Disclaimer: not mine

I am not pulling from any particular mythology or series or anything for the vampires in this, just picking out stuff from wherever that I want to use.

Chapter 3

He ran across the rooftops, relying solely on the strength of his muscles to make the jumps, running at full speed without resorting to any spiritual techniques. He wore black jeans and a dark green shirt, letting him blend with the shadows, not that he needed much help with that, despite the fiery orange braid of hair down his back he was very good at disappearing from sight. He paused, head cocked to one side, eyes closed as he took in the night with his other senses, smirking before taking off in another direction, a massive blade appearing on his back while a smaller one rested at his hip. He saw the Hollow, heard its cry and he snarled in response, fangs gleaming in the streetlight, eyes gold. He leapt from the roof to land a few feet away from the Hollow, seeing it pause in confusion as it took him in. he smirked, showing off his fangs before he launched himself at it.

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He paused as he heard a Hollow nearby, hesitating, but he couldn't sense the local Shinigami anywhere, so he sighed and turned, moving into an easy Shunpo. He stopped on a rooftop and stared in surprise. That was definitely a Zanpakutō, but the figure lacked the distinctive Shihakushō, instead wearing modern clothing. Then he caught site of the braid of fiery orange hair…a familiar shade. He'd seen that shade before, on a baby. He heard the boy snarl as he was knocked back, but he quickly launched himself back into the fight. Did Isshin know what his son was doing? How had the kid manifested a Zanpakutō without anyone knowing?

According to Kisuke, Isshin had cut all contact four years ago. Kido barriers were up around the Kurosaki home and clinic, not the most powerful but they would alert the occupants to any interference, so who had put them up since Isshin couldn't? It made him wary, had Aizen gotten to the family?

He blinked as the Hollow was purified and the blades vanished. The boy stood silently, head tipped back as if enjoying the breeze but then his head turned, eyes searching above. Had he been detected? How? And then the kid vanished, and he spun, eyes searching the darkness, but he was alone. Had he imagined the kid? He dropped down and looked around, feeling the dispersing signature of the Hollow but he couldn't feel the boy…no, he could always feel him, his power saturated the town, making him all but impossible to track. Was it done on purpose or simply a lack of control?

Good thing he was already on his way to Kisuke's, he'd need to tell him what he'd seen. He hated that they were pinning all their hopes on a kid none of them knew. Praying that all the jumbled aspects of the boys soul would be stable, with the Shinigami part dominant. Which it seemed to be from the blades he'd wielded. He took off towards the Shōten, disturbed by what he'd seen but unsure why.

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He waited until the stranger was long gone before moving from the shadows. He was pretty sure that was Hirako Shinji, ex-Captain of the Fifth…Visored. Likely not a threat but that didn't mean he wanted the man knowing about him. part of him wanted to follow, to silence him, but he fought it down, he would not do that. He turned and headed home, no longer in the mood to hunt. His fangs ached with the need to sink into warm flesh, but he was good at ignoring that and he could warm some blood up at home to help take the edge off.

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Yuzu frowned, Dad was already at work in the clinic, Karin was early at soccer practice but Ichi-nii….had he come down yet. She nibbled her bottom lip before heading upstairs and finding his door shut. She knocked but there was no answer, so she opened the door, finding the room dark. She could see a lump under the covers and quickly moved to the bed, reaching out to gently shake his shoulder, pulling back when he limply slumped from his side onto his back. "Oh…" she whispered, looking into usually bright eyes, except today they were dull, lifeless and she bit back a sob. She hated seeing him like this, hated the vampire that had done this to him, but then she steeled her nerves and went to work. She manipulated his body into a comfortable position, reclining against some pillows and then went downstairs to get his breakfast, some warm blood and a protein shake. Helping to care for their bog brother had ensured they were both strong at least. She returned with the two cups and began gently feeding her unaware brother, hopefully this episode would only last a day. She put the radio on his desk on, filling the room with soft music, before opening the blinds and window, to freshen the room up. She leant over and kissed his cheek before leaving to tell their Dad.

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Ichigo lay on the grass, eyes closed, listening as Chad played his guitar. Today was a good day, he'd gotten his school work done early and had spent the rest of the school day in the clinic with his Dad, helping out by doing stocktake on the supplies. Once school as over Chad had come by so they had wandered to the park for some time outside. The sun was warm, and he could feel the tingle on his skin, his vampire blood warning of danger, but it didn't burn him like instinct said it should. Yeah, he got red easier than the rest of the family, but he didn't burst into flames or anything.

"Ichigo?"

He opened his eyes and rolled to his side so he could see his friend. "Yeah?"

"What are the white monsters?"

That had him bolting upright, eyes wide. "Wha…you can see them?" he demanded, terrified for Chad. The taller boy nodded and Ichigo swore softly.

"I saw you one night, fighting one but you were gone when I got there."

That made Ichigo feel sick, if Chad had made it before the Hollow died and he left…what would have happened? Would he have attacked Chad in the heat of the moment? Shiro promptly began chastising him for even thinking it, it was amusing that his Hollow had more faith in him than he did himself. "They're called Hollows, they're what happens if a ghost lingers too long in the world of the living. They are driven by an eternal and insatiable hunger to devour other souls, living or dead, to fill the void caused by losing their hearts. They tend to target their own families first and then people with high spiritual energy. If you see one, you need to get away without drawing attention to yourself," he stopped talking, looking down at trembling hands and then a large tan hand was covering his, the skin warm as Chad gently squeezed. Ichigo tried to avoid touching people, he knew his skin was colder than it should be, even after sitting in the sun.

"It wasn't a hit and run, was it?" Chad asked and Ichigo slowly shook his head.

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That was the most he had heard Ichigo say since his accident, except now he doubted it had been an accident and Ichigo confirmed it with a nod. What had happened to him? He knew Ichigo wasn't 'normal', and he didn't mean the days he was catatonic. His skin was too cold, he had noticed him stop breathing from time to time, and his pulse too slow. His appearance had changed as well, too quickly to be from growing up. Yes, his speech had been slurred at first, a bit broken, but he had relearnt quickly…yet he still often resorted to sign language for any actual conversation. It was as if he feared talking too much or making eye contact for more than a few seconds at time. "What happened to you?" he asked and Ichigo hunched in on himself, staring at the grass. Chad reached out and gently clasped his shoulder. "You…aren't fully human, are you?" he asked, feeling Ichigo go rigid. "You are my friend; we swore to always have each other's backs."

"Even if I'm a monster?" Ichigo choked out.

"You are not a monster, I do not think you ever could be," it was strange to talk so much, he favoured silence almost as much as Ichigo, but some things had to be said. At his words amber eyes rose to meet his, and that was another change, his eyes had been brown before the 'accident'. His eyes were…he blinked, feeling a little dazed as Ichigo broke the lock, pressing his hands to his eyes.

"Sorry! I'm sorry," he gasped out.

So there was a reason why Ichigo would hardly look at anyone. Chad took a few deep breaths, letting his head clear. "Ichigo, it's alright."

Ichigo laughed bitterly. Only because I broke it, he signed.

"But you did stop it."

Vampire he signed slowly. I was attacked by a vampire. He wanted a handy meal, so he messed with my head, turned me into a mental vegetable, it wasn't a coma.

Of all the possibilities, that was not something he had considered. "We are in the sun."

Yeah. I didn't turn fully because Dad and Mom are different. Mom was a Quincy, a human with Spiritual powers. Dad is a Shinigami using a false body. We inherited things from them. I'm a hybrid and that allowed me to take on vampire traits without dying. Karin takes after Mom and Yuzu is more like Dad. He can explain better if you want.

"What happened to your attacker?"

Dead.

"Good."

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Ichigo lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the house as his family settled in for the night. It was nice…he had hated lying to Chad but now he knew, and he didn't hate him. He hadn't run screaming or grabbed a stake or anything. he'd come over every afternoon since, questioning his Dad and joining in the girls lessons to see if he could learn anything to defend himself. They were in the last year of high school and he wondered what would happen when it was over, Chad was his only real friend, would he leave for university? Tatsuki visited occasionally but she had more trouble with how he had changed, though she did try. She had told him about Inoue, her best friend who ate rather interesting things. He'd even met the girl twice, though their first meeting had been six months before his attack, when her brother was killed in a hit and run. She'd come with Tatsuki once and spent the whole time either tense or blushing. She seemed nice enough though.

Was it hopeless to dream of one day having more, to living properly? He wanted someone he could sit and talk with, without having to worry about hypnotising them. Were there people who were immune or at least resistant? How would he ever know though if he was too scared to take the risk?

He groaned and bashed his head back into his pillow before blinking as a black butterfly flew in from his window. He frowned and then his eyes widened, was it a Jigokuchō? He remained still, watching it and then a young woman dressed in Shihakushō entered his room, a Shinigami. He felt Shiro growl, ready to fight even as Ossan suggested caution, there was no reason to assume she was here for Dad.

"It's close," she murmured, and he frowned, sitting up.

It…a Hollow? What should he do? Give away that he could see her? Would that put his family in danger? His Dad was technically AWOL after all. He closed his eyes, listening for any sign of a Hollow nearby and then he found it. "Three streets away," he said but she didn't react, and he sighed, tossing his pillow at her, causing her to jump and turn to look at him so he waved.

"What? You can see me?" she demanded, and he nodded.

"Hollow, three streets," he pointed. "Coming closer."

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Rukia stared at the human boy in shock. Or, not a boy? She knew the age one was seen as an adult tended to fluctuate in the living world. She had been aware of him lying on the bed when she entered the room but had ignored him, assuming he couldn't see her and yet apparently he could. There was something strange about his speech, choppy. "You know of Hollows?" she asked, and he nodded. "Do you know what I am?" she asked, shocked when he nodded again. His head snapped around to stare out in the direction he'd pointed before and then he was up and rushing for his door and she found herself following as he jumped down the stairs.

"Ichi-nii?" One of two young tens downstairs asked, alarmed, and Rukia found both glancing her way.

"Hollow, close."

"Right, I'll get Dad." The dark haired one said, rushing to a door while the one with lighter hair ran towards another door and opened it, as soon as she passed it Rukia lost all sense of her.

"Saferoom," the boy told her, seeing her surprise.

The other girl returned with a man who made her almost gasp in shock. It wasn't possible, was it? But he looked like Shiba- Taichou. Had it been long enough that he had reincarnated? Was it just a fluke? Then again…the boy looked a lot like a Shiba as well…Kaien-dono in particular but she was forcing herself to ignore that, besides he had never worn his hair so long. Then there was the rather eye catching colour. The two quickly retreated to the room but the boy headed outside, and she rushed after him. "What are you doing? Get to safety, I will deal with the Hollow," she snapped, and he actually looked at her face, if briefly. He hesitated but then moved back to the house, though only the doorway it was better than nothing. She drew her Zanpakutō and readied herself.

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"We really leaving her to fight?" Shiro demanded and Ichigo shrugged out of habit.

"It is her job," Ossan pointed out.

'Let's see how she does,' he thought to them and they settled. The less she knew of his family the better, he'd seen her shock at seeing Dad, hopefully she would assume a look alike or reincarnation and not the truth. If he had to fight though she might put the pieces together.

"Not bad," Shiro was forced to admit and Ichigo smirked slightly, high praise from his darker half.

He watched as she fought, not managing to land a killing blow, but then the Hollow retreated between worlds and he tensed, every sense peeled to detect its return. "Behind!" he yelled as it began emerging behind her.

She spun, blade coming up, but too slow and she cried out as she was sent flying, the smell of blood instantly filling the air and Ichigo moved, intercepting to catch her. He dashed back to the house and set her down.

"Do you want to save your family?" she whispered, holding out her sword, but he shook his head.

"No need," he told her and then turned to face the Hollow. He could feel someone watching so nothing too strange or flashy. He needed to end the fight fast though, her blood smelt good…good he even drink blood from a purely spiritual being? He'd never tried feeding from a Hollow or ghost…and he never planned to. He stepped away from the house and the Hollow laughed at him, so he levelled it with a glare before moving.

TBC…