I don't own anything. (My new idiot-proof disclaimer.)

Lycanthrope

-Chapter Eleven: Will you be my mate?

Yuki watched as Shinji slept. There was something bothering him. She could tell. Suddenly Shinji's left eye open and turned to focus on her. "I can't sleep when someone's watching me."

"Sorry," Yuki said. She lowered her gaze and rested her head on his bare chest. "I just want to know what's wrong."

"There's a hunter in the city," Shinji said flatly. "He and Bob have some history."

"A hunter?" Yuki asked. "You mean a human."

"Yeah," Shinji said. "Don't let your guard down. He's a Van Hellsing." Yuki's head jerked up and she stared at Shinji's serene face.

"You're going to try and kill him," she said.

"Bob and I are working on a plan," Shinji allowed. "Just don't worry about it."

"I can't help it," Yuki said with a sign. Shinji's hand came up and stroked her hair.

"Thanks." Yuki glanced up. She could tell that he had more to say, but he looked oddly hesitant.

"Something wrong?"

"Yeah," Shinji said with a nod.

"Anything I can do?" Yuki asked. "I'm pretty good at solving problems."

"Alright," Shinji said. "There's this very special someone in my life. I want to ask her to be my mate, but I don't know what she'll say." Yuki jerked up and stared at him. He was smiling slightly and his eyes danced with amusement.

"You should ask her," she said breathlessly.

"I'll go give her a call," Shinji said as he began to get up.

"What?" Yuki asked in shock.

"I'm kidding!" Shinji exclaimed. "Will you be my mate Yuki?"

"After that little stunt?" Yuki growled.

"I'll make it up to you," Shinji offered.

"Alright," Yuki said in pretend exasperation. "I'll be your mate." Shinji grinned and leaned in to capture her lips in a kiss that took her breath away.

(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)

Van Hellsing looked around the tiny bar. "You Van Hellsing?" someone grunted.

"Yes." A short and rather pudgy man sat down across from the hunter. "Are you Shiro?"

"Yes," the Yakuza man said. "You said that you knew who was killing me men."

"I do," Van Hellsing said. "And I am asking to borrow some of your men so that I can kill him." Shiro nodded quickly.

"I have twenty men that you can use right now," he said, "and a building downtown."

"Very good," Van Hellsing said. "Are your men trained with firearms?"

"They are trained extensively in all manner of combat," Shiro said. "Are you sure that this person is the man killing my men?"

"I am sure," Van Hellsing said. The Yakuza leader was a foolish man. He was so desperate that he wouldn't even bother asking anything else.

(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)

"Hey Bob." Bob turned and smiled when he spotted Shinji walking towards him.

"You seem happy," he commented. Shinji chuckled and sat on the stool next to his sire.

"So what if I am?"

"Nothing," Bob said. "You just seem really happy and not in the psychotic way."

"Is that bad?" Shinji asked.

"No," Bob said. "It's just weird. Did anything happen?"

"Not much," Shinji said with a shrug. "Well I asked Yuki to be my mate," he added absently. Bob choked on his drink and began coughing.

"What?" Shinji grinned broadly. "Good for you," Bob said. He coughed a few more times and took another drink.

"So what do you think about Van Hellsing?" Shinji asked.

"We aren't going to use you as bait," Bob said simply. "I already lost James to that man. I'm not going to risk another son for revenge."

"It's your choice," Shinji said with a shrug.

"So you really moved out of your guardian's apartment?" Bob asked.

"Former guardian," Shinji corrected. "And yes I did."

"Good," Bob said. "Immortals really should avoid living with mortals. It never works out well."

"If you say so," Shinji said with a shrug.

"Do you know when the next angel will arrive?" Bob asked.

"The Fifteenth?" Shinji asked. "It'll arrive when it arrives."

"That's a lot of help," Bob said sarcastically.

"Do I look psychic?" Shinji asked.

"More like psycho," Bob answered. "What about your half-angel friend?"

"Touji?" Shinji asked. "He has no clue either. So what should we do about Van Hellsing?"

"Avoid him," Bob said. "And cut back on your hunting."

"Yeah right," Shinji snorted.

(::::::::::::::ii:::::::::::::)

Shinji pushed the door to his apartment opened and walked in. "I'm home!"

"Welcome back," Yuki called from somewhere in the apartment. Shinji almost laughed. This was like some old American sitcom. He liked it. "How'd your talk with Bob go?"

"He rejected my plan," Shinji said as he sat on the couch and began unlacing his combat boots.

"Good," Yuki said. Shinji now realized that she was in the kitchen. "It was a bad plan. Did you tell him about us?"

"Of course," Shinji said. "He was delighted."

"Really?" Yuki asked as she stepped out of the kitchen. Shinji's head tilted slightly to the side.

"I like the apron."

"You do?" Yuki asked, striking a little pose.

"Definitely," Shinji commented. "So what were you doing in the kitchen?"

"Cooking," Yuki said. "I'm too tired to go out and hunt."

"I guess a change in diet is okay every once in a while," Shinji said, remembering Bob's advice. "I think I'll stay here with you."

"You'd rather stay here with me then go out hunting?" Yuki asked in surprise.

"Yes I would actually," Shinji said. "You're my mate. Why wouldn't I want to be with you?"

"You just always seemed to love the hunt above everything else," Yuki said.

"That was before," Shinji said as he stood up and sauntered over to his mate. "This is now," he added as he wrapped his hands around her Yuki's slim waist.

"But. . .dinner," Yuki moaned as Shinji's lips moved to her neck and his hands went to her ass. "It's on the stove."

"There's a fire extinguisher," Shinji said with a shrug as kissed his way up to Yuki's mouth. Then someone began to pound on the door. "Fuck off!"

"Shinji," a voice called. "I want to talk to you."

"I don't care Misato!" Shinji yelled. "I'm busy."

"Please Shinji," Misato called. Shinji groaned in anger and released Yuki. She took a deep breath and walked back to the kitchen. Shinji opened the door and stepped into the doorway to glare at his guardian.

"What do you want?" he hissed angrily.

"I wanted to apologize," Misato said, glancing down ashamedly.

"Do what you will," Shinji said.

"Stop being an ass and let her in!" Yuki called. Shinji growled and stepped back to let his former guardian enter the apartment. Yuki walked out of the kitchen and smiled at Misato. "You must be Ms. Katsuragi."

"Yes," Misato said. "And you're Yuki. . ."

"Hayasaka," Yuki supplied. "We need to make a choice about that."

"What?" Misato and Shinji asked.

"My last name," Yuki said.

"That's for humans," Shinji said blankly. "Besides, people would think we're siblings."

"Not likely," Yuki said as she flashed him a rather seductive smile.

"What's all this about changing names?" Misato demanded.

"Nothing," Shinji said quickly, a little too quickly.

"Whatever," Misato said. "Look. I really did have no right to talk to you like that and I'm sorry."

"I won't take back what I said," Shinji said, his eyes narrowing.

"You shouldn't," Misato said quietly.

"I accept your apology then," Shinji said.

"Good," Yuki said cheerfully. "Would you care to join us for dinner?" Misato glanced at Shinji, but he just shrugged.

"I guess."

(::::::::::::::ii:::::::::::::)

"Interesting," Asako muttered as she shifted through the papers on her desk.

"What's up?" Keith asked.

"It looks like that Shinji kid transferred to Tokyo-3 Municipal Middle School right after the first angel attack."

"How many other people did that?" Keith asked.

"Zero," Asako answered. "He is one of only two to transfer in after the angels started to attack."

"You think that kid is an Eva pilot?" Keith asked. He paused and scratched his chin. "That would explain some things."

"Like?" Asako asked.

"Like why the Eva pilots don't try to gain any publicity by marketing themselves," Keith said. "If they were adults then they probably would have tried to use that position to become famous."

"I guess that does explain some things," Asako said. "So what now?"

"You could always ask around the school," Keith suggested. He laid another group of papers down on his desk. "Here's another odd coincidence."

"What is it?" Asako asked.

"You know that explosion in fatal animal attacks?" Keith asked. Asako nodded. "It correlates with the recovery of the purple Eva exactly. The sudden growth began the night after the Eva was recovered from that black and white angel."

"That's interesting and all. . ." Asako began. "But I really doubt those two things have anything to do with each other."

"I just said that they were an odd coincidence," Keith said. "I didn't say that I thought they had anything to do with each other."

(::::::::::::::ii:::::::::::::)

Shinji looked around the city and then up at the stars in the sky. The moon would be full in a few days. That would lead to some real fun. "What are you doing up here?"

"Hey Yuki." Shinji turned his head and glanced at his mate out of the corner of his eye.

"Can't sleep?" Yuki asked.

"Yeah," Shinji admitted. "Insomnia. Common enough problem in lycans."

"I've never had that problem," Yuki said. "Until now. I'm really worried about this Van Hellsing guy."

"You don't half to be," Shinji said. "Bob ditched the plan, so I shouldn't have to deal with him any time soon."

"What if he comes looking for you?" Yuki asked.

"He won't get close," Shinji said. "Section-2 won't let him."

"They're only human," Yuki argued.

"Very exceptional humans," Shinji said as he pointed to one of the buildings nearby. A lone man was just barely visible in the dark, even with Shinji's enhanced sense.

"He's good," Yuki commented. "What is he?"

"Probably a sniper," Shinji said with a shrug. There was a howl from somewhere close. "Sounds like that ass hole is living it up."

"You should go hunting if you want to," Yuki pressed.

"I'm fine," Shinji said with a smile. "Don't worry about it."

-End

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-Author's notes. Here's just another short chapter. This one seems almost. . .fluffy. I'll write a longer more action-packed chapter next.