"Oh no, don't tell me that it's just starting to rain! ARGH! Oh well, Papa won't be home till tomorrow evening, so I'll go back to the shop, close and shower, then I'll tidy up the downstairs and make something to eat. I just have to remember, I can't drop the groceries! I bought enough to last threw tomorrow, but that's it." walking down the sidewalk, Momomiya Ichigo sighed and gently tossed her damp crimson locks, trying to shake off the water.

"Now, don't move, my lovely..." making eye contact with the helpless peasant before him, Kish's golden honey eyes slightly grew and began to glow bright blue.

"Yes, my master...I will obey you." in a dream-like trance, the girl before him stared up in devoted loyalty to the prince. "Please, drink my blood..." tilting her head some, she fully exposed her ivory neck to his hungry gaze.

"Good girl..." leaning inward to her, his lips slowly parted and his ivory canines grew larger and sharper.

Gasp! In one quick move, he pierced her flesh with his fangs and drew from her neck the sweet crimson liquid that she provided.

Though his bloodlust hadn't fully been satisfied, he would never dream of killing. Even if it WAS only a human.

"You have been quite a help, my dear...Now, when you awaken from this transe, you will not have remembered anything that has just accured...are we clear?" his eyes flashed brightly and sparked a reaction.

"Yes, master, I will obey you, master." as if mechanically, the girl, who's eyes were now pale blue and lifeless, walked out of the ally way.

"Still hungry...but why? Hmmm, I smell something sweet, but from where does it come?" glancing around, his nose suddenly twitched and his face twisted into a look of pure disgust. "Don't you lowlife vampires know when to back off?" glaring in the direction of a stack of rotting crates, he watched with antisipation as shadows could be seen, emerging.

"At least we don't feed on humans. Honestly, how savage! You of all people haven't found his bride yet?" a short, chubby man with a poorly shaven face appeared behind him.

"Oh well, no poor maiden to mourn for your death then." the sound of cracking knuckles could be heard as he turned and met the glare of a tall, boney man on the other side of him.

"At least I'm not a drunk. I have SOME morals, you know." returning their glares with one of his own, he awaited their attacks.

He'd been beaten to a near pulp by the two thug vampires by the time they walked off.

Goning to sit up, he suddenly let out a cry of pain and anguish as his palm shot to his stomach.

"Argh...I can't move...wait, maybe I can get this human to help me..." his eyes brightened some, but faded soon after. He was no longer able to hold any of his powers, due to weakness.

"Hey, what's going on in there?-OOF!" Ichigo had just come to the opening of the ally way when she was violently shoved to the ground by the thugs.

"Move it, chick!" as the thugs ran passed, her anger got the best of her and she stood up. Glancing down in rage at the bag of spilt groceries, she growled darkly and stalked over to where they stood, trying to climb a fence.

"Hey, you two...You know what you just did?! I spent all I had on those groceries, and now you've gone and ruined them...Needless to say, I'm pissed!" stomping over to them, her eyes slitted, she carried out her revenge.

Meanwhile, back in the ally way, all Kish could hear of the encounter was loud thuds and crashes, plus the girlish shrieks of the thugs as they were delt with.

"Oh my, there's that smell again. Is it...roses...No, it has a fresh strawberry smell as well though...What could this possibly mean?" uncaring of the thugs and their begging the stranger for death, he tilted his head and dazed off, pondering the scent.

"Oh, you must be the one they were picking on then...here, allow me to help..." smiling sweetly, the stranger bent down, despite the rain, and reached out a small hand to the prince.

"Really?!..." stopping once again, he could swear the scent got stronger. "Um, what perfume is that? I can still smell it clearly, despite the rain. It's a lovely scent, and it fits you well." smiling in false sincerity, his only goal was to trick the human into taking him to the outskirts of the woods. There, his servants, Pai and Tart, would escort him in.

"You don't have to be polite. I'm not wearing perfume. Come, I'll take you back to my home and doctor your wounds. From there, you can choose what you wish to do." as she gently tapped the part of his stomach he'd injured, she gasped and pulled back when she heard a low, growl-like noise escape his lips.

"I'm...so weak...Please, take me to the edge of the woods..." with this, the pain slowly enveloped him and it was too much to bare. He ended up collapsing, his head on her lap.

"Oh dear, I can't leave you at the edge of the woods...I'll take you home and care for you. After all, it's quite lonely there without Papa." giggling lightly, she bent down and slung his arm over her shoulder.

As she helped him down the road, she passed her spilt groceries, unclaimed and soggy.

"Ngh-AH THAT HURTS!" shrieking in pain, his hand quickly shot up to his side, only to run into a gause wrap that engulfed his entire exposed midriff.

"Oh, please don't struggle...Your bandages might come undone. You were bleeding quite a bit earlier, so I cleaned you up the best I could and bandaged you. By tomorrow night you'll be able to leave." smiling over at him from her seat by the small bed, Ichigo gently leaned over and brushed away a few strands of hair out of the entire head she was able to wash.

"Why would you bother to bring me into your home? Where I'm from, people usually don't trust one another too well. Also, what happened to those thugs earlier? Where's my shirt and coat? How'd you manage to get me here? You seriously took me into your home while your father isn't here?!" sighing, he'd run out of breath as his questions poored out.

"Well, it just seemed like the right thing to do. You would have bled to death if I hadn't cared for you." leaning back in her chair, she stretched dramatically and stood to her full hight. "And yes, Papa isn't yet home. He went traveling to another town to get more cloth so that we could make new clothes for the costumers."

"I see, well then, I probably shouldn't intrude any longer..."smiling weakly at the human's weak heart, he was suddenly haulted.

"What is it? Are you alright?! Your wounds haven't opened up, have they?!" upon his relaxing and shaking his head, she sighed in relief.

"No, it's just that I keep sensing this lovely fragrence around you...I keep wondering what it is though." glancing up at her as she walks over to the window, he watches as her face turns confused and she tilts her head.

"It might be your wounds. You might have fallen and hit your head...The rest of you seems fine though." turning to him, she smiled before heading out the door to the kitchen.

"Wait! Where are you going?! I thought you said you'd take care of me...Doesn't a nurse stay with her patient till they're better, Miss Medical Expert." reaching up and taking a hold of her wrist, he met eye contact with her and tried once more to use his magic.

"Something wrong?" tugging at her hand, she noticed the light in his eyes, but chose to brush it off as the glow of the candle by the bed.

"You know you want to stay...for me?!" his eyes turned hopeful as he watched her face lighten some, but it soon dropped as he watched her gently tug her hand from his.

"Sorry, but I've got to go fix dinner...My old groceries got soggy earlier, so I suppose I have just enough to create a dinner dish with what's left." placing her chin in her hand, she exited the room.

"Wait! Why won't it work. I could feel it. My powers have recharged fully, and she still simply brushed me off...What's with me? Why do I care about a human. But, what if she isn't human?! I mean, she beat up those thug vampires without even realizing they were vampires. I only smell this scent around her, and my heart feels funny...What's going on? I better stay for tonight then."

"So, you'll stay then? For tonight, at least?!"

Spinning towards the doorway, he came face to face with Ichigo, who was carrying a tray of food and tea.

"Here, this is for you...I thought you might like it. I hope it's alright." she seemed worried as she set the tray in front of him on the bed.

"Oh, no thank you...I've already eaten this evening, and it would be a waste to eat it while I'm not hungry...You eat it. You seem hungry." smiling up at her once more, he watched as her worried face shifted into confusion and she picked up the tray.

"Um, you're sure you don't want anything to eat?" a look of utter concern crossed her delicate features as she sat down on the chair at his bedside.

"Yes, I'm quite sure." smiling in reasurance, he flopped back on the bed and heaved a sigh of boredom.

"Well, I guess I shouldn't let it go to waste then." lifting the fork to her lips, she carefully bit down on the juicy piece of chicken and began to chew. And, for one split second, something flashed in his eyes.

'What's this feeling? What's going on? Do I really need her blood that badly?' placing a hand meekly upon his chest, he lowered his head and squeezed his eyes shut. 'No, a vampire prince like me shouldn't be fauning over a low human. It's pure smut!' shaking his head in a violent act of trying to rid himself of the thought, he simply chose to stare out the window.

"Hey, are you alright?! Maybe you should rest awhile. I'll see how well you are in the morning, then I'll let you go." finishing off the small plate of food he'd not wanted, Ichigo set it down and leaned over.

"Um, yeah...that sounds great! I'm sorry if I'm in your room. I'll sleep on the floor if I have to." feeling his face go red, he tried to hide a blush behind his elegant ivory bangs.

"It's fine...This is actually the attick. We turned it into a spare room." gesturing around in an unsure welcome, she presented the room to him.

The walls were a creamy pale, and the floor was wooden. The graceful moonlight filtered in through the light baige curtains that swept the floor. The light, illuminating everything, caught Ichigo on its way in and brightened her features.

"Is something wrong?" haulting her gesture, she watched as he silently fell upon the bed. "Poor thing. He must be pretty tired." walking over, she gently grasped the sheets and blanket in her tiny hands and pulled up, tucking them around him.

Although, this required her to fully lean over, meaning she was making complete contact with the boy.

Though, he didn't much mind. He'd long since decided he'd take her blood, and wanted her to get closer.

'There's that smell again...it makes me want her blood more and more. That's it, come closer, my beautiful angel. So, it was only bloodlust after all. It was her blood that was giving off that scent. My body must have had to use every ounce of blood I'd taken to recover earlier. I would probably be dead by now, if it weren't for her.'

A slight appreciation for the girl began to form in his heart, and it made it that much harder to take her blood.

"Oh, he must be pretty restless if he's struggling like that...Did I tuck him in too tightly?" leaning back over, she loosened the sheets that confined him and kissed his forehead before standing back up, to her full hight.

Meanwhile, her kiss began to linger on his forehead, and his vicious struggling ceased immediately. What was this feeling? Was it really because his state was this weak, or was it something more?

'I can't...she saved me, so I know that it would only kill her, or break her heart if I did...Does she even feel that way about me? Gah, why am I even askingt myself these stupid questions...' sighing inwardly, he watched through half lidded eyes as she exited the room to take a bath.