Blood Moon Rising

X

Let me fall…let me cry-

Seiji was suffocated in darkness. It was a horrible nightmare. Monsters, lust, lies, vengeance and death surrounded him. He dreamt of a world where only the strong survived and the weak were brutally fed upon. Seiji might have been dead to the world. He would have stayed in his death like sleep if a soft touch of a hand did not waken him.

Groaning softly he rolled his head to the side and pushed against the ground to rise. He did not even manage to get off his knees before he lost balance and fell back to the floor. The reason he lost his sense of balance was that he had felt a sudden stab of pain shoot through his side. Grunting he slid his hand back and felt an open wound that was still fresh and bleeding. He grimaced but withheld from further exanimation knowing the gash was the least of his worries. What he did worry about was who the culprit that stabbed him was. He kept silent and calm as he recalled the previous events.

Nasuti was frightened, he had calmed her, and how he did not remember. In fact, after he and Nasuti had made their way through the tunnel, some sort of change had come over him. As though there was another soul within him and this person was fighting to resurface. The spirit was familiar yet he could not say who it was. It was dark, angry; this soul was betrayed and craved revenge. The spirit was the same one who had told him where to find Nasuti, the same soul that guided him through the passage. It was not a pure spirit; it had deadly secrets and certain wickedness to it. Seiji could also feel the pain and sorrow that consumed it; it blended with his own grief. It was viciously feeding off his psyche. Seiji could feel that he was dying bit by bit and this nameless spirit was coming closer and closer to taking complete power.

Fast-forwarding through his memories, he recalled another moment when he felt secure and sheltered, only to have it shatter into millions of pieces. That was when he had collapsed to the floor; a sharp instrument had dug itself in his rib and was dragged upward in a quick slash. He looked through blurry eyes and saw blood, red liquid had oozed from the gash, covered his hands and spotted the floor. He felt pain unlike anything else he had experienced and it was not because he was brutally attacked, he saw someone. This image tore at his heart. It was someone he cared for, loved and trusted.

His eyes snapped opened with a shiver of vivid recollection. She was a woman in her early twenties, had long black hair, a tall average figure, delicate slim hands and thick black lashes that highlighted her startling blue eyes. The colors of the eyes were beautiful and at the same time, they were unusually blank and detached. …Satsuki! He quickly rose to a sitting position. His eyes were horrified as stared into the darkness. His eyes were closed again. His color was ashen. More than ashen. He looked as if his flesh had been bleached white.

"Don't you just hate rude awakenings?" a sultry whispered in his ear.

He seethed at the voice and whipped around to face it. He was greeted by darkness. "How could you, she was innocent! She didn't need to be brought into this!" He covered his ears and shook his head violently, praying that all of this was a horrible nightmare and he would soon awake from it. He would hear the laughter of Satsuki as she ran from Yayoi. She had pulled another prank on her older sister and was running to find shelter. She would run into his arms and beg ni-chan to protect her. Yayoi would rush in his room soon after, sliding the paper doors open with a wooden spoon in hand, threatening Satsuki. Seiji would once again be used as a shield for Satsuki, against his wishes, as was the routine. However, it was not a hallucination, this nightmarish world was a reality and the perfect life he once had was just a dream. His fears and dreams had collided and all he wanted was to fall into the pits of hell. Surely, that would be a far less painful fate then this.

"Harm me, destroy me, and torture me Jacque. I don't care anymore!" he thundered, "I had warned you before, if you lift a hand to one of my family members, I will personally make you regret it!" he warned between clench teeth, rising slowly yet intimidating from the ground. With great effort, he lifted his ruffled head. His face hardened as his eyes settled upon his younger sister. Empty, dead, lifeless.

No recognition flashed through her eyes when she caught Seiji's hard stare. He now realized how Ryo felt when someone close was harmed. Being the leader of their brigade, he took the responsibility of their actions and consequences. Seiji was in charge of his family's well-being and if anything happened to them, he would hold himself accountable. If he should live through this, which he doubted his opinion of Ryo would be different. At times Ryo's guilt was nauseating but he now realized it was admirable that he would go to that extent. Sometimes…

He continued to stare at Satsuki who was standing by the kneeling form of Nasuti. He managed a quick glance at Nasuti and saw she was just as horrified as he was. Two malevolence looking men held her down on the ground. Raphael not far behind, kneeled next to her with an arm wrapped around her trembling shoulders. Nasuti and Satsuki's safety was not all he had to worry about; Raphael was another that he needed to add. He studied the older man's profile ruefully. Tainted he may be, monster he will become but at least the Frenchman still had the consideration to console the woman. But when all was over Seiji knew that Raphael will never be the same. He could sense the decay in the man; he was dying in a similar way himself. Seiji may not hold the foreigner in the highest regards however, that did not mean he deserved this torment. Funny how fate turns out, after everything he has been through, it was against him.

He supposed he deserved it; after all, he was the one who tangled himself up with a woman without questioning her intention. But wasn't human emotions like that when it came to attraction, jump first think later. When he met her there were things that disturbed him, warning bells rang off in his head and he even sensed a clouded spirit but how could a woman who looked mortal not have a pure soul. His excuse for not listening to the forewarning was that he was out of practice with reading the layers of emotions that constructed the human soul. His gift was sometimes a burden, he felt like he was violating moral rights when he used it. He could not explain it, never in his life had he been so eager to know someone. Jacqueline intrigued him and filled him. She was a narcotic; the addiction was too hard to quit.

He stood still after he finished his thoughts, his eyes narrowed and glared over to Jacqueline who seemed quite amused with the reunion. Arago was a force to be reckoned with; there were many battles that seemed near impossible to win. However, nothing amounted to this conflict. It may have been a different outcome if he never got personally involved with his enemy. My enemy, my lover…they were not kidding when they said those proverbs. His foe was his lover.

"It stops, now, today, at this very moment. It stops."

Jacqueline nodded as though she expected his answer, "So you say Gabriel. Such a pity that I had wasted millennium on you, and what is my repayment. I am deceived and lied to. The cat and the mouse, this game has been played for far too long Gabriel."

Seiji stepped closer, "I'm not him… why can't you see this?" he whispered harshly, "Are you so blind? So drawn into your own world that you refuse to tell reality from fantasy?"

She sneered, ignoring his comment, "I had sung to life your tragic beauty. I encouraged you awakening! I had lived through it all and you destroyed it! Old regrets die-hard. Well, I have made my decisions and choices. I underestimated you. Now, looking into your eyes I see I had made a mistake. You bastard, do you even know what I can do? You'll be lucky if any-" She ceased speaking when she felt a rough hand grasp her arm.  

"It stops."

She jerked her arm away, "Really? What are you going to do with me to make me stop? Kill me?" she taunted.

"Put you away," he said quietly.

"That's your intent anyway, isn't it?" she snapped. She did not believe he could kill her, and he could not escape her. Trapped like a rat. Why not take pleasure in the moment. She lifted her pale hand and brushed her knuckles against his cheek. "Seiji…"

He took her hand, forcing her to drop it. She grinned anyway, "Do you think that I ever forget?" she asked.

"Do you think I ever forget?" he cross-queried coldly. "Jacqueline, it stops. I'm no longer warning you. I'm not threatening you. I'm telling you."

"You forget yourself, Seiji. You know the legends of our kind. There are rules, you break the rules and you will be hunted by others. You were one of the elders who helped write them! And you still think yourself different? You have changed Gabriel. In all honesty, are you so above us all?"

"Don't think of yourself any better. I know not of these laws, but I'm sure that you have broken a good share yourself."

"Gabriel," she spat his name like it had a vile taste in her mouth, "Damn me and damn yourself!"

"We already are damned." He told her flatly, "I, Seiji Date, not Gabriel De'Mont will damn you even farther then you could possibly imagine."

"Date Seiji, Gabriel De'Mont, Date Masamune, Chieftain, King of Vampire Nation, Lord, Viscount, General, Samurai," she said and managed to shrug offhandedly, "I forget what name you go by these days."

Seiji froze as an even more terrifying realization washed over him … I forget what name you go by these days. "What do you mean by that!?" he asked.

She boldly met his eyes, enjoying the change of his features. "You lived for such a long time; you couldn't possibly pass yourself as the same man every decade. Date Msamune, he's known as your ancestor is he not? The famous general who built the magnificent castle in Sendai. The well-known 'One-eyed dragon'." She scowled at him, "You forget too easily, carra. But then again, that's what you wanted. To forget?"

Nasuti, who kept silent until now gasped as countless of unanswered questions hammered her. Raphael automatically tightened his arms around her. She barely noticed it though; she did not even seem to realize there were other people in the room. She was occupied trying to put the haunting pieces together. Seiji, could he and Gabriel possibly be the same and not know it? It was still hard to believe, to accept. Seiji. Vampire. In spite of all she had seen, all he had said, it still seemed like a nightmare, too hideous to be true…

She felt suddenly cold all over as she recalled the nightmares that had plagued her as she experienced the horror not so long ago. They had not been nightmares at all, she thought, recalling the horrible images that invaded her mind, the visions of a fiend with hideous fangs and hungry gold eyes. They were true. Seiji was, no, Seiji was Seiji… But could he have been someone else in another life? The thought flashed across her mind. Perhaps the other young samurais had previous life's other then what they lived now. Could any of the other guys have been vampires or beasts of the dark ages? This was all too hard to believe. She remembered there were stories, rumors she had come upon when she was researching about vampires who tried to re-enter mortality. Romantic notions. However, that could explain the physically close resemblance Gabriel and Seiji shared. Re-born, a second chance at life, could it be done? One must go to the very brink of death to become a vampire. Crossing the chasm from death to life is not easy. It is, in many ways, like dying again. Did Gabriel figure a way to cheat death? And what about Seiji?

If Jacqueline was evil, what did that make Seiji? Gabriel had survived by feeding on the life's blood of others. He killed, murdered, devoured. But was Seiji really evil? It was too horrible to contemplate, too awful to envision.

Seiji was not Gabriel! Seiji was not over a millennium old, he was in his twenties! Seiji wasn't a fiend, he despised evil. He was the complete opposite of sin. Wasn't he…?

Jacqueline continued with her snide words, "I'm not an enemy you can destroy so easily. I am not an enemy you want either. I have had many in my past and when I say past, I mean past. I'm in the habit of renewing my list of foes." She held out her hand, palm open. "Therefore, I'll give you one last time, carra. I give you one more chance to return. If not, I could-"

Seiji reacted angrily to the challenge in her voice, "You could what? Break me here and now? Kill me?" he paused for a dramatic measure, "You already have."

Jacqueline's eyes turned to Seiji again, never leaving. "Could you kill your own sister? I don't believe you are dead. I don't believe I have killed you… yet…"

Seiji eyes became dark and unfathomable.

"No?" she asked again. "Why don't we see?" She drew back and motioned toward the young girl. "Satsuki-chan, dear, kill the man who defies me."

"Jacqueline, don't even think about it!" he protested, knowing Satsuki would have no control over her actions. If she came at him, threatening his life he could deflect the attack. However, something within him cried blood, it would not be forced to be on the defensive side. He was frightened, scared of the unknown, fearful of himself.

"I already have. See if you truly are strong. The real Gabriel, the one I know, would kill the chit in an instant." She said matter-of-factly. "Poor boy, you have two sides. You're Jekyll and Hyde; Date and De'Mont. Gabriel is the one who hungers flesh, the one who battles, the one who cries death. You, Seiji, are composed, gentle, trustworthy, and honorable. I wonder who will out weigh the other. Perhaps Korin might have been able to hold him at bay at one time but with your blood poisoned and body dead; Korin is of no hope. This explains why you cannot call your strength, why you cannot bring forth your no-datchi. You Seiji are dead. Korin is dead. Your soul is dying. And Gabriel is awakening." She inclined her head, "Satsuki, you heard my order; obey it."

Satsuki stood to the side, seeming to see no one but Jacqueline. She titled her head in a nod and approached Seiji like a mechanical machine.

"For gods' sake, Seiji, don't believe Jacqueline's lies! You're not a monster!" Nasuti shouted as she struggled to get free from her captors. Raphael had risen and left her side for a moment, so she took her chance. She would not let Satsuki do this. If the girl was to awake and saw, she had attacked her brother she would never forgive herself. And Seiji seemed to be losing the battle before it even begun. He believed Jacqueline. He was allowing this so-call other half to awaken. Jacqueline mentioned the word; awakening. Gabriel was awakening! She did not know what triggered it or how long it takes but she knew it was dangerous. He was in a vulnerable state.

Nasuti managed to poke one of the men in the eye with her finger and grind her heel on his toe. He left himself prone when he covered his eye, allowing Nasuti to turn around and hammer a blow in his groin. As he howled, she swept her leg underneath him so he would trip over it. An effective move Shu had taught her some few years back. He staggered backward, obviously shocked and bumped into the other man. The impact of colliding with each other made them crumple to the ground. Bad mistake, they had underestimated the mortal woman. "Satsuki! Don't, it's Seiji! Don't do it!!" Nasuti ran forward, jumping away from the hand that tried to capture her again. She hurried in front of the young girl and took hold of her shoulders, shaking her violently. "Satsuki, it's me…Naste." She forced the girl to look at her by pulling her gaze away from Seiji to her. "Please, listen, you have to snap out of it." Nasuti loosened her hold and drew back with a fright. The young girl merely smiled a smile that chilled Nasuti to the bones.

Nasuti jumped, startled when someone came out of nowhere and latched onto her upper arm with sharp nails, throwing her down with an almighty force. She cried out as she landed on the ground, hitting her head on a solid object, which was behind her.

Seiji immediately charged forward when he saw Jacqueline striding towards Nasuti. Her fangs were dripping saliva as she grabbed the other woman and knocked her to the ground again. However, Satsuki stopped him by pulling out a sharp dagger and snuck up behind him, jabbing it in his back. He cursed and moved away quickly, not trusting himself to touch her. He really was getting sick and tired of being stabbed! It would be so easy to end it. "Like hell…" he whispered to the wind and knocked the weapon out of her hand with ease.

"Dear, dear, lady!" Jacqueline laughed, "Here we are at last! A day of reckoning so to say. I am the queen of the hunt," her ridiculously long canines gleamed hungrily, "And you my dear," she said to Nasuti, "dear, dear girl; are the hunt!"

She lifted her arms, stretching them to the rafters. A flurry of wings and howling voices echoed through the air. Then dozen of shadows descended. They came to the floor and slowly took shape, encircling Nasuti. The figures wore masks and capes. The masks were leather with carved noses and teeth; they looked like a hungry pack of wolves. Their capes appeared to come from a Venice carnival, dark and heavy. Nasuti spun around, looking at them all as the circle tightened.

They came closer…

She did not wait for them to pounce on her and looked madly about for a weapon, something to throw. Nasuti saw that the solid object she was cornered against was an altar. She spotted a dusted candleholder upon it. Something is better then nothing…She sprang to her feet, reached for the candle with such abandon that she scattered half the candles, and disrupted a corpse that lay upon it. She never noticed the body.

"Nasuti, no!" Raphael called to her trying to reach her side. He had been at the other end of the room when he saw the fight erupt. But she was in a frenzy, beyond listening, far beyond hearing him or comprehending. She threw the candleholder. Went back to grab another and threw it, then another candle and another.

"Nasauti!" Raphael shouted again, striding toward her. Before he could reach her he was tackled by one of the masked men. "Nasuti, damn you," he grunted as he struggled with the man atop him. With a surprising strength, he did not realize he even possess, he took hold of the man's head and snapped it to the side with a crack. He rolled over and stood, pleading with her, "Nasuti, I can't get to you! Please, get over her! Damn it! Just climb atop the altar and run to me! Get away from them!" Nasuti answered with a scream. More of them came behind her, circling her like a shark would do before it strikes. "Are you even listening to me!? Zut de zut de zut! Get. Over. Here. Now! No- Nasuti…don't throw the candles! No-no, I said run, not THROW!"

As the monsters moved in on her, they pulled off their masks. They were people. Old, young, male, female. No. Not people! They were smiling at her now, smiling angrily, and snarling ….growling, moving in.

"Nasuti," he shouted her name again, trying to shove his way through the beasts. It was not an easy task. Every time he found a clearing to ease through he was viciously attacked.

She was backed against the altar with no escape; she turned around and recklessly tried to climb upon it. That was when she saw the dead body. When she grabbed the surface of the altar, she caught hold of the body instead and lost her balance. She fell, shrieking from horror as something landed in her lap. "Oh my god!" The head of the body was not attached and rolled off, landing right in her lap. She closed her eyes as they felt like rolling to the back of her head. She could easily become hysterical, screaming, crying and eventually pass out. She cursed herself, knowing she had no time to think to herself or figure out a plan. She will wait to go damsel-in-distress mode later, right now, she needed to stay in control. Her mind would be the last thing to go.  She refused to look, or even think about the head as she picked it up and tossed it aside. A sound of disgust was the only think she allowed as she struggled to her feet again.

She had her hands on either side of the altar, permitting herself, though not on purpose, to come face to face with the body. Her nose was practically an inch from touching it. "I think I'm going to be sick…" her stomach churned as she took in the sight of the corpse. A figure of a young female was sprawled across the altar and dressed in a delicate white robe. With no head! On instinct, she grabbed her own neck and swallowed, losing her breath. Is this how I am going to die!?!

Nasuti took in a deep breath and reached for the lifeless body, tugging it off the altar. She sent it into the arms of the unsuspecting monsters, which were closing in on her. Two went down. But the rest were upon her.

She screamed as rough hands reached for her. She waited to feel the pain as the gleaming fangs sank in. But none of them broke her skin. She was lifted, struggling frantically, and was pushed into another pair of hands which threw her upon the altar. She kept screaming, kicking, shouting, flailing, as she found herself tied down. Then to her amazement, the creatures moved away.

She was to be Jacqueline's supper! She thought.

Authors Note: I finally decided to take on chapter 10. *laughs* I have good news; it seems I have more plans for BMR. This means, though I'm close to finishing it I still will have more then 3 chapters to write up. (And my last page will be a lemon. Don't be misguided it's not going to be mushy; it's actually required for my story to end properly…) I'll also say, you will probably not like my ending, it will leave a lot of unanswered questions and speculations. *evil laugh*

Wonder if Gabriel is really Seiji? Is Seiji really thousands of years old? Was he really reborn? Did Jacqueline actually turn him into a vampire or was he already one and never knew it? Did she just speed up the process? What's with this King crap, lord and shit? What about Shu and Shin? Dead, alive? What the hell is vampire nation? What about the sexy Ann Rice freaks? How is Akasha involved? Will Nasuti be killed? (Hard to do since I'll have a lemon at the end…damn that was a dead giveaway….or perhaps I'm more evil then you think?) Will Seiji kill his sister, and have no control over it? What about Raphael? If I kept him alive for this long…does that mean he has a much more important role then I'm letting on?

You'll just have to wait and see where I take this story. Beware…I like dark fiction with many twist and turns. I looked over my reviews and am so delighted with how many responses I have received. I remember I was looking at another author's story and grew very jealous of her work because she had over a 100 reviews. *sniff* (don't u hate it when that happens. Her story wasn't my favorite.) But then I realized something…she had over 20 chapters and I only have 10. Could I possibly receive 100 reviews? *smile BIG SMILE* I will love you forever!!! In fact, I'm willing to make a bargain. If I can hit 100 before I finish my last chapter, the person who qualifies as lucky 100 will get a sneak peak before I even post it. (As well as my editor. Hehehe) I wonder if this bribe will work?????

What can I say, I'm greedy and desperate. Ego boosters do wonders for me!

Buddy-reader: Max