The Night Life: Round 7

She found him to be charming. Completely and utterly charming. While Aoshi's trait that made him so desirable, aside from his physical appearance, was this aura of mystery, his, however, was charm.

He stole her away, while Aoshi was distracted. One of his minions had distracted him. Aoshi believed that he was being taken to him, to settle the score once and for all.

Silly man.

Was destroying him more important than this...prize of his? Was destroying him more important than resurrecting his friends? It was a competition now. The soul of one pure and the blood of a vampire would resurrect the one closest to him. But the question was: who would be the first to resurrect their loved one?

More competition between Shinomori and Yukishiro. What the vampire world loved to gossip about. How childhood best friends turned into bitter competitors, never allowing their failed friendship to once blossom again. But competition was competition, and it only mattered if you won. Shinomori may have found her first, but he would be the one to steal her away...and use her soul for his own use.

She had such a pure soul, one purer than any he had ever seen. What a waste for such a soul to resurrect one like Hanya. She would be better suited for a quiet, graceful beauty such as Tomoe.

"What did you want to say to me?" She asked, looking straight into his turquiose eyes. It was time to get to what was really the matter.

"'The soul of one so pure with the blood of a vampire resurrects their loved one.' Ever heard of that?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Just explain."

"Do you know how to spot a pure soul?"

"Just explain."

"Obviously not, since you fail to spot your own."

Now she was curious. "Tell me," she urged, "how can you tell?"

"A vampire in search of a pure soul can always tell. And I can tell you that you are the only pure soul I have come across in many years."

"You!" she whispered. "You're a vampire! After my soul nonetheless!"

"Vampire, yes; after your soul, no," he said. "I'm here to warn you. That man you were with, Shinomori, he's after yours. After all, that's why he bit you."

"Maybe it's the other way around." A hand went up to her neck to touch the bite mark.

"I'm not the one who bit you," he retorted.

"Still!" she insisted.

"Why don't you ask him about Hanya, Beshimi, Shikijou, and Hyottoko, then?"

"What, pray tell, does my brother and his friends have to do with this?"

"Ah!" he laughed, "so you don't know, do you? Well, it's not my place to tell you; you can ask Shinomori instead."

"Tell me!"

"So now you believe me."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't. I still don't see why my late brother and his friends have anything to do with this. I'll make a decision once I collect all the facts."

"Go ahead and do that. You'll want my contact information once you do get all the facts. Trust me, you'll need it." He tucked a business card into the band of her skirt.

"Hey!" she protested

"It's not like you have any pockets." He then felt a hand on his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Aoshi had apparently returned. And was quite angry to find that he was called away for absolutely nothing and when he returned he found Misao dancing with the very man he was to meet!

"When I saw you leave, I knew I had to ask this lovely lady to dance. Problem?"

"None." He stared at Enishi. "We must be going now, Yukishiro. Misao, come with me." He grabbed her hand and dragged her next to him.

Enishi walked away. He heard Misao asked Aoshi who Hanya was. 'Playing dumb, I see.' Aoshi just ignored her. 'As it should be. Once she finds out what he's after, she'll come to me. And that's when I can resurrect Tomoe, the fairest of them all. Just wait for me...nee-san.'

Xxxxxx unique-purple-starfish – Your Turn xxxxxX