Deirdre awoke screaming and crying, her bed covers flung to the marble floor and her pillows across the room in random directions. She sat up quickly, trying to control her breathing, tucking her dark hair behind her ears. She heard a voice and looked up at the door across the room as it opened.
"Deirdre! Are you alright?" The boy across the room ran to the side of Deirdre's bed, looking at her worriedly and pressing a hand to her forehead. He was- obviously- her brother, since they were identical except for their eyes. Deirdre had green eyes, and the boy had blue.
"Devin..." Deirdre mumbled. "D-Don't worry... It was a nightmare."
"What did you dream?" Devin asked, getting up on the bed and hugging his sister.
Deirdre squeezed her eyes shut. "Vered... He wants me, just like he wanted Eri. We can't keep doing this for him. We can't keep spying. We'll get in trouble."
He sighed. "It'll all be over soon, I promise! Just a few more weeks. I'm so close to finding the research... Honest! Can't you hold out for a little longer?"
Deirdre looked up at her brother. "You can't keep this up. It has to end. Vered... he's watching me all the time now. The next time he finds me alone, he'll... Oh, Devin, I hate to think on it!"
Devin smiled. "But we're never alone." He gestured to the choker on her neck, a strip of black leather with a large aquamarine crescent moon in the center, with pearls surrounding it. "Damian's here. He'll help watch over you when I can't be here..."
Deirdre scowled. "I hate him."
He sighed, smiling at her pityingly. "He's our protector. He will take care of us always as long as we allow him revenge on Vered for Kairai's death. If it weren't for him, you wouldn't have your visions, and wouldn't know about Vered's... temptations."
She looked away, pulling away from Devin and getting up. She busied herself by picking up the pillows, waiting for her brother to go away. He went and stood by the door after a moment and she placed the covers and sheets back on her bed along with the pillows, rearranging them until she was satisfied. She then turned to Devin, smiling forcedly. "I'll be okay. You better go back to bed. We have to spy in the morning."
Devin sighed and left, feeling a lot more worried than when he had come.
Deirdre went to the door and listened to her brother's footsteps as he walked down the hallway and went back into his room, closing the door behind him. She sighed and went to her desk, opening the laptop and pushing the "On" button. She waited patiently as it loaded, then opened a Microsoft Word file, clacking away at the keys efficiently. After- how long was it? Ten, twenty minutes?- she heard a quiet knocking on the door. Her fingers froze and she turned to it. "Wh-Who is it?" she called out in a half-strangled voice.
The door opened gradually, making a frightening creaking sound like that of a psychologically damaging horror movie. She reached up and subconsciously touched the black leather round her neck for safety. She watched the door, every fiber of her cosciousness straining to see who it was that disturbed her in these unholy hours of the night besides her brother.
A dark figure slipped through and immediately encaptured her in its arms, and she would have screamed if it weren't for the hand clamped over her mouth. A gold spark appeared in front of her and she looked up with wide eyes at the man holding her. Her entire body sagged with relief as she saw Jacob's beautiful black eyes, the slivers of red and gold flashing in the light. He gave her a half-smile. "Shh. It's just me. I need to get you out of her, right now. Vered is on his way, and he's after you. I won't let him have you, so we better go."
Deirdre loosened a bit and kissed the hand over her mouth gently, causing Jacob to blush and squirm a little. He pulled his hand away and looked away, gulping audibly. "We have to leave now." he said shortly, turning to the door.
"Jacob," she whispered, "where have you been? I've missed you."
"Edan and Rhys captured the girl. And they let her go. Well, more specifically, Edan let her go. Apparently he likes this girl very much..." he replied in his cute Brit accent. "But that's not important right now. If Vered catches me helping you, it'll be bad for both of us." He turned back to her and grabbed her hand. "We can talk more later..."
"But, koibito-" Before she could finish, he had covered her mouth again. He pulled her along with him to the door, resting his head against it, listening. His eyes widened and he quickly pulled her to the window. He nodded to it and released her.
Deirdre nodded back and leapt through, landing on the ground two floors down. She quickly moved behind a shrub, waiting for Jacob. He jumped down after her soon and ran to her, picking her up so that she was in a reclining position, and ran off into the night.

Vered glared at Devin. "Where is she? Where's Deirdre?" he snarled, grabbing the young man and pinning his shoulders to the wall.
"I don't know!" Devin squeaked in response.
The larger man grabbed Devin by the throat, holding him up against the wall. "Who took her"
"I-I don't... know...!" the boy choked out, blood dripping from his mouth as he coughed.
Vered released him- dropped him- on the ground, and whirled around, glaring, searching for any trace of the girl. He would find her... And when he did...

Edan scowled as Jacob appeared through the window of the apartment with the small girl in his arms. "Why'd you bring HER? And where's Eri?" the orange neko hissed.
Deirdre opened her mouth to retort, but Jacob beat her to it. "Edan, she's going to help us as well. You can't be rude to everyone that wants to help with your foolish whims, or you'll have no one to help you any longer. Deirdre may be of some use: her visions are quite handy." he said simply, setting Deirdre down gently on her feet. She smiled to him and kissed his cheek gently, causing him to blush and fidget, and causing Edan to roll his eyes. "Fine." Edan muttered, leaving to go to the next room and tell Rhys.
Deirdre smiled up at Jacob and reached up to stroke his thin, shoulder-length black hair. He gave her a little smile. "You can't be affectionate with me in front of anyone, you know... They'll be jealous of me. You don't want that, do you?"
Deirdre just smiled. "I don't care what others think. I love you. I always have, and I always will, darling." She slipped her arms around his neck. "Vered may chase me all he wants, but he cannot stop this." she murmured before pulling him down to her level and planting a long, sweet kiss on his mouth.

Eri watched Jacob and Deirdre through the window, crimson eyes wide open. How could two people possibly be that much in love and not be wed, or mates? Eri herself had been in love for some time now. Almost three years, in fact. She moved around the small house quickly, dropping her hood so that her long black tresses were free to blow in the chilled breeze. She went in through the front door, immediately heading for the kitchen. Rhys was always in the kitchen- a little-known fact she had discovered quite by accident. You see, Rhys was hardly one to express his hobbies or emotions. No one knew what he did for fun. But Eri spied on him frequently. That was what she did when she was curious about something or someone... Most people are content to merely wonder, but she would go and find out about something if she wanted to know about it. Rhys had been one of her first subjects. She had had a brief crush on him, too. Then she had discovered that she much preferred him as a friend. She spied on him for quite some time, and found out about his past and present. When he was twelve years old, his mother and sister had been killed by a terrorist in Ningenkai. They had been praying in a Catholic church when it was bombed out of hatred for religion. Strangely enough, they had grown fond of the human religion. Fate held an important place in their family. Rhys, however, after their death, grew to love the human God even more. He put all his trust in things unseen, and it somehow gave him an edge over any opponent. Eri had confronted him about his past, and he acknowledged it without anger. He had smiled at the girl and said, "Dear God, I'm glad someone knows."
Rhys had been surprisingly open to Eri since then. He told her of his life and ambitions, and about his old home. He had lived but a few miles from a port in Makai, on an island. That was where he gained his taste for seafood, and his love for cooking. Of course, he would rather die than actually ADMIT it to anyone other than Eri, but he was very, very good at it. So Eri got to the kitchen and paused by the door for a moment, listening for the specific rhythm of Rhys' breathing, and then entered.
Rhys looked up at her absently, but when he saw it was Eri, he gave a little smile, his cheeks flaring with color. "Ah. Eri, my lovely. I haven't seen you in a while." He stood, putting down his little book, and walked over to the stove, poking at his pots and pans happily. "I'm making fettucine tonight... with shrimp and soft shell crab. I was intending only enough for myself, and have Edan cook for himself and the others... But if you'd like some, it's no trouble." he said quickly.
Eri almost smiled, but stopped herself. Rhys was the only person that could make her smile besides the object of her affection. She walked up behind him and laid her head on his back gently. "Thank you very much. I'm especially tired right now..."
Rhys was still for a moment, his breath catching when she touched him. "Eri..." he murmured quietly, reaching back and stroking her hair gently.
She smiled, allowing herself to relax. "Rhys, I'm being friendly. Not too much, please..."
"I-I'm not... I mean... I don't intend to... ah." he stuttered, moving away a little, his face turning very pink. "Sorry. God forgive my mind..." He crossed himself swiftly.
She pulled away and pulled herself up sitting on the counter. "Rhys, Vered has me after the tanteis. I tasted the flesh of a man today. I doubt it harmed him seriously, but I had his blood for my nourishment."
Rhys looked up at her. "Do you feel bad about it?"
"I didn't cause any real damage, so I suppose not. But he was a very handsome man. I feel bad that I have torn such beautiful skin. Vered commands, though, and I cannot resist him or... or he..." She trailed off, looking down at her knees.
Rhys tossed a few spices on the sizzling meal. "Vered will receive his just reward. He will suffer one day- as all his servants have suffered."
She suddenly dropped her head in her hands, a sob breaking forth from her. "Oh, Rhys! Last night was the first night in months he hasn't molested me! I hate him! I had almost forgotten what it feels like to sleep alone in my own bed!"
She was cut off by Rhys' gesture. "Please. I don't want to hear... It only makes me angry. I have to try hard enough to control my temper, Eri. Know this: he will die. If not by my hand, then by another. From now on, I will take better care of you. I will protect you from him, whether it means my end or not."
Eri cried for a moment more, allowing the pent-up sadness and hatred to escape her in a tangible, physical form. She then slowly raised her head again and turned to Rhys. "Thank you. I can't tell you how much I... I'd be so lost without you." she said clumsily. How long had it been since she thanked someone for a kindness?
He sighed. "Anything I can offer is yours. You must merely take it."
Eri blushed a little. "Rhys..." She supposed he loved her. It was quite obvious now. She was the only one he talked to, the only one he trusted. All he had to do was SAY he loved her, and then there would be no more doubt at all. Everything would be perfect, if only she loved him and not someone else. She almost wished she loved him. Nothing was easy anymore.
She looked away, towards the door, just as Edan entered the room.
Her face went red-hot as his gaze fell on her, and she stuttered a hello. "Where have you been? I sent Jacob for you, but he didn't find you." he said, raising an eyebrow at her.
She slipped down off the counter, looking at the floor. "Vered... Vered had me after the spirit detectives..." she mumbled, letting her hair fall in her face and willing her eyes to grow cold. She had to act normal around Edan. She was even cruel to him sometimes, though she didn't really understand why.
Edan sighed. "Eri, um... I'm sick of Vered ordering us around. I'm going against him. I... I had really hoped you would want to help because he... you know." He looked away. Was that a blush? "So I would appreciate it if you helped me get rid of him..."
Eri looked up, her eyes slightly widened. "You need my help?"
"Yeah..."
She resisted the onslaught of happiness. "Hmph. I suppose I could help a little... But what's in it for me?"
His gaze snapped back to her, his tail swishing in frustration. "Being rid of Vered! Isn't that enough?"
She raised an eyebrow.
He growled lowly. "Fine. What do you want?"
She grinned sadistically. "Maybe I'll tell you- when it's all over."
Rhys glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, but said nothing.
Edan shrugged, appearing apathetic. "When we get rid of Vered, you name it, if it's within my power, you get it."
"Then I'd be happy to help." she replied, bowing her head a little.

End Chapter Five