Title: More or Less Sane
Author: FireDemon
Email: Ken_Dai_Love@hotmail.com
Rating: R
Category: Romance
Warnings: Shounen-ai/Shoujo-ai, VERY disturbing behaviour. Blood 'n stuff.
Summary: AU. Evil Vampires, Bloodsucking and a conversation with a Psychiatrist. Guess who's telling the story this time... Hehe.
Disclaimer: I do not own Zoids, if I did Fiona would be passionately in love with Zeke, Raven would be too busy worrying about his sexuality to fight for Prozen, and the Guardian Force would be enthusiastically screwing each other while Moonbay followed them around with a video camera.
Chapter 4:
"I have no need to get anything off my chest, child, pester your mistress if you must, but leave me out of your games, I have neither the desire nor the inclination to share whatever plagues my heavy heart with one of my bond-sisters 'pet' vampires," I hiss. Reese's reluctant-killer looks hurt by my words, his violet eyes fixed innocently on me. Thomas rests a hand on the shoulder of Reese's newborn 'child', and smiles,
"Hey, don't worry. Raven's just not in a good mood. Reese and Fiona are off doing... whatever it is they do together," He pulls a face, "Do you want me to take you out hunting?"
I scowl, Thomas is my bond-mate, not this upstart child's.
"I... Yeah, I suppose so. I haven't really eaten anything lately," He admits sheepishly. Stupid child.
"Oh, that's terrible. You have to eat, starving yourself isn't going to help anything," Thomas chides gently, steering the boy towards the door.
This is the last straw, I stand and push past the two angrily, "I'm hunting if anyone wants to know," I hiss and stalk out of the door.
"Don't you want to come with us?" Thomas asks gently, his green eyes searching out mine beseechingly.
I ignore him and stomp out of the house. I feel like my position has been usurped. Very few Vampires ever form covens larger then four for the simple reason that clashes between two night creatures are sure to get messy.
I can't decide whether or not I want to leave my coven... my family behind. I pledged that I would protect them, but not if they don't want me.
I curse, as always, Reese has spoken prophetically, a lifetime of carrying these stupid problems around is taking its toll.
I need to talk to someone, how did Thomas put it? I need to get my head on straight.
I hear Thomas and the brat talking softly behind me and I leap out of their path. There's no way in hell I'm going to spill my problems to that half- breed. I can find my own... whatever they are. Talking men: Cyclists.
I don't need any help from anyone, least of all one of my bond-sister's tag- alongs. I can find my own talking man to help me decide whether to leave, and then I can eat him, if I'm hungry.
I reach the park, and spot the man sitting behind a tiny stall with my superior eyesight. I smirk coldly, reading the messy characters scrawled across a piece of cardboard, and crookedly tacked onto the table,
'Zen Fortune Telling, Talk to a Psychic'
I feel a brief surge on contempt for my bond sister, I've found my very own talking man in less then half the time it took her to make an appointment. He's no Thomas but I'd pick him over that mongrel she dragged home any day.
"Good morning," I greet, inclining my head just enough to be polite.
The man, the boy really, looks up through his mess of burgundy brown hair, his chocolate eyes wide with shock.
"Are you a... customer?" He breathes.
"Indeed," I reply smirking.
His face falls, "My sister just took her lunch break. I'm only watching the stand till she gets back. If you don't want to wait-"
I cut him off, the senseless rambling of others has never entertained me in the slightest. I like everything to be neat, and clear cut. I don't need to know my victims or to torture them. It is enough that I have eaten, without being uselessly sentimental.
"I will talk to you."
"But... I'm not... I don't-"
"My name is Raven," I begin, cutting him off once more.
"I'm Daisuke, my friends call me Dai," He replies, sticking out his hand.
I bend and kiss it, continentally, my lips twitching as he recoils, snatching his hand back as if my lips are poisonous.
"What the hell was that?" He asks.
"I was simply, saying hello. Times have certainly changed since when I was young."
His brown eyes fix on my pale face and he blinks, "You sound like my Ojiisan," He complains and my lips twitch again. For a mortal he's certainly amusing, although he has nothing on my Thomas, but perhaps... An idea forms in my head.
"My apologies, Daisuke, perhaps it would help if I explained?"
"Erm, I guess," He replies, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. My eyes narrow, usually by now I'd have managed to entrance my victim. I suppose this 'psychic' is simply too stupid for the mesmerisation to take affect.
"When I was... young, I lived in a place called Europe. Well it wasn't called Europe then, but it is now. I lived in a tiny little hut with my mother and father in the countryside. Just before my fifth birthday my village was attacked and my mother and father were killed. I think I cried, I can't really remember, it seems a lifetime ago."
I look up, meeting his eyes, he looks interested, his head resting on his palm as he listens intently, but he's not completely entranced. In fact he's only mildly enthralled at best.
"My parents are dead too," He smiles tentatively, "I was only two, and I didn't really understand. My sister and my obasan moved in together and raised me between them. Who looked after you after your parents died?"
I shrug; oddly touched by the fact he's sharing his past with me. "One of the old women in my village survived, and I moved in with her for about a year and a half. She made me do all her fetching and carrying, which rather annoyed me. So I ran away."
He makes a muffled sound of surprise, which I wonder at until I realise what should have been obvious, at 6 years old I still should have had someone to take care of me. I smile,
"I wasn't alone for long, I found my way to the city, it had a name, but I can barely recall the name, and I doubt it would interest you at any rate. I call it a city, but in truth, it was barely a hundredth of the size of Tokyo. The streets were cobbled, and there were horse-drawn carriages, something I'd never seen before, given that I'd grown up in the country. It was because of my awe of these carriages that I met Prozen. The man I was to one day call father. It was foggy, and I had stumbled onto the cobbled street without realising it. When the horse-drawn carriage thundered down the road towards me, only just visible through the fog, I could not bring myself to move. He... Prozen... saved my life. And then he took me to the town-house where he lived and fed me, his crimson red eyes never budging from my face. I think I entranced him almost as much as he entranced me. After I had eaten, he led me to his bedroom and bid me sleep on his bed. When I woke up the next morning, he had not moved from the chair at my bedside, his eerie blood-red eyes were still fixed on me, and his pale icy cold hand still rested on my brow."
"Dude!" My enthusiastic listener exclaims, "That's freaky. Like molestation or something. I mean, dude!"
I smile tolerantly, "I was startled by his presence, but he had saved my life, so I was grateful, and as time passed, I came to understand what he was."
"What? A paedophile?" My big-mouthed human suggests.
"Close. My unexpected benefactor was not a child-molester, he was a vampire." I smirk.
"Dude!" My human repeats again, his chocolate eyes growing wide in his head.
"Indeed," I say, smirking, "I grew to love him, perhaps more then a child should love the man it calls father, but I... believe he shared my feelings, so there was no problem there. It was only after Hiltz started to take an interest in the fact that Prozen was so enchanted with me that things began to become problematic."
"Dude, you lost me. Who the hell was Hiltz?"
"Hiltz was my fathers bond-mate, his boyfriend I suppose you would say," I muse.
"He had a boyfriend, and he was molesting you. Geez, what a pervert."
I laugh, a rich sweet sound which surprises me, I'd forgotten I still could laugh. "Not quite little one. His interest in me was not sexual, it was more, enchantment. I suppose even as a child, I was beautiful, as it were."
"Yeah," The redhead breathed, "You are."
Finally, perhaps the human was a little slow, but like the rest of his pathetic breed he'd succumbed to my 'charms'.
Daisuke shook his head, a faint blush colouring his cheeks - How sweet; he was embarrassed.
"Are you attracted to me, little mortal?"
The child's face turns bright red, "Y... No... ah, I mean, what I meant to say was, ah..."
"Yes, or No, it's a simple question," I ask in amusement, so flustered for such a simple question.
"Well, do you think I'm good-looking?" The boy defends himself.
I smirk, "I think you look absolutely delicious."
"Oh god," Moaned the boy, covering his flaming cheeks with his hand, "What happened to the story?"
I laugh, and pick up where I left off, "We spent, perhaps, 10 years in London, Hiltz, Prozen and I, and as I grew from a child to a killer, my fathers bond mate grew less interested in my father and more interested in me."
"Woah! Sick dude! How old was this Hiltz guy anyway?"
It takes me a moment to calculate, "256, when I met him. I was of course 7 at the time. Prozen taught me to hunt in the back alleys of London, and I was a killer long before I was a vampire. Hiltz used to read to me at night, I would sit on his lap while he admired my human warmth and beauty."
"Ookay," The human says doubtfully, "Is it just me, or was there something going on with that weirdo Hiltz."
I smile indulgently, for such an idiot this human seems surprisingly insightful, "Much as I'd like to say no, I can't."
"Eew!"
I shrug, "Indeed. I was 17 when he finally made his move, after 10 years of cuddles that went a little too long, and touches that went a little too low."
The human winces.
"He waited until Prozen was out. I highly suspect he'd been planning this for a long time. He was sipping blood out of a crystal goblet, sharing the warm liquid with me as we 'snuggled'." I say the word distastefully, even the memory disgusts me, "His hands kept creeping lower, he'd done this before, but this time it was different, and I could tell. It wasn't that I disliked Hiltz, or even what he was doing, but I'd always seen he and Prozen as my fathers, and it was not until I tried to push him away that I realised that this time he wasn't planning on stopping. He was skilled, I'll give him that, but he was also cold, and he hurt me. I think he claimed to love me somewhere in there, just before he changed me. He never wanted Prozen, or anyone, to possess me as he had, to know my warmth as he had. And as I lay spent on the bed he drank from me, and made me the creature I am today." I pause to look at the human. His mouth is hanging open, what was that saying Fiona so often uses.
"Catching flies?" I ask.
His mouth snaps shut, "Dude," He manages through his shock.
"When Prozen arrived home the next morning, he and Hiltz fought as they'd never fought before. Prozen even drew Hiltz's blood, an action I'd never seen my normally placid vampire father take. Hiltz defended himself of course, tried to put the blame on me. Prozen told him to leave then, and to never come back."
My human lets out a cheer, "Whoo! Go Prozen! It's about time he got rid of that sleaze."
I give a small smile, it does feel good to get this off my chest.
"What are you doing here?" Asks a familiar voice.
I turn to see the blazing chocolate brown eyes glaring at me, and give the girl my most charming smile, "Oh this and that. You know how it is Witchling."
Her eyes flicker to my mortal, "Daisuke get away from him."
The boy tilts his head and looks at me, "Why? I think Raven's nice."
I smile, sidling closer to the human, "Why thank you little morsel." I drape my arm around the boys shoulders and lick my lips as I stare challengingly at the girl.
Jun's eyes widen, "I said NOW."
"Geez, no need to get stroppy. What is it, that time of the month?" My talking man slips out of my almost embrace, "Well it was nice meeting you. Too bad I didn't get to hear the end of your story. You'd better go though, you don't want Jun to go all evil-eye on your ass."
I smirk, "Indeed. It was a pleasure meeting you Daisuke," I bend to kiss his hand again, this time he doesn't pull away although he blushes, and I don't release his hand, waiting for him to look up at me.
Jun rips his hand out of my grip and glares at me.
"Goodbye Daisuke, Jun," I leer, "Till we meet again."
I turn and stride away, smirking to myself as I walk towards the boy's apartment. I check the address on the driver's license I'd stolen from the boy's wallet again, still rather pleased with myself, pick-pocketing was so much easier when you could move at the speed of light.
I let myself into his house, and make myself at home. He seems to be a neat housekeeper, something I've always approved of. When he arrives home I think I'll complement him on it.
It is almost 3 hours later that Daisuke arrives home.
"Dude! What are you doing here?" He asks.
I smile and hold out his wallet.
"I dropped it? Again? Damn, I should keep this on a chain. Thanks for bringing it back, it's really nice of you. Jun's totally wrong about you being a bad person."
"Thank you. Your house is very clean."
He blinks, "Er, thanks, I think."
"I also came to finish my story, we were, interrupted."
He flushes lightly, "Yeah, sorry about that. Jun's really rude sometimes."
"Indeed. I believe I'd reached the part about Hiltz's banishment, correct?"
The boy nods, "Yeah. So what happened next?"
"Ah, life was good, as it should have been. Prozen seemed truly apologetic for what Hiltz had done to me. He had been planning on changing me, of course, but much later, when I'd had the chance to experience my humanity. For a few years at least we lived in harmony. And then I met him. We were living in Vienna at the time. It started innocently enough, I suppose. The servants speculated as to why Prozen and I only ever came out at night. The most far fetched of their ideas was surprisingly the truth." A soft smile graces my lips as I reminisce, "His name was Van, and he was beautiful inside as well as out."
Daisuke lets out a soft sigh of contentment as he leans forward to hear more.
"In a way I suppose you remind me of him, and perhaps that is why I chose to talk to you of all people. He was the lucky servant chosen to discern the truth of the rumours, but instead he fell in love with me, and I with him. He was my first love, and we were very happy together, so happy that I told him the truth about me. So happy that I broke Prozen's only rule and changed him into one of us, and Van accepted it too. We were going to spend eternity together. But that was not meant to be."
"What happened?" He cries.
I have to keep a tight hold on my emotions, it has been many years but... it still hurts, "Hiltz found me again, and he was jealous, insanely so. It was the very night that I made Van, we had shared the blood only once, we were going to do it the second time when I was torn away from my beloved, and he was there. He smiled at me, even though it never reached his eyes, and then he spoke, his tone icy cold," I carefully recall his exact words - words which have been etched into my mind, "'I'm very disappointed with you. You are mine, I thought you understood that. I guess I'm going to have to teach you a lesson that you'll never forget.' He slammed me against the wall, temporarily paralysing me so that I would be unable to move, to help, when he bent over my Van, and snapped his neck. He left me helpless to even look away when he sunk his teeth into the throat of Van's dead body. And when he kissed me, the taste of Van's blood was still in his mouth. 'You are mine, only mine,' He whispered before he sank his teeth into my neck as well." I realise I may have to explain, "You see, to drink the blood of another vampire, without permission, is like the worst form of rape. Rape of the mind. I would have died that day from lack of blood if Prozen hadn't found me, I couldn't find the words to tell him what had happened. I couldn't break his heart like mine had been broken, so for the first time in my life, I lied to my father, and told him I did not know who had attacked me, or why."
I think my mortal is crying, and I suddenly realise with a kind of empty pain that I long ago forgot how to cry myself. I cast my mind back, and I realise I have never cried for my lost love, I have never cried at all.
"I do not know what Hiltz did with the body of my first love, for though I saw him again, neither he nor I ever spoke of the incident, or of Van, and it seemed to me almost as if Van had never existed at all. Even now I sometimes doubt, for perhaps it was too perfect to be real. Still we were happy together, and I doubt I will ever forget him."
Daisuke sighs, "That was really romantic," He exclaims, "Apart from the whole snapping his neck thing. I guess he was your one true love, and you've been alone since his death."
I smile at his naivety and shake my head, "No. I have had many lovers since his death, but he will always be my first, just as Thomas is my last." I say this with absolute certainty, knowing that if I lost Thomas there could be no other.
"So, after Van died, you just came here?"
I laugh and shake my head again, "You must keep in mind that this happened over a hundred years ago. After Van's death, we moved to Paris, and there I became a recluse, so Prozen in his infinite wisdom found me a companion - a sister. Her name was Reese, and she was the 13-year-old daughter of a witch. I hated her from the moment I first laid eyes upon her, because I knew that she loved my father more then I. She was a beautiful child, as I had been beautiful as a child. Prozen had an eye for beauty, and he picked his children well, which made me wonder why he loved Hiltz. I think that perhaps once Hiltz was beautiful, or maybe it was only to me that he was ugly, because I knew what lurked in the depths of his soul. I had felt it when our minds had touched. It was only when Hiltz returned, bearing gifts and spouting meaningless words that I finally bonded with the girl, for she too saw his nature, or perhaps she only saw how much Prozen cared for the foul creature."
"So you two had sex," He surmised.
I pull a face, "No. We merely decided to band together for mutual protection. She came to me, her long hair tangled around her face, and told me that Hiltz had kissed her. I said before she was beautiful, for a child, and when she said this I knew what Hiltz planned, and I would not let it happen again, so I made a pact with her. Hiltz would never get either of us alone, and from that moment on we were inseparable. Prozen was delighted that we'd finally connected, as the brother and sister he'd wanted us to be."
I pause, remembering, "It was her 23rd birthday when Prozen changed her, he threw a huge gala, and it was that night, after we had fed on the blood of a thousand innocents that I shared blood with her for the first time. Her mind was calm, and comforting, even the fiery magic she possessed had a tranquil effect upon others. After we shared our blood, we were even closer. Closer then any brother and sister pair probably should be. I'll admit now, although she does not remember it, we kissed, for comfort, and reassurance. It was not sexual, but we loved each other. I think I loved her even more then I loved Prozen."
"Woah, that's just freaky dude! I could never kiss Jun, I mean sick!" He pulls an amusing face, and I chuckle, he could make me laugh, I'll give him that.
"I think you're forgetting that she was not really my sister, but you're right too, it sometimes scared me, the depth of my feelings for her. Perhaps even more so the night we made love."
The mortal chokes, and his eyes launch out of his head, "You... had sex with your sister!"
"Again I remind you she was not really my sister, and yes, we did. Hiltz walked in just before we came. I think, I hope in fact, that it hurt him to hear us cry each others names as we released. He never spoke to us of it, and he never told Prozen, for which I am grateful. Again, I could not have explained my actions. It was about 2 years after our first and only sexual experience with each other that Hiltz turned her into a monster. I do not know how he did it, only that it was he who stole the precious memories of our time as lovers, and stole the softness in Reese that I have always loved. He explained this change to Prozen as an attack from witches, and Reese did not deny it, but I knew his handiwork when I felt it, and I could not forgive him. She was never the same again."
The human growled and cracked his knuckles, "I so want to kill this guy!"
I smirk, "No need. We felt the same as you. We'd had enough of Hiltz's games, and Reese plotted his death, he'd shaped her mind too well, and I was horrified when she came to me with the plans she'd made for Prozen. She offered me the role of Hiltz's murderer, but I knew I could not play the part. I simply watched in silent shock as she drugged him, and ripped out his heart, and ate it while he was still alive. Deep down in my mind I was glad she did it, because even after everything Hiltz had done to me, I could not have done something so cruel, and it pleased me to see him suffer. I did not kill Prozen, like she asked me, instead I told him that we were leaving, and that if he valued his life he would not follow. I know that I hurt him, I could see it on his face, and this in turn hurt me, but it was for the best. It would have hurt him more had he learnt what we'd become. And when we left, I made a silent promise, to one day return. Reese does not hate Prozen, she merely wished the job to be done thoroughly, and she asked me to kill Prozen because she could not have done it herself."
"Dude!" My human exclaims, "That was majorly fucked up. You should talk to someone about this"
I scowl, "I am."
"Oh. Okay. So that was when you came to Japan, right?"
"After a long period of aimless wandering, yes. It was here in Japan that I met my bond mate, Thomas."
"So, you, ah, still swing that way then?"
"Do you?" I ask. He blushes,
"Ah, well, it's kinda... why don't you tell me about Thomas."
It seems my human is less than subtle, still Thomas is a subject I never grew tired of, "He is wonderful, there is no other way I can say it. Ruthless, yet sensitive. Naïve, yet wise, and beautiful yet, oh well he's just beautiful. His ridiculously untidy hair always seems to beckon me, and it never ceases to amuse me to see it resist Reese's admirable attempts to tame it." I smile fondly, "Many jars of hair wax have been lost in that untameable forest of hair. Sometimes I think his hair shows his true nature - the nature one only sees when they get him naked in the bed chamber-"
"Fast-forward!" The mortal cuts me off, "I really don't wanna hear this, just skip forward, what happened to Reese?"
I smile tenderly. "She too has found a bond-mate. Fiona, she is light where Reese is dark. In a way I suppose she reminds me of how Reese was before Hiltz changed her."
"So this is the happily ever after, eh? You all found your perfect match?"
I shrug, "If that's what you wish to call it. I fear I have been replaced. Reese changed a talking-man barely a week ago. My Thomas has taken," I swallow my hurt, "great interest in the boy."
His brow crinkles, "If he doesn't see what a great guy you are then he doesn't deserve you."
"Thank you," I whisper, "You have helped me a great deal."
He throws his arms around me, and I feel something wet trailing down my face, "Am I crying?" I whisper wonderingly.
"Yeah, but that's okay, everyone's allowed to cry."
I didn't even realise I'd spoken aloud. My original plan comes back to me, and I press my lips to the boys throat, then I bite down.
It's late when we return to the coven house, Ken and Thomas are on the couch together, but when I walk in Thomas leaps up and rushes over to me.
"Raven, where have you been? I was so worried."
I immediately feel guilty for doubting him, and I capture his lips in a kiss.
"I was getting something off my chest." I pause, "And I brought someone home, everyone this is Daisuke, my psychic."
Ken stared at Daisuke, "Hi," He smiled, "I'm Ken."
A blush spread over Daisuke's cheeks, one that I was fast becoming accustomed too, "Hey Beautiful, do you believe in love at first sight, or do you want me to walk in again?"
To my surprise Ken's cheeks go red as well. "Once is enough," He retorted tartly, leaving the room at a run.
I laugh, "Maybe you are good for something."
My youngest child pokes out his tongue at me.
"You should only poke that out if your prepared to use it," teases Thomas.
Daisuke snaps his mouth shut, "I'm sorry, but, the hair remark. I just can't get it out of my head."
I glare at him. He smiles back.
"What hair remark?" Asks Thomas curiously.
"Never mind," I tell him, dragging him towards our bedroom, "I haven't seen you all day, it's going to take us all night to make up for that."
I think I'll leave Reese and Fiona to deal with our new housemate, maybe he can share with Ken. I smirk evilly, two birds with one stone. Suddenly my future seems a lot brighter.
Authors Notes: Er... Where the HELL did the Raven/Hiltz come from? And the Reese/Raven queerness. *Shudders* I so did not write this - I blame my muse *Glares* I hate you, and there will be NO sequel. This is finally done. I don't care if I have LOTS of sequel ideas thanks to you, I'm NOT writing one.
K-chan: Everyone review and ask for a sequel, then she'll have to do it. Don't you WANT to see Prozen again? The stupid bitch totally left this open for the sequel we've got all planned out - tell her to write it!
FireDemon: Omae o koruso. There is no sequel. Nobody wants a sequel. I'm just going to ignore you and respond to my reviews -
Little Buddy - You reviewed! You read one of my slashy fics, one with Reese/Ryss in it no less (I know how much you dislike her - trying to steal *our* Raven). I am in shock (and I'm flattered - *grins*) Thank you *so* much for reading (and reviewing) *gigglz*
Naomi Hunter - I'm glad you liked it *grins*
Plink - I'm sorry *blushes* I totally shouldn't have taken Anne Rice's ideas/story etc. I'm a huge fan of hers, and her vampires are the way I see vampires, although mine in this are a little different. I only stole one line from Queen of the Damned, I was watching my DVD just before I started writing for inspiration, and that line was stuck in my head. So again, I apologise. I steal everything. Did I get more away from it this chapter? I'm trying *very* hard not to make my vampires carbon copies of Anne Rice's, but I'm a bad, bad idea/plot/character thief. I even stole my psychiatrists/psychics, all three of them (Does that make this a crossover? It wasn't supposed to be *sighs*). I'm too lazy to make up original characters.
Diamond-sama - I'm flattered, and I'm going to use this opportunity to BEG you to continue The Ties That Bind *Puts on the Puppy Dog Eyes* It's my favouritest Beyblades fic in the history of all Beyblades fics. It has bondage, ^_^ and Rei-torture. Please write chapter 6???
Maelgwyn - Oh thank you so much for your lovely review. I'm glad you liked it. Write another chapter from Kens POV? Heh heh... I'm kinda flat out with schoolwork. I never have any inspiration *sighs* and I barely ever get the chance to even read other peoples fics!!! Besides this chapter is long enough to make up for the lack of a fifth chapter - right?
By the way - the Japanese: Ojiisan means Grandfather. Obasan means aunt. I like Japanese.
Author: FireDemon
Email: Ken_Dai_Love@hotmail.com
Rating: R
Category: Romance
Warnings: Shounen-ai/Shoujo-ai, VERY disturbing behaviour. Blood 'n stuff.
Summary: AU. Evil Vampires, Bloodsucking and a conversation with a Psychiatrist. Guess who's telling the story this time... Hehe.
Disclaimer: I do not own Zoids, if I did Fiona would be passionately in love with Zeke, Raven would be too busy worrying about his sexuality to fight for Prozen, and the Guardian Force would be enthusiastically screwing each other while Moonbay followed them around with a video camera.
Chapter 4:
"I have no need to get anything off my chest, child, pester your mistress if you must, but leave me out of your games, I have neither the desire nor the inclination to share whatever plagues my heavy heart with one of my bond-sisters 'pet' vampires," I hiss. Reese's reluctant-killer looks hurt by my words, his violet eyes fixed innocently on me. Thomas rests a hand on the shoulder of Reese's newborn 'child', and smiles,
"Hey, don't worry. Raven's just not in a good mood. Reese and Fiona are off doing... whatever it is they do together," He pulls a face, "Do you want me to take you out hunting?"
I scowl, Thomas is my bond-mate, not this upstart child's.
"I... Yeah, I suppose so. I haven't really eaten anything lately," He admits sheepishly. Stupid child.
"Oh, that's terrible. You have to eat, starving yourself isn't going to help anything," Thomas chides gently, steering the boy towards the door.
This is the last straw, I stand and push past the two angrily, "I'm hunting if anyone wants to know," I hiss and stalk out of the door.
"Don't you want to come with us?" Thomas asks gently, his green eyes searching out mine beseechingly.
I ignore him and stomp out of the house. I feel like my position has been usurped. Very few Vampires ever form covens larger then four for the simple reason that clashes between two night creatures are sure to get messy.
I can't decide whether or not I want to leave my coven... my family behind. I pledged that I would protect them, but not if they don't want me.
I curse, as always, Reese has spoken prophetically, a lifetime of carrying these stupid problems around is taking its toll.
I need to talk to someone, how did Thomas put it? I need to get my head on straight.
I hear Thomas and the brat talking softly behind me and I leap out of their path. There's no way in hell I'm going to spill my problems to that half- breed. I can find my own... whatever they are. Talking men: Cyclists.
I don't need any help from anyone, least of all one of my bond-sister's tag- alongs. I can find my own talking man to help me decide whether to leave, and then I can eat him, if I'm hungry.
I reach the park, and spot the man sitting behind a tiny stall with my superior eyesight. I smirk coldly, reading the messy characters scrawled across a piece of cardboard, and crookedly tacked onto the table,
'Zen Fortune Telling, Talk to a Psychic'
I feel a brief surge on contempt for my bond sister, I've found my very own talking man in less then half the time it took her to make an appointment. He's no Thomas but I'd pick him over that mongrel she dragged home any day.
"Good morning," I greet, inclining my head just enough to be polite.
The man, the boy really, looks up through his mess of burgundy brown hair, his chocolate eyes wide with shock.
"Are you a... customer?" He breathes.
"Indeed," I reply smirking.
His face falls, "My sister just took her lunch break. I'm only watching the stand till she gets back. If you don't want to wait-"
I cut him off, the senseless rambling of others has never entertained me in the slightest. I like everything to be neat, and clear cut. I don't need to know my victims or to torture them. It is enough that I have eaten, without being uselessly sentimental.
"I will talk to you."
"But... I'm not... I don't-"
"My name is Raven," I begin, cutting him off once more.
"I'm Daisuke, my friends call me Dai," He replies, sticking out his hand.
I bend and kiss it, continentally, my lips twitching as he recoils, snatching his hand back as if my lips are poisonous.
"What the hell was that?" He asks.
"I was simply, saying hello. Times have certainly changed since when I was young."
His brown eyes fix on my pale face and he blinks, "You sound like my Ojiisan," He complains and my lips twitch again. For a mortal he's certainly amusing, although he has nothing on my Thomas, but perhaps... An idea forms in my head.
"My apologies, Daisuke, perhaps it would help if I explained?"
"Erm, I guess," He replies, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. My eyes narrow, usually by now I'd have managed to entrance my victim. I suppose this 'psychic' is simply too stupid for the mesmerisation to take affect.
"When I was... young, I lived in a place called Europe. Well it wasn't called Europe then, but it is now. I lived in a tiny little hut with my mother and father in the countryside. Just before my fifth birthday my village was attacked and my mother and father were killed. I think I cried, I can't really remember, it seems a lifetime ago."
I look up, meeting his eyes, he looks interested, his head resting on his palm as he listens intently, but he's not completely entranced. In fact he's only mildly enthralled at best.
"My parents are dead too," He smiles tentatively, "I was only two, and I didn't really understand. My sister and my obasan moved in together and raised me between them. Who looked after you after your parents died?"
I shrug; oddly touched by the fact he's sharing his past with me. "One of the old women in my village survived, and I moved in with her for about a year and a half. She made me do all her fetching and carrying, which rather annoyed me. So I ran away."
He makes a muffled sound of surprise, which I wonder at until I realise what should have been obvious, at 6 years old I still should have had someone to take care of me. I smile,
"I wasn't alone for long, I found my way to the city, it had a name, but I can barely recall the name, and I doubt it would interest you at any rate. I call it a city, but in truth, it was barely a hundredth of the size of Tokyo. The streets were cobbled, and there were horse-drawn carriages, something I'd never seen before, given that I'd grown up in the country. It was because of my awe of these carriages that I met Prozen. The man I was to one day call father. It was foggy, and I had stumbled onto the cobbled street without realising it. When the horse-drawn carriage thundered down the road towards me, only just visible through the fog, I could not bring myself to move. He... Prozen... saved my life. And then he took me to the town-house where he lived and fed me, his crimson red eyes never budging from my face. I think I entranced him almost as much as he entranced me. After I had eaten, he led me to his bedroom and bid me sleep on his bed. When I woke up the next morning, he had not moved from the chair at my bedside, his eerie blood-red eyes were still fixed on me, and his pale icy cold hand still rested on my brow."
"Dude!" My enthusiastic listener exclaims, "That's freaky. Like molestation or something. I mean, dude!"
I smile tolerantly, "I was startled by his presence, but he had saved my life, so I was grateful, and as time passed, I came to understand what he was."
"What? A paedophile?" My big-mouthed human suggests.
"Close. My unexpected benefactor was not a child-molester, he was a vampire." I smirk.
"Dude!" My human repeats again, his chocolate eyes growing wide in his head.
"Indeed," I say, smirking, "I grew to love him, perhaps more then a child should love the man it calls father, but I... believe he shared my feelings, so there was no problem there. It was only after Hiltz started to take an interest in the fact that Prozen was so enchanted with me that things began to become problematic."
"Dude, you lost me. Who the hell was Hiltz?"
"Hiltz was my fathers bond-mate, his boyfriend I suppose you would say," I muse.
"He had a boyfriend, and he was molesting you. Geez, what a pervert."
I laugh, a rich sweet sound which surprises me, I'd forgotten I still could laugh. "Not quite little one. His interest in me was not sexual, it was more, enchantment. I suppose even as a child, I was beautiful, as it were."
"Yeah," The redhead breathed, "You are."
Finally, perhaps the human was a little slow, but like the rest of his pathetic breed he'd succumbed to my 'charms'.
Daisuke shook his head, a faint blush colouring his cheeks - How sweet; he was embarrassed.
"Are you attracted to me, little mortal?"
The child's face turns bright red, "Y... No... ah, I mean, what I meant to say was, ah..."
"Yes, or No, it's a simple question," I ask in amusement, so flustered for such a simple question.
"Well, do you think I'm good-looking?" The boy defends himself.
I smirk, "I think you look absolutely delicious."
"Oh god," Moaned the boy, covering his flaming cheeks with his hand, "What happened to the story?"
I laugh, and pick up where I left off, "We spent, perhaps, 10 years in London, Hiltz, Prozen and I, and as I grew from a child to a killer, my fathers bond mate grew less interested in my father and more interested in me."
"Woah! Sick dude! How old was this Hiltz guy anyway?"
It takes me a moment to calculate, "256, when I met him. I was of course 7 at the time. Prozen taught me to hunt in the back alleys of London, and I was a killer long before I was a vampire. Hiltz used to read to me at night, I would sit on his lap while he admired my human warmth and beauty."
"Ookay," The human says doubtfully, "Is it just me, or was there something going on with that weirdo Hiltz."
I smile indulgently, for such an idiot this human seems surprisingly insightful, "Much as I'd like to say no, I can't."
"Eew!"
I shrug, "Indeed. I was 17 when he finally made his move, after 10 years of cuddles that went a little too long, and touches that went a little too low."
The human winces.
"He waited until Prozen was out. I highly suspect he'd been planning this for a long time. He was sipping blood out of a crystal goblet, sharing the warm liquid with me as we 'snuggled'." I say the word distastefully, even the memory disgusts me, "His hands kept creeping lower, he'd done this before, but this time it was different, and I could tell. It wasn't that I disliked Hiltz, or even what he was doing, but I'd always seen he and Prozen as my fathers, and it was not until I tried to push him away that I realised that this time he wasn't planning on stopping. He was skilled, I'll give him that, but he was also cold, and he hurt me. I think he claimed to love me somewhere in there, just before he changed me. He never wanted Prozen, or anyone, to possess me as he had, to know my warmth as he had. And as I lay spent on the bed he drank from me, and made me the creature I am today." I pause to look at the human. His mouth is hanging open, what was that saying Fiona so often uses.
"Catching flies?" I ask.
His mouth snaps shut, "Dude," He manages through his shock.
"When Prozen arrived home the next morning, he and Hiltz fought as they'd never fought before. Prozen even drew Hiltz's blood, an action I'd never seen my normally placid vampire father take. Hiltz defended himself of course, tried to put the blame on me. Prozen told him to leave then, and to never come back."
My human lets out a cheer, "Whoo! Go Prozen! It's about time he got rid of that sleaze."
I give a small smile, it does feel good to get this off my chest.
"What are you doing here?" Asks a familiar voice.
I turn to see the blazing chocolate brown eyes glaring at me, and give the girl my most charming smile, "Oh this and that. You know how it is Witchling."
Her eyes flicker to my mortal, "Daisuke get away from him."
The boy tilts his head and looks at me, "Why? I think Raven's nice."
I smile, sidling closer to the human, "Why thank you little morsel." I drape my arm around the boys shoulders and lick my lips as I stare challengingly at the girl.
Jun's eyes widen, "I said NOW."
"Geez, no need to get stroppy. What is it, that time of the month?" My talking man slips out of my almost embrace, "Well it was nice meeting you. Too bad I didn't get to hear the end of your story. You'd better go though, you don't want Jun to go all evil-eye on your ass."
I smirk, "Indeed. It was a pleasure meeting you Daisuke," I bend to kiss his hand again, this time he doesn't pull away although he blushes, and I don't release his hand, waiting for him to look up at me.
Jun rips his hand out of my grip and glares at me.
"Goodbye Daisuke, Jun," I leer, "Till we meet again."
I turn and stride away, smirking to myself as I walk towards the boy's apartment. I check the address on the driver's license I'd stolen from the boy's wallet again, still rather pleased with myself, pick-pocketing was so much easier when you could move at the speed of light.
I let myself into his house, and make myself at home. He seems to be a neat housekeeper, something I've always approved of. When he arrives home I think I'll complement him on it.
It is almost 3 hours later that Daisuke arrives home.
"Dude! What are you doing here?" He asks.
I smile and hold out his wallet.
"I dropped it? Again? Damn, I should keep this on a chain. Thanks for bringing it back, it's really nice of you. Jun's totally wrong about you being a bad person."
"Thank you. Your house is very clean."
He blinks, "Er, thanks, I think."
"I also came to finish my story, we were, interrupted."
He flushes lightly, "Yeah, sorry about that. Jun's really rude sometimes."
"Indeed. I believe I'd reached the part about Hiltz's banishment, correct?"
The boy nods, "Yeah. So what happened next?"
"Ah, life was good, as it should have been. Prozen seemed truly apologetic for what Hiltz had done to me. He had been planning on changing me, of course, but much later, when I'd had the chance to experience my humanity. For a few years at least we lived in harmony. And then I met him. We were living in Vienna at the time. It started innocently enough, I suppose. The servants speculated as to why Prozen and I only ever came out at night. The most far fetched of their ideas was surprisingly the truth." A soft smile graces my lips as I reminisce, "His name was Van, and he was beautiful inside as well as out."
Daisuke lets out a soft sigh of contentment as he leans forward to hear more.
"In a way I suppose you remind me of him, and perhaps that is why I chose to talk to you of all people. He was the lucky servant chosen to discern the truth of the rumours, but instead he fell in love with me, and I with him. He was my first love, and we were very happy together, so happy that I told him the truth about me. So happy that I broke Prozen's only rule and changed him into one of us, and Van accepted it too. We were going to spend eternity together. But that was not meant to be."
"What happened?" He cries.
I have to keep a tight hold on my emotions, it has been many years but... it still hurts, "Hiltz found me again, and he was jealous, insanely so. It was the very night that I made Van, we had shared the blood only once, we were going to do it the second time when I was torn away from my beloved, and he was there. He smiled at me, even though it never reached his eyes, and then he spoke, his tone icy cold," I carefully recall his exact words - words which have been etched into my mind, "'I'm very disappointed with you. You are mine, I thought you understood that. I guess I'm going to have to teach you a lesson that you'll never forget.' He slammed me against the wall, temporarily paralysing me so that I would be unable to move, to help, when he bent over my Van, and snapped his neck. He left me helpless to even look away when he sunk his teeth into the throat of Van's dead body. And when he kissed me, the taste of Van's blood was still in his mouth. 'You are mine, only mine,' He whispered before he sank his teeth into my neck as well." I realise I may have to explain, "You see, to drink the blood of another vampire, without permission, is like the worst form of rape. Rape of the mind. I would have died that day from lack of blood if Prozen hadn't found me, I couldn't find the words to tell him what had happened. I couldn't break his heart like mine had been broken, so for the first time in my life, I lied to my father, and told him I did not know who had attacked me, or why."
I think my mortal is crying, and I suddenly realise with a kind of empty pain that I long ago forgot how to cry myself. I cast my mind back, and I realise I have never cried for my lost love, I have never cried at all.
"I do not know what Hiltz did with the body of my first love, for though I saw him again, neither he nor I ever spoke of the incident, or of Van, and it seemed to me almost as if Van had never existed at all. Even now I sometimes doubt, for perhaps it was too perfect to be real. Still we were happy together, and I doubt I will ever forget him."
Daisuke sighs, "That was really romantic," He exclaims, "Apart from the whole snapping his neck thing. I guess he was your one true love, and you've been alone since his death."
I smile at his naivety and shake my head, "No. I have had many lovers since his death, but he will always be my first, just as Thomas is my last." I say this with absolute certainty, knowing that if I lost Thomas there could be no other.
"So, after Van died, you just came here?"
I laugh and shake my head again, "You must keep in mind that this happened over a hundred years ago. After Van's death, we moved to Paris, and there I became a recluse, so Prozen in his infinite wisdom found me a companion - a sister. Her name was Reese, and she was the 13-year-old daughter of a witch. I hated her from the moment I first laid eyes upon her, because I knew that she loved my father more then I. She was a beautiful child, as I had been beautiful as a child. Prozen had an eye for beauty, and he picked his children well, which made me wonder why he loved Hiltz. I think that perhaps once Hiltz was beautiful, or maybe it was only to me that he was ugly, because I knew what lurked in the depths of his soul. I had felt it when our minds had touched. It was only when Hiltz returned, bearing gifts and spouting meaningless words that I finally bonded with the girl, for she too saw his nature, or perhaps she only saw how much Prozen cared for the foul creature."
"So you two had sex," He surmised.
I pull a face, "No. We merely decided to band together for mutual protection. She came to me, her long hair tangled around her face, and told me that Hiltz had kissed her. I said before she was beautiful, for a child, and when she said this I knew what Hiltz planned, and I would not let it happen again, so I made a pact with her. Hiltz would never get either of us alone, and from that moment on we were inseparable. Prozen was delighted that we'd finally connected, as the brother and sister he'd wanted us to be."
I pause, remembering, "It was her 23rd birthday when Prozen changed her, he threw a huge gala, and it was that night, after we had fed on the blood of a thousand innocents that I shared blood with her for the first time. Her mind was calm, and comforting, even the fiery magic she possessed had a tranquil effect upon others. After we shared our blood, we were even closer. Closer then any brother and sister pair probably should be. I'll admit now, although she does not remember it, we kissed, for comfort, and reassurance. It was not sexual, but we loved each other. I think I loved her even more then I loved Prozen."
"Woah, that's just freaky dude! I could never kiss Jun, I mean sick!" He pulls an amusing face, and I chuckle, he could make me laugh, I'll give him that.
"I think you're forgetting that she was not really my sister, but you're right too, it sometimes scared me, the depth of my feelings for her. Perhaps even more so the night we made love."
The mortal chokes, and his eyes launch out of his head, "You... had sex with your sister!"
"Again I remind you she was not really my sister, and yes, we did. Hiltz walked in just before we came. I think, I hope in fact, that it hurt him to hear us cry each others names as we released. He never spoke to us of it, and he never told Prozen, for which I am grateful. Again, I could not have explained my actions. It was about 2 years after our first and only sexual experience with each other that Hiltz turned her into a monster. I do not know how he did it, only that it was he who stole the precious memories of our time as lovers, and stole the softness in Reese that I have always loved. He explained this change to Prozen as an attack from witches, and Reese did not deny it, but I knew his handiwork when I felt it, and I could not forgive him. She was never the same again."
The human growled and cracked his knuckles, "I so want to kill this guy!"
I smirk, "No need. We felt the same as you. We'd had enough of Hiltz's games, and Reese plotted his death, he'd shaped her mind too well, and I was horrified when she came to me with the plans she'd made for Prozen. She offered me the role of Hiltz's murderer, but I knew I could not play the part. I simply watched in silent shock as she drugged him, and ripped out his heart, and ate it while he was still alive. Deep down in my mind I was glad she did it, because even after everything Hiltz had done to me, I could not have done something so cruel, and it pleased me to see him suffer. I did not kill Prozen, like she asked me, instead I told him that we were leaving, and that if he valued his life he would not follow. I know that I hurt him, I could see it on his face, and this in turn hurt me, but it was for the best. It would have hurt him more had he learnt what we'd become. And when we left, I made a silent promise, to one day return. Reese does not hate Prozen, she merely wished the job to be done thoroughly, and she asked me to kill Prozen because she could not have done it herself."
"Dude!" My human exclaims, "That was majorly fucked up. You should talk to someone about this"
I scowl, "I am."
"Oh. Okay. So that was when you came to Japan, right?"
"After a long period of aimless wandering, yes. It was here in Japan that I met my bond mate, Thomas."
"So, you, ah, still swing that way then?"
"Do you?" I ask. He blushes,
"Ah, well, it's kinda... why don't you tell me about Thomas."
It seems my human is less than subtle, still Thomas is a subject I never grew tired of, "He is wonderful, there is no other way I can say it. Ruthless, yet sensitive. Naïve, yet wise, and beautiful yet, oh well he's just beautiful. His ridiculously untidy hair always seems to beckon me, and it never ceases to amuse me to see it resist Reese's admirable attempts to tame it." I smile fondly, "Many jars of hair wax have been lost in that untameable forest of hair. Sometimes I think his hair shows his true nature - the nature one only sees when they get him naked in the bed chamber-"
"Fast-forward!" The mortal cuts me off, "I really don't wanna hear this, just skip forward, what happened to Reese?"
I smile tenderly. "She too has found a bond-mate. Fiona, she is light where Reese is dark. In a way I suppose she reminds me of how Reese was before Hiltz changed her."
"So this is the happily ever after, eh? You all found your perfect match?"
I shrug, "If that's what you wish to call it. I fear I have been replaced. Reese changed a talking-man barely a week ago. My Thomas has taken," I swallow my hurt, "great interest in the boy."
His brow crinkles, "If he doesn't see what a great guy you are then he doesn't deserve you."
"Thank you," I whisper, "You have helped me a great deal."
He throws his arms around me, and I feel something wet trailing down my face, "Am I crying?" I whisper wonderingly.
"Yeah, but that's okay, everyone's allowed to cry."
I didn't even realise I'd spoken aloud. My original plan comes back to me, and I press my lips to the boys throat, then I bite down.
It's late when we return to the coven house, Ken and Thomas are on the couch together, but when I walk in Thomas leaps up and rushes over to me.
"Raven, where have you been? I was so worried."
I immediately feel guilty for doubting him, and I capture his lips in a kiss.
"I was getting something off my chest." I pause, "And I brought someone home, everyone this is Daisuke, my psychic."
Ken stared at Daisuke, "Hi," He smiled, "I'm Ken."
A blush spread over Daisuke's cheeks, one that I was fast becoming accustomed too, "Hey Beautiful, do you believe in love at first sight, or do you want me to walk in again?"
To my surprise Ken's cheeks go red as well. "Once is enough," He retorted tartly, leaving the room at a run.
I laugh, "Maybe you are good for something."
My youngest child pokes out his tongue at me.
"You should only poke that out if your prepared to use it," teases Thomas.
Daisuke snaps his mouth shut, "I'm sorry, but, the hair remark. I just can't get it out of my head."
I glare at him. He smiles back.
"What hair remark?" Asks Thomas curiously.
"Never mind," I tell him, dragging him towards our bedroom, "I haven't seen you all day, it's going to take us all night to make up for that."
I think I'll leave Reese and Fiona to deal with our new housemate, maybe he can share with Ken. I smirk evilly, two birds with one stone. Suddenly my future seems a lot brighter.
Authors Notes: Er... Where the HELL did the Raven/Hiltz come from? And the Reese/Raven queerness. *Shudders* I so did not write this - I blame my muse *Glares* I hate you, and there will be NO sequel. This is finally done. I don't care if I have LOTS of sequel ideas thanks to you, I'm NOT writing one.
K-chan: Everyone review and ask for a sequel, then she'll have to do it. Don't you WANT to see Prozen again? The stupid bitch totally left this open for the sequel we've got all planned out - tell her to write it!
FireDemon: Omae o koruso. There is no sequel. Nobody wants a sequel. I'm just going to ignore you and respond to my reviews -
Little Buddy - You reviewed! You read one of my slashy fics, one with Reese/Ryss in it no less (I know how much you dislike her - trying to steal *our* Raven). I am in shock (and I'm flattered - *grins*) Thank you *so* much for reading (and reviewing) *gigglz*
Naomi Hunter - I'm glad you liked it *grins*
Plink - I'm sorry *blushes* I totally shouldn't have taken Anne Rice's ideas/story etc. I'm a huge fan of hers, and her vampires are the way I see vampires, although mine in this are a little different. I only stole one line from Queen of the Damned, I was watching my DVD just before I started writing for inspiration, and that line was stuck in my head. So again, I apologise. I steal everything. Did I get more away from it this chapter? I'm trying *very* hard not to make my vampires carbon copies of Anne Rice's, but I'm a bad, bad idea/plot/character thief. I even stole my psychiatrists/psychics, all three of them (Does that make this a crossover? It wasn't supposed to be *sighs*). I'm too lazy to make up original characters.
Diamond-sama - I'm flattered, and I'm going to use this opportunity to BEG you to continue The Ties That Bind *Puts on the Puppy Dog Eyes* It's my favouritest Beyblades fic in the history of all Beyblades fics. It has bondage, ^_^ and Rei-torture. Please write chapter 6???
Maelgwyn - Oh thank you so much for your lovely review. I'm glad you liked it. Write another chapter from Kens POV? Heh heh... I'm kinda flat out with schoolwork. I never have any inspiration *sighs* and I barely ever get the chance to even read other peoples fics!!! Besides this chapter is long enough to make up for the lack of a fifth chapter - right?
By the way - the Japanese: Ojiisan means Grandfather. Obasan means aunt. I like Japanese.