Disclaimer: I own neither Doctor Who nor Vampire Knight. I only own my characters and ideas.
The Anomaly
A Doctor Who/Vampire Knight Crossover
Chapter Three: Ichiou
Outside of Ichiou's office, I stared blankly down at my feet. During the night – or day – I'd dreamt of all manner of impossible things, yet the most impossible thing of all was the familiarity I seemed to have with the images flitting through my mind. Memories that had become segmented and forgotten during my waking hours had appeared clearly within my sleeping world. Before waking to the unlocking of the dungeon door, I'd been fixated on the watch worn about my neck. Even as I waited outside Ichiou's office, I recalled the horror with which I'd stared at the watch.
Why? What's wrong with it? It looks like a watch… A corroded, and broken watch… It's nothing special…
Despite believing the watch was meaningless, I double-checked that it was wrapped securely within the folds of the lavender scarf I wore. I had no intention of giving up my belongings to anyone.
I was drawn out of my reverie by Takuma emerging through the doorway.
"Lorna-chan, you may come in now," he told me, smiling reassuringly.
Hesitating slightly, I followed Takuma into Ichiou's office, but only managed to enter about a foot inside the room before being overtaken by the dark aura enveloping the man behind the desk. For a moment, I stared at Ichiou, and I felt my eyes widen as I realized that he was already glaring at me. Gulping, I glanced back at Takuma who was busy sliding the door closed behind us, and waited until he continued into the room before approaching Ichiou.
Standing next to Takuma made me feel slightly braver, but I was still unable to wrench my eyes away from the floor. Even without looking at Ichiou, I knew he was still glaring down at me, and I was certain at close range his glare would be even more crippling than before.
"So, this is the girl?" Ichiou asked, and as he spoke, I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. His voice was cold, and despite his apathetic tone, I sensed his inherent dislike of me. Although I had feared meeting with Ichiou would go poorly, I hadn't imagined Ichiou as being so unsympathetic.
While he and his grandson conversed briefly, I relaxed enough to begin looking about the office. The enormous bookcases lining one wall caught my eye first, and I studied the books and objects contained on them with relish. Most of the books pertained to legal studies, but some of the books contained information on historical events I'd never known of. A few books were so ancient that they appeared to be slowly turning to dust.
As I continued to glance around the room, I began to notice that despite the room being lit only by a few oil lamps, I could see the titles of the books and the ornate details on the bookcases with perfect clarity.
Vampires see well in the dark… That's what Takuma told me yesterday… Could it be that I'm beginning to take on the biological traits of a vampire? When did that happen?
Holding the ends of my scarf, and studying the white dress I wore, I suddenly realized that I had been able to see clearly even in the darkness of the dungeon. I had been so focused on preparing for my meeting with Ichiou that I hadn't noticed the difference in my abilities.
When Takuma placed a hand on my shoulder, I jolted, and glanced up at him quickly. "Do what he says," he instructed, softly.
Not understanding what was expected of me, because I hadn't been listening to their conversation, I simply continued to stare at Takuma. Finally, he gently pushed me in the direction of his grandfather, and I suddenly realized Ichiou's hand was outstretched. I stared at it, still uncertain of what I was expected to do.
"Wrist," Ichiou demanded, using the same apathetic tone as before.
Fighting my instinct to resist his demand, I moved closer to Ichiou, and extended my wrist slowly. Despite my fear of being bitten by Ichiou, I was unwilling to permit him to see me so much as tremble as he grasped my arm firmly. When Ichiou bowed his head low, and I felt his breath on my wrist, I couldn't quite suppress a whimper, and I felt myself tense as his fangs pricked my skin.
Initially, the pain of having my skin severed was excruciating, and I worried that the bite would leave permanent damage in its wake. Only moments after this worry, the pain subsided somewhat, and instead I felt only a dull throbbing that seemed to come-and-go with the beating of my heart. While Ichiou drank, a small trickle of blood escaped, and I watched as droplets of blood dripped onto Ichiou's desk in regular intervals. After a few mouthfuls, Ichiou pulled his fangs out of my wrist, and released me from his hold. Gratefully, I cradled my arm, and studied the bite-mark. As a burning and tingling sensation replaced the numbness, the wound became red and swollen.
"She's been stabilized," Ichiou informed his grandson, in the same bored tone as before, yet he seemed slightly disgruntled now. "Inform the senate member that she won't be joining the others."
At Ichiou's words, Takuma heaved a sigh of relief, and when I looked at him, I noticed he seemed to be smiling discreetly. As Takuma exited the room, I returned my attention to Ichiou.
To say that being alone with Ichiou was awkward would have been an understatement. Without Takuma, I felt unprotected, and Ichiou's glare seemed to become more severe than before.
"Children who have been stabilized are rare… Because so few tend to survive the conversion, most purebloods do not bother exchanging blood. Hmm…" Ichiou paused. His eyes bored into me, as if he were attempting to intimidate me into revealing my true purpose in coming to the Ichijou manor. After a pretentious sigh, Ichiou continued, "As a child who has exchanged blood with her master, you are granted legal rights in the vampire world. Furthermore, until you reach the age of eighteen years, the Ichijou family must supervise your development, and provide you with necessities." Pausing once more, Ichiou glared down at his desk, then added in a more disgruntled tone, "I want you to understand that providing for you does not entail equal treatment. Per my agreement with my grandson, you will be treated as if you had been adopted into this household; however, if you even attempt to run away, or if you break rules, I will not hesitate to reduce you to the status at which you belong."
Bowing my head slightly, I replied, "Yes; I understand." Briefly, I hesitated, then I added softly, but dauntlessly, "You must love your grandson very much, if you're willing to make exceptions when you neither wish them, nor are required to make them."
When Ichiou's response was to narrow his eyes further, I was not surprised. I expected for him to reprimand me, but I was surprised by what he chose to say. "I'm still not certain you aren't a weapon to be wielded against me," he informed me; his tone was no longer apathetic, but angry. "A stabilized former human child found near the property of the most powerful member of the vampire senate. You would make a good puppet with your disarming words, and innocent appearance."
Somewhere in the back of my mind a gruff, but not unkind voice spoke firmly. A comforting sensation settled over my body as its words resonated inside my head. "You are not a weapon. Be defiant, and dream of the stars."
Looking back up at Ichiou, I quickly denied, "I am not a puppet, or a weapon."
Ichiou snorted, derisively, and his lips tugged upward in what appeared to be a malicious grin. "That remains to be seen," he retorted, resuming his apathetic tone.
Opening a drawer of his desk, Ichiou removed a small folder. When he opened the folder, I noticed the photo Takuma had taken of me earlier, as well as the page I'd filled out with my physical and biographical information. Half of the information I'd filled in was false. I was unwilling to admit that I was still unable to remember what my parents looked like, or what job titles they'd held, so I'd imagined what I would want in a parent, and had written it on the page.
For a while, Ichiou scribed meticulously in small, neat handwriting, and I peered out the window. Time seemed to be stagnated as I stood waiting for Ichiou to finish his paperwork, and for Takuma to return. Outside the window, the trees swayed with the wind, and the stars shone clearly in the cloudless sky. In the distance, I could make out the lake Takuma and I had stargazed at the previous night, and I wished I could be lying on the pier instead of standing purposelessly in Ichiou's office.
After what felt like hours, Takuma finally returned, and Ichiou placed his pen down. While Takuma approached the desk, Ichiou retrieved a small dagger and an unusual bracelet from another drawer. Studying the four fangs positioned on the bracelet, I wondered whether the bracelet served a practical purpose.
Sensing my desire to understand what was happening, Takuma explained, "The bracelet is a charm. Aristocrats sometimes use items to mark former humans who are under their care. If the former human escapes into human society, the person who should have been responsible can be held accountable."
Nodding, I watched as Ichiou penned his name onto a sheet of paper, no larger than a thumbnail, which he placed on top of one of the charms connected to the bracelet. While Takuma followed suite, Ichiou instructed, "Write your name onto this sheet."
After writing my name, Ichiou placed it on its corresponding charm, then wordlessly grasped my hand so he could slice open one of my fingers. A droplet of blood fell onto the charm with my name, and I was startled to hear an angry hiss as it came into contact with the bracelet. While the hissing subsided, Takuma took the dagger from his grandfather, and sliced his own finger.
At the same moment Takuma sliced his finger open, I became aware of an overwhelmingly sweet aroma. Initially, I perceived the scent to be from the lamps in the office, and I wondered how I hadn't noticed it before. It wasn't until a stronger, more metallic scent permeated the room that I finally recognized the new scents as blood.
Frightened of my ability to discern the scent of different people's blood, I gasped, and covered my face quickly with my hands. Only when I felt Takuma's hand resting on my shoulder did I look at him from around my visual barrier.
"It's all right," he assured me. "As long as you don't lose yourself to the smell of blood, you can enjoy it."
Without responding, I lowered my hands. I wanted to deny that I found the smell of blood enjoyable, but I knew it would only be interpreted as reluctance. Truthfully, I was finding it difficult to breathe without a bizarre tickling sensation in my nose and throat, as if I'd inhaled pepper, and I wasn't certain whether I wasn't actually craving the blood that had been spilt.
"Takuma, there is no need to look so frightened," Ichiou informed his grandson. "She's still stable; the smell of blood triggered her fangs to develop."
In disbelief, I raised a hand to my mouth, and ran my finger over the tips of my teeth gently. Sure enough, where my normal-sized canine teeth had been, I discovered incredibly sharp fangs. They were still rather short – not even half the length of my incisors – and I could taste blood in my mouth as they continued to grow.
I've really become a vampire… How is that possible? Yesterday I felt so human… Now I don't feel anything like a human… I wondered, worriedly, as I stared at the ground.
When the scent of Ichiou's blood became stronger, I looked up from the floor. His wrist was extended toward me, as if he were offering to let me drink his blood, but I couldn't imagine why he was being so self-sacrificing. "Drink," Ichiou commanded when I didn't react immediately. "I don't have all night to waste on you."
Hesitating slightly, I approached the desk, and grasped Ichiou's wrist as I bent my head to drink. Trying hard to not inhale Ichiou's scent, I sucked in a mouthful of blood.
When I'd imagined what blood would taste like, I had never imagined it would reflect the feelings and memories of the person it belonged to. Although a faint taste of metal was present, the emotions Ichiou felt were much stronger than the literal taste of blood. Startled by this revelation, I quickly pulled away, and wiped the excess blood from my mouth. Thoughtlessly, I licked the blood off my hand before remembering that I should be fighting the urge to drink blood. It shamed me to think I was becoming a blood-thirsty monster.
Just as I was coming to my senses, Takuma held his wrist out to me. "My blood, too," he told me.
Resisting stubbornly, I protested, "I-I don't want any."
"It's for the charm," Takuma explained. "It works like a magnet. The blood inside your veins attracts the blood on the charms, and causes the markings on the paper, as well as our family's crest engraved on our charms, to be etched into your skin. It's practically painless, and when you turn eighteen years old, the writing simply disappears. But you need to have my blood in your body for it to work properly."
Calmly, Takuma bit into his own wrist, then offered it to me again. As the enticingly sweet aroma overwhelmed my senses, I felt a strange sort of longing that seemed to be clawing its way out of my chest. Along with the agonizing discomfort in my chest, I suddenly seemed to realize how thirsty I felt.
Simply smelling blood is enough to make me thirsty? I've been in this office for hours, so maybe it's not the blood I'm craving. Maybe the scent is just making me aware of how parched I am…
"Lorna-chan, drink," Takuma instructed. His tone was empathetic, as if he understood how conflicted I felt about my new-found desires.
Despite my conflicted emotions, I accepted Takuma's offered wrist, and lowered my head to drink. Unlike Ichiou's blood, Takuma's blood tasted similar to honey, and his emotions were gentle. Without thinking, I took several gulps before remembering that I was only drinking his blood to complete the charm.
"S-sorry," I whispered, pulling away from Takuma, and wiping my mouth.
Smiling placidly, Takuma took the bracelet off Ichiou's desk, then quickly fastened it around my left wrist. Although the bracelet was not fastened tightly, the charms remained attached to the underside of my wrist. Even when I held my wrist sideways, the charms did not remove themselves from the position in which Takuma had placed them.
"When the charms remove themselves from your wrist, the mark is finished," Takuma told me.
He watched as I continued to experiment with the bracelet, and laughed softly in amusement as I attempted to force the charms to detach themselves.
Only a moment later, the charms slackened, and in their places remained imprints of the images on the charms, as well as our names. After studying the red lines momentarily, I suddenly realized that they consisted of the blood we'd each spilled onto the charms.
Ichiou motioned me over to the desk, and I didn't need to be prompted to extend my wrist to him.
"Because you shared blood with your master, an identifying mark will appear under your name," Ichiou informed me. "Once it does, the charm will be complete."
Sure enough, a mark began to draw itself beneath my name. This mark began as a circle slightly larger than two centimeters, then a more intricate design filled the space inside a smaller circle. Two separate lines formed on the outside of this inner circle, and as the blood burned into my skin, the branches of the initial two lines separated to form an unusual figure-eight design that seemed astonishingly familiar.
While I stared at the design in an attempt to recall where I'd seen it before, a word written in Kanji appeared.
"The Anomaly," Takuma translated.
Removing the bracelet, Ichiou replied, "We'll check the records for a pureblood who goes by that title."
Opening yet another drawer, Ichiou removed a book similar to a ledger. Flipping through the ledger slowly, his expression grew increasingly dark. Eventually, he ceased looking at the recorded titles and names, and glared at me.
"You don't remember anything significant?" he asked, threatening me with his icy gaze.
I shook my head, but didn't trust myself to speak.
"Grandfather, it is possible that the pureblood who turned her isn't listed in the records. Some purebloods went to sleep over three-thousand years ago, and have only just awakened."
Narrowing his eyes, Ichiou replied, "I've seen that mark somewhere before. In an ancient manuscript." Briefly, Ichiou paused, then closed his ledger softly. "You may leave. I have other matters to attend to."
Taking hold of my hand, Takuma started pulling me out of the room. Just as we were about to exit, Ichiou reminded his grandson, "Remember that she is your responsibility. You look after her, and explain the rules of our society. Make certain she understands."
"Yes, Grandfather," Takuma called over his shoulder. As we entered the hall, he told me, "I'll show you to your new room. My grandfather and I agreed that you would be treated as if you had been adopted as a family member, if you had been stabilized. He didn't agree with my original proposition, so I decided not to compromise."
While Takuma continued speaking about the rules his grandfather had pertaining to the household, I returned to studying the mark on my arm. Like my possessions, the mark was both familiar and foreign – as if I'd seen it so many times that I had stopped noticing it.
"Does it bother you?" Takuma asked, worriedly. "I know it seems cruel that we mark former humans. Normally, only unstable former humans are marked, but children are special cases. Those who survive the conversion must be managed by aristocrats until they are of legal age because former human children tend to be anomalies. They gravitate toward extremes: Either becoming like the average vampire child, or simply going mad. Even those who are initially stabilized can be overcome when their biology continues to be re-written."
Frightened due to my rapidly changing biology, I closed my eyes. Maybe Takuma and his grandfather hadn't noticed how much I'd changed in one day. Maybe I still seemed very human, and they were granting me privileges due to ignorance. While I appreciated these privileges, I was afraid of what I would do if I lost control of myself. I'd already fed off Takuma without thinking twice about my actions.
"You're doing really well – given the circumstances," Takuma informed me when he noticed my downcast expression. "Most of the changes occurred while you were sleeping, and your mind just adapted to them effortlessly. It's impressive because former humans tend to become stressed for weeks while their biology mutates."
"Isn't it bad that it's happening so quickly?" I questioned. "So much has changed in one day; shouldn't it have been spread out more?"
Takuma shook his head. "If you hadn't exchanged blood, the rate at which you're changing would be alarming, but since you did share blood, this rate is precisely what we'd expect. The reason you're changing so quickly is because your DNA has all the necessary information to make the change into a stable vampire."
"Did your grandfather learn all this from tasting my blood?" I asked, skeptically.
"Yes; you could say that he has a refined palate. Due to his ability to identify blood types through taste, he can determine whether a former human has been stabilized. Vampires have no blood type, so when a former human exchanges blood with the pureblood who turned them, the former human loses their blood type."
"Oh…" I whispered, as I attempted to think of something more to say. Flushing, I realized that Ichiou must have been able to decipher my feelings and thoughts much more clearly than I'd been. Prior to tonight, I would never have guessed that drinking blood could be so intimate.
After another minute, Takuma paused in front of a set of doors, and quickly drew them aside. When he did, I was startled by the enormity of the space I'd been offered. Of course, after spending the day in a cell, anything looked ridiculously lavish, but the room I stood in was large enough to be split into two sections. On one side, a full-sized bed was layered in light green and purple covers, topped with countless pillows, and elegantly draped in heavy curtains; on the other, a cozy sitting area was arranged tastefully upon a Persian rug of light purple, and a wall was covered from floor to ceiling in bookcases.
"Much better than the dungeon, huh?" Takuma smiled, motioning me inside. "It's pretty bare right now, with the bookshelves empty, but we can come up with a list of books that you'd like pulled from our library and brought here. Your textbooks are on your desk already, but you'll probably want some pleasure reading material, too."
"Textbooks?" I asked, turning to look at the large, but empty, bookcases. On a desk built in between the bookcases were the textbooks Takuma referred to.
"We have a tutor come on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week," Takuma explained. "You'll be given an aptitude test tomorrow night to determine what lessons you'll study. Of course, it's expected that you'll be learning about vampire society and history first. I gave you an overview last night, but you're expected to understand it in much more detail now that you'll be integrated into our society."
I felt my expression fall again, and I returned my gaze to the floor. I had looked forward to studying, but I didn't want to be reminded any more about my loss of humanity.
"Lorna-chan, this is what you are now. It can't be reversed, so you need to accept it," Takuma informed me in a gentle, but firm tone.
Although part of me was ashamed to admit it, I couldn't help whispering, "I'm frightened."
"I know," Takuma replied, just as quietly. "But you're safe here. You'll be cared for, and well-treated. This household is ideal for a former human child because it is far enough away from human society that you won't feel the instinct to drink blood constantly."
Suddenly, I found myself hopeful, and I looked up at Takuma quickly. The manner in which Takuma spoke seemed to imply that drinking blood was optional for vampires. "Do you mean that I won't have to drink blood?" I asked, feeling both relieved and anxious.
Hesitantly, Takuma answered, "Well… We don't need blood to survive, but… we do need it to satisfy our cravings."
"But… It isn't as if I'm going to crave blood simply because I've been turned into a vampire…" I attempted to contradict Takuma's statement, but I knew it was only wishful thinking. Earlier during the night, I had desired Takuma's blood – even before I'd known what drinking blood felt like. The smell of blood alone had triggered my fangs to develop, and I still couldn't deny that odd sensation I'd been overcome with, or the fact that I'd needed to force myself to stop drinking from Takuma's wrist.
"I think you've realized by now that the craving for blood is the most powerful instinct vampires possess," Takuma stated. "Right now, your cravings are especially strong. They'll die down slightly after you've grown accustomed to them, but they'll never leave you. It is the curse that comes with the benefit of long-life and durability."
Swallowing nervously, I peered aimlessly around the room before finally returning my gaze to Takuma. I wanted to ask so many questions, but I was afraid of the answers I might receive.
"I'll leave you alone, so you can settle in," Takuma told me. "My room is across the hall, if you need me."
I nodded, then watched silently as Takuma quietly shut the door.
Turning toward the bed, I noticed that amongst the heaps of pillows was my bag. Eager to take inventory of the items, I went to sit on the edge of the bed. Momentarily, I was mesmerized by the softness of the bed, and the covers seemed to be made from silk. Running my hands over the covers several times, I relished the feel of the delicate fabric.
Although I was very tempted to curl up amongst the pillows, I forced myself to focus on the task of unpacking my bag. Besides, the bag was small. Unpacking wouldn't take more than a few minutes, and then I would be free to recover from my harrowing ordeal in the dungeon.
Setting to the task of organizing the possessions I'd brought with me, I went into my closet to gather a few hangers. While gathering the hangers, I noticed a door inside the closet, and when I opened it, I realized my bedroom had a private bathroom.
"Like a hidden paradise," I mumbled to myself, as I studied the stained glass window depicting a cherry blossom tree. "I can't believe.."
Feeling overwhelmed by the extravagance of my new room, I quickly grabbed as many hangers as I could carry, then returned hurriedly to my bedroom. Despite the relief that I felt over not being locked inside a dungeon, receiving a room fit for a noblewoman made me feel out of place. In fact, I was feeling a little upset that Takuma had arranged for a room this extravagant when he'd insisted only the day before that former humans couldn't be trusted.
"I don't understand that boy; I don't understand any of these people," I whispered. Pulling out several articles of clothing, I continued, "Last night, they locked me up; now, they treat me as if I'm family."
For several minutes, I systematically removed blouses, skirts, and dresses from my bag, then placed them carefully upon the hangers I'd taken from my closet. Before I knew what had happened, I had a pile of clothes nearly as tall as myself, and I'd run out of hangers. It took several trips to-and-from the closet in order to deposit the clothes onto their appropriate racks. Grabbing several more hangers, I returned to my sorting, and was surprised by the amount of clothes remaining inside my bag.
Continuing to sort through the items, I uncovered a large leather case that didn't seem as if it should be able to fit into the bag along with all the dresses and skirts I'd already unpacked. Curiously, I released the clasp on the case, and folded the flaps away to reveal the contents. Once I had, I gasped, and my eyes widened.
Contained inside the case was an old and beautiful set of ivory combs, brushes, and mirrors. Carefully, I removed one of the mirrors, and held it delicately in my hands. Despite my memories being inconsistent, I was certain I had never seen these items before. The mirror I held had intricate carving on its back and handle. The gold-tinged scene depicted a glass encased city nestled into a vast mountain range. Above the city and the mountains were two suns set side-by-side.
"Impossible…" I whispered. "This must be a mythological city… but… I don't know how I came by this…"
Placing the mirror down, I took one of the combs. Two delicate songbirds perched on slender branches were carved onto a lacey background. I was astounded by the ornate detail of the subject matter, and was still studying the comb's handle when I heard the door to my room slide open.
"Lorna-chan, I brought you something to eat," Takuma announced. "I'll put it over here."
Replacing the comb into its case, I watched as Takuma placed a tray onto the table in my sitting area. "Thanks," I replied.
Takuma turned back toward me, and crossed over to my bed. "You go eat. I'll put these away for you," he told me. When he noticed the set of ivory combs, his eyes grew wide, and he questioned, "Where did you get this? These are gorgeous."
"They were in my bag," I answered. "I don't know how, but the bag seems to be… uhm…"
When I remained silent, Takuma prompted, "The bag seems to be…"
"I know it seems odd, but… I think it's bigger on the inside," I finished, sheepishly.
Laughing lightly, Takuma placed a hand gently on my shoulder, then told me, "That's impossible. You must have just crammed everything inside. Here, put those combs onto your vanity, and I'll put away these dresses."
Although I was nearly certain the bag was magical, I nodded my agreement, then closed the leather casing, and re-latched it. Carrying the case over to the vanity, I placed it on the table-top, and stared at the circles embossed on the case. These circles were remarkably similar to the series of circles found in the notebook I'd leafed through the previous day.
They look like… the gears of a clock… It's odd… They make me feel as if they ought to be symbolizing feelings and ideas… or demonstrating the connections of words…
"How many outfits did you have in that bag?" Takuma called from the closet. "I thought I would have to take you shopping, but you have enough clothing to fill this entire closet. You even have four different pairs of shoes!"
Returning to the bag, I picked it up, and turned it around to see if it were larger than I'd originally thought, but the bag appeared the same as every time I'd looked at it. Small, and old, and falling apart at the seams, the bag didn't seem capable of holding all the items I'd withdrawn. In fact, I was surprised the bag hadn't fallen to pieces due to the excessive weight it had been expected to hold. Reaching inside, I was surprised to find that several heavy books had been placed at the bottom of the bag (or what I believed to be the bottom of the bag).
Withdrawing one of the books, I read the title aloud, "British Culture through the Decade."
The book was several hundred pages long, and at least a decade old, yet the texts covered every year until 2004, which Takuma claimed to be the current year. Confused, I turned back to the copyright information, but was only confused more by the information provided. "Year of publication… just Greek letters… and location… Gallifrey…"
Placing the book to the side, I quickly removed the last three books from the bag, then studied the titles. "Basic Overview of Earthen Lore… Earthly Species and Where to find Them… The Art of Complicated Cooking…"
Shaking my head at the absurd sounding titles, I rooted around the bag to ensure it was empty. Not to my surprise, I found that an item still remained. Sighing, I removed it.
It was another item with odd circles engraved into its metal casing. Turning it over in my hand, I realized the object had a golden clasp, as if it could be opened. Before I could open the object, Takuma re-entered my room, and I placed the object on top of the stack of books, then carried them over to one of the bookcases.
"There were books in there? How did all of this stuff fit?" Takuma asked. "I'm really beginning to believe your bag is bigger on the inside."
Smiling slightly, I turned back to face him, while replying, "I told you."
Smiling as well, Takuma crossed over to the sitting area, then pointed toward the tray he'd brought into my room earlier. "Come and eat, Lorna-chan," Takuma instructed, as he took a seat in a leather armchair.
Suddenly, I realized how hungry I felt. I had been so distracted by sorting through my belongings, I had not noticed the strange feeling in chest and throat, as if my body were completely dry. When I tried to take a deep breath, my chest felt heavy and painful. In an attempt to comfort myself, I wrapped my arms tightly around my chest.
Watching my bizarre reaction, Takuma quickly poured me a glass of dark red liquid that smelled similar to blood, but not nearly as strongly scented as the blood I'd encountered earlier. "Lorna-chan, this will help," he told me.
Nervously, I accepted the glass, then took a small sip. I could taste blood, but the emotions and memories were faint, and I could hardly distinguish them. Despite this fact, the concoction was pleasantly flavored, and it sent warm shivers coursing throughout my body. A feeling of extreme satisfaction fell over me the more I drank from the glass, and the achiness in my body dissipated.
Draining the rest of the glass, I replaced it on the tray, then sat on the small sofa.
"What is that?" I asked Takuma.
"Blood mixed with juice," he replied. "This substance is how vampires drink blood without involving humans. It isn't the most pleasurable way to drink blood, but it satisfies our cravings."
"It's blood that doesn't involve humans?" I questioned. Suspiciously, I wondered, "Are blood drives just a ruse to make humans willing to offer their blood to vampires?"
Snorting derisively, Takuma replied with a bit of sarcastic haughtiness, "Don't be absurd. Not all of them are."
I giggled in response, and felt myself relax slightly. I had felt so confused by the ordeal I'd been through tonight – even the fact that finally I was being treated with decency. But now I understood that the boy seated next to me was kind. His original plan must have been a compromise; he was aware of his grandfather's rules and procedures, but he'd wanted to spare me from the harsher protocols his grandfather enforced. Recalling Ichiou's words when he'd announced my stabilization, I unconsciously found myself asking, "What would have happened if I hadn't been stabilized?"
Takuma turned white at my question, and he looked at me with eyes wide with fright. In the next moment, he'd regained a cheerful visage, and he waved off my question. "You shouldn't be worrying about that, Lorna-chan," he replied. Quickly, he changed the subject, "There isn't a need to hide your necklace now. You have privileges now, so no need to be concerned."
"Necklace?" I repeated. Remembering that I'd hidden something inside my scarf, I quickly searched through the folds until I located the long chain. Compared to the ivory combs, the necklace was invaluable, yet I felt that it contained something more precious than all the wonders of the world.
"Why is it so important to you?" Takuma asked. "As far as the items you brought, this necklace seems to be the least valuable."
Carefully, I studied the watch, then answered, honestly, "I had a dream about this watch. It terrified me. I couldn't remember why… but…"
"Well, maybe you should open it. Maybe there's something inside," Takuma suggested.
For some bizarre reason, I didn't feel as if the watch was worth opening. At Takuma's suggestion, I simply stared at the watch. Finally, I decided to humor Takuma, but as soon as I placed my hand on the watch, the watch flared golden, and it became so hot that I was forced to drop the necklace onto the sofa.
Studying my hand, I was surprised to find there were no burns.
"What happened?" Takuma asked. "Why did you drop it?"
Shrugging, I told him, "Didn't mean to. It won't open; the clasp is broken."
Extending his hand, Takuma offered, "Maybe I can get it open."
Momentarily, I hesitated, then I picked the watch up by its chain, then deposited it into Takuma's hand.
Without struggle, Takuma depressed the clasp, and the watch opened freely. "It wasn't broken," Takuma commented. Turning the watch toward me, he added, "Only a watch. Nothing out of the ordinary here."
Sure enough, the watch was so ordinary that I felt silly for worrying about its safety. The interior of the watch was unadorned, and the gold plating was chipped in places, and faded in others. Even the clock hands appeared hesitant to keep time, despite the second hand ticking away. On the inside of the casing, a faded engraving of a mesmerizing series of figure eights and loops. Although I had never seen the inside of the watch, this engraving appeared incredibly familiar, and I attempted to recollect where I'd seen it before.
That's when it struck me.
The engraving inside the watch was the same as the mark that had appeared on my wrist.
My expression must have revealed the fear I felt, because Takuma turned the watch back toward himself. Studying it intently, he told me, "There isn't anything unusual about this watch. It's just old."
Forcing myself to smile, I held my hand out. "Sure it is. I'll have it back," I replied, coolly.
After closing the watch, Takuma studied the case a moment before handing it back to me. "It must have been very pretty when it was new… Although… it can't be that old… It has what looks to be a phone booth on it," he commented.
Curiously, I studied the front of the watch. Much to my own surprise, I realized Takuma was right. Partially obscured by rust, the image of a phone booth was hardly distinguishable. It was surrounded by the same inexplicable circles that were drawn into my notebook and embossed onto the leather case containing my set of ivory combs.
"Sometimes people like watches to look older than they are," I shrugged. "They think it gives them character."
I placed the chain around my neck, then fingered the diamond thoughtfully.
"Do you remember anything more from your past?" Takuma asked. "Earlier it seemed as though you were beginning to fill in the pieces, and now that you've gone through your bag…"
I shook my head, but then released the diamond, and looked up at Takuma to answer honestly, "I made up the information, and I'm only more confused by my possessions. I can't remember where half of them came from, or why I packed them. All I've discovered in the past twenty-four hours is that it must have been planned for me to go on a long journey."
For a moment, Takuma appeared to contemplate whether to inform me of some insight into why I might have been burdened with such an impressive array of possessions. Ultimately, he warned, "Lorna-chan, I think I might be cruel to say this to you, but… you might have been given to a pureblood."
Feeling more confused than upset, I repeated, "Given?"
Takuma nodded sagely, and I nearly laughed at the serious expression he wore. However, his eyes were cast downward, and their cheerful glisten was absent. Whatever he was wanting to tell me was difficult for him to place into words that didn't cause me to hurt more than I already did.
Continuing his explanation, Takuma stated, "Sometimes, humans ask to be turned into vampires in hope of longevity. Other times, they offer up someone else in exchange for wealth, or status, or protection. It's cruel, but in the vampire world, human children are considered 'legal tender,' as long as the child's parents consent to the exchange."
I should have felt saddened by the revelation that my mother might have willingly traded me for wealth or status, but a strange acceptance fell over me upon hearing Takuma's information. In that moment, I remembered something significant. "My mother…" I began, hesitating slightly, as the memory settled over me. "Wasn't the one who told me to run," I finished. "It was someone else. I can't remember who, but…"
"I know it must be difficult for you to believe that your mother would trade you away, so I want you to understand that she might have been tricked into it. We'll likely never know what really transpired," Takuma replied, apologetically.
"I think my mother might have betrayed me," I admitted. "I'm starting to remember now. It was only the two of us. My mother came from an old aristocratic family, but we had lost everything – including our status. She had her secrets, and she took care of me while maintaining careful distance. Sometimes, I used to suspect that she was attempting to use me for something."
Takuma's expression remained stoic for several minutes before he informed me apologetically, "I'm sorry you got caught up in our world. Even stabilized former humans aren't as well treated as they ought to be. Our society views them as miscreants. Vampires have a strong sense of duty, and we tend to look down on people who abandon their own race in hope of a better life. Even former human children are judged harshly, despite more than half of them being created due to the whims of their parents."
A part of myself wanted to assure Takuma that I was content with my fate, but I knew the lie would be too obvious, and that Takuma would only feel worse about being honest with me. Instead, I assured Takuma, "The only person who I have any control over is myself. I'm not going to concern myself over the views of others."
Smiling fondly at me, Takuma replied, "You're such a sensible child. You remind me of a friend of mine, but unlike him, you express your feelings much more freely. It might be a little selfish, but I'm glad fate brought us together."
At his words, I suddenly realized what would have occurred if Takuma hadn't decided to find and bring me home with him. In all likelihood, I would have attempted to push the bloodlust to the back of my mind, and I might have attacked a human when the instinct became too strong to ignore. I wouldn't understand what had happened to me; I would be alone, and afraid of the change that had overcome me. With no memories of recent events, I would have wandered aimlessly until either someone from the vampire community had located me, or I had gotten myself killed.
"I'm glad, too," I answered, after a long silence. As I spoke, I didn't look at Takuma, and my tone was dubious. In the back of my mind, I wondered what would have happened if I'd been taken away by the Doctor.
Although I didn't know of what species the Doctor originated, I felt very certain that he neither was a human, nor a vampire. He might have been from a higher species – one that understood how to reverse the conversion into a vampire. If he had only taken me with him, I might have been saved from this bloodthirsty fate.
"The sun is rising," Takuma told me. "You should get ready for bed. You seem to be really tired… I should have saved this conversation for later…"
Yawning, I glanced toward the doors on the back wall. Over the ledge of the balcony outside, I could see the sun's first rays emerging into view. It cast beautiful shades of red, gold, and purple over the mountain range in the distance, and for a moment, I thought of the scene depicted on my ivory mirror.
"You might be sensitive to the light," Takuma warned. "Your vision is changing."
Standing up, I quickly went into my closet to locate a nightgown. Since I'd organized all my clothes, finding one to wear was not difficult; however, I was momentarily overwhelmed by the capacity of the closet. The previously barren closet now was teeming with dresses, skirts, blouses, coats, and shoes.
While I changed into the nightgown I'd selected, I wondered how all of this could have fit into that little bag I'd brought. On top of that, the bag hadn't felt heavy.
Shaking my head at the impossibility, I returned to my bedroom, and snatched the bag off my bed. While crossing over to my vanity, I tossed the bag onto the low table situated at the foot of my bed.
Sitting down at the vanity, I quickly undid the braided bun one of the maids had fixed my hair into. Carelessly, I tossed the various pins onto the vanity, and watched from the corner of my eye as Takuma closed the heavy curtains over the glass doors. Not a ray of sunlight penetrated the curtains, and the room became nearly as dark as it had been during the night – if not darker. For a moment, a feeling of depression fell over me, as I realized that my world would be dark forevermore.
"Here, I'll brush your hair for you," Takuma told me, as he noticed me removing the numerous pins from my hair.
While Takuma gently removed the remaining hairpins, I relaxed into my seat. Letting other people brush my hair had never been my custom, but I'd enjoyed having the maid braid my hair instead of attempting to style my hair myself. Of course, styling my hair on my own wasn't difficult; in fact, I would have been finished long before the maid had managed to twist my waist-length hair into its proper position.
For a few minutes, Takuma carefully brushed out the plaits, and my hair soon returned to its original, wavy state. In order to brush sections of my hair in a single stroke, Takuma was forced to hold my hair up with one hand. Despite this difficulty, he seemed to be enjoying himself.
"I always wanted to have a younger sister," Takuma admitted. "It's difficult to have any real fun when I'm the only child in the household. I spend most of my time studying; my grandfather holds me to very high standards. Even when I'm not studying, I'm reading – mostly manga, but it gets lonely after a while. Now that you're here, I won't have to be alone all the time."
"Oh? You don't play with friends often?" I wondered.
Takuma shook his head. "Not as often as I'd like," he replied. "We live in a secluded area, and we live in different houses for different times of the year, so it isn't easy to arrange for my friends to visit."
"No wonder you're so eager to ramble on about random topics," I commented. I would have teased him more about his loquaciousness, but a yawn escaped instead.
"I've kept you up too late," Takuma apologized. "It's time I let you get to bed."
Nodding, I stood, and crawled into the soft bed I'd been given. Snuggling into the pillows, I pulled the covers up to my chin, and released a contented sigh. After my ordeal in the dungeon, I began falling asleep almost immediately after lying down. Just as I was about to drift off, I felt Takuma gently stroke my hair.
"Sleep well, Lorna-chan. I won't let anything happen to you," he whispered.
I fell to sleep with a feeling of warmth and safety, yet my dreams contained horrifying images of what my fate might have been without Takuma's protection. In the midst of these visions, a maddened creature lurked in the foreground. A man with two different colored eyes and a lurid grin was plotting an attack. He was craving something…
As the creature released a malevolent laugh, the vision fell away, and I dreamt again of the stars.
My dream took me far, far across the universe in search of something lost. All I had to guide me were two obscure definitions: They who walk in shadow, and the smell of dust after rain.
Finally, I managed to write a third chapter for this story... It took me several different versions before coming up with this one, and deciding this one worked with my story best. I know it isn't the most interesting chapter, but I need to set up my plot, so I can write more interesting chapters later.
Please, review to let me know of grammatical errors, or general thoughts on the story. :)
Cheers,
Mango