Hello~ Sorry things have been so hectic lately. Especially with the holiday season.
Anyone else find designing conversations difficult? That must be the thing I struggle with the most when it comes to writing. Differing characters tones, along with finding the right words to say. Ugh!
Also, trying to write around contractions for the sake of sounding proper is proving to be difficult, so I'm going to be more liberal with it.
Anywhooo.
Please read and review. Constructive criticism is acceptable, but no flames. Thanks again for reading!
Chapter 10
Exposed
"What?" Shikamaru responded, confused.
Naruto snapped to attention.
Kakashi was a renowned detective in Scotland Yard, known for his brilliance and nonchalance. On several occasions, London called on his consultations for cases. He even worked the Jack the Ripper case but had only been brought in once the trail had already gone cold. Some compared him to the fictional yet titular Sherlock Holmes, which had boosted his author (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle) to immediate popularity. So when Kakashi said something so seriously, with a grim look on his face, it alarmed both men.
Kakashi glanced around, then moved closer so they would not be overheard. "Let us go into the hallway so we can speak freely about this." He said discreetly.
The men moved to the hall and away from the crowds of people. Once they checked the area and made sure they were alone, Shikamaru folded his arms and prompted Kakashi to continue. Naruto was eager but nervous, his brow furrowed.
What had Kakashi found?
"I did some digging, per Naruto's request." Kakashi started. He pensively swirled the amber liquid in his glass. "I have to admit, this was quite the challenge," Kakashi said seriously. "The documents I found were difficult to get ahold of, along with them in need of translation since they were in a different language."
"What kind of documents?" Naruto prodded. He knew how impatient he was being, but he could not help it. Shikamaru frowned. He felt Naruto's anxiousness as he stood next to him, and it was starting to rub off on him.
"I looked up property documents, titles, taxes, you name it. Even birth certificates." Kakashi continued ambiguously.
"Birth certificates?" Shikamaru questioned.
"I will get to that in a moment." Kakashi shifted. "I also had to read up on Romanian law since it is different to Britain, to ensure any oddities to me were in line with their laws." Kakashi reached into his jacket and pulled out some papers. "This was the last piece I was waiting for. My source had to mail them to me, and it took a while to arrive. He looked thoughtfully at the documents as if he was still trying to discern what he dug up.
Naruto wanted to snatch it out of his hands, his eyes greedy for what would be revealed upon the pages. He did not have to. Kakashi casually handed them to him, knowing how anxious he was. Shikamaru leaned over to read them as well.
Naruto scrunched his eyes. Paperwork was not his strong suit, and he was not sure what he was looking at.
As they studied the documents, Kakashi paced the room. He held up two fingers.
"Two document transfers, both spaced out to 80 years. The recent one was updated roughly twenty years ago." He stated. "Property transfers, title transfers, all typical when those of nobility pass their wealth to their children."
Kakashi stopped pacing, then quirked his brow at them. "Notice anything strange about them? Check the dates."
"According to this, Count Sasuke Uchiha should be an old man." Shikamaru realized. Naruto's eyes widened.
"I believe this man who has presents himself as Sasuke Uchiha might be assuming a false identity."
Naruto had known something was off about that man. His gut had told him that Sasuke was not who he appeared to be.
"Why would he pretend to be a Count from Romania?" Naruto wondered aloud. "And why would he come to Applegate?"
"Because no one here would recognize him," Shikamaru answered. "With this, he had the old man's nobility and wealth, but he cannot change the way he looks. Moving where no one would recognize him makes sense."
"I concur," Kakashi responded. "These fake records were impeccably made. They would have fooled me if it were not for the age. A dire error, if you ask me."
"I think the most important question is, do you think he's dangerous?" Shikamaru asked pointedly.
"It is coincidental that he showed up just before those two women went missing. Applegate has a very low crime rate, so to have both disappearances is an anomaly. Even when London was terrorized by Jack the Ripper, it never made it to Applegate."
"Identity theft to murder? That is quite the jump." Shikamaru vocalized.
"What I am saying is that we do not know what he is capable of. The only thing we do know about him is that he is a criminal." Kakashi retorted. "This is all conjecture, of course. And I cannot do anything with what I found."
"Why?" Naruto asked.
"Because I did it illegally," Kakashi stated while scratching the back of his head.
He was right. Since Kakashi had obtained the documents illegally, they could not turn Sasuke in without compromising the detective as well.
"Damn it all!" Naruto expressed. His grip wrinkled the documents in his hands.
Sakura POV:
Too much. It was just all too much for Sakura.
Sakura could not believe how sweet the kiss felt to her. Sinfully sweet, which only heated her stomach knowing how naughty it was. She wanted to be naughty. To dip her finger in and indulge, if only to get just a taste.
He was a good bit taller than her, so she had to angle her head up to meet his lips. It was not a peck; it was a slow, gentle kiss that shot fire throughout her body. A simple kiss had set her aflame with desire.
When that kiss ended, her eyes opened half-lidded. Her eyes had darkened to a glossy emerald, her cheeks flushed. She was so close that she could see the variegated shades within his eyes. There was a surprising undertone of cool blue that mixed in the obsidian.
"Liar." He whispered against her lips. He too had half-lidded eyes as he held her gaze expectantly. Their breaths intermingled, and neither made a move to step away.
They both knew that their chemistry was undeniable; why had she even tried?
Twisting her hand into Sasuke's locks, she pulled him back down. Sasuke wound one arm around her waist and the other buried into her pastel tresses. He deepened the kiss, slanted his mouth for better access. When she felt his tongue sliding against her lips, she opened hers.
She met his intensity in stride as each kiss got more heated. While she had limited experience with intimacy, her friends did not. She listened to plenty of women, married, courting, or single, talk about things of sexual nature, and she was a quick learner. Using the hand in Sasuke's hair, she lightly tugged.
In response, he softly bit her lower lip and sucked. A mewling (a noise she had never made before) sounded from her throat. The noise must have excited him; he kissed her harder. Her back pressed into the wall, and her breasts squished against his chest.
Sakura broke for air. Her breath was ragged and her heart was racing. Sasuke moved his demonstrations. He planted a kiss at the corner of her mouth, then down to her jawline. Sakura's eyes fluttered open in pleasure as he worked his way down.
He planted a daring kiss on her cleavage, just above her neckline. She held back a groan and squeezed her legs together. Sasuke moved to her collarbone, then to the junction of her neck. She held back another embarrassing noise, biting her lip at his ministrations.
This was more indulgent than a classic English trifle.
After a kiss there, he licked her neck just below her. Slow and sensual, but the action caused her to tense.
Naruto, Shikamaru, Kakashi POV:
"So, what are our options?" Shikamaru pondered. The discovery had been eye-opening but put them in a tough spot. Sasuke could potentially be dangerous and they had to find a way to deal with it amongst themselves.
"I am not sure there are any. Not without exposing how I found those documents." Kakashi responded, rubbing his chin.
Naruto frowned. "We have to tell Sakura immediately." From what Naruto had seen, Sasuke gravitated towards her. It made him uneasy that she could possibly be a target. At the very least, she needed to know that Sasuke was lying to her.
"Alright." Kakashi conceded. "We will head back to the dance and split up. We need to let her know what is going on. And if you see Sasuke, steer clear of him."
Sakura POV:
Reality came crashing down around Sakura.
The feel of his fangs gliding across her neck petrified her, and the fear pulled her out of her lust-filled haze. It reminded her of why she had fought so hard to resist him.
Vampires seduced their prey. Their hunt was just as much of a mind game as it was physically trapping another. It was one of the first things she had learned about them.
She maneuvered her hands to his chest and pushed him back. Of course, it would not be strong enough to shove him off her, but he did pull back when he felt her. She could see the lust and satisfaction in those ebony irises as he looked at her. His eyes asked, "Why are you stopping?"
As if he did not know. He had said that his power did not work on her, but was that true? There was no basis of comparison, so she had unwisely gone off his word. Was what she feeling right now authentic or fabricated by him?
Her heart clenched; the lust was gone, replaced by a dark pit.
"You tricked me." It came out as a whimper at first but was a sharp hiss at the end.
Sasuke started to say something, but she would not listen to his silver tongue. That was what had gotten her in the predicament in the first place. She sidestepped him and rushed to the other door in the room before flinging it open.
The door swung shut behind her as she rushed into the hallway. She needed to get away from him. She stood not too far from where she had seen Sasuke and Ino before, and the terrace doors were near.
'There.'
Stealthily, Sakura let herself outside and shut the terrace door softly. She side-stepped from view and pressed her back to the wall to avoid being seen if Sasuke came into the hallway and looked out through the glass. She used the break to try and control her breathing, taking in deep breaths through her nose.
It would not calm. Instead, it felt as if she might cry.
Time passed. Sakura peeked through the glass of the terrace door. Sasuke had not followed her. Or had not seen where she went. Pushing herself off the wall, she began to walk towards the fountain. The sound of water filled her ears as she walked past it. There was a maze behind the fountain, designed for young children to play in or for couples to stroll during summer outings. She could be at peace out here, and perhaps be able to fix the knots in her brain.
Sasuke had come close to catching her in his web. His words and kisses had felt so authentic. She had almost fallen for it, if not for the image of his fangs piercing her neck.
Her anger outweighed any fear or passion for him. He had said that she was impervious to his hypnotic gaze, but somehow, he was still manipulating her. That was what it had to be. Why she thought so much of him, why her body viscerally reacted to him. Unconsciously, her hands fisted and shook. She walked further into the hedges, shaking out her hands to relax them.
No. She was so upset because she had real feelings for him, and he had used them against her.
Sakura knew she had no right to feel betrayed, but she did.
Even as she winded through the maze's path, Sakura's nerves were frayed and filled with intolerance. Not a single knot had come undone. She could not go back to the ball right now. She did not want to talk to anyone until she could control what was wrong with her. It was getting late, but Sakura would have to give herself more time. Others might wonder where she was, but that was of little concern.
Sakura reached into the hidden pouch of her dress and pulled out the necklace. It did not match her dress, so her mother had not allowed her to wear it. She had tucked it into the pouch instead, but it had down nothing to assist her earlier. Did she have to be wearing it for the necklace to work?
Frowning, she tilted her head as she studied it.
Leaves rattled as branches shook not too far from her. Her hand holding the necklace clenched, securing the jewel. 'It could be just an animal.' Then she heard footsteps. Certainly not an animal. The rustling grew louder, closer. Twigs snapped. Had Sasuke found her? She did not think so; she never heard him coming. It must have been another partygoer, who decided to rudely spy on her.
With her privacy invaded, Sakura angrily burst. "Who is there?! Can't you see I want to be left alone?!"
The rustling settled, the gardens growing eerily quiet. She let out a shaky breath. "Show yourself!" She said forcefully, but her tone was deflated. Goosebumps pricked on her arms. What had changed in the air?
A low growl came from the hedge, reverberating and causing the leaves to shake.
Sakura stumbled back as a wolf emerged, its yellow eyes locked on her. It was much thicker than a timber wolf, with ruddy and unkempt fur. The gait at which it approached was awkward.
When it stood up, she almost fainted. The creature's hind legs were not like a wolf. The quad and knees almost looked like human legs covered in fur, but the calves connected to giant paw-like feet. She noticed the same for the arms and clawed hands. What was in front of her was a mix between a man and a wolf.
A werewolf. Another otherworldly creature that men could be morphed into. A cursed man who forgot his mind and thirsted for carnage.
Her mouth opened to scream but no sound came out. Her body was plagued with violent shivers as she faced down such a hulking beast. It stood at the height of a tall man, but its body was thick with muscle and fur
She had felt this shock before; she needed to force her body to move and for her legs to listen. 'Run you fool!'
Sakura did move, but as soon as she jerked she knew it was futile. Running was not an activity she partook in except for when she had to run for her life apparently. The decadent dress did not help either.
The werewolf's reflexes were incredible, far faster than Sakura's. She had not even taken a step before the beast predicted her movements. It growled again and hunched before leaping forward.
So frightened, she tripped after her first step and fell to the ground. She could only watch from the cobblestone as the monster came towards her. 'Do not watch. Shut your eyes.' She told herself. Closing her eyes was a merciful act on her part, so she would not watch her body be torn apart as she died. A gust of wind blew through her, but she barely felt it.
The monster let out a yelp. The pained noise was such a shock that her eyes sprang back open. A man stood in front of her, no doubt from the party. Looking past the gap between his legs, she saw the werewolf that had lunged was now on the ground. But not for long. The werewolf scrambled up hurriedly. As if being thrown back caught it off guard. It looked powerful and dangerous, what kind of man could knock such a beast back?
Naruto, Shikamaru, Kakashi POV:
The three men had split up. Naruto had said that Sakura had left the ballroom earlier in need of the bathroom, so he would search the halls. Town hall was rather large and there were multiple bathrooms, so Shikamaru would help that endeavor. Kakashi took the ballroom, in case Sakura had already returned to the party.
Kakashi casually strolled through the partygoers, but his eyes were sharp like a hawk. He debated getting a drink as he looked. He would need a stronger liquor to stay keen; they were going to have a late night, discussing what to do with their findings once they knew Sakura was safe.
There was a piece of Kakashi that would rather find Sasuke. If he was dangerous then Sakura was not the only one he was worried about. There were crowds of potential, unsuspecting victims here. He had told Naruto and Shikamaru to steer clear of Sasuke, but he would decide what action to take if he came across said man.
A peal of familiar, boisterous laughter filled his ears. Kakashi's head swiveled, surprised to find his old friend talking to a group of men who reveled in his adventurous stories.
Kakashi walked up to the group and caught Jiraiya's eye as he raised his glass, recounting his time in Monaco. Jiraiya took a pause in his theatrics to great Kakashi with an ol' slap on the back.
"Kakashi! Good to see you my man!" Jiraiya welcomed. He noticed that even with his rumbustious ways, Jiraiya had not spilled a drop of his brandy.
"Jiraiya, when did you get back?" Kakashi asked, straightening his tie.
"Just an hour ago. Would not miss the soiree for anything." Jiraiya responded, waving his glass to the happy, possibly already drunk, people around them.
Ah, yes. Jiraiya was just as much a fan of free booze as Kakashi was.
The gears in Kakashi's head turned. Jiraiya was a well-connected man, and Kakashi trusted him with his life. While Jiraiya could be loud, the man was one to respect and loyal to a fault. No doubt Naruto would divulge in what they found once he discovered Jiraiya was back in town anyways, and to an extent, it did involve him. Perhaps he would be the help they needed.
"Jiraiya, could I speak with you for a moment?" Kakashi said suddenly.
Jiraiya furrowed his brow and gave him a flat smile, confused why Kakashi would pull him away from adoring fans and free drinks. He would not deny an audience for an old friend though.
"Alright." Jiraiya relented as he bid adieu to the others. They started to walk. "Although I do not know why you would pull me away in the middle of my Monaco story. You know how much people love it."
"I am aware," Kakashi murmured. He led him toward the large white doors, leading out to the foyer.
Jiraiya side-eyed him. "Is something the matter? Last I recall you being at the ball was...since you were a child."
"I will fill you in." Once they turned and left the foyer, heading down the hallway, he began to explain.
"He's here?! In Applegate?!"
Naruto knew the sound of his adoptive father's voice anywhere. It was always loud, but rarely did he hear anger in its tone like that. He rushed towards the noise and found Jiraiya and Kakashi in their selected meet-up point. Shikamaru emerged from a different hall around the same time he did, hunched over and resting his hands on his knees as he panted as if he had rushed too.
"Old man?" Naruto said out of habit. The sight was a rare one, with both his adoptive father and mentor wearing expressions he had never seen on their faces. A disconcert Kakashi and a distressed Jiraiya. Even in Monaco, Jiraiya held his jovial disposition. The sight was jarring for Naruto, making their situation feel raw and, admittedly, frightening.
"Did you tell him what you found, Kakashi?" Shikamaru asked. Naruto was grateful for Shikamaru's down-to-business attitude. Besides trying to ease his breathing, he seemed to be the most composed, and Naruto needed someone to be composed because he was having a hard time holding on to it. He was panicking inside. Two of the strongest men he knew looked unsettled, and he could not find Sakura anywhere.
Shikamaru moved to join the group, but something out the window caught his eye. Naruto paid little attention to him.
"Not yet. I only managed to say that Sasuke had arrived in Applegate." Kakashi looked at Jiraiya. "It appears as though Jiraiya already knew that there was something shifty about Sasuke. He blew up as soon as I said the man's name."
Naruto's amazed gaze turned to Jiraiya.
"You knew about Sasuke?" Naruto responded. It almost came out accusatory.
Jiraiya shook his head, then scratched at the stubble on his chin. "I knew that something was not right about him." Jiraiya clenched his jaw. "This is bad. I did not think he would go so far as to follow me here..."
"Wait. What are you talking about?" Kakashi questioned. All eyes were on Jiraiya, waiting for him to divulge what he was not saying. Before he could, Shikamaru spoke up.
"You will have to catch up on the details later. I just saw Sakura out in the gardens." He said, then quickly added, "and Sasuke was following her."
"What?! Hurry, boys!"
Sakura POV:
'Sasuke.'
She gasped. Now she noticed his raven-colored hair and the profile of his face as he glanced back, checking on her. She stared back wide-eyed. Was he checking to see if she was alright?
His attention went back to the beast. An angry growl ripped out of its mouth, putting its sharp teeth on display. Then it bent its legs again as if ready to pounce.
"Who is your master?" Sasuke hissed at it.
'Master?'
Sakura's eyes bulged as the werewolf rushed forward, taking powerful steps in their direction. It swiped at Sasuke, but he caught the beast's wrist. With his other hand, he grabbed its neck.
"You got lucky last time; you will not catch me off guard again," Sasuke told the beast. The werewolf snapped at Sasuke and used its free arm to break Sasuke's hold. It hustled back to a safe distance, going on the defensive. Keeping his attention on the werewolf, he walked back and bent down to her.
"Are you alright?" He asked quietly as he watched the werewolf.
"Y-yes." She managed. Reaching out, he hauled her to her feet effortlessly.
"Go back inside-" Sasuke started to say, but the beast rushed forward again, thinking that Sasuke had dropped his guard. Sasuke rose up, ready for the attack. As it got close, the beast went to all fours and tried to maneuver past him, going for Sakura.
Sasuke was faster. He intercepted the wolf and it veered off course. He caught the wolf's back with a hidden blade. The beast raised its head and started to howl in agony, but Sasuke circled his arm around its neck and locked the creature in an arm bar. The beast fell to the ground and took Sasuke with him. It struggled, trying to push and claw its way out of his grasp. Sasuke held on, but he struggled with the grip as well.
'Go inside.' Her mind chided. She moved for the door just as Sasuke's grip broke. Going after Sakura earlier had been a tactic to distract Sasuke, and this time it worked. The wolf moved towards Sakura. Sasuke grabbed onto its leg, trying to hold it back, but that was what the beast wanted. It kicked him in the face with the other leg then turned to get on top of him. He held the beast at bay as it snapped at him with its jagged teeth, but could not find a way to break free.
Without thinking, she stopped. The blade that Sasuke had used to stab the beast was bloody and on the ground. It must have flung from its back when Sasuke had wrestled it to the ground. The wolf did not notice her as she approached from behind. With all the strength she could muster, she swung down. She aimed for the spine, hoping to do the most damage, but she did not have the coordination that an athlete did. The blade buried itself within the wolf's shoulder blade. The wolf yelped. Sasuke got both feet up the beast's belly and launched it off him.
The wolf's glare turned from Sasuke to Sakura. Within a blink of the eye, Sasuke was up again and in front of her, seemingly unfazed by a giant wolf being on top of him. Sakura had not even seen him move, he was so fast. The wolf threw back its head and let out a howl.
Bang!
Sakura startled at the sound of a gunshot. The beast's arm jerked where the bullet hit. Then more shots rang out, hitting the beast in the chest, belly, and one in the neck. The werewolf hunched to the ground. The shooting stopped. Sakura looked to where the shots came from.
Naruto stood on the other side of the terrace, his face mixed in shock and horror, his revolver smoking at the barrel. She saw two other men with him, who also still had their pistols out. Detective Kakashi Hatake and Shikamaru Nara.
"What the hell is that thing?" Naruto said as he approached slowly.
"Were those silver bullets?" Sasuke asked quickly.
"What?" Naruto responded. He barely heard Sasuke. Not only was he deaf from the shot, but his mind was also sent reeling by the bloody creature in front of them.
"Were those silver-" Sasuke started to reiterate.
The furry mass started moving again, so fast it was a blur to Sakura. Her fingers clutched the back of Sasuke's jacket, and her body tensed, prepared for the oncoming attack. The beast did not rush forward though. It turned and disappeared into the brush. The hedges swung violently as the werewolf weaved between them, branches snapping under the heavy thumps of the beast's feet until the noise got farther until she could not hear it anymore. Sasuke stared after it for longer. 'Can he still hear it?' She pondered.
A gun cocked. A fourth man behind the trio of Naruto, Kakashi, and Shikamaru emerged.
"Uncle Jiraiya!?" Sakura exclaimed. As excited as she was to see them all, the situation in which brought them together was upsetting. Naruto and Shikamaru wore open looks of disbelief. Kakashi was better at hiding it, but he was shaken as well.
Yet her silly, jovial uncle was calm. His serious gaze, and his pistol, pointed at Sasuke.
"I knew it." He growled.
"Jiraiya, what are you doing?" Naruto asked in confusion as he watched. "You can't just shoot the man. He just saved Sakura from that...that thing!"
"Sasuke Uchiha is no ordinary man. He is a vampire; a blood-sucking monster." Jiraiya said without a beat. His gaze did not waiver from Sasuke.
Sakura gaped. Jiraiya knew. But how?
Panic thrummed through Sakura like a sledgehammer. This was a side to her uncle she had never seen before, but she could read his intent. Before he could shoot, Sakura rushed in front of Sasuke, just like he had done for her. "Wait!"
Jiraiya was flabbergasted, pointing his gun down the instant Sakura stepped in front of him. "Sakura, do you not realize what he is? He is a demon who walks on our earth."
She should want him dead. How many sleepless nights had she spent, waiting for him to yank her out of her bed and bleed her dry? Or desperately researched, candle burning to the hilt, as she worried about how to protect her family? He had hunted her. Toyed with her. He had even come close tonight. Yet, morality firmly rooted her feet.
"He saved me." She called back.
All the men were taken back, even Sasuke, as she stood her ground and defended him.
He was a vampire, a creature that killed people and drank their blood. But he had protected her, and there was some validity to that. What would that make her if she turned her back on him after saving her life? Fates be damned, and she knew very well that this could the wrong decision, but she was not going to move.
"Sakura!" Jiraiya demanded. Pleaded. Sakura flinched; he had never used such a sharp tone with her before.
"Perhaps we can settle this cordially," Sasuke finally spoke up. His breath against her ear sent a shiver down her spine.
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. Even if Sasuke was a vampire, he had taken on a werewolf to save a human. It was uncharacteristic for a bloodsucker to do so. The act prompted questions. "How do I know you will not attack us, demon?" He spat back.
"If I wanted you dead, I would have killed you months ago," Sasuke replied back easily.
Jiraiya seemed to consider the proposition. Stuffing the gun in its holster, he huffed.
"Sakura, you do not seem surprised about Sasuke's identity, which means you already knew he was a vampire. How?" Jiraiya tried to say delicately, but Sakura noticed that he would not make eye contact with her, and his hand fisted against the oak desk. He was tense. "Are you...has he...?"
"I have not turned her, if that is what you are inquiring," Sasuke spoke up. "I have not even fed from her."
"It is true," Sakura added when she saw the distrust in her uncle's eyes.
Jiraiya's body relaxed a bit. If only he knew how close she had been to that possibility just an hour before.
She looked down. The need to explain spilled out of her. "I did not tell Naruto the whole story when I found the Uchiha castle in Romania. I went inside, looking for Humphry, then I was admiring some paintings. That was when I came across Sasuke for the first time. I did not say anything because I knew no one would believe me, and I thought I had left him in Romania."
Everyone's silence prompted her to continue. "But he appeared in Applegate. Again, I kept the knowledge to myself, hoping that I could find a way to quietly get rid of him."
"He could have killed you!" Jiraiya cried. Then he said quietly, eyes narrowed at Sasuke. "So why didn't he?"
"Because I have this," Sakura pulled the necklace out of her pocket. She had managed to pick it up after the werewolf had runoff. "A woman from the village we passed through in Romania gave it to me. It...it has some kind of protection on it."
She did not mention that she had to be wearing it for the necklace to work.
"It was guilt that made you shoulder the responsibility for bringing a dangerous creature here." Kakashi clarified. He was the only one that managed the shock well. Naruto and Shikamaru's eyes were still wide, Naruto's mouth slightly hanging open. Sakura's lip quivered. Yes. That was what she had originally felt.
"Do not feel guilt for such a monster. A demon has no reason other than chaos." Jiraiya sneered. "There is no need to protect him."
The attention shifted to Sasuke. "Well, you were the one who wanted to handle this 'cordially'. Speak, beast. For your words may very well keep me from blowing your head off." Jiraiya demanded.
Sakura felt a cold chill from behind her and she peered at Sasuke. His eyes narrowed.
"Do you feel guilty for leading me here? Was it not you who dug on my land, thrusting your shovels into my deceased kin?" Sasuke said pointedly to Jiraiya. He peered through them as he said it, anger laced in his voice.
Sakura, Kakashi, Naruto, and Shikamaru were lost. They knew about the excavation, and Naruto had been a part of it, but the reasons for the dig lied with Jiraiya.
"I have kept my family's land protected from your kind for some time. Yet, some brit had managed to convince the council to snoop around the land. When I heard that the council approved of the excavation, your people had already broken ground. " Sasuke started to explain.
"I may not have agreed to it, but I am a professional. I simply returned to oversee the excavation." Sasuke folded his arms across his chest.
'So, he came to make sure no one discovered what he was.' What evidence of the underworld laid among those bones and inside those stone walls? How much history of the Uchiha, if all, was woven in darkness?
"I was in Germany when I heard the news and rushed back. Once I got to my land, my caravan was attacked by that beast you just met tonight. It caught me off guard and I was wounded badly. I returned to my castle to heal." His obsidian eyes flicked to Sakura. "Imagine my surprise when I found a young woman wandering around there."
Sakura recalled Sasuke's unkempt appearance when they had met. He may not have been bleeding, but his odd behavior made sense. As if he had taken too much pain medicine. She had interrupted a predator in its vulnerable state...it was a miracle she had managed to escape.
"When Sakura fled from my estate, the werewolf revealed itself once again," Sasuke remembered the night well.
Flashback:
Sasuke felt pain, but the shock was just as powerful as he stood there, listening to the clack of the woman's shoe fade. He looked down at the knife in his shoulder.
She had stabbed him.
It wounded his pride to admit it, but Sasuke felt a strange admiration for her courage and her ability to think under duress.
Sasuke rose a hand to the knife and gripped the hilt. It was still warm, how long had she been hiding it behind her back? Fast as lightning, he ripped the blade out. The initial flash of pain was gone, but there was a dull throbbing in his shoulder now. It would be gone within a few days. He stared at the knife, still in disbelief that she had gotten the upper hand. An amused smirk came to his lips.
It had been a while since he had a challenge. He was almost disappointed that she had run. He would easily catch her, even with a head start.
Sasuke walked to the window and peered out. The woman, Sakura, had made it out the front door, and he watched her pant as she ran across his estate. He heard a horse's snort close by. She must have come by horseback.
The horse would be more difficult to catch, but no matter. He would catch them regardless.
Sakura's words and actions did not match. She claimed ignorance, and yet she had a silver knife and a blessed necklace.
Sasuke frowned as he picked up on another sound though. His ears perked. It was the whipping of branches, and the heavy thumps of large paws. He had heard it just before a werewolf attacked him the night before. He had fought the beast off before it cowardly ran off, leaving a nasty wound on his back from the lucky shot it had taken when it snuck upon them. Normally, he would have picked up on the beast a mile away. Which meant the attack was planned, and by someone who knew how to mask a werewolf's scent.
He had spent the last 24 hours angry that he had not noticed the werewolf before, and even angrier that he was wasting time healing rather than finding the creature and ripping its head off, but not before discovering who had sent the beast after him.
This time the wolf stood no chance, for he was prepared. But the werewolf was not coming for him this time. He watched trees shake on the beast's path, and it was leading away from his castle. The trajectory was leading it towards Sakura.
"Shit."
Wasting no time, Sasuke leaped from the window and followed with haste.
"I found it odd. Why would it target Sakura?" Sasuke asked.
"Does a beast need a reason to attack someone?" Jiraiya said haughtily.
"A wild werewolf is rare; most are subservient creatures, turned with a purpose to sire loyal minions. They do not have a choice but to follow commands. If it followed Sakura, then it was ordered to do so." Sasuke glanced at her. "But then it never attacked. When I caught up, the beast was gone and Sakura was already returning to camp with the search party. I found it odd."
"...you thought Sakura was involved somehow." Kakashi finished as if he had solved a riddle.
"I did."
Sakura's eyes widened. The realization of how much danger she was in hit her like a punch to the gut. Not one, but two, supernatural creatures had followed her here. 'No, three.' Whatever was controlling the beast was still waiting in the shadows, yet to be seen. Why would the beast choose to attack Sakura, when it had not in Romania?
"It made me question exactly who was in control of this excavation, as well as their intentions. I began to suspect that the Haruno family might be behind my attack. If so, I needed to discover why." Sasuke explained. "This led me to Applegate."
That was why he sought her out. He had been prodding for information. While she was relieved that it was not to kill her, there was also disappointment. There was ironic humor in the emotion; had she not been doing the same thing with him?
"And what after? Would you have killed us all?" Jiraiya sneered.
"Depended on the answers." Sasuke shrugged. "I've learned that your family is not responsible for my attack. Although, it curious that the werewolf followed Sakura here."
"How are you sure the werewolf didn't follow you?" Jiraiya asked.
"It was here before I was. I followed it's scent, right to your doorstep. It was the day I met Mrs. Haruno, out in the gardens."
Sakura's breath hitched. All those nights, feeling as though something sinister was waiting in the shadows. There had been. It just hadn't been Sasuke.
Jiraiya huffed. He chose to believe Sasuke's story. For the moment. "Alright, demon. I will let you walk away this once since you saved Sakura. But you will need to leave Applegate if you want to live."
Sasuke crossed his arms. "I don't think so. There has been an appointed attack on me and on Sakura by the same beast. For whatever reason, they are connected. We have a similar problem."
"We can deal with the beast." Jiraiya countered.
"No, I don't think you can." Sasuke quipped.
They stared hard at each other. Sakura thought Jiraiya might bring his gun out again. Instead, he said, "You will stay out of our way then. As long as you don't kill our people, I have no reason to kill you."
"Fair enough."
Thank you all for being patient! The next chapter should be up soon!