Hi, minna! This is my first fanfic, so I'm working extra hard on it!

Disclaimer: Why must they always remind us that we don't have the rights to our favorite stuff?! pouts

Just for reference: This is set in the future, so Riho, Shido, & everyone are about 150 years older. (This doesn't apply to Yayoi, however. She's dead; gomen if you were a fan.) Well, Riho went out to learn for herself what it meant to be a vampire, returning to Shido as promised about fifty years later. In the interim, other vampires like Shido & Riho, who don't believe in killing, began to set up shelters all over Japan, usually within monasteries of various religions, where they are supported by sponsors. Riho has contacts in various of these now from her travels, one of which is in a Shinto shrine outside Kyoto. When Riho returns to Shido in Tokyo, she finds that Yayoi has grandchildren & Shido was forced to move away from the neighborhood they had previously inhabited by his changeless ( & gorgeous) features. He has moved into a Christian monastery which serves as the shelter to the vampires of Tokyo. They settle down there, & Shido continues to fight the night breeds alongside the NOS. Cain is never heard from throughout all these years, and Riho in her happiness with Shido almost completely forgets he exists. O, yeah, and there's some pretty sketchy stuff coming up in later chapters. So I hope u like it!

Every evening for the last 200 years, I've awakened to a beautiful sight. The first thing my eyes light upon is a face – a glorious face, framed by soft lavender hair. I see the well-shaped nose and brows, the gentle lips, which hide the source of his sorrows. Sometimes, I wake to see his deep, marine eyes watching me lovingly. These first moments of every night give my eternity purpose.

            There was an unhappy interlude when my nights began differently, though. When I awoke that first night, I was alone in the coffin. I was scared at first. I didn't remember where I was. For a moment, I simply was Yamazaki Riho again, a normal human girl. Except, I was surrounded by wood and shadows. Then I came to myself and pushed the lid farther down. I dressed quickly and hurried downstairs to look for Shido. He wasn't in the church offices or the sanctuary, his regular haunts. Everyone else was still at evening mass in the chapel, so I couldn't ask them. I headed to the infirmary on the second floor.

            "Hey, Riho!" Satsuna greeted me as I entered the main room to find him watching TV alone.

            "Hi, 'Suna. How's the wound?"

            "Sister Ana found traces of silver, so I'm not outa' the woods yet."

            "Hmm. NOS must've been expecting  a dangerous Breed," I joked. He threw a pillow at me with his good arm. I laughed and dodged. "Well at least that explains why a simple gunshot wound hasn't healed in over a day. Hey, have you seen Shido around?"

            'Suna's face took on a puzzled look as he tilted his head. "He didn't say good-bye to you?"

            "What?"

            "He left around noon. It rained today. He came by here to tell the Father he was leaving."

            "Leaving?!" My breath caught in my chest. "Where was he going? Why? When'll he be back?!" What was going on?

            Why would Shido go out without telling me? – unless it was after a Breed. But he would've been back by now. The sun had already set. Oh, no. What if he'd been hurt?

            'Suna sat up on the couch, careful of his wounded shoulder. "Calm down, Riho-chan. He'll be back soon enough. And it's not like you'll get any older while he's gone," he chuckled. I gave him a sour look. Then plopped down next to him.

My anxiety was obvious to him. "If it's any help, I heard him say something about the vampire sanctuary near Kyoto. Shido probably flashed there, and he'll flash back when he's done. You worry too much."

He was probably right. I was just being silly. Shido would be back soon. He'd been around a long time and could take care of himself.

But why hadn't he told me?

I waited in the rectory until Father Izawa came from mass. As he walked through the door, his face said he'd been expecting me.

            "Now, Riho, listen to me, child. Shido couldn't tell you. He – "

            "Why not?!"

            "Let me finish." He came over and sat me down on the sofa I'd just jumped up from." He didn't know when he'd be back exactly and he thought you'd insist on going with him."

            "What's wrong with me going to Kyoto? I spent fifteen years there!"

            "How do you know he's in Kyoto?"

            "Satsuna overheard you when he left."

            "Oh, dear." The Father suddenly looked worried, but I was too stressed to notice.

            "Why Kyoto, anyway? What's going on?"

            Father Izawa came back to himself. "Oh, nothing too serious. There's just been as excess of attacks of late. They called for help and Shido answered." He began to remove his ceremonial robes. I stood and followed him to the closet.

"Well, if that's all, then why didn't he want me going? I could help!"

"Oh, Riho. Shido's very capable and he loves you very much. He didn't want you compromised."

"Why would I be compromised? They're just Breeds!"

"My, my, so many questions." He chuckled and I subsided, trying not to look too guilty. "Walk with me to dinner, Riho." I followed him out of the room and down the corridor towards the dining hall. He was silent for a while. I could sense he was holding something back.  Our steps echoed off the tile and stone as moments seemed to turn to hours. I finally couldn't take it anymore.

I snarled as I grabbed his arm and turned myself. "Tell me what's going on!"

But he only chuckled at my now golden eyes and bared fangs. "Riho, my child, don't try that on me. I've faced up to far more dangerous creatures than you." He put a hand on my cheek and I dropped my face. "You're as gentle as a kitten. I know you're anxious, but trust me when I say that everything will be fine. Just have faith in the Lord."

I sighed. "Father, you know I –"

"I know, I know. You're a damned soul. Yes, Shido's given me that lecture."

I couldn't help but smile as my eyes returned to normal. Shido had his ideas about our lifestyle and was set in his ways, but that's how he coped with his eternity. Sometimes it grew difficult to listen to his pessimism though.

            The priest saw my look of introspection, and patted my shoulder as he walked away. I sighed again. He turned back to me, having remembered something.

"I'll send someone up after dinner so you can eat."

"Oh, that's alright. Sister Sarah fed me yesterday."

He chuckled again. "So that's why you've been so energetic and she's been tuckered out." He winked at my blush and disappeared into the dining hall.

I returned to our rooms and plopped down in front of the TV. After a while, though, I got bored and turned it off. There was no one around to make comments on the news or point out how pointless the shows were. I even missed Guni, who had gone to visit some cousins in the forest. She may have been the most annoying bitch of a fairy I'd met in my 150 years, but she was better than no one. I sighed and went downstairs to sit with Satsuna.

            I know it starts slowly. Gomen. But it'll get better pretty fast, just wait! I plan on updating every few days or so, unless I can't stand it or get lots of requests for more. Speaking of which . . .

Review or DIE! The serpentine coils of the beasts of Hades will clench your appendages and slowly drag you to your slow & torturous death at the hands of my cute usagi mongrels! MHAHAHAHA . . . . so just review plz. Flames welcome!