hair is covered by a dark knit cap and his pants and shirt have holes in them.
"Who are you?" Tsukune croaks weakly, his strength still mostly shot with his wet clothes searing his skin. "What's going on?"
"You mean this bucko?" The man asks, revealing the fact that he's missing several teeth, and those that he does have are a sickly shade of yellow, spreading his hands and opening his arms wide, as though gesturing to the world around them. "I've just slowed time to the point where one millisecond for everyone else is equal to over an hour for you and me." He explains matter of factly, as though it's no big deal.
"Time dilation?" Tsukune asks curiously. "That isn't possible!"
"Not possible for a monster, but it is for an Angel." The hobo counters, and Tsukune blinks in surprise.
In his later years at Yokai Academy Tsukune began to actively research the monster world. Figuring he was knee deep in monsters he felt obligated to try and learn as much as he could, all his knowledge until that point had been gleamed out of necessity, usually because his life or the lives of his friends depended on it. So, Tsukune began to research and learn as much about as many monster races as he could, and after a while he came to Angels. Being a school for monsters Tsukune thought that Angels were probably real and there were over a dozen recorded instances of them showing up among monsters. Unfortunately for Tsukune that's the opposite of what he found. Looking through several books Tsukune found zero concrete evidence of the existence of Angels and most 'creatures of light' that are in human legends. Ironically Angels are more of a mythological creature to monsters than they are to humans, so as far as the Aono vampire is concerned, Angels simply don't exist.
"Angel?" Tsukune asks disbelieving. "There's no such thing!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." The hobo clicks his tongue disapprovingly, shaking his head. "You shouldn't be fooled by this appearance; I'm just borrowing it so I can talk to you."
"So what are you doing? Possessing some homeless drifter?"
Looking at Tsukune the homeless drifter raises a single eyebrow sarcastically.
"If I were to appear before you in my true form you would explode." The Hobo explains sarcastically. "Not even a human can stand in an Angel's true presence. You're a vampire, an unholy abomination. Besides, right now this man thinks he's on a tropical island beach surrounded by big breasted women waiting on his every need."
"How can I possibly know that you're telling the truth?" Tsukune asks sarcastically, the Hobo grinning in response to his question.
"You mean besides the whole 'slow time to a crawl' thing?" The Hobo counters and the Aono vampire nods quickly.
The Hobo opens his mouth, and out of nowhere a light spills forth from the orifice, his eyes shining like twin stars. Looking at it the Aono vampire is forced to look away, raising his hands to shield himself from the light when a sound like a thousand horns assaults his ears. Standing there a moment the Aono vampire can feel the skin on his hands beginning to heat up, the flesh beginning to burn just from the light spewing from the Hobo's mouth and eyes. For several seconds it's all Tsukune can do to remain standing, the cacophony of horns drowning out anything else; the white light burning at his skin.
"OKAY!" Tsukune cries out as loud as he can. "I BELIEVE YOU!"
With that the light coming from the Hobo's mouth and eyes fades and the sound dwindles to nothing. Blinking Tsukune lowers his arms, his ears ringing the Aono vampire looks the homeless man up and down, stunned disbelief etched across his features. Meeting his gaze the homeless drifter grins, spreading his arms wide and looking at Tsukune with a jovial look on his face.
"What'd I tell ya?" He asks cheekily, and Tsukune swallows the saliva in his mouth, the Aono vampire nodding once again.
"What do I call you?" Tsukune asks, taking a half step back instinctually.
Seeing what he's seen and knowing what he knows about Angelic myths the Aono vampire isn't about to tussle with one. If the Angel can nigh stop time and make his ears ring and his skin burn with just light Tsukune can't even begin to imagine what the Angelic creature can do if he actually wants to hurt him.
"You kind calls me Azrael." The Hobo introduces himself. "And I've been watching you since the day you were born."
Standing there in that alley a shiver of terror runs down Tsukune's spine. The implications of those words if they're true are incredible, and not to mention dumbfounding.
"Why?" The Aono asks curiously. "What could you possibly gain by watching me?"
"Those were my orders." Azrael offers with a shrug. "Being an Archangel I'm one of the few creatures that communicate directly with the entity humanity calls God."
"The Christian God is real?" Tsukune asks; being raised in Japan the Aono vampire was raised atheist. He knows all about the religions of the world and respects their views and opinions, he just doesn't believe in them as well. As far as Tsukune is concerned, if he can see it and touch it, then it's real.
"As real as any of the other deities that humanity has prayed to over the millennia since the lights were turned on."
"Then what does he want from me? Why am I so important?"
Standing there Azrael slowly shakes his head, clicking his tongue in pity.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, it isn't what God wants from you; it's what he means for you." Azrael answers him, the Angel's words doing little to satisfy Tsukune's curiosity.
"If you ask me God wants me miserable." Tsukune counters darkly, and Azrael shakes his head slowly.
"Not quite…"
"What is it then?" Tsukune asks bluntly, anger beginning to form at the Angel's roundabout answers to his questions.
"You know…" Azrael begins slowly. "I had that exact same question when I first received the order. What possible reason could there be for an Archangel like me to watch over a measly human boy? To answer me I was allowed a glimpse of your Plan."
"My Plan?" Tsukune responds, sensing the capital 'P' in the word plan.
"You know." Azrael says with a wave of his hand. "What God means for you to do with your life, your destiny."
"Then what's in my plan?" Tsukune asks, narrowing his eyes toward the Angel standing six feet in front of him in the alley.
"I can't say." Azrael says with a shrug of his shoulders. "You have to figure that out for yourself like everyone else."
"Then why appear now?" The Aono vampire asks with a growl.
"Why, to congratulate you!" Azrael grins at him, pointing momentarily toward the monster hunter and the burning vampire corpse at his feet. "You passed the test!"
Test? Is he talking about killing a vampire that was hurting people? How is that possibly a test?
"Test, what test?"
Azrael motions toward the vampire with a wave of his hand.
"Why killing that vampire and working along a human that despises your kind." Azrael answers him. "When you met that man this morning Samuel believed you to be filth and through the course of a few hours you managed to sway a hatred so powerful and deeply rooted in his soul that it defined his life for over a decade."
"You didn't do that?" Tsukune asks, Azrael slowly shaking his head no.
"I have been involved with your life, but I'm forbidden from overtly interfering. I've made sure that things have turned out in your favor, like when Moka turned you. If not for me when you turned you would've become a mindless killing machine called a Ghoul."
Hearing that a thought occurs to the Aono vampire, the thought on his lips before he can even think about it.
"What about the argument I had with Moka about raising our children?" He asks heatedly, Azrael's lips splitting in a smug grin.
"I…was involved."
"So you controlled her and made her go as far as she did?" Tsukune asks, and the homeless drifter turned angel shakes his head no, chuckling playfully.
"Nope." Azrael assures him. "I told you, I can't overtly interfere. Do you remember that young mother you saw on your way home that day?"
Standing there the image is clear in his mind's eye. The day they'd decided to have children Tsukune and Moka had been out to lunch. On the way back they'd seen a young mother with a stroller smiling and looking happy. Seeing how happy she was with her child it had put the thought in both of their heads to have children. That night they'd agreed to have children together. It was a week and a half later that the subject of how they would be raised came up and the fateful argument began.
"That was you?" Tsukune asks, and Azrael nods.
"Yep." The Angel answers smugly. "I knew that Moka would react like she did and I knew that she would make demands of you that you wouldn't yield to and that ultimately it would break the two of you apart."
"You knew we would be separated because of this and yet you did it anyway!" Tsukune asks with his ire beginning to rise.
"You had to go through this ordeal." Azrael answers him matter of factly. "You'll be a stronger person because of it."
"What about Moka?" Tsukune asks angrily. "What's God's little plan for her?"
"I dunno." Azrael answers with a shrug. "I only glimpsed a part of your plan; God doesn't share his plan for each individual human with just anyone. God tells us what to do and we follow the orders without question, that's how it works."
"You just accept orders without questioning them?" Tsukune asks curiously.
"My brother Lucifer disobeyed, and for it God had my brother Michael cast him out of heaven. That sent a strong message, considering Lucifer was God's favorite until then."
"Then what is in my plan?" Tsukune asks curiously, trying to squeeze whatever information he can out of the enigmatic angel.
"All I can say is your name is going to go down in the annals of both human and monster history forever."
"That doesn't tell me anything." Tsukune counters, the Angel grinning and wagging his finger at the Aono vampire.
"Exactly." Azrael explains sarcastically. "I can't tell you anymore than what I've already said."
Standing there the Aono vampire sighs in frustration.
"Is there anything else?" Tsukune asks, feeling exasperated by his conversation with the Angel standing in front of him.
"Don't you have any other questions?" Azrael asks curiously. "I'm an Angel after all."
"No." The Aono vampire says with a shake of his head. "You've already answered every question I've got."
"I'll be in touch then." Azrael says in farewell.
Blinking the Hobo is suddenly gone, disappearing like he was never even there. In the next moment the silence is shattered, the sounds of the city filling his ears along with the sounds of flames crackling and the smell of burning flesh filling his nose. Standing there Tsukune watches the monster hunter turn around slowly, regarding the sealed vampire with curiosity in his dark gaze.
"Something wrong you bloodsucker?" Samuel asks, and Tsukune looks around quickly, searching for some sign of the Angel possessed drifter.
Sniffling the vampire can detect no sign of the homeless man's scent. Looking around there's no sign that a homeless man was there a moment ago, and Tsukune quickly looks back toward the monster hunter.
"No, nothing is wrong." Tsukune assures the monster hunter.
"If you smell something tell me." Samuel insists, turning away from the body and walking toward him.
"Thought I saw something." Tsukune informs the scarred man. "It was nothing, a trick of the light, let's just go."
"Let's." The monster hunter agrees with a nod.
Together the two of them step over the burning body and out of the alley, the two of them heading back toward Samuel's car.