Our Lost Souls

Hello everyone! I do hope that you are enjoying the story so far! It is the first time I am using these characters, so please bear with me!

Thank you to:

OneRogueAngel –for the reviews and support

And

Pnkrockninja101 – for being a great best friend and editing my mistakes.

That's it for now, and thanks the rest of you who have read, and enjoy!

III. One long night:

Sophie sighed as she laid back into her bed, blushing at the thought of Howl kissing her hand like that. "Oh God Sophie, grow up! And He's a Vampire, it's no good!" She moaned, burying her face into the pillow.

"Sophie, Sophie!"

"What is it Lettie?" She mumbled.

"Open your door!"

"It's already open."

"Fine!" Lettie opened the door and marched in. "What is it?" She asked, looking up at her sister.

"Phone call downstairs for you. You'll never guess who it is either."

"Oh? Is it Akio?"

"No... It's... Dad..." She mumbled, looking down.

Sophie frowned at the thought of the man. He was almost never around. And after Lettie moved out and mom died, he sent her to live with her grandmother in America, of all places. She hated that place, so many prejudiced people. So much for the, "Land of the Free." It wasn't all that bad though, but she still missed Japan so much.

Sighing, she skipped her way down the stairs and answered the phone.

"Moshi Moshi?"

"Sophie, sweetheart."

"Papa?"

"How are you?"

"What do you want Dad?" She said coldly.

He sighed. "Don't use that tone with me, I'm your father, I have a right to see how my little girl is doing."

"And you just now remembered it was your OBLIGATION to make sure we're okay?"

"Sophie, Sophie that hurt."

"Fuck you dad."

"Sophie, I don't know how many times I told you I'm sorry for shipping you off to America-"

"Dad, save your sob story for another day."

"Sophie, please."

"Dad... It's late. Talk to you later."

"Fine Sophie. I love you."

"Ditto."

Click.

"What the hell was that?" Lettie interjected, tapping her foot behind her sister.

Sophie shrugged. "A normal conversation between estranged father and daughter."

"Sophie he's trying! Will you get the bug out of your ass and open your eyes?"

"Lettie!" Sophie growled, temper rising. "Just both of you, fuck off already! You have no IDEA what it was like, to feel that your father didn't love you. YOU got to stay after mom died because you were old enough! But NO! I had to leave! Was I really that evil Dad couldn't keep me around?! Just both of you, FUCK OFF!" She screamed, and ran back upstairs to her room, leaving Lettie speechless, tears forming in the corners of her blue eyes.

"Sophie... I'm so sorry." She whispered as her little sister stormed off. "I can't imagine how hard it was for you to lose mama and papa all at once."

Back with Sophie...

"Good grief. Why can't they all just leave me the fuck alone?" She whimpered. "This sucks. At least there's tomorrow." She said, yawning and stretching. "Another day, new start…"

'Yup, you get to see me.'

'Yes?'

'GET THE HELL OUT!'

'Ow Sophie, my ears are ringing.'

'Please just go away, go the FUCK away.'

'Now now... Such language for a pretty mouth?'

'Howl, quit being a chauvinistic idiot.'

She jumped as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her, but no one was there. It was strange though, it felt like Howl was hugging her. "What the heck?" She murmured.

'Is the hug working? They're officially the best way to make someone feel better.'

'That was you? How...How did you do that?'

'My Dad said when a vampire finds its soul mate, that kind of psychic-physical connection is possible.'

'SOUL MATE?! SINCE FUCKING WHEN?!'

'Ha-ha... language, you're making ME blush.'

'Howl!!! Don't piss me about!'

'Sophie, just calm down, I didn't mean anything by it, but don't tell me you didn't like the thought.'

'I-uh... You! Shut up!' She stuttered. 'You stink, vampire.'

'Ha-ha-ha...Just relax. I'll be here if you need me.'

'Why?'

'Why what?'

'Why are you here? Why are you being so nice to me?'

'Why wouldn't I? You're the first human to know who I am and not treat me like a monster. Besides…' His voice echoed through her mind in what she interpreted to be a soft chuckle, 'I like you.'

'Oh, that uh... explains a lot.'

'Oh? Hmm... Well you just go to sleep and don't worry about anything. I can give you a nice dream?'

'Are you being lecherous again? I'll mentally slap your ass from here to China.'

'That's only a few hundred miles away, not even.'

'Screw you.'

'That would be a LOVELY dream.'

'HOWL!!!'

'Sorry, sweet dreams.'

As soon as he said those words, she felt herself become drowsy, and her body fell back onto her soft bed. "Howl, you're an ass." And with that, she passed out, a complacent smile spread serenely across her face

Howl smiled to himself as he felt Sophie's mind grow silent, then fall to rest, meaning his spell to help her sleep was working. "Sleep well, Sophie…"

He sighed and looked up at the night sky. He was sitting on the balcony of his Clan's castle, staring up at the crescent moon, glowing amongst the tiny diamond like glittering stars in its full glory in the black heavens. He closed his eyes for a moment as a cool breeze blew through the night, caressing his face. "Beautiful night…Why can't it be this peaceful all the time?"

The fact of the matter was, as calm and serene as this night was, and any other night, there was no escaping the tension in the air of an impending war between the races. "Damn it. I get to waste a precious year of my youth tackling a war. Hurray for me, maybe I should go grab a cookie."

"At least you can eat cookies." A deep voice grumbled from behind him. His father strode out across the balcony towards him, his marble skin glowing in the moonlight.

"Father."

"Howl."

The older man took a seat on the large limestone railing next to his son. "What is it you were mumbling about again, that brought about the subject of cookies?"

Howl frowned. "This stupid war. You know its coming. The Darklings movements are becoming way to coordinated and cunning for their own good. Something nasty will happen, and I'm freaking pissed that neither I, you or Calcifer can figure any of this out."

Kenji sighed. "I know. And it's all hard to grasp at first too. I've handled similar issues to this before, but even in all my time as King, I have never seen the Darklings so reformed, moving intelligently like you said. I have to say I share the same feeling with you about uh…as you put it, being… pissed."

As soon as the word rolled off his tongue, Howl burst out with laughter. "Dad! Aha-ha… you used human slang…oh GOD this is priceless. You should have seen the look of concentration on your face when you said it too!" He choked out, as he roared with laughter. Kenji smiled. "I'm old, not dead."

His laughter subsiding, Howl nodded. "Okay, old man."

"Watch it, munchkin." He growled.

Howl's eyes widened in mock horror. "Munchkin? How dare you call me munchkin! Of all things, MUNCHKIN!"

The older man rolled his eyes. His son had way too much energy for him to keep up with. He shook his head. And he still had that same damn large powerful set of lungs that gave him and his wife headaches every night when he was a baby.

"Howl?"

"Yes dad?"

"Shut up."

Howl chuckled and saluted. "Sir yes sir."

As immature as it was, Kenji was inclined to roll his eyes and kick his long legs over the marble edging of the balcony. He might be well into his thousands, but his boyish demeanor still came out once in a while when riled by his overly energetic son. Howl mimicked his actions and started to speak again.

"So, dad. What's on your mind?" He queried.

The older man snorted. "Why don't you read it and see for yourself."

Howl faked a frown. "That's intrusion of privacy." He joked.

His father laughed his deep laughter that always intoxicated anyone around him to do the same. "Now you know how Sophie feels." He commented briskly.

Howl furrowed his brow. "But that's different!"

"No its not. Has she ever given you permission to be in her head?"

"Ah…well… no… not quite."

"Well there you go then." He chuckled, looking at his son's defeated look, which quickly melted away into a smile.

"She's an interesting girl, father."

"So it would seem, I don't ever recall seeing you ever so interested in anyone before."

"She's different. I don't know how to explain it exactly, but she just is."

"And obviously something special too, since you took the time and effort to not only drive her home, but also to reach out and touch her thoughts when you sensed her distressed for the second time again today."

Howl cast a disapproving eye at his father. "Why do you insist upon prodding my mind father?"

"Because I am your father."

"Oh, great excuse. That's not cool dad." He scoffed.

Kenji chuckled. "If you say so. Well…I'm off to hunt for a few days, I feel the need for something fresh, drinking from palace stores is becoming monotonous."

"Father you can't, not with all the Darkling activity, and besides, you can't hunt in the city, it will draw too much attention. Bringing me back to the fact that we are civilized vampires and drink from the stores and not hunt humans."

Kenji laughed again. "I was only kidding. I figured telling you I was going hunting would make you worry less about me for the next few days. I am going with Calcifer and the Shadow Guard on their next information retrieval mission. I think we're missing something very important, and Calcifer agreed."

Howl frowned. "You sure that's safe?"

"Howl, I'm the KING of vampires, is there really any reason to be worried?"

"Yes, and that being the exact reason why. You get killed, the rest of us fall into disorder, blah blah end of the race."

"I'm KING because our family blood line is the PUREST and I am the STRONGEST. Don't worry about me son."

"You cocky barmy old codger."

"Worry wart. Keep that up and you'll get old and ugly fast." He laughed at Howl's horrified expression. "You have a vanity complex Howl, you need to fix that."

"What? Because I'm 'beautiful without the gay'?"

"Goodnight Howl, see you in a few days. Give Sophie my regards." And with that, he strode back inside, disappearing from sight.

Growling, Howl jumped up from the balcony to the roof, skipping across the raised archways and towers towards his own balcony. He jumped down and with a wave of his hand opened the large glass doors and entered his room, flopping down onto his large bed.

He lay there for a moment, and then sighed, stretching his long lithe frame across the mattress.

His father's voice echoed in his head. 'Give Sophie my regards.' He said. A small smile pulled at his lips as Sophie filled his mind. An interesting girl she was. Outwardly, she looked no different than any other girl, she had long, smooth brown hair that caught light like a mirror, and smelled like coconut. Bright brown eyes and soft, slightly pale delicate features. She looked just like any other girl, outwardly. And she was breath taking in his eyes. Inside, she was a fiery defiant spirit filled with a myriad of emotions and thoughts that made her unique. And what's more, a shining thing of beauty to him. All this attraction in one day.

Howl shook his head. "I'm losing it." He moaned. "Freaking losing it. I can't believe I even spilled that soul-mate bullocks her too. And that's exactly what it is, Bullocks."

Sighing, he rolled onto his side, looking out to the moon again. "But there was no denying that blush I felt in her thoughts. She liked the Idea I do believe. Ah…who am I kidding? She's human. I'm a vampire. It's just not possible."

'Is that what you really believe?'

'Dammit, dad, get out of my head.'

'For your information, your thoughts are spilling out all over the castle!'

'WHAT?!'

'Howl, your emotions hit fever pitch. Calm down will you?'

'Sorry.' He muttered, embarrassed.

Sigh. 'Don't worry about it Howl. Just relax your thoughts.'

'Yes sir.'

Howl growled to himself. Why can't they stay out of his head. And what's worse, the ENITRE castle now knew about his out of control thoughts and Sophie. How embarrassing. He was a prince and he's flashing his thoughts around like a 2 year old!

He closed his eyes tightly for a moment, massaging his temples. 'This is going to be a long night.'

As Howl and Sophie rested somewhat peacefully in their homes, some one far away was watching them, their mind filled with nothing but spite and evil thoughts. "So this girl is his weakness?" A raven haired woman sneered. "Fine…She'll do just fine. The perfect revenge and snack." She cackled with cynical laughter. "Oh Howl…you will regret your very life when I get to you."