Yeah yeah, I'm back now. But I'll be gone for ten days starting from Christmas Day. So I decided it would be better to update now rather than leave it for the new year. Speaking of which, I haven't been able to write a Christmas Special or anything…Damn stupidity…oh well. Though there was a mention in HiTH Chapter 21 about it.

            Reiko, Steph, Jaal and Mostro all belong to me. No one else does. ^_^ Now! READ AND REVIEW PLEASE!

Chapter 12

            'Virgil? What makes you think it could be him?' Trish and Dante were upstairs in the bedroom. Downstairs, on the couch, Stephanie could hear the thudding of Dante's heavy boots and the lighter sound of Trish's heeled boots as she moved uneasily. She shivered, her blue eyes dark with fear. The lights had been switched off a long time ago and she had been left downstairs alone.

            'Mostro said to me one week ago that he wasn't the greatest threat when I went after him on the day of the Guild Massacre.' The Guild Massacre? What was that? Was Dante some kind of criminal or mass murderer? Was he a serial killer? She looked around and shivered. The skulls that were impaled on the wall seemed to stare grotesquely at her. She swallowed hard and tried to stop herself shivering but hr body would not obey. She tried to kid herself into thinking that it was because she was cold but she knew this could not be. She was wrapped in several thick blankets, and th windows were closed, the doors locked and the heating was on. Tiredness then? She was wide awake.

            'Doesn't necessarily mean that it is Virgil, though.' Stephanie closed her eyes and tried to block out the conversation. The walls were thin, and she could hear him move as though he was restless.

            'It is Virgil. He was way stronger than Mundus ever was.'

            'Oh yeah? Then why was he Mundus' soldier?'

            'Because he lacked the imagination to usurp the throne. It was harder fighting him than it was fighting Mundus.' Trish was silent. Perhaps this was because she was shocked. Maybe it was because she was silently annoyed and couldn't be bothered to argue? She was silently agreeing? Steph tried to push her mind to other things when Dante began speaking again.

            'Anyway, Mostro told me that I was a fool for even thinking that he was the biggest threat around here. He didn't mention Nelo Angelo, but Reiko did, didn't he? It can only be him.' Trish sighed softly. Stephanie blinked. Nelo Angelo. She knew enough Spanish to know that this meant "Dark Angel". Was this "Nelo Angelo" one of the Fallen Angels she had learnt about at school? Impossible. There were no such things as angels. But then again, she had thought that there were no such things as demons. She had been attacked by one, and saved by another. And what about vampires? They existed. She had seen only too clearly the burns that had been inflicted on Reiko that day. Reiko was not just some psycho who thought he was a vampire. He was the "real deal".

            Stephanie suddenly noticed that Trish and Dante's voice had lowered. Dante's voice was little more than a soft murmur, too low for her to hear what was being said. Trish purred and then giggled. Steph didn't even want to think about what. Luckily, she heard nothing else from them. She tensed as she heard a soft sound. She blinked and breathed as quietly as she could, straining her ears. She smiled as she heard almost silent footsteps pacing to and fro.

            'Reiko?' she whispered. The movement stopped suddenly and she sensed rather than heard the vampire come closer.

            'Still not asleep, Steph? You should be resting.'

            'You should be too.' A low chuckle emanated from the vampire. Steph smiled at the sound even though she continued to shiver.

            'I am a creature of the night, remember?' Steph winced and sighed softly. There was another chuckle. 'There's no need to look like that. It' a fact I have to come to accept sooner or later.' His voice was humorous and kind, as though he was trying to make a big joke out of the whole idea that he was a vampire. Steph smiled sadly at this. 'So…why aren't you asleep?' Steph was taken aback by this question for some unknown reason.

            'Uh…it's hard to go to sleep when you're in some place new.' Reiko smiled knowingly.

            'And when gruesome skulls keep staring at you from the walls.' Steph blinked again and frowned.

            'I'm not afraid of them,' she said, her voice sounding oddly cold. She realised that she didn't want to show any fear. He may have saved her life but she still had her pride.

            'Not even a little?'

            'Of course not!' Reiko smiled.

            'In that case, I bid you goodnight.'

            'No wait!' The reply had come too quickly, too desperately. Steph found herself lying. 'I'm feeling a little cold.'

            'You look very snug wrapped up in those blankets,' he said wryly.

            'Maybe so…but I'm still cold.'

            'What do you want me to do about it?' Steph looked up into his face, her eyes focusing to the darkness of the room. His hazel eyes glimmered in the dark. They looked amused even if the rest of his face was impassive. He moved slightly closer to her as though curious. Steph felt herself blushing.

            'Stay with me?' There was a pause, and Steph could imagine Reiko battling his thoughts out against each other.

            'Very well.' He continued to pace around the room. Steph sighed; she hadn't meant that. Reiko continued to pace but heard the sigh. 'What?'

            'Nothing.' She continued to shiver.

            'You are afraid, aren't you?' She looked uncertain of him but then nodded and sighed. Steph moved so then her body was pressed against the back of the couch. She looked up at him and pulled him down so then he was sitting down on the couch.            'Relax…' she whispered.

            'I'm the one who should tell you that.'

            'Just relax and lie down with me.' Reiko sighed and then gingerly lay down next to her, stiffening when Stephanie decided to cuddle up to him. Reiko blinked and tried to move away from her but she held onto him. Reiko wondered whether he should perhaps throw her off but then decided against it. After all, she was only human…and he couldn't bring himself to hit anyone right now. Steph continued to shiver against him as the two shared the narrow space of the couch. Reiko found himself wrapping his arms around her in an attempt to ease her shivering. It seemed to work and Steph slipped into a deep sleep. Reiko lay awake for the rest of the night, his eyes fixed on the blank ceiling like some kind of zombie.

It was late morning when Steph woke up. Reiko was still by her side but had stopped holding her to him, his arms wrapped around his own body, his back facing her. Steph blinked and jumped over him none too gracefully and turned to look into his face. He looked weary.

            'Are you okay?'

            'I just need to sleep.'

            'Why didn't you go to sleep last night?' Reiko at up and looked at her irately.

            'I keep telling you, as much as I hate it, I am a vampire.' He blinked and then tensed.

            'What is it?' The vampire said nothing but gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing.

            'Someone's here.' Steph was silent as Reiko stood up, testing his weight on the floorboards before he allowed it to carry his full weight. His eyes flared red.

            'Who?' Steph's voice was barely above a whisper.

            'Him.'

            'You mean…' A silent nod.

            'Stay here.' Steph shuddered and remained on the couch, barely breathing, her eyes wide.

            'I'm scared.' Reiko felt a wave of something as he heard this. What was it? Pity? Sympathy? No time to analyse now, he had to protect her. That was it. That was what had made him save her life in the first place. He had wanted to protect her. Why? He shook his head, trying to rid himself of these thoughts. He blinked and then relaxed as he felt the dark presence move away. Strange. It had completely overlooked them, as though it had never been travelling towards them in the first place. Looked like they'd be saving the fight for another time. He padded into the kitchen, silent as ever and blinked as he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder.

            'Where is he?'

            'Close by…But what are we going to do about Steph?' Dante shook his head.

            'She is not of our concern. It's her necklace we have to worry about.' Reiko scowled. 'I suggest that we find someone who won't be suspected and get them to keep it for a while. That way the girl will be able to go home and will be kept safe.'

            'You can't be sure of that.'

            'She might be killed but as long as we get the job done we can cut our losses.'

            'That's not good enough.' Reiko's voice had become a low growl, Wolf-like and sinister. Dante began to grow aware of a darkness that had started to burn from inside him. 'We can't find anyone we can really trust so-' He blinked and then cursed. The darkness suddenly disappeared, as though someone had flicked some kind of switch.

            'What is it? You have an idea.'

            'Remy. But it's day. So I can't find him yet.' Dante nodded.

            'I think he's our safest bet. So it's settled.'

            'No it's not. I'd feel a lot better if Steph stayed with us until this mess is sorted. Why run the risk of losing someone when they're unprotected? She'll be safer with us.'

            'This isn't about how you feel on the matter. This is about saving people. All right?' Dante saw the rebellious gleam that had settled in Reiko's eyes but said nothing. Instead, he walked out to the lounge, where Steph was still shivering while seated on the couch. Dante, straight to the point as ever reached out with his hand, palm facing upwards.

            'Give me that jewel.' Steph blinked and backed away slightly, distrust in her face.

            'Why?'

            'We need it.'

            'What for?'

            'We have to hide it and keep it safe. Now pass it to me.'

            'I can protect it perfectly well if it stays hanging around my neck,' said Steph primly. Dante clenched his teeth together.

            'Will you stop being so stubborn?'

            'I wasn't aware that being cautious was being stubborn,' came the reply. Dante's voice turned into a low menacing growl. It was obvious that he was getting close to snapping.

            'I don't think you fully comprehend the seriousness of the situation. Because of that stupid gift, we're in this mess in the first place. Two people are after you, both extremely dangerous and powerful. They could kill you easily with just one blow. Don't think for a minute that just because you're a woman they'll show mercy. If you think that for one second, then you're sadly mistaken. Now give me your necklace.'

            'How do I know you're to be trusted? You could be anyone. You could be like that guy from last night. I can't trust you. My necklace shall only go to one I can trust.' Reiko had moved so then he was near the two.

            'You can trust him. I can smell tat it's the real Dante.' Steph looked incredulous.

            'You can smell him?'

            'Heightened senses. More so than a demon hunter,' he said, looking at Dante from the corner of his eye. Dante growled in response. Reiko looked back at Steph and then simply reached out towards her. Steph looked at him and hesitated. The doubt in her eyes was not lost upon the vampire. He turned his head towards Dante and smiled.

            'We can't say that she isn't a quick learner.. She's learnt that to trust too readily is to die. When dealing with the supernatural you can't always believe what your eyes tell you.' Steph had curled up into herself. Reiko realised that perhaps his tone of voice was slightly harsh. He softened it and smiled. 'It doesn't just go for the "bad guys" either. Why do you think it's so hard to find out where your guardian angel is?' Steph looked up at him at that point, inquisitively, questioning. Reiko felt uncomfortable under the close scrutiny and turned to look at Dante. He blinked as he saw that Dante's eyes had turned distant, as though remembering something from a time before. He seemed to come back to the present quite suddenly and scowled.

            'Could we get off the subject? All this talk about angels is annoying me.' Reiko blinked again and then smiled and nodded, turning back to Steph, his eyes turning serious.

            'Steph…I know it's your grandmother's and I realise you're scared of parting with it but if you feel you must trust someone…than let it be me.' Steph smiled as though he had said a magic word and pressed the chain into his hand. She blushed and lowered her head, so then her hair covered her face. She delighted in touching his cool skin and without thinking let her fingers travel over the skin of his hand. She recognised some kind of gentleness in them, which were constantly being reflected from the vampire's hazel eyes. She looked up into his face and her eyes met with his. She felt as though she could drown in them.

            'T-take care of it?' she stuttered. Reiko nodded and smiled, forcing her to smile back. She was left smiling foolishly when Reiko suddenly whirled away from her and walked across the room. Her hand tingled from where she had been touching him, but that was all that remained. A sudden aching sense of loss pervaded her feelings and she felt ashamed of it. Who was she kidding?

            Reiko looked towards Dante.

            'I wish to sleep. I am weary and I am not feeling at my best.' Dante shrugged.

            'Upstairs. First left.'

            'Thank you.'

            'No windows there.'

            'Even better.' Reiko left without a backward glance, and Steph sighed heavily as she watched him go. Dante left for the kitchen. Not for the first time, Steph felt completely alone.