The Taste of Revenge is Blood

Disclaimer: Forgot this last chapter. I don't own Love Hina. I kind of own Ejichima Maehara though, as he is my infernal hellspawn. Not yours. *Hiss*.

Nothing. Nothing lay where a broken Motoko should be. No card. No ransom letter. No blood. Nothing. Motoko had simply disappeared. That emptiness filled Keitaro with dread. He has Motoko, and he probably has Naru as well. Keitaro felt sick to the stomach.

The demon that was believed dead walked again. A body believed to be dead for over seven hours just got up and lived. Keitaro felt panic rising in his body and stumbled into the waiting room. He fell to the ground as passed out.

It was noon and Shinobu still refused to wake up. Even Su couldn't faze her. She was simply impossible. The Hinata residents eventually gave up and began their unnatural life. As Haruka, Mitsune and Su were the only people awake at the time, they tried their best to cook. Unfortunately, it was a disaster. They were about to go get Keitaro when the phone began to ring. Kitsune sloppily picked up the phone.

"Hello?" She was obviously not awake yet.

"Ma'am, are you the Assistant Manager of the Hinata House perchance?"

"Uh, no, I am not. Want to talk to her?"

"Please." Kitsune pressed the receiver to her chest.

"Haruka! Some people are on the phone! They sound real formal, kinda like telemarketers. They really want to talk to you, though."

"Fine." Haruka took the phone from Kitsune with a look of regret on her face.

"We don't want,"

"Ma'am, we have to inform you that both Motoko Aoyama and Naru Narusegawa have disappeared. They are believed to have been kidnapped by Ejichima Maehara. We are also to inform you that Keitaro Urashima has suffered a light panic attack. Thank you for your time." And with that, the caller hung up. Haruka couldn't move. She had just been told that a dead man had just kidnapped Motoko and Naru.

"Haruka? What just happened?" Kitsune looked worried as she spoke to Haruka.

"Naru… and Motoko… were kidnapped… Ejichima," Haruka rasped. She sat down before she broke down into sobs.

"Kami, help us! We have to get Seta! He'll know what to do…" Kitsune stopped herself.

"No, he won't. He's not serious enough. We… have to get the police to help." Haruka knew just as well as everyone else that Seta wouldn't have a clue about what to do.

"Hmm, I'm going to go tell Shinobu," Su said.

"NO!" Haruka and Kitsune yelled simultaneously. However, their voices fell on deaf ears. Su disappeared and soon after they heard a shriek come form Shinobu's room. Shinobu came running down the stairs, pulling on her slippers.

"WE… HAVE… TO… SAVE… THEM!" Shinobu pulled on her jacket and shorts and was ready to go out the door.

"Shinobu! Stop, it's dangerous out there. Leioji is still alive and kicking." Kitsune was right and Shinobu knew it too.

"But…" With that, Shinobu broke into tears. She buried herself in Kitsune's lap, the closest lap nearby. She sobbed, wanting all the pain and doubt to go away.

"That's it. It's alright Shinobu, we're here," Kitsune spoke reassuringly. The phone began ringing again. Haruka picked it up.

"Who is it?"

"I would like to speak to Shinobu, please." The voice was calm, cool and melodic. However, Haruka wasn't able to place the voice.

"May I ask who's calling?"

"I don't really like to go about giving away my name. I'm an acquaintance of Shinobu's. I'm sure she'll recognize my voice." Haruka frowned. The way the voice spoke frightened her a little bit.

"Who is it?" Kitsune pried. Perfect timing, Haruka mentally sighed.

"I don't know. He wants to speak to Shinobu." Haruka mouthed to Kitsune, "Should I?" Kitsune nodded.

"Shinobu, someone wants to talk to you."

"W-Who?" Shinobu choked out.

"He won't tell."

"I want to talk to him." Shinobu had only a vague idea of who it could be. It was more of a false hope.

"H-Hello?"

"Hello, Shinobu." The voice was familiar to Shinobu. She gasped.

"Oniisan? Is that you?" Tears of joy threatened to burst forth from Shinobu. However, Kitsune and Haruka looked incredibly concerned.

"Shinobu, I need to talk to Keitaro."

"Keitaro isn't here right now. Can I take a message?"

"Yeah, you can. Tell him that I need to talk to him. Man to man. Tell him to meet me in front of home. Oh yeah, tell him that unless he plays his cards right, everyone is going to die." Leioji, or rather Ejichima finished his sentence and Shinobu turned a pale white. It seemed as though all the blood had drained out of her.

"Shinobu? What is it," Kitsune asked. Shinobu dropped the phone. Kitsune picked it up and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Shinobu? Did you write all that down?"

"What… did… you… tell… her… you… bastard!" Rage filled Kitsune's voice.

"Who is this? It matters not. Ask Shinobu yourself. Ah, you may want to hurry because you have three days." With that, Leioji hung up. Kitsune felt shivers going up and down her spine. What happens in three days? Are Motoko and Naru in trouble? I have to ask Shinobu…

"Shinobu." Kitsune shook Shinobu. Blood returned to her face. Shinobu turned her head slowly until she faced Kitsune.

"…" Shinobu was merely staring at Kitsune.

"I need to know what Leioji said to you! Please, Shinobu, I think Motoko and Naru are in trouble," Kitsune begged. Shinobu's eyes glazed over.

"Leioji said that if Keitaro doesn't meet my brother in front of our old house, everyone is going to… DIE!!" Shinobu collapsed. She didn't cry; her tear-ducts were long since dry. She shook violently, breathing in ragged breaths.

"Haruka-san!" Kitsune yelled.

"What?" Haruka was ready.

"You have to get Keitaro out to Shinobu's house. If we don't hurry, I think Naru and Motoko are going to die. We only have three days. Please, hurry." Kitsune's eyes filled with tears. Please, don't let Naru die. She's my best friend…

Keitaro woke from a fevered dream. Leioji stood in the foyer of an apartment complex. Dead security lay everywhere, all the phone chords were cut except one, and the main power supply and running water supply was cut off as well. Outside of the building, police stood ready.

Anato Karishuma, the Inspector who had "killed" Leioji the last time was with the police. Forty police with rifles and pistols at hand waited for the order. Anato Karishuma threw his hand down and mouthed, "GO!" The police came out from behind their cars and charged into the building. They fired a couple of warning shots. What followed seemed unbelievable, as it was so terrible.

The doors to the apartment complex swung open, as if something pulled them open from the inside. The leaves rustled on the trees, being sucked towards Leioji. The police continued on their charge. The dream went black, and twenty-five or so police ran back behind their cars. The rest of their comrades lay dead.

Keitaro looked around his hospital room. The clock on his bedside table read 2:00 p.m. Great, he thought. Sleep in, will you? You still have to find Naru and Motoko, remember? Keitaro slid out of bed. Only then he remembered he was still in his hospital clothes. So he lay there, waiting for someone to come. He didn't have to wait long.

As soon as he was lying down, Kitsune practically broke down the door and ran over to Keitaro's bed. Within a moment's notice, Keitaro was at the Hinata house wearing clothes. Haruka and Kitsune seemed to be in a hurry.

"Um, can I ask what's going on because I kinda need to rescue Motoko and Naru…"

"That is exactly what you are doing, Urashima. Except there are some changes in plans. Leioji requested that you personally come to Shinobu's old house and rescue them." Keitaro looked confused.

"Okay Kitsune. One problem. Where's that?" Kitsune answered by turning on the television. It flickered to life on the news channel. The top news story was the demon, Ejichima Maehara. He had been declared dead before but now was continuing his killing streak. He was cooped up with a nice band of one hundred or so hostages in an apartment complex near Kyoto. The address was 928 Siiko rd.

"Got it. I'll take the…" Haruka interrupted before Keitaro could finish.

"You'll take the train. Got it?"

"Hai, Haruka-san." Keitaro bowed graciously.

"Um, Haruka-san?"

"You'll use my money." Haruka knew exactly what Keitaro was asking. She thrust a wad of yen into Keitaro's hand, threw a backpack on his back, and pushed him out the door.

"Hurry, we think Motoko and Naru might die in three days if you don't get there in time. Hurry." With that, Haruka sent Keitaro off at a breakneck pace.