A/N: Heh, it's easy to update punctually for once when the chapters a practically ready in beforehand. (grins) Plus this story is really starting to wrap me around it's little finger. Which means that the last half should be out in a relatively quick pace. Yay?

BUT, before getting to this chapter… Thank you so much for all those reviews! (GLOMPS) It means more than you could imagine to know that there are people waiting for the new chapter, ya know? So thank you! (hugs once more)

Awkay, because I doubt you're here for my babbling, let's go! (swallows thickly) I REALLY hope you'll enjoy the ride.

BITE THREE: Between Scylla and Charybdis

/ Any child would be shocked by seeing a dead body. One night a week after his tenth birthday Sasuke was forced to witness something beyond.

When running home after having been playing by the river much too long Sasuke was horrified by the thought of just how mad his parents would be. As it turned out there would've been no reason to worry about such things. Because as he walked in the house was completely dark.

He frowned, taking a cautious step forward. His parents shouldn't be sleeping already. "Mom? Father?"

Then he entered the living room. And the bottom dropped from Sasuke's world.

The first thing he saw and smelled was the blood that seemed to be everywhere. All over the floor, staining the walls and furniture. And then he saw his parents. There were looks of horror on their faces and in their wide, glazed over eyes. Those eyes would never leave his nightmares.

His mouth opened for a scream of terror but he couldn't get anything out.

It was around then he became aware of the eyes observing him. Lifting his gaze, his heart thumping with horror and aching in his chest, he saw a figure standing on their windowsill. It was too dark to see almost anything but the figure of a long-haired man. But Sasuke did see a pair of inhuman red eyes and sharp, blood-stained fangs that shone in the moonlight.

Sasuke gasped, not managing to cry out, and stumbled a step backwards.

Then, as though it'd been nothing but a trick of his imagination, the figure disappeared. And Sasuke was left alone with death.

Sasuke stood absolutely still for a mighty while, shivering like a leaf and too much in a shock to make a sound, let alone cry. Then his knees and consciosness gave way and he slumped limply to the floor, only steps away from the corpses. /

Naruto frowned, trying to stay on track. "So… Sasuke's an orphan?"

Orochimaru nodded. "Yes. His parents were killed by a vampire, two years before we signed the agreement that we're not allowed to haunt humans."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Shit…!" His thoughts whirred for a long moment before he frowned. "But… Why the hell would you arrange me a partner who has a history like that?"

Orochimaru arched an eyebrow. "Are you telling me you're not drawn to him?"

For the about millionth time since Sasuke's arrival Naruto thanked whatever deity was listening that he couldn't blush. This all was bound to destroy every single drop of his pride. "No. Yes. I…" He sighed heavily, burying his face into one hand. The other hand moved animatedly, forming untraceable patterns to the air. He remembered doing that a lot when he was still a human. "With him I don't have a fucking clue, okay?"

Orochimaru nodded slowly. Something about the man's eyes told him the other understood perfectly. "I see."

There was a long moment of silence until Naruto heard himself speak. "His blood… It's special." His brain ticked so hard it hurt. "Is that why you chose him?"

Orochimaru shrugged. "Does it matter why?" The black haired male tilted his head to side. "I've seen the way you react to him, and the way he's starting to react to you. And the process has already began with that potion. Just remember that there's no forcing him. At this point you have to be patient."

Naruto felt like snorting at that. Orochimaru was joking, right? "Yeah", he muttered in the end, folding his arms. It didn't make things any easier that the scent of Sasuke was somehow stuck on his mind, tingling his skin. He'd never felt such burning – heat – before. "I'll be patient."

A breath of wind threw a branch of dry wood at the room's window, as though mocking him.

Somehow Konoha made Sasuke lose track of time. Perhaps time didn't really make much difference in such a place, with all the immortal inhabitants. And truthfully he didn't care to think about time a lot, either. Hadn't in months.

That's why Sasuke had absolutely no idea if it was dusk or dawn as he sat in twilight right outside the massive building, shivering on the hard wooden bench. His head hurt, and his heart raced madly. He suspected it was the result of combined rage and withdrawal symptoms – he had far too much experience in both. He'd never been as furious in his life.

After everything… Madara had sent him here – tossed him into a school that was infested by vampires? How could his uncle do that to him?

Or no, he knew why. This was the only way. But he wasn't about to accept it.

He jolted slightly when hearing Naruto's voice. "You think too much", the blond complained, standing by a nearby corner with hands shoved into his pockets. "It's making even my head hurt like hell."

Sasuke snorted and folded his arms, looking away. Once again he felt cold although he wasn't sure why. "Pardon me for the inconvenience", he bit out.

"Oh c'mon!" Naruto huffed, voice filled with impatience. "I'm trying to reconcile here. For ambushing you with… You know. Besides I did save your life. Doesn't that count at all?"

Sasuke wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or snort, so he did neither. "Hn."

Naruto made a sound he couldn't identify. "You're not much good when it comes to having a conversation."

Sasuke would've wanted to retort, but ended up breaking into a wrenching bout of coughs. He cursed inwardly when a horrible taste filled his mouth and it became hard to breathe. It seemed to take forever before he finally managed to force his body back into his own control. "Fuck…", was the first spontaneous thing that came to his mind as he brought a hand to his lips.

Naruto felt unpleasantly hot and licked his lips with tremors when the unmistakable scent of blood filled his whole being, making all self-control next to impossible. He could feel his eyes turn red as they strayed dangerously from the couple of red drops on Sasuke's palm to the vein of the Uchiha's neck. He could see, almost feel, the blood swirling there – could nearly taste it as well.

One, two, three, four… Sasuke's pulse was frantic.

He licked his rapidly heating up lips once more, shivering. The thirst – need – was just too much… "You… okay?"

He felt Sasuke stiffen. His hand paused as he came to a conclusion that Sasuke would rip it off if it'd touch the boy's skin. "Don't fucking touch me", the dark-haired teen hissed.

Naruto took a deep breath, forcing his all to calm down. Sometimes he forgot how careful he had to be with humans. "I'm not gonna bite you or anything. You don't have to be afraid of me."

Finally Sasuke looked up. There was a hint of something dark in the boy's eyes, but not open hate. "I'm not afraid of you, idiot." The Uchiha looked away once more, eyebrows furrowed. "You just remind me of something I'd rather forget."

At that moment Naruto decided to take a huge risk. He swallowed thickly. "Your parents?"

Sasuke's reaction was so swift and harsh that Naruto didn't have the slightest chance of seeing it coming. The boy grabbed the collar of his shirt and slammed him right at the wall, with such force it stunned him for a moment. For a while he could've sworn Sasuke's eyes were red. "Don't… ever mention my parents again, do you understand?" the boy hissed in a voice he'd never heard before from anyone. The hold on his collar tightened still. "The likes of you have no right to speak of them."

Naruto didn't have the slightest idea how to respond, especially since Sasuke's hold was effectively halting his speech. In the end he nodded the best as he could, still dumbfounded, somewhat irritated and humiliated.

He couldn't believe he was letting any human do something like this to him, even…

The thought was cut when Sasuke let go, so unexpectedly that he slumped rather unceremoniously to the floor. The Uchiha's breathing was harsh and laboured as the boy looked at him with those still flaming eyes, from which Naruto could clearly see every shadow of the past. Nothing could be read from the boy's face.

Naruto frowned and rubbed his throat with one hand for a while before managing to speak. "'Sorry… I guess…"

Sasuke nodded sharply, the boy's expression clearly stating that he wasn't allowed any closer.

Naruto pulled in a deep breath, then chose to take another huge risk. "Look… I'm sorry, about what happened to them. Sometimes I really hate my own kind. If there was anything I could do to change what happened I would."

Perhaps he expected Sasuke to lash out again. That's why he was surprised when instead the boy nodded once more and looked away, eyes almost calm.

It wasn't much, but it was acceptance. And for now that was enough.

"I'm still expecting to wake up from this." It surprised them both that Sasuke spoke first. The boy's onyx eyes were somewhat hazy as they examined the vampires walking past them. "None of this feels real."

Naruto smiled a bit at that. "I remember the feeling."

They were quiet for a long time, which felt unnatural to Naruto. In the end Sasuke spoke out, eyes on the young-looking female-vampires who were giving the Uchiha curious looks. "You're… not like the rest of them. I'm not sure why, but you feel different – more human." The teen held a long pause, frowning. "Have you ever thought of leaving Konoha?"

Naruto blinked twice. It took a mighty while before he was able to respond. "Do you seriously think I'd have a chance out there?" He took a deep breath. "There are times when I hate them, but I'm still one of them." He looked towards the school, which seemed rather threatening in the looming shadows. "This place has been my home for two hundred years. It's not like I could just leave." He grinned. "Besides, it's not like they're all bad. Jiraiya's cool, and so is Kakashi – he's also a teacher. And Kiba's my best friend. He came here a hundred years ago." He blinked once more when seeing the disbelieving expression on Sasuke's face. "What?"

Sasuke shook his head. "I'm just… trying to absorb all that."

He grinned sheepishly. "Yeah. I think I've got a clue."

Sasuke's face held an expression he couldn't read. With that the Uchiha got up, walking away.

Naruto frowned. "Where are you going?"

"To think, idiot. This is all going way over my head." Sasuke didn't turn his gaze towards him. "See you later."

Naruto nodded although the other couldn't see it. "Yeah, see you." He couldn't resist adding a barely audible "Bastard".

Naruto wondered if Sasuke also had supernatural senses of some sort, because the Uchiha gave him a very international comment on the nickname.

Naruto honestly thought he'd gotten over most of human emotions decades ago. But as he looked at Sasuke's distancing back he felt warmer than he had in a long time.

Sasuke must've been even more exhausted than he'd thought, because the second he entered his room and lay down to his bed he drifted into semi-unconsciousness. After a endless amount of nightmare-filled nights he wasn't all that surprised by the fact that his dreams were far from pleasant.

Some subconscious part of his brain created the screams of his parents when they were butchered. Hearing the sheer horror made him want to scream as well.

He saw blood flying all over the walls and floor, the red turning into black in the hazardous shadows of the night.

He heard their last, hopeless breaths of life.

And then Sasuke bolted into a sitting position in his bed with a rather loud, embarrassing yelp. For one reason or another his hand flew to his throat, as though it'd been hard to breathe. Perhaps it was, because his head was spinning from lack of air. Fortunately he was at least spared from having to realize there were some rapidly drying tears on his cheeks.

At the moment he couldn't stay in the room for another second.

Naruto was sitting in the middle of his tiny room, trying to meditate, when his eyes flew open at a foreign sensation. In a flash he decided to follow the urge.

Naruto hadn't been a religious person even when he was alive, and having been turned into a vampire certainly didn't change that. That's why he was surprised to find himself entering what the vampires mockingly called a chapel in the building's basement. And he was surprised again when finding the whole place filled with candless – and seeing Sasuke giving a flame to one more.

After several moments the Uchiha noticed him. It wasn't until then he was able to produce speech. "I… guess I didn't expect to find you here."

"I found this place accidentally. It looked familiar." Sasuke shrugged and looked away, eyes dark in the lack of light. "I was a priest's apprentice for a long time, after my parents died. Old habits die hard, I suppose."

Naruto quirked an eyebrow. Now that was something he hadn't expected. "Are you religious?"

Something flashed in Sasuke's eyes while the Uchiha lit up another candle. The flame seemed to rise much higher than it should've. "I'd rather discuss those matters when I know you better", the boy announced sharply.

Naruto shrugged, so unsurprised by the answer that he wasn't even insulted. He then looked around and found himself smiling. With all the candless the room looked… very inviting and peaceful, actually. "This looks nice", he complimented out loud. "No one's ever put this much effort into making this place feel cosy."

"That's pretty stupid", Sasuke said after staring at the candle blindly for a moment. The Uchiha's gaze didn't move towards him. "Why would immortals want to spend eternity in a place that feels as cold a prison cell?"

Naruto shrugged, wishing he'd had some witty answer to that.

Naruto looked around again, took in the dim light. For a moment he couldn've sworn a warm flush went through him as a strictly forbidden thought crossed his mind.

Back when he'd been human he slept with a boy named Sai, once, causing a scandal. Their little fling was by no means the greatest lovestory of a century, but to him it was the most romantic thing that ever happened during those eighteen years he'd been given as a mortal. And at that moment, with Sasuke right next to him – blood swirling and his body warm… This light and athmosphere were startlingly identical.

He was so absorbed by all those sensations that he shivered when Sasuke spoke. The Uchiha's tone was quiet but clearly angry. "I don't even understand what the fuck I'm doing here." A frown flashed by the boy's face while mistrusting black eyes fixed on him. "Why haven't your kind killed me yet?"

At first shock over the unexpected question stunned Naruto to silence. He was about to respond when he saw a much too familiar redhead standing in the shadows nearby. There was a dark look on the other male's face. Naruto had hard time holding back a growl. "I'll be back in a bit, 'k?" Without giving Sasuke the chance to ask anything he walked to the redhead. He growled lowly as soon as he was sure the Uchiha wouldn't hear. "Look, Gaara…"

"So you didn't listen to me, at all", Gaara stated without giving him the chance to finish. There was a look of disappointment in the redhead's eyes. The other vampire's gaze strayed towards Sasuke for a moment. "Do you have any idea of what you're dragging him into?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Sasuke isn't Haku." He took a deep breath. "I know things… got shitty for you. But I'm not going to let the same thing happen to him, do you hear me?"

Gaara's eyes darkened as the redhead folded his arms. It was clear the memories were still sore, and Naruto felt a hint of guilt. "We used to be friends. If that ever meant anything at all to you, trust me this much. There's a reason why several of us believe vampires and humans shouldn't mingle."

Naruto's breathing turned sharp as something darker than rage bubbled. He balled his fists. "I respect your decision, that you chose to live here in this… dungeon. So you do the same and let me make up my own mind."

Gaara nodded, clearly suppressing a sigh. "Fine – the choice is yours. Just remember this. As his partner, it's your responsibility to protect him. As soon as he took that potion his fate was put into your hands. Are you sure you want such responsibility?"

Naruto's mouth opened but before he could ever respond another voice spoke, shuddering with wrath. "A… partner?" He'd never seen the kind of look on anyone that appeared to the Uchiha's face. It was a mixture of near-shock, disgust, rage and much too clear disappointment. "So I'm here for your pleasure – to entertain you until my time runs out and you switch off to someone else? That's my true reason for being here."

Naruto felt a jolt inside he couldn't understand while reaching out a hand towards the Uchiha. "No, Sasuke…!"

He didn't have the chance to sort out what he'd been about to say before a vicious punch met his face, almost sending him to the floor. Sasuke's eyes were pure lava while the Uchiha took two steps backwards with a deeply disgusted expression, then spun around and began to walk away. "Come after me and I'll slay you with my bare hands, a vampire or not", the dark-haired teen snarled in a dangerous, unmistakable tone. No one had ever slammed a door like Sasuke did with the chapel's huge, heavy wooden one.

Naruto had never felt as lonely and frustrated as he did when staring at the closed door, as though hoping he could force Sasuke into coming back with sheer willpower.

He winced. "I screwed up that one, didn't I?"

Gaara, always prone to brute honesty, nodded. "You did. But trust someone who's been there before – there's no point in going after him now."

At the moment the blond vampire could only frown and fold his arms, nearly haunted eyes straying towards the door. "Then what the hell am I supposed to do?"

Gaara shrugged. "What you're worst at. Wait."

Adrenaline is rather amazing when it comes to driving people forward. Sasuke ignored all the screams of his reason, the fact that he was shivering from cold and the pain in his lungs as he pushed himself on for hours. He also didn't notice how spine-chilling the pitch black night-time forest around him was. In the end he did a very un-Sasuke-like thing. He got lost. And he didn't give a damn.

He also failed to notice the three shadows observing him until it was too late.

Sasuke froze dead on his tracks when three figures surrounded him in the shadows, made sure he wouldn't be able to escape. "Leave me the fuck alone", the Uchiha hissed and balled his fists, although he knew that in reality he'd have nothing on these people. He was by no means a action hero.

He felt cold shivers when one of the attackers brought out a blade of some sort. "We made an agreement with your kind", a male-voice hissed. "This is forbidden area. We're allowed to kill you on sight."

His eyes narrowed when the people – a girl with long, blonde hair, a boy who had spiked hair and sunglasses although it was night, and a boy with brown hair and deeply mistrusting black eyes – revealed themselves. They were eyeing him nervously.

It took Sasuke quite a bit to calm himself down. "I'm not a vampire", he snarled.

The brunet brought a hand to his waistline where a weapon of some sort undoubtedly located. The other two soon followed. "We asked you to leave."

Sasuke was almost sure he'd meet his end until a firm male-voice snarled from somewhere above him. "Leave him alone. Haven't I told you he's not one of them?"

The brown-haired boy frowned, giving him a suspicious glance. "How the hell can you know?"

The arrival's voice didn't weaver. "You'll just have to trust me, Shikamaru. Now leave – I'll have… a little word with him."

The trio didn't appear satisfied but complied nonetheless, trusting the speaker – apparently the arrival was their leader. In a few moments they'd disappeared as suddenly as they arrived.

Sasuke took a deep breath before lifting his gaze to see who'd helped him. He felt surprised to find a boy who didn't appear older than him with long, brown hair and pale eyes stood on a tree branch. "You should be more careful", the brunet told him while jumping down gracefully. "When it comes to that school, people around here… are slightly nervous."

Sasuke let his eyes narrow just a little bit. "I don't believe I need a bodyguard."

He saw a flicker of something in the other boy's eyes. "Has anyone ever told you that you can be incredibly infuriating?"

Sasuke felt like smirking at that, and it took some self-control to keep his emotions in check. "Let's say you're not the first one."
This time the other boy seemed to hold back a smile or something similar.

Sasuke then frowned and folded his arms, not liking the swirling inside him. "What are you – a vampire hunter?"

The brunet nodded, appearing oblivious to the fact that he'd been sarcastic. "Yes. Just like my father and his father were." The boy seemed to come close to handshaking him but then thought better of it. "My name is Neji Hyuuga."

Sasuke nodded, still trying to digest the surreal situation. "I'm Sasuke."

Neji's eyebrow bounced up. "Just Sasuke?"

He narrowed his eyes again, saying everything necessary.

Loud rustling from the bushes made him tense up and Neji reach towards his weaponary. Sasuke hadn't even known there was such a feral expression as the one that rose to the Hyuuga's face. He knew with disheartening certainty who the arrival was long before the voice spoke. "Leave Sasuke the fuck alone!" Naruto snarled.

Neji's eyes became dangerous. The tension in the air was suffocatingly heavy. "I'm not forcing him to do anything." The brunet's hand wrapped around what Sasuke suspected to be a weapon. "And you're standing on a forbidden territory, vampire."

Glancing over his shoulder, Sasuke saw Naruto's eyebrow bounce up while the blond's eyes turned red. "Do you want to fight me?" the vampire snorted.

At that moment Sasuke decided he'd had enough. Although he knew he was risking it he took a stand between the two, fire burning in his veins. "Shut the fuck up, both of you! I'm already having a headache." He took a breath, reluctantly turning his gaze to Naruto. "Let's go before you end up making things any worse."

They were just about to leave when Neji's voice made Sasuke halt. "Sasuke." Their eyes met. "Be careful with them. It's never safe to play with immortals."

Sasuke nodded, not having anything to say. Naruto muttered something dark under his breath.

Sasuke let his eyes linger on Neji for a moment before he made his decision and followed the vampire. For some reason he felt torn.

The following five days Sasuke gave Naruto what one could call silent hostility. He answered curtly to questions and showed up to classes, but that was all. Naruto didn't even dare to think about touching him or attempt to talk much. Sasuke was glad. He didn't know how he would've reacted to such advances.

Sasuke was a wild soul. And one night during which he sneaked out of the school once more to breathe fresh air offered a turning point.

He already thought he'd be able to sneak back into the school unnoticed before Naruto's voice reached his ears. "Care to explain why you're out this late?"

Sasuke's blood boiled a little as he looked up to find Naruto sitting on a pilar right by the building's main entrance. He cast a threatening glance towards the blond. "Since when have you been in charge of my curfew?"

Naruto scoffed, folding his arms. "Is it that impossible for you to think that someone of my kind could actually care?"

Sasuke frowned, unsure how to feel. "I don't have the best experiences of your kind. And I'm still not sure of you."

Something close to a pout flashed by Naruto's face. "Hmph." Then, just as he was about to give up and go inside, the vampire sighed. "Look… Sorry, about this crap. But… You've gotta believe that you're not just someone who got dragged here to entertain me. I do care about you. That's why I'm trying to keep you safe."

He snorted, taking a glance towards the moon. "It's more like you're holding me a hostage."

The blond scratched his hair. "I guess no one's asked your opinion about any of this, huh?"

Sasuke breathed in deep, already calmer. There was a strange, slightly bitter scent in the air – perhaps it was a flower of some sort. "No", he muttered, his eyes shifting towards the black door before him. "No one's asked." No one asked him if he wanted to spend the last of his months in this school, amongst vampires, to potentially become one of them. Now that he thought about it there were pathetically few things in his life he was actually in charge of. So few, that he wanted his death to be one of them.

"That sucks", Naruto stated quietly and matter of factly.

Sasuke had nothing to object that with, and he wouldn't have even had the chance to. Because just then he broke into a painful, wrenching fit of coughs. He winced when tasting a hint of blood somewhere along the way.

"Geez!" For a moment Naruto sounded genuinely worried. The blond jumped down, walked over to him and brought out a hand somewhat tentatively. The vampire rubbed light circles to his back, most likely attempting to help. "That seriously didn't sound healthy."

It took a mighty while before Sasuke could think, let alone speak properly. His eyes narrowed a bit, against what he didn't know. "I don't know what's happening to me anymore, and I hate it. I hate not being in charge." He sighed heavily. "Orochimaru should've never taken me here, or given me that… potion. I'll never become one of you."
He felt the thoughts swirling inside Naruto. That's why it was a surprise how little the blond spoke. "Then why were you sent here? Do you have any idea?"

Sasuke was quiet so long it unnerved Naruto. When their eyes finally met there was a look he'd never seen before on anyone gracing the human's features. "Yeah. I have a theory." The boy's eyes looked even darker than usual, but there was no fear in them. "My uncle did it because I'm dying."

TBC, no?

A/N: Talking about dropping a bomb, huh? (sweatdrops)

So… (gulps nervously) Was that good? Decent? Horrible? PLEASE, leave a review to let me know! It'd seriously make my day. (gives the cutest eyes ever)

The next chapter is already written – all it needs is a bit of polishing! Wanna read it?

Awkay, because there's a ton of things I'm supposed to do today I've gotta go. Until next time, folks!

Be good!