BANG. Kiba sniffed and rubbed his nose. "Sasuke's back… Hmm?" He blinked. "He brought a guest with him… I'm going up. Are you coming?"

Temari turned, her eyes fixed on her experiment table. Then she opened her book again. Kiba, noticing this, sighed. "Can't you take a break for once?" He asked tiredly. No response. He gave up and went out of the room.

"…A potion…" Temari muttered, looking at her failed experiment product. "…A potion… That can change a vampire…Back to a human…"

Fantasies are… just fantasies

Products of imaginations

But why

Why do we fantasize then?

What is the point of living in dreams

And knowing we'll have to wake up one day?

Sakura gulped as she looked at the house Sasuke pulled her into. Well, actually it wasn't a house. A huge mansion, to be exact. She turned, soaking in the view before her. Now this is something you don't see everyday.

Another boy came into view. Hm? Is he Sasuke's brother or something? Sakura wondered as she glanced at the boy. He was pretty normal except for two red marks on his face. Maybe he's a hunter, too.

"…Who's the girl?" Kiba asked suddenly. Sakura jumped.

"None of your business." Sasuke retorted immediately as he tampered with a black box he was now holding. "Go away."

…That's rather rude of him. Sakura thought. …Wait a minute, how can I be so calm? He dragged me to his house and I'm not even asking why! "…I…I am… Sakura." Words came out of her mouth before she could stop them. Kiba nodded. "Um… You're Sasuke's friend or something?" He asked. "I-I… I'm a classmate of his." Words continued to come out automatically from her mouth. Idiot, stop it!

Sasuke wordlessly walked back to Sakura, giving her another shock. "…Wait!" Kiba blinked when he looked at what Sasuke was holding. "You're going to perform the ritual on her?" Sasuke glared at the boy. "Can't you see, blockhead? She's been bitten on the neck." He pulled Sakura to him and held her head up. "Uh… Hey!" She protested, her face turning red again. Sasuke appeared not to notice her reaction. "On the neck. Here." He continued, showing the bite marks to Kiba.

"…Bitten on the neck? Oh, no." Kiba slapped his head with his hand. Temari's gonna…

As if on cue, a weak voice went, "Gaara?"

Sasuke released his hold on Sakura. She bit her lip, still blushing, and looked at the second newcomer. "A… girl?" She asked, looking confused. Temari was standing at the door, looking as though someone punched her in the face. "No… It's not Gaara, Temari." Kiba said in a reassuring tone, but it wasn't really working.

"You weren't there!" Temari snapped, her gaze almost as scary Sasuke's. "Tell me if it was Gaara who bit her!" She asked, her voice fierce and demanding. But even so, Sakura couldn't help noticing her voice had a panicky tone to it. "…I can't be sure." The pale boy replied, his voice emotionless, but Sakura noticed something. Something didn't match his tone.

His eyes.

"Can't be sure? What do you mean by that?" She shouted. "From what I know, Gaara is the only one who bites in the neck so far, but"—

"There you have it." Sasuke interrupted. "It should be Gaara, then."

Temari halted, her eyes wide. Then she walked slowly back to the basement, her hands covering her face. "…Sasuke, you were too much." Kiba said angrily as she went out of sight. "You know what had happened, and"—

"The same thing had happened to me, and I got out of it." Sasuke interrupted again, his face furious. "If she keeps on trying to do some fantasy potion that doesn't even exist, or mop around, it's not my problem. Sakura, come with me."

Sakura didn't speak a word as she followed Sasuke to a room. Kiba just stood, rooted to the ground, his fists clenched.

…Sasuke…isn't what I thought him to be… He acts like an arrogant kid at school… But now… I feel I'm seeing the real side of him—bitter, angry and…

…Sad?

She walked behind Sasuke, her eyes never leaving his back. Sasuke turned, opening a door, and Sakura followed.

"…This is… your…?" Sakura couldn't help asking when she went into the room. It was all black. A computer on a desk and a bed sat in a corner of the room. There was also a cupboard, but that was all. "This is my room." Sasuke said, sitting on the bed. "Come sit here." Wait… come sit… on the bed? With… With him? Sakura turned red again. "Why are you standing there like a blockhead? Hurry up." Sasuke said, the usual look of annoyance replacing his expressionless features.

She obeyed. Sasuke held out the necklace he was holding. Sakura stared at it, trying to make out the words.

Blood

Sacrifice

Soul

Huh? What does that mean? She wondered. The necklace was a brilliant gold, and tear-shaped. A bright red gem sat right in the middle of it. Sasuke placed the necklace on her neck, and took out some powdery-like substance from his pocket. Spreading the white powder on her wound, he closed his eyes and started to chant in a language which Sakura could not understand.

There was a flash of light and Sakura felt something being secreted from her wound. In a few seconds, it was over, and the red gem in the necklace turned black. Sasuke stood up, handing her some cotton pads. "W-What did you do?" She asked, feeling worried. "I removed the vampire's anti-healing substance from your body. The wound can heal now, but it'll take a couple of days. During these periods, I advise you to stay at home." He replied, putting the necklace on the table. "…What are you going to do with that, then?" Sakura asked, pointing at it. "Take the gem and check what kind of vampire bit you." Sasuke frowned.

"What kind of vampire? I thought vampires are just… vampires, you know. They have different categories?" The girl asked bravely, because now Sasuke was looking extremely annoyed for some reason. The vampire hunter opened his mouth, looking as though he wanted to ask her to shut up and go home, but he changed his mind and answered her question.

"There are three types. First, naturally-born vampires—no, they are not the undead. You could call them half-humans who depend on other's blood to survive. They are just born that way. Legend was that their ancestors made a pact with some magician who granted them eternal life, but in return, they change into blood-sucking…" He paused for a while there, wanting to say something but stopped himself. "The second types are... specials. They are vampires that have the power to turn their human victims into their own kind. The third types-- those who are bitten by a special and... turn into vampires themselves." His tone was especially bitter at the last sentence, and Sakura knew it was time to go home.

She got up from his bed. "…I-I suppose I'll be going then," She said hurriedly.

Author: Please review! (I must have said this a million times already! )