"Your princess went in this direction," Zeito said as he began leading the way.
"How do you know that?" Len asked. "You can't smell her. Miku's wearing my sister's and my clothes, so what makes you so sure she went that way?"
Zeito rolled his eyes. "Becuase I can smell you. Tell me, Wolf, what do you smell like?" Len was taken aback and didn't know how to respond. "You can't smell where she went because she smells like you, and you can't smell your own scent." Zeito was right, Len didn't have a single clue as to what he smelt like. "I can smell you, and I can pick up the older scent that leads that way," he pointed to the direction he had planned to go. "Were you here last night, or did your princess escape this route while disguising her scent under your own?"
"You're right," Len bitterly admitted. "If you're sure Miku went that way then we should take that route."
Zeito smirked in satisfaction while Zatsune shook her head. "You will have to forgive him," she told Len. "Making friends is not one of Zeito's talents."
"Who said I wanted to be friends with this wolf?" Zeito said as he wrinkled his nose. "Just because I agreed to join the rebellion does not mean that I plan on befriending any wolves and holding hands as we sing."
Zatsune sighed. "Idiot," she mumbled.
"Well I don't have time for hurt feelings," Len said. "We need to find Miku as soon as possible."
"Then let's get started," Zeito said as he began walking away.
"You're going to have to be able to get through this without killing him, you know?" Zatsune said as she walked alongside Len. "He may be difficult to get along with, but Zeito's a really sweet guy once you get to know him."
"You must know him really well then," Len said, "or else you wouldn't say that."
Zatsune smiled. "Oh yeah, I know him very well."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
They managed to walk all the way to the next town, but by then night had begun to settle and all three of then were tired from their travel. "We should stop for the night," Zeito suggested.
"We can't!" Len argued. "We need to find Miku now. You said your brother's after her, so why are you taking this easy?"
"Because we need to rest," Zeito argued back. "You're tired, I'm tired, and look at poor Zatsune." Len did look and was surprised to see that Zatsune was gripping onto a nearby lamp post, looking as if she was trying not to collapse. "She hasn't fed in a long time, and she's really weak. Unless you don't mind her taking a pint of blood from any wandering human, then we need to stop for the night so that she can rest."
Len knew Zeito was right. Len didn't want to agree with Zeito, but he knew he couldn't risk Zatsune like this after she had been so helpful to everyone. "Fine," Len said through clenched teeth, "we will stop for the night."
"We don't have to do that," Zatsune said. "I can continue."
"No you can't," Zeito said as he walked towards Zatsune.
"We have to save the girl!" Zatsune wailed. "I can't let her brother's attempts be for nothing!"
"Wait?" Len asked. "Brother? Miku's an only child."
"She is now," Zeito said. Before Len could ask Zeito to explain, a white haired man popped out of a nearby shop. "Piko?" Zeito asked, confused.
"Yeah, Stupid," Piko snorted. "I live here. Remember our little talk?"
"'Harassment' sounds more like the correct word if you ask me," a lady with red orange hair stood behind Piko, arms crossed tightly across her chest.
"Your harassed these people?" Len asked.
"Came right in here and demanded why our shop smelled like the White Flower they were looking for," the lady huffed.
"And why we let her go when we knew who she was," Piko finished.
"You know who Miku is?" Len asked, surprised.
"We were, let's say, given very specific details on what to do if we ever saw such a girl," Piko said. "When those two came here they knew your girl had been to this shop recently and demanded us as to why we didn't capture her. I'm amazed neither decided to kill us."
Len looked at Zeito. "What's this all about?" he asked.
Zeito shook his head. "Nevermind." Turning to the shop owners he said "We need your help."
"And why should we help you?" the lady asked. As if to answer her question, Zatsune weakly collapsed on the ground.
"That's why," Len casually answered.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"So you two are vampires?!" Len asked the couple after the four of them carried Zatsune in and settled down.
"Half-vampires, actually," Piko corrected.
Zatsune moaned. "Shhhh," Zeito said as he stroked her hair. "You're okay. You just passed out is all."
"We need to find the girl," Zatsune whispered.
"And we will," Zeito soothed her, "after you feel better."
"Here," the lady, who had introduced herself as Miki, said as she came in. She carried with her a large jug - which had to be holding a quart - filled with what looked to be red and thick liquid. "Drink this, it will make you feel better," Miki said as she handed the jug to Zatsune.
"You're giving her blood?!" Len exclaimed before he had time to control his mouth.
Miki put her hands on her hips and said, "Well she's a vampire, and she obviously hasn't been feeding in a while. Why wouldn't I give her blood?"
"Don't worry," Piko told Len, "it's animal blood. Deer, to be exact."
"And why would you have blood around?" Len asked. "I thought half-vampires didn't have to feed."
"You'll never know when we might need it," Piko said, flashing his fangs that had to be really sharp due to lack of use.
Zatsune slowly drank the blood, but she didn't drink much before she tried to return it. "No, finish it," Miki insisted. "You need it all. Trust me." Zatsune weakly nodded and, with Zeito assisting her, continued to drink the blood.
"Since when did you go from wanting to kill this girl to wanting to save her?" Piko asked.
Zeito sighed. "Zatsune discovered that some of our brothers and sisters were forming a rebellion and decided to jump into it. She did all she could in order to get me to join as well. I can't say I'm proud to go against my father, but if I screw up all he has ever lived for then that's good enough revenge for me."
"So you really care nothing for this girl's life?" Miki asked.
"Being completely honest here," Zeito said, "not one bit." Silence filled the room with his answer.
"So," Len tried to make conversation, "how long have I been shopping at a bookstore owned by half-vampires?"
"Only recently," Piko said. "My dad, the previous owner, was human, and my mom is half-vampire. Dad passed away a few months ago, but Mom's still alive and well."
"Did he know his wife is a vampire?" Len asked.
Piko laughed as he shook his head. "Nope, she never told him."
Len only nodded at that. He couldn't help but wonder that if Miku were only human and not a White Flower, would he tell her what he was? He had kept hers and his information a secret for her protection, but if that wasn't a necessity then what? Len didn't want to believe that would have lied to Miku, but he just couldn't be sure. To take his mind off the subject he turned to Miki and said, "What about your parents?"
"Both half-vampires," she answered. "Anything else you would like to know, Nosey?"
"That will be all," Len answered, deciding against testing Miki's patience.
"Good," she smiled. Turning to Zatsune she asked, "Are you feeling any better?"
Zatsune, now finished with the jug, nodded and said "I'm better. We should go on."
"No," Zeito said as he pushed her back into the chair. "You need to rest and give the blood time to work its way into your system. We're staying the night."
"But the girl-"
"Should be fine for just a little longer," Zeito said. "Tomorrow you should have enough strength to look for her more efficiently than today. Just go to sleep and we will leave here at dawn."
It took much coaxing, but Zeito managed to talk Zatsune into resting a night. Len believed that it didn't really matter to Zatsune whether or not Miku lived, but she was doing all she could to prove to everyone that her kind could be trusted. What really made Len wonder, though, was the brother that was mentioned to be Miku's.
"Zeito," Len called later that night when he and the vampire were alone in the guest room they had no choice but to share.
"Hmmm?" Zeito lazily acknowledged from the other side of the room.
"Zatsune said Miku had a brother," Len began slowly.
"So?" Zeito said, annoyed.
"So what happened to him?" Len asked.
Author's Note: So, so, so sorry for not updating! It's just that I've been a little low on ideas lately, and there have been a couple of plot turns that sort of throw off the climax so I have been spending some time trying to fix it all up. I'm still straightening some things out, but hopefully I will figure this all out soon. I appreciate everyone's baring with me and this story despite my lazy writing and recent horribleness at updating. Thank you all very much.
-Ray