Chapter 3.
"So, you're certain she said Midori Suguira?" Yukino Kikukawa was typing on her computer.
"That is what she said," Natsuki confirmed, "That she wanted me to find and kill 'Midori Suguira'. So, who's she when she's at home?"
"She's not on our list of known vampires, either Dracula-class or Viral-class," Yukino looked nervously at Natsuki, and edged away from her a bit.
Natsuki sighed, "I don't bite, Kikukawa."
Yukino gave a soft, nervous chuckle, "Honestly, you made me nervous well before the whole 'vampire' thing. And you never really talked to me, before, except for a brief 'hello' when you dropped off your reports. Then, you get bitten, and for the last eight months you've been at my desk almost daily asking me for reports on the locations of specific vampires."
Natsuki smiled, "If I'd relied on your intel more a year ago, I might not have been bitten. I learn from my mistakes."
Yukino looked at her, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like…"
"Forget it. Everyone's been on eggshells around me since then. They're either afraid I'm going to come up behind them and take a big wet bite, or they're overly nice to me and think I'm going to drop to the ground in an emotional heap any minute."
"I'd be an emotional heap," Yukino continued typing.
"Trust me, I am. But I usually wait until I get to my apartment to cry my eyes out. Now, Ms. Suguira?"
Yukino frowned, pouring over databases, "AHA! Found her. Well, not her location, but I know who she is, now."
Natsuki read over her shoulder, "Midori Suguira, PhD. Oh, interesting. She's an archeologist. Why does Marguerite want to kill an archeologist?"
"That's above your pay grade," a stern voice said, "Besides, you're off the clock and should be home, resting!"
"Good morning, Haruka," Natsuki sighed.
"Don't you 'Good morning' me! I'm not authorizing overtime! So get your ass home before I have you torqued out of here."
"Tossed, Haruka," Yukino sighed.
"Look, whoever Midori Suguira is, whatever she's doing, Tomoe Marguerite wants her dead, and…"Natsuki sighed, "And I can't go home because Marguerite knows where I live, now."
Haruka frowned, "That isn't possible. That apartment is rented out under a dummy account. Untraceable. And your senses would tell you if you were followed. So…"
"So," Natsuki yawned, exhausted, "We have a rat. Someone got paid off. Or Marguerite has a hostage. Or something. But whatever the reason, the end result is the same. My home, at the very least, is compromised."
"I'll take you to a safehouse. Wait here while I get a car. Yukino, tell the motor pool I'm on my way. Kuga, don't you move from that spot, or vampiric strength or not, I will drag you off by your ear."
After Haruka left, Natsuki started laughing, loudly and with abandon.
"Wh-What?" Yukino looked at her, suddenly forgetting to be afraid of her.
Natsuki was trying to stifle her laughs so she could speak, which resulted in sharp snorts coming from her nose, "I was wrong. There's one person who hasn't changed how they treat me. Thank God for Haruka Suzushiro and her thick-headedness."
Yukino smiled, "I suppose that is good."
At that moment, Nao and Shizuru came through the front door, "Hey, Kikukawa, we need a safehouse for Fujino here. And I imagine Natsuki's going to need one, too. Just put them up at the same place. It'll make the bean counters happy."
"But not the policy people!" Natsuki protested, "Stowing an infected operative with an ordinary human? Kazahana will…"
"I actually approve," Mashiro Kazahana was being wheeled into the room by her attendant, Fumi Himeno, "Your home is wired, Miss Kuga. I know the lengths you've gone to, to keep Miss Fujino safe. And I have advocated for you remaining on the job ever since your unfortunate incident last year. It would be hypocritical of me to say that I didn't trust you, now, wouldn't it?"
"Ma'am," Natsuki looked at her, "May I have a word with you, in private?"
"No," Kazahana smiled, "I'm late for an official function. Oh, and here's your ride, now."
A large sedan pulled out up front. The angry braking told them immediately who was at the wheel.
Natsuki sighed, "Shizuru, I'm terribly sorry for putting your life in danger."
Shizuru smiled, "Natsuki, you didn't know that those creatures would show up at our apartment complex."
"I meant the next fifteen minutes. Haruka Suzushiro is driving us, so if we make it to the safehouse in one piece, it'll be a minor miracle," Natsuki grinned.
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"I…um…"Natsuki fidgeted with her hands in the back seat of the sedan, "I owe you an apology, Shizuru. Because of the way my power affected you."
"Natsuki, I already told you, you're not to blame for those things coming to our apartment complex."
"Not that. Um…Vampires secrete pheromones that…that entice their targets. And…when you threw me that party, I realized that I must have been releasing those pheromones, and you shouldn't…you shouldn't have to feel ashamed for that. It was my fault…that you felt attracted to me…that night."
Shizuru giggled, then sighed, "Natsuki, I will agree that you are most certainly to blame for what I felt that night. And for the first two years that I knew you. That sultry voice. That milky complexion. Those gorgeous eyes. Yes, you are definitely to blame for my attraction. But it was there long before you were a vampire, my dear Natsuki."
Natsuki blushed, "Wait, you mean you're…?"
"All my life."
"Oh."
"And if you did release your pheromones, Nao informs me that it would have been because you found me attractive as well," Shizuru leaned over, grinning.
"Nao has a big mouth," Natsuki said, "but…I don't know. I've never been in a relationship, Shizuru. Never. I…There's things about myself I don't even know."
"I'll say," Suzushiro grumbled from the front seat, "Like the fact that you don't release vampire pheromones."
Natsuki turned to her, blinking, "What?"
"We spent two months evaluating you, Agent Kuga. Chemical analysis of the air around you determined that you don't release pheromones. If you did, not matter how dedicated you were to the cause, we'd have never let you off the premises. For the safety of the public, as well as for your own peace of mind. You have the enhanced senses, the strength, the speed. But thanks to your shots, you don't have the bloodlust, and you don't have the parasitic qualities. So, if you smelled attraction of that woman next to you, it's genuine."
"Ara, thank you, Miss Suzushiro," Shizuru beamed.
"Mind you, if you're a Viral, and the jury is still out on that, then it wouldn't matter. Continuous breakdown of hemoglobin means that you can't do anything about it. Physically, anyway."
"Ara, I don't mind. Just being near Natsuki makes me happy."
Natsuki laughed tiredly, "I'm…I need a nap."
"And you're taking a week off, too," Haruka said sharply, "Don't argue. Orders from up top. Take the time to settle in."
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The dreams were always of that night.
They had broken her left arm, and she had a nasty gash on her head from where someone's claws had caught her. She heard leather tearing. It was her riding leathers, she'd realized.
"Have fun with her boys. Just compensation for her spoiling our fun," Tomoe had said, "But don't take too long. I'll be at the mansion."
She didn't even stick around to watch them finish me off, Natsuki remembered.
She was cold, and then were sharp punctures all over her body. Takeda, she remembered seeing him. He took her throat. Two for each arm. Two for each leg. One on each side of her body at the ribs, and one at her stomach by the navel. They drank until she felt like ice, and then they left.
Naked, cold, dying.
~At least I won't turn~ she remembered thinking, ~They took too much blood. I'll die before I can turn.~
And she felt herself crying. ~I'm sorry, Mom. I couldn't make them pay for killing you~
~NO! No! I don't want to die. I don't want it to end like this! It can't end like this! I have to make them pay!~
She found a dry rasp in her throat, enough to whisper, "help me. someone."
Pink eyes. She remembered pink eyes, as her sight began to fail.
"You've looked better, my Summer Princess," a voice said. There was a light mocking tone, and then the voice, it sounded like young boy's voice, sounded actually sympathetic, "Well, I can't very well leave you in a heap like this. I can save you, Natsuki. But you have to trust me. Open your mouth."
She did, and she felt someone's hand at her mouth. There was the scent and taste of blood. She felt heat in her body. She heaved upward, lurching forward, gasping for air.
"There you are," the voice regained its mocking tone, "Right as rain. Give it a few seconds and your arm should heal. I'll be around, to check on you."
There was a noise, and the doors to the warehouse opened. Nao came running in, and she found Natsuki, shivering on the floor.
"Kuga! Kuga, you damned idiot!" she ran over, embracing her, "Get me a blanket. Get me a goddamned blanket!
"Stay with me, Natsuki," Nao was crying, "I could have helped you, you stupid Pup! I could have…Oh, Natsuki, stay with us…"
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Natsuki woke from the dream, tears streaming down her face, "They wanted to kill you, Nao. They had silver knives, and they wanted to kill you…"
"Natsuki?" Shizuru poked her head into the room, "Natsuki, are you alright?"
"I…I'm okay. Old memories."
Shizuru came in and sat on the edge of the bed, "Do you want to talk about it? Or would you prefer to forget about it?"
"I've tried forgetting," Natsuki sat up, "And I've tried talking."
She sighed, flipping the covers off of herself, "I think…what I need to do is start trying to actually live. What time is it?"
"Five-thirty in the P.M.," Shizuru glanced at a clock on the wall.
"Sunset. Thank God for Autumn. I'm gonna snag a shower. If you're up for it, you can join me."
"In the shower?" Shizuru grinned.
Natsuki blushed, "Walked into that one, didn't I? I meant in my night on the town."
"Ikezu," Shizuru smirked, "But I'd be happy to. And if the offer for the shower holds…?"
"Shizuru, I only just found out that the feelings you have for me are genuine," Natsuki sighed.
"Does it bother you?" Shizuru looked concerned.
"Being loved?" Natsuki scoffed, "Not in the slightest. I just wish…I feel things for you, Shizuru. I do. But I'm not entirely human, anymore, and I…don't know what to do."
"You said you wanted to live," Shizuru bit her lower lip, "Maybe…we can figure that part out together. But you're right, a shower together is too big for a first step. Dinner will be a nice first overture."
"Then, I'll be out of the shower in a minute, and then we'll do dinner. You can pick a place for us," Natsuki smiled.