Note : To me, 'canon' is a big metal tube that shoots things. At the verrrry beginning I stated these fics are based on the ANIME, not the manga. So go shoot the manga with your canon. Since the ANIME did not define what makes a Shinso but gave implied family ties through Moka and her father who was a Dark Lord, I created a tree : At the top is the Shinso vampire, the strongest type of vampire that is bread through family lines. Then there is the TRUE vampire, again, only born though family lines and is not quite as powerful as the Shinso. Turned vampires have two types, turned while alive and healthy (Tsukune type) they are equal to a True vampire. The other is the weak vampire, turn near or at death, needing a lot of blood merely to survive. These are the Bram Stoker types who burn in sunlight, shy away from rosaries and have the fewest capabilities. Weak vampires,such as the Red Court (And now extinct Black court) vampires in Chicago, can be strengthened and fortified with massive injections of blood far exceeding what they can realistically drink to become on par with True vampires (Barnabas & Liz so far) – as explained by Yukari who figured out why these vampires are so weak.

So, on with the story.

CH 74

Azami was so angry at Tommy, that she just wandered aimlessly in the back yard trying to calm down. She so wanted to beat the hell out of something! As she grumbled, she noticed a rock sticking out of the ground. Cocking back with a balled fist, Azami punched the rock hard with an angry yell. Bits of stone flew, the rock cracked down the middle. The seismic tremor from the impact rattled the houses around her.

"BAKA!" Azami spat.

Mrs. Murphy burst out the back door. "What in the hell was that?" she cried.

Around them neighbors came out of their houses.

"Was that an earthquake?"

"Don't see no smoke, where was the explosion?"

"Did a place crash?"

"Oops," Azami said quietly. Blushing, she winced and said to Mrs. Murphy, "Sorry."

Coming out, Murphy looked at the tip of bedrock no one had been able to remove. They'd told her it would require blasting it out. It was blasted. The top was gone and bits were all over the yard. "So what was that about?" she asked Azami.

With a whine in her voice, Azami said, "It's just ... boys are idiots!"

"I won't argue with you there," Murphy mussed. "Want to talk about it?"

"I ... no... yes... It's just how can he even think things like that about me?" Azami asked, her eyes begging for an answer.

Bitting back a smirk, Murphy asked, "OK, how about if we go inside. I think you have some of that ice cream left. Let's just relax and talk for a bit, OK?"

Azami nodded sadly and went inside with Mrs. Murphy.

The brief tremor localized in Chicago made the news and left seismologists puzzled over what had caused it.

.

Sunday, Azami danced with Anna. Anna showed her the moves Mrs. Sokolov had taught them. The moves were simple. Azami showed Anna how to smooth her moves out a bit to make all her moves into a free flowing form. Trying a duet,the first time ended up in giggles as they found their timing was off. They kept at it, and managed to move together.

Harry came over, so the girls did the short routine they made for Harry and Murphy. They received applause and took their bows smoothly with one leg behind the other, arms out and curved back in true ballet style.

Sunday night, Azami also found she had another irritation to deal with. She knew enough to cover up and wear her raincoat and gloves whenever it rained, and to keep her umbrella with her at all times. Outside, the wind had picked up – as usual in Chicago, but snow fell instead of rain. Never having seen snow before, Azami went out back and watched in amazement at the tiny white flakes drifting down from the sky on the wind. The way it swirled around with the air currents, was beautiful.

"You've never seen snow before?" Anna asked from under her furry hood.

"I've seen it on TV and in movies," Azami said as she watched the sky, "But never in person. It's like a dance, it's so pretty."

"It's snow," Anna said with a grin. "We get it every year."

Azami held her bare hand out, wanting to catch one of the tiny white flakes. She did manage to catch one. A flake drifted down and landed on her palm. The fluffy little white speck was cold. Azami watched it melt. Then the cold feeling shifted to a burning sensation.

"Ouch!" Azami yelped and shook her hand.

Another flake touched down on her cheek. Another hit the back of her hand.

"Oww! ... Ah!" Azami cried. She then remembered, snow was frozen water. Holding her arms up over her face, Azami ran inside. She got stung a couple more times before she made it through the door. Panting in the safety of the kitchen, she noticed the red spots on her hand.

Anna came in behind her, eyeing her curiously.

"It's water. Snow is water!" Azami said, looking at the fading burn spots.

"Well, yeah," Anna said as Azami stated had the obvious. "What did you think it was?"

"I dunno, snow! But it melts when it hits the ground, so at least it won't be a big problem," Azami mussed.

"Right now it does," Anna agreed. "But it's getting colder. The snow will start sticking, and it will pile up. We'll be shoveling it and walking in it soon."

Azami paled. "How deep will it get?" she asked. Her boots were six inches high. As long as it didn't get above her boots, it would be OK.

Anna shrugged and said, "We usually get a foot or so every storm. One time it snowed three feet."

Swallowing nervously Azami squeaked, "That's almost a meter! That's up past my hips!"

"Why are you so worried?" Anna asked.

"Because water burns me if it isn't treated!"

Anna got it. "Uh oh. You're really going to have a problem this winter," she noted.

.

By morning, it had stopped snowing and the ground was only wet. It was cold enough to wear a coat, so Azami put her 'rain' gloves on, leather gloves with a plastic coating, as well as her foldable umbrella in her book bag as always – just in case.

Going to school, it was a relief to return to her normal classes. She got ribbing from her friends, 'Speedbump the jailbird', and "in school convict' though it was not maliciousness. Tamara again tried to coax her into joining the basketball team, saying she could 'tune herself down' to play like the rest of them. It was fun.

Anna had told her that at the first ballet meeting, they all had been in street clothes and filled out forms and talked about what they were going to do, so today Azami hadn't brought her practice outfit. At the end of the school day, Azami put her books in her locker and went with Anna down to the practice room.

Azami went in, seeing it was similar to their practice room at home, though only half the size. The floor was covered completely by mat, and there were benches along one wall. Unlike at home, this practice room had one long wall that was all mirror, with a handrail running the length of it. Since she didn't have her practice clothes of slippers like the other girls did, Azami took her shoes off before she went in.

Anna showed Azami the small office to one side in the practice room. "Mrs. Solokov is in there. I'm going to limber up."

"Thank you, Anna," Azami said and went to the office door.

Mrs. Solokov was a thin, mature woman with her dark hair piled in a bun at the back of her head. Seeing she was writing something, Azami knocked on the door frame. "Hello? Mrs. Solokov?" Azami asked.

"Be out soon," the woman said with a heavy Russian accent as she glanced at Azami. She then looked up again. "What do you want?" she all but snapped.

"I'm Azami Aono," Azami said meekly. "I signed up for ballet last week, but I wasn't able to be here."

"Not my problem," Mrs. Sokolov said, wearing a face that looked like she was smelling something bad. "We have started. You missed too much. You could get hurt if you start now. Try next year."

Azami didn't like the woman's attitude. Still, she remained pleasant. "Mrs. Sokolov, I know how to dance, and I won't get hurt," she explained.

"What you know?" Mrs. Sokolov asked down her nose at Azami. "You say you know? Who teach you?"

"My Aunt Kahlua."

Eyeing Azami warily, the woman asked, "This Kahlua, what is last name?"

"Kahlua Shuzen, she's my aunt and a very good dancer," Azami explained.

"Shuzen!" Mrs. Sokolov barked, spitting the name out as she shot up from her seat. She then thrust her arm at the door. "You go! No place for you here!"

"But..."

"Nyet Nosferatu!" Mrs. Sokolov spat at Azami with a sneer. Snapping up a bottle of water, she yanked the cap off it and pointed it at Azami. "You go now!"

Azami backed out the door. Mrs. Sokolov followed her, brandishing the water bottle at Azami. "Go!" she barked again.

Not wanting to be drenched, Azami grabbed her shoes and left. Mrs. Sokolov followed her out to the practice room door. Azami figured Aunt Kahlua had made a bad impression on this woman.

"Damn," Azami grumbled as she went back to her locker. She'd really been looking forward to doing ballet with some friends. She wanted to go back and explain she just wanted to dance, but Mrs. Sokolov was rather upset at seeing her.

.

Anna watched what happened in disbelief. Mrs. Sokolov had ran Azami out, chasing her with a water bottle. Other girls giggled at the sight, Anna knew what a threat water was to Azami. Apparently, so did Mrs. Sokolov. The question was why did she do that.

Anna went to Mrs. Sokolov's office. The woman was trembling as she sat down.

"Mrs. Sokolov? Why did you do that to Azami?" Anna asked.

Mrs. Sokolov ran a hand over her face and wave to the empty chair beside her desk. "You know that thing?" she asked.

"I know that girl," Anna said, stressing girl.

Gazing intently at Anna, Mrs. Sokolov said, "No, not girl, thing! Not human. That Kahlua Shuzen is her aunt. Kahlua Shuzen is murderer! They all are. In my village when I was young, we lived near a grand castle. The Shuzen castle. One day, Kahlua Shuzen come down holding my sister's head! She stuck her head on a pole, then grabbed another girl. Men try to stop her, she kill them with sharp blades out of arms! Chop heads right off. Girl scream and fight, Kahlua Shuzen chop her head off, grab another girl. That girl cried, but let herself be taken. Mother and I run. Not stop."

Pointing her finger at Anna, she said, "You, everyone, stay away from Aono! Aono killer just like Shuzen, I know these things, I see these things!"

Hands over her mouth, Anna whispered "Oh my god!"

"Yes, pray to God. Keep water nearby. In America, they make big mistake. Not all are equal like leaders claim. Some are blood-sucking Nosferatu."

Anna was shocked by what she'd been told, but she could not imagine Azami doing those things. "Mrs. Sokolov?" she said slowly. "I've never seen Azami do anything to hurt anyone. If anything, she helps whoever she can."

"She has red eye, the devil's eye! Will play with you, make you feel safe, then rip your throat out and drain blood from your body!" Mrs. Sokolov stated firmly.

"No, not Azmai," Anna insisted.

Mrs. Sokolov let out a heavy sigh. Shaking her head, she said, "If you not learn, you die. So sad."

.

Azami walked home not feeling very well. She knew at one time that Aunt Kahlua had been an assassin. She guessed Mrs. Sokolov knew it too. In a way, she couldn't blame Mrs. Sokolov for her anger. The fact she might someday meet someone who had known, or been a victim of Aunt Kahlua back then had never occurred to her.

This was something she could not fix. No amount of explaining or apologizing would do anything. Mrs. Sokolov hated her and all vampires, and that was that. It was best to stay away from Mrs. Sokolov and not remind her of the pain she obviously carried.

Quick footsteps and a call of, "Hey, Azami," got her attention.

Azami turned to see Tommy catching up with her. Great, just what she needed right now. She turned back and kept walking.

Falling into step beside her, Tommy said. "OK, I know I'm an idiot, but please, can we talk a minute?"

"Knowing the problem is the first step in correcting it," Azami replied blandly.

"Good one," he said. "Ahh, can we stop and sit someplace?"

"I'm not in the best of moods right now," Azami said, then eyed him and asked, "Shouldn't you be working?"

"Day off. I do get those now and then. So what happened? Not in detention again, are you?"

"Once was enough for me. Unlike some people," Azmai said flatly.

Tommy studied her face. "You really aren't in a very good mood, are you?"

"What gave to that clue?"

"Can we please stop, just for a minute? There's something I want to tell you," Tommy begged.

"Wow, walking AND chewing gum must be really hard on you. Breathing when you're so busy must be a real bitch," Azami muttered.

"OK, FINE! I deserve the cold shoulder, OK? But come on, who slapped who here? Will you at least listen to me?"

"How can I not?"

Getting a couple steps ahead, Tommy grabbed Azami by the shoulders and stopped her. "Two minutes, PLEASE!" he stated.

Azami stared at him. She then asked, "What direction would you like to fly in?"

Tommy frowned at her and said, "You want to throw me in the air, across the street, under a bus, or stick me upside down in a garbage can, I don't care! Just give me two minutes."

"Clock's ticking."

"OK," Tommy said, and took a deep breath. "Look, the other day, I was ... scared, OK? I mean, in the movies, when vampires take blood, they kill whoever they suck from. Usually painfully. That's all I thought about after you left the store."

Azami cast him a fake smile and said, "Nice, you stop me just to insult me, would you like to pick the garbage can you're going to get a real good look at the bottom of?"

"Just hold on!" Tommy snapped. "I said that is what I thought. I am not used to people doing nice things unless they want something. I mean, that just doesn't happen to me. I know I can be a real jerk,OK? I'm trying not to be ... at least with you. You deserve better. And I should have known that you have never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it, at least from what I know about you. In fact, you cut me a lot of slack ... much more than I deserved."

Squeezing Azami's shoulder out of nervousness, Tommy's voice became soft as he shifted his eyes down. "I know you do need blood, so if you don't have any, then ... I'll give you some." He took a breath and quickly added,"And if it's gonna hurt, then knock me out or something, OK?"

Although he still worded things badly, Azami understood he was serious. She unconsciously grew a grin. "Tommy, I would never hurt you. And done right, taking a bit of blood does not hurt either. That's all I need, just a cup or so, not enough to affect you."

"So, it's more like having to give blood samples at the hospital," Tommy guessed.

"More like that than the things you were thinking, yes."

Tommy visibly sagged in relief. "Oh, good," he said with a sigh. "I was really worried."

"I can tell."

Tommy looked at his hands, just realizing he'd grabbed her. Jerking back he said, "Sorry. And remember, if you need it..."

Azami grinned at him. "Sorry for slapping you," she offered.

"Yeah, well, sorry for trying to hit you with a board ... and getting you in trouble in school," he replied to the sidewalk.

"No harm done."

They stood not looking at each other for a moment. Tommy broke the silence. "So, what's up with your mood? Something happen today?"

Azami nodded. "I got ran out of Ballet practice by the teacher," she admitted.

Tommy screwed his face up at her. "What did you do? Spin around and kick someone in their tutu?"

Azami snorted out a chuckle. "No, the teacher knew my Aunt, and don't like my family. At all," she said.

"Oh. That's some serious dislike. But why did she take it out on you?"

Azami shrugged and said, "I'm a vampire. That's all she needed to know."

"You let her kick you out?"

Giving Tommy a serious look, Azami said, "She had a bottle of water she was going to throw at me."

Opening his eyes on mock surprise, Tommy said, "Wow. Can't ruin the make up, huh?"

Azami punched him half heartedly, which still knocked his shoulder back. "You jerk! Untreated water burns me if it touches me!"

"Oww!" Tommy complain as he rubbed his shoulder. "So you can take the punch from hell and break boards with no trouble, but plain water hurts you?"

"Well, duh! I'm a vampire," Azami told him.

"I guess that kills going for a swim, huh?" Tommy asked with a crooked grin. He then thought of something else. "So you like never bathe then?"

Azami scowled at him. "I do so!" she snapped.

"But you can't touch water."

"I treat the bath with herbs, and I'm fine," Azami countered.

Tommy leaned closer and sniffed her. Azami stepped back and asked, "What are you doing?"

"So that's the nice smell you have. I thought it was perfume."

"Do you have to sniff me like that?" Azami asked indignantly.

"You can sniff me if you want," Tommy said with a lopsided grin.

Azami blushed. She said something under her breath.

"What was that?" Tommy asked.

"Nothing," Azami said sheepishly.

"Come on," Tommy coaxed. Azami shook her head again. Seeing she looked like she was in a better mood, he asked, "So, can I walk you home? You know, throw myself in front of you to protect you from those nasty water bottle toting teachers?"

Azami burst out in a laugh. "You're funny," she said in a giggle. Quieting her mirth, she asked, "Isn't that a bit far for you?"

"Not unless you're going to the Bronx."

"The Bronx?" Azami asked.

"New York City?" Tommy prodded.

"Not quite that far," Azami said with a smirk. "Just four more blocks down, but it's out of your way."

"Did I say I cared?"

"Hey Tommy! That you?"

Tommy looked across the street. It was his manager. He waved and said, "Yeah?"

The manager called over, "George didn't come in, want some extra time?"

Tommy looked at Azami. "Could use the money," he said with a wince.

Azami tipped her head towards the Manager. "Go on, I find my way home every day. Even when it rains," she said with a crooked grin.

Tommy called, back, "I'm coming, I'll be right there." He then pointed to Azami and said, "Remember, any time you want." He gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder, then crossed the street.

"He does smell yummy," Azami said to herself, then continued on home feeling pretty good.

.

By Wendsday morning the snow was sticking. White covered the ground as far as Azami could see, and it was still snowing. Covering everything, the white blanket did look pretty. As pretty and deadly as the sunflower fields back home.

Armoring up against the snow, Azami put show pants on over the riped jeans she'd gotten for her Birthday, and made sure they hung down below her boots, so snow would not go into her boots. She tucked a hoodie sweater down into her snow pants, then her coat on over it. Besides the hood on her sweater, she put the hood up on her coat and pulled the strings to bring the hood close around her face. The latex gloves she tucked up into her sleeves, then put the thicker gloves on over her sleeves. When she was done, the only thing showing was her face from within the hood. She had her umbrella for a snow-shield in case she needed it. Her movement was restricted, but she was as safe as she could make herself.

At the door, Anna saw her and chuckled. "You look like Kenny from South Park," she said.

"Who's that?"

"The kid who dies every ..." Anna said, then quickly said, "Not that anything is going to happen to you."

"Great," Azami grumbled.

Azami made it to school though the few inches of snow on the ground. She was stared at by the other kids that only wore jackets against the cold.

"Yo, Speedbump, expecting a blizzard?" Gerald asked.

"I thought it was going to snow more," Azami said defensively.

"Dayum, I don't think Eskimos bundles up that much."

"Maybe she's got snow-phobia."

"Is that really Speedbump under all that?"

"You know who she looks like?"

"Yeah! Hey guys, Kenny's here from South Park!"

"OH MY GOD! They killed Kenny. YOU BASTARDS!"

Azami went in the school as a roar of laughter surrounded her. This wasn't one of her better days.

.

After pulling off her outer clothes that filled her locker, Azami got to her normal classes. Her nickname was changed from 'Speedbump' to 'Kenny'. Wonderful, she was now some cartoon guy who was constantly getting killed.

Surviving the ribbing that only died down some before lunch, Azami took her seat next to Anna and stayed quiet hoping this morning would be forgotten.

Dennis, formerly of the dark, sat across from her. The table filled, a girl sat down and asked, "So who's the dork that came in dressed for the arctic this morning?"

"Hey! Carrot top, zip it!" Tommy said as he plopped down on the other side of Azami. He planted a can of tomato juice in front of her. "In case you need one," he said to Azami quietly.

"Thank you," she said, surprised he thought of her.

"Oh GOD, Wallace, why don't you go away?" the girl snapped at him.

"Yeah, we don't associate with loosers," another girl added.

Tommy leaned over the table so he could see them. "Now that's funny coming from you Princess wannabes. Tell me, do you get nosebleeds very often from having your nose so high up in the air? Or is that as fake as your tits are?"

The bite of sandwich Azami had been about to swallow caught in her throat. She hacked it out, right onto Dennis. A few coughs later she gained enough breath to say, "Sorry, Dennis."

"That's all right, your Majesty," he said with a nod.

"Screw you, Wallace!"

"I don't think so," Tommy replied with a wince. "I have better standards than that."

The red head shot to her feet. "I'm telling on you!" she announced.

Azami shot to her feet and glared at her. "Sit down, shut up, and eat," she intoned.

The girl shifted in place. "Make me," she said weakly.

Azami grew a wicked grin. "Are you sure you want that?" she asked in a malevolent tone.

The girl swallowed nervously then picked up her tray. "Come on, Cathy, let's so sit someplace where ..." Looking at Azami eyeing her, she changed what she was going to say to, "Where they're not."

Tommy grinned and waved his fingers at them. Azami popped him on the head. "You behave too," she said and sat back down.

"Hey!" Tommy said as he ducked. "I bring you something, and you whack me on the head?"

"Then behave," Azami told him.

"Yes, Ma'am," Tommy replied sarcastically.

Azami turned to Anna and said, "See? he is trainable."

"Please, leave me out of this," she said holding up a hand.

Azami noted something odd. "Tommy, where's your lunch?"

Tommy spread his arms made a show of scanning the table, then clapped his hands to the sides of his head. "Oh shit, someone stole it!"

"Don't even tell me you forgot to bring one," Azami grumbled.

Tommy snapped his fingers. "Nope, dog ate it."

"You don't have a dog."

"My sister then. There is a resemblance between the two," Tommy explained in a serious tone.

"Want another smack on the head?" Azami asked. By now, she knew Tommy covered up the truth with his silly shit. Sticking to a simpler question, she asked, "Did your mom leave before you did this morning?"

"Where would she go?" he asked.

Azami decided not to play his game. "OK then, what do you want for lunch tomorrow?"

"You don't have to bring lunch for me," he said quietly.

"Decide, or you get what I give you."

"Wish more girls would say that," Tommy said with smirk.

Azami popped him on the head again.

"Will you stop that?"

"Will you answer me?"

"Whatever you're having," Tommy said in defeat.

Azami slid a tomato juice back to him, and said, "Drink this at least."

"That's yours."

"I have two, drink from that one." Azami said firmly. Seeing his lips purse as he glanced at her chest, she warned, "Don't EVEN say it!"

"I was just going to say thank you," Tommy said with a grin, and took the can.

.

Tommy caught movement in his peripheral vision. Turning to look, he saw a thin older woman with a bucket of water. She stopped and cocked back to throw the water on Azami. Scrambling up, Tommy kicked his chair back and hugged Azami from behind in a shielding hug as the woman threw. He got drenched. The water splashed off him and around the table, but missed Azami. Spinning to the woman, he yelled, "What's wrong with you, you crazy old bat!"

The woman glared at him and stomped away as the monitors gapped at her. One left right behind her.

"Crazy bitch!" Tommy grumbled as he turned back. Azami was on her feet behind him, as was Anna and others who were just gapping at him and dripping water. Tommy looked Azami over and asked, "Didn't get any on you, did you?"

Azami just stared at him.

Tommy eyed her. She wasn't moving a muscle. He asked, "Ahh, Hello? Azami? Speedbump? Kenny? Anybody home in there?" Waving his hand on front of her face, he asked, "Earth to Azami, come in."

Azami slowly looked around at all the water, then eyed his drenched shirt. "You saved me," she said vacantly.

Her gaze was penetrating, her mouth partway open, her cheeks flushed. To lighten the moment, Tommy said, "Hey, if I didn't, how would you bring me lunch tomorrow."

"You're walking me to the market after school," she said in her vacant tone as she kept her gaze fixed on him.

Tommy reached over and picked up his juice. "Sure. I'll watch out for crazy old bats toting buckets along the way, too. Gotta go dry off now, my ass is wet."

.

Azami didn't speak at all on her way out of school. She bundled herself up in her snow armor and went to the entrance where Tommy was talking to another boy as she came up. She didn't stop, but hooked is arm and pulled him around to walk with her.

"Whoa! Hey, hang on!" Tommy complained as he was spun and pulled along. "See ya later, Bill," he called back at the boy.

Walking along, his hand held prisoner by Azami, Tommy asked, "We in a hurry?"

They walked a block farther. "You know, Azami, I missed a class because I was blow drying my pants with the hand drier. The shirt was a little fast. I even got a slip from the office to explain my absence."

Another block and the market was in sight. "You aren't in shock, or anything like that, are you" Tommy asked.

Azami replied by turning down the alley beside the market.

"Will you say something?" Tommy begged, "Come on, you're freaking me out here."

Another turn into the back alley and Azami stopped. She spun Tommy to face her and pulled her hoods back.

"There you are," Tommy said with a grin. "I was wondering if it was really you. So, why we back here? What did you want?"

Azami clapped her hands on the sides of his head as she gazed at him.

"You," she whispered, then pulled his head to her and locked lips with him.

Tommy stumbled into her, at first putting his arms around her for support, then really hugging her as their kiss went on. He wasn't sure if the moan of delight was from him or her.

Finally having to break the kiss and breathe, Tommy held Azmai tight. Panting, he whispered, "Wow... for some reason, I wanna grab your ass."

"Whatever you want," Azami said as she snuggled her head into his shoulder. She kissed him on the neck and the opened her mouth. Tommy's eyes flew open as he felt her fangs sink in.

"Wha... ohhh ... Ah ... wow!" Tommy gasped. The feeling of her sipping on him blossomed out from his neck and straight down his spine to his crotch. He was gripped her, but had no idea, nor did he care what he was holding. His rod sprang up hard in his pants. Somehow, he equated having his neck sucked on, as having the other end of him sucked on. Too soon, Azami pulled her fangs out and gave his neck a lick that sent another tingly wave of pleasure down his spine.

Tommy clapped a hand to the back of her head. "Don't stop!" he begged.

She kissed his ear and whispered, "You are delicious, but that is all for now. More later, inside. I promise."

Dazed from the experience, Tommy dropped to his knees when Azami loosened her hold on him. He panted hugging her, still trying to wrap his mind around what just happened.

Azami kissed the top of his head and helped him to his feet. "Up, you have to go to work," she reminded him.

Work? Work? What was that? Tommy staggered up with Azami's help. "Work, oh yeah, I know what that is," he mumbled.

"Go on, I'll see you later," Azami said in a silky tone.

"OK, later," Tommy agreed. He went in the back door and stumbled over a crate of lettuce. He'd never imagined having his blood sucked could feel so damn good!

It took Tommy a few minutes to get himself together. He also found out his brain had been invaded. He could not stop the tune "Livin lavida Loca' from playing in his mind.