Chapter 2: Moonlit Meeting

A sigh left his lips as he lowered himself down on the park bench, his head throbbing and his muscles aching. Dirty yellow light from a nearby streetlamp made his dark red hair throw shadows on his face, and he frowned.

Kagami Taiga was not a patient man. Even less so when he was tired, hungry, and hopelessly lost.

The map was useless. It was well past midnight, and he couldn't tell where he had ended up. He didn't understand how the public transport system here worked, let alone what routes to use, and the street names on the map in his hands seldom matched his position.

He could've sworn he's been going in circles. There was strange graffiti he kept passing by, scrawled onto walls and wooden posts. He hadn't really examined it closely, but he guessed it was just some weird symbol, like a Japanese peace sign.

Even though the full moon gave him more energy than he would normally have so late into the night, a long flight and jet lag had taken their toll on him.

He took his sports bag – the only thing he had with him – and placed it on the bench. He shimmied back and lay down so that his head touched his bag at a slightly elevated position. The bench wasn't big enough for his tall frame, and he had to lay on his side with his knees bent to fit, but it was better than moving around blindly in the middle of the night.

He felt his eyes droop close, his skin tingling gently under the moonlight. A small nap to rejuvenate. Just a small nap.


The vampire's nose twitched, and he slowed his steps as he walked down the quiet alleys of Tokyo. He didn't have as good a sense of smell as a werewolf, but he could definitely smell something different in the air. A buzzing in his pocket made him jump a little and he took out his phone. The name Momoi Sastuki flashed on the screen and he answered the call with a frown.

"What's wrong?"

"Does something have to be wrong for me to call you?" the voice on the other end huffed.

"Fine, then I'm a bit busy here," he sighed, but before he could disconnect, Momoi started speaking with some urgency.

"Okay, okay, something is wrong," she conceded. "But I'm not sure what. Akashi-kun just wants you to meet him as soon as you can. He's calling all the purebloods."

The man scrunched his nose, peering at the moon. "At fucking three in the morning? Shouldn't that guy be asleep?"

"Then it must be important. He called me just to pass this message to everyone." She paused. "And what are you busy with?"

The navy haired man hesitated. "I…I'm not sure." His nose prickled when he picked up that scent in the air again. He couldn't place it, what it was. It wasn't vampire…or human exactly, or anything. It was just…strange. Not in a bad way, just different. Slightly sweet, almost like vanilla.

"Dai-chan…another thing." Momoi paused. "Akashi said that he wants you to bring, uh, Mai-chan. Well, he didn't say the name but that's what he meant."

"Mai-chan?" Aomine scoffed, but his eyes had narrowed with suspicion. "It's been months. No, years. Not to mention a little suspicious."

"I know, but if you want to know why you're going to have to ask him yourself."

"Fine. Tell him I'll be there soon. I just have to check something out first."

He put the phone away before his childhood friend could question or admonish him. He had work to do.


It was the discomfort that woke him. Kagami blinked his eyes open blearily, wincing and he moved onto his back and pain shot down his neck. His head was resting against the hard wood of his makeshift bed, and he groaned in pain, shuffling up so that his head hit the edge of the bench.

He sighed, drifting off again in his sleep…except…

His eyes snapped open, and his whole body numbed with panic.

His bag.

Kagami bolted upright, glancing around him wildly, behind the bench, under the seat. Nothing.

This was not good. Not good at all.

Because in that bag was something extremely invaluable. And the only reason he was in Tokyo in the first place.

He titled his nose up and sniffed the air. He could smell lots of things, and the full moon had heightened his senses.

The bitter tang of the metal in the bench. The rotting smells of leaves and wood. Rancid stenches of smoke and oil left by cars. Disgusting smells of animal faeces, especially when the owners failed to clean up after their pets.

And there, another smell. Human, but different. Strong, recent.

Kagami stood up, ripping his beanie off to let twin red ears flick around. A bushy tail slipped out of the band of his pants and brushed the air, and he sighed at the relief. It was relaxing to be in his natural form. Nobody would see anything in the middle of the night, and with barely any lights around him.

He could hear footsteps, hushed whispers. The thieves were close, and he could catch up to them if he ran.

He bent his knees a little, feeling his muscles bunch and flex, feeling the energy from the silver light above him flood through his veins. His ears pulled back slightly, and his tail flicked in anticipation. His eyes flashed gold momentarily, and in a burst of wind and a flash of red hair, he was gone.

The three figures clad in scruffy clothes didn't notice Kagami's presence until he was right behind them, not because he was stealthy, but due to the speed of his arrival.

They turned around in surprise and Kagami growled at them, not worrying about his exposed ears and tail. If he was lucky his appearance would make them leave his stuff and scare them off. It wasn't like he couldn't just snatch his stuff back either way, given his agility. His night vision – strengthened by the full moon – allowed him to see each man in great detail despite the darkness.

"That's my bag you got there," Kagami scowled, glaring at the burglars. "So why don't you hand it over?"

The three men were frozen in shock, then the man closest to him made a sound that sounded strangely like a laugh. He had a dark beanie pulled low on his forehead. "A fucking were? He smells funny for a were. No wonder we though he was just some lost bum."

Kagami raised an eyebrow in confusion. Something wasn't right.

A shorter guy had Kagami's bag slung across his shoulders. He looked young, barely an adult. "What's a dog doing on our territory?"

"If we knew, we would've killed him and took his stuff," the third spat, his greasy dreadlocks brushing his shoulders.

"I'm right here, you know," Kagami fumed, feeling his face heat up at the slurs. These men…they weren't shocked at him being a werewolf. They were making fun of him. Threatening him. Did humans know about werewolves in Japan? It wasn't like that in Los Angeles.

"We know," the short one sneered, and that was when Kagami saw those lips pull back and two sharp canines pressed against the flesh. They weren't like Kagami's, they were thinner and longer. Kagami's resembled wolf teeth, with a relatively wide base and a slight curve. These were more like those of a snake.

Fangs.

Kagami cocked his head, his heart thrumming with caution at the sight. "Vampire?"

"Yeah, you mutt," Dreadlocks snorted. "Why don't you scram before we gut you?"

Kagami bristled, his ears standing up in anger. "Fine, I'll leave. But can you give me my stuff back?" Kagami didn't understand the hostility, let alone after they had robbed him. Without knowing he was a werewolf, no less!

"Yeah, how about no?" the younger one rolled his eyes. "Technically, this is now ours, since you're a werewolf and this is our area."

Kagami's eyes narrowed and he dropped into a lower stance. "Wrong answer." He shot forwards, dodging the first guy. Beanie shot his leg out to trip him, but Kagami managed to land on his hands and somersault over, jumping and grabbing his bag. He whooped in joy as he heard them yell, but saw the flash of silver a bit too late.

Dreadlocks drew a knife and slashed at Kagami, who managed to twist so that the blade buried itself in the bag instead. The redhead cursed as his prized possession ripped, jumping back before the tear could worsen. His ear twitched as he heard someone come up behind him, ducking before the punch could connect with the back of his head and using a leg to trip his assailant, dropping his bag in the process.

Unfortunately, that gave Dreadlocks an opportunity to make another swipe and Kagami hissed when a burning sensation ran down his forearm as he brought his hand up to defend himself. It wasn't too painful, meaning it wasn't silver at least. He kicked sideways and made contact with Dreadlock's sternum, making him stumble back a few feet.

By then, Beanie had grabbed Kagami's pack, but as he lifted it the contents clattered out of the ripped opening.

A slim wooden box rattled loudly on the ground, the lid shifting slightly.

Fuck! Kagami pounced on it like a cat, shielding it with his body, completely ignoring his injury.

The three vampires stared at him curiously, and Dreadlocks grinned.

"We hadn't checked the contents yet," he leered. "But now I'm curious. Is it jewellery? Money?" He pointed his knife at Kagami. "Be a good dog and fetch."

Kagami's lips pulled back in a snarl and he felt his chest rumble in a growl. This was serious. They'd have to get through him before they got to that box.

The three stopped suddenly, their faces draining of colour. Kagami felt pleased at the reaction, until he realised they weren't looking at him but rather something above him.

A scent, spicy like cinnamon. A shiver down his spine, a curling heat in his gut.

His ears twitched, his tail quivered. Not with fear. Something else. Something a bit more…primal.

"You bring a fourth guy to attack me from behind?" Kagami asked lowly, but the smell in the air…it was similar to those in front of him – a scent he now knew was "vampire" – however it was decidedly different.

Had he smelt it before?

The three vampires were still and speechless, eyes wide.

Kagami could no longer handle the suspense, and he grabbed the box before straightening up and slowly turning around.

There was a figure, tall and lanky, standing on a rooftop of the house behind Kagami, his silhouette backlit by the moonlight.

Kagami didn't have to be any closer to feel the other one's gaze, almost piercing through him. A flutter of clothes and the man was right in front of Kagami, narrow navy eyes regarding him coolly.

Kagami had the intense urge to close his eyes and breathe in that scent, deeply. To rub his head against that smell and purr-

He shook his head. What the fuck?

That dark gaze slid from him to the three thieves. The man's lips parted over long fangs, pulling down in a scowl. "You three. What the fuck are you doing, attacking a werewolf?"

Kagami found his voice before his attackers could find theirs. "Who are you?" The words came out dryer than he would've liked.

The vampire crossed his arms. "Aomine Daiki," he said in a cold voice. "And you better have a damn good reason to be on my fucking land."


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