Author's Notes: So... I kinda just start writing yesterday until I passed out. OO Writing Frenzy FTW!

"...Mrs. Sojer is the last drop-off. Just take her up her lunch and tell her that you're filling in for me. She's nice, but don't mention anything about me and Snicker. If they make her meatballs tomorrow, make sure that they don't season them. Oh! And check to make sure that her wrists aren't swelling again. If they are--"

"I'll take care of it," Gigi chuckled. "Don't worry about a thing. It's just three days. I can manage."

"Okay," Tsuna agreed while biting his lip.

"Is there anything else you need done while you're gone?"

"I wanted to count the safe," Tsuna answered with a grimace. "I didn't want to say anything, but I'm worried about how much we've all been spending lately. If it's as bad as I think it is, I was going to talk to Cassandra about cheaper meals. We need to start conserving better with the radio and the television. They don't need to be on all the time. Oh! And someone needs to go down to Summer's work at night while I'm gone. I got hired to keep gangs away from the place for some extra protection money. Shit. I also promised Mr. Young that I'd go by and inspect his dumpster. There's an arsonist that he wants me to catch. Go by and look at it for me and see if you can get any clues. Tell him I'll work on it as soon as I get back."

"Anything else?" Gigi asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah," Tsuna blurted as he continued packing his backpack with three days worth of clothes. "Ask Eric if he can hand out sandwiches for me. I won't be back until Sunday afternoon and everyone always looks forward to lunch on Sunday. Tell him to go with ham instead of baloney this time. The deli over across from the curry house always gives me a good deal when I go by there for supplies. Mila was supposed to come over for some help with her cookies, too. Her husband gave her another recipe that she can't get right. Tell her when she shows that she shouldn't separate the eggs. His mother always cut corners on cooking and it doesn't matter if the recipe says to use the whites only."

"Anything else?" Gigi gasped.

"Georgie should be stopping by on the day after tomorrow," he nodded. "He was supposed to let me know how the three guys I sent him is working out. Ask him and make sure that he hasn't been getting in any trouble over wearing our marker. I'm kind of worried that he might be targeted since he's out in the open and we've got both the Velvet Scats pissed at us, plus the Belfang Gang might be out for revenge. If he says that he's been worried lately, go down to the airport and see if you can find Tracer. He's a short guy that's just slightly smaller than me. Tracer is good with the street rats, so have him send a couple of kids to watch out for Georgie. They might be small, but they're mature for their age. They won't give Georgie trouble by sticking around and they can run here for help if something happens."

"Anything else?"

"Leo's classmate is missing a cat," Tsuna continued. "She should be bringing the picture today. See if one of the girls can help her make flyers and have them put them up. I also need Leo to do a tag for me on Summer's work. Tell her not to do anything big, but we need to let the other gangs know that the place is ours. I figure that putting our sign up might get them to back off. Rumors are starting to get around about us and I figure that they'll come straight here when they see the sign instead of bothering with the cafe. Tell her to tell the owner what she's doing and to get permission first. We don't need her going to juvie."

"Please tell me that you're almost done," Gigi pleaded. Tsuna froze in the middle of preparing another list of requests and laughed.

"Sorry," he grinned. "I guess I have more on my plate than I realized. Just one more. Have Ore tell the gym that I won't be coming anymore."

"Why?!" Gigi gasped. "After what happened the other day--"

"Nothing happened," Tsuna said firmly, shoving the last piece of clothing into his bag much harder than intended. "I'm not bringing in enough money to justify how much it costs to go and I don't have time to work for it. Don't worry. I'll be fine with the workout equipment that we've got here. As long as I keep up with my workouts, I should be fine."

"B-But--"

"Gigi," he interrupted solemnly, pausing once his bag was zipped closed. "I've realized that it's not skill or ability that I'm lacking. No amount of training is going to help if I'm too scared to use what I know. Going to the gym isn't going to help me at all anymore. Since I know that, there's no point in me going."

"B-But--"

"No buts," he chuckled as he threw his bag on. "I've made up my mind, so just tell Ore for me. Make sure to take care of Snicker for me while I'm gone." Reaching out, he gave Gigi a small hug before heading for the stairs out of his room.

"You better come back!" Gigi exclaimed as he chased down the stairs after him. "And call us if you decide to come home early! We'll come pick you up!"

"I will," Tsuna promised. Reaching the ground floor, he blushed slightly at the sight of everyone standing around and waiting on him.

"Are you sure about this?" Snicker asked worriedly, reaching out to hold Tsuna in a bear hug. "Is there any way that I can talk you out of it?"

"It's okay, Snicker," he soothed. "It's better this way. I don't want to have to be watching my back constantly over the next two weeks that they're here. If I'm there for the welcoming party, they'll stay away after that."

"Still..." Snicker grumbled, holding him almost possessively. "Can't you come right back here afterward?"

"No," Tsuna said, shaking his head. "Poe said that I shouldn't. I'm sure he has his reasons. He's got me a hotel room set up that I'll have all to myself. Just think of it as me going to a health spa. He promised that I'll come back relaxed and refreshed."

"I don't want you to go," he whispered, hugging even tighter so that Tsuna could barely breathe.

"Poe will take care of me," Tsuna choked out. "It'll be fine, so stop squeezing me so hard." Snicker let go with a sheepish blush while everyone else chuckled at the unintended display. "Don't worry so much, Snicker. I'll call tomorrow afternoon and check in. You just go to work in the morning like usual and enjoy your weekend off."

"That's impossible without you," Snicker replied quietly. Tsuna rolled his eyes over the cheesy words, but couldn't hide the wide smile of happiness that they caused.

"Give me a kiss," he ordered. "I've got to go. Poe said that the party started at seven and I'm supposed to show up at nine. He didn't want me coming earlier because, well, you know."

"No, I don't know," Snicker grimaced as he leaned forward. "And I don't think I want to." Tsuna laughed once more at him before retrieve the kiss that he'd requested. Once more, Snicker pulled him into a bear hug that even pulled his feet off the floor this time while he gave a kiss as if he were trying to suck the life out of him.

"Snicker!" He squealed breathlessly when he finally managed to pull away. "It's only three days!"

"Fine, fine," he grumbled, setting Tsuna back down. "Just be careful. You seem to have the worst luck when you're alone."

"I won't be alone," Tsuna grinned. "Poe will be there."

"Come on," Ore ordered, grabbing Tsuna by the back of the neck in order to propel him into the garage before one of the others could start drawing out the farewell. "I'll drive you." Giving a small shrug of acceptance, Tsuna gave everyone a small wave to say goodbye before following Ore as he wheeled his bike out the front doors. Tsuna goggled for a moment when he picked it up completely in order to lift it over parked cars and set it down into the lane marked out for people to open their doors without getting them knocked off by traffic. He did it so easily that it left Tsuna breathless, after which he sat down on it like nothing special had happened. "Get on," he ordered.

"Where?" Tsuna asked curiously, having never rode on Ore's bike before. There didn't look to be room since Ore had to sit all the way at the back edge of the seat in order for his long arms and legs to be comfortable.

"Right here," Ore said, pointing to the open space in front of himself. "Just get on and I'll show you." Tsuna obeyed, slipping his leg over the bike in order to sit in Ore's lap. He gasped when Ore pushed him backward between his legs and reached down to grab Tsuna's legs. Before Tsuna could even choke, Ore had Tsuna's feet placed on a bar peeking out from the sides of the steering column. "Keep them up there so they don't get in my way," he ordered as he slapped an overly-large helmet on Tsuna's head. "Push down all you want with your feet to keep yourself steady. Pressure on that doesn't affect my driving any. You can hold onto my arms, too, just make sure not to push on them."

"O-Okay," Tsuna agreed with a nod, his helmet falling down over his eyes with the slight movement. Ore gave a grunt to say that he heard and put his hands up into place on the handlebars at the same time that Tsuna pushed it back again. It took only two seconds to start since it had a modern key-ignition instead of a kick start engine. Before Tsuna was even aware of the light rumbling under his rear, Ore was already pulling the bike into traffic after knocking the kickstand back out of the way.

Riding in front of Ore was like nothing else. There was a secure feeling from having Ore's large frame protectively surrounding him and there was the free feeling from the lack of solid enclosure. It was like riding on a rollercoaster, where Ore's arms and legs were the restraining bar holding him into his seat. It was like flying, having nothing before him but wind and--

"Look out!" Tsuna squeaked as a car cut them off, reaching out to clutch Ore's arms in momentary panic.

"I got it," Ore called over the rumbling wind and engine, breaking just enough to let the car in before shooting into the gap that the car had left behind. It only got worse after that as Ore took turns getting cut off and cutting others off in a ruthless battle against traffic. Tsuna lost count of how many times he squealed and how many times he screamed in panic, all while Ore seemed to get more and more excited until he finally seemed to burst. "Isn't this OUTRAGEOUS?! Motorcycles are the best!"

Tsuna mentally noted to never ride with Ore again. By the time that they reached the hotel and Ore fell to a stop at the lobby doors, Tsuna felt like fainting. He'd never had so many close calls in his life. Forget rollercoasters. Forget flying. Riding with Ore was like running in front of a wall of spikes while dodging ten-foot tall pachinko balls. There were few experiences that were as terrifying.

"Call me when you're ready to come home," Ore said as Tsuna thrust his helmet at him with shaking hands. "I'll come pick you up."

"I'll take a taxi," Tsuna countered unsteadily, feeling as if his hair should be standing on end like a startled cat's.

"Hey, Suoh," Ore called when Tsuna started to head inside. Tsuna paused and turned back to him in askance, only to find Ore wearing an unnaturally quiet expression. "I'm sorry about the other day. I jumped to conclusions. I know that you wouldn't cheat on Snicker. It was just hard for me to realize it because Isaac and me go back a long way. Isaac is devoted to the Family and it was just hard for me to believe that he'd lie to me. Once I figured out that Isaac had been lied to, too, I felt outrageously shitty about how I acted toward you. So, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," he replied with a small smile. "Isaac was just doing his job and you were just looking out for Snicker. I don't blame either of you. Just take care of Snicker for me and I'll be back in a few days."

"Alrighty," he nodded. Slapping on his helmet, he gave a small salute before driving away. Tsuna watched him go before heading for the doors once more.

He was stopped before he ever set foot inside.

"I'm sorry, sir," the greeter at the door said, bodily barring his way inside. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I'm meeting someone--"

"You'll have to meet them out here, sir," the old man said bluntly. "I can't let you inside. The lobby is not for random rendezvous. It's for guests only."

"But the person I'm meeting told me to come here!" Tsuna exclaimed. "He said that his friends were staying at this hotel! You've got to let me go in!"

"Please leave before I call the police," the man replied coldly. "This hotel caters to the highest class of wealth. I doubt that one such as yourself could possibly know anyone--"

"Suoh!" Poe snapped, sticking his head out the door. "You're late. Get in here!" Tsuna couldn't help it when the doorman froze with a poleaxed look on his face. He stuck his tongue out at the snobby man before slipping past him to get in the door. It served him right for judging people by their looks. Tsuna knew that his clothes weren't designer, but his word was just as good as those who wore designer brands. "Did you tell Mukuro to keep his ass away tonight?"

"Yes," Tsuna answered as he followed Poe across the lobby. It felt strangely nostalgic to pass through the place. The last time that he'd walked through this very room had been at Xanxus' side. He wasn't sure if it was good luck that he remembered or bad. While the ending had sucked, he had to admit that he'd kind of enjoyed the time he'd spent with Xanxus. Maybe it was just hindsight and the fact that his ass wasn't hurting, but Xanxus hadn't treated him badly. Far from it, Xanxus had spoiled the hell out of him up until the end. It might have just been sex, but it'd been good sex. Really good. Good enough that--

"They're already enjoying themselves up in the penthouse," Poe said, making Tsuna belatedly push away his train of thought with a blush. "We'll stop by the room I got for you first and let you bathe."

"Bathe?" Tsuna spluttered. "But I already took a shower."

"You might have gotten something on you on the way over here," he countered coldly as they rode the elevator up into the hotel. "I've borrowed one of Nadia's handmaidens to help you prepare. It might be a little embarrassing, but do what she tells you. She's been through banquets in the past, so she knows the drill. I've got to go upstairs and make sure that they're satisfied with their main courses. They're probably starting to smell hints of you in the building, so I've got to make sure that they don't try to save room. It won't be pretty if one of them is hungry for more than just a nibble."

"That would be bad," Tsuna agreed.

"Look, Suoh," Poe sighed as they reached the floor directly under the penthouse. "I won't lie to you. They're probably going to do stuff to you that you might find either offensive or might think of as crossing the line. I told you before that the Council is used to getting what they want."

"What are you trying to say?" He asked worriedly. "What kind of things? I thought they were just going to bite me a little."

"Uh," Poe blushed along with giving a faltering chuckle that did nothing to soothe Tsuna's suddenly racing heart. "I can tell you that it'll be enjoyable if you don't fight it."

"What?!" Tsuna exclaimed, stopping in his tracks in the middle of the hallway. "You didn't tell me anything about that!"

"I didn't think you'd come," he replied honestly, reaching out to drag Tsuna behind him. "I know how devoted you are to Snicker, but you've got to put that aside for now. If you don't make the Council happy, they won't stop until they're satisfied. I've prepared a few things to help make sure that they are, but you've got to be willing to go along with it. It's going to be embarrassing and I know that you'll hate me later, but I can live with that."

"Is this why you wanted me to stay for three days?" Tsuna asked quietly when Poe fell to a stop outside a hotel room door. "I thought it was just--"

"It's so that you can get over the embarrassment, along with recovering from the shock," Poe said bluntly. "I figured that you wouldn't be able to face anyone right afterward. I also knew that you wouldn't want Snicker or the others to see how many bite marks that your going to get or where you're likely to get bitten. I never said that this was going to be easy. I just said that it'd be safer."

"You tricked me," he mumbled unhappily.

"I'll ask your forgiveness later," Poe replied. "If you don't want to do this, then you better leave now. I can't promise that you'll make it home intact. They're probably already getting excited upstairs. If you don't go up there--"

"I'll go," Tsuna said through clenched teeth. "I don't have a choice now."

"I won't tell anyone, Suoh," he soothed. "What happens here will stay here. I've got to go make sure the other desserts are being taken care of properly. I've already warned them that they might get bitten while they're working, but--"

"What other desserts?!" Tsuna choked.

"What?" Poe laughed as he opened the hotel room door and shoved Tsuna inside. "Did you think that you could satisfy all twelve on your own? I had to hire some help. Don't worry about that. Just get yourself prepared. I'll be back for you after I've made sure that everyone is enjoying their wine and I've announced your arrival."

"Wait--!" Tsuna gasped as the door slammed shut. Staring at it for a long moment, reality of his situation finally started to dawn on him. When Poe had described him as a dessert, he'd somehow gotten it in his head that he'd be sitting in a chair and they might nibble on his neck and his fingers a little bit. From what Poe was hinting at, it wouldn't be anything like that. He was going to get eaten!

"It'll be okay, Master Suoh," a feminine voice soothed from behind him. Tsuna let out a curse and spun in place in order to stare at the woman with wide eyes. It took several seconds before Poe's words came back to him. Handmaiden. Help him prepare. Right. "I'm Nadine," she introduced with a shy smile as Tsuna tried not to look at her skimpy, opaque costume. It had slave-girl written all over it. "If you will set your things down, I've already prepared a bath for you."

"You're not going to go in there with me, are you?" Tsuna asked as he hesitantly followed her instructions and laid his bag of clothes to the side.

"Do you want me to?" She teased. "Don't worry, I'm just here to give you instructions that Lord Poe wasn't permitted to give you earlier. Now, please hurry to the bath. He'll be back for you within the hour."

"What do you mean that he wasn't permitted?" He inquired as he headed for the bathroom. Upon entering, his eyes widened at the tub. It wasn't the small one that was meant for one person. Instead, it was a huge two-person heart-shaped affair which told him that he had to be in the honeymoon suite. Rose petals littered every inch of the bathroom, but Tsuna couldn't smell any of the perfumes and oils that he had expected when Poe had mentioned a special bath. On top of that, Nadine hadn't left any soaps or oils for him to use on himself. Not even so much as a shampoo bottle was in sight. "Um... What--"

"Just get in the tub," she ordered, already knowing the question he was going to ask. "I've already put in what is needed. The idea is to strip you down so that there's no smells interfering with your natural flavor. We have to get rid of whatever deodorant you used along with the smell of the stuff you use at home."

"Oh," Tsuna grunted with a small blush, shutting the door so that he could once more do like he was ordered. It wasn't what he expected, but he guess it made sense. His blood was what attracted Poe and his kind, so perfumes and oils would just get in the way of that. Getting undressed was only a matter of seconds. Knowing that he couldn't have his gloves on, he disarmed his blade from where it was strapped to his hand under his glove and wrapped it up in his shirt. Surprisingly, his other glove came off just as easily. It was strange, since he hadn't been able to take off his old X-Glove since he'd put it on back when he'd got into that brawl with Mukuro. Now wasn't the time to think of strange occurrences, however. He had to prepare. Dipping a foot in to check the temperature after tucking the special glove into his pants pocket, he gasped at the scalding hot water. Then he grimaced. He was going to be boiled alive, but he had to admit that there was no better way to cleanse himself. If any dirt or smells managed to hold onto him after a dip in such hot water, he'd eat his own hat. Although, there was one smell that made his eyes widen. "Is that pepper?!" He squealed.

Nadine roared with laughter outside the door.

"That's just me teasing you again," she laughed. "I thought about putting a couple slices of carrots in there instead, but I wanted to see if you noticed the smell. Don't worry. I didn't put any in the bath. I just sprinkled some around the sink to mess with you. Call it a hazing from one blood-slave to another. It's always fun to mess with someone that knows they're going to be a meal."

"You're a blood-slave?" Tsuna asked with a hiss as he lowered himself deeper into the water.

"Yes," she answered. "I've been with Mistress Nadia for six years now. I'm her third handmaiden. It's my duty to see to the cleanliness of her meals and ensure that newcomers are properly informed. We can't have a temporary meal running their mouths and ruining the reputation of the Council members. There are plenty who take their experience as a temporary blood-slave as something to be used for blackmail. I'm here to ensure that they know how dangerous such an attempt would be."

"Don't worry about that," Tsuna called, looking over to ensure that the door was still shut while he scrubbed his already clean skin with a cloth. "I'm not looking to blackmail anyone. I'm just here because Poe asked me to come. Which, you still haven't answered my first question. What did you mean by him not being permitted?"

"It is a rule," she replied. "Those that are to become entertainments for the Council are not permitted to know anything about the true nature of what they are taking part of. Typically, they are merely told that their clients for the night have a biting fetish and the resulting anemia is dealt with by a blood-slave such as myself after they've fallen unconscious. It is to keep ones such as yourself from running your mouth and causing the entertainments to be delayed or cancelled. For someone like Lord Poe, such a fiasco would be eternally damaging. He was permitted to tell you about the meeting since you are his blood-slave, but he would never recover if you had backed out."

"Eh?"

"Lord Poe's acquisition of you as a blood-slave has already started to spread," she replied. "The Council heard rumors about you before, but they were only curious. Then you accepted Lord Poe's seal and they were more than curious. It has been several decades since he swore to never feast on humans again and many of them were beginning to worry. Even the most reserved vampire must have blood on occasion or risk death. For him to have managed to survive so long is nothing short of a miracle. I think you're the reason the Council chose this city for their quarterly meeting. They're all curious about the person that made Lord Poe chose to break his suicidal oath. If you'd hidden from the Council, they might have outcaste Lord Poe out of the insult since you're the reason they came to this place."

"I... I didn't know," Tsuna mumbled, sinking down into the hot water.

"The Council gets what they want," Nadine murmured. Tsuna felt oddly disquieted at the words. It was almost as if that sentence was a law or something with how often he'd heard it lately. "That's no good."

"Eh?" Tsuna gasped, looking up to see Nadine standing in the suddenly open doorway. Before he could move to grab a towel to cover himself or even blush, she bore down on him while rolling up her sleeves.

"We've got to scrub you better than that," she said callously.

"EH?!"

"You could have warned me," Tsuna grumbled.

"It wouldn't have been that much fun that way," Nadine grinned as she continued to brush his hair until it glistened. Tsuna felt like blushing. He wanted to blush, considering how she'd held him down and ruthlessly scrubbed him, but his face and body was already red from the harsh strokes she'd used. He'd be surprised if he had a single piece of dead skin left on his body after she'd gotten done. He knew that he didn't have a shred of privacy left now. Not when, after he'd managed to jump out and dry himself off, she'd cornered him and had started massaging lotion into his skin until it was smoother than he'd ever managed to get it. He'd objected since he'd thought the whole idea behind the bath had been to get rid of excess smells, but she'd just shown him the label of the stuff she'd used. He'd had to groan at the sight of it. It was labeled as scentless, tasteless, and edible.

"Are you almost ready?" Poe asked, making both of them jump in place since his entry had been a silent one.

"Just let me get dressed," he mumbled in embarrassment, standing up with his bathrobe tightly wrapped around himself.

"No need," Poe chuckled. "Your clothes would only get shredded if you tried to go in with any on. Nadine, go fetch the manacles."

"Manacles?" Tsuna repeated with his face growing pale while Nadine started digging into her sack of goodies on the hotel bed.

"They're required," she said apologetically. "It's tradition. In the old days, blood-slaves were kept chained so that they couldn't move their hands or feet since many hunters posed as them to infiltrate our strongholds. Special slaves were marked with them, too, since the manacles could be made to hide the main juncture of the artery going down their wrists."

"That was centuries ago," Poe interjected. "There aren't many hunters left since most believe us to be fictional creations and most vampires have more sense than to go for the wrists now. Don't worry, Suoh. There's no chains attached and you'll be able to move freely. The manacles are just a symbol now. It's to mark you as a blood-slave instead of simply another of the night's entertainments. Even Nadine has a pair on."

"Yep," she grinned, pulling up her sleeves to let him see the black leather cuffs around her wrists. "Lord Poe went to extra lengths for you and had a set specially made. All the other blood-slaves are jealous that your Master spoils you so much. It makes me wish that I was born with Sky energy instead of Rain."

"Eh?" Tsuna gasped. "How--?"

"It's like knowing your astrology sign for us, Suoh," Poe explained. "She feeds her Mistress at times. Of course she knows what flavor she is."

"I didn't think about that," Tsuna mumbled while Nadine started wrapping the manacles around his wrists. He instantly saw why Nadine had commented on them. They weren't like her own simple leather ones. Instead, they looked to be made out of-- "Is that gold?" He gasped as she latched them closed. The pair she put on him didn't look like manacles at all. They looked like wide, gold bracelets that covered three inches of vulnerability on his arms.

"Yes," Poe confirmed quietly. "Gold with my signet in silver. You're free to keep those after this is over as my way of thanking you for agreeing to this. You should be able to sell them for a nice profit."

"I can't keep these!" He spluttered as Nadine started placing a matching set around his ankles. "These things had to have cost a fortune!"

"You won't be so quick to turn them down after the night is over," Poe grinned. "Just accept them. Please, I wouldn't feel right if you didn't. You agreed to this without asking for anything in return."

"Of course I did," Tsuna said softly. "You're my friend and you asked me to."

"I asked you to, but you didn't have to agree," Poe objected.

"Yes, I did."

"No, you didn't," Poe growled. "You could have turned me down, just like if I'd asked you to jump off a cliff."

"You're right," Tsuna sighed as Poe grinned in satisfaction. "Just asking me wasn't enough. But I would have jumped off a cliff, too, if I knew you needed me at the bottom. So, no. You're still wrong. I couldn't have turned you down, Poe. I could tell that you needed me to do this."

"No wonder Lord Poe likes you," Nadine teased from his feet, making both Tsuna and Poe turn red. "You've got the right type of caring about your Master that a good blood-slave needs in order to be more than just food. You're all ready."

"Eh?" Tsuna gaped as she stood up. Staring back and forth between her and Poe, he found his face turn even more red. "You're not really going to make me go up there in a robe!"

"Sorry," Poe grimaced. "Actually, I've got one other thing for you to put on and then I've got something else for you."

"What?"

"This," Poe said. Tsuna started down at the item he held out, feeling his whole body turn red with embarrassment.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope."

"I'm not putting that on."

"You'll regret it later."

"But--"

"I'd put it on," Nadine urged with a wide grin. "I heard that Lord Poe prepared some Heaven's Fire for you."

"Heaven's...Fire...?" Tsuna asked slowly. "Do I want to ask?"

"Probably not," Poe grinned, slapping the item into Tsuna's numb hand. Tsuna groaned and stepped into the bathroom, unbelieving that he was agreeing to wear such a perverted thing. Although, if Heaven's Fire was what he thought it was, he'd probably need it.

"I'm going to kill you later, Poe!" Tsuna squealed in embarrassment as he slipped the ring into place around himself.

"It's not my fault," Poe laughed. "I know from experience that your energy is best when served hot."

"That's not funny!" Tsuna spluttered, tying the belt of his robe tightly in order to keep his lower appendage tied back. "From now on, you're not allowed to come inside the building while I'm in bed!"

"But you never notice the energy is missing," he teased, making Tsuna feel like he was going to instantly die from mortification. "And you sleep so well afterward."

"You--!!"

"Enough talking," Poe said seriously when Tsuna came back out in a rush. "Here." Tsuna stared at the bloody thumb thrust into his face for a long moment while Nadine gasped.

"Lord Poe! You can't--!" She exclaimed slapping his hands over her mouth in shock.

"Shut it," he ordered. "I'm breaking no laws by doing this and he's going to need it. Drink, Suoh. A few drops will fortify you so that you can recover faster after this. I wanted to wait until the last minute to give it to you. I'll give you a few extra drops after the fact, but this should help propagate your own blood so that you aren't easily drained tonight. I know that you don't like this kind of thing, but you'll need it." Tsuna nodded and leaned forward to accept the offering. He grinned slightly when Poe blushed while he licked the thumb dry, but didn't comment since he knew his own embarrassment hadn't even begun yet. The coppery taste made him want to gag in the knowledge that he was tasting blood that wasn't his own, but he swallowed it anyway while telling himself it was just a strange type of medicine.

"Happy?" Tsuna asked with a sheepish cough when Poe pulled his thumb back and licked the pinprick so that it'd stop bleeding.

"Nadine," Poe said solemnly instead of answering. "I'd be very happy if you kept this to yourself."

"I-I-- uh--" Nadine mumbled nervously.

"I'm not telling you to lie to your Mistress," he soothed. "Just don't bring it up unless you are directly asked about it."

"Forgive me, Lord Poe," Nadine murmured with a grimace. "I can't promise that."

"Ah, well, it was worth a shot," Poe shrugged. "In that case, tell your Mistress that I've always done whatever I want and nothing is going to change that."

"Yes, Lord Poe," she replied with a small curtsey.

"What--?" Tsuna asked as Poe single-mindedly headed for the door.

"Have him upstairs in the entry hall in two minutes," Poe ordered before disappearing. The moment that he was gone, Tsuna gasped and had to reach out to keep Nadine from collapsing to the floor.

"What the hell?!"

"You drank Lord Poe's blood," she gasped in shock. "I can't believe it. A vampire offered his blood to a human."

"So what?" Tsuna blurted, helping her to sit down on the edge of the bed before she collapsed onto the floor. "It was just a few drops. It's not like it was a big deal."

"Not a big deal--!" She repeated with yet another gasp. "It's a huge deal! Lord Poe is a pure-blood!"

"Eh?" He replied without an open lack of comprehension.

"Don't you know anything?!" She shrieked at him. "Lord Poe was never human! He wasn't someone that was turned like the rest! Other than those on the four Clan Councils and the Ancients, there are only six pure-bloods left! Eight if you include the pure-blood Phlegm leader and the outcaste full-blood! For him to have given you even a single drop of his blood... That's... That's unheard of! His blood is more precious than anything and he gave it to a blood-slave!"

"Oh," Tsuna murmured. "Okay, so it's a big deal to you guys. I don't really see what the big deal is, though. So what if he's a pure-blood? I don't see how that makes his blood more special than mine. I mean, I let him drink mine because he needs it. He figured that I'd need his for once, so he had me drink it. That's a fair exchange. Isn't it?"

"You really have no clue, do you?" Nadine gaped. Then she shook her head and jumped to her feet. "I'll worry about this later. We've got to get you upstairs." Tsuna shrugged and nodded, following her out the door in order to head for the elevator. It was embarrassing walking the halls in only a robe, but he quickly put himself into the 'work' mindset. This was no different than his old work at Kink's or the work that he'd done by sleeping with Xanxus. He'd had more people looking at him at Kink's. He'd done countless embarrassing things with Xanxus. He could do this. Poe needed him to do this. Hell, he needed to do this for his own sake so that he wasn't bitten to death!

Nodding to himself with his mind set with determination, Tsuna stepped into the elevator with his head bowed down. He could do this. It was just another--

"Suoh?"

--job.

"Oh god," Tsuna gasped, lurching against the far wall of the elevator in shock. "What are you doing here?!"

"Working," Autumn answered from where she was glaring at him while standing in her own white bathrobe. "I got hired for an orgy. I'm a whore. Remember? The real question is what the hell are you doing here?"

"Uh..."

"Master Suoh is the main attraction tonight," Nadine supplied as she sent the elevator speeding toward the penthouse.

"Master Suoh?" Autumn repeated with a raised eyebrow. "Do I even want to ask why you're being called Master? Is this another one of your fantasy role-play games?"

"Uh..."

"Please do not talk to Master Suoh like that," Nadine admonished. "If you do, I will have to ask Lord Poe to find a replacement for you."

"Suoh?" Autumn asked with both her foot and her finger tapping in irritation.

"Uh..."

"We're almost there," Nadine said cheerily.

"Autumn," he gasped quickly, it finally hitting him that they were going to the same place. "Look, you don't want to work this job. There has to be somewhere else you can go tonight. Why don't you just go back? Okay?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Autumn asked curiously. "I'm getting five grand for one night. There's no way in hell I'm leaving. Why don't you leave?"

"I can't!" Tsuna exclaimed. "I-I can't explain it to you right now, but I promised to do this!"

"Is this why you told daddy that Gigi would be filling in for you for three days?" Autumn asked with a dissatisfied look on her face. "I can't believe you! You have Snicker and you're still playing whore behind everyone's backs! After what happened with--"

"We're here," Nadine interjected with a wide grin as the elevator doors opened wide. Tsuna gaped at how many girls were already present. There were just as many males, all of whom were twice his size and build. There had to be over two dozen all together, all wearing nothing but bathrobes under the soft lighting that barely reached the floor. Tsuna slapped his hands over his face. He was definitely going to kill Poe after this was over. Thinking of the devil brought him to the entry hall where everyone was waiting. Tsuna darted forward the moment that he saw him in order to yank him to the side.

"What the hell is Autumn doing here?" Tsuna hissed.

"Autumn?" He repeated. "Oh! Autumn. Lord Pelides requested her specifically. It seems he has a human acquaintance in this city that highly recommended her."

"You didn't tell me Autumn was going to be here!" Tsuna blurted in growing panic.

"It'll be okay, Suoh," Poe grinned. "All the girls here have signed non-disclosure contracts. They're not allowed to speak about what they see. If they do, they'll be sued into non-existence and thrown into jail. That includes talking to each other about what happens inside. Why? Do you like her or something? I thought you were exclusive with Snicker."

"I am, but--"

"Then don't worry about it," he grinned before turning to the group of voluptuous women and rock-hard men. "Alright. All of you have already been told what to do. Find yourself a partner wearing one of the medallions I showed you and make sure that they're pleased. Sam, you're to head for Mistress Lydia. She's the blonde sitting on the couch. Autumn, you're to go to Lord Pelides who's relaxing on the floor cushions. He'll be the one with a bottle of wine in his hands. Rachael, you were requested by Lord Laswick who's in the throne to the right. I don't think I need to remind you that what you see and hear in here is strictly forbidden to be spoken about. All of you were warned that tonight's entertainments might include hardcore blood-play. If you don't feel up to it or if you get queasy at the sight of blood, feel free to leave now. Once you go in, there's no backing out. Any questions?"

"What's Suoh doing here?" Autumn asked from the back of the mob while three girls suddenly dashed back into the elevator.

"Suoh's the main entertainment tonight," he answered with a bluntness that made Tsuna pale. "If you recognize him or anyone already inside, please remember the contract you signed and do not interfere beyond what you were hired to do. The plans might be a little hard to stomach, but everyone here is already prepared. Right, Suoh?"

"Uh, r-right," he replied hesitantly. Poe nodded and gestured for the girls to walk past him into the main entertainment area of the penthouse. Tsuna knew from experience that there was a large complex of rooms inside. With all the doors opened and the furniture rearranged, there was easily enough space to hold a hundred guests. There was only one guest that he was concerned about, though, and that was Autumn. How the hell was he supposed to do this when he knew that she'd be watching?! Especially when she gave him that be-damned knowing look as she passed in front of him. "Poe. I'm going to really kill you later."

"Don't let the Council hear you say that," he hissed. "You can say stuff like that all you want in private, but this is serious stuff. Are you ready?"

"Shit," he spat. "I don't have a choice. Do I?"

"Sorry," he grimaced. "Not once you got within a mile of here, you didn't. They're all anticipating you and they've got to be going nuts in there now that you're so close. I can pretty much guarantee that they're ignoring the hookers since they can smell you. You can hate me all you want later, but at least you'll be alive to do so."

"Let's just get this over with," he groaned. "If we keep standing here talking, I'm going to lose what nerve I have left. My legs are already shaking."

"I can tell," Poe murmured before leading the way down the hall in the same direction that the others had already went. "Don't worry, Suoh. I know that I keep saying that, but it'll really be okay. I won't let them go too far. Just sit back and enjoy the ride."

Tsuna nodded and bowed his head like he'd been instructed to by Nadia. He tried to make himself forget that Autumn was already in the room, but it was difficult. It was okay, he told himself repeatedly. Autumn was here, too. She must be just as embarrassed. He had other things to worry about, such as twelve hungry vampires who were used to getting what they wanted. He had to give them what they wanted, too, or else Poe would suffer.

"Here we go," he whispered in warning before striding confidently through the double doors into the main entertainment area. "My Lords and Mistresses," he announced as Suoh hovered hesitantly behind him. "Allow me the honor of introducing my personal blood-slave for your consideration. I hope that Suoh will be as pleasing to your palates as he is to mine." Tsuna blushed furiously when he felt a dozen hungry eyes focus on him in unison along with over two dozen merely curious ones. He kept his head bowed down to them all with a meekness that he didn't have to feign. He couldn't have lifted his head even if his life had depended on it with so many people staring at him.

"He looks delicious," someone called out from the shadowed recesses of the room. "So this is why you chose such a backwater city to settle in, Poe. Such feasts would have been snatched up instantly in a larger city."

"Indeed," Poe agreed with a piteous bow, reaching out to offer his hand to Suoh as Suoh had been warned. Tsuna didn't take the hand. Instead, he merely laid it in Poe's and followed obediently where he was guided. Of course, he was guided to the most embarrassing place in the room. It was a single chaise lounge in the center of the room that Poe gestured for him to situate himself on. He did, taking the opportunity to glance around. The walls seemed packed with people, most of whom were hired hands for the night while he knew others were long-term subordinates who were serving their Master's whims. It was too dark to see, even with the soft lighting coming from overhead and the tapered candles strewn around the room, but he had a feeling that the 'main courses' had already been removed from the room so as not to scare the 'desserts'.

"He looks so timid," a male voice called out while Tsuna tried to arrange his robe to cover his legs. He tried to hold himself in a seductive position, trying to gain bonus points for Poe, but his nervousness was showing through without a doubt.

"No worries," Poe smiled as Nadine appeared with a goblet. "He is to be a special treat for you, my honored guests. I've prepared Heaven's Fire to ensure that he is to your satisfaction."

I'm going to kill you, Poe, Tsuna glared when the goblet was pressed to his lips. Poe didn't give any response to the glare, but Tsuna could see his eyes twinkling in amusement over the rim of the cup. Then they were gone as Tsuna forced himself to drink the wine. He knew immediately that it wasn't wine, however. No wine made him so hungry for more after only a mere sip. No wine lit such a fire in his belly after a gulp. No wine made him feel like he was brimming over with pure power by the time the cup was empty.

"There we go," Poe breathed in satisfaction as murmurs of pleasure filled the room. "Let them taste your power first. How do you feel?" Tsuna could only shake his head and gasp, feeling as if his whole body was going to explode from the inside at any moment. It wasn't lust that created that feeling. It was the surging energy that he could feel rushing through his limbs and across his vision.

"Flames," he gasped. "I see. Orange Flames. It's hot."

"It's just an energy overload," Poe soothed. "Right now, you're brimming with it. The drink draws your Flame out at a rate that you can't possibly manage on your own. It'll pass. Just sit back and relax until it calms." Tsuna nodded and laid his head down on the inclined chair, feeling his whole body overflowing with heat. It made him feel feverish. He could feel it pouring out of himself like a fountain overflowing with water. It sprayed out of his pours along with sweat and filled the room until he could see nothing but a haze of orange around himself.

It was hot. Too hot. He couldn't breathe. He hadn't been prepared for this. He'd guessed that Poe had gotten him an aphrodisiac ready, but this wasn't what he'd been expecting. It hurt. It burned. His whole body felt like it was on fire, making him moan and shudder. His body was going to explode. It couldn't take much more, yet the power kept surging forward. It left him writhing in place, looking for something to make it stop. Looking around produced nothing, however, since everything was hidden behind orange Flames. Every moment that passed seemed like an eternity as it continued to build until finally--

Tsuna cried out as the fire within him finally found an outlet and it exploded forth in a wave that left him dizzy and panting. Poe was at his side in an instant, keeping him from falling sideways off of the lounge chair.

"W-What..." he panted, trying to suppress the bestial urges already beginning to surge forward once his mind began to clear.

"That was a good show," Poe whispered in his ear. "Keep your Flame up as long as you can."

"Eh?" Poe grinned and looked up at Tsuna's forehead, telling Tsuna what he already knew. There was a Dying Will Flame on his head, the byproduct of the Heaven's Fire. His intuition told him even more than that. Putting together the fact that Poe had known the name of Giotto along with the occurrence, it was highly likely that the Dying Will Bullet had been the result of Heaven's Fire after heavy alteration. The risk of death was higher with Heaven's Fire, but there was no stipulation of regret. As with the Dying Will Bullet, he still felt an urgent need. The defining difference was that he didn't know what he needed. He just felt need. With the Dying Will Bullet, that need was focused into correcting his regrets. With Heaven's fire, he had nothing directing him. Without that guidance, he felt as if his whole body was tearing itself apart from within as he fought the instincts that would turn him into nothing more than a beast.

Fight.

Eat.

Mate.

"Oh ho!" A voice rang out, instantly getting Tsuna's undivided attention while his fingers dug into the padding of the couch. He wouldn't give into it. He wasn't an animal. "He's controlling it," the person said in amusement. "That's one amazing blood-slave you have, Poe. He didn't jump up and start attacking or fornicating. This is more amusement than I expected. How long will he be able to last?"

"He might last until it wears off," a female voice commented. "He does have Giotto's blood."

"That's true," the first chuckled. "Well, what are you going to do, Poe?"

"I'm... unsure, my Lord," he answered while hovering over Tsuna. "I was positive that he'd give in almost immediately. How are you feeling, Suoh?"

"What... What's going on?" He asked, his fingers digging into the long-chair even harder until the sound of the cushion ripping filled the air.

"So, you can talk," he murmured quietly, kneeling down next to him. "Honestly, Suoh, this is the part where most people lose track and react by instinct. You're the first... no, the second to ever keep his mind together after drinking Heaven's Fire."

"I feel it," he admitted with every muscle in his body tightened in effort to keep control. "I need."

"You need what?" Poe asked carefully.

"I don't know," he gasped. "I just--"

"I see," Poe murmured. "It's unfocused. Even though I made you expect certain things, you're not one to give up control so easily. Well, what do you want to do, Suoh? Everyone was expecting sex, but you can decide since you can control it. I'm afraid that I didn't prepare food, so you'll have to accept either a fight or you'll have to get laid. They can't start feeding until you're mind's been focused on something."

"I'm going to kill you," he growled with his eyes lighting up in a feral grin. Poe paled as several people in the room sat up in surprise. "Later," he promised. "Just bite me already. I can control it."

"Suoh--"

"Just do it!" He snapped. "This is what you were waiting on! I'm not going to betray Snicker and I don't really want to hurt you, so just get this over with."

"Suoh, you don't know what you're--"

"Just bite him," a female voice called out. "His mind will pick one for him as soon as the pain hits him."

"You won't be paralyzed this time because of the drug," Poe hissed quietly. "You weren't supposed to be aware at this part." Tsuna nodded in acceptance, understanding that Poe was telling him that it'd hurt more than before. He'd still be able to react, too. That meant that his self-control would be tested to the limits.

Without rhyme, reason, or preparation, Poe grabbed his arm and sank his teeth in. Tsuna's back arched and he cried out from the pain that shot up it with his mind screaming to fight whatever had hurt him. It took everything he had to push the instinct back down, which only received more murmurs of praise when he didn't lash out. The teeth pulled out after a moment, leaving him gasping and seeing stars. It hurt. Even with his Flame fortifying his mind and body, it hurt incredibly. It was as if the strength that his Flame gave him had been sucked away before Poe's teeth. Without that strength, that area of skin had been pierced so easily that it had been as if he hadn't had his Flame going at all.

"Such resilience," someone praised. "He still refuses to surrender. Oh, Poe. What a magnificent dessert you've given us."

"Just pick something, Suoh," Poe growled through clenched teeth, wiping the blood away from this lips with his thumb. "It'll be too painful for you like this. If you want to fight me, then so be it. If not, pick one of the girls to enjoy yourself with. You can have anyone in the room except for the Council members."

"No," Tsuna grunted.

"Go ahead, dear," someone said from behind him. "That should prove just as amusing."

"Lord Pelides?" Poe asked, looking over Tsuna's shoulder.

"The attendant I requested thinks she can get him in the mood," he called. "Why not let her have a try? I'm starting to get edgy from waiting."

"If that is the Council's wish," he agreed, stepping back completely from Tsuna. Tsuna looked over his shoulder to see what was going on, only to be faced with his worst nightmare.

Dickhead. Jackass. Ruiner of an easy five grand. Why, out of all the good gigs out in the world, did she have to get the one that the most irritating man in the world was the star attraction of?! She was hissing and spitting inside. At least, she had been. Everything had changed once she saw what her client's favored form of entertainment was. She'd been warned, but she hadn't connected the biting fetishes and blood-play with Suoh until the 'show' had already started. At first, it'd been kind of funny to watch Suoh twisting around on the couch. After five minutes, she'd grown bored while her client continued to be fascinated with his movements. He wasn't the only one. Looking around, she could see that every person wearing one of the medallions that their purchaser had pointed out was completely engrossed. Even the man who had four whores making out before him in effort to get him in the mood seemed completely engrossed. He'd even went so far as to push two of the girls out of his way when they got into his line of sight.

She didn't get it. What the hell was so amusing about Suoh acting like a worm? Even their purchaser, Poe, seemed completely enthralled. The client that had specified her, Lord Pilfred or Piledriver or whatever his name was, even went so far as to continuously lick his lips and smack them as if he were devouring the sight. It wasn't until Suoh had continued to play out the strange show for over twenty minutes that she realized that he wasn't acting. There'd been something in the drink that Poe had given him. What she was watching wasn't some strange, upscale fetish for abstract acting. Suoh wasn't wriggling! He was writhing! He was really hurting and she'd just been watching him get tortured for almost half an hour without doing anything!

"Don't worry, dear," Lord Piledriver had soothed, reaching out to run a hand down her hair. "It's almost over. He's almost ready. Just a little more and the real entertainment can--" Autumn's head had snapped back to Suoh at the sound of him crying out, where she'd seen the undeniable sight of fire burning on his head. "There we go," Lord Piledriver had murmured in satisfaction. "Now, let's see how he reacts. Is Poe's plans going to work or is he going to grow violent and tear himself apart?"

It'd been neither. Suoh had just stayed in place, panting heavily while sweat had dripped off of his body until he had finally seemed to notice Poe beside him. His whole attitude had turned into that of a maddened boar. He even had the warning stamps of his hooves with how he clawed at the couch beneath him. She's listened while he'd been taunted by the different clients, slowly coming to understand one thing. Suoh either had to fight or fornicate and he was keeping himself from doing either. Then he'd said the one line that had made Autumn's brain temporarily shut down. It was almost as if he was throwing her words from the elevator back at her, even though she had a strange feeling that Suoh had completely forgotten she was in the room.

"I'm not going to betray Snicker and I don't really want to hurt you, so just get this over with!"

Yet, it had been Lord Piledriver's quiet words that had shocked her into action.

"Too naive," he'd mumbled below the level of where his voice would carry. "If he doesn't focus the energy, it'll feed back into his body and destroy him. That's why Giotto had such trouble harnessing Heaven's Fire for himself. It can be controlled and the instinct suppressed, but he'll probably kill himself trying. Giotto barely managed to survive when he did it. That's the only reason we gifted him with the recipe." Her eyes had widened in shock while she'd blankly stared at Suoh without a clue of what to do. She had known that this was going to be a dangerous party. That's why she'd been offered five grand for just a few hours. No one had mentioned possible death, though! Especially not to Suoh! She considered the guy to be a complete douche, but she didn't want him dead! He came in handy sometimes!

"Ah, that might work," Lord Piledriver had said in response to the other client's comment about someone biting Suoh. "He should lose control when the pain hits him. Looks like Mistress Nadia is hoping for blood sport instead of sex. Not that I can blame her. This should be a pretty good show. A pure-blood versus a spawn of Giotto." He'd been disappointed, though. Autumn had gasped and covered her mouth when Poe had bit into Suoh's arm so deeply that he drew blood. Lord Piledriver and the others had sat up and leaned forward in anticipation at the break, making Autumn wonder what kind of sickos she'd been hired by. Not only had they tortured Suoh, but they were enjoying the sight of him bleeding! When they'd said biting fetish, one usually stopped before the skin broke!

"That's no good," Lord Piledriver had grumbled. "He's still holding on. At this rate, we'll be doing nothing but watching him destroy himself."

"C-Can you stop it?" Autumn asked worriedly.

"Nope," he shrugged. "Unless he starts pouring his energy into a goal, he's doomed. Typically, humans fall back on instinct when they're pushed as far as he's been pushed. That means that right now, there's only the basics on his mind. That's hunger, the instinct to fight, and the instinct to breed. One usually takes over more than the others, which is why Poe set up the night with everyone prepared for an orgy. It looks like he didn't prepare his blood-slave enough or else that one's fighting instinct and hunger are on equal levels with his need to mate. If it's the first case, it's Poe's fault. If it's the second, he just needs a push in the right direction since he's obviously suppressing his fighting instinct."

"Can I try?" Autumn asked once she understood the basics of the drug Suoh had been given.

"Go ahead, dear," he'd grinned. "This should prove just as amusing."

"Lord Pelides?" Poe asked, looking over Suoh's shoulder in order to stare at her as she got to her feet.

"The attendant I requested thinks she can get him in the mood," he called. "Why not let her have a try? I'm starting to get edgy from waiting."

"If that is the Council's wish," he agreed, stepping back completely from Suoh. Suoh looked over his shoulder to see what was going on with an almost feral expression on his face, only to have it replaced with a look of panic when he saw her. She felt her eye twitch at the expression. Suoh owed her, big time.

BIG TIME.

"A-Autumn...?" He asked with his lips trembling around his clenched teeth.

"It's alright," she murmured, knowing that he wouldn't accept what he planned to do if she just bluntly told him. She was definitely going to pay him back for this later. Really! Only Suoh could get himself in the position where he was dead if he didn't get laid. Such facts was exactly why he was so damned irritating. Plans never went according to plan around him! "I just want to give you a little massage," she continued with her most seductive smile. "You look tense."

"What are you doing, Autumn?" He growled, tensing up even more as she pulled the back of his robe down. She froze at the steam that rose up from his body once it was pulled back. One touch was all that was needed to tell that his body was incredibly fevered. It was that more than anything else that made her realize that the whole situation was no game. Lord Piledriver's claims were right. Suoh could die if he kept fighting the drug like he was!

"What are you doing, Autumn?" Tsuna growled, his body tensing in preparation of a fight. He always fought with Autumn. He didn't expect that now would be any different. He was surprised, though, when she pulled down the back of his robe. The cool air was like a bucket of ice water when it his back. It made him realize that he was still burning up. He'd thought that the fever had broken when his Flame had found release, but it hadn't. It'd just pulled back to a level that his body could handle without being painful. It completely distracted him from Autumn's presence for a moment, making himself completely become overwhelmed with the need to cool off.

The next thing he knew, he was standing naked in front of everyone without so much as his robe on while he continued to pour a bottle of chilled wine over his head. He immediately stopped and looked around, needing to find something, anything, to cover himself with.

Tsuna felt another moment of disorientation when the next moment, he had somehow crossed the room and he had one of the hooker's robes tied around his waist. He had no clue what was going on. He didn't remember even moving. One second, he was sitting on the chaise lounge. The next he was naked and pouring wine over his head. Now he was standing up, having just stripped a hooker of her only garment. He didn't understand! Even worse, he could hear everyone laughing at him. He'd never been so embarrassed in his life!

"Suoh! Stop!" Poe snapped, instantly getting his attention before he could so much as think another thought. "You're letting your needs control you!"

"Let him keep going!" Someone along the walls said around a roar of hysterical laughter. "I want to see what he needs next! He's controlling it better than I thought!"

"No, no," another objected. "Focus him in the right direction so that he'll sit still. We've seen enough of his abilities and I'm dying for a taste!"

"Suoh," Autumn called, making Tsuna look at her while his mind went blank. "Do you need me?" She asked with a seductive smile, loosening the belt on her robe in order to reveal a tantalizing spread of bare flesh.

"Nope," he answered honestly. He grimaced when she put her hands on her hips and let out a disgruntled huff while everyone once more began howling in laughter. It was true, though. He didn't need her like that! At most, he just needed to make her happy--

"Oh! He succumbed again," someone called out as the strange fire on Suoh's head spasmed again. Once more Autumn rolled her eyes, wondering what stupid act he'd put on this time. She thought that he'd went in the right direction last time, but he'd only wanted the hooker's robe instead of the hooker herself.

"What's going on?" Someone called out curiously, making Autumn realize that Suoh wasn't moving. He was crouched down like he had been the previous two times before he'd swung into action, but he wasn't showing any signs of going anywhere. "Did he lose it already?"

"No," another replied before Autumn could panic. "His Flame is still going. He seems to be waiting on something."

"Lords and Mistresses," Poe called, pulling attention away from Suoh. "If you'll permit?" He said as that woman who'd told her off in the elevator set a brazier up on either side of Suoh.

"Ooh!" One of the clients clapped in excitement. "Yes, use that!"

"What's that?" Autumn mumbled curiously, looking back behind her at Lord Piledriver.

"Just a little aphrodisiac, my dear," he answered with a wide smile. "Things should get pretty interesting. We weren't planning on using that until later, but it should be enough to overwhelm him. In a few minutes, he'll need sex more than anything else. Of course, so will everyone else in the room. Don't worry. It's a special recipe that doesn't show up on orthodox blood screenings. It'll definitely make this a night to remember, though. I'm getting excited all over again."

"Whatever works," she shrugged. "I just wish he'd do something instead of standing there like an idiot."

"What would you like me to do?" Suoh asked, making everyone lurch at the sudden question.

"So that's what he was waiting on!" One of the female clients squealed in laughter. "He got himself stuck!"

"Eh?" Autumn asked without comprehension when everyone stared at her.

"He responded to you, dear," Lord Piledriver explained from behind her. "Ask him what he needs."

"W-What do you need, Suoh?" She asked like ordered.

"I need to make Autumn happy," he replied, his face taking on an expression of bestial focus. Autumn blushed brightly at the words. If that meant what she thought it meant, it meant that he'd do whatever she said if she specified that it'd make her happy.

"Well, how's that for entertainment, Poe?" One of the clients guffawed. "Your blood-slave went and turned slave to a hooker!"

"I still don't understand his train of thought sometimes," Poe smiled as he lit what looked to be charcoal dust in the braziers. Two small pillars of flame shot up before dying down to a dozen hot flickers in the small dishes, each of which began putting out a pungent smoke.

"What are you waiting on, girl?" Lord Piledriver urged. "We don't have to wait on the smoke now. Just tell him that you'd be happy for him to kiss you. He'll figure out what will make you happy from there."

Shit. She'd almost forgotten that she was here as a hired hooker. She'd been thinking about how to phrase it so that he'd give in to someone else, but her own client had just given her an order. Five grand, she reminded herself. She'd done a lot of things for a lot less than five grand. She could definitely sleep with Suoh for five grand. That's all this was. She wasn't going to get paid if her client wasn't satisfied. Whatever was going on with Suoh came second to that. She wasn't trying to help him. She was just working.

Right. Working.

"Kiss me, Suoh," she ordered.

"That wouldn't make you happy," he objected in a guttural voice, sending another roar of laughter through the room while she automatically let out a harsh curse.

"Why do you have to be so damn difficult?!" She blurted in frustration.

"I'm not difficult," he growled.

"Then why won't you kiss me?!"

"Because it wouldn't make you happy."

"Then what would, Mr. Know-It-All?!" She exclaimed, completely forgetting that she was supposed to be getting him to give in.

"I don't know," he answered.

"WHAT?!" She spluttered, feeling like tearing her hair out. "If you don't know what will make me happy, then how do you know that kissing me wouldn't?"

"Vongola hyper-intuition," he answered. "It's in my blood and it tells me that kissing you wouldn't make you happy right now."

"I give up," she gasped, dropping down to sit on the floor in defeat. She was surprised to hear that he had the legendary hyper-intuition of Vongola, but that only made sense since he was a clone of Vongola the Tenth. He'd already told her that much.

"So he has it."

Autumn looked around in surprise when murmurs broke out. From the looks of consideration on the client's faces, it was like something had just been confirmed that they'd been curious about. That wasn't the scary part. The scary part was the looks of hunger that grew once the consideration went away.

"Of course he has it," Poe said nonchalantly. "He has Giotto's mark on his blood. That's why I chose him for tonight's dessert. You'll have to forgive the delays. If I remember correctly, Giotto was just as hard to control."

"Don't fret, Poe," a woman murmured in amusement from the shadows, one of the few voices that hadn't spoken yet. All the other clients in the room seemed to become still at the sound of that singular voice, telling Autumn instantly that she was the powerhouse of the group. "This is proving to be very amusing as it is. You promised entertainment and we have not been let down. I am content."

"You honor me, Mistress Drake," Poe said, bowing his head slightly in respect.

"Are you positive that he is not the real thing?" She asked into the silence. "It would not do well to reveal ourselves to one of Giotto's true spawn."

"He is not," Poe soothed with an uneasy smile. "He is but a discarded clone. His blood bears the mark, but he is not a legitimate successor. More importantly, even if he was, he has consented for his flesh to be taken within the bounds of propriety."

"How much longer?" One of the clients whined when Mistress Drake leaned back into the shadows in satisfaction. "I'm getting hungry again. You're teasing us too much, Poe."

"Hush, Nephriam," Lord Piledriver scolded. Then he paused. "Actually, he looks pretty tame where he is. As long as he's stuck like he is, he shouldn't pose a problem. We won't get the peak that we wanted, but at least we can nibble until the smoke starts working."

"True enough, Lord Pelides," Poe nodded. "As long as he can't figure out what would make Autumn happy, he should be tamed. Feed to your heart's content, my Lord Nephriam."

"That's all I needed to hear," he exclaimed, jumping to his feet. Autumn gasped despite herself when he stepped away from the crowd of girls around him and out of the shadows. What the hell was a little boy like that doing in a place like this?! He didn't even look like he'd hit puberty yet!

"Come here, my dear," Lord Pile-- Pelides, she corrected herself, ordered. Autumn nodded and crawled back to her client while staring as the little boy approached Suoh fearlessly. "Let's see how he takes him," the man whispered in her ear.

"T-Takes him?" Autumn replied as the smoke started to spread to their corner of the room.

"Just watch," he ordered, slinging an arm around her shoulder in order to slip a hand under her rob to fondle her. She let him, being long used to what her job as a prostitute entailed. She barely noticed it, finding herself far more concerned with Suoh.

"How's his neck?" The little Lord asked curiously with a glance up at Poe.

"Very satisfying," Poe replied politely from his watchful stance at the door. "You have to be careful not to collapse the vein, but it's well worth it if you can manage. The blood from the muscles in his arm was quite nice, too. His hands weren't that great. Too much trouble and a bit lacking in the flavor department. He typically keeps his hands warm, so the deep flavor is missing by the time it passes through there. I'm afraid I can't give you much more opinion than that. He only recently began accepting his role as a blood-slave. I haven't had much chance to see what his range of flavors are."

"Hmm," he mumbled, patting his lips with a small finger as he walked around behind Suoh. "Let me try here!" In a flash, the boy jumped onto Suoh's back and bit down on the shoulder span above Suoh's collarbone.

"Good choice!" Lord Pelides called with a chuckle as Autumn gasped at the dribble of blood that resulted. Suoh showed no sign of reaction to the bite, however. It was as if he didn't even feel it! She was outraged. What kind of people taught a little boy to bite like that?! Didn't he know that things like that hurt?! She started to reach out in objection, but her client yanked her back and continued his fondling. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to look away from Suoh in order to respond to her client's wishes. From the looks of it, Lord Pelides was getting turned on by the smoke. Not that she could blame him. She could feel her own blood beginning to surge and she knew that it took a lot for her to actually get in the mood. She was simply too disillusioned by sex to enjoy it.

Thank goodness she was a freaking brilliant actress.

Trying to keep her bile down, she returned the slobbering kiss the Lord Pelides laid on her. She turned all of her attention toward satisfying him, right up until the moment that she felt someone hovering over her. Looking up, she squeaked at the sight of Suoh with the kid still lodged on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" She squealed when he reached out and grabbed her. Before she knew it, she found herself tossed onto the chaise lounge that Suoh had previously been occupying with him standing firmly between her and her client.

"You were unhappy," he growled as he crouched down at her feet as if preparing himself to pounce. Autumn gaped, unable to believe that he'd come between her and her paycheck so readily.

"Don't worry, dear," Lord Pelides laughed as he reached out for the other girl he'd hired. "Just keep him occupied until the smoke starts to work. I'm perfectly fine."

"What would make you happy?" Suoh asked in a guttural voice while the brat on his shoulder finally pulled his teeth out. Autumn gasped at the blood that flicked toward her for a moment before the kid licked the wound and the blood stopped spurting. In all honesty, she was getting a little freaked out by the blood-play, even though she'd been warned about it. It was one thing to see a stranger agreeing to it, but it was another to see Suoh as the person on the receiving end of it. Especially when he was receiving it from a little kid. She knew that leaving wouldn't make her happy, though, because then she'd lose out on five grand.

"Money," she blurted in sudden insight.

"How much?" He asked.

"Ninety-seven thousand," she answered with a cruel grin, deciding that she'd definitely would be happy if she could get the last of the money she needed in order to win succession.

"Would you be happy getting it later or right now?" He inquired.

"Eh?" She gaped. She'd said that just to screw with him. She hadn't really meant--

"I can go get it right now if it'll make you happy," he explained. "Or if it'd make you unhappy for me to leave right now, I can give it to you later. I have that much at home."

"If he leaves, you'll be in a lot of trouble and you won't get a penny," Poe hissed at her.

"Later is fine," she snapped.

"You're still not happy," he grumbled. "I can tell."

"Well, you can't really expect me to believe you have that much at home," she replied. "I'd be unhappy if you left, but I can't be happy on an empty promise."

"My dear," Mistress Drake called out to her, instantly creating a sea of stillness in the room once more. "Come here."

"Y-Yes," she answered hesitantly, standing up in order to walk to the room's powerhouse.

"You seem like a woman that I can deal easily with," the woman said from the shadows. "It seems that we are at an impasse. As you can see, the smoke is already in full swing." Autumn looked around, realizing that it was true. Everyone in the room was already going at it, although the clients had all paused at Mistress Drakes voice no matter what they were in the middle of doing. The only exceptions were Suoh, Poe, Mistress Drake herself, and Autumn, all of which were feeling the smoke but weren't allowing it control. "It seems that his need to make you happy is even greater than his need to satisfy himself. Poe underestimated him."

"Forgive me, Mistress Drake," Poe murmured in sincere apology. It was an apology that the Mistress absently batted away. She honestly didn't care about the apology. She simply wanted what she wanted and she was tired of waiting.

"You're not in trouble, dear," she soothed, ignoring Poe completely in order to speak to Autumn. "I wish this matter to be resolved, so I am giving you an offer."

"An offer?" Autumn repeated in surprise.

"If money is all it takes to make you happy, then I have plenty of it," she answered, her wide grin gleaming from within the hidden corner of the room. "We both have something that the other wants. You see, I wish to taste the pinnacle of energy from the one trying to please you. In return, I have the money that it would take to make you happy. If you give me what I want, I'll be content to gift you with that which you desire."

"Eh?" Autumn gaped.

"I'll put in in terms that you can understand easier," she said condescendingly. "Give that man an orgasm and I'll pay you ninety-seven thousand. An amount like that is a small price to pay for a rare delicacy like him. I'm sure Poe would have offered first, but my son is a bit stingy when it comes to money."

"Are you serious?" She breathed in disbelief.

"Yes, I am," she smiled. "You should know that I've rented out this whole hotel for the evening and it was my money that provided tonight's entertainments. Poe was just the intermediary since this is his home city."

"Is that true?" She asked, looking at Poe for confirmation.

"Mistress Drake's capital worth is extraordinary," he nodded. "I do believe that the last time I was told, the interest on her main account gave her three hundred thousand a minute just for breathing."

"A-A minute?!" Autumn exclaimed.

"I've had untold years to build my fortune," the woman grinned once more. "A pittance like ninety-seven thousand is nothing. Now, you don't seem like the type to take one at their word, so feel free to hold Poe accountable for the promise should you feel the need. Would that satisfy you?"

"Y-Yes," she gasped. "All I have to do is screw Suoh?"

"Yes," she confirmed.

"Alright!" Spinning in place, Autumn couldn't get the unexpected payoff out of her mind. Just the mere thought of beating out Gabriel so unexpectedly when Gabriel thought he had the upper hand made her happy. And all she had to do was one more job! She'd thought that it'd take a hundred more jobs, but it wouldn't! All she had to do was--

--was screw the biggest jackass in the world. Fuck it. Screw it. She didn't care who it was. It could be a lot worse. She'd screwed hundreds of guys that were worse than Suoh. She'd told herself earlier that she could do it for five grand. Now they were offering her ninety-seven! It was heaven! No more selling herself after this!

"Stand up," she snapped, walking up to where Suoh was crouched down. Suoh stood. "Sit down," she snapped, pointing at the lounge chair. Suoh sat down. She paused for a moment, deciding that this was suddenly too easy. To test it, she sat down on the chair next to him and gave another order. "Kiss me." She choked when he actually kissed her. She'd thought he was just screwing around before, but he really did know whether or not she'd be happy if he did what she said! Fuck. That made this a whole lot harder. Mentally preparing herself with reminders of the ninety-seven thousand, she pulled away in order to give him one final order.

"Use me to satisfy yourself."

"Would that make you happy?"

"Yes!" She yelled at him, keeping the payoff in her mind. The payoff would make her happy. To get the payoff, Suoh had to enjoy himself. It would definitely make her happy for him to get happy!

"Alright," he agreed, reaching out to pull her to him. She wanted to do a victory dance, but found herself too busy to manage. Suoh--

Suoh was good, she realized in surprise. His kiss was gentle yet passionate, even while he managed to keep the strange fire on his head from touching her. His touch, when he slipped his hand into her robe, was light yet firm. He didn't grope or fondle her like she was used to. Instead, he gently trailed a hand down the open line of her robe. He actually stayed away from even touching her breasts, which was surprising since it was the first thing that most guys focused on. Because of that, touching her chest had become a major turnoff for her. Yet, Suoh didn't go for them. He didn't go for her rear, either, nor did he dive directly for her crotch. Instead, he traced his finger down her stomach and across her hips before gently coming to a stop with his hand on her thigh. His other hand was placed at the base of her neck with his thumb cupping the side of her cheek, a maneuver she'd enjoyed seeing in dramas but few men had actually used. He didn't move it, either. Where those men that did do it, only did it for only a second in passing before using the hand to grab for something else, Suoh kept it gently in place while he continued to kiss her.

It was the way she'd always wanted to be kissed but no one had ever done it long enough for her to be satisfied, she realized. Such a simple thing, but no guy had ever figured out that such a simple thing could make her happy. She didn't understand it. How could Suoh of all people be the one to figure it out?! He was the most irritating of any male she knew and he'd done it so naturally that it brought tears to her eyes. How could he do this to her?! What happened to that drunken idiot that had slobbered on her in the hallway between their apartments?!

She knew that she had to get control of herself. It was probably just the drugs working on him that was making him like this. No, that didn't make sense. Everyone else around them was acting like animals in heat. Suoh was the only one acting so reserved. Not that he was really being reserved. He just seemed to be in a lot more control than those around them. A glance to the side proved that even Mistress Drake had started to get into the mood. Worst of all, she'd gotten into the mood with Poe!

Not good! Not good at all! At this rate, she'd lose control just like everyone else. It was taking everything she had in order to hold back already. Suoh wasn't helping, either. Not when he was refraining from doing anything would turn her off while also doing everything to turn her on. She'd thought it was impossible. She knew better than anyone how touchy she was, yet Suoh was navigating around her likes and dislikes like he had a map! That wasn't good at all! It left her cursing inside. The reason was simple. She knew that no man could satisfy her. She had to keep control in order to satisfy herself! If this kept up--

If this kept up, it'd be no different than being with a client. It was that thought that made her gasp. What the hell was she thinking? Satisfying herself? Now wasn't the time to think of something like that! The whole purpose was to get Suoh going! Suoh was a client! If she satisfied him, she got paid. End of story. Sheesh. She'd almost forgotten what she was doing for a minute. Suoh seemed so determined to get her in the mood that he'd actually started to manage with the help of the drugs.

Now that she was back in her right mind again, she purposely shut off her own feelings in the matter just like she did with her clients. She wasn't here to have a good time. She was here to get paid. The faster that Suoh was satisfied, the faster her client would be satisfied, which meant that she could be satisfied financially.

The moment that she thought that, Suoh lost his magic touch. She squeaked in surprise when he swung her around and pinned her to the lounge chair with a much harder kiss than she preferred. Not that she cared. From the protrusion digging into her leg, she could tell that Suoh was getting into it. Thanks to the drugs, she knew that it wouldn't be horrible no matter how he took her. It might not be what she preferred, but it wouldn't be bad.

With that in mind, she went to work in order to earn her money. Suoh was nothing to her at the moment. He was neither friend nor Family. He was simply a client. Personal feelings were automatically shut out. Her own preferences were shut out. The only thing that mattered was satisfying him as a simple, pig-headed man. Especially once he started showing his true colors. One of his hands flew up to her chest while another slid under her to cup her rear. She panicked for a moment on that, hoping that he remembered that she was a woman. Then she shut even that thought down. It didn't matter. It wouldn't be the first time that she'd taken it there, although it'd be the first that she did it outside of a group date.

Even as a typical male, she had to admit that Suoh was a step up. He might have still went for her tits and her ass, but he wasn't fondling them in a grotesque way. He wasn't playing with them without a clue of what to actually do, either. On top of that, even though he was harder with his touch, she couldn't really say that he was rough. Instead, he seemed to give off a needy vibe. It was as if he was starved and she was the buffet. Even so, he didn't try to gobble her down like an idiot. What he was doing was methodically caressing her while trying to devour her lips. Then he pulled down her robe and began devouring her shoulders. Her chest. Her stomach. Her legs.

By the time he absently discarded his own robe, she had to admit that she was being affected by the thick smoke in the room. No matter what Suoh did, she started enjoying herself even if it wasn't what she preferred. She knew it had to be the smoke, because she'd never gotten so hot without being on top before. Her skin started trembling under Suoh's touch and gasping under his lips. She could feel her own body beginning to produce sweat, something that she couldn't remember happening before during simple foreplay.

Abruptly, the foreplay ended. She could tell it ended because of how Suoh positioned himself between her legs. He was straddling the open end of the lounge chair with her legs thrown around his hips. Even then, he didn't stop, though. His hands and lips continued to run rampant despite his intention to enter. Within one moment and the next, he had already slipped inside her, telling her that she was beginning to lose track of the situation. The smoke was simply making it feel too good. The situation only got worse as he began to thrust inside her. Even in this, he was a step up from normal horny jackasses. He was one of the few that'd managed to realize the reason why locomotives were used so much in sexual insinuations. It wasn't about thrusting forward, it was about the chugging roll of the hips in order to stimulate more than just one spot.

He had potential. That was the only thing that she could think of while he thrust inside her, edging them both toward climax at a terrifyingly quick rate. He was doing better than most men, even though he'd turned into a self-satisfying lout. She wasn't unhappy over it. Far from it. The faster he got off, the faster she got paid. It wasn't as if she was sleeping with Suoh for fun. Having enough of the smoke in her system that she was actually enjoying it was just a bonus. It made it into a bearable experience.

She opened her eyes when Suoh's rhythm was thrown off for a third time in a row. It was then that the bearable experience turned into a horrifying one. Suoh was still moving, but his body was covered in blood! It wasn't hard to see why, either, when the source of the main wound was still lodged in his neck. Even as she stared, another person came forward and ripped his hand free of her hip in order to bite down on his forearm. They-- They weren't being gentle. They were biting down on him hard enough to draw blood! It was running down the wound in his neck and a wound in his side. It was welling up around the weirdo's lips that was biting down on his arm.

"What are you doing?!" She exclaimed when they pulled him from her completely in order to drag him toward a darkened corner of the room. Her whole body was trembling at the edge of climax, but that was the last thing on her mind. She was used to being disappointed in bed. On the other hand, they were injuring Suoh!

"Be quiet," someone hissed. "If you interfere, they'll bite you to death." Autumn sat up and turned in place to see Poe hovering over her. She stared up at him in shock, understanding that the threat wasn't a joke. These people seriously liked biting.

"But they're biting Suoh to death!" She replied in a harsh whisper.

"No, they're not," he replied. "All of the bites are superficial wounds. It just looks bad because they're being a little messy. Not that I can blame them. The smell is starting to get to even me."

"Smell? What the hell are you talking about?"

"The smell of his blood," he answered with an almost feral grin. "Right now, it's stronger than even the smoke. You did well, Autumn. You built up his energy quite nicely. Now be quiet until they're finished. They'll want you to finish the job once they're satisfied."

"Satisfied?!" She gaped. "What the hell is wrong with you people?!"

"Nothing," he answered with a glare. "Now be silent or you can forget your payoff. This is why Suoh is here. You'll only cause him harm if you interfere." Autumn could only stare at him, unbelieving that this was the real entertainment that Suoh had agreed to. Only an idiot would agree-- Never mind. Suoh was an idiot. Still, she felt that she had to do something. If they kept up like they were-- "Nadine, start clearing out the ones that have already been bitten," Poe hissed, speaking to the girl from the elevator once more. "Their room numbers should be on their bracelets. Tend to their bites, as well."

"Yes, Lord Poe," Nadine replied with a small bow of her head. At the words, Autumn looked around in order to notice one important thing. Other than her and the clients, no one was moving. Everyone that she'd entered with were slumped over or sprawled out on the floor. Absolutely none of them were moving.

"W-W-What--?"

"That's why I said Suoh would be fine," Poe answered before she could begin to panic. "Don't worry. They're all perfectly fine. Most of them just fainted. They'll be back to normal in time. Most of the Council got tired of waiting and filled what room they'd saved back on the spares I bought. Thanks to that, they're just tasting Suoh instead of actually devouring him. His unique energy is the only thing that they're actually eating."

"E-Eating?" Autumn repeated, staring into the mass of people writhing on top of him. He had people on his arms and his legs, along with multiple people on his sides and one person still at his back. Suoh's head was rolled back onto the should of the person lodged in his neck, showing neither expression or feeling. It was horrifying. Even as she watched, one or two people broke off with blood covering their jaws and crawled away in satisfaction. They patted their stomachs with wide, bestial smiles while others who were waiting took up the abandoned spots. It made Autumn want to scream for them to stop, but fear kept her silent. She stayed silent in the fear-filled knowledge that they'd turn on her if she tried to stop them. She didn't have any weapons on her. She didn't have enough skill to take on such a large mob. She didn't have the courage to raise her voice like she knew she should.

It made her ashamed. Suoh was Family, but she was too scared to do anything to help him. She couldn't protect him. She'd done this so that she could make enough money to win succession, but her inability to do anything made her wonder if maybe Gabriel would be a better Boss. Gabriel would have stood up and done something by now, yet she couldn't do a thing. All she could do was sit there in fear-struck shock while she continued to watch Suoh's blood flow.

Once more, everything stopped at the sound of one person's voice.

"Bring him here," Mistress Drake ordered. The mass of people jumped away from Suoh in a rush as Poe stepped forward to answer the order. Autumn could only watch while covering her mouth to keep herself from getting sick. Suoh was covered in blood. There was simply too much of it and it was all his own. He didn't look capable of even moving, let alone standing up and walking over to her. Yet, he did. At Poe's guidance, he got to his feet and took one step after another in the direction of Mistress Drake. "I thought so," she murmured when Suoh fell to a stop before her after shuffling past Autumn without even looking at her. "You're still controlling it. Since when?"

"Since Autumn became happy with the offer you gave her," he answered in a guttural rumble, instantly getting the undivided attention of everyone in the room. The ones that had been biting him looked at him in shock while Autumn gaped. She could put two and two together. The fact that he hadn't responded to her combined with his answer meant that he'd been controlling himself all along. He... He hadn't had to sleep with her! He could have stopped!

"Why didn't you stop?" Mistress Drake asked in amusement.

"Because that would have made her unhappy," he replied tiredly. "I figured I'd make everyone happy by giving them what they wanted. Are you not satisfied?"

"You would go so far to satisfy us?" She asked with a smile twitching along her lips. "Does it not hurt?"

"It hurts," he groaned.

"Then why?"

"Letting down my friends would hurt more," he answered while wobbling on his feet. "If I can help them or make them happy, I figured that I should."

"Mistress," Poe interjected quietly. "He's getting close to his limits."

"Very well," Mistress Drake sighed. "We'll continue this discussion at a later time. Come here, Giotto's mirror. You, too, girl. I want the best that he has to offer."

"Eh?" Autumn gaped when every eye turned toward her while Suoh stumbled forward into the woman's reach. Before she could do more than gasp, Poe grabbed her by her arm and flung her down at Suoh's feet.

"Finish the job," he hissed. "Or do you not want to get paid?"

Shaking with indecision, Autumn looked up with wide eyes to see that Suoh was sitting in Mistress Drake's lap with his legs spread. The woman, the one person that Autumn thought was sane in the room, proved that she was no different from the rest as she swiped a finger through the blood trails on Suoh's chest before sticking the wet fingers in her mouth. It was sickening. It was disgusting. Even worse, she knew by the woman's gesture about what she was expected to do. The only thing was that Autumn didn't know what she wanted to do. She couldn't decide.

"Stop thinking about it, Autumn," Suoh mumbled from above her. "We're strangers right now. What would you do if you didn't know who I was?" Autumn flinched. She knew exactly what she'd do. She'd do what the woman wanted without a second thought in order to get the job done and get her payoff. Strangers weren't her problem. The problem was that Suoh wasn't a stranger, no matter what he claimed.

"Hurry up," Poe hissed, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "The longer you take, the longer he's going to be in pain." Autumn clenched her teeth at the words. Poe was right. She wasn't helping Suoh by becoming a momentary prude. She'd done worst things in her life than suck someone off. So what if he was a friend? It just meant that she needed to be working faster instead of stalling.

With that in mind, she crawled forward and got to work. Suoh gasped the moment her lips touched his tip, obviously still sensitive from having come so close previously. Seeing that, she set to finishing the job properly. It was shocking to her, but she knew that she wasn't doing it just for the sake of her paycheck. Suoh was hurting and they'd finally given her a way to intervene. She put more effort into bringing him to climax than she'd ever put into her activities in the past. In her own mind, it was her way of making up for not having done anything for him when she'd thought that he'd been in trouble.

She could tell that she was succeeding, too. Suoh moaned with every stroke of her lips across his sensitive flesh until he was slippery with her saliva. She teased him with her tongue as she went, increasing both her pace and the amount of stimulation she gave him. He gasped when she momentarily freed him long enough to pull of the ring that some idiot had put on him. Then she dived again, encasing his tip with a soft suck before taking him whole. She could taste herself on him. She could taste the sweat on him. She could taste the flecks of blood on him. All of the flavors swirled around her mouth, giving her absolutely no idea of what he actually tasted like. His hands reached out by instinct and entangled itself into her hair, occasionally clutching as if begging for more.

Suoh let out a sharp gasp as he climaxed, spilling over into her mouth. She pulled back almost instantly, working him with her hand while she spat out his essence onto the trailing end of her robe. It was an iron rule that she refused to swallow unless the client specified otherwise and she wasn't going to change that even for Suoh. Especially not for Suoh. Surprisingly, he didn't seem to give any reaction to his orgasm other than the single, quiet gasp that he'd emitted. She supposed that he was used to keeping quiet since he and Snicker lived with so many people. Still, she'd expected something a little more exciting. He wasn't even giving so much as a tremble or a thrust in her hand as she pumped him hard and slow to ensure that she'd milked him completely.

She figured out why when his hand fell off her head. Curious, she finally looked up at his face, only to find him staring blankly into thin air and the strange fire on his head was missing. Mistress Drake was embedded into a previously unbitten spot at the base of his neck. She wasn't sure if it was because of the angle or just a sudden epiphany, but Autumn stared at the teeth buried in Suoh's skin. Then she slowly stared at his other wounds. They were all the same. Everywhere that blood was leaking was a single puncture wound. Puncture, not a tearing bite wound. At least, not a bite wound from human teeth. The only place that wasn't leaking was the one under Mistress Drake's mouth.

"You've finally figured it out, little girl," Mistress Drake gasped as she pulled her fangs free with a loud squelch. More blood pooled up and began to pour down Suoh's chest from the wound, drawing Autumn's eyes away from her expression of unholy satisfaction. "What do you think? It's not every day that you see vampires feed. Such tasty food he is, too."

"I-I... uh..." Autumn panted heavily feeling as if she was already running for her life even though she hadn't yet moved. "I think vampires are messy eaters," she blurted, her mouth working outside control of her mind. She was too shocked to actually think. As always, her instincts kicked in at such a time and age-old defensive measures kicked in. "I mean, just look at him. He's got more blood on him than you all probably ate... o'shit." Autumn gasped and cringed backward when Mistress Drake released Suoh from her arms and he fell discarded to the floor at her side. "I.. uh...I didn't mean to insult you," she apologized hastily crawling backward as the vampire stood and began advancing on her. "It was just a joke! I really don't think you were messy. You were just... um... shit--" She gasped when she couldn't think of anything to say to save herself right as she rammed into the restraining arms of two other vampires.

"S-St...op..." A voice croaked from behind them. Mistress Drake paused, standing erect from where she'd begun to lean down for Autumn. Autumn's eyes widened at the sight of Suoh trying to get to his feet with Poe's wide-eyed help. "D-Do...n't... eat... her... pl...please. I... I can... g...give... mo... more... if..."

"Stop it, Suoh," Poe hissed. "You're already at your limits. You shouldn't even be standing."

"N-No.." He gasped slowly, taking a heavy step forward while Autumn shuddered in her captor's grips. She was scared. She'd never been so terrified in her life. Was she going to end up like one of those others that had already been sucked dry and dragged out of the room? She didn't want that! She wanted to get out of here! She didn't want them to bite her! This wasn't worth the money! No one had told her about there being vampires! The thought of such creatures terrified her so badly that hot tears began running down her face before they could even well up in her eyes. "A-Aut...tumn... she...she's my... friend. P-Pl...Please. Let... Let... her... go. I... I... can... g...give... more... in...stead..."

"You would go so far for her?" Mistress Drake asked, ignoring Autumn completely where she was feebly struggling in numerous vampiric grips.

"Yes," he answered, dragging his feet forward to stand before the head vampire. Autumn wanted to scream for him to run, but her voice was lodged in her throat. All she could do was silently weep while trying to twist her arms loose.

"Would you even let me suck you dry?" Mistress Drake asked with a cruel smile covering her face.

"Mistress--!" Poe gasped in objection.

"Silence!" She roared, her voice momentarily stopping even Autumn's tears with the simple tone of command she used. "Would you become outcaste over such a worthless being by denying me, Poe?"

"O-Of course not," Poe answered hurriedly. "It's just that he's such a rare vintage and--"

"All the more reason to savor him to the last drop," she interrupted before turning back to Suoh. "So, boy? What's your answer?"

"Yes," he murmured, silencing everyone with not only the simple answer, but the tears that began falling with it. Even Autumn's shaking subsided in shock, watching as tears began creating rivulets in the blood matting his chest. Then he looked at her and smiled. Autumn could only stare wide-eyed in return. There were fires in his eyes as if the fire on his head had become hidden in his body and were shining through the two small windows. "N-Not... a...again..." he panted with a mysteriously saddened expression. "A-Any... thing... but... that..."

"Let the girl go," Mistress Drake ordered. Autumn gasped as the hands let go of her and Mistress Drake gave her a single command. "Shoo." Terrified, she didn't stick around to argue. Scrambling to her feet, she mindlessly ran for the elevator and hit the call button. She tapped it repeatedly until the damned doors finally opened, after which she ran inside and hit the button for the first floor with plans to flee the building. She yanked her robe back up around her shoulders and tied it shut, already trying to think of what she was going to do after that. She knew what she was going to do. She was going to go get her daddy and have the Family exterminate some monsters. Suoh was a lost cause, but--

She let out a shriek when a hand reached in the closing doors of the elevator and pushed them open. Before she could panic even more, Poe jumped inside with Suoh in his arms. Instead of hitting the same button she had, he hit one for a different floor. She felt a lot more confident once it was one-on-one, although she waited for the doors to shut before acting. The moment that they were alone, she flew into motion.

"Let him go!" She screamed aiming her ringed fist straight at the man's temple. "Oh shit," she gasped when he stopped her hand instantly and gave her a cold look that sent tremors through her once more.

"Fr...Friends...not...f...fight..."

"Suoh!" She yelped at the sound of his voice. Yanking her arm free of Poe's grip, she looked over at where Suoh was being held up against Poe's chest with one arm. "Are you alive?" She asked hesitantly. He didn't look alive. His eyes were barely cracked open and she could see that they were rolled back in his head. The skin on his face seemed to have lost all it's color and she could barely tell that he was breathing.

"N...Not... a...g...ain..."

"He's delirious, but alive," Poe murmured as the elevator doors opened. Reaching down, he scooped up Suoh's fallen legs and darted into the hallway. Autumn gave chase, unwilling to let Suoh stay in the vampire's clutches. She'd failed as a Boss before, but she wasn't going to again!

"Where are you taking him?!" She exclaimed as the Nadine woman lurched out of a hotel room door.

"Everything is ready Lord Poe," she called as Poe started walking even faster.

"Answer me!" Autumn shouted, hating how she was being ignored more than anything.

"Shut up!" He snapped back as she followed him into the hotel room. "I'm going to fix Suoh, but I can't do that with you fucking yelling at me. Either keep quiet or get lost! Nadine--!"

"I'll get the bandages ready," she exclaimed in a rush as she slammed the door shut. "Who bad is it?"

"Worst than my hopes and better than my nightmares," he growled as he kicked the door to the bathroom open and went inside with Suoh still in his arms. Autumn followed him inside in order to find a steaming bath that Poe callously dumped Suoh into. Suoh didn't even react to the heat nor did he move to save himself as his head sagged below water level for a moment before Poe tilted his head back.

"What can I do to help?" She asked, seeing that Poe was actually trying to help him. The water was already thick with his blood, which only made her realize how dangerous this was. Diluting the clots on his skin couldn't possibly be a good thing.

"Get me a towel," he ordered as he started pulling Suoh out of the tub already, completely ignoring how he was soaking himself in the process. Autumn grabbed the first one that came to hand and ran forward at the same time that Nadine reappeared with a huge first-aid kit. "Spread it out on the floor then get out of the way," he snapped. Uncaring of his superior attitude, Autumn did like she was told. Poe laid Suoh carefully down on it the moment that it was spread enough to keep Suoh from catching a chill on the floor. After that, she was stuck backing away to watch helplessly.

Suoh looked horrible. He'd been bitten countless times and she could see all of it now that most of the blood had been quickly washed away with the dip in the water. There were three on each arm. He had bites running down his legs and up on his thighs. His hips and his sides had even been punctured, as had his chest muscles, his shoulders, and his neck. There were simply too many to count. The one that made her cringe was the one around his nipple and the missing barbell that was normally running through it.

"Damnit," Poe hissed as he looked him over. "This is worse than I thought. The blood was covering most of it."

"I thought that he was just supposed to be the after-dinner tidbit," Nadine gasped as she started taping bandages down over the wounds that weren't leaking. Autumn covered her mouth in horror when she saw the reason for the choice to patch those first. Poe... Poe was licking the wounds that were still oozing. His lower jaw was already covered in blood.

"He was," he growled between licks. "They weren't satisfied with one bite each--Damnit!" Poe snarled as Suoh started shaking while Autumn continued to stand back without a clue of what to do. She'd been training to be a nurse, but she didn't know how to deal with something like this! She'd just been doing rounds for checkups and giving occasional shots! This was ER type stuff, not colds and flu like she dealt with! "Go grab a cover and a pillow!" He yelled at her. "If this keeps up, he's going to go into shock!"

Autumn scrambled for the bedroom. In less than ten seconds, she was back with the pillows and blankets from the bed in her arms. Her training started to come back to her and she stuffed the pillows under his legs, stacking them as high as they could go. Nadine had pulled off one of the strange bracelets on Suoh's wrists and was in the process of injecting him with something. Poe was still licking the wounds and Autumn finally noticed that the bleeding would simply stop after only one or two strokes of his tongue. His legs were the first to get quickly patched, afterward Poe directed Autumn into covering him up as he moved upward while gesturing for her to pull off his anklets. She did, going one step farther in chafing his feet in order to help his circulation.

He was cold and unmoving, making Autumn panic internally.

"Give him an transfusion," he ordered, obviously talking to Nadine. "Autumn, take over for her on the bandages. We've got to hurry, his heartbeat is getting slower. He-- Shit."

"What's wrong?" Autumn gasped when Poe froze completely in his frenzied movements. Instead of answering, he threw off his trench coat and held out his wrist. Recognizing the motion from movies, she reached out to stop him. "Don't!" She cried. "Suoh doesn't want to be a vampire!"

"Shut up," he growled as he slashed a nail across his vein. "I can't turn him, even if I wanted to."

"Lord Poe..." Nadine murmured, staring in shock as Poe lowered his wrist down to Suoh's lips while he open and closed his fist to get the blood flowing.

"If it can save him, then so be it," Poe said solemnly. "It's my fault that he's come here. I underestimated the Council's bloodlust or else they underestimated their own hunger. They're nothing more than uncaring beasts trying to hold onto a world lost ages ago. Most vampires are nothing more than humans with a disease, yet they hold onto their barriers of race. I'd have nothing to do with them if it was permitted, but I have no wish to become outcaste. I know what they did to Uric's lands. I won't have them send the Phlegm to destroy this city, as well. One warning was enough."

"I can't believe that you're a pure-blood," Nadine mumbled. She instantly slapped her hands over her mouth with a blush and hurriedly focused every ounce of her attention on the blood infusion that Poe had ordered.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Poe replied as he looked down to see how Suoh was faring. "Nadine. I'm going to ask you to leave now. Suoh is my blood-slave and I wish to deal with him alone from here." Nadine nodded and got up in order to leave while Autumn looked Suoh over in worry. He was still showing no signs of reaction to the blood nor was his breathing getting any stronger. He simply lay in place while Autumn continued to place bandages over each of his wounds. Then Poe did something curious. He pulled off Suoh's eye patch and forced his eyelid open. "Mukuro," he said, speaking into the eye as if it would talk back. "I know that you can see me. I screwed up and I'm not afraid to admit it. If you can keep your presence hidden, I'm not too ashamed to beg for your help. Suoh is far more important than my pride."

"Mu..."

"That's it, Suoh," Poe encouraged as Autumn paused at Suoh's sharp exhale.

"He shouldn't talk," Autumn hissed.

"Shut up," Poe snapped in return. "There are things in this world that people like you could never hope to understand."

"..ku..."

"Keep it up," Poe urged. "You can do it, Suoh. Initiate the pact."

"...ro..."

Autumn let out a sharp curse at the strange wind that whipped through the room, sending a chill down her spine. She didn't understand it, but Suoh's breathing instantly got better. His skin seemed warmer, too.

"About time, you foul hell spawn," Suoh growled, showing none of the weakness that he'd had previously. "I should send you back--mph--"

"Drink first," Poe snapped, shoving his wrist down over Suoh's open mouth. "Suoh was too weak to take it properly. You can send me back to hell later. Don't give me that look, I've been inoculated. Just take it so that it can start working."

"W-What...?" Autumn gaped as Suoh started sucking on the wrist with a sudden strength that he hadn't had before. He'd looked like he was on the edge of dying a moment ago and he was suddenly fine! Well, not fine, but better!

"I got him to summon his keeper," Poe answered with a crooked grin. "Mukuro is keeping Suoh's insides confused with illusions until the blood transfusion and my transfusion can get to work. He should have called him earlier, but I just realized that Suoh was probably holding back because I told him not to let Mukuro show himself tonight. I just hope that those upstairs don't feel his presence."

"That's enough," Suoh gasped, pulling his blood-drenched lips away from Poe's wrist. "He's already risking a change with that much."

"I told you, I've been inoculated," Poe replied as he licked his own wrist to stop the bleeding.

"Which keeps healthy people from becoming carriers when they're infected," Suoh growled. "Does Suoh look particularly healthy at the moment?"

"Shit," Poe cursed. "I didn't think about that. How is he?"

"He's delirious," Suoh growled. "A memory fragment broke loose again. He remembered his wife's murder thanks to your disgusting blood games."

"H-His wife?" Autumn choked. "What--? What's going on?"

"Suoh has more trauma in his short life than a pathetic human like you could ever hope to understand," Suoh snarled, making her doubts completely disappear. This definitely wasn't Suoh talking. It had to be some sort of split personality that she hadn't known about.

"Can you make him forget again?" Poe interjected worriedly. "You said before that Suoh is supposed to be resting from all of that. He won't be able to if he remembers."

"I don't think so," he replied with a glare up at Poe. "It broke loose while outside of my control. I can't recover it without taking more of his memories along with that fragment. Prepare yourself to take the consequences. The memory wasn't a pleasant one and he won't understand why he made the choice that he did. It was your screw-up, so it's your responsibility to deal with it."

"I'll do my best," Poe soothed with a pained flinch. "This night didn't go anything like planned."

"So I saw," he murmured. "There were a few other shards that scattered with the main break. He'd still oblivious to his past, but I haven't completely been able to do damage control yet. There might be other shards big enough for him to notice."

"Why did you keep him from hearing he had a son?" Poe asked quietly while Autumn simply sat and listened in flabbergasted shock.

"You're a fool," he replied. "That is the one thing that he must not find out about. If he were to, there would be nothing I could do to keep him from shattering his own mind. Without the memories in my keeping and those that I'm still searching for, he would break himself by trying to piece together the pieces that he still has. His bond with his son was something powerful enough that he would destroy himself in trying to respond to the mere memory of it. I would not have that. Remember our bargain, hell spawn. If you fail me but once, I will send you back to hell where you belong."

"I won't fail," he soothed with a smile. "But you better keep your promise. I want to be human when this is over."

"Keep putting Suoh in these situations and I'll push you into the lake instead of taking you through the Hidden Gates," Suoh countered with a feral grin. "Now, pick him up and carry him into the bedroom. This floor is quite uncomfortable."

"Sure, sure," Poe chuckled. "You know... For a Gatekeeper, you're almost bearable."

"For a vampire, you're a step below loathsome," he grumbled.

"You're just jealous because you want to be one," Poe laughed as he picked Suoh up.

"It's tempting," he admitted quietly, making Poe pause in the middle of a step. "If I could get Suoh to agree, I find myself not quite as disgusted by the idea."

"Was that why you agreed to this tonight?" Poe asked solemnly. "You were hoping someone would slip up or that he might accidentally get turned?"

"It was a thought," Suoh murmured.

"Callous as always, Mukuro. Do you really think he'd be happy with this curse? Suoh is the type of person that hurts when he takes from others. It would destroy him to have to feed."

"He is stronger than you know. Suoh's taken countless lives in his past. More importantly, who said he'd ever need to feed off of the unwilling? I could return to him eternally."

"Oh?" Poe asked as he carried Suoh into the bed and Autumn belatedly brought the covers to wrap around him once more. "And here I expected you to want to become one beside him. Instead, you'd try to be his eternal blood-slave?"

"Meeting is the best part," he replied with a small smile. "For him to eternally be searching for me, I find there to be a certain amount of poetic justice to the thought."

"I take back what I said," Poe growled as he threw the covers over Suoh's bandaged body. "You are the cruelest, most foul being that I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. To damn him over something that happened in a past life is too cruel."

"Ah," he smiled in amusement. "So word of my plight was gossip even among your kind."

"More than gossip, you foul demon," he spat. "There were people that wrote novels and epic tragedies about you two. Ylas talked about it almost constantly back when I still had access to Hell's Mirror. You're much more of a twisted bastard than he ever told me, though."

"Ylas always was more angel than devil," he chuckled. "I believe our dialog has went far enough. Suoh is beginning to come around and his blood is already strengthening. Ensure that the whore knows the meaning of silence. I must go. Whether my plan failed or succeeded is still to be determined and it is Suoh's battle to fight. Not mine."

"Wait. What?" Poe gasped.

"Kufufufufu," he laughed. "You'll see soon enough."

Omake:

Ashes: Why am I doing this?

Xanxus: Because you miss our asses.

Ashes: True. It's harder to write without all of you than I thought, but I'm managing. I wonder how people are liking it so far.

Xanxus: They'd like it better if you'd get to writing another chapter instead of this bullshit.

Ashes: But I'm scared of writing the next chapter. What should I do? I accidently wrote Tsuna into a corner!

Xanxus: What the fuck are you planning this time? You better not be thinking about turning Tsuna into a fucking blood-sucker!

Ashes: Are you scared?

Xanxus: Fuck no!

Ashes: You're lying.

Xanxus: Fuck off. No I'm not!

Ashes: Would you like me to make him into a werewolf?

Xanxus: NO!

Ashes: Why's that?

Xanxus: Dumbass! Wolves go into heat!

Ashes: So, you are scared.

Xanxus: Shut up, you fucking scum! Vampires and Werewolves aren't real!

Ashes: Then why are you scared?

Xanxus: I'M NOT FUCKING SCARED!

Ashes: So how are things on your end? How's Vongola doing?

Xanxus: How the fuck should I know? I'm retired. Go write Hibari's chapter if you want to know that.

Ashes: You retired? Like, completely?

Xanxus: Yeah. My therapist told me to. She's a fucking witch.

Ashes: I bet you miss Tsuna, don't you?

Xanxus: Where did I put that rum?

Ashes: Don't worry, Xanxus. There's always hope for the future.

Xanxus: Yeah right. You've written how many chapters without me? I thought I was your second favorite character!

Ashes: I'll see if I can squeeze you into Hibari's chapter, but no promises. I might forget when I finally get there. You know how I like to deviate.

Xanxus: How much fucking longer? I'm getting bored waiting around for Tsuna to remember us. I need some damn ACTION!

Ashes: Calm down! Soon enough! First, I got to see how people react to this chapter! I wasn't planning on adding so much vampire stuff into the story, but it kind of just swung that way. I don't know if people are liking it or not. Plus, I've got to decide if Tsuna should stay human, Vampire, or if I should twist him in some unexpected fashion.

Xanxus: Probably the last one. You're a crueler witch than even Lilith.

Ashes: First name basis, are we? Hmmmm.

Xanxus: SHUT THE FUCK UP! I'm just killing time!

Ashes: Sure you are.

Xanxus: You're dead meat, you trash. Prepare yourself.

Ashes: Crap. Later!