Thank you, thank you all for expanding your brain and testing your patience to read these chapters one by one. I have to say it helps me too. I actually had to learn about the history of Levi jeans just for a few words in this chapter. That's almost sad, but I'm happy that trying to make you all pleased involves me learning more about history, foreign languages, and other religions as well as my own. Because I don't know everything about Paganism or Wicca. I have only been practicing it for two years and have much more to learn, but this does help to keep things in my mind and not just blow over.
And to DayDreamer9, I'm not really sure I can teach you magick. The thing is, not only do I not know enough to teach; I'm just not a good teacher… at all. Magick, in my opinion, is part of a religion, like Wicca, Paganism, Druidism, and others. It is also kind of like praying for Christians and whatnot. The difference between praying and magick is that magick involves tools that have certain properties, which assist your mind to make things happen. Do you always need these tools for spells, no… but it does help a lot. What I can say about magick is that you have to be very careful at what you do and how you use it. I actually made a spell that created a level three fog thing, because I didn't want to go to school, and someone got in a car accident (They barely made it. They broke their neck, nearly paralyzed.). My times three was the next day, my cousin was killed in a plane accident (He owned one of his own planes) along with his fiancé by colliding into a tree (both died instantly). That happened after about a month of practicing Paganism, and I still feel terrible and am MUCH more careful at what I do. (True story. It happened three weeks after I last saw him at a family reunion in Maine.) Sure I make mistakes, but I just have to do better next time, and think about how my selfish actions can hurt others.
And one more thing: If you decide to follow one of the religions, in my opinion, it is best to believe in a God or Goddess. I concentrate on the Goddess, but I do believe in the existence of all of the gods. It's better to believe in a higher being because if you don't, you're only thinking for yourself, and that can turn you into a pretty big bitch… lol. Just follow the Wiccan Rede, which I mentioned in chapter 4, and you'll live a good life.
Wow, I talk a lot… anyway… on with the story! Hey… my hands smell like raw fish… (Sushi+ Hands- Chopsticks Eating sushi with your bare hands at Tokyo Steak House.) Man, I'm stuffed!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho… damn.
Mum had left over an hour ago. She was always one of those types who would say something out of the blue and just leave without another word. I never knew why she did that, it just always was that way, and I grew to accept that no matter how much it irritated me. Until now…
I left my room and went to wretch open the door to Mum's room. Locked. Grrr…DAMNIT! Without another word or thought I stomped back to my room and slammed the door.
Why was it bothering me then, you asked, I didn't know. It was one of those feelings that now more than ever she was keeping something from me. And that locking of the door was proof.
I locked my own door and dropped onto my bed.
I stared without purpose at the plastered ceiling, with only the sounds of mortal boys' voices outside my door; making complaints about something along the lines of loud noises and was just sleeping. There was an attempted twist of my doorknob, and with no luck or perseverance, thuds of a few doors closing were the last noises from beyond my door.
I was on a roller coaster. And I'm talking about those rides at the mortal amusement park, Cedar Point, with their Millennium Force, Mantis, and Raptor. I mean a roller coaster that no kind has been able to successfully build and run. Thousands of loop-Dee-loops and hills that reached miles high, and hundreds of miles speed. One moment, I'm questioning about the old 'Hiei Incident' that I have decided not to confront him about and forget; to built up years of Mums' confusing switches; to wondering if I really could beat Kuwabara in a video game without anyone's help… hmmm… I wonder…
That Xbox was certainly enjoyable. I wanted to try new games. I have heard of mortal children talking of games on a… Pee Ess Two. I never really bothered with learning video games before, and I only had a chance to watch the tele' rarely, even though I was quite fond of it. Maybe I'll ask the mortals for a chance to play more games on the Xbox…
Those were my last thoughts before sleep overtook me.
ooo
My sleep was restless, however, and I got out of bed at 10:30 in the day. Without bothering to change my clothes, I left my room and found my way into the dining room, where the Reikai Tantei and Grim Reaper were seated with their morning meals and chattering loudly.
How the hell am I going to sleep with all this noise? None of the mortals noticed my position in the room. I walked past the table and went through the swing door to the kitchen. After much digging, I pulled a packaged steak out of the fridge and went back into the dining room with an empty glass in the opposite hand. It wasn't until I situated myself in the chair next to Botan that I was finally acknowledged.
"Uh… Life?" Kuwabara attracted my attention as I tore open the plastic wrapping with my nails.
"Hn?" I still focused on the steak.
"…Don't you only eat blood?"
I picked up the steak in my bare hands and wrung out the cold red liquid into the empty glass. "Drink." I corrected. The glass was half full when I gave the slab of meat a final shake, dropping one drop of blood. I tossed the dry, raw steak carelessly on Botans' pancakes, leaving her to gape vacantly at the wrung meat. I cupped the glass into my hands, seeing as well as feeling the warm red energy build up in my hands.
"Calefacto involito," I concentrated very little energy into this spell to keep it from becoming harmful. My hands burned red for only a moment, sending a heat wave into the glass. I gripped the handle of the cup and took a sip. Ninety-eight point six-degree perfection. Without hesitation, I gulped down the remainder in seconds and licked my lips clean. I didn't know what animal steak came from, but it was okay enough to consume.
"May I ask why you are up?" the vulpes questioned politely.
"Can't a vampire suffer from insomnia?" I replied rather coldly, bringing silence to the table.
Blank. Their expressions were just blank. Well, that is except for Hiei, who carried something emotionless as always.
The silence was beginning to irritate me, "…Whatever…" I left my seat and headed for the door.
"You going to bed?" the lishka broke the Reikai Tantei's stillness.
"Obviously."
"Hey," Urameshi called out to me, "have you seen diaper boy anywhere?"
I glared back at him, "How could I have?"
"Well, I figured you might have seen him. George says he hasn't since some time after he got back to the office last night."
"What? Did you expect him to meet me last night for some crazy steamy hot sex?" I implied sarcastically.
"You know, you're really being a bit of a bitch today," Yusuke's eyes narrowed.
"Now, Yusuke," Kurama tried to ease him, "Leave her be. She's just irritable right now. Just let her get some sleep."
I caught another glower from the detective, "Get fucked," were my last words before I finally departed to my room.
ooo
No matter how much I repositioned myself, twisted and turned, I couldn't sleep. I just wasn't tired. I rolled off the bed and collected some pajamas and a small bottle of lavender oil and locked myself in the lavatory. I messed with the knobs of the bathtub until steaming hot water poured from the spout and began to fill. I stripped myself down and shoved the grimy garments in the hamper.
I opened the lavender oil bottle and dispensed a descent amount in the tub; the strong scent filled my senses. I finally slid my nude figure into the ever-rising lavender perfumed liquid and began to soak. I let the water rise to my neckline before I lastly twisted the knob with my toes to cease the flow.
I rested my head back against the edge of the porcelain tub, my eyelids lazily opening and closing. The lavender was doing this. Lavender oil scents served three main basic purposes to wiccans: peace, mental power, and sleep. And the first and third options were taking effect right then…
ooo
It was 1874, the third of August in the ever nearing dawn of New York City. I, only thirty-two, strolled briskly down the empty brick streets. Sunrise would be in less than an hour. I had just finished my hunt, and an unsuccessful writer's corpse lain near his newspaper roofed crate in a far alley, along with an old drunk.
I could only hope neither Mum nor Dad would find out about the intoxicated mortal; they told me they never wanted to see me drunk. Don't really know why, it was not like it would hurt anyone, but maybe they didn't want to have to deal with whatever attitude I would acquire.
So I pulled out a cigarette from the small box I possessed from the writer, and lit it with a match. After taking a couple puffs, I quickened my pace even more, my old black dress swaying along with my steps, and a good well-earned twenty dollars in small dollars and coins played a tune in my pocket with it. So, maybe I did steal all that money from several people that evening, something greatly frowned on by my parents… more my father in particular, for my mother would just say, "Do what your father says." Either way, I did need the money for the next evening.
I knew Mum and Dad would be furious if I were out too close to sunrise, and even though I wanted my freedom as a mature vampire, I didn't want to be out that late either. Ever since I was a child, I had been terrified of even glancing out the window during the day hours.
Either way, I wouldn't have to deal with my parents' rants and orders for much longer, for I was finally going to be living on my own. My rules, no one else's! No one would be able to tell me what to do, what time to leave and return, who I eat, how many I eat, where I go, anything! First thing I'm going to do when I'm on my own… I thought happily to myself as I neared even more, to the small home, I'm going to feed off three, no, five mortals! I was excited. I couldn't wait to explore the world without being held back by my aged family.
As I frisked down the brick street, I examined my surroundings, as usual. I was the only one there; except for a couple pathetic mortals in tattered rags they called clothing. Another mortal, with greasy black hair and garbed in black clothes only slightly less fringed than the homeless mortals. A foreigner. Nothing special, I saw them types all the time. I brushed past the stupid mortal without a second thought and finally made it to the tiny house, squished between two other buildings.
I stepped inside to see Father finishing up with fastening those brand new Levi jeans of his. He then buttoned up an old filthy graying shirt with ripped sleeves he wore when assisting to build the new streets of the city. He slipped on some old boots and tied back his graying wavy rust colored shoulder length hair into a band.
Mum sat in a rickety wooden chair in her nightgown, reading a book, the Odyssey; getting ready to turn herself in to the day.
Father glanced up at me with his hazel eyes beaming, "Life. I was jumpy I wasn't going to get to see you before you gotten back. You look knackered," he held out his aging tanned arms, waiting for me to jump into his embrace, which I did. He squeezed me tightly, "Life, I love you, you know that?"
I nodded into his muscular shoulder. He was very fit for a mortal in his fifties.
"Be wary for me. Pay me a sight of you on my daisy counterpane… don't be a whinger," he joked.
I smiled and freed myself from his grip, "You honestly believe Mum's going to let you pass over?" I giggled a bit in my words.
"That's what I said," Mum spoke monotonously from behind her book.
"I won't let her," Father replied with a grin, "I am a mortal. I am not going against the Goddess's wishes to meddle with it."
A small frown crossed me, "Are you suggesting I'm not what the Goddess wants?"
He reached out and ruffled my hair, "Vita, you were popped the way you are. You are exactly what the Goddess fancies." He planted a soft kiss on my forehead, "Which takes dealie to the table," he reached behind his neck and unclasped something. A necklace. Not just any necklace. The necklace. The deserves-its-own-sentence necklace. The necklace, which had been passed down the Wiccan line of the Hawthorne family for generations.
Father reached around my neck and latched it. "It's done cleansed. Be sure to grok, someday, after you go preggers and have buggers, you'll give this to the little godfors." He grinned at my glower. "The ribbon holds magickal spirit of your grands and greats all back to the Middle Ages. It'll be a hired hand for you down the Wiccan Path."
I examined the pendant that lain around my neck closely for the first time. It was most certainly old, but properly taken care of. The chain was thin and silver, as was the pendant. The pendant itself took the shape of a pentagram, plain as that, but all the more special. And gorgeous it was. I felt the silvers' magickal properties taking its effect.
Silver draws the light of the Moon into its wearer, a psychic metal. It assists to enhance intuitive perception and psychic power all together. It's protective and calming; its action changes the person from within.
"It's not a gift, it's a loan. And you have to pass it on, Lilith," he finalized.
I grinned at my father and leapt into his arms, "Thank you," I squeezed him tighter.
"Go easy on the old man. He's too weak now to take your fat lard," Mum joked with a emotionless tone.
"I'm not fat…" I muttered.
"But I am too weak and crock. Go simple on the codger," he gasped, and I released my grip, beaming at him.
"Sunrise will be soon…" Mum set down the Odyssey, "You best be getting to work, Michael."
"Yes, go to work, Jasper," I teased him.
"Don't call me by that name like that," Father lectured.
"You called me by mine," I was referring to my Wiccan name, Lilith.
He stuck his tongue out at me, and I retorted with the same attack.
"Quit acting like children," Mum snapped, "Life, get to bed. You have a long night ahead of you. Michael, get to work. You have a long day ahead of you." She was so bossy.
Father looked at me with one last smile, "I will miss you," he kissed my cheek and held me close, his lips next to my ear, "Rowan…" he whispered.
I turned to Mum after he left. She wore an expression of deep concern, "Are you sure you're ready to leave?"
"Mum…"
"Because you could always stay for another year," then muttered, "or fifty—"
"Mum. I'm leaving. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to live with my parents for all eternity. That's that." I hugged my mother tightly, "But I am going to miss you."
"Et vous," she replied, "Now, get into bed. Le lever de soleil est près."
I closed the curtains and crawled into bed.
ooo
'BANG!'
The sound that filled my head awoke me with a start, along with my mother. The sun had already set. We sprung out of our beds and opened the door that lead to the streets. What we saw there put us in a state of shock.
There, at the foot of the steps… my father… blood… everywhere…
My eyes had never felt like they were going to fall out of my sockets before. I didn't move an inch. This isn't real, I thought, Oh, Goddess, tell me this isn't real!
Mum was first to recover from her shock, "Michael!" she shoved past me to her lover as if I wasn't there. But I wasn't… right then, I wasn't there. I was anywhere but there right then.
Her shove knocked me off balance, making me spin to the corner of the block. Then I saw him. That foreigner. That oily black hair and frayed black clothing. He was just standing there, with an old revolver in his right hand, rested at his waistline. He did this…
He caught my eyes on him and fled around the corner and gone from existence. I should have gone after him… I should have hunted him down and put him the most excruciating pain that a mortal could suffer from for the longest time. But I didn't.
Instead, I ebbed to my parents' sides. A sickening, bloody hole was where his heart was; it was easy to tell with that red-stained shirt he wore.
"Dad?" my voice was slightly raspy. My eyes burned a dry burn.
His old eyes; those eyes that usually held a bold green and rich brown, were dulling and faded, "Life…"
"Michael," Mum choked, stroking his cheek.
His eyes slowly turned to her, "Ally… m—" his voice was intercepted with revolting coughs, followed by blood that choked past his tongue. His eyes went glazed… and he was gone.
I just knelt there, doing nothing but stare at my dead father, then to my mother.
Tears? Was that what was flowing down my mothers' cheeks mingled with loud sobs? Real tears? It seemed hard for her, almost painful. Maybe they were, I didn't know. But there was a pain in my own heart. And whatever amount of pain I had, I was sure she felt much more. I was just his daughter, and she held a bond with him that I neither had nor wanted.
I can't leave her… was what I thought, Not like this. Not now. Not after— there was no need to finish that thought. I just held my mother close to me.
"I promise, I'll never leave you…"
I couldn't breathe. It felt like my own life was being cut short of me…
ooo
My eyes shot open to see blurs. I was underwater. Splash! I wretched myself out from beneath the lavender scented water, gasping for breath. The water had gotten cold, and the lavender was very faint. I blew my nose and a bit of clear liquid shot out from my nostrils. Goosebumps covered my pale skin and my heart was beating unusually strong. Loud pounding came from the door.
"Life? Life? Are you okay?" it was the lishka, Kurama.
"I'm fine," I hollered back, "I fell asleep."
There was a moment of silence, "Are you sure?"
"I said I was FINE! Get OUT of my room!" I was shaking uncontrollably. After hearing a door close, I assumed the vulpes left.
I stood in the chilly water and yanked the chain of the tub, watching the fluid run down the drain. I wrapped a towel around myself and stepped out of the tub and in front of the full-length mirror. There was only a towel, water droplets, and the similar necklace that shown in the reflecting glass. I stared at the pentagram in the mirror, memories playing in my head. It had me spooked.
A dream… A real dream…no. It was a memory… how? Why? Those thoughts jumped around in that skull of mine like a retard on a bouncy ball (DTO). It pissed me off. I finally turned away to dress into my pajamas and left the lavatory without bothering to brush my lavender hair.
I glanced at the bed, to consider crawling into, but quickly rejected the idea. I didn't want to have another dream if I could. Out of need for moving, I left for the living room. When I made it there, the boys were all lounged around their special seats. The sun had long since set.
"'Bout time you got up!" Urameshi whined at me, "We skipped training over an hour ago! What were you doing in there?"
I replied with a "Hn" in a tone that was clearly saying I didn't want to talk about it.
Yusuke apparently wasn't capable of detecting those tones, "Well?" he wasn't yelling anymore, but it was an accusatory tone. That tone would have been one pissed tone if he used it after I shoved him against the wall, my hand squeezing his throat.
"Don't mess with me right now, Detective," my words slipped through gritted teeth and exposed fangs, "I am not in the mood."
I released him with a shove and turned to sit on the couch, next to Kuwabara. Kuwabara, being smarter than Urameshi, didn't say anything, but scooted over to give me more space. He knew I needed it. I was shaking really bad, due to the shock of the dream and the anger at everything else. This was one hell of an emotional roller coaster. Everyone's eyes were on me, with the exception of the oaf, who was finding the coffee table to be much more appealing. Were they trying to piss me off?
A hand reached out for my shoulder, "Life—"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" I smacked away the kitsunes' apologetic hand, "QUIT PITYING ME! You don't know what you're talking about!" My muscles starting contracting nonstop; I pulled my legs toward me and hugged them, burying my face in my knees.
"She's making no sense," Yusuke said distantly.
I stood with a start, straightened out. Rambling took over, "I can't hold still. I need to move. I need to breathe. I need space. Space. I said space. That's what I need, is space. WHY IS EVERYONE CROWDING IN ON ME!"
The boys could only stare at me like I was completely insane. I frantically started scratching my wrist with my long nails, hard. I needed something else. I took off into the kitchen, not caring to notice the Reikai Tantei follow me. I wretched open a drawer and pulled out a sharp knife. I began running it over my wrist, over and over again.
The boys entered several slashes later.
"LIFE!" Yusuke yelled. I paid no heed to him and kept slicing frenetically.
Hiei lunged at me and wrenched the knife from my hand and gripped above the gashes of my wounded wrist with the other. The knife hit the floor with a clatter. Everything was still as the dripping blood ceased and the gashes healed. Hiei gripped me from behind into a bear hug and carried my kicking, screaming form into the living room and dropped me on the couch.
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!" but I didn't look at the Makai demon. My eyes were focused on the wrist on my lap. The now old blood stained my pants, creating an ugly red tint to the black fabric. It stuck to my skin beneath the cloth. My whole world revolved around that blood and healed wrist.
A new hand gripped my chin and directed my face to black beady eyes, "Hey, what's up?" The oaf? His tone was calm, and would usually have ticked me off even more, but for once, that mortals' voice didn't sound like a dying cat. And for once, he wasn't behaving like a fool. I didn't really know, but I believed I grew some respect for the simple mortal right then. And he deserved my answer.
"I had a dream," was all I said. I rose from the couch and silently passed the confused boys. I didn't even bother to hear the conversation amongst the boys after I left.
ooo
"What could have gotten into her?" Kurama asked what was on everyone's mind. The boys were back in their special seats.
"Something is definitely on her mind, that's for sure," Urameshi added.
"It's quite simple," Hiei spoke, his eyes tuned on the window. The others look at him, "She had a dream."
"So?"
"Beasts of her types don't have dreams. There is something in their subconscious that keeps them from producing them. Without dreams, memories can't come back to haunt them. And consider how many ningens she has slain. Many were innocent victims of her hunger, I wouldn't doubt. She killed them for her own personal gain without a second thought. Dreams can create second thoughts, and bring back horrifying memories."
"Yeah, but you killed hundreds of people without a second thought. You have dreams, too. But you're not crazy…"
"At least not clinically," Kuwabara muttered.
"Hiei killed because he wanted to," Kurama spoke up, "He had a choice and he enjoyed it. He also had had dreams all his life, so it wouldn't be a large impact on him."
Hiei grinned at his recognition, "But not all vampires kill purely out of want. Some kill just out of the need to survive," Hiei continued, "Life is neither of those. It all began out of a need, and she grew accustomed to it. So, she doesn't kill for the thrill for the most part, but feels nothing when she does."
"It's like one of us eating an onigiri," Kurama put into a perspective that they would easily comprehend.
The mortals nodded in understanding.
"The thing is," Hiei said, catching the others' attentions once again, "That dream brought back something that she didn't need to remember. Guilt is now beginning to overcome her. And if she doesn't do something to get herself over it, it'll literally drive her insane."
ooo
I paced back and forth in my room. Maybe if I kept pacing, I would learn what room was beneath my own. But I wasn't sure I wanted to know, so I stopped. I stripped down and tossed my pajamas into the hamper and pulled my hunting suit out of the bureau. My real hunting outfit. A little something I bought at the store portion of the Black Iris in Amsterdam for the soul purpose of fulfilling my needs. It cost a pretty euro, too.
Skintight black leather pants that flared out at the bottom a few inches below the knees, and they didn't even need to be held up by a black leather belt with an iron pentagram buckle. A deep blood red long and very wide sleeved peasant shirt of very thin material, nearly see-through, that hung off my shoulders with ease. Over the peasant shirt was a very tight black leather corset with a deep, blood red lace up the back and front, which also had deep crimson crushed velvet with a faint black stitching of a blooming iris that still remained visible beneath the ribbon; and between my greatly pressed up breasts, an iron pentagram.
I went into the bathroom and applied the powder on my face, neck, shoulders, and chest, and put on a light layer of black lipstick, which I then followed up with deep red lip gloss, creating an almost pout look. Gray eye shadow was applied thick near the lashes, and lighter till it reached my eyebrows. I dabbed on a bit more light green liquid eye shadow on my eyelids before tinting it more with gray. Black eyeliner was put on my bottom eyelids and liquid eyeliner was lightly used on the top edges to create a cat eye look. I finished up my makeup with some black mascara and began to color my long nails with a black Sharpee before applying a layer of clear nail hardener to make it look like real black nail polish.
Despite all the leather and my new 10-inch tummy, it was actually pretty easy for me to move around and breathe, for I didn't need as much air as mortals did and I was just good at wearing tight clothes. I slipped on a pair of black pointed toe stiletto heeled boots that went to right below my knees, though that couldn't be seen beneath the pants. From what I could see in the mirror, I was fucking sexy. Very seductive looking. That was precisely my aim.
I slung on my trench coat and left my room. I continued to walk by Mum's ajar door, when her voice stopped me.
"You're going to sneak a bite out to eat?" Yes. She knew and had no objections of my 'hunting outfit'. After all, she was there when I bought it, and I think she actually had an outfit made for the same purpose. I believed she actually bought hers at the Black Iris in Moscow, though.
I stepped back in view through the doorframe and nodded.
"Bring something home for me," she somewhat demanded.
I walked on through the living room and made my way to open the door outside, until the mortals saw me.
"Damn," I caught Urameshi and Kuwabara looking me over.
"May I ask the-uh… occasion?" Kurama searched for polite words.
"I'm going out," I turned back to the door, but a hand grabbed my wrist.
"You can't," Yusuke said, "You're not allowed to go out alone."
"I don't need to be babysat. I am far older than you are," I wrenched my hand from him and went to open the door, only to have Urameshi stand in front of it.
"But I do have higher authority," he spoke in a leadership tone.
Is he crazy? I could take him down in not even a minute! But I wasn't in the mood to fight. "Then you may all come with me," I invited, "But we leave now."
I shoved Urameshi out of my path and left the palace, to feel the presence of four mortal males tailing along.
"Where are we going?" Kuwabara asked.
"A night club."
"SWEET!" Yusuke and Kuwabara high-fived.
"I need a portal."
"Uh, where to?"
"Slovakia."
"Slovakia?" Kurama questioned.
"Hn. You'll need to go to Koenma to make a portal there," Hiei spoke.
"Don't you ever go to Slovakia?" I asked sarcastically.
"Not often," the vulpes replied.
"Let me take care of this," Yusuke said, pulling out a compact from his back pocket. He opened it to reveal a flickering screen until an image of Koenma showed up.
"Yusuke! What is it?"
"We need a portal."
"Where?"
Yusuke must have caught a cold, because he coughed the word 'Slovakia' making it barely audible.
"Excuse me?"
"Slovakia…" he muttered.
Koenma stared at him suspiciously, "Why?"
"I have very important business to attend to," I stepped in the compacts' range.
"Life? Are you there?"
The boys stared at the compact questioningly until I mouthed, "No reflection," which they all quickly caught onto.
"Yes, I'm here," I replied, "The entire Reikai Tantei are accompanying me to make sure I don't wreak havoc, so there should be nothing to be concerned about."
There was silence, "…Alright," Koenma admitted defeat, and the screen flickered off.
A portal ebbed in front of us all, which we all walked through to reach a filthy, smelly alleyway.
"Eww… This place is dirtier than under my bed," Kuwabara whined.
"Lovely," I remarked and walked forward.
"Why are we here? It's gross!" he continued to complain.
"Because of the night clubs, the drinking age, and the exchange rate" I snapped, "You gotta love the exchange rate," I uttered to myself. I turned back to three of the four boys who were still next to the portal. Hiei, on the other hand, paid no heed to the grotesqueness of the city. "Aren't you coming, mortals?"
They hurriedly caught up to the two of us, "Where in Slovakia are we?" Urameshi asked.
I smirked, "Bratislava."
ooo
It was after about a half hour of walking through the dirty streets that we made it to the riverside of the castle hill.
"Are we there yet?" Kuwabara complained.
"It would have been much faster if you all hadn't followed me," I replied, "I could have flown there in less than ten minutes."
The sounds of a muffled bass came to all of our ears. "We're here."
It was an entrance to a former nuclear fall-out shelter, and above the entrance a flickering neon sign blinked 'U-Club'.
"This is it?" Yusuke clarified.
"It's a dump!" Kuwabara cried.
"Trust me," I said monotonously, "It is no dump." I stepped up to the entrance, which was guarded by a very large, beefy male.
He was clad in worn and bleach spotted jeans, and a black vest with some patches. His hair was shaved off and he adorned a dark brown goatee. His arms, chest, and neck were covered in various tattoos. He wore a golden band ring with a black foxglove on his right ring finger.
He stared me down and growled, a slight number of his sharpened fangs glistened in the neon light. I snarled back, exposing back my pair of fangs. "Kakšen je vaš stavek početje ki dela zakaj a smrtno nevaren tref?"
He didn't answer, only snarled, "Všeč biti jaz sem grozivec pri vas v a večer tako le," I spoke dully. I motioned for the boys to go in and they complied. I gave a final glare to the male, "Why not go piss on a fire hydrant somewhere?" I muttered in English. I chuckled softly at his look of confusion and followed the boys in before he realized I insulted him.
Don't get me wrong, I have no racial feelings toward werewolves, but it always drove me nuts when it came to how territorial they were. And tonight was a night when I was easily pissed.
It was much easier than I thought to find the boys in the crowded club. They were shocked stiff within the entrance. It was somewhat like Every Mans' Fantasy. Techno/rave music blared to make the whole shelter shake; strobe lights were flashing everywhere in the otherwise dark club; cages were hung from the ceiling with small stair steps to each of them for women in nearly no clothing to dance provocatively in. There were DJ's, people dancing and grinding, and others banging on paint drums. Tables were set up around a corner near the bar, which was lit by black lights from the glowing glass counter. It wasn't a shock that a good number of the mortals there were Cyber Goths.
I took a glance at the boys and needless to say, it was easy to tell they believed that they died and went to hell… and it was good. Really good… Even Kurama had a gold flash in his eyes.
"Well, you all do what you want. As for me," I ran my fingers through my hair and brushed off invisible dust, "I have work to do…"
I went up to the glowing bar and leaned against the counter, watching the dancing while playing the sexy I'm bored… Entertain me role.
The boys went off together their own way, but Hiei stayed behind. He looked at me skeptically and confronted me.
"What are you doing, onna?" he asked in an exasperated tone.
I didn't even pay him a glance, "Try taking a seat in that second stool to my left and find out," I barely moved my lips.
The Makai demon glowered at me, "Hn," and he surprisingly obeyed and took that stool, still keeping his on me.
The other boys had run off to hell knows where, but I didn't care. It was no more than two minutes later when a fairly attractive mortal staggered his drunken ass up to me with a beer bottle in hand.
"Hey, Sweet Cheeks. Want something to drink?" he spoke, surprisingly in English.
Uck! Sweet Cheeks? Gag me! I seductively grinned at him, "Maybe. Make me thirsty," I kept the Entertain Me role in my voice.
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me out to the dance floor. Instantaneously we began to grind. I twisted around in his touchy-feely hands and back up into him close as I kept up with the little routine. He took swigs of his beer as his opposite hand started to rub my thigh, and gradually moved up to my hip, my stomach, and just when he was about to go to my breasts, I playfully grabbed his hand and forced it to backtrack.
Sure, with this leather pretty much serving as armor; I still would rather have his hands around my ass and thighs than my breasts.
I felt his beer-wetted lips graze along my collar, and frankly, it felt kind of gross. But I was in it now. I turned to the mortal and we immediately go into full-blown, full tongue, kissing. His drunken passion mingled with my fake.
Whereas on the sidelines, Hiei still watched me with mixed feelings of disgust and others. He wanted to get himself a drink right then, but his only money was yen and it was all left back at the palace anyways. So he reached over to the men next to his and stole their shots of glowing green liquid and swallowed the three of them like water. If I had been watching then, I would have noted how impressive that was.
Back to my make out session, yes… it was still going on. That was, until I felt the grip around my ass loosen. At which I reached into his back pocket and pulled out car keys and a wallet. With that I broke the kiss with the dead man and licked the last bit of his dripped blood from the corner of his mouth and walked back and took a seat at the barstool next to Hiei as the corpse fell to the floor. Maybe it was because everyone thought he just passed out that no one came to his aid.
I set the keys and wallet on the counter between us. "And that's one out my many ways to get an easy meal."
We both turned in our stools toward the bar itself. "Setting the whorish acts aside," Hiei said, earning himself a glare from yours truly, "I can turn you in to Koenma if I want, you know."
"But you won't," I replied, looking through the contents of the wallet.
"Is that so…"
"A total of a hundred pounds, a Master Card, a phone card, an ID, and gorgeous little passport," I ignored him and took out a one-pound note and handed it to the bartender. "Full green demon and five shots," I ordered, handing the man the note, "And keep the change."
He gasped, "A pound note!" he exclaimed in a Slovenian accented English, "I shall start my own club!" the two of us watched him hastily pass out the bottle and five glasses before leaping over the counter and sprint away with a bounce in his steps.
Without another word, I pocketed the wallet and keys, and carried the shot glasses in a stack and the bottle in the other hand and followed the Makai demon to a round steel table, where the other boys were spotted.
I set down the drink and glasses on the table in front of the boys, "What does that say?" Kuwabara asked, looking at the letters on the bottle.
I merely smirked.
"Absinthe," Kurama breathed, "That drink is illegal. It's said to drive people mad."
"It is illegal just about everywhere, but most certainly not here," I corrected, "And only the heavy drinkers with weak tolerance go mad, so I'm sure there's nothing to fit about."
"What's absinthe?" Urameshi asked.
"It was in Moulin Rouge! We watched it, like, two nights ago!" Kuwabara bellowed.
"Like I was paying attention!"
"Absinthe is a very strong green liquor made with the extract of wormwood," Kurama explained and Yusuke gagged, "Not that kind of wormwood, Yusuke. It used to be believed that it stimulated the creativity, which is why it was famous with artists. Though it is a very harmful and dangerous drink that is said with someone with an addiction to it can pass on absinthism to his or her children."
"And what is absinthism?" Yusuke asked him with a tone saying he should know that he didn't know what he was talking about.
"It's a disease that causes constant hyper excitability and hallucinations, which would eventually have them locked up for their own safety. Absinthe is often called the Green Demon or the Green Faerie, and I guess one reason is that is what many people see when they are under the influence."
"Congratulations, Detective," I remarked, "Your IQ just bumped up a point, finally getting you out of the double digits."
"Hey!" the table was filled with smirks and laughter and biting thumbs.
After settling down, I lined up the glasses in a straight row and poured the glowing green liquid into all the glasses with setting the bottle back upright until each glass filled to the rim.
"Is that stuff radio-active or something?" Urameshi exclaimed, pointing to the shots.
"Or something," I muttered, "Drink up, boys," I said on a somewhat lighter note.
All the boys, with the exception of Kurama grab a glass.
"To whatever the hell we're here for!" Kuwabara cried.
Kuwabara and Urameshi immediately swallow the entire glass at once, followed right up with a lot of coughing and hacking.
"Idiots," Hiei uttered before downing his own shot without being fazed.
"You know the trick, Makai boy?" I questioned with a sneer.
"Hn," was his response as I grabbed my own shot. I also reached out for the second, only to have a forceful hand block my path and snatch the glass itself. I would have to say, I was impressed by Hiei's ability to consume the stuff. Not even I could drink it on its own. I turned to walk away.
"Where you going?" Urameshi finally got over coughing and was pouring himself another shot.
"Lavatory," I replied flatly and got lost in the crowds.
With the shot in hand, I easily found a new victim. Granted, it was a female, but she looked pretty out of it already so I could probably get a better kick. Plus, I smelled the scents of foreign women all over her, so I could definitely have a piece.
"Hey," I spoke in English. She gave me a confused look, followed by a look over. Seeing as she stuck around, she was interested, but she apparently didn't understand me.
"Bonjour," I tried French to no avail. She didn't look Slovakian or Czech…
"Hei," I finally got a response with Norwegian. Third time's a charm… but still… Norwegian? Go figure.
She looked at me almost anxiously, "De taler Norsk?"
I gave a cocky smirk, "Hva kan jeg sier? Jeg har mange ferdigheter." I casually held out the glass, offering it to her without saying I was offering it to her.
She almost stumbled forward and snatched the shot, downing it very much as Hiei did, "Jeg er Freya," she introduced.
"Dødelig kaller meg Life," I responded, "Men det er ikke hvorfor jeg er her."
"Å?" she edged in closer. Her hips seemed to be further ahead than the rest of her, as if trying to tempt me to touch her anywhere.
"Min Freya… Jeg er her for De... og bare De," I leaned in closer as well. I could smell all the liquor on her with ease.
Freya bit her lip seductively and looked at me with pout eyes, "La oss trå ute," she grabbed my wrist and guided me out a back door of the club… coincidently passing the boys at their table.
"Hey, Kuwabara. Was that Life that just past by with some really hot chick?" Yusuke asked almost dazed.
"I think I did…" Kuwabara replied in the same tone, "But I think this absinthe stuff is kinda making me dizzy. What do you think, Joey?" he asked the fat, glowing faerie man sitting next to him.
"Hell, I think so… But what the fuck do I know! I don't even know who it is you're talking about!" Joey broke up into hysteric fits of laughter, followed up by the two drunken mortals.
Hiei, however… who had had several shots with only a bit of a buzz, knew full and well that it really was Life who passed by with some ningen. Of course, Kurama didn't see because his back was facing the trail. Therefore, Hiei was the only one fully sure of it.
He figured he knew what I was going to do… feed. But he was still a male… and males are still curious as to what two females do in the back outside of a nightclub at… well… night.
At that decision, he stood and left to follow the woman and myself.
ooo
Freya opened a thick steel door in the far back shadows of the club to reveal a fairly short hallway leading to a second, nearly identical door. She opened the second door, which beheld the outdoors. The opposite side of the castle hill.
The Norwegian wasted no time into shoving me hungrily against the brick wall near the door and shoved her lips upon mine. No, I wasn't a whore, and I wasn't bisexual either. I seriously didn't know the full reason why I kissed her back. I just hadn't been myself.
Unknown to the two of us, the door they came out of creaked open ever so slightly. Garnet eyes caught sight of the show and quickly turned away. He should have felt ashamed of himself. Embarrassed. Mortified even, if he was a decent human being. But Hiei wasn't a human being, therefore to his knowledge; he could watch all he wished. And so he turned back to the show.
In no time at all I felt Freya's tongue force past my lips. For some odd reason I complied, feeling my arms around her sides and vice versa. However, this was definitely not the reason I came out here. I had a mission.
With that, I broke with her lips and began to graze the side of her throat, which she offered willingly. It was at that moment I seized the opportunity. My fangs bore into her skin and tapped into her veins; my lips drawing in the alcohol poisoned blood that seeped. It wasn't until after I switched positions against the wall with her and tugged on her neck roughly that she started screaming. I hastily cupped a hand over her mouth, not even daring to remove my feeding utensils.
After a while, I released my grip of her and let her body collapse. I had a habit of doing that. That mortal could really hold her liquor well… I was at a severe buzzed, halfway drunk point. I staggered to my knees and checked over her belongings for anything of interest. There were no pockets in any bit of short black vinyl skirt and something that looked like a hot pink bathing suit top. I did look at that top. Sure, it was revealing, but slip the trench over that thing and wear some black pants and I would look great. I untied the top and stuffed it my pocket, revealing that she actually stuffed that money of hers in her top. I took that, too.
Not finding anything else of interest except the goggles that hung around her neck, which I also took; I picked up the corpse and hauled it across the street to the cliff side that was next to the Danube River. Collecting my strength, I literally hurled the body out about fifteen to twenty feet before it plummeted.
I opened the door to inside and found my way back to the boys, who were all seated in the same seats as when I left.
Kuwabara's eyes lit up suddenly, "Hey, Sweetie! When'd you get here?" he ogled Kurama.
It wasn't too surprising… Kurama would look like a pretty damn good-looking woman from a drunks' POV.
"Kuwab—" Kurama started nervously, but Kuwabara grabbed his wrist and began to drag him out to the floor.
"Dance with me, baby!"
"Aw, Man!" Urameshi whined, "And Kuwabara's the one who hooks up!"
I almost had to force myself not to laugh.
It was not even a minute later when Yusuke stood you and began to drag me along, "We're going dancing. Take care of our seats, Joey!"
Joey? But then I glanced back and saw a small, fat, green faerie using someone's old shot as a stool and chugging on some green liquor. So that's Joey…
I snatched a random persons' wrist and took a quick five second snack as Yusuke dragged me to the floor and somehow, no one noticed even though I wasn't being the least bit discreet. Yusuke spun me toward him and held me close as we grinded, the both of us having a good time with our drunkenness. A part of me wished to tug him in and 'kiss' him to death, but even in my state I didn't bring myself to it. I knew and felt drunk, as already elucidated, but perhaps my last snack was high, because I had this burst of energy all of a sudden.
I twisted around to the table, "Makai Boy!" I hollered over the crowd, "Come here!"
"Are you fucking crazy?" Hiei snapped in my mind.
I said nothing, but smirked and motioned him to come. He, being stubborn, didn't budge. Well, I didn't really want to drag him out there so, for once actually relying on my special gift that all vampires have, I focused my full attention on him.
Come here…I felt a bead of sweat on my forehead. Hypnotism really wasn't one of my skills. Mum tried to teach me for she was exceptionally talented in the art, but I never could get the hang of it. I couldn't even communicate with my thoughts without a spell.
COME here…Finally, to my amazement, he rose from the chair and walked up to me.
I huffed, "I knew I could pull you in."
"Don't take pride in yourself, your attempts were just annoying me," Hiei replied with crossed arms.
"Liar," I retorted.
"Sweet Cheeks," he countered with a cocky grin.
I glared at him, "Don't call me that."
He pulled me away from Yusuke and wrenched me up a short staircase… leading me to one of the hanging cages. He hauled me in along with him and someone closed the door and pushed away the steps, a small number of catcalls from those who were actually paying attention. Hiei shoved me against the side of the cage, that stupid grin still plain on his visage.
"…Sweet Cheeks," apparently he didn't know about the lack of steps out of the pen, because he turned as if to get out only to find out he couldn't. "Shit," I heard him mutter to himself with my sensitive ears.
The same people who made catcalls started hooting. "Those mortals want us to entertain them," I murmured, pushing myself away from the bars and closer to Hiei, "Dance."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"If you want out, you will."
"Knock it open with your magic tricks, onna."
"My spells make energy colorful. And I don't have the mental power to erase one mortals' memory, let alone a couple hundred."
There was silence within my head, "…I… can't dance."
"You know how to have sex?" Hiei's head shot up to mine, "Just like that, Makai Boy."
I moved almost as close to him as possible and grinded him. He stood still for a moment before actually trying to move, which just consisted of moving his feet a bit. "Stop that," I whispered.
"What?"
"You're stomping."
"I'm not stomping."
"You're not supposed to pick up your feet at all. Move: Yes. Pick up: No. Do you kick your feet around while having sex?"
His hand moved toward my face, gripped a strip of hair and yanked on it painfully, "You're not exactly telling me what to do!"
I truly growled, "Fine," I turned around and backed up into him, "Place your hands on my hips and pull me close."
He obeyed, "Feel my spine moving?" I asked as I moved, "Follow its lead."
"What?"
"Force your spine to move the same way."
After about a minute of him moving, I reached a hand far back behind the both of us to find his lower back; feeling his spine move, "Perfect."
"Are you meaning what I think you're meaning, onna?" he asked aggravated.
"If you're thinking that I mean that you got it right, then yes."
"Hn," despite his whatever tone and expression, even I could tell he at least somewhat proud of himself.
We continued dancing in the cage, with only an occasional word of advice to him. It felt like it had been two hours at least when one of the many songs we danced to, 'Paint it Black' by VNV Nation, finally ended and the people finally put the steps back in place and opened the door to let us out.
I looked back at Hiei and smirked, "Good job, Makai Boy," I whispered.
We hopped down the steps, covered in sweat and panting ever so slightly… to see Kurama waiting expectantly at the foot of the steps.
"I convinced them to let you out," he said, nudging toward a few Cyber Goth mortals.
"And thank you for waiting an hour to do so," Hiei spoke grimly.
"I only noticed you two in there fifteen minutes ago," he said, "And… well… I didn't exactly convince them with nothing," he looked to me with a look. Was it… apologetically?
"What did you do," I demanded.
"Nothing! Nothing!" he waved his hands in front of his face nervously, "But, see I didn't have any money to bribe them, so I…"
"What?"
"Yousortofoweeachofthematensecondkiss," he spoke rapid fast.
Unfortunately for him, I caught every word, "You did WHAT!" Now, it's not often that I have an outburst like that, but it ended quickly.
He sighed, "They think you're hot," he sweat dropped, glancing back at the mortals.
I shook my head, "You're an evil fox…" I started to walk past him to the CG's, "EVIL!" I shouted in his ear unrepentantly, making him slightly jump.
I approached the CG's. I had to admit, they weren't bad looking, but I had been sold to do this. Damn Kurama. I actually thought he was decent. Without stalling with words, I quickly did the deed and walked back to the Makai demons who were chatting about hell knows what.
"I hate you," I would say no words could describe it, but they could. So I spoke in English anyway to make anyone else, a.k.a. Hiei, think I was saying something much worse.
Kurama turned to me, "But I really am sorry," his emerald eyes glittered almost sadly.
"Whatever…"
"I think we've all endured enough," he spoke, "Kuwabara passed out nearly an hour ago and Yusuke's getting a little out of hand with those painted drums," he pointed out a boy in jeans and a tee shirt and black, messy, neon paint splattered hair beating the drums to death with a pair of glowing sticks.
"You go get Yusuke, Life. Hiei and I will get Kuwabara and wait for you outside." They left toward the bar.
I grabbed my trench and slid it on, feeling a couple bulges in the pockets. I glanced back at one of the boys I sealed the deal with earlier. That was when I remembered what Mum asked of me.
I ebbed over to Yusuke, told him to tell the others to go ahead and I would be right out, and ushered him out.
I went up to the three CG's and grabbed one at random and pulled him to the side. He was wearing a vinyl black vest with two neon green stripes and black baggy pants with neon green and blue stripes that went down the legs. He wore black eyeliner and nearly three-dozen visible piercings; his hair was dyed blue and green and formed into a really tall Mohawk. He actually was very hot.
"You want to come to my place?" I asked. I received a hasty nod in return and I pulled him out of the club.
We past the werewolf guard and I winked at his glare and continued walking to a spot with a dozen parked cars. I pulled out the keys and pushed the unlock button, making the lights of a 2004 SUV blink. We hopped in the car and I drove off. I grinned as the SUV passed a group of four walking boys and drove on.
"Close your eyes," I said sweetly as we neared the alley.
"Why?"
"It's a surprise," the moment his eyes shut I turned into the alley, grinning at the fact that the SUV could get through the portal and to the path leading to Koenma's Palace.
I stopped outside the palace and took the keys out of the car, got out, and opened the passenger door, "No peeking." I guided him inside with my hands covering his eyes and lead him down the halls.
"Where are we going?" he asked almost stupidly.
"I'm taking you to meet my sister," I lied through my fangs. "She's very friendly."
I could hear his heart leap, even from behind, as I knocked on the door to Mum's room.
The door creaked open slightly for an eye to peek through, then fully opened to see Mum's eager face.
I felt a slight pricking in my head, but I paid no heed to it. I knew Mum was only checking to see if I told any sort of story to the mortal to get him here. "Why, hello! My name is Alex. I'm Life's sister," I removed my hands for the mortal to see one of the most gorgeous women he has ever seen.
"You two play nicely," I yawned, "I have had the most fun dancing. I shall retire," I turned toward my rooms' door, "I hope to see you later, Freaky Boy," it wasn't an insult. I gave a hidden wink to my mother and left to my room as Mum dragged the Cyber Goth into hers.
ooo
An impatient knock pattered on my door.
"What?" I hollered, annoyed already that untying my corset was proving to be a great challenge, and the searing headache I had wasn't making any sounds better. The door opened to have the vulpes enter with fluidity. "State your business, Wa Ko," I groaned.
"Nothing much," Kurama replied innocently, "Just came to ask why there's a charcoal colored SUV parked outside the palace."
I continued to try to untie the ribbon in the back, not even able to reach it for some reason, "No one—grah—moved it, did they?" I asked, irritated that I could grab the tie.
"No. But some of the ogres are having a photo shoot with it."
My eyes darted out the window, attempting to catch a glimpse of the car. And indeed, there they were; a green ogre lying on the hood with his head propped on his hand; another ogre was randomly flashing a camera as several others either ogled over how beautiful he looked, or helped produce a small breeze for the models' hair to blow, "Damnit, if they scratch that thing, I'm out of at least forty thousand dollars."
"What are you planning on doing with it?" Kurama asked, curious.
"What I do with nearly everything I filch," I reached beneath the bed and pulled out something flat, black, and rectangular. With a push on the sides, I opened it to reveal a laptop; "I sell it on E Bay."
"You sell things on E Bay?" he inquired in disbelief.
I didn't respond, but logged on E Bay and checked the current bids on the brown jacket I took from the mortal in the school playground. The highest bid was 147. Not too shabby.
"How much money do you have?" he asked.
"A lot."
"Any numbers you could give me?" I looked at him almost pleading face.
"A lot," I repeated, purposely not telling him that over the years I had become just off a millionaire. I wasn't really the bragging type when it came to money, and I made it easy to spend the money by leaving huge tips. I still don't know what to do with everything. I only bought what I really needed and stole everything else. Sure, I had a shit load of money, but why use it when it's so much easier to just carry a wallet rather than several suitcases.
"Tell the infant that there is no need to worry about the vehicle as soon as I put it on the Internet."
"How long will that be?"
"A week after I post it."
"Alright," he headed for the door as I closed the laptop and pushed it beneath the bed, massaging my pounding temples.
"One more question."
"What!" I winced as a shot passed through my skull.
He hesitated for a moment, "How did the two of you get in the cage?"
I rolled me eyes, "Go to bed, Wa Ko."
He shrugged and left.
I have translations of what Life said to the man outside the club. Translating English to Slovenian was hard, and I couldn't be very picky with the translators I had, so that's why I have this here.
"Kakšen je vaš stavek početje ki dela zakaj a smrtno nevaren tref?" - "What's your type doing working for a mortal club?"
"Všeč biti jaz sem grozivec pri vas v a večer tako le." – "Like I'm threatened by you on a night like this."
Now, the Norwegian translations:
"De taler Norsk?" – "You speak Norwegian?"
"Hva kan jeg sier? Jeg har mange ferdigheter." – "What can I say? I have many skills."
"Jeg er Freya," – "I am Freya,"
"Dødelig kaller meg Life," "Men det er ikke hvorfor jeg er her." – "Mortals call me Life," "But that's not why I'm here."
"Å?" – "Oh?"
"Min Freya.. Jeg er her for De... og bare De," – "My Freya... I am here for you... and only you,"
"La oss trå ute," – "Let's step outside,"
Now, I'll only put translations if I find them meaningful enough… I figured that I should translations in these because it gives me a reason to tell you THIS bit of news.
I also have to say; a UK pound note is not enough to buy a building in Slovakia… ₤1 is only 55.6 Slovakia Koruny. I just thought it sounded better… and plus I own Eurotrip, so it had to be done.