Innocent's Violence

By Kimra

Part 4

Something stirred within her, something she couldn't quite grasp as she stared at her neatly bandaged wrists. He had said something about studying medicine while he tended her wounds, but she had been unable to fully hear him. Her mind had been fiercely engaged in attempting self-restraint. He had been so close, and she had known again that she could kill him, taste the blood that was hidden from her by only the thin bandage coiled about his neck.

She had felt it before, she was sure, this feeling that overwhelmed her. Then it struck her.

Guilt. That was the feeling controlling her. But she couldn't understand why, she had killed before. Killed hundreds over the years, why did an emotion that had never shown itself before suddenly take up residence in her mind?

Maybe it had been his response, despite everything. He had been kind. He had taken her out of the bathroom and wrapped her in a blanket, setting her on his sofa and asking all the while if she was okay or if she needed anything. She had been in a daze at first. The scent of his blood, the feeling of sickness still in the depths of her stomach and that small chaste kiss he had given her all combined to throw her into complete disarray.

It had only been when he was certain she was okay that he disappeared from her sight and she had time to collate her thoughts a little. And in less time then she could imagine he had reappeared before her and helped her up, ignoring the blood that she kept smudging across his skin when contact was made. He had taken her back to the cleaned bathroom and directed her to the shower before latching her into the room alone.

She had done as he bid, washed the sickening blood off her, smelling tints of his own blood in the mixture but it only seemed to make the smell worse. So she had washed what two years ago would have been a decent if not brilliant meal down the drain and dried herself. A small neat pile of clothes had waited for her by the sink all oversized clothes she imagined belonged to him, but anything was better then the blood drenched dress she had been wearing.

And when she'd left the bathroom again he had tended the self inflicted wounds on her wrists and told her that she could have his room for now. So without a word of argument she had curled up in his bed under the thick covers and allowed exhaustion to lull her to sleep.

She hadn't thought about it that night, but when she had woken and hesitantly gone to seek him finding the apartment empty she had been granted the time she needed to think.

Now staring at her bandaged wrists she realised how right her friends had been when protecting him. Not protecting him as such, they had been protecting her from this feeling that welled within. All five of them had sworn very early on that they would take none they knew, they would kill none they met of a day, only those they met as vampires.

It was a form of disconnection they had to have, the distinct things that set them apart from humanity and vampire made them more susceptible to certain dangers. The danger of guilt it seemed to dominate suddenly on the list. The danger of knowing who you killed and not being able to control it. The danger of the night creatures discovering that they walked the day. The danger of the humans knowing they walked the night. The danger of becoming valued.

Usagi shuddered, her thoughts moving from guilt to her own problems. She had sent for him, the leader of the elders as dangerous as it had been she knew it was the only way to stop herself. The impulses that drove her, the vampiric needs that had never controlled her before had settled in and begun to climb. She couldn't talk to her sisters about this because she did not want to admit weakness to them, and she knew they would know as little as she. The decision had been two months in the working, and in the end it was not a choice, it had to stop before she lost control and only the elders would know what was happening to her.

She glanced out of the balcony doors at the bright sky and the part of her that was vampire shivered, the other part revelled in it's security. She was neither, human or vampire she was none, and it was her own stupid fault.

If she had been all vampire this guilt would not exist, this clutching feeling that told her no matter how good it felt she should not have feed off him, because he was human and alive and his life force sparkled with such an intensity that even as a human she had been able to see it. But god he had tasted good.

With a screech Usagi kicked the coffee table, throwing it across the room in one smooth move. Angry that she couldn't think of anything else, angry that his blood held such power over her and the guilt had just as much sway. She threw the lounge cushions as well, barely hearing the shattering glass as they collided with a vase. She threw everything in reach as far from her as she could, something else glass broke, a few things toppled, but she paid no heed as her body crumpled to the floor, her hands wrapping tightly around her stomach as it pulsed with the need for food.

And slowly she began the chant Rei had taught her, her lips moving through the words, careful to make each sound right to get each words out, and slowly her mind moved from it's occupation with him to oblivion.

* * * * *

Mamoru slid into the house with the ease of a panther, his sense's flaring out to detect any interruption that may come. His eyes flicked about the room and he paused hesitant to enter further. The room was sterile, white sheets covering the furniture of what he guessed would be the lounge room. Electronic devices like a TV or video machine where missing from the room, only a desk lamp and the overhead light where visible.

Mamoru felt the solitude of the room and stretched his sense's out finding that same hollow feeling throughout the house. He kept silent however, feeling that even the slightest noise would shatter the silence and something ugly would come of it. But the house was empty, he was sure of it. So he took his time to explore.

The kitchen was better then the lounge room, there was a dirty plate in the sink, and the fridge was well stocked. But beyond that again the sterile emptiness pulsated. Running a finger along the bench he found here to there was not dust and moved on to the laundry. Soaking in the laundry tub was a white shirt, which he poked at carefully until he spotted the blood spots over it. With a quick shudder her turned away from it and continued his exploration of the room. It too was clean, a few pieces of clothes waiting in a basket by the washing machine and a pair of slip on shoes at the back door. He pushed on, till he got to the stairs and again sent his sense's out. Nothing came and he crept up the annoyingly squeaky stairs.

The first variation from the empty solitude was a locked door. He jiggled the handle then without much care broke it. A quirk of a smile slipped onto his features at the action, he hadn't tested his strength for such a long time. Entering the room put him more on edge then the silence of the house so far had. There was a layer of dust so thick if someone breathed in the room it would mark. Still air and emptiness overwhelmed his senses. There where no white sheets, there was make up and clothing and tousled sheets and slanted pictures. Like a photo smothered in dust. It looked as if someone had just stood up and walked out of the room, except for the dust. Taking a ragged breath Mamoru stepped out of the room, latching it behind him.

The next locked room he forced open as well, and it's effects where the same as the previous room, but the room was different, a game consol lay between a TV and a bed, clothes where in piles about the room, a few posters on the walls had begun to peel away with age, and the dust was just as thick. Mamoru felt eerie, the first room had been an adults room, two adults, if he had parents he would guess that was what their room would be similar to. The second was a boys room judging from the clothes and posters.

His breaths became heavy, she had a brother, and parents, god knows he had heard about them enough when she talked to Andrew or her friends from school. But, not those four, not her four best friends, she hardly discussed her family with them. Something cold lurked in his mind, a knowledge that was so much more then knowledge that what ever she had said to those school people been lies and nothing but. The house felt dead.

The last room he came across, the door was latched but not locked, he opened it and stepped in. A small feeling of life came across him from the room, and he felt himself relax a little. The enter room was pinks and blues dotted every now and again with another colour. It was her room, he cold almost taste her presence in the air.

* * * * *

Demando twisted his head, scanning the hallway. There was blood in the air, thick and uninhibited. The smell gave him security and pleased him. It was not often in this part of town that such safe havens to the night creatures could be found.

His eyes turned to the door before him, and the pleased feeling dispersed leaving him with a scowl.

The creatures message had been far too short, and it had known nothing but it's message. Demando had even put the stupid thing to torture, just to be certain she hadn't given it an overwhelming sense of stubbornness along with the message. It irked him that she had the power to control exactly how much her creation knew. Most the newbies who tried such a trick would accidentally think of something else while creating their pets and the pet would know that as well. Usagi had made no such mistake and by all rights should have. It had taken him fifty years to perfect the art, his best friend who was incredibly gifted had taken only forty.

The door before him swung open, revealing a tall sandy haired man with startling turquoise eyes. Demando rethought his assessment with resentment. A tall sandy haired woman, with angry turquoise eyes. He managed to smirk at her, and refusing to acknowledge her claim to any position of power pushed past her and entered the elegantly decorated apartment.

"Haruka." Demando greeted as an after thought, his eyes closing in on the jade haired woman who stood by the window, her expression kind by unreceptive to his presence. He smirked at her as well, his eyes dangerously moving over her silk wrapped body. He was interrupted from his pursuits at unsettling her but the hand that grabbed his shoulder and twisted him around.

Haruka looked ready to kill, her expression dangerously dark as she glared at him.

"What do you want Demando?" Her eyes where narrowed, her body tense perhaps ready for a battle. Demando's smirk shifted into a grin.

"I'd like some information." He replied, his voice almost musical with it's innocence, his hands itching to strike the woman before him. Michiru was easy, without her guardian protector she was helpless pathetically helpless, but then again so too was Haruka. But he was not ready to strike one while in the others company. He sneered at that thought, the two of them defied the nature of vampires to a pin. But right now he wanted their assistance.

"Why would you need information from us?" Haruka demanded, eyes flashing dangerously as she moved past him, taking a stance that was midway between her lover and him.

"Because I don't usually dwell in these parts." Demando replied carelessly, he absently ran his hand along a near by bench his eyes catching onto one of the photo's with mild interest.

"And why exactly are you here again?" Haruka demanded, her body still tense.

"I was invited." He waved his hand vaguely towards the giant windows, a little frown pulled at those curtained windows. They where effectively a death trap, and he couldn't understand why so many vampires had such lavish window walls.

"Not by us you weren't." Haruka growled and Demando gave a laugh. His eyes quickly sweeping over her form as well. She was perhaps taller then a lot of women, and her tastes in clothing and hair needed fixing but she was still highly attractive. He saw her eyes darken with distaste at his expression and grinned at her.

"No indeed. But my invitation was rather terse, and I wanted a little more information before I followed it up." He leisurely placed himself on one of the lounges, making sure that he was notably closer to the silent Michiru to annoy Haruka a little more.

"Well who was it from?" Haruka gritted out sharply, her eyes locked on him.

"Little thing really, new to the trade." Demando muttered thoughtfully. "Usagi. I believe her name is." He continued vaguely, watching their expression for a change. Sometimes, they wouldn't directly tell him what he wanted to know, but those expressions often did. Nothing shifted much to his disappointment.

"Never heard of her." Haruka stated bluntly.

"Nor I." Michiru added, speaking for the first time. Demando looked over to find a little frown of concentration across her angelic features.

"How old is she?" Haruka demanded, drawing Demando's attention from the green haired girl.

"Three." Demando replied casually, and Haruka's eye brows rose.

"A three year old is inviting you around?" Haruka asked a little uncertain, the humour in her eyes immediately obvious. "And your following the call?" An outright laugh came from her then, Michiru lifted an eyebrow in question.

"She's ready to mate." He replied, and the humour left the room immediately. Haruka fixed him with a stern stare.

"She's three, and she's ready to mate?" Haruka hissed, her eyes void of emotion, a sign that something had clicked in her mind. Demando lent against his knees watching the standing woman with interest.

"If I said the right things to her, I probably could have taken her on the dirty roof last week." He stated clearly, his attention fixed sternly. Also across the room, he noted that Michiru's attention had become intensely focused on the conversation.

"What stopped you?" Haruka demanded, her tone more deadly then before.

"If I'd taken one, I would have taken all four of her friends as well. They're only at the beginning of the mating instincts but I'm sure after I'd finished off with the little one they would have been-" He smirked at the angry blonde "-effected."

"And you didn't want a harem of loyal friends, because they might just rebel and stake your stupid royal ass." Haruka grunted at him, not flinching as Demando's expression darkened.

"Four friends?" Michiru enquired, and she approached the conversation sedately, breaking the tension of the moment. "And she is the youngest?" Michiru directed her gaze at him and Demando nodded in confirmation. "I think I know who you are talking off, though we have not met them."

"Well I need to know where to find her." He replied with a charming smile. Then addressed Haruka, even if she wasn't a man she held more of a male presence then the pristine green haired girl. "She's border line gone, and you know how they get when we don't mate them." Again he sneered, leaning back into the couch, witty comments lingering on the edge of his tongue.

"They aren't social, they don't talk with the others of our kind. And no ones quite sure where they den, no one really cares. Three year olds are rarely any trouble." Michiru offered in a kind voice.

"Well this little three year old sent me a zombie message boy the other day, begging me for my help." Again he smirked. "I think she's getting desperate, and she's been fighting it for longer then she'll admit." He stretched lazily, the two women still watching him.

"The best your going to do is ask around tonight. Not everyone comes to us, not everyone knows about us. So try the other sanctuary's or go looking yourself." Haruka ordered, her eyes demanding he leave.

Demando smiled at her and walked across the room standing directly before her.

"It seems little Usagi isn't the only one who needs a good fucking." He sneered almost silently aware that the other woman in the room could hear him as well.

"Don't embarrass yourself Demando, we don't all need men." Haruka replied, giving him an annoyingly confident smile which Demando chose to ignore.

He gave a little laugh. "Your lucky your such an amusement woman, because the second I snap my fingers if you want it or not I'll have you mated to one of my men, and your little whore to another. Because no matter how much you deceive yourselves there are some things you simple can't do for each other, and your betraying bodies will always crave a proper-"

"Get out." Haruka gritted in determined anger and Demando gave another laugh. If they hadn't served such a fine purpose of keeping watch of this side of town for him he would have killed them years ago or at least, let his men have their way with them.

* * * * *

Mamoru starred across the lake thoughtfully, a heavy sports bag slung over his shoulder. It was amazingly calm outside in the day light. Sunlight played across the crystal surface of the lake, reflecting a thousand images and sprinkling light where it could not travel on it's own. All in all, there was a soft glow to the park. He shook his head and continued his pathway home, the bag hitting his back with each step, seemingly determined to refuse him the chance to forget his worries.

They hadn't really discussed it the night before, nor had they spoken at all that morning, but she wasn't leaving his apartment until the whole vampire thing had been figured out. He shuddered at that thought, a little unnerved by the ease at which he was adapting to the situation. Mentally he told himself he'd seen stranger, which lead his mind in a completely useless direction.

He greeted the distraction when it came. And it came in the form of an jumpy brunette who went by the name of Makoto.

"Hey, Mamoru!" She called, looking almost relieved. She approached him quickly and he came to a stop. She didn't continue immediately, her eyes slightly slitted as they stared at him. Absently she sniffed, an action too similar to Rei's the day before for him to ignore. Her next words set him on edge. She shook her head visibly and her eyes became serious.

"I just have to say this Mamoru. I'd consider you're a friend at times." She began, those green eyes staring fixedly at him. "Be nice to Usagi." Was the bland statement and she looked like she was pleased with herself and ready to leave. At that moment she seemed much more like Minako then Makoto, but the brown hair and green eyes kept him from believing he had mistaken them.

"Why is that?" He asked curiously. Certainly Usagi seemed a little more fragile then usual, in a sick way. Because she usually wasn't walking around vomiting, yet alone vomiting blood. But it was more then that, her whole temperament seemed a little on edge and unstable.

Makoto's eyes lit up angrily. "Just be nice to her okay. It's none of your business anyway! Why do you feel the need to ask?" He noticed her eyes started to jump about them suspiciously, and if they hadn't been standing in the middle of a park in broad day light he would have been more then a little worried.

"Because people don't usually walk up to me and tell me who to be nice to." Mamoru replied smoothly, absently baiting her. He wanted to see if Makoto realised what was wrong with Usagi, after all he still wasn't sure if the girl before him was as much vampire as Usagi was.

"Well I'm telling you. For your own safety just be nice to her!" Makoto growled, her tone much more aggressive then he was used to. He had heard the tone at times, but never with such intensity was it directed at him.

"For my own safety?" He mocked a little absently, trying to decipher it in his mind. Certain Usagi had tried to kill him… twice, but the way Makoto was saying it, it seemed she had known it was coming.

Unexpectedly he was struck, his body responding to the momentum of the punch and tumbled over backwards. Shocked he stared up at the burning Makoto and found her breathing fast in suppressed rage.

"Just," She breathed out with venom "be, nice to her." And with that the girl stalked away, her body radiating with rage.

It took a few minutes to get over his shock and feel the pain. And immediately he cursed loudly, moving his jaw in the process of cursing and causing more pain to thread through him. Grunting in pain he could do little more then stand up and continue his journey home. But he made a mental note not to talk to any more of Usagi's friends, or at least to not question them.

* * * * *

Usagi shifted when she heard the door open, her eyes riveting to the spot where he would appear first. And he did not disappoint her, walking into her line of sight within seconds of the door closing.

"I like what you did with the place." He joked lazily his eyes taking in the chaos from her fit only two hours before. She didn't respond to his words, and a silence settled over them.

He seemed a bit unnerved under her direct gaze, so she looked him over quickly, trying to think of something to say. She found it when she saw the sports bag over his shoulder. It seemed familiar, so half closing her eyes she inhaled the scents of the room. She pushed away those scents she had already catalogued having spent most of the day in the room and sorted through the new ones.

The smell of his blood wanted to overwhelm her but she pushed it away and dug deeper finding her own scent.

"That's mine." She stated blankly, staring at the bag. He nodded his head and easily tossed it across the room at her seat on the floor.

"I went to your house." He admitted, and her eyes jumped to his scared to see his reaction, but she found the studied blank expression she knew a little too well.

"Oh." Was all she could reply with as she looked away from him, knowing she would be a fool to hope he had done nothing but enter her room.

He gave a sigh and she looked back up. "I got you some clothes, since I doubt you want to be walking about in my clothes all day." He continued watching her carefully.

Usagi poked at the bag thoughtfully, and squirmed under his expectant gaze. She refused to tell him she quite enjoyed being wrapped in his baggy clothes. They where comfortable and laced with a spicy scent she knew to be his. Realising she was taking too long she jumped to her feet, lifting the bag up easily over her shoulder.

It was then she noticed the undiluted smell of blood and her body jerked to face him properly. His shoulder wound, although she could smell it remained covered, and out of the corner of his mouth a trail of fresh blood ran. Her body tensed for a second, her focus latched onto it. Then quickly she diverted her eyes.

Who had hit him? She glanced again her tongue wetting the corners of her lips, breathing harsh. The memory of his flavour played vividly in her head as another drop slid down to meet the first.

She wanted to taste it again, to feel the perfection of his blood slick and hot pour down her throat again.

The drop fell to the floor, followed by another. And seeing the waste her restraints vanished.

She lunged at him, her arms automatically clamping around his neck, legs around his waste and locking her ankles together behind him.

She could see the statement in his eyes as she brought her face to his, tongue darting out to draw in the line of escaping blood before her lips closed around the corner of his mouth suckling the blood she knew was in there.

She heard him groan, in pain or pleasure she didn't care as she pried his lips apart with her tongue.

Precious drops of the intoxicating elixir found her taste buds and her grip intensified, a moan of appreciation muffled only by there contact fled from her. She tried to rationalize her actions against the guilt, he was already bleeding after all, it would just be a waste to not make use of the blood.

The angle was wrong she realised and shifted herself above him.

Her lips came in full contact with his, her tongue sliding in through parted lips and searching out his injury. He flinched and she drew it back, revelling in the coating of blood and saliva. But it wasn't enough, it never was with him.

She pulled herself in closer to him, her body firm against his. Her fingers entangling in his hair. Then crushing her eyes shut, scared of his reaction, she bit down into his bottom lip.

He jerked violently beneath her but her hands kept his lips on hers and she began to suckle the blood out. Trying to be restrained, not willing to kill him as she drew as much blood as she was daring to through his lips. He made a noise of protest his hands tightening about her waist and she cringed.

Carefully, repentantly she bit at the tip of her tongue, tasting her own blood and swiped it out over his wounds, letting her blood settle in and heal the damage she had made.

He surprised her when his lips captured her tongue and drew it into his mouth. Drawing blood from her wound as she had from his. It felt like ice leaving her body, especially in contrast to the churning heat that overtook her body at his actions.

Responses in her where instinct as she tightened her hold, and pulled her tongue back, his following hers into her mouth where the quickly bit on it. Again he jerked beneath her, but his hands did not tighten their hold nor did he seem to be trying to push her away, so she drew more blood from him willing mouth.

The exchange of blood she had never experienced before though she knew he did not do it for the same reasons she did. Her mind was frazzled with excitement, her nerve ends tingling. And their tongues continued to move against each other, both drawing in the combined flavour of the other and themselves.

It reminded her of mating rituals once explained to her. And with that realisation Usagi wrenched her mouth away from him. Her eyes wide and staring into his glazed ones. Suddenly, her awareness not focused only on the blood exchange she felt his hardness pushing into her thighs.

She jumped down from her perch wrapped about his hips, quickly skittling across the room and staring at him with wide eyes. She hadn't expected that to happen, not at all, especially not with someone she knew, and from the expression on his face he was equally as shocked and frazzled.

"Oh my god!" She screamed suddenly, positioning the lounge between herself and him. "Your human!" She shouted in accusation, as if that would explain it all, but she knew it didn't because only her sense of 'right' had her across the room, all her other sense's wanted to go back to where she had been only moments before. But he was human, and she knew that mates weren't found in humans, besides she was far too young. She suspected that maybe it was because she was still part human herself, and that maybe she had a real human attraction to this man, but then the blood sharing wouldn't have been happening.

Confused she buried her head in her hands not looking up at him. She needed to talk to an elder, but she realised she was beyond their help. They would know nothing that would help, they wouldn't understand the differences between the girls and her, and the rest of the vampires. And if they ever learnt about those differences then maybe the males would find them worth while, and would force control on them. That scared her more then the man who stood across the room from her, drops of blood that had escaped their frantic kiss's trailed down his chin.

She wiped at her own face, and drew the small drops that had escaped to her mouth, unable to waste it still. Her body was shaking from the moment, her mind still whirl-winding. It shouldn't have happened, it was all wrong, and with Mamoru? She looked over at him again curiously. She could admit he was attractive, but they had done nothing but fight for so long that his physical appearance was all that redeemed the decision in her mind. Not that women had a say with who they mated, Demando would pick, or their would be a battle until a victor was decided upon and he got to take the woman.

This entire scene was completely unprecedented. She had begun a mating ritual with a human with absolutely no guidance or knowledge, and no permission. It thrilled her a little to think that she had begun something without the vampires knowledge, like the rest of her life, it would be better if they didn't know. And if she mated with Mamoru then she wouldn't have to leave the other girls, she would not be forced to exist in the other side of the city where the elder males dwelled.

"I-" Mamoru began drawing her eyes back to him. There was no longer blood on his chin and he was looking towards his door. And she realised he would have been more confused then she, because somehow he had been drawn into the bonding, and he was entirely human. "I going out." He managed, then without another word grabbed his jacket and keys, leaving the room.

She let him go, knowing he needed more time to think then she did before they tried for a conversation. And she took the time to prepare what few answers she would be able to give when he asked.

-----------------

Unfortunatly this is going to be my last update for a while. I'm taking a month break from writing and posting because I'm a bit overwhelmed. If you want to be told when I update next say so in a review, or just plain old e-mail me. My e-mail is written in my profile and is also below.

Alipa@rocketmail.com

Kimra