Title:Blood's Calling
Author: Bradybunch4529
Disclaimers:Not mine in anyway. I'm simply borrowing the Yu Yu Hakushogang
Rating: PG-13 to R in later chapters
Summary:AU OOC Future fic: A young vampire is pushed over the edge with a single act. The world has been paying for the mistake for almost 1000 years. Is there hope to be found in the rebirth of a girl.
Pairings: Keiko/Yusuke
Reviewers:
AnneChanB: It was a bit of a cliff hanger huh? Tension is building nicely, don't you think? Thanks.
Egustogustason:You came back! Basically! It'll get clearer soon. I can't either. I'll try.
Apatheticn Empath: They are great aren't they? Her age is coming, I swear. I'm still working all the details out. The storm was a bitof genius. Worked out so well with the premise. And tying it into Yusuke's mood was great. Kurama is going to be slightly OOC. And he's very upset. You find out more in this chapter. As for holding a grudge, it gets hinted in this chapter. I really wanted to wait before getting into Keiko's life. It's going to surprise a lot of people. So I used the boss. And it really worked out! Perfection? That is a compliment from you! I am so thrilled. I can't wait to see it!
Lostsoul( ):Thanks!
Irathernotsay( ):cute username. I think so too! Thanks!
Kenshinlover2002:Sorry about the confusion. Yusuke is very very lonely. As for Kurama and Botan, wait and see. Keiko will be explained soon. Thanks!
KittysandKatie: Thanks! I understand completely. Very scary! I worked really hard on the description. It is sad! As for Kurama, wait and see.
Animefan103( ): Thanks so much! You'll have to wait and see!
Chapter 3: Entanglements"GET OUT!" Yusuke's voice roared through the air, startling the birds. "GET OUT! GET OUT!" He kept screaming over and over again. A figure dashed through the garden and out the door.
His chest heaved, his hazel eyes dark and burning as they stared out of his pale face. His hands were clenched at his sides, knuckles white and his muscles tight with tension as he stared towards the door. He couldn't believe that she would dare to come down here.
He looked over his shoulder at the gravestone, not actually seeing it. Instead he saw Keiko collapsed at his door, blood pooling under her and hands hanging limply in her lap. Her lifeless dark brown eyes stared up at him in accusation. He flinched away from it, trying to find the peace that he had felt only moments ago.
It was gone now. Destroyed by her. Yusuke's eyes narrowed and a smirk twisted his lips. She would pay for disturbing him here and reminding Keiko of his indiscretion. As he made his way from the garden he remembered how Kurama had brought him the picture that had been on the porch next to Keiko.
There were tearstains on the picture; bloody fingerprints on the corner and Yusuke finally knew what image Keiko had seen and why it had kept her still. A lifetime of friendship and love destroyed by a single image. The fact that it was the last thing that Keiko ever saw ate at Yusuke everyday.
The picture showed a simple hotel room, covers rumpled and pillows tossed to the ground. Two people were entwined together on the bed, the man's figure covering the woman's. The woman's hands were threaded through the man's hair as his mouth trailed down her neck. The woman's neck was arched, allowing better access and her blue hair spilled across the pillow. Both figures were naked and there was no doubt as to their identity.
Yusuke welcomed the guilt and the pain that always came with that memory. It meant that he would never forget what had happened, would never forget why he was King. He opened the door and stepped out into the dark corridor. He closed it gently behind him and locked it. He pressed a hand to the door before turning away. His fingers trailing down the cool metal for an instant, memorizing the surface.
Keiko Yukimara started suddenly, the glass in her hands slipping and smashing to the floor. The glass shattered and scattered across the linoleum. She ignored the sting of cuts as glass sprayed across the bare skin of her legs. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she looked around her apartment.
For a second she would have sworn that someone was in the room with her. And that person had been very very angry. But now there was nothing, no lingering sense that someone had been there. She took a deep breath and sighed, attempting to calm her raging heartbeat.
She knew that she was alone in the apartment. Tohru was either at work or out with his latest girlfriend. Keiko closed her eyes and rubbed a weary hand across her face. She was studying too hard, Keiko decided. Finals were coming up and after break she would be in her final semester of college and would be a student teacher. So she was running on caffeine and too little sleep. And that always made her jumpy and out of sorts. Top it with the fact that she when she did manage to sleep, the dream was always there.
She reached for the broom she kept in the corner of the kitchen and the dustpan that attached to the handle. Carefully Keiko began to clean up the glass, wearily watching the floor as she moved around in her bare feet. She knew that she should go get some shoes, but it would take too long. The broom moved around the faded blue linoleum, catching on the cracks and the raised corners.
For Keiko the ritual helped her calm down and think. Cleaning had always helped her and by the time that she had placed the remains of the glass in the trashcan and returned the broom to the corner, Keiko was humming slightly to herself. She had just returned from work and had changed from her uniform to a pair of Tohru's boxers and a red t-shirt. Comfortable clothes to do her homework in, her light brown hair was darkened and wet from her recent shower.
She looked around the apartment, checking to make sure. While the apartment was small, it had the two bedrooms, a bathroom, the kitchen and a living room. And while the carpets and the paint were faded, there were touches of warmth and comfort in the apartment. An afghan in blues and greens was tossed over the back of the couch, several plants hung from the windows in the living room and the kitchen. Fresh herbs were growing in the planter sitting on the windowsill in the kitchen. The white countertops gleamed in the kitchen and several paintings hung on the walls.
A lamp was on in the living room, throwing much of the room in shadows. But Keiko knew this apartment and knew where everything was. No shadow was out of place or deeper than it should be. She breathed a sigh of relief, "You're 21 now. Too old to be jumping at shadows." She shrugged slightly; rolling her head on her shoulders and trying to loosen tight muscles. "Get some water and calm down. Then eight hours of sleep and I'll be good."
Keiko reached back into the cabinet and got another glass. She quickly filled it with ice and water before walking back to the kitchen table. Her brown eyes were pensive and thoughtful as she contemplated the papers and books strewn across it. "Sometimes I hate papers," she muttered to herself. While she had gotten her homework done at the diner and the library, she was still working on the term paper that was due in two weeks.
Keiko wanted to get a rough draft into her teacher by Friday. Which meant that she only had two days to finish it up. Luckily she already had all of the research done and 8 of the 10 pages typed up. But Keiko wanted to flesh out the topic a bit more. The rain had yet to stop though the thunder and lightening had moved on over an hour ago. She settled into the chair, tucking one leg underneath her and reaching a book. The laptop was on and humming in front of her, curser blinking. Instantly she became immersed in her paper, everything else fading away.
Hiei and Kurama looked up as Botan ran past them. She was sobbing slightly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she rushed down the hallway. The hallway rang with her steps even after she disappeared around the corner. They looked at each other, neither surprised at the sight.
"Should we go after her?" Hiei finally asked Kurama. His black eyes resting easily on his friends green ones as he waited for a response.
"Why?" Kurama asked lightly with a shrug. His green eyes shadowed as he stared down at Hiei. "She should know better after a thousand years."
"True," Hiei agreed. "But Urameshi might kill her this time."
"Maybe. But is it our responsibility to keep him from doing it?"
"Yukina's wedding is coming up," Hiei reminded him. "She wouldn't like it if Botan is killed before it. As it is she's upset because Urameshi's girlfriend hasn't been reborn yet."
"And we don't want to upset Yukina before the wedding," Kurama sighed and started down the hall after Botan. "He's probably waiting in her room for her."
Hiei said nothing, merely followed him down the hall. His black eyes swept the shadows, easily noting the servants that were hidden in them. The servants kept their eyes down, doing their best to not attract attention. Hiei dismissed them as a potential threat as he walked by. His hand resting easily on his sword as he caught up with Kurama and fell into step with him.
"Botan. Botan. Botan," Yusuke murmured as he stared at the woman trembling in his grasp. "You know better," he chided as his hand tightened around her throat. She whimpered slightly, tears tracking down her cheeks. "And still you persist in breaking the rules. Why?" Yusuke asked as he raised her off of her feet, hazel eyes burning into her blue eyes.
"Please," Botan gasped slightly, trying to pull away.
"You say the same thing every year," Yusuke continued conversationally. "And I'm really starting to believe that you don't care. Makes me wonder how Gohei knew where we were going. You made all the arrangements didn't you Botan?"
"Yusuke please," Botan cried as she felt her back hit the wall. His hand was tight around her throat. His eyes burned brighter and his mouth twisted into a smirk.
"Yusuke," Kurama wrapped a cautioning hand around his wrist. "You really don't want to do that."
"Why not Kurama? It would be so easy," Yusuke asked without looking away from Botan.
"True. But then we would have to listen to Yukina and Kuwabara," Kurama told him with a slight smile. "The wedding is coming up."
"Fine," Yusuke bit out and released Botan. She dropped to the floor, one hand wrapping around her throat. "But only because I don't want to deal with an upset Yukina and a looney Kuwabara."
"None of us do," Hiei muttered.
Yusuke laughed at Hiei's expression. "Still haven't gotten used to the idea huh Hiei?"
"He's an idiot," Hiei told Yusuke. "She could do much better."
"An idiot that she loves," Kurama reminded him.
"Hn." Hiei merely glared at the two of them before leaving the room. Yusuke and Kurama shared an amused look before following him out the door.
Their footsteps slowly faded away, leaving Botan on the floor crying. Contemplating choices and consequences.
Yusuke caught up with Hiei, feeling Kurama fall into place beside him. A quick glance showed a small smile resting on Kurama's lips. While their friendship had died over a thousand years ago, Yusuke still knew Kurama well enough to read the satisfaction and amusement in his expression. For a moment he was tempted to probe but then he remembered how distant Kurama had become over the years. So Yusuke swallowed his question and remained silent.
Kurama ignored the questioning look on Yusuke's face. He knew that his King was probably wondering why he bothered to stay. However Kurama had been a demon for over three thousand years, and grown to accept that the stupidity of youth and had long ago forgiven Yusuke. Botan was a different story. Kurama had discovered something that made sure that he would never forget with Botan. Something that he had never shared with Yusuke.
It sounds silly now but he hadn't wanted to hurt Yusuke any more than he already had been. Right after Keiko's death, Yusuke had been on edge and willing to kill anything that moved. Nothing could have stopped him from destroying everyone involved. What Kurama had found out would have sent Yusuke over that edge. Beside, Kurama had been so shocked at what he had uncovered that he still had trouble believing it. And sometimes information was better when one waited for the best moment to use it.
Then there was the fact that one of Kurama's spies had reported that there was a possibility that Keiko Yukimara had been reborn. Kurama was still waiting on confirmation before putting into motion a plan that he had developed 1,000 years ago.
Keiko looked up as the door was thrown open and a man stumbled through the door. She couldn't prevent the sigh or the rolling of her eyes as he fell flat on his face. The man groaned but managed to kick the door shut before attempting to roll over. She stopped typing and got up from her chair. Stretching, trying to loosen muscles that were cramped from remaining in the same position for hours.
Keiko winced as her left leg began tingling and feeling began to return. "Stupid leg. Fell asleep," Keiko muttered as she rubbed at it. Finally the tingling stopped and Keiko could put pressure on her leg and she hurried to the man passed out on the floor. She rolled him over with a practiced move, ignoring the smell of beer, sex and vomit on him.
"Not again Tohru," Keiko groaned as she noticed the lipstick smudges on his face and neck. "I really hope that you remembered to use protection."
"Hey Keiko," Tohru's eyes opened dazedly and blinked at her. A smile spread across his face and he tried to move his hand to wave. It only flopped and he stared at in confusion.
"Hello Tohru," Keiko greeted with a sigh and stared down into his dark green gaze. "Did you have fun?"
"Umm," Tohru paused and his brow creased in confusion. "I don't remember. I think so."
"I hope it was worth it," Keiko chided him. "Can you get up and to the couch?"
"I'm on the floor?" Tohru asked in surprise.
"Yes," Keiko sighed and closed her eyes.
"Sure."
Keiko stood up and then kneeled down beside him. Her hands wrapped around his wrists, ignoring the slippery feel of leather beneath her hands. Tohru groaned as he managed to sit up, his eyes widening for a moment.
"Keiko, could you make the room stop spinning?" He begged as his head flopped forward onto her shoulder. Keiko sighed rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. "I think I drank too much."
"What gave you that idea?" Keiko muttered as she stared down at the light blond head resting on her shoulder. His response was a groan.
Keiko realized that there was no way for her to help him up like she was planning. So she let go of his wrists and wrapped her arms just under her arms and locked her hands together. She moved so that she was now straddling his hips and slowly began to lift. For a moment she lost her balance and almost pitched forward, before catching herself.
Keiko took another deep breath and tried again. Muscles straining before Tohru managed to get his feet under him and they made it to their feet. Keiko peeked around Tohru's arm to judge the distance to the couch. Then carefully began to move him backwards. He stumbled along, his head not leaving her shoulder until she dumped him on the couch.
His head struck the arm and his legs were half off of the couch. Keiko was almost tempted to leave him like that but couldn't. She grasped his legs and swung them up on the couch, a pillow was quickly tucked under his head. Tohru moaned again but his eyes didn't open as Keiko leaned over him to grab the afghan.
As she was stretching across the couch she felt a hand sneaking up her thigh. "Tohru you pervert!" She yelled and smacked him across the face before dropping the afghan on him.
"Come on Keiko," Tohru grumbled. "They keep getting softer."
"You're an idiot," Keiko told him as she stomped into the kitchen. She quickly filled a glass of water and grabbed a couple of aspirin before heading back to the couch. His eyes were closed and his face ashen against the pillow. Keiko couldn't feel any sympathy as she shoved the glass of water at him. "Here. Drink the water and take the aspirin."
Tohru cracked an eye open and then closed it again. "I don't want to."
"Come on," Keiko prodded him impatiently. "Hopefully this will prevent you from throwing up on me again."
"Fine," Tohru muttered and reached for the glass. He didn't quite make it and Keiko sighed again. She dropped to her knees beside him and slid a hand under his head.
"Open your mouth," she ordered. Tohru complied and Keiko put the aspirin in and tilted the glass to his lips. Tohru drained the glass quickly and Keiko let him collapse back onto the pillow. She started to get up but Tohru's eyes suddenly shot open.
"Oh god," he groaned and wrapped a hand around his mouth.
"Don't you dare…" Keiko started and then stopped as Tohru proceeded to throw up on her. Keiko's chocolate brown eyes closed in disbelief as vomit dripped down her shoulders and legs to splatter onto the floor.
Finally he collapsed back onto the couch with a groan and Keiko's eyes opened. A glance showed her that most of it had ended up on her. Carefully she got up and headed for the bathroom, where she stripped and tossed her clothes into the bathtub. She ran water over them and reached for her robe on the back of the door.
She gathered up the cleaning bucket and supplies from under the bathroom sink and put water into the bucket before returning to the living room. Tohru was still moaning on the couch. Keiko dipped her washcloth into the water, ringing out the excess, and wiped his face. "It's a good thing that I love you more than life," Keiko told him. "Cause if I didn't, you would wake up in a pile of vomit." She smiled down at him, her expression soft as she considered his features. "The things that we put up with for family."
After making sure that Tohru was clean Keiko turned to the floor. She quickly cleaned up the vomit. After rinsing the bucket off and putting it away, she rinsed her own clothes and placed them in the laundry basket. Then went back to the living room to collect the dirty afghan and replace it with a blanket from his bed.
She took off his shoes and wrestled the jacket off of him. After he was tucked in, his shoes by the door and his jacket hanging up, Keiko looked at the clock. Just after 1 am and class tomorrow at 10am. She should definitely head to bed now. Luckily enough she had managed to finish the paper and was only working on editing and grammar. She quietly gathered up her papers and books, turning off her laptop and putting everything away.
She turned off the lights and double-checked the locks in the apartment. While she knew that everything was locked and closed, Keiko couldn't stop herself from double checking everything. As she turned off the lamp in the living room, Tohru's sleepy voice stopped her.
"There was a vampire asking about you tonight," he murmured. His green eyes were open and watching her.
"Why?" Keiko turned around slowly, meeting his gaze.
"I don't know but he works for one of the kings advisors," Tohru told her quietly.
"Do you think that they are looking into.." Keiko's voice trailed off when Tohru shrugged his shoulders.
"Don't think so," Tohru told her. "But to be on the safe side, be careful. Get back into the old habits."
"Okay," Keiko agreed.
"We'll be okay Keiko," Tohru told her. Trying to wipe the fear from her eyes.
"I know," Keiko told him with a trembling smile. "I trust you."
"I love you Kay."
"I love you too Tohru."
A/N:And yet another chapter. I hope that everyone enjoyed it and it cleared up any lingering confusion. Remember to review and let me know what you think. If you don't, thanks for stopping by. And I'll see you next time.