A/N: Sorry it took so long to update! i have had school and stuff keeping me behind, and with Honors classes across the board it's hard to update as frequently as I would like. With marching band too, competitions every Saturday, sectionals after every Tuesday and Tuesday night rehersals, and football games every Friday, it's really hard! I also have the two day BOA competition coming up, and then the three day U of A day, and the two day Reno and Tuscon competions, and it's a mess. I'll try to update when I can, just please be patient with me!

Chapter 8: Under the Façade

"Are we going to do this or not?" an annoyed voice asked, sitting on the roof of a residential house looking bored. "I want to blow something up, un. What's taking so long?" His crimson haired partner made no reply, glancing around the surrounding streets for anyone that might have the misfortune to pass by. The blond slumped where he was sitting; his blonde hair tussled around his face in his aggravation. He turned to the blond and gave him an impassive look that the honey eyed man took as a glare, which made him laugh. His companion had about as many facial expressions as a puppet, but the blond had been around vampire long enough to know exactly what dirty look he was giving him.

"Your impatience is aggravating," the man commented, his words making no impression on the other young man. He merely shrugged and leaned back, waiting for the man to give the signal. Finally, after another five minutes, the red-haired man whispered to his blond partner, "Go!" The two vampires slid silently from the roof and into the building, landing softly on the carpeted floor of the hallway. The two snuck into a bedroom they found was empty. It was obviously a girl's, with pink walls and stuffed animals everywhere. The two then slunk into a second one that was occupied. The blond smiled cheerfully, and the two pounced, soon rendering the man and woman in bed completely helpless. After the two were… disposed of, they merely dumped theircorpses on the floor, blood trickling down the blond one's chin. "You're impolite, and giving the rest of a bad name."

"Like I care," he responded affably, pulling a metal device from his trench coat pocket. "I'm just here to blow stuff up, un. But it's a shame the girl wasn't here. You could add her to your little corpse collection. Un, she'd be a nice little addition, eh?" The shorter man made no reply as the blond attached it to the wall, and pressed a key. The LED numbers on the screen claimed 10:00, and he pressed go. 9:59… 9:58… 9:57… 9:56…

…:oOo:…

Ino walked down the dark street, going home from her late night work that Shikamaru had asked her to do, so he could get some sleep. Well, work she made him give her, so she could force him to go to sleep. As she approached her house, she saw someone run away from it, quickly, and she couldn't catch who it was. She furrowed her brow, and shook her head, wondering if she was seeing things. As she scaled the steps to her house, she noticed that her door was completely busted out, and walking inside she saw that things there were not much better. Climbing the stairs to the second story, she entered her parents' bedroom and saw something lying on the floor, unmoving. Getting closer, she realized what it was, and was ready to start screaming.

A light ticking noise reached her ears, and she looked around. Glancing into the hall way, she saw a red light pulsing gently and upon closer inspection she saw red numbers counting down on it. Her blue eyes widened and she ran back into her parents' room, slamming the door shut just as the bomb latched onto her hallway wall began to explode.

…:oOo:…

Groggily Shikamaru awoke, uncertain to what had roused him from such a comfortable sleep. He suddenly realized that his cell phone was ringing, playing the song Foxy Lady by Jimmy Hendrix (Naruto picked the ring tone out for him and he had been too lazy to change it back), and alerting him to who was calling him. Reaching out to grab the blue flip-phone, he opened it without taking it off the charger and said sleepily, "Ino? What's up?"

He heard choked sobs on the other end, and was jerked instantly awake. That couldn't be Ino; she… didn't cry or break down that easily. Something must be seriously wrong. Throwing the sheet from himself he sat up and waited for her response. "Can you," his partner sniffed, her voice cracking from her tears, "please come over here? I… need your help…"

"Yeah, give me a few minutes and I'll be right there," he replied instantly, getting out of bed and walking over to his closet. She hung up and he pulled on his black shorts and olive green jacket, tucking his phone into his pocket and grabbing his car keys. He just pulled on a pair of blue sandals, not even bothering with his sneakers. Exiting from his house and locking the door, he climbed into his car and drove down the familiar road to Yamanaka Ino's house.

Getting out of his sports car, he noticed that the glass door had been broken in, and the porch light smashed to bits. He glanced around in concern and opened the broken door, causing more glass to fall off the wooden frame. "Ino?" he called, flipping on a light switch. The bulb flickered on for a moment before bursting, causing sparks to fly everywhere. Pulling a flashlight from his back pocket, he turned it on and looked around the front room. Everything was completely totaled and charred a pitch black from flames burning away at things. The grand piano that had been in the living room was utterly torn apart, the white and black keys strewn across the floor. Bits and pieces of the parquet had been torn up, and glass littered the tiles in the kitchen. Scaling the stairs, he accidentally stepped on something flimsy and glanced down to see Ino's room sign laying on the floor in half. He hollered desperately, "Hey! Ino! Where are you!"

"Shikamaru!" he heard her whimper, and he crunched on some glass running into the room two down from hers. She stared back at him, tears falling from her blue eyes onto the ground. "Shikamaru …" She stood up and ran over to him, burying her face into his shoulder. He hugged her securely, trying to calm the distressed woman as he glanced around the room. Shining his flashlight on the ground, he saw two people lying there, unmoving. A pretty woman with brown hair and older looking man with dirty blond were piled on the wooden floor. They looked as if they had died of dehydration, their skin pressing against their bones as if there was nothing else there. Like all the blood had been drained out of them.

Ino shook madly and she sobbed heartbreakingly into his shirt, clutching the material as if her life depended on it. "Ino, what happened in here?" She hiccupped and wiped her eyes, not wanting to move from the warmth of his embrace. Her hair was a complete and total mess, the normally neat ponytail gone and her locks running down her back.

"I came home," she whispered, turning to face the bodies on the ground, her azure orbs still watery with tears. "From work, after analyzing all of the papers you gave me, and the entire place… was completely trashed…" She shook her head and glanced back at him, her eyes meeting his brown ones. "And my parents…" The girl shuddered violently, and finished, her voice almost inaudible, "Were dead."

His eyes widened in shock and he asked, "How!"

"Vampires. I'd know those symptoms anywhere, having worked with Sakura for so long." He watched Ino for a moment as she examined the bodies, not leaving his grip for an instant. She shook her head and placed her chin on his shoulder, searching for an answer that seemed beyond her reach, lurking in the shadows. "But… how?" she wondered, shaking her head, again. She slid her hand down his arm to hold his and squeezed it tightly. He brushed a stray piece of fair colored hair from her face and she sniffed. "My father was the Seeker before me, meaning he was even more skilled than I am… How… it couldn't have been some run-of-the-mill vampire…"

"Someone elite," Shikamaru mused, interlocking his fingers with hers to try and comfort her. "Possible someone… from the Akatsuki Coven."

She nodded, wiping her cheeks with the balls of her hands. "It would make sense, considering the Akatsuki, next to the Covens in Oto led by Orochimaru, are the biggest threat to humans. And to think… it was a lucky break that I…" She broke down again, attempting to hold back her sobs and tightening her grip on his hand.

"Ino," he whispered to her, releasing her hand and holding her shoulders gently. "It's all right, Ino, I'm here for you, I promise. I won't let anything happen to you." She glanced to the ground, her cerulean eyes still watery, and he smiled softly, cupping her cheeks and making her look up at him. "Listen to me, Ino. I swear on my life that I won't let anyone hurt you, whether it be the Akatsuki or Orochimaru himself. I'll be there, protecting you from harm." She nodded and smiled weakly. "Okay then," he began again, suddenly sounding all business and halfheartedly giving her a crooked smile. "Until all of this is sorted out, you need to stay with someone else for a bit. You can live at my house, if you don't mind." She shook her head no, that she wouldn't mind, and wrapped her arms around his torso, and he blushed, scratching his cheek in little shown embarrassment.

She whispered to him, "Arigatou Shikamaru." He shrugged and turned to bring the bodies back to the ANBU headquarters for examination. But before he picked them up, the pale haired girl put a hand on his shoulder and turned him around to face her, much to his obvious confusion. Standing on her toes, she pressed a chaste kiss to his lips and backed away with glowing cheeks. He gave her a half smile, his cheeks pink as well, and turned back to her family, preparing to pick them up and carry them back to the ANBU Headquarters. As soon as they stepped out of the house, a loud cracking sounded and the entire building collapsed behind them, and Ino fainted.

The brunet winced. One more thing he needed to carry back to headquarters.

…:oOo:…

"This is definitely Akatsuki work," Kakashi verified, examining the body of Ino's dead mother. "Most vampires at least leave a little blood in the body, and the bite isn't this clean. It's usually ragged. The Akatsuki Coven was definitely behind this." Sakura comforted her best friend as she blew her nose on a tissue, and the rest of the group stayed silent. This is a lot bigger than they had originally thought. The enemy knew who they were and where they lived, who their loved ones were. "Plus, they destroyed the entire house afterwards, hoping more of us might be inside."

Shikamaru demanded, slamming his still slightly burnt hands on the table, "Shouldn't we take care of the rest of our families then? Bring them here for extended protection from the Akatsuki!" Sakura sighed and moved away from the blonde, who brushed her off. She didn't want to be comforted anymore. As she was passing by to her seat, Sasuke smirked at her and lightly grabbed her wrist, pulling the female Seeker into his lap. She blushed, and although everyone noticed no one said anything, not even Naruto who was too caught up in what was going on.

Gaara suggested, finally talking to the rest of them, "I could request my brother and sister from Suna to lend us a hand, and watch your families while they're in custody in this building." The silver haired man contemplated, and raised a finger in an idea.

"I also have allies in other parts of Konoha, and I can get a few of them down here." He listed them off on his fingers, "Genma, Shizune, Gai…" Naruto comically spit a swig of soda he had taken across the room and watched Kakashi in total shock. Neji and Sasuke gave him equally disgusted looks and Hinata sighed, going to go grab paper towels.

"Gai-sensei? The Health teacher from our school! And Shizune-san, the nurse!" he shouted, his eyes looking circular and completely white. Tenten chuckled and nodded, smiling at him. "Wait, you knew that Tenten?" She nodded again.

The redhead from Suna told him, "It was obvious if you paid attention." Everyone else agreed, leaving Naruto with no doubt in his mind that he was the only one who didn't know that their hot-blooded Health teacher was a vampire hunter, and their pretty, level-headed nurse was one too. "And that boy that Sakura dated, he's one too." That no one seemed to know, and all eyes snapped to the green eyed Seeker. He blinked his heavily blackened eyelids and glanced from shocked face to shock face, looking impassive. "Masao found that out a few weeks ago, before… you know…"

"Y-Yes," Hinata said, breaking the silence as she entered back into the room with paper towels for Naruto. "Um, Kakashi-san, t-two people are here th-that I've never—" Before she could finish her sentence the unknown individuals traipsed in, as if they were looking for something. Or someone. They glanced around the room until their eyes rested on Gaara, and relieved expressions took hold of their faces.

The blonde of the two sighed and shot the brunet a grin. "Finally found him!"

Gaara blinked and asked, "Temari? Kankurou? What are you two doing here?" The man in purple colored face paint crossed his arms, and shot the dirty blonde a nervous look, who returned the look with equal uneasiness. "Temari? Kankurou? I'd like an answer."

His sister shuffled anxiously in place, all signs of playfulness gone from her face. "Gaara…I don't like being the bearer of bad news but… um, it's tou-san… he's dead." Sakura winced, watching the vermillion haired Seeker with a miserable expression. First Masao, now his own father? Poor guy! His expression didn't change at all, and everyone watched him with sympathy on their features.

He replied coldly, "What difference does that make to me? I hated him, and you know it." Ino watched him in apprehension, her red rimmed eyes wide with shock. How could someone… hate their own father? Temari walked over to him and whispered something in his ear, causing his eyes to widen momentarily before returning back to the normally stoic façade. "Orochimaru, hm?" Kakashi gave him a sharp glance and clenched his fist, watching the Suna Siblings in shock.

"Orochimaru?" he asked, his only visible eye wide. Sighing, he stood up and ran a hand through his silver hair, obviously exasperated. "If Orochimaru has started assassinating the kages, that means I might have to…" He shook his head again, and exited the room distractedly, mumbling vaguely under his breath. The eleven Seekers watched him go, confused, and turned to look at Temari.

Who, in turn, glanced around with a strange expression. "Hey Gaara?" she inquired, glancing at her brother. "Where's Masao-kun? Didn't she come with you on this excursion?" He grimaced and became very still, watching the floor with an aloof expression. She furrowed her brow and glanced to the Fire Country ANBU, who looked reluctant to disclose information. Hinata opened her mouth to say, but as she did Gaara left the room and slammed the door shut behind him. Kankurou stared at him in shock, curious as to what could have changed his baby brother's disposition so much.

"She w-was K-KIA…" the blue haired Hyuuga divulged hesitantly, pressing her forefingers together. The siblings looked astonished, and glanced at each other for a moment before turning back to Hinata. "A l-little over… two w-weeks ago. She fulfilled h-her contract, that's all G-Gaara-san would say about h-her…" The siblings watched Hinata in shock, speechless. Masao… she was killed?

Temari demanded, "You couldn't do anything to save her?" Hinata felt tears fill her eyes, guilt seeping through her.

Naruto yelled angrily, "Don't blame her! She wasn't even there, dammit!" Temari narrowed her eyes at him but Kankurou grabbed her arm, making her stop. She clenched her fist to her side to prevent herself from doing anything rash. Naruto patted Hinata's shoulder to try and calm her down, and glared at the blonde girl. "Masao died protecting Gaara. How is that in anyway Hinata-chan's fault!"

Sakura asked, "Temari-san was it?" She nodded stiffly, and Sasuke glanced to the pink haired girl. "May we ask for your assistance in protecting our families as we take them into hiding from the Akatsuki as well as the Oto Coven?" The two siblings glanced at each other and back to Sakura, uncertain.

Gaara suddenly reentered the room, his cheeks looking slightly red. He turned to his siblings, "Help them out with this, Temari, Kankurou. I have business to attend to back home." A few people glanced at him and his siblings looking appalled.

"Are you serious Gaara?" Kankurou argued. "You're a political figure now that dad's gone! You're the new Kazekage!" Everyone glanced at Gaara in shock, but the redhead sans eyebrows made no move. His face was impassive as he scanned those of his colleagues.

Sakura spoke up, standing from her position in Sasuke's lap, "Gaara-san, if you would like, I'll come with you for protection during the journey to the Sand…" He looked mildly surprised with her offer, and a couple moments later Naruto and Sasuke stood up as well.

"Me too, dattebayo," Naruto added, a deathly serious expression on his face. Sasuke nodded his agreement, and Temari and Kankurou glanced from them to each other, obviously surprised. They didn't think that the ANBU here would want to get themselves involved with foreign affairs, but they truthfully wanted to help. 'I would never abandon you Gaara-sama. Ever. You mean more to me than anything in this world.' Masao's words came back to him and he felt his heart skip a beat, as if she was right there, saying it to him. He shut his eyes for a moment, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. These people cared for him in the same way that Masao had before she died. He glanced up at them with glassy sea-green eyes, startling his brother and sister with the emotion they could portray when he wasn't being stoic.

Masao had always told him his best feature was his beautiful eyes, besides his attractive red hair of course, and now he realized why. She may be gone, but her words and her memories would always be with him, something he would never forget not matter what he went through or what happened. It was something he could pull strength from when he was feeling weak. He met the eyes of all three of the Fire Country ANBU that agreed to help him. And he whispered, in a voice that truly portrayed his feelings, "Thank you." In a way, he wasn't only thanking them, but the young woman who had left him behind as well. Temari reluctantly put a hand on her little brother's shoulder and smiled at him. He gave her a nod of appreciation and continued, "We'll leave tomorrow then. Collect your things and be ready to depart first thing in the morning."

Naruto cheered and flew from the room to get ready and Sakura glanced up at Sasuke, and she wore a smile. His onyx eyes met hers, and he slung his arm over her shoulders in an affectionate manner, hugging her to his side. She told him, "I'm glad you'll be coming with Sasuke-kun, and Naruto too, otherwise things might be kinda boring there."

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, unnoticed by the rest of the occupants of the room. She blushed and glanced up at him, a question in her eyes, and he had a very serious look on his face. "I would never allow you to do something this dangerous alone." With that he left her side with a wave, and Sakura felt her heart pound in her chest at the sight of his face smiling at her; only for her. Why did she fell that way though? She shook her head, trying to clear the hearts from her eyes, and glanced around. She blinked, realizing that while she was daydreaming the room had emptied. Sighing, she ran out after her friends, preparing to get ready to leave for Suna.

…:oOo:…

"Have the preparations for the new Kazekage been set?" a sly voice questioned, almost his entire body covered in the shadow of the room. Through the darkness however, two amber eyes with catlike pupils glowed with inhuman illumination. Kneeling down respectively before him was a silver-haired man with large, round glasses and onyx eyes with specks of amber in them. It seems even after being changed to a vampire hadn't affected him as much as it would most people.

He replied in a soft voice, "Yes Orochimaru-sama, the plan is set for his arrival in Suna." Laughter emanated from around the room. Excited laughter, eager laughter, the laughter of hundred of vampires waiting to get their fill of blood. "But I have learned that a few of the ANBU from Konoha have decided to accompany him home. Haruno Sakura, Uzumaki Naruto, and, I believe you'll find this interesting Orochimaru-sama, Uchiha Sasuke."

The man sat in a thoughtful position and smiled. Now, on this type of person a smile usually meant something terrible or catastrophic for one or more people. And in this case, that was true. The man commented, "Sasuke, hm? What news do you have on his little plan as of late, Kabuto?" The silver haired man pulled out a small member pad and flipped through the first couple of pages.

He read, "I have observed that Sakura and Naruto are playing a crucial role in Sasuke's revenge. As in, convincing him not to. Especially the girl. If I had a guess, I'd suspect he's fallen in love with her." Suddenly, Orochimaru let out a cackle, something that was frightening to hear by people who weren't used to it. It was something slippery, almost like a snake, and it made an almost maniacal grin crack across Kabuto's face.

Orochimaru told the boy, "Kabuto, I expect you know exactly what needs to be done, yes?" He nodded, not looking very pleased at all with the goings-on. "We need Sasuke for our little… project. I'll send Tayuya and her subordinates to accompany you. Don't kill any of them, just… scare them a bit, eh, Kabuto? Oh, and give Sasuke a little message for me will you?" He held out a small envelope to the man and he took it, putting away in his trench coat pocket. He turned to leave with a magenta haired vampire following behind him. His eyes were narrowed in a frighteningly demonic fashion, like he would very much like to kill the very next thing he saw. And Kabuto just hoped he saw Uchiha Sasuke next.

Orochimaru watched him leave, and soon he was alone in the chamber, a strange thought on his mind. "I wonder," he thought aloud in amusement, his cat-like eyes not leaving the door through which Kabuto left. "What's he planning on doing now?" The man stood up and let his long cloak sweep the ground as he walked out, blowing out the candles around the room as he exited, leaving the space in pitch blackness.