Well, now. How will Shido react to this newest turn of events? Hmm. I wonder. strokes chin, evil gleam in her eyes Ah HA! The plot begins to emerge!

WARNINGS: um, OOCness i think, on Shido's part, but then again how-the-hell-else would he respond?

DISCLAIMER: Riho belongs to Shido, Shido technically belongs to Cain, the relationships & main conflicts belong to the original creators, but THEIR SOULS & BODIES belong to ME!!!! Mwhahahahhaahahaha! drapes herself possesively over Cain's delicious, golden body

I slept soundly for quite some time after that. Though, I wouldn't have if I'd known where Cain was and why. His body may have lain quietly next to mine in Transylvania, but his mind was far away, back in Tokyo.

The morning after I left with Cain saw Shido banging furiously on the door of the church. He took little notice of the sun, as it began to rise from behind the skyline. "Open up, dammit! It's me!"

The sleepy gate keeper opened the slide & peeked out. Only a vampire would knock, and one couldn't be too careful of late.

"John, you baka! Open the fucking door and let me in!"

"Shido!? What're you doing back so soon?" The portly monk swung open the door. "Come in, by all means!"

Shido didn't even thank the man, but shot up the stairs, as fast as vampire speed would take him. Upon reaching the third floor apartments, he burst through his own door.

"Riho! Riho, you here?!" He tore through the apartment, checking all the rooms. He cursed under his breath when he found the place deserted, and then ran down to check the infirmary.

He threw open the door to find a crowd of people sitting around the main room looking low. That stopped him.

"What's going on?"

One of the Sisters, still a little surprised by his abrupt entrance, answered. "The Father has been bitten. He's in intensive care now. We're here to pray –"

Shido didn't wait for her to finish, but rushed through the opposite door. He followed the corridor to the last room, where another group was gathered in the hall. He shoved through, despite rebukes, & threw open the door. The monk attending to Father Izawa was so taken aback he almost fainted. Shido rushed to the bedside.

"Father! Father, can you hear me?"

The priest opened his eyes weakly. He would die soon, nothing could help that; it was obvious from the moment Shido saw his pale cheeks. They'd never get enough blood in him before it was too late.

"Father! Where's Riho?"

"I, she was in my . . . office." He was having great difficulty breathing. "She, her eyes – and the darkness . . . I was in the hall . . ."

Shido's eyes grew. His voice was a whisper. "No." Then, he was off again through the crowd.

He stopped short in the doorway to the corridor of offices, his overcoat fluttering slightly at his abrupt halt. Everything was calm – nothing out of place, no presence, or lingering sense of resistance, save that of the priest. He went slowly toward the Father's private office, fully alert, yellow eyes missing nothing. The room was as pristine as the rest of the offices. He entered the doorway, looked around, and finding everything as it should be, closed his eyes and dropped his head, allowing his mental faculties their full range. He took a calm step farther into the room and placed his fingertips on the desk, face a mask of control. The room was still, silent. Then his hand tensed, and the fingers curled tightly to become a fist, his nails digging into his palm. He released a controlled breath, almost quivering with anger.

Shido's words were calm, quiet even in the silence. "Show yourself."

Darkness overtook the small room quickly. "Gladly," was the ready deep-pitched response.

Cain sat in the chair, watching Shido's back. "I've missed you, dearest."

"Where is she?" Shido remained frozen where he stood, facing the desk. The grit of his teeth was almost audible as he spat out the words one by one.

"Safe." A fleeting smile crossed Cain's face as he stood. "Where you can no longer corrupt her."

In less than an instant Shido stood inches from the taller figure, now golden eyes hard and threatening. His voice belied the extreme control he was exercising over himself. "I corrupt? Bring her back. Now!"

Cain returned the younger vampire's gaze, his own eyes soft and almost apologetic. "I have very little say in the matter, actually. Riho is with me willingly; and I doubt very much that she will change her mind so easily." Cain stepped closer and gently laid a hand on Shido's arm; images flashed across the younger vampire's mind.

Riho sat in one of the deep arm chairs in Cain's private parlor. She held on her lap a small girl, whose head lolled back, lifeless. Savagely, she sucked the child's life force from a wound at her throat. The glistening red stained Riho's clothes, her hands, her face.

Riho rested, naked, against Cain's bare breast. He cradled her with one arm, allowing her to take his blood from the other. Her eyes were closed, her mouth curved in a sanguine smile as she enjoyed the sweetness of pure vampire's blood. Cain gazed down at her lovingly, holding her with tender care.

Riho lay contentedly in the bed Shido and Cain had once shared. She gazed into Cain's smiling face, much as she once had Shido's, and then snuggled further into the blond vampire's embrace.

Shido tore away, ripping his finger by one extended canine, producing his sword from the stream of blood in one fluid motion. "You lie! Riho would never turn to you." His eyes flashed red with rage.

Cain remained calm, his hands now inserted in the pockets of his coat. "You may believe as you wish." He shrugged. "I only show you truth.

"I was intrigued that she did not even wait here to wish you farewell. I will see if I can persuade her to return and do so." He regarded Shido once more from under veiling lids, and then his image began to fade into a non-extant distance.

Shido took a futile step forward, raising the weapon. The ammused voice echoed around the returning room: "People meet, and people part. . . . Isn't that what you are always saying, love?" Cain was gone.

Ok, here's the deal: i'm gonna finish posting everything i've got pre-written, regardless of reviews. After that, however, i won't post new stuff 'til "Trials" has gotten ... say, 5 more reviews.

Fair? i really don't care anymore. Ya'll are cruel.