Dark
irises woke to see the sun shining through the curtains. She didn't
know how she got here, nor did she know how a bandage that only
showed a small sign of blood had covered a side of her neck. It was
clear evidence to her that she had been attacked somehow but for some
reason, she couldn't seem to remember what actually happened and
who attacked her. Pulling at the bandage slightly, she lifted the
padded plasters off of her neck before examining her wound. At first,
she couldn't see anything. Pulling the mirror slightly closer to
the wound, she nearly screamed as she realised what it was. Just
the same as Ritsuko! She though, nearly hitting the mirror over
as she started to panic. What were worse were tonight a dance was
going to take place and not just any dance either, a Ball Room
dance!
Riku insisted to her grandmother that she didn't want to
go but the old lady thought that she needed to take her mind off of
her current situation. Her grandmother had also picked out the dress.
The dress itself was completely black except for the red frills at
the end of her sleeves and hem. They were a crimson colour, Riku's
favourite as a matter of fact. She didn't know why the old lady was
forcing her to go though. Riku wondered if she should have told her
grandmother about her neck wound but just as she picked up the
receiver, she placed it back down, knowing that what she would say
would sound far too crazy to be believed anyway. It was nearly three
0'clock. It still wasn't time for the dance. The time dragged on
slowly, making Riku begin to feel nervous.
What if the dress looks horrible on me? What would I look like to everyone then? A horrible image followed her thoughts, making her feel like she wanted to go and throw up somewhere but luckily enough, she didn't. The dance didn't start till eight, yet her grandmother was going to make sure that she was there by seven to help everyone with the preparations. She hated dancing, yet when she started she wasn't so bad at it. Pressing the dress up towards her bosom, she proceeded to twist and turn on the spot, knowing that no one was there. No one saw her and yet that was when she truly danced, giving out each rhythm that her heart made along with her mind and soul. If know one was going to watch her tonight, she would dance like this if she found a suitable partner to do so.
And then memories of what happened last night began to hit her, causing her to hold her head slightly as she did so, yet when she did, a voice erupted from her thoughts, so unlike her very own.
"Riku…I am sorry. I had to establish this connection with you! I know it hurts but this is probably the most discreet way I can contact you."
"Dark!" She knew that voice, remembered how beautiful his name sounded as he spoke each syllable clearly, and those eyes, those beautiful eyes. Then more came at her, showing her just how she had that wound upon her neck.
Dark did this? She thought as she allowed her fingers to trace the tiny holes subconsciously. She shook that thought away. After all, it wasn't like Dark was a vampire or anything. Checking her watch, she realised that the time was four 0'clock. Taking off her dirty clothing from last night, she ran a shower, hoping that the waters healing properties would give answers to her confusion, but it did not. This was a complete mystery to her, with Dark as the true enigma of the tale. What did trouble her was that she didn't know where he had come from, nor did she hear anyone approach when she was being attacked. Water ran down her back, each droplet escaping from her dark mane. Tonight was probably going to be like last time, she would end up dancing with Daisuke again.
Running shampoo through her hair, she waited as the water soaked it all off before turning off the shower and drying herself. Looking in the mirror, she saw someone just as confused as she was look back at her, yet this person also had a smile gracing her pretty features. Riku wondered where that girl had gone. It seemed that she had died along with her sister, Risa yet somewhere inside she still felt her warmth melting the frozen parts of Riku's mind. Drying her hair off with the hairdryer, Riku began to relax a little as she fitted the dress around her, feeling extremely odd in wearing something like this. Her cleavage was revealed greatly by the short collar. She felt like she wanted to take it off but a voice in her mind told her not to, that she was as pretty as a picture.
She became so exhilarated in the dress that she almost forgot to pin her hair up. Grabbing some clips, she managed to pin it up into a tidy bun on top of her head before rushing into the front room to find her shoes. Pretty looking faeries danced around her toes just like natives to the nature around them. She looked different, so unlike the boyish look she took on after the death of her parents. For one night only, she was going to be a proper woman, stunning all simply with the dress she wore. The clock suddenly changed to seven 0'clock and just as soon as it did, a knock on the door simply told her that it was time to dance the night away hopefully with someone who actually wants to dance with or just mope around next to a group of friends who will most likely be all over each other.
The dance wasn't going to start for another hour or so, yet it was already pitch black outside. People were skittering around quickly, adding affects to the banners and deciding what music was going to be played out by the band. When it was all finally settled, Riku took a seat next to a group of boys who were pointing and laughing at her. She knew these boys, hated them for what they were yet she said nothing to them, just ignoring them completely. The music started up and guests began to pour in from the front entrance yet she didn't stand up to find a suitable partner. She felt far too miserable to do so. The dance went on even at 11:00pm, although all she really did all night was go up to get a drink. Then she felt it for the first time.
The feeling could only be simply described as someone watching her from afar, like a guardian angel seeking to help her out along the way of her lifeline before she finally succumbed to the release known only as death itself. Taking a look at the crowd surrounding her, she spotted nothing completely out of the ordinary. Mingling within the line for the punch, she gazed up at the balcony and froze, her heartbeat beginning to thunder within her fragile chest cavity. Her lips curled nervously as she looked up at the mysterious stranger who had obviously been there for quite some time. His lips curled back in a similar manner to hers, revealing a set of perfectly solid fangs that seemed to be longer than the rest of his teeth.
Her hand lifted subconsciously to her neck, revealing pale flesh that seemed possibly enticing.
"Miss…are you okay?" a gentle yet somewhat bored voice asked, before she realised that she had been wrapped up in a trance.
"I'm fine…thank you…" She said as she took a look up at the balcony, realising that Dark had disappeared. She felt scared now, a possible terror that she had never felt before, yet she never realised that a set of eyes were upon her again, the exact same eyes that had drawn her attention to the balcony in the first place. Finally managing to grab some punch, she sat down, feeling a sense of loneliness that seemed to replace her terror as she watched everyone else dance.
Then only she could hear the sound of a low beating noise. Looking up from her position, dark irises met violet, as time seemed to stop. Terror gripped at her heart yet she felt no need to run away. Before she realised what she was doing however, her feet began to move for her without her permission. She was drawing slowly, almost in a daze towards the man who held out a gloved hand to her, equally matching his completely dark, mildly gothic attire of a black cloak that seemed to hide something from the world, something that made him look unique compared to everyone else around them both. She didn't quite know what it was, but she had a few ideas flow into her mind as she remembered his perfectly smooth lips curling back to reveal a pair of pure white fangs.
The dance was exhilarating, each of them seeming to be swept off their feet as the music continued on, even when it finally began to slow down a bit. The terror-stricken girl that he had seen queuing up for punch no longer seemed to exist as they each before looked deeply into each others eyes, not quite realising that they were now the only ones there. Each seemed last in the music itself, a sense of euphoria clouding both of their visions. This was how he had wanted it. To not be alone anymore. Last night seemed like a nightmare to him now, especially since the taste of her sweet blood seemed to linger upon the tip of his tongue. He had to taste her though, to make sure that the blood wasn't bad and also to establish a mind connection with her.
Not one of them realised what time it was, nor did they really care. This was a night for them only, one that wasn't going to be destroyed by any simple means. The music ended but they didn't stop, not until Riku finally began to feel worn out by the exhilarating dance.
"Wow…" Was all she could really say as they stopped, curling into each other's arms as they did so? Dark said nothing, just simply wrapped his fingers around thin strands of her hair, kissing her forehead lightly as he did so. This was the closest he had been to a human woman for at least over a hundred years or so.
Her head rose up slightly, just as he had left the attention of her forehead and turned away from her. "Dark?" Her voice seemed shaky, as if she thought something was wrong. It felt strange for him to feel this way, even though he had been seducing women for a long time now, dragging them to their deaths from the power of his charms. Was he going to do the same to her? He couldn't bear to face her with that thought.
"Riku…I'm sorry!" He said as he walked away from her. This was wrong, completely wrong. Vampires were never meant to fall in love with humans, yet he seemed to be completely against the idea of turning her into something that was never meant to be.
"Dark wait! Please!" That stopped him. It was something in her voice that caused him to turn around to her and place a deeply intoxicating kiss upon her sweet tasting lips.
The kiss itself felt like nothing she had ever felt before. It was both dangerous and yet full of pure ecstasy, causing each of them to moan slightly into the kiss as she felt his tongue explore her small cavern. She realised then that for a vampire, Dark was an extremely good kisser. Not wanting to let go of this moment in time, she felt her own hand trail up to the back of his head, messaging it slightly as she shivered with pleasure from his delicate touch as his hands trailed along her waistline, reaching lower until he finally broke off the kiss. His violet irises seemed hazy as if he wasn't quite sure that he wanted to do that. Placing another delicate kiss upon her lips, he left her to wait within the safety of the Ball Room as she waited for a grandmother to come and pick her up, all the while watching as Dark raced off into the night, becoming a complete enigma to her once more.
The continuous chatter of her grandmother as the small car raced through the streets of Azumano was blanked out of her mind completely. All she could think about was the kiss that they each shared before he departed, obviously trying to get back before dawn. She knew what he was, could easily tell by his extremely long fangs and pale skin that he was in fact a vampire. Yet he was so much unlike the monstrous tales she would often read about vampires who stalked the night. It was as if he had a soul, unlike any vampire who took the pleasure in killing their feast.