Our Lost Souls

IV. Things Get Interesting:

Thank you all so far who have been reading my story. It makes me feel good to know that you like it so far, it's a real encouragement to keep writing, thank you so much guys!

I would like to make one announcement, however, so if I get your attention here for a moment...

My readers might want to reread the story from chapter two, because my story upload glitched and my chapters got scrambled when I had a Prologue up. So before you go any further, please take the time to read those before this chapter, for you might get a bit lost.

Thank you!

Now, on with the story...

"Sophie, how come you didn't call last night? I was so worried! I thought he ate you!" Sachi babbled as Sophie entered class the next day. "So, come on, spill! What happened?"

She couldn't help but grin at her new friend's worried curiosity. "He kissed me."

Sachi's eyes grew into saucers. "He what?!" She breathed.

Sophie chuckled. "My hand. That's all."

Sachi let out a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness, I don't mean that in a bad way, but...well... you know."

She smiled at the dainty girl. "It's all good Sachi. I understand. I'm no hussy though, be assured I would have slapped him again if he did."

It was Sachi's turn to giggle. "Oh yeah, I remember that yesterday. That was...interesting."

Sophie smiled, but it quickly faded into a frown, her brow furrowed, deep in thought.

"What is it?"

She looked up at her for a second and blinked a few times before talking again. "How can people know he's a vampire, but not know him by face? It just randomly popped into my mind just now."

Sachi just shrugged. "Maybe because he's smart enough not to show his face as a vampire."

"Hmm...I guess. Japan is so...so...how do I put it...oh...different than I remembered. There are just so many weird things...and I'm getting way more attention than I would like to attract."

Sachi looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"

"Well... besides a potentially dangerous gang and Howl, my...Father...He...he called me last night, not too long after Howl left."

She frowned. "What did he want?"

Sophie side glanced at her. "Felt guilty I guess. Won't work on me. I'm still mad at him and will be for a long time."

Sachi straightened suddenly. "Class is starting." She whispered as the professor waltzed into the room, in a seemingly drone like state. "We'll talk through notes."

Sophie simply nodded in agreement. As she reached into her binder to pull out a sheet of paper, a familiar voice echoed sweetly in her head, nearly making her jump. Sachi raised a concerned brow.

Sophie growled, rolled her eyes in disgust and pointed at her temple. Sachi giggled in response, earning them a glare from the professor.

'Morning my dear Sophie.'

Growl.

'Awe come on, Sophie, it's too early to be mad at me! Besides, you slept well last night, didn't you?'

Sigh. 'Yes, I did. I suppose I should thank you.'

'Are you still upset about your Father calling?'

'Yesss.'

Sophie almost froze at how her voice sounded astonishingly like a hiss.

'Sorry, I didn't mean for it to come out like that.'

His soft, velvety chuckle flooded her mind, and she couldn't help but crack a smile.

'It's alright. Am I off the hook for getting into your mind today?'

'No, I will still slap you when I see you, rest assured.'

'Awe, Sophie, let me off just one day? You'll ruin my beautiful face.'

'You're a bit vain, don't you think? I'm the girl here!'

'Yes well, I'm allowed my good looks, perks of being a vampire.'

'Shut up.'

'I love teasing you.'

'If this is how day two of knowing a vampire and letting him get intimate contact like this is going to go, then I'm just gonna stop talking to you.'

'Do you think you can do that?'

'I KNOW I can do that.'

'How can you be so cruel?'

'How can you be so ANNOYING in the morning?'

'You like it.'

'No, I don't. Now Shoo! I'm in class!'

'But I don't want to, I want to ANNOY you some more.'

Sophie growled, she could almost feel him grinning.

'Okay, okay, I'll leave you be. For now."

His clear voice rang through her mind once more before fading away. "Stupid men."

"What's that, Miss Mitsukoshi?"

Her head snapped up. "Oh...nothing, I'm sorry sir." Sophie stammered.

"She was answering a question I asked her, Professor. I'm sorry." Sachi chirped, flashing him an angelic, "I can do no wrong," Smile.

"Thank you." She mouthed to Sachi, as the professor turned away. She just smiled and shrugged, quickly shoving a folded up paper onto her desk.

So, what all exactly happened then last night? Oh, and how was the ride home with Howl? I guess it's weird how fast I accepted who he was, huh?

-Sachi

Sophie smiled and grabbed her pencil.

Well, it wasn't any different from anyone else driving me home, really. His "Bow down and worship me" attitude left though, LOL. Of course, he was in my mind getting directions because I was so lost in conversation with him I forgot to tell him where I lived. The ride was almost too short, I actually wanted it to last longer! So Sachi my dear, you're not as weird as you think you are! You're just probably used to that kinda weird stuff around here now. Then again after being in America for so long, nothing much surprises me anymore. Although I do think I would die of a heart attack if werewolves start popping up!

-Sophie

She quickly shoved the note to Sachi, quickly putting on a façade of taking notes as the Professor suddenly whirled around from the board to cast a suspicious glance in their direction. Both girls flashing him innocent smiles, he rolled his eyes and turned back around.

Sophie and Sachi grinned at each other as the smaller girl started reading Sophie's response. She giggled a few times before reaching for her pen again to write back, when suddenly the classroom door opened and Howl the devil himself burst in, a huge grin on his face, followed by an older, taller man, who bared a similarity in his handsome features to Howl.

The professor and the class stiffened, theirs eyes large at the fact that the richest man in Japan was in their class, grinning like a little boy in a toy shop.

Sophie and Sachi gasped as he waved like an idiot at them, all eyes of the class turning on them. They shrank back and sighed heavily, both equally annoyed at his over-excited behavior.

"M-Mr. Higurashi...Sirs, welcome to my Senior class...AP Physics..." The professor bowed nervously to both men.

'Sirs?'

'My father, behind me, Sophie.'

'Howl...'

'Yes Sophie?'

'Get out of here! MY HEAD AND MY CLASS!!!'

'No can do sweetheart.'

'What?!'

"Pardon me for disrupting your class," Howl started, "But my Father and I are here to steal Miss Mitsukshi from you, for the remainder of the day. I already have her signed out in the office." He finished in his melodic voice.

Sophie shrank back into her seat, partly from shock and annoyance, and partly due to the fact the other girls in the room threw jealous and angry glares in her direction. Backing her friend, Sachi returned the glares with her smoldering eyes.

Casting accusing eyes at Howl, she frowned.

'No.'

'Come on, you know you wanna get out of here.'

'I said no! Howl, this isn't a game! I need to be here!'

He grinned widely at her from the front of the room.

'Get that stupid smirk off your face.'

'Sophie, sweetheart, ditching class is healthy once in a while you know. All work and no play makes Sophie a rather dull girl.'

'Then let me be dull!' She snapped. 'And quit calling me sweetheart!'

'Please Sophie? Even my busy Father came to see you, don't make this difficult, we're going to have fun.'

'Yeah, wine in a bottle, no thank you.'

'I'm not going to eat you silly woman.'

His grin began to fade into a mischievous smirk.

'Sophie, I could toss you over my shoulder and waltz out with you, you're lovely long white legs and bum for the class to see.'

She gasped in horror.

'Don't you dare!'

'Will you come then?'

She cast a pleading glance at his father, the elder Higurashi. He furrowed his brow and sighed, side-glancing his son.

'Fine, but not without Sachi.'

'Done deal.'

'I hate you.'

'No you don't.'

"We'll also be taking Miss Sachi too, with Miss Mitsukoshi, professor." His father said. Sophie was surprised at how deep and young his voice sounded.
Sachi nudged her shoulder. "They're going to hate us tomorrow." She whispered, nodding towards the other girls in the class.

"Screw them." Sophie mumbled, grabbing her things, stalking out of the room after Howl and his father, Sachi following close behind.

Sophie's fuming stopped when they reached outside. "Kami-sama!" Sachi breathed as they stopped next to a large black limo. Mr. Higurashi opened the door and half-bowed to them. "Ladies, your chariot awaits."

"You heard him! Ladies first Howl, so hurry up and get inside." Sophie snipped.

Howl grinned. "Can you believe how cruel she is to me Sachi dear?" He purred. She stiffened. "Hardly, vampire."

Sophie did her best to bite back snickers at his play crestfallen expression. "Now now, ladies, you can gang up on him later, so shall we?" The older man made a sweeping motion to the open door, a sweet smile on his aged but handsome face. Sophie and Sachi couldn't help but blush. He might be Howl's father, but he was A charmer!
Howl stuck his tongue out at him before scooting in after Sophie, followed by his old man.

"So...uhm...Mr. Higurashi sir-

He cut Sachi off. "Just call me Kenji, or Dad, whichever you please, no need for formalities, and, to answer your question-

"But I didn't finish!"

He smiled and pointed to his temple. "Oh."

"Right then, as for your question, we're heading to our clan's mansion, my daughter is arriving home today."

"Oh, that's lovely!"

"Daughter? Howl, you never told me you had a sister."

He chuckled. "Did I ever get the chance, dear Sophie? It never came up anyway."

"Nyah." She quipped, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Sticking body parts at a Vampire isn't all too smart, love."

"Well screw you and quit calling me love." She huffed.

Kenji and Sachi sighed and sweat dropped. "They're not going to stop bantering, are they?"

Sachi laughed. "In the short time I've known Sophie, her temper isn't going to let things end."

They looked back at the two in time to see Sophie "Harrumph" and turn away from Howl and cross her arms. He chuckled and leaned closer to her, his lips nearly brushing her ear. "Awe come on, where's that sweet girl I met two days ago?"

"On vacation. Oh god Lettie is going to have a fit." "She half mumbled, half growled, a soft pink rising in her cheeks from the contact of his lips on her ear. "Please tell me we're almost there." She breathed.

Howl smiled and brushed his lips against her ear again. "Yes, Sophie." He purred.

Kenji and Sachi exchanged shocked glances at Howl's uh...forward behavior with Sophie.

"Don't look at me, I didn't teach him that!" His father said innocently. Sachi giggled. "Of course not, Mr...I mean, Kenji."
He chuckled and looked out the window abruptly. "We're here, kids."
Sophie sighed with relief and Sachi squealed with delight when the large marble and limestone building came into view.

"Mansion has got to be the understatement of the year, Dad..."Sophie squeaked at Kenji, "It's a castle!"

"You like it?" Howl asked.

"Yeah why?"

"Oh...nothing."

Sophie bit her lip at the crooked smile spreading across his handsome face.

'God he's so cute...'

'I know.'

'HOWL!!!'

'Please Sophie, let me off easy this time, please?'

She sighed and looked at his emerald green eyes. Big mistake. She could have kissed him right there after losing herself in his entrancing stare if Sachi didn't poke her.
"Come on!!! I wanna see what's inside!" The normally quite girl chirped, dragging her by the arm towards Kenji, who was nodding to the guards to let us through heading up the massive limestone staircase to the double doors.
The doors opened and a handsome young man with crimson red hair and peridot green eyes stepped out and bowed. "Welcome back Masters, and welcome to you, Mistress Sophie, and Sachi." He said softly.
Sachi swooned. "I think I'm in love. I'll have that vampire over any human man anyday!"

Howl chuckled. "You should really stop doing that Calcifer."
The crimson haired General looked at him quizzically with his piercing clear green eyes. "Sir?"
"You're dazzling the young human girl." He chuckled, pointing at an equally crimson Sachi. He straightened, and his green gaze fell on her. Sophie nudged her towards him softly.

"Uh...uhm...Hi..." She spluttered, as Calcifer leaned forward and took her hand in his, kissing it. "Pleasure to meet you." He purred.
Her face at that moment could have matched the color of his flaming windswept shoulder length hair.
Kenji chuckled as the four paired off and followed him into the castle.

'This will be interesting.'

'Indeed it will Father.'