Hey, I'm not dead! I know it's been a very (VERY) long time since I last updated, but I haven't stopped this story. I hope that, whoever you are, you enjoy this chapter, and the story as a whole. I am excited for this chapter, because for once I'm writing an actual plot, not just oneshots that are tied together to form a semblance of a story! Anyways, I hope you enjoy the second chapter of Sunset. Your ever faithful (but not very swift) Serenity. And props to anyone who gets the reference for the chapter title (hint: it's in a song)

Sunset

Chapter Two: Going in for the Kill

November 19th, 2011 (Anchorage) 11:30 PM

The forest was silent, almost to an eerie point. The snow fell in great amounts, but in absolute silence. It also didn't help that snow muted any sounds save for the not-so-often bird cries. The man sighed and leaned back further on his chair, wishing he could be out with the rest of the guys. He was on lookout duty, but for what? Stray dogs, perhaps rabbits, or even a wolf if he got lucky? All he could see for miles was snow, snow and more goddamned snow! All his friends were out hunting and he was left guarding an empty, abandoned cabin in the middle of no-man's land.

Feeling his stomach clench, he leaned back and shut his eyes. A lone deer would be perfect right now; he was starving! He could already see it, the thought making his mouth salivate: a grown doe, walking innocently in the forest, full of hot, pulsing life. The man went deeper into his fantasy, attacking the deer and seeing its life pour out rapidly through its neck and into his awaiting mouth. His fangs slipped out, and he realized he better get back to reality before he ran off and pursued his fantasy for real.

His eyes opened, and a pair stared back. "Fuck!" he exclaimed, and jumped straight off his chair. A little girl, no more than twelve or thirteen, watched him with a slight smirk on her face. She stood beyond the porch, waiting for his reaction. He calmed down and stood up, towering over her small form even from a distance. "Listen girly, you better scram; I may have some reservations about kids, but my friends…" he trailed off as he noticed her open-mouthed smile. She had some particularly pointed canines, and teeth like that meant one thing only: she was a vamp, just like him.

Noticing the realization that dawned on his face, she smiled even bigger and spoke to him. "You figured it out I see; I hoped you would before we would have to result to…unpleasant circumstances. But you seem to be an intelligent man, so I'm glad it didn't have to come to that."

"Thanks, but I-wait, we? Are you not alone?" He was honestly starting to get spooked; his buddies weren't supposed to be back for at least another ten minutes. If she wasn't alone, who knows what could happen to him.

"I'm just a little girl, sir; of course I'm not alone! I brought my family. Come out, boys!" The other vampire's heart, if it could still pump blood, would be beating frantically by now; instead, the hairs on his arms and neck stood up straight as three large and definitely male figures came out from the surrounding trees. Wait, three? How the hell did he not sense them?

As if reading his mind, the blue-haired one who looked to be the oldest spoke up. "It's okay, we're used to hiding our presence; you're not stupid. Well, actually I can't speak for your intelligence level can I? I don't know you yet." The three men began advancing and the lone vamp began backing up until his back hit the frosted over wall of the cabin.

"Listen, I don't know anything! They keep all of us out of the loop right up until the plan gets set in motion." He was honestly starting to fear for his…life-like form. The man who spoke before noticed his apprehension and laughed. The man wanted to cry: did he laugh because he thought that being feared was funny, or was this one of those pre-kill rituals some vamps had?

"We're not here to kill you: we want in." The man's expression had turned serious, and while the revelation that his existence was to be spared, the tone in which he spoke sent terrified shivers down his spine.

"I-I can't help you there; you have to beg the leader and go through initiation. I would really like to help you, but…" he trailed off as the four vampires began their approach towards the little porch where the terrified vampire stood. He reached blindly around for the door knob, but he kept on sliding around it. The four unknown vampires continued their walk until they had reached the porch steps; at this point, the vampire that had been on guard duty began crying.

"I really can't do anything; I'm just one of the underlings! Please, just let me go and find the others, they should be back soon. I swear that I won't run. Please, just please let me go find them." The young girl kept on approaching while the men stayed in place. Tears began gushing down his face as he fell to his knees, mumbling incoherently.

When he believed all hope was lost, a voice suddenly rang out from the distance: "Oi, who the hell are you freaks, and what'd you do to Alec?" The vampire known as Alec who had been crying on the porch perked up at his name being called. Several figures appeared at the edge of the wood: if he still had a heartbeat, he knew he would've felt it rising. His friends were here; he would be saved!

He stood up and wiped the tears that covered his face. "Gerard, these four came out of nowhere and said they wanted in!" The one known as Gerard stepped forward from the rest, and the four foreign vamps knew he was the leader. He looked at all four of them, and then at Alec, with a thoroughly amused look on his face.

"Alec, you're telling me that these four weaklings made you cry? I thought my men were made of stronger stuff than that…" The other men behind Gerard snickered, and Alec felt shame and embarrassment flow through him.

The four 'weakling' vampires turned and faced Gerard, who was still smirking at Alec's shame. The blue-haired one walked right up to the group and spoke again, but this time addressing Gerard. "I'm sorry, but you really shouldn't label someone until you fully know their strength."

Gerard snorted and leaned down until he was eye level with the girl. "You don't look very strong to me, and your presence is extremely weak; I can't sense anything other than me and my men." The underlings behind him laughed once more, and Gerard felt pride course through him. "Why don't you just leave now, and take your little friends with you?"

The girl, who until then had been smiling, instantly frowned. She turned and nodded to the other three, who merely nodded their heads. In an instant, an overwhelming presence could be felt by everyone in the small area, especially Gerard. The girl turned to him, smiling once more. "The best vampires can hide their presence from others, don't you think?" She smirked, and Gerard felt the hair at the back of his neck stand up. These were not your average vampires.

Regaining his composition, Gerard addressed all four of them. "Alright then, you've proved that you're not the run-of-the-mill vamps. Who are you; where did you come from?"

The blue-haired one smirked, as did the girl. The silver haired man kept a passive look on his face, but there was a definite look of what appeared to be…pity? The Alaskan vamps couldn't be sure. The one with purple hair stepped forward and stared Gerard straight in the eye.

"Sotoba."

In an instant, the valley was completely silent. Even Gerard, who had been thinking they were just a little higher than average, was speechless. Every vampire of the modern age knew what happened in Sotoba, of the massacre and the great fire that killed hundreds of humans and vampires alike. They all knew what happened after that too. Five years after the fire, a human who'd lived in the village tracked down the few remaining vampires: they butchered him without remorse and sucked him dry.

Gerard was the first person to speak again. "S-Sotoba; you're joking right? I mean, the only ones who survived were…" He trailed off, and the girl smiled.

"You're looking at the survivors. The blue-haired one is Tatsumi; the grey-haired one is Seishin; the other boy is Natsuno, and I am Sunako…Sunako Kirishiki." At this proclamation, several of Gerard's underlings gasped. Gerard was absolutely speechless. Looking from face to face, he knew she was telling the truth. The descriptions matched: one young girl, a teenager, and two men in their mid-twenties. They were the real deal, the goddamned Sotoba vampires.

Gerard weighed his decisions carefully. Adding more to the group would give them a greater chance at being caught. But theses vampires were legendary: turning them down could mean risking his entire team, and a small voice in his head said that the Sotoba vampires would win easily.

Gerard calmed himself and faced them once more. "Alright, you said you want in?" The four nodded, and he continued. "Having members who are as experienced as you are will be very helpful in our cause. You're in."

His underlings were silent, still stunned by the revelations of the vampires, but when Gerard glared back at them, they all clapped, albeit half-heartedly. He turned once more to the four, only to find them group together and whispering softly. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime to Gerard but was only two or so minutes, Sunako turned to him and smile.

"That's perfect boss. Let's begin."

November 25th, 2011: (Anchorage)

The Kirishiki vampires did not disappoint. When Gerard asked for information of any sort, they had it. In a matter of days they went from the newbies to Gerard's new confidantes. He often met with them alone, leaving the subordinates who'd served him for years to "guard home base". At times Gerard and the Kirishiki vamps would go off into the woods together for hours, leaving Gerard's lackeys restless and on edge. It was like they had in a trance, intoxicating him with information and ideas.

Alec and the others were getting fed up. Gerard didn't even hunt with them anymore, instead choosing to go off with his 'new pals.' Years, even decades, of servitude were forgotten the moment that little bitch opened her mouth and began talking. Gerard's boys had all heard the stories of how the little 'Kirishiki Murder Princess' (a name that survived along with the few Sotoba residents that didn't perish in the fire) and her followers had slowly dwindled the number of humans down by controlling them by sucking the victim's blood. While they knew it couldn't happen to fellow vampires, it still felt like Gerard had turned into the Kirishiki's puppet.

After hours of sitting and waiting while Gerard and those vampires, (as Gerard's underlings referred to them in private) talked over some matter, they emerged from the small room that had been converted to a study. Sunako looked subtly victorious, and Gerard was smiling. The other three Sotoba vampires wore expressions that were devoid of emotion.

"Well boys, a decision" Gerard spoke triumphantly, and at once the room went silent. All were eager to hear what it was that Gerard had to say. Gerard looked over at Sunako, who nodded and stepped forward to speak.

"Gerard has informed us of the alleged hunter threats that you've been experiencing for the past several months, so the four of us have come up with a plan to eradicate our opposition."

Stunned looks were displayed across the faces of Gerard's followers. The hunters had taken twelve of their strongest in the past four months, and these four unknowns believed they had the key to eradication? As if; they'd probably just get their heads chopped off, an idea which sounded good in many of the underling's minds. They were shaken from their thoughts of death when the girl started to speak again.

"While all of us will be participating in the final eradication, it is Natsuno who will be the key. Natsuno, will you continue?" She gestured to the other violet haired vampire: tall, pale skin, looking barely out of his teens, and a stare that pierced the soul. He nodded and stepped forward.

"I have been attending school with the humans, and I've learned their ways. Being a teenager myself when I was turned, I know how to fit in among them."

At this point one of the more reckless and cocky of Gerard's followers shouted out, "What the hell do teenagers have to do with vamp hunters?" Murmurs of agreement could be heard, and Natsuno merely gazed at them until they quieted down.

"Before arriving in Anchorage we received word that the son of the chief hunter was in attendance at the high school, so we sent Natsuno in to survey the child and get close to him." Sunako finished her interjection with a smile that said 'don't interrupt if you don't know what you're saying'. "Natsuno," she said, turning to the teen, "continue please."

He nodded his head and began speaking once more. I had my schedule fixed so that I have all classes with the kid, and I'm about to begin my approach. Within the month, I will be able to lure him out, and then we strike."

"You're saying that we're going to kill this kid?" The same vamp that had asked before spoke again, although this time in a much more demure tone. "That's pretty messed up."

"Oh child," Sunako said to the vamp, walking up to him and taking his hand, "we're going to mutilate him. After we drain him near dry, we'll cut him up and send the body parts to his family, one day at a time. That should drive them at us blind with rage, and humans are easiest to kill when they do not notice the things around them. We will end the hunters that have plagued you, and we'll do it for a small price, which Gerard has already consented to."

One of the smarter of Gerard's followers wryly asked "and what would that be, princess?" he asked in a tone that wasn't quite mocking, but not serious.

Sunako giggled, and in a blink of an eye she was in front of the new speaker, smiling innocently up at him; a cold that made Antarctic winters seem warm crept up his spine, and he visibly swallowed. "We demanded access to all of your lands so that we could feed without having to worry about border disputes, as we plan to stay here for quite a while."

She began to walk away, but stopped and turned. "I was never princess, just a lord's daughter, but thank you for the title; it makes me feel grand." She said the word grand with specific emphasis, and the meaning behind it was clear: call me that again and I'll rip your tongue and eat it myself.

The man shut his mouth and did not speak again. Sunako finished her walk back to the center staging area where the others in charge were standing. She faced the vampires and, seeing Gerard incline his head, began to speak once more.

"Here's the plan…"

November 27th, 2011 (Anchorage): 12:10 PM

Clinton Palmer sighed and slumped further in his seat, staring dejectedly at his tuna sandwich. He peered around the lunchroom and saw everyone sitting with someone else, and sighed. 'Another day, anther lunch alone,' he thought, and began to pack up his lunch. At this rate it he'd rather just skip the meal altogether. With thanksgiving over, school had only several weeks until the much-loved winter break. For most students, it was a time to talk about Christmas and gifts. For Clinton, it was the normal solitude that he experienced every day. No holiday spirit for him.

"Is this seat taken?" A voice quietly asked, and Clinton choked on the milk he was chugging down. He began coughing violently: 'Jesus,' he thought, 'this is just wonderful: another fucking reason for people to stare and talk about me.' He resigned himself to become the topic of yet more gossip, and was genuinely surprised when he felt a hand lightly patting him on the back, encouraging him to swallow.

He got his breathing back to normal and sighed in relief. "Thanks man, I really appreciate it." He opened his eyes and almost choked again, although instead of milk, it was the words he was about to speak. In front of him was Natsuno Koide, the transfer student that had the entire school in the gossiping frenzy their small high school had ever seen.

Boys were jealous, girls were in love, and teachers were in awe at his superb academic prowess. Clinton had seen him talking to Anita Goodwin the popular girl several weeks ago, but he stopped after about two days. 'Ha,' he thought dryly, 'maybe he realized what an annoying bitch Anita is.' Clinton was dragged out of his internal dialogue when he saw Natsuno staring at him expectantly.

He stuttered out a yeah and internally cursed: who stutters on one word? Natsuno however, didn't seem to mind and sat down across from him. He opened his bag and produced a small, wooden box. From across the table, Clinton studied it with curiosity. Noticing his staring, Natsuno smiled slightly and spoke. "They're called Bento Boxes. It's what Japanese kids usually use as a lunch box." Clinton nodded and tried to seem worldly. He didn't have many (any) friends and desperately wanted one in this stranger.

Natsuno opened the box and took out a rice-covered triangle-shaped…thing which he then proceeded to eat with grace that was more suited to riding a horse, or posing for a photo shoot. Clinton just watched him eat with utter fascination. He noticed that Natsuno had a little line of red dripping down his side. He hastily offered up one of his unused napkins, and Natsuno smiled again. 'Damn' Clinton thought, 'that smile could bring any girl to their knees'

"Thank you," Natsuno spoke after he'd cleaned his mouth. "My sister makes my lunches, and she often puts in meat that's far rawer than I'd like."

Once again, Clinton nodded, essentially dumbfounded by how fucking smart this kid across from him looked just cleaning off his face. The guy even folded the napkin; no one in Anchorage folded their napkins. Trying to add to the conversation, Clinton (in a very cool-sounding tone, he'd say), "You know, there aren't people like you around here: people with class and…and…well, the only word I can think of is coolness."

Natsuno paused at the statement 'aren't people like you around here', but smiled when he heard the rest of Clinton's statement.

"I don't know," Natsuno spoke, "I know of a few-my family namely. They taught me all about being…classy." Clinton snickered at Natsuno using the word classy.

The two carried on a casual conversation until Natsuno's phone rang. He looked down, and the smile from his face seemed to dim a little bit. He looked up at Clinton. "I'm sorry, but I really need to take this; can we continue later?" Clinton eagerly nodded and Natsuno smiled.

The fair-skinned exchange student walked out of the lunchroom and into the empty courtyard. He scanned the doors, windows and all other surroundings. Deeming himself alone, Natsuno causally jumped onto the tallest branch of the nearest tree and answered the call.

"How's the plan going, Naa-chan?" Sunako asked, and Natsuno winced. It'd been almost twenty-five years since she'd first given him that awful nickname, and yet she was still sticking to it.

Ignoring that annoyance, Natsuno replied, "It's on schedule; the boy doesn't suspect a thing. I'm predicting it'll only take a week to get him alone and out of school with me."

"Perfect," Sunako replied, and Natsuno merely stayed quiet. "Continue the good work Naa-chan; I'll report back to our superiors about the progress."

"Alright. I have to leave; class starts soon, and I'd rather not be late."

"Ah, Naa-chan, I didn't realize you were so studious!" Sunako exclaimed in a mocking tone, and Natsuno's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"I don't care what those idiots who call themselves teachers have to say, but it'll be bad if I rouse any suspicion by being absent."

"That's my Naa-chan, always thinking ahead! With this much progress, it won't be long before we can start going in for the kill" Natsuno internally sighed and hung up the phone. He surveyed the area once more, and, when he knew the coast was clear, jumped down from his temporary perch and went back inside.

Time to get the party started