A/N: Here is another installment for you! I hope you like it, and I appreciate the feedback after such a long hiatus! I also appreciate everyone humoring me with this rather nonexistent shipping. It makes me happy, and I hope it makes you happy!
Maki found her thoughts drifting away from class while she sat at her desk. The day was more of a functionality, anyway. Colleges were coming from all over for a career fair to help students figure out what they wanted to do with their lives. Maki wondered if it even mattered.
If she was going to become a vampire, possibly, would a human job even be necessary? It wasn't like she needed to work if all they needed was each other and to survive. She supposed a job could help pass the time. It would offer a nice blimp in time of the never-ending eternity that awaited her.
Maki mentally shook herself out of her thoughts. The decision of making her a vampire wasn't absolute, so she shouldn't rely on it. Or dread it, like Maki was doing now. She sighed before looking back at her textbook, only to notice that the pages were blurry. Maki couldn't make out any of the words. She heard people talking all around her, but she couldn't understand the language.
What was going on?
She looked around for help before noticing Karin appear beside her, her hand on her shoulder. "Maki?" Karin asked gently, her voice cutting through the confusion within Maki's mind. Maki shook her head before smiling up at Karin thankfully.
"I'm alright. Just lost in my head," Maki remarked before gently knocking her fist against the side of her head with another smile. Karin eyed her for a moment before she bent down so she could whisper to Maki.
"If you're worried about what happened yesterday, don't be," Karin assured her quietly, "No one is forcing you to decide what you want to do right now. Even if your Ren's Blood Mate, you aren't expected to drop everything for him," she added.
"Thanks, Karin," Maki replied, her smile turning soft as she looked at her friend thankfully.
"Maki! I hope you are doing well!" Winner's chipper voice caught the girls by surprise as they both jumped before glancing over at the blonde. Maki waited for Karin to answer Winner's question before she realized that he had said her name.
"Uh - Thanks, Winner! I'm doing fine, I guess. How are you?" she asked, noting how her heart still skipped a beat when she looked into his blue eyes. Her crush, or rather her unrequited love, for Winner was as strong as ever. His handsome face brightened with a smile at her attention before he nodded.
"Just fine, Maki. Even better, knowing that you are alright. I was worried when we parted ways, and I never heard if you made it home okay the other night," he answered. Karin looked between the two in interest before excusing herself. Maki gulped when she realized Karin had left them alone. The teacher and other students had left at some point as well. Probably to the career fair.
"I'm glad we are alone now," Winner commented while his eyes did a quick sweep of the room, "I didn't want anyone to overhear us talking,"
"O - Oh, is that right?" Maki got out with a nervous laugh.
"No one should hear us talk about vampires," Winner whispered, cautiously looking over his shoulder like a student could be eavesdropping behind them at any moment. Maki felt her blood run cold at the mention of vampires.
"I didn't forget our conversation, and I want you to finish what you were saying before," he told her seriously, his friendly demeanor suddenly gone. At that moment, Maki saw Winner's grandfather standing in his place.
"I was just talking nonsense!" Maki laughed while waving her hands in front of her chest, "I was exhausted and not thinking straight," she added for good measure. Winner studied her face before bringing his face even closer to hers. Her cheeks heated up before she awkwardly looked away.
"You're lying," Winner noted before stepping back with a sigh, "I told you I hate liars," he added with a grimace.
"I - I'm not lying! You were just so close to me that I felt uncomfortable!" Maki retorted. Winner eyed her for a moment before taking a step away from her.
"Fine, then tell me from here. Were you the girl my grandfather mentioned? Your little friend said I had to get my facts right," he asked pointedly.
"Of course not! There are probably hundreds of girls who could get their hands on green hair dye. He was probably confused and just saw the color of my hair and nothing else," Maki replied and was surprised how her voice had stopped shaking.
She needed to protect Karin's family like she promised. Even if she and Ren didn't work out, she would never put her friend or her family at risk.
Winner studied her face, looking for any kind of weakness before his smile returned. "Good! I got worried when he was so sure of you. I'll tell him again that he identified you by mistake. He's been prowling the streets the past few nights but hasn't had any luck finding any vampires. I've tried to help him, but I haven't found any either,"
"Does your grandfather still think the vampires are here?" Maki asked, hoping her question sounded as nonchalant as possible.
"Yes. When he's sure he's found a vampire's hunting ground, he won't leave until he's found them," Winner stated with pride in his voice. He really idolized his grandfather. Maki raked her brain for ideas on how to throw Winner's grandfather off of the Maaka's trail.
"Until he's found the girl that he did see that night, I think you should be careful," Winner warned, bringing Maki out of her thoughts. She glanced up at him in surprise before nodding solemnly.
"I think you're right. He doesn't know me like you do," Maki answered and was surprised when Winner's face flushed before he covered his mouth and glanced away abruptly. Maki was about to ask him if he felt alright when their teacher popped her head into the classroom.
"Hey, you two, get your butts down to that career fair!" she snarled before the two hurried to do as she said.
"Teachers, am I right?" Maki joked with a shrug and smiled when Winner threw his head back and laughed. His voice still reminded her of chime bells, and she wondered if she'd ever forget that sound. Did she want to forget it?
"How do you drink this stuff every day?" Ren groaned as he tried his hardest to chug the Stressed Blood bottle his father had gotten him. By the somewhat bitter aftertaste, he could only assume it was blood from a man. Disgusting.
"You get used it after a few hundred years," Henry assured him, only to step out of the way of a flying bottle.
"I thought I told you I wanted a woman's stressed blood!" Ren barked, and Henry bowed his head before offering a mumbled apology. Ren grumbled his own apology back when he realized how much he sounded like his mother.
"Have you not bitten Maki, then?" Henry asked curiously, and Ren shook his head.
"She got mad at me and said I tried to bite her to make her more compliant," he answered, and Henry nodded.
"Women's emotions can be so fickle sometimes," Henry agreed, and then cowered away from a raised slipper that suddenly appeared above his head.
"Fickle, you say?!" Carrera snapped before lowering her weapon and looking at Ren, "I'm glad that you honored Maki's wishes, Ren. There's hope for you yet. But, let me ask you this, what if she doesn't want to go through with it? What if she doesn't want to have anything to do with you?" she added.
"Then that will be her choice," Ren answered, "My heart has been hollow since turning into a vampire. The hope that Maki can bring any semblance of a life back into me is better than having no hope at all," he added. He brewed on the thought for a moment and wondered if he was setting himself up for another heartbreak.
Maki was a bit of a firecracker. Her emotions changed as quickly as the motions of the sea. While those emotions certainly entertained him, could living with someone like that for the long haul be possible? Would he do just as his mother had predicted and eventually get bored with Maki? The thoughts danced around in his head as he weighed the pros and cons.
His parents studied him in silence, noting how deep in thought the young vampire was. For Ren truly was young by vampire standards. Barely halfway through his first century. He had many more to live before even nearing the ages of his parents.
Ren's phone vibrated in his pocket, and he checked it before he sucked in a sharp breath. Angie had texted him about rescheduling their 'plans' from the other night. Her scent had been intoxicating when he had left her in that hotel room. He could only imagine how primed she was at the moment. Carrera and Henry shared looks.
Ren ignored the immediate need to call Angie and make plans for the night. He was supposed not to do that anymore. If he were going to have a chance with Maki, how would it look if he jumped at the first invitation from someone else?
A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, and Ren turned to spot Anju standing next to him.
"Call her," Anju coaxed gently, "And any other girl you have stored on your phone. Make plans to meet them all tonight at the same place," she instructed before licking her lips excitedly.
Maki followed the little black bat that had quickly become her favorite companion back to the Maaka mansion. It squeaked and turned around a few times to make sure she was still following before fluttering forward. Maki smiled at it before letting out a small sigh. She wondered what the Maaka family was up to and how their day went.
Sleeping, probably. Maki thought as she slowed her steps until she came to a stop. She was taken aback at the sight of a small group of women walking on the other side of the street. One of them resembled the stressed woman Maki had seen at Julian's with Ren. Maki watched them walk before she decided to follow them.
Her bat companion squeaked in protest and even tried to bite at her shirt sleeve, but Maki merely grabbed it gently before patting its head and setting it atop her bag as she followed the women. It squeaked another protest before going quiet and holding on to the side of her bag as she kept walking.
A sinking pit was forming in her stomach as she followed the women. They didn't talk to one another, but they all looked like they were heading in the same direction.
Maki kept a low profile as she tailed them, making sure to look at her phone or a passing store window if anyone from the group of women glanced back at her. They all made it to a nearby hotel building, and Maki gulped as she felt her growing unease become unbearable.
It only took the sight of a certain silver-haired man to confirm her worst fears. Ren was standing at the entrance to welcome the women. His suggestive smile twisted her gut, and Maki let out a faint choked whimper before she hurriedly turned around and left.
Ren smelled Maki before he saw her. His jaw clenched when he spotted her towards the end of the street. It took all he had in him to not rush to her side just then. Her scent was muddled with jealousy and sadness, but he was still just as hungry for her blood. More so than any of the women before him could satisfy. Not that they were there to satisfy him at all.
Anju, he snarled her name in his mind like a curse. The women in the group were piecing together what was happening, and he could smell their jealousy rising. They started asking him for an explanation, but he tuned them out. His golden eyes looked for Maki only to see that she had disappeared.
"Ren, where is our explanation?!" one of the women exclaimed. Ren didn't spend another moment on them but instead left them to his salivating sister, who was waiting in the alleyway to the side of the hotel. Anju began to usher the women away from the entrance, her soft voice consoling them as they began to bicker amongst themselves jealously.
Ren and Anju exchanged parting looks, and then he was gone. Anju would eat well tonight. Ren didn't think he'd be so lucky.
Maki kept running until her lungs began to burn. She slowed to a walk before bending forward to rest her weight on her knees and catch her breath. Maki wondered why seeing Ren with those women affected her so much. Was it because she liked him? Was she jealous? Or was it just disappointment that Ren couldn't keep his word, even when his feelings had seemed so genuine?
Maki sucked in a sharp breath as she searched the ground as if her answer would be etched somewhere in the concrete. If she became his Blood Mate, would she have to get used to him going out with other women? Maki was not on board with that kind of relationship. She struggled with her jealous tendencies all of her life, and she was not about to sign up for an eternal life full of them.
"Why, hello there!" a friendly voice greeted her suddenly. Maki picked up her head and spotted the manager from Julian's walking with Kenta's mother. The two had their arms interlocked and used their free hands to wave at her in unison.
Maki forced a smile as she frantically rubbed at her face to make sure there weren't any signs of tears. Then she approached the pair. "Good evening," she replied in a more confident tone. The couple exchanged looks before eying the young woman up and down.
"Did something happen?" Kenta's mother asked Maki. Maki wasn't sure if it was the concern in her voice or her soft expression, but she couldn't hold it together. Maki burst into tears before she tried to hide her face from them. Maki felt a gentle hand pat her arm while another wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her into a side hug.
"There, there. Let it all out," she heard the manager urge as he continued to pat her arm gently. Kenta's mother tightened her hold around Maki's shoulders in silent agreement. They held her for a moment, and Maki was thankful. She would have been uncomfortable with their fawnings if she weren't as upset as she was at that moment.
"Come with us to Julian's," the manager coaxed her gently, "we'll get you a warm meal and dessert on the house," he promised with a smile. Maki returned it with a shaky one before nodding. Kenta's mother didn't let go of her shoulders as they began to walk to Julian's together.
Once they made it to the restaurant, the manager had her seated towards the back where she could get some privacy and hurriedly brought her a cup of tea. Maki sipped at it happily, already feeling better as the liquid warmed her up. Kenta's mother sat across from her in the booth before thanking the manager when he got her a fresh cup of tea as well.
The manager didn't skip a beat when more customer's entered. He ushered them to various tables at the opposite end of the restaurant, further promoting Maki's privacy.
"He doesn't have to do that," Maki murmured sheepishly as she watched him over the rim of her teacup. Kenta's mother smiled before she turned to look at him as well.
"I think it's in his nature to help others. He always seems to be smiling and happy. I just think he wants everyone else to feel that way too," she noted, her eyes brightening when he spotted the women staring and winked. Maki giggled.
"I hope you don't think I'm prying, but can I ask why you were so upset earlier?" Kenta's mother suddenly asked as they turned to look at one another again. Maki felt her face flush at the woman's forwardness, but she knew her question was warranted. They had swept her away from crying in an alleyway by herself.
"Just stupid boy stuff," Maki huffed as she slouched in the booth. The woman's eyes shined in understanding before she nodded.
"Boys can be stupid sometimes," she agreed. Maki eyed the woman for a moment before wondering if she knew about Kenta and Karin's relationship. Obviously, she knew they were dating, but did she know about Karin and her family? Could she be an ally for Maki to talk to about vampires like Kenta had offered before?
The thought suddenly kickstarted another one in Maki's mind. She set her tea down before thanking Kenta's mother for her kindness. She also thanked the manager on the way out. She hurried away from the restaurant and pulled out her phone once she was sure that she was alone. She found Kenta's number quickly in her contacts before calling him.
He picked up after the first ring.
"Maki?" he greeted, sounding somewhat confused but welcoming at the same time.
"Usui, I need to talk to you about everything. Can we meet somewhere?" she asked him hurriedly.
"Of course," he answered without hesitation. They agreed to meet at his house. He gave her directions on how to get there from Julian's, and Maki hurried on her way. She missed when her bat companion flew off of her bag and toward the Maaka mansion.
A/N: Woo, cliffhanger! I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Until next time!