Spring 2009
Itachi wakes to a heavy body constricting his bare leg. His mind heavy with sleep, he brushes the curtain back from the window. Red light seeps in and he groans when it hits his sensitive eyes. He allows the heavy cloth to fall back over the window and block the setting sun. The hot body on his leg is squeezing rhythmically, humping it. It's Sai in his usual cat form. His front paws are wrapped tight around Itachi's thigh. Itachi can feel his heated lower half rubbing into his bare shin. Itachi raises his other foot and shoves Sai's shoulder with it. The werecat squeaks, annoyed at the interruption. Itachi pushes harder and manages to peel Sai away from his leg. He turns on his side, brushing his long hair from his face.
"You're confused," he informs the seething cat. Sai is lying on the bed watching him disgruntled. His ears twitch forward at Itachi's words. "I guess that's a hint for me to stop sleeping with you-," Sai snarls and digs his claws into the thick comforter. "-naked," Itachi finishes. He pats the area in front of him. "Come here."
Sai obeys, twirling in a delicate circle before curling up against Itachi's bare chest. He's bigger now, the size of a full-grown bobcat. Itachi pulls him closer to his chest relishing the feel of Sai's soft fur against his skin.
By werecat standards, Sai is near adulthood. If his method of waking Itachi is any sign, Sai is ready to mate. A second tail marks his maturity and his rare breed. Itachi is still fascinated with the tail that grew last summer. Itachi's hand curves over Sai's hips and strokes the striped tails, gliding under one and over the other as they curl around the back of his hand. His werecat is utterly unique and beautiful.
Sai was tetchy during that hot season when the second tail had first appeared and itchy with the new growth. He spent the time pacing their apartment restlessly and pouncing at Itachi whenever he could. They were lucky Sasuke had shown some unusual patience with the cat's endless playfulness. Despite the small rivalry that exists between the two youngest inhabitants of the apartment they also have an unexpected camaraderie that Itachi is pleased with. It seems as if Sasuke had accepted the werecat that summer and instead of competing for Itachi's attention had sought out independence from his older brother.
Sai's chest is falling heavily with his breathing and Itachi knows the heat and close contact of another living thing is getting to the cat. He pushes his fingers through the thick spotted fur of his back and down the slope of his side to his white belly. He runs his fingers down another the slope, the end of Sai's chest, into the dip between his hips. Itachi has always admired the cat's form; his strong legs yet thin hips, the playful tails, and his warm fur. His scent is delicious, like sunlight. But that leads him to the thought of Sai's blood and he closes down that thought. He refuses to take advantage of Sai's young attachment to him by feeding from him.
Itachi's fingers are travelling closer and closer to the source of Sai's heat. His fur is trapping in the warmth, the skin below it burning. Sai's eyes are slitted, almost shut, but Itachi knows he is fully awake and watching him closely. He's probably more awake than Itachi. His mind is still fuzzy from sleep and the coziness of sleeping near Sai and, if he's honest, the intoxicating scent of his companion. He massages the softness of his cat's lower stomach. Sai's breathing is even heavier now and Itachi realizes that his own is as well. Itachi's hand slips lower and brushes Sai's balls. Sai wails, high and needy.
The sound jolts Itachi. He hesitates, wanting to give the werecat what he wants, what they both want. But instead he clamps his hand beneath Sai's jaw and massages his neck before pushing away and leaving the warm bed.
A soft whine slips from Sai's throat but Itachi ignores it. He ignores his own hard-on as well and dresses quickly. As he's leaving the room Sai springs after him. He attacks Itachi's leg but the vampire pushes him back. He ruffles between Sai's ears affectionately. "We'll play later," he promises.
As Itachi heads out of their bedroom Sai follows at his heels. Itachi starts to head downstairs but Sai nudges his hand with a cold, wet nose.
"What?"
"Meow." This isn't the meow of a kitten anymore. The sound resonates from Sai's throat. Sai looks up at him with earnest dark eyes and jerks his gaze to the refrigerator.
"You can morph," Itachi says refusing to indulge the werecat.
Sai's tails drop to the floor.
Itachi starts down the stairs. He doesn't see the dark and very, very resolute glint in Sai's usually questioning eyes. The werecat barrels into Itachi's legs. An angry shout is already building in Itachi's throat as he's pushed down the stairs. He twists to his side and slides down a few very hard steps until he catches himself. He glares up with red eyes at the cat standing at the top of the stairs. Sai's tails wag to and fro slowly.
Itachi growls.
"Oh god," Sasuke's clear and condescending voice comes from behind Sai. "It's too early for those backwards we're-not-but-we-are flirtations. Save us all the embarrassment." Sasuke stands behind Sai's shoulder and smirks down at his brother, still sprawled over the stairs. "Especially if they're getting so…violent." His amused gaze dares Itachi to deny his attraction to Sai. Itachi doesn't respond to it.
Sai's body lowers to the floor and he rests his muzzle over his paws.
Itachi rises as regally as he can, tossing his rumpled hair behind a shoulder. "Sasuke, aren't you expecting a report from Shisui?" he asks his brother.
"Please, he only has eyes for you," Sasuke scorns. "He'll find some excuse to give it to you instead of me. Like everyone." He says it casually but Itachi wonders if it hurts his brother as much as it used to. Or if his ostracism from the high reaches of the vampire community perhaps hurts even more now. Shisui's reasons for preferring Itachi have less to do with Sasuke's childhood scandal and more to do with a fondness and loyalty towards Itachi. That isn't, however, the case with most of vampire society. The two cousins, Itachi and Shisui, had always been close, closer than Shisui and Sasuke and closer even than Sasuke and Itachi.
Sasuke is strolling to the fridge. He opens a fresh jug of milk and pours some out into Sai's bowl. The werecat's ears perk up at the sound of splashing milk but he huffily sighs his exasperation at Itachi's sudden refusal to spoil him before going to it. Sasuke puts the jug away. Itachi watches Sai lapping at the white liquid he loves so much but the vampire still catches Sasuke's smirk.
"Aren't you expecting a report from Shisui?" Sasuke asks.
"Our agents need to learn to work under you. The Yahiko case is yours. I'll make sure he reports to you."
Sasuke shrugs appearing suddenly unconcerned. "Whatever."
Itachi lets his attitude slide. "I'll be in the office," he tells Sasuke. Sai, still lapping up milk, doesn't even look up.
Itachi isn't in the office for five minutes before the video call comes up on Itachi's main monitor, the middle in a line of three. Two additional monitors are sleeping to his right. When Itachi accepts the call, Shisui isn't even on camera. Outside the windows the city curves around the sea's harbor. Lights from night boaters dot the waters and buildings illuminate the land. The window is cracked, letting in a spring breeze that carries the scent of water and new green growth. Shisui flits into the camera's eye as he pulls a shirt over his chest but then disappears for another minute before finally taking a seat in front of the camera.
"Hey songbird," Shisui greets.
Itachi can't help a small smile. "How's your father?"
"Meh." Shisui runs his hand through the tousled curls that frame his aristocratic face. "Frustrated as ever. He keeps pressing me to act as his advisor."
"You should," Itachi replies. "You're his only child. He wants to leave his position to you."
"Some position. Cornered by the Hyuuga and their allies in a forever stalemate. I hate the Council," Shisui states childishly.
"Hmn." Itachi hums, unwilling to commit to criticizing the Council. His house is free of bugs and their connection is secure but the captain is cautious. "Are they on the same issues?"
"Sort of. They're still discussing the addicts but the Knights, despite my father's explicit advice not to, got involved. They're bitching about us abusing the humans and Hiashi Hyuuga sits there smirking at every word and orchestrating the laughter. The whole thing's a farce."
"What are the Knights asking for?"
"They're not asking, they're demanding. They want a list of the addicts we regularly use and any other we know of. 'We' as in any vamp adhering to Council law. Half the addicts work for the old families!" Shisui gets louder and more frustrated as he goes on. "They'll never just give them up."
"What do the Knights want to do with the list?" Itachi asks.
"All the Knights would say is that they want to take care of them. And Hyuuga said we could 'take care of them' just fine."
"What's your father think?"
"That the Articles are enough." Shisui shrugs. "He doesn't have the backing on this to contest it. Everyone knows how weak humans are. Feed from the same one twice and they'll want it again and again to the point of killing themselves. I don't think they even want the Knight's help."
"Perhaps some of them just want the choice," Itachi points out to his favorite cousin.
"Yeah maybe. Speaking of addicts," Shisui starts. "I have some information on Yahiko."
"No." Itachi raises a hand to stop him. "That's for Sasuke."
"Come on, songbird. You're going to want to hear it all anyways. What's it matter if you tell him or he tells you?"
"It matters," Itachi says firmly.
"Fine. I'll tell the little princeling. But I have something else too. Something just for you."
"What?"
"Someone's been asking about you, or so I've been told. The guy's definitely human, apparently, and hasn't said anything to make it sound like he knows what you are. So…who've you been impressing lately?"
"No one in your part of the world," Itachi answers. "Is he a Knight? I've never created an addict. Feeding from the same person twice has no appeal to me."
"Yeah…I know. He's not an addict according to my friend, but I never saw him. He could be one of the luckier Knights, I suppose, or a newbie. I'll search around, see if I can find him, if you're interested."
Itachi considers it and nods. "It's probably nothing but I'd appreciate it."
"Sure. Guess I'll go type up that report for your lieutenant."
"He'll just call anyways to get details you miss in the report," Itachi points out.
"I know," Shisuis says. "But I can't help it. He's more fun to tease than you ever were."
"Right."
Shisui gazes at something off camera. "Itachi?"
"Yes?"
"Do you still keep that stray?"
There's a small pause before Itachi answers. "Yes."
"Isn't your little experiment over yet? If the Council finds out-."
"I'll tell them why I've kept him here," Itachi interrupts strongly.
"To research one of our worst ancient enemies?"
"Yes."
"Ye-es," Shisui mocks his pristine younger cousin. "And what if they don't believe you?"
"Why wouldn't they?"
"Don't play coy with me. It's obvious this stray is more than a case study. You're up to something."
"And you're refusing to take your birthright as a Councilor. What a pair we make," Itachi says lightly with twisted lips.
Shisui sighs, surrendering the argument. "A pair of what?"
Itachi smirks and ends the video call.
Naruto glances at his watch. 11:26. Half an hour left. No, thirty-four minutes. Every minute counts. Jesus, each second counts. He can feel the time dragging by painfully slowly. Yahiko's coven hasn't arrived yet and the train will be here in thirty-four minutes.
His plan is simple, foolproof. There's a bomb counting down soundlessly in the ticket booth. Naruto is hiding in a rusty train, sitting immobile on the northbound tracks. The southbound are empty for another… thirty-three minutes. The ticket booth sits between the two tracks. Once the coven arrives he'll duck out (sneak the fuck out as quick as he can) and blow the place before the midnight train, full of humans, arrives.
The swamp around the station is deathly quiet and creepy. Maybe it's been too long since he was last in nature. For the past few years he's been an inhabitant of cities. Any city, so long as it's large enough to support a substantial underworld. He's been combing through the populations of nonhumans with a purpose, asking around for a man that fits Itachi's appearance. Naruto never makes any mention of Sasuke or of Itachi's name. It's a name no human has any right knowing.
It's been eight years since he's seen his little vampire- not that he ever thought of the boy as a vampire when he was actually with him. And he's not little anymore. It had taken Naruto a while to realize his yearning for the child wasn't going to magically disappear. It was a permanent ache just like the strange mark on his abdomen. The only thing worse than that pulling at his heart and soul was the pain that often struck him. The pain struck suddenly, tearing at his veins and rendering him useless- a panting curled up mess on the ground. And that was when he stayed conscious. The fits woke him in the night until the terror of the inevitable pain kept him from sleep. After years of desperate, stubborn attempts to retain a normal (human) life Naruto turned nocturnal. Cautiously he began to investigate the underworld and spent his nights longing for Sasuke until he learned enough to seek out the Uchihas.
And then he learned too much. Not about the Uchihas of course. He hasn't heard a whisper about them but then he doesn't really have a clue where they are. For all he knows, they're not even in this country anymore. What he did learn about was the midnight train. What he wouldn't give to unlearn that.
It hadn't taken him long to realize that the urban legend about a train carting off human souls into the swamp to never be seen again was less of a legend than any human really wanted to believe. Naruto knows now that it's a vampire named Yahiko that's behind the midnight train. The train goes to the abandoned station where Yahiko's coven waits to feast and turn them into addicts. From there they're shipped away. Naruto doesn't know what happens to the addicts after that but he's heard about the slave trade and the vampire aristocracy that allows it to thrive.
When he first heard of the addicts Naruto had panicked, thinking that's what he was. It had become abundantly clear though when he met his first one that they were very, very different. The addicts are mad, with little self-control, and borderline suicidal. They hand themselves over eagerly to be used by any vampire they can find, craving the feel of being drained. Whatever the mark on his side is, it makes him different. He wants only Sasuke. Even more than the incapacitating attacks of pain that come from Sasuke's feeding Naruto fears becoming an addict.
He rubs at the tattoo on his side absently. He doesn't know if he'd regret it if he just leaves. He thinks he will. He certainly doesn't want to do this, not really. He has no obligation to his fellow humans. No good can come of interfering. It's dangerous and risky and he doesn't know enough. The VPS he's heard the vamps whisper about could find him. The Knights could interfere. He could get bitten and turned into one of the addicts he's come across. And yet…the very thought of ignoring such a horrid situation is chaining him here. He's one of the few humans with the knowledge to do something. He'll try, at least, just this once, to interfere with the vampire world and its abuse of humans. Then he'll find Sasuke.
He reaches into his pocket and feels the small remote. This will work.
His breath catches as the first figure materializes in the moonlit station. Its feet are soundless on the crumbling tile floor and it works with the inherent grace of a vampire. Naruto breathes slowly and thrusts his lingering doubts away. Leaving is no longer an option.
Sasuke enters the office will Sai at his heels. They're companionly but not in a dog and master way- Sasuke would never pet Sai and Sai wouldn't allow such an intimate touch from anyone but Itachi. It is strange to see him sticking so close to his brother though. Itachi's eyes narrow at Sasuke.
"Has Sai done anything…strange to you today?"
"Like what?" Sasuke asks as he drops into his chair.
"Like anything unusual," Itachi says, allowing dryness to hide his unwillingness to specify.
Sasuke grins. "You mean, did he pounce on me or push me down the stairs?"
"Did he?" Itachi responds. Sai creeps passed Itachi's leg without touching him and curls up on a thick rug- undeniably his by now- beneath Itachi's desk.
Sasuke leaves off the opportunity to tease his near-perfect brother when he spots the freshly printed report from his cousin. He frowns and flips through it.
Itachi bites away frustration at being ignored without an answer and convinces himself that Sai didn't do anything inappropriate to Sasuke.
"What's up with this?" Sasuke bursts out angrily after seconds of reading. He glares at Shisui's report. "He says 'by way of creating addicts by one other than himself, Yahiko circumvents Council law and therefore cannot be held accountable for any action other than failure to report knowledge of intentional and irresponsible makings of addicts'. He goes on to say that it's 'advisable to do nothing that interferes with Yahiko's personal affairs'. Is he mad? We can't just ignore that amount of newly made addicts. They'll be causing chaos soon if they don't get what they want. "
Itachi considers the statement. "Who are the creators of the addicts?" he asks finally. "He's responsible for the members of his coven, even if he isn't doing it himself."
"It doesn't…say," Sasuke murmurs flipping through the report. "I swear, fucking Shisui spent more time filling this with lawyer-speak than relaying any worthwhile information." He reaches for his computer and angrily calls up a videoconference with the insolent agent. He has to call twice before it's answered.
Shisui yawns obnoxiously as he reclines in front of his computer and raises an eyebrow at the fuming youngest Uchiha. "Yes?"
"Your report was insufficient," Sasuke says.
"Nothing's ever enough for you," Shisui replies airily. "What do you want from me?"
"You verified that Yahiko is in charge of the operation?" Sasuke questions.
"That was in my report," Shisui points out.
"I know!" Sasuke snaps. "Can you prove it though? Do we have a case we can bring to the Council or not?"
"Not," Shisui says definitely.
"What more do we need?"
Shisui considers the question a moment. "I think we should give it up," he says finally.
"Why?"
"The laws for this are too vague. While the sixteenth article does define the intentional creation of addicts as illegal it was never meant to be an enforceable law. There's no precedent for it except for one instance, and other factors were involved in that case. It even expressively allows for a limited favorite or an accident or two and the Council's allowed vampires to skirt by with that statement since it was written."
"What's happening after Yahiko creates them?"
"He's selling them," Shisui says.
Sasuke frowns. "Slave trade is illegal."
Shisui shrugs. "Sure, but it's happening. Frankly, some of the Council members are his best clients. I haven't been able to follow the shipping but I guarantee you it will lead back to the old clans."
The Uchihas absorb the grim information.
"There has to be something we can catch him on."
"There isn't."
Sasuke skims the written report without really reading it. "The sixteenth states that the addicts become the property and responsibility of the creator," he says. "Otherwise Council law requires that they be destroyed."
"Oh, he's found a way around that too," Shisui says. "Yahiko isn't doing it personally."
"But if it's a member of his coven-."
"It isn't," Shisui interrupts. "It's a rogue. Actually, I believe you've met before."
"Who is it?" Sasuke asks annoyed.
"Gaara Sabaku."
Sasuke frowns. "Is he doing it willingly?"
"Doing what?"
"Turning addicts," Sasuke snaps.
Shisui smiles. "No. It seems he's a prisoner."
Everything is going to hell. It should have been going fine, a quick easy in and out, with only a blemish on his conscience to show for it. But when have things been easy? The wiring is in place, the radio signal is strong, and so far the bomb Naruto hooked up earlier has gone unnoticed.
The vampires, including Yahiko himself, had shown up minutes ago and were in a prime spot to be blown to bits- Naruto didn't know if it would kill them (probably not) but it would certainly slow them down enough to take all of them out with his anti-vamp pistol. The plan was simple- until the appearance of the little redhead.
Naruto can tell immediately that the vampire is hungry, maybe even starving. His collarbone pushes against his white skin in a prominent curve as he struggles to free his arms, pulled behind his back by an expressionless female. His eyes are jerking around the station. His head makes small jerks back and forth as his eyes track some imagined prey.
For a moment Naruto is afraid that the redhead can smell him. The vampire's green eyes flit to where Naruto is crouched, huddling in an old train. Naruto had taken a risk in being here. He has no way to cover his scent but to hope that the stench from the swamp and the old blood of former victims will mask it. The bloodstains still cover the tracks and the floor. Naruto prays it messes with the vampires' scent like he hoped it would. The hungry vampire's gaze darts away from him and Naruto releases a small breath.
The problem isn't that the redhead is wild with hunger, although that has the potential to be very problematic. The problem is that the redhead clearly isn't a part of Yahiko's coven. Yahiko's coven is well fed and sophisticated. The redhead is younger, not quite mature yet, too thin, and very desperate. He's obviously a captive, and while Naruto doesn't know why a vampire would capture a rival rather than simply killing him, he can't in good conscience continue his plan.
He almost finds the redhead…pitiful. He doesn't look scared but he certainly looks desperate.
Naruto turns the detonator around in his palm, wondering what he should do.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
"We can get him on that," Sasuke says. "If Yahiko is holding Gaara against his will, we'll be able to move in with the purpose of saving him."
Shisui chuckles. "Surely you realize that isn't possible."
"Why not?" Sasuke demands, eyes slanted.
"Itachi," Shisui calls out loudly, despite not being able to see his cousin onscreen. "Itachi, I know you're there, tell him."
Sasuke meets Itachi's eyes and sees his inaudible sigh. "It's true," Itachi tells Sasuke quietly. "The Council would never allow us to move that quickly. Yahiko is powerful and for now neutral- no Councilor will risk upsetting him and tip the balance in favor of their opponent."
"We can't just let him get away with this," Sasuke snaps. "Especially if he's using another vampire against his will."
"We can," Itachi counters curtly. "Gaara Sabaku chose his life. He forfeited the right to our protection when he ignored our laws."
"You can't condemn him," Sasuke protests.
"We have no power to save him."
"Let me go," Sasuke says.
Shisui snorts a laugh.
"No," Itachi refuses. "You're too young. You don't have enough combat experience. Yahiko is a formidable enemy, he'd defeat you in a second."
"You could beat him," Sasuke says, certain it's true.
"Yes. I could. But I won't, not without the Council's authorization. We are on thin ice already- any move now will be seen as rebellion. I won't risk it."
"But the addicts…"
Itachi shrugs. "It's unfortunate but our hands are tied Sasuke."
Sasuke growls under his breath huffily.
"Who knows?" Shisui says. "Maybe we'll get lucky and the Knights will interfere."
An even louder growl of disgust leaves Sasuke's throat.
"It's time and past," Kiba growls. His hand dances over the muzzle of his assault rifle anxiously.
"We can't harm the human though," Akamaru, the calmer twin, observes. He's sitting on his haunches at his brother's feet, with a sword in his lap, watching the scene carefully. "It complicates things."
They're perched above the southbound train entrance. The giant metal arch here is lower than the main roof, a terrifying structure of metal beams and glass paneling that's slowly being consumed by the swamp. Vines are wrapped in the steel rafters and hang down, stretching for the railways and marble floor below. The green plants stink of rot and wet but they hide the brothers from the vampires' sight. From here they can see Yahiko's coven, a bound vampire, a rogue, they think, and the very out of place human.
The two brothers are dressed in military uniforms. Their black boots are splashed with mud but otherwise the two are remarkably clean. Their weapons are immaculate.
"Are we sure he's human? He smells…" Kiba sniffs at the air and crinkles his nose. "Sweeter. Like them."
"Wanna bite?" Akamaru asks grinning.
"Eck, no. I'll take a bite out of the vamps though. Fuck, can't we move in yet?"
"Calm down," Kakashi says from behind them. Kiba jumps and Akamaru rolls his eyes. Kakashi is dressed like them, but ranking insignias mark his sleeve and collar.
"Is it time?" Kiba asks excitedly.
"No," Kakashi says. "How long have you had eyes on the human?"
"Since we got here. He hasn't moved."
"He's been here that long?"
Kiba nods.
"But he hasn't made contact with them?"
"No."
Kakashi sniffs at the air. "He's not an addict."
"Uh-uh," Kiba confirms.
"Hmm," Kakashi hums thoughtfully before reaching for his radio. "400 unit, confirm status of the train."
"This is four oh one, the train is stopped successfully at Wayleigh station. No injuries or signs of detection."
"Confirmed," Kakashi says. "Ahh, bridge team, confirm status."
"Bored and out of work. No detection so far. Permission to pack her up?"
"Negative," Kakashi says. "Proceed with plan B."
"…repeat command."
"Execute plan B," Kakashi repeats.
"But the train is stopped."
"Copy that. Continue with plan B and blow the bridge."
"Command…confirmed."
"101 out," Kakashi says.
"The fuck is that for?" Kiba demands. "Isn't the point to stop them without the humans knowing?"
Kakashi smiles slyly. "It's a diversion."
"What? We don't need a fucking diversion."
"I know."
"Then why…?" Akamaru inquires while Kiba huffs angrily.
Kakashi looks to the northeast just as a loud boom sucks through the air. A plume of black smoke rises above the swamp forests. He looks back to see the human's blue eyes grow wide as he takes in the explosion. It captures the vampire's attention just as easily. Kakashi catches Yahiko's hiss of "Knights," and then the vampire is giving orders to his men to arm up.
"Some diversion," Kiba growls angrily. "You've alerted them to our presence."
"Yeah, well," Kakashi shrugs. "Look," he points to the prisoner vampire. Only one vampire is still guarding him and her eyes are fixed on fiery orange glow in the swamp. Kakashi's eyes sweep back to the human, still crouched in the same spot but on his toes now with a pistol in his hand. It looks antique but Kakashi can see it's anti-vamp from here. "He's full of surprises, that one. I wonder what he's planning."
"Are you expecting us to just watch as some human gets himself killed?" Kiba asks.
"No. I expect you to stay still until it's certain he's in trouble."
Akamaru snorts lightly. "That shouldn't be long. If we can smell him…"
"They can too," Kiba finishes. Somehow the words calm Kiba and he settles into an anticipatory wait.
Naruto edges closer and closer to the bound vampire. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He was supposed to sneak in, blow the place, shoot any survivors, sneak out. No close combat with inhumanly strong creatures and no risk of being bitten. Shit.
But that explosion made it possible. There's only the one female, Konan, guarding him now. Yahiko's coven is gone, off into the swamp to investigate the explosion. He'll free the redhead, hope he doesn't bite him, get him out, then wait for the coven to come back into range and detonate. He just has to kill the guard first…yeah.
He has a clear shot on Konan now. The redhead is still submissive and looking out of it, irritated, maybe, but not alert. Naruto makes sure that the prisoner won't be hit before breathing deeply and squeezing the trigger. The gun kicks back in his hand with the force.
"Holy-!" Naruto is exclaiming before he remembers to keep quiet because, fuck, Konan just dodged a fucking bullet. Eyes wide and with lungs that suddenly can't suck in enough air, Naruto starts to squirm backwards. Konan looks lazily in his direction, staring straight at him, unimpressed and completely unharmed, and Naruto knows he's as good as dead.
He hears a dark chuckle behind him and whirls around. He scrambles back onto his hands, the pistol smacking under his palm to the floor.
"A human?" Yahiko asks him, looking down at him strangely. His flat, inhuman eyes take in the blonde and he sniffs at the air. "Yet your smell is…"
Naruto grabs his pistol in both hands and in a single motion, sweeps up, aiming and shooting at the vampire standing over him. And this time, with a mere five yards between them, there's no time to dodge. The bullet rips into Yahiko's shoulder in a splash of blood and torn skin.
"Fucking hell!" Kiba exclaims. "That guy's fast as shit!"
Akamaru nods in agreement.
Kakashi's impressed himself. "No human should move that fast," he comments.
"He just did."
"Maybe he's been trained?" Akamaru suggests.
"By who?" Kiba demands. "There's no one but us."
The three Knights continue to watch the match-up with surprised interest. Yahiko's recovery is quick. He strikes back at the human, still sitting on his ass. The human fires again and misses but manages to roll to the side to avoid Yahiko.
"He's holding his own," Akamaru says.
"Not for long," Kiba says. The human is avoiding Yahiko's feints but just barely. "He's bound to tire out soon. Kakashi?" he says, asking for permission to interfere.
"Go," Kakashi grants. "Try not to kill the prisoner. We don't know who he is yet." He sighs to himself. That's what he gets for getting his hopes up on a human, he supposes.
"He might get in the way," Kiba says hefting his rifle up to his shoulder.
Kakashi shrugs. "I know."
"Aki, take the left," Kiba says. His twin nods before leaping down to the floor below. Kiba leaps down to his right and they streak across the station.
"Captain," a Knight on the radio calls calmly.
"Here," Kakashi says.
"Captain, we've got Yahiko's coven in hand."
"Copy that," Kakashi says. "Are all accounted for?"
"Negative. Missing Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato."
"Shit!" Kakashi curses unprofessionally. "Copy that." He's surveying the station when a shadow detaches from the ticket booth and hurls at Akamaru before he can reach the coven leader.
"Aki!" Kiba's cry of fear echoes across the abandoned station.
Shit. The human can't last much longer. Not against a vampire. Kakashi rushes quickly after his boys, dropping to the floor below and racing across the station. He leaps across a set of tracks and morphs into a massive white wolf midair.
The human is on his feet now, breathing heavily but his pistol is leveled at Yahiko. Akamaru survived Nagato's first attack and is holding his own, sword in hand. Kiba will be at his brother's side in seconds. Kakashi takes in the situation in a blink before it changes once more. Konan must have decided guarding the rogue vampire was no longer priority because she's racing to intercept Kakashi's rush on her leader.
Yahiko is staring, unblinking at him and Naruto would be lying if he said he wasn't more scared than he ever thought possible. He tells himself the sick feeling in his stomach is just the incredible amount of adrenaline running through his body, but he can't help think the feeling may really lay in the fact that he doesn't want to die.
Yahiko wipes the blood from his shoulder and eyes the red stain on his fingertips with interest before his frightful gaze returns to Naruto. "You're going to die," he says.
Naruto swallows and his fingers tighten around his pistol. The two are circling slowly, waiting for movement from the other. The snarls and growls and sounds of fighting around them are a strange hum in the background. Naruto doesn't think the newcomers are good news for him in the end but for the moment his entire focus is on Yahiko. The vampire is seething. His shoulder is aching, burning as if salt were being poured into his open wound, and the pain is spreading from the anti-vamp technology. He has little hope for his coven now that the Knights have shown up but he has little doubt that Konan and Nagato will escape with him. The human who shot him and the Knights brave enough to face them here will definitely die.
"I won't let you kill me," Naruto says. He can't die here. Not without finding Sasuke.
"You're just a human," Yahiko says. "You won't have a choice."
"A human who already shot you once," Naruto says, growing more confident with every second.
Yahiko's expression doesn't change from his intent stare but his lips move in the barest of smiles. "You've only got one shot left."
"One's enough to leave you dead," Naruto growls.
"You're just human," Yahiko says again before lunging at him. Naruto's body slams to the floor. Tiles crack and shatter beneath him and the air rushes from his lungs. He doesn't have time to raise the pistol and fire before Yahiko's teeth sink into his neck.
It's a harsh bite. Yahiko's teeth are brutal, cutting deep into the muscle in Naruto's neck. He's not feeding- he's ripping Naruto's throat to pieces. The hand holding the pistol is being held down but his other is free. Naruto catches the vampire by the jaw before he can kill him. Naruto can feel the blood running down his neck, down his chest and back. Yahiko snarls into his throat and tries to yank free from the restraining hand that holds his mouth in place. No human could be this strong- but he is. Yahiko tries to yank the hand away but the blonde has a death grip on him. With a growl Yahiko gives up on a quick kill. Blood loss will kill this annoying human just as easily. With a deep suck Yahiko feeds on a mouthful of hot blood.
Naruto can't help the small groan that escapes him. The vampire's mouth is digging deep into his flesh, drinking his blood in forceful rushes. A pleasurable numbness is spreading through his body. It's just like eight years ago. His arousal is growing and his resistance is slipping away quickly. Naruto tries to focus on the very real danger of dying but the pleasure overrides that thought easily. He remembers a young Sasuke screaming in pain as his brother feeds from him. That thought lasts longer. Tan fingers tighten around the metal of his pistol, and he tries to focus on feeling the world outside the numbing fog of his arousal.
Sasuke is reading in the third floor living room, sulking at being unable to do anything about the Yahiko situation. It was bad enough when he was making a mockery of the sixteenth article and misusing humans, but it's even worse now that Sasuke knows he's holding another vampire captive for it.
The Council is an aristocracy, made up of the leaders of the most powerful clans. To be fairly represented in their court a vampire has to be part of one such clan, either directly or by being a part of a smaller clan in alliance with or under contract of a larger one. Rogues are independent vampires that answer to no clan head and in exchange for this freedom have virtually no power or rights. Like Gaara Sabaku.
Sabaku is one of the aristocratic families and very powerful. Sasuke finds it strange that Gaara would renounce his clan, especially being so young. He's been researching the rogue now for hours and instead of solving the mystery of Gaara, Sasuke is growing even more confused by his actions. Gaara was the heir, slated to be his clan's Councilor, despite having an older brother and sister, but was disowned and banished from his clan after killing a relative. Sasuke wishes the information would make him feel better about leaving Gaara to his fate, but can't help thinking that even a murderer deserves a better fate than to be a prisoner of Yahiko. If his clan knows of their former heir's predicament they're keeping silent about it and allowing it just as the VPS is.
Sasuke punches the couch in frustration, startling Sai. The werecat jumps from his curled up position on the cushion and growls huffily at Sasuke. Sasuke growls back half-heartedly, quieting immediately when he hears Itachi on the stairs. His brother comes up the stairs and pauses.
"Sai, I'm going to bed now," Itachi says. The werecat acknowledges his words with a miniscule flick of his tufted ear. Sasuke think he catches a flash of red in his brother's eyes before Itachi continues across the living room and down the hall. A moment later the door to his bedroom closes.
Unconcerned or oblivious, Sai pounces up to the back of the couch and rubs his side against the window as he paces back and forth, looking down at the city.
"You should follow him," Sasuke says as he continues to leaf through Gaara's puzzling background.
Sai ignores him and continues to pace restlessly.
"He's sad," Sasuke adds.
That gains Sai's attention. His dark eyes stare search Sasuke for some hint of why Itachi would be sad. "He sleeps better now," Sasuke says. "You wouldn't know but before he found you he'd only sleep a couple hours a day. He'd just work through the mornings and wake in the evening. I bet he can't sleep at all now without you." Sasuke doesn't know if that part's true but Sai takes it to heart like he does everything. He immediately leaps down from the couch and pads down the hall.
Sasuke relaxes back into the couch and gazes out the window. He can hear Sai scratching at the door and whining. Itachi must open the door for him because he hears his brother's soft voice before the door closes again, blocking any further sounds. Sasuke rubs his palm over the mark of his lēof contract and sighs.
Three seconds later the pain strikes. It starts as a thousand pricking needles at his chest where the lēof tattoo entwines over his heart. The organ constricts, painfully sharply and burns. Then his blood is freezing and burning in his veins and his muscles clench to fight off the unseen attack. He gasps and clutches at his chest. He tumbles off the couch, hitting his knees but the pain is blinding and he isn't even aware of where he is. Blood pounds through his skull and he fights to stay conscious as the pain incapacitates him from any thought or movement.