Chapter 2.

"Clean bill of health," Dr. Sagisawa flipped through the pages, smiling.

"No infection?" Natsuki blinked, wanting to cry and whoop in celebration all at once.

"It's been forty-eight hours, the longest it's taken for any infection to show in any other subject, and there's nothing in any of her blood tests. Shizuru Fujino is completely human. Although that's easy enough to explain…"

"Tomoe is the one who bit her," Natsuki nodded, growling.

"That's what the DNA tells us, yes."

"I find it more troublesome that it was that woman who sucked my blood than by the fact that I was bitten at all," Shizuru said flatly.

"It's not a good thing," Natsuki agreed, "Tomoe is obsessive. She likes to torment her targets before she kills them. But she's also a Drac-class, meaning she can't change you unless she has you drink her blood."

"So, one becomes a supernatural vampire is a supernatural vampire has you drink their blood?" Shizuru asked.

"The means of transformation is specific to the individual Drac-class," Dr. Sagisawa said, "For some, it's drinking their blood. Others, it's if they drink from you to the point of death. Some can't pass their curse on at all. It's specific to them. We know with Tomoe it's from drinking her blood, and there's only one case of her ever doing that, a Miya Clochette."

Shizuru listened intently, nodding.

"And Natsuki, you said you were transformed a year ago, being infected by the vampires who assaulted you. But, you also said you keep in control because of…werewolf serum?"

"Yeah. Once a month I get an injection of a serum made from werewolf blood. They're naturally immune to vampires, so their blood helps infectees who haven't given in to the bloodlust," Natsuki smiled softly, "I heal quickly, but if I'm injured badly enough, I need to get an extra shot."

"So, then, werewolves are also real," Shizuru mused.

"I should say so," Nao Yuuki entered the room, "You're looking at one now."

Shizuru blinked, "You?"

"Yeah. In fact, I'm the donor for the Pup's serum, here."

Shizuru frowned at the nickname. Natsuki caught it, and put a hand on hers, squeezing.

"It's actually a term of endearment," Natsuki said, "If a werewolf calls you Pup, it means they've adopted you. I lost my parents to the Fangs, so when Nao and I joined this task force, she decided we'd be family."

"So, werewolves are therefor helpful and not dangerous, like the movies show?" Shizuru asked, "Or…I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude."

"That's okay," Nao smirked, "You're doing a fine job of it without trying."

"C'mon, Nao," Natsuki pleaded, "She's one of my only friends. And she's had a hard couple of days."

"Anything for you, Natsuki," Nao sighed, "Look, there are three kinds of werewolves. Biological werewolves. That's me. I was born with these powers. I can't infect anyone by biting them, and I don't turn into a ravening beast just because it's that time of the month."

Natsuki snorted.

"Hey, you're the one who said be nice," Nao grinned.

"She means during the full moon," Natsuki said, ignoring Nao, "She's as crabby as any of us during the other time of the month."

Nao tapped her on the head with her clipboard.

"Moving on. Then you have your supernatural werewolves. Usually some sort of curse or the product of a talisman. For some, the transformation is purely physical. For others, psychological. Whether they spread or not is due entirely to the circumstances of their curse," Nao said, "Some are decent enough people. Others are psychotic loons.

"And then you have viral werewolves, though, since we already call certain vampires 'Virals', we use the term Wargs for viral werewolves.

"It's a retrovirus that alters a person's physiological structure. Unlike biological or supernatural werewolves, their transformation goes one way. Most people don't survive the stresses of the transformation, and die. Their deaths are sometimes attributed to rabies. A few of them go insane before the transformation is complete, and start killing people. In fact, a 'warg' was a specific type of wolf, and the name was also used for what we now call serial killers, and more than a few of them were, in fact, Warg infectees. Once they fully transform, though, that's it. There's no going back. The process can be halted before it goes too far, but you need some serious anti-virals for it to work."

"I see," Shizuru said, "So, now that I'm clear, though, I can return home?"

Nao looked at Natsuki, "You didn't tell her?"

"Tell me what?" Shizuru looked at Natsuki.

"Hell if I know. I've been by her side the whole time, Nao. This whole things was my fault, so…"

"No, it's Tomoe's fault, Pup. But you wanted to make sure she was okay, I get it. Next time, though, don't skip meetings.

"It's been determined that you'll be in too much danger, going home," Nao turned to Shizuru, "Tomoe Marguerite knows where you live. And she's bitten you, which, true to her nature, means that she'll want to torment you a bit before she finishes you off."

"Ara, I don't suppose that this is the sort of thing that can be aided by the purchase of a security system," Shizuru sighed.

"Nope. Look, it's daylight right now. I'll send you and a few of our people to help you collect the things you're going to need. For the foreseeable future, you're going to be camped out with us.

"And you, Pup, you need to get to bed, too. Like I said, it's daylight. You need your rest. Sack out in the bunk room. I'll take care of picking up the stuff from your apartment."

888888

"You done, already?" Nao looked at Shizuru.

"The life of a University Student," Shizuru smiled, "Most of the things that actually mean anything to me are still at my parents' estate. Just clothes, text books, and a few mementos of my classmates. I see that Natsuki's apartment is still rather Spartan as well."

"She got rid of a lot of things after her transformation," Nao sighed, "Stuff she didn't need to get rid of, honestly. I was worried. But she kept a few personal things. This, for example."

Nao showed Shizuru a framed photograph, but the picture in the frame was badly burned. The only surviving part of the image was of a very young Natsuki embracing a large dog.

"The picture was caught in a fire when her parents were killed. It's the last surviving family photo from when she still had a family," Nao stroked it tenderly, "Even the faces of her parents are gone. If that image exists anywhere, it's in her memory, and only there."

"I guess this is you and her when you joined your organization?" Shizuru examined another picture. In the picture, Nao was grinning and holding up a 'peace' sign, while Natsuki was brooding and crossing her arms against her chest.

"She always was a tad too serious," Nao chuckled, "But there are days when that girl will give a smile that…it just makes her so beautiful."

"So," Shizuru intertwined her forefinger and middle finger, "You and Natsuki…?"

Nao grinned salaciously, "I knew I was smelling desire! You're in love with Kuga! Oh…Oh hell! How long were you two friends?"

Shizuru frowned, "About two years before she suddenly cut off communication, though I realize now that it was her unfortunate situation that caused that. I wish I'd known. I thought…."

"Listen, I'm only speculating here, but...Kuga...she's never been…with anyone. You understand what I'm saying?"

"So, you and she aren't…"

Nao laughed, "No. I wouldn't mind, but she sees us more as sisters, and I'm fine with that. I was beginning to think she was asexual.

"But about eight months ago, I found her taking an overly long cold shower. She said she thought her vampire pheromones had…" Nao started laughing, "Had made someone fall for her. Oh…Oh my."

"Then, Natsuki…"

"Listen, she's not quite human and not quite a vampire right now. But she can smell people's emotions."

Shizuru was wide-eyed, and slipped onto the sofa, "The welcome home party!"

"Huh?"

"I threw her a welcome home party after she got back from the hospital…or so it was said at the time. She seemed nervous the whole night. But…I was nervous the whole night. I…I've been in love with her for most of our friendship, and I didn't want her to know, because it's not the sort of thing one can go around talking about.

"I mean, to tell my best friend, 'Hello, I know you're another girl, but I'm interested in you in a romantic sense.' It would scandalize the poor thing!"

Nao shook her head, grinning, "Oh, so rich. Listen, I don't think she was nervous because she sensed you were attracted to her. I think she was nervous because…well, vampires have a certain hold on their prey. I think she though she was subconsciously seducing you with her new vampire powers, and she bolted to Headquarters to get some distance and take a long, cold shower."

"She thought she caused…?"

"Vampires tend to release their pheromones for targets they're interested in sexually."

Shizuru's eyes were as wide as dinner plates, now, "So, when she thought that she was enthralling me with her vampire powers, as opposed to me being enthralled with her looks and charm, she realized…"

"She might have realized she was into you, or she might have just thought that she was on the verge of giving into her hunger," Nao sighed, "That girl is such a headache, some days. You two need to talk."