Beta: EternalAngel
A/N: Didn't mention this in the first chapter, and to some it might be obvious, since this is a vampire fic, but just to be on the safe side,
Warning: Character Death.
A youth that appeared no older than twenty leaned next to an abandoned warehouse's door, drumming his fingers against his thigh, pulling on his black, spiky hair and stomping his foot restlessly. He was anxious to get going. The night was still young, but with every moment that passed, morning crept closer.
Finally he pounded his fist against the old warehouse door and yelled, "Hurry up, Viper! We don't have all night!"
"Fshuu, over here, you idiot," an irritated voice answered him, not from inside the warehouse as Momo had expected, but from an alley opposite him.
"Jeez, when'd you get there?" Momo asked. "Oi!" he shouted when, instead of answering, the other youth turned and disappeared, his movements reminding Momo of a snake. He'd almost laughed himself to hysterics when he found out the nickname he'd given his companion suited him so well.
Momo followed, his movements not as fluid as those of his companion, and even though the shadows hid him from the eyes of mortals, to any immortal being he would have looked clumsy, still too new for the abilities and power his body possessed. A young vampire still enthralled with the world that lay open before him, the beauty of the night blinding him so he forgot there ever was beauty in the light, pleasure in anything other than the blood.
His companion, Kaidoh, was older by a decade, yet he remembered. He would dream of days that had been filled with sunlight and laughter. He dreamt of peaceful days with his family, of running in the heat of summer, the sun hammering on his neck and back, the feel of sweat on his skin, of cold water running down his throat. He dreamt of watching butterflies in a field of flowers, of golden days, filled with light and life, of the snow's pure whiteness, of gripping cold and fogged breath in the cold morning air.
The night held beauty for him, but a different kind. The colours were never as bright, always dimmed by the darkness that now dwelled in his soul. Only with the blood did the world regain its splendour, the life he took gave the world a savage beauty more dazzling, than anything living eyes could have seen.
As they closed in on the city where their prey lived, voices carried to their ears. Cars travelling in the night, dogs that shouted a warning to their human masters as the two monsters passed. The part of the city they passed through was quiet in the nights; home to people that valued a tranquil life with their families, who lived according to a routine that rarely changed.
The metallic sound of keys falling to the asphalt halted the movement of the creatures, and their heads turned to the direction from where it had carried to their ears.
A young woman was kneeling on the street next to a car, searching for her keys. Despite the late hour, she did not feel fear. And why should she, in the street she had lived her whole life, where she had been born and raised, and was now raising a family of her own? She knew the street's every bump and crack, what hid in every shadow, knew every dog by its bark.
When her fingers finally closed around the keys that had slipped from her grasp she stood, a pleased smile on her lips.
The monster descended on her, and she had no time to cry out in pain or horror, when her throat was torn by savage teeth. Her once white blouse was now dark with the blood that the creature, who had taken her life, so craved for, yet was so willing to squander.
It was a kill too quick. Her neck was crushed under the eager grip of the creature that held her, the scent of the blood only increasing his lust for it, not sating it. Even when there was no longer a heart to beat the blood, the creature sucked the liquid that even when cold, filled him with rapture beyond any he had ever known.
Finally when there was nothing left, the monster laughed with his head thrown back. His violet eyes stared at the dark sky above his head in amazed wonder. It would never cease to stun him, how the world felt as if it glowed when new blood flowed through his body, filling him with warmth, life.
Spreading his hand, as if wanting to embrace the night sky and the world, he let himself fall on his back, closing his eyes.
"You killed her," a sour voice said, letting out a hiss after them.
"Relax, Kaidoh, we'll find you another one," Momo answered, laughing freely.
Kaidoh glared at him. Momo was more trouble than he was worth. Kaidoh wondered, not for the first time if he should have left when their master disappeared, gone off on his own. Solitude had more appeal to him, but there was comfort in Momo's presence. If they were ever to face someone more powerful, Kaidoh would have a better chance of surviving with Momo's help, than he would alone.
"Why are you always so brash?" Kaidoh asked. "She would have been enough for the both of us. We can't afford being detected and that's going to happen if you continue hunting them down like cattle!"
"But that's what they are! Cattle!" Momo laughed after his words.
"Show some respect! You were human once!"
"And now I'm something more!" Momo yelled and stood up. "Why are you so worried, there's no one who could stop us!"
"Idiot," Kaidoh hissed. "Didn't you listen when Tezuka-sama explained this to us? The older ones will tolerate us in their territory if we don't cause trouble. I don't want to die because you can't control your bloodlust!"
"We could take them, the two of us. We're as powerful as Tezuka-sama if we work together," Momo grinned.
"Fshuu, you really are an idiot," Kaidoh glared.
"What did you say? Why you damned-"
"Tezuka's weak! He told us that! Didn't you listen?" Kaidoh yelled, fisting his hands.
Momo blinked, surprised at Kaidoh's sudden outburst, the sliver of fear he heard in the hissing voice. He had never seen Kaidoh fear anything. "I did," he answered, not looking at Kaidoh. He shrugged. "I figured he was downplaying himself. He never bragged. And you felt his power, how could there be anything more monstrous than that?" Momo asked, jokingly, not expecting an answer other than another hiss.
Kaidoh looked away, not answering.
"Is there?!" Momo's voice was demanding now, and he walked over to the other vampire and grabbed his arm, trying to get Kaidoh to look at him. Kaidoh hissed and hit Momo in the face, sending him flying, his back hitting the car. The thump that sounded from his body colliding with the metal, echoed in the otherwise silent night.
"Don't touch me!" Kaidoh spat.
"Fine, but answer me!" Momo yelled, getting up, wiping the blood from his chin, glaring at his companion.
Kaidoh narrowed his eyes and grouched, waiting for retaliation, but when it never came and Momo just stood there, he straightened and answered, "There are. I've felt the presence of two."
"Two? And what do you mean felt? You never saw them? How come I didn't?"
"You weren't with us then," Kaidoh said. "The first one… I think Tezuka-sama feared him. We left right away when it appeared."
"What was it like?" Momo leaned forward, an eager glint in his eyes.
"Frightening," Kaidoh whispered. "It was like an immense pressure weighing you down. I felt weak, small and powerless. But that was nothing compared to the second one." Kaidoh was still whispering, his eyes not focusing on anything they saw in the present.
"The second one?" The other's fear was affecting Momo and he too was whispering and crept slowly closer to Kaidoh, feeling hunger towards the power Kaidoh so feared; the power that had scared even their master, whom Momo had believed to be invincible.
"I felt like a worm," Kaidoh spoke, his voice hushed, eyes darting from left to right, anxious, as if fearing that his words would summon the monster he spoke of. "No, even less than a worm to that one. Power so great it should have destroyed everything within a hundred yards, but it was refined. Controlled. Focused."
"And how would you know that?" Momo snorted.
Kaidoh turned back to face Momo, waking from his memories. He shifted uncomfortably and mumbled, "I just did."
Momo averted his eyes and they landed on the corpse of the woman. He kneeled next to the body, his expression turning thoughtful. He caressed the cold cheek that a few moments ago had been warm under his touch and looked at the dead eyes, staring up at the sky, an expression of horror frozen on her face. "I dated a girl that looked like her. You think it might be her?" he asked. "She left me for a guy that had a cooler car."
Kaidoh came to stand next to him. He looked at the figure that had once been a living woman, whom had once had a life, family, friends; an existence that should not have been taken so carelessly by someone who showed no respect towards it. "Well if she was, you've had your revenge now," Kaidoh said.
He was startled when Momo laughed. "Yeah!" He stood and threw the woman's body over his shoulder. "Come on, Viper! Let's go dump her at the docks."
Kaidoh gave the area one last glimpse. He spotted the woman's purse on the ground and bent down to pick it up before following Momo. If they were lucky, it would be filed as a missing person's report. They would have to start hunting in other areas soon, there had been too many disappearances here already.