Chapter 2: The Lost Kitten

"Hello? ...Aki? ...My dad? ...Pick you up? Did you get lost?!...A kitten? Why do you need me to pick you up because of a kitten? ...Fine, where are you? ...Shadow Ramen?...Okay, stay right there…Don't move…Fine! I'll be there soon. Bye."

A girl who looked about eighteen sighed as she hung up the cell phone that she and her father shared. She ran a hand through her short, soft apple red hair in frustration. What could her mischievous friend be up to now? Li moved to grab her coat, which was hanging on a coat hanger outside the door of her mobile dressing room, which was parked outside the large plastic tent that was the stage for her father's circus. "Who was that?" asked a voice from outside. It was her black haired friend, Momi, the animal tamer.

"It was Aki," Li replied raggedly, pulling on her jacket. "I'm going to pick her up."

Momi grinned. "Can I go with you?"

Li sighed. "Of course, Nee-chan."

Momi jumped in excitement. "Yay! Let's go!" The black haired girl led the way to Li's car and jumped in the passenger seat as Li sat in the driver's side. Then, they drove off.

xXx

Aki put her phone in her purse and then looked down at Claus who had a skeptical look on his face. "Kitten?"

Aki nodded, a small laugh escaping her lips. "I want you to be a surprise. I don't think any of us have seen one as young as you."

Claus cocked an eyebrow. "One…oh, you mean…I see…" He looked around, seeing other people nearby, chatting, walking, going about their daily lives. Some of them were even staring at him. He was sure it would raise suspicion if the people heard them talking about vampires. Claus then looked back up at Aki. "Really?"

Aki nodded. "I've seen all kinds of your kind and none of them have been quite as young as you. Is your blood matured?" Aki's tone was hushed as she asked the question.

Claus shook his head. "No, I'm sure I have a lot of years left until then, at least seven or eight. I was turned by a girl not much older than me."

Aki was silent for a moment. "Hey, Kid, Claus was it? Could I ask you a few questions…you know…about your past. If you don't want to, I completely understand."

Claus looked down at the ground for a moment or two. "Can I trust her?" he thought. He looked up at her, grimacing. "Or rather, could I stand to remember…?" After a few moments, Claus nodded. "I suppose I owe it to you to at least answer a few of your questions. I'd be dead meat if it weren't for you, anyways." He forced a chuckle and an awkward smile.

Aki frowned. "O-okay…Who were those guys who were chasing you?"

Claus looked up at the dark, night sky. "Those men were the Master's right and left hand men."

Aki arched an eyebrow. "Who is this "Master" you keep talking about, anyway?"

Claus looked back at the pavement below them. "The Master…he owned us…or at least he used to own me. You see, it happened a long time ago. I couldn't have been much older than eight. That would make my brother, Tuomas, fourteen at the time."

"It was late one night," Claus continued, "and my brother and I were sleeping in our room when we awoke to the sound of screams. They belonged to our parents and they didn't last long. My brother and I shot out of our beds and ran to see what the screaming was about. Standing over my parents' shriveled forms were three men. Those guys from earlier and the man I would come to know as Master. They kidnapped my brother and I ant took us to their hideout to be turned by a little girl who was, like I said, not much older than I was. They then took us to where we would stay: nothing but a small room with two cots. The door was locked at all times and the windows were barred. The only time we were allowed out was when…"

Claus fell silent, hugging himself and shivering as if he were cold. "They… they… tortured us…We… we were raped."

Aki wrapped her arms around Claus's shoulders, pulling him close as she rested her cheek on his head. "I'm sorry, Kid."

Claus took a deep breath. "There were others like my brother and I and that girl, many others. The Master has many hideouts all over the world. They turn us, not only so we stay young, but also so we have higher resistance. That way, we don't die so easy…or at least, we aren't supposed to die."

Claus held back tears but kept talking. "The reason why I was running was because…because I found my brother dead earlier. He had been alone with the Master in his room for a few hours. It didn't seem different from any other time, but when I walked in…I saw my brother…dead on the floor…smiling." It was taking all of Claus's strength to keep the tears at bay at this point. Aki could sense it and gave Claus a tight squeeze, her arms still wrapped around him protectively.

"And so you ran," Aki finished for the boy, knowing that one more word from his mouth could break his silence. "Thanks Claus. I know this was painful for you. I'm sorry."

Claus shook his head, tightly shutting his eyes. "It…it's okay. I feel better… knowing that someone else knows. Thank you for listening." Claus opened his eyes, feeling a little dizzy. He wobbled in Aki's grip.

Aki raised an eyebrow as she looked down at the boy. "…Hey, Kid, when was the last time you fed?"

Claus looked up at her, a little dazed. "It's been a few days…I didn't think it'd be a problem…I didn't know I'd be running so much today."

Aki gently helped the boy sit down on the cold pavement, kneeling beside him. "It's okay, Kid. My friend should be here any minute. She'll take us to the circus, and then—"

Claus gave her a strange look. "Circus?"

Aki opened her mouth to say something, but then stood, seeing a pair of headlights approaching. She waved her hand at the familiar car as it pulled up to the curb. "Okay," came a voice from the driver's seat, "so what's this about a—" The voice stopped as Li looked bewilderedly at the boy sitting on the ground. "Aki…What the hell is going on?"

Aki grinned, leaning on the car. "Li, I'd like you to meet my new lost kitten, Claus. He's got some pretty sharp teeth, if you know what I mean." Aki winked at Li, whose body immediately loosened up, understanding the hint.

"Aww," came the voice of another female from the passenger's seat. "He's adorable!"

Claus blinked. "Um…thank you?"

This only prompted another squeal from the black haired girl. "And he's British, too? Even more adorable! Where on earth did you find this kid, Aki?"

Aki frowned. "I'll tell you later. Claus here is exhausted and hasn't fed in a while. We need to get him to the tent, pronto." The curly haired girl helped the boy stand, leading him to the car, opening the back seat door, and gently placing him in the car before sliding in, herself.

"Poor kid," Li muttered, sympathizing with Claus. "My name's Linwé. You can call me Li," Li introduced herself as Aki shut the door. Momi turned as Li started driving off, grinning. "My name is Momigi, but call me Momi."

Claus smiled. "It's nice to meet you both." The boy looked at Aki who put an arm around his shoulders. "So, we're going…to a circus."

Aki grinned. "You betcha, Kid. I am the star acrobat in the greatest traveling circus in the world, Cirque de la Noche."

Li laughed. "Looks like someone's head is too filled with hot air."

Aki glared at the back of Li's head. "Shut up!"

Claus thought for a moment. "Isn't "cirque" the French word for "circus" and "noche" the Spanish word for "night"?"

Aki blinked, a little taken aback. "Y-yes. How did you know that?"

Claus shrugged. "I heard the Master speak all kinds of languages when he took us travelling around to world to kidnap people."

"What the hell did you just say?!" Li shrilled.

"Kidnapping?" questioned Momi as she looked into the rearview mirror.

Aki leered into the rearview mirror. "I'll tell you guys later, okay?" Aki grumbled from behind clenched teeth. Li and Momi looked at each other for a moment, shrugged, and then returned to their normal positions. "Well, anyways," Aki continued, "Cirque de la Noche, or Circus of the Night, is a circus completely made up of vampires. Li here is an acrobat like me. She specializes in tight rope and she can do aerial silk with me. Momi is a half vampire and she's an animal tamer."

Claus looked at Aki wide-eyed. "Really? All vampires?"

Li nodded from the driver's seat. "Hai. You see, my father, Mr. Ken Watanabe, thought it would be a wonderful idea for a travelling circus to be made up of all vampires. Not only would their special abilities give them the edge to do more than a human, but it would also be a good way to help vampires find a home. We've been picking up willing and wandering vampires for years all over the world."

"That's amazing. I had no idea!" Claus remarked.

Aki smiled. "There's also a boarding house in England that is similar to our circus. They house not only vampires, but anyone who needs a place to stay for as long as they need to…within reason. They're called Wammy's House and the owner is a man called Watari. That's actually how I first heard of your situation, in a way."

Claus nodded. "I think I've heard of that place. How so?"

"You see," Aki began to explain, telling Claus all about the message she had received from L. She made sure Li and Momi could hear her as well.

"So," Li spoke after Aki had finished, "are you saying that this kid is one of those vampires who were kidnapped?"

Claus nodded before Aki could say anything. "Yes, I am."

Li frowned. "I'm sorry."

Aki shook her head, looking out the window in thought. "But from what this kid says, this has been going on for years, not months like L thought. I have to call him later."

Li nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a good idea, but first, we take care of Claus."

Momi smiled. "Don't worry Claus, we have plenty of blood at the tent. You can drink as much as you need."

Claus returned Momi's smile with a weary one of his own. "Thank you all so much. I owe you guys a lot."

Momi turned to face him and shook her head. "Don't worry about it." She patted him on the head comfortingly. "You're part of the family, now."

Claus blinked. "Part of the family, huh? That sounds…nice." He grinned at Momi, feeling better than he had in years.

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This chapter is a little boring. It's mostly story and explanation. Claus is still uber cute! X3 Li and Momi are introduced properly, as well. ^w^ Just to clarify, Momi is a real person. Obviously, Li is as well.

The name for this chapter is obvious. Unlike the previous two chapters, it isn't an allusion to anything. I was just playing off the kitten comment that Aki made in the previous chapter. It's fitting since we hear Claus's past in this chapter.

Well, that's all I have to say for now. Feel free to ask any questions and leave a lot of reviews! Until the next chapter, ja ne. X3