"Dad, Riku is getting really agitated," Tsuki said to Kyo, rolling her eyes as she stood outside the door of the Council meeting.
Kyo stood in front of his daughter with a grin, leaning against the wall and smoking a cigarette slowly. "He and the other bastards in there said I can't smoke in the council room, so if they want a meeting they have to wait," he winked at Tsuki.
"You're an asshole, you've smoked half a pack and a blunt already, time for you to go in there before Tsunehito decides to make me his next lunch," she said, taking the cigarette from her father and throwing in on the ground. She opened the door and holding Kyo by the shoulders, forced him into the room. "I'm sorry about the delay," she said to the four members sitting at a large round table, each of them appearing agitated.
"About time, donor," a lanky man said from his seat, his face pretty, but very square. His eyes were dark and wide, but their innocent façade hid something malicious.
"You know, Tsunehito, my daughter is under the impression that you intend to eat her for lunch," he said to the pretty man.
"Well, she does look delicious—"
"That is where you stop, Tsunehito. She is my daughter, and therefore you respect my family. She is off limits," Kyo snapped. He looked at Tsuki, "Leave, please, and get to bed. You have school tomorrow."
Tsuki bowed and kissed her father on the cheek, leaving the room and shutting the door gently. "Now, now, simply because you wanted to adopt a human daughter does not mean we should abide your request," Tsunehito smirked.
Kyo glared at Tsunehito as he moved to take his seat beside Riku, the Council leader. "This is not the time to discuss this matter, we spoke of this when she was adopted and agreed she is not permitted to be used as a donor for the community," Riku said. "This is concerning the behavior of the Council members. Every single one of you has in one way or another displayed…a gross disregard of your position in our society. I must bring up your actions first, Tsunehito."
The pretty man pursed his lips. "I've done nothing wrong," he said simply, looking down at his nails and picking at them.
"Do not try to deny your activities. In the past week you've attacked three street goers and you're foolishness left one human alive," Riku growled. "Not to mention that you've killed ten donors in the city over the past two months."
"Look, that one woman can't even identify—"
Riku slammed his fist on the table. "That is not the issue here! You are compromising our secrecy! Do not argue with me!" he snapped. "You will not argue, you will fix your behavior and you will not question me!"
Tsunehito bit his lip as though he wanted to say something, but he remained silent and wrung his hands. Kyo grinned. It was about time someone slapped the narcissistic vampire in the face. "Yuki, I don't have much to say to you, but if you continue to compromise the marriages in our city by fooling with someone's wife, I swear to you that you will no longer be able to continue these affairs do to a certain lack of necessary organs. Honor the sacrament of marriage, and if you are truly that filled with desire, stop playing around with everyone you meet and settle your promiscuity down.
"Asagi, I don't have much to say to you either. Just stop breaking into houses and stealing. It makes the guards look like they are incompetent. Now then, we come to Kyo," Riku clenched his jaw and looked at the short blond. "We have a couple issues to discuss."
"Hey, I've abided by the laws of both worlds and I haven't done jack shit to piss you off, so leave me out of this," Kyo said with a smirk. He knew his attitude angered the Council leader, but that was what he was trying to do. If he could push Riku into attacking him, there would be reason on his behalf for causing the leader's demise, and as second in line he could be head of the Council. He would be able to run the city as it was meant to have been run when he first founded it, before the bloody uprising of Riku and the other three members he sat with.
"You know full well that you have not. Club Kamisori is putting us at risk because you chose to involve yourself with those little ruffians. Every human and vampire who goes there is completely aware of what you did to that boy you brought into your home, not to mention with your daughter as a witness," Riku said slowly but forcefully. "You have placed us at risk by continuing to show yourself at that bar."
Kyo laughed. "Are you kidding me? The amount of profit that comes through the Blood Bar is half the city's money right now, so don't you dare even think of shutting it down unless you want to lose everything we currently have," he shook his head. "I get bored and going there allows me to…interact."
"Interact? Is that what one calls it when you force yourself on a boy who clearly stated he does not believe in vampires?" Asagi asked with a grin.
"I did not force myself on that young man, he was completely willing," Kyo explained. "Besides, what is it your business of my sexual deviancy? Keep to your own business, dear Asagi."
"Indeed, keep to your own! Perhaps you should be coupling with those of our race and not those donors!" Yuki snapped. "To even allow your lips to touch any part of a donor's be that other than for nourishment, then defiant Kyo, your lips are as soiled as your mind and body alike."
"Oh, you want to talk about soiled, Yuki? Let us look back on the affairs of which you have so lovingly instigated in the city!" Kyo snapped, jumping up from his chair. He glared angrily at Yuki, balling his fists at his sides and digging his nails into his palms. He could not believe that the city adulterer was calling him a soiled being and accusing him of being filthy. "The amount of repulsive, sordid whores you have managed to bed does not compare in the slightest to my relations with the humans."
"At least I bed women of the same race, unlike your disgusting longing to run around with donor high school boys! You should be ashamed of yourself, you filthy—"
"Enough!" Riku bellowed. "Sit down right now!"
Kyo stared at Yuki still, not moving, just staring straight into his eyes and pulling his lip back to reveal his fangs. "You think I'm afraid of you?" Yuki laughed.
"Enough!" the leader shouted, grabbing Kyo's forearm, violently digging his nails into the blonde's flesh and dragging him down into his seat hard. "There will be no more bickering amongst ourselves. Kyo, you stop placing the city at risk with your unorthodox habits. I don't care if you run around your wing of the city with the next donor male of your choosing, just don't let the humans of the Club Kamisori know about your sexual habits with the humans. If we are forced to shut down the bar, we will lose a great deal of our blood supply and money, so don't fuck it up."
Kyo looked at Riku with surprise, rarely having heard the ancient man swear at them. His thin face remained calm and he looked around at each of them. "This is a short meeting, my friends, but your behaviors had to be addressed. I do not wish to discuss this with you again, so let us not abuse our power. We have ruled over Chimachi for over a century now, let us not lose our power because of gross misuse of our influence," he said softly. He looked directly at Kyo and smirked a little. "Let us end on that note. Return to your homes. And I believe you, my deviant friend, are to go meet only what I can assume will be your next blood lover."
"Fuck off, Riku," Kyo growled. He stood up and walked towards the door, then turned, "You know, Riku, you are the worst offender of all in my city. Watch yourself."
"Are you threatening me?"
Kyo grinned as he turned around. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said and walked out of the Council room. He shook his head to clear his mind and glanced at his watch. It was time to go meet up with Shinya again.
His eyes felt heavy yet his body jittered with nervousness and excitement in defiance of his conscience. In fact, his entire body had defied his conscience, bringing him to Club Kamisori in the middle of the night when he needed to sleep. Despite all his efforts, Shinya could not stop thinking about the little blond who so strongly imposed himself as a vampire; his casual demeanor and confidence almost made him believe that Kyo could possibly be a vampire. Shinya hated that thought, he had always been a person of reason and logic, the thought of paranormal creatures was not possible.
The mere fact that he had snuck out to meet a random young man he had just met but a few hours before was bizarre enough, but for him to go knowing fully well what Kyo believed himself to be was even more peculiar. Not only had his brother refused to talk to him for his behavior, but his best friend accused him of being a coward for not talking about his sexuality. How could he help it if he did not want to come out? How devastated would father be to know that he had two gay sons? Shinya could not do that to his father.
"What would a cute little boy like you be doing here so late?" came a gentle voice. Shinya turned and saw a tall, thin man walking towards him. His black hair crowded around his face, the curved edges of his bangs almost going into his eyes, thinning his square, unnaturally pretty face. "Certainly you have school tomorrow."
Shinya bit his lip, not sure if he should talk to the peculiar man. Something did not seem right about his body language. "I am Tsunehito, might I ask what your name is?" he said, sitting down on the couch beside him, his hip right up against Shinya's.
He squirmed, trying to put some sort of distance between his body and the strange man's body. "My name is Shinya," he said quietly, looking at his lap as opposed to at the strangely pretty man. He gave off a heavy air, like something was choking him.
"What a cute name for such a cute little boy," Tsunehito said, moving closer and draping his arm across Shinya's shoulders. "So now, my child, tell me what you're doing here."
"I…I uh—" Shinya began, but the man moved even closer, turning so they were almost face to face and practically atop him.
"Do you believe in vampires?" Tsunehito whispered in his ear provocatively, running a hand down the side of Shinya's face.
"N-n-no," Shinya stuttered, trying to look away from the cold gaze that burned into his mind.
"Well then, let's see if I can make you a believer—"
"Hirai Tsunehito!" a voice called and the pretty man jumped, slamming his back quickly into his seat and staring in the direction that voice had come from.
Shinya allowed his eyes to follow Tsunehito's gaze and saw Kyo standing in the doorway, his arms crossed and a cigarette between his fingers. The short man's body language was casual and calm, but his jaw was clenched with anger and his eyes were narrowed at Tsunehito. "Is it not enough that you threaten my daughter, Tsunehito? Must you threaten my friends?" Kyo asked as he threw the half finished cigarette out the door and shut it quickly.
Kyo's footsteps were heavy on the concrete floors as he walked over to them. He paused as he reached Shinya, leaned down, and kissed him on the cheek. Then he stood upright and stared maliciously at Tsunehito. "Listen to me, you continue to play with humans as you do and I can guarantee you that the Council will exile you faster than your mind can come to comprehend. Don't mess with me again, Tsunehito, or it will be your last mistake," he growled.
Tsunehito stood and grinned at Kyo, running his tongue along his fangs. "Now then, Kyo, you must learn to share such yummy little boys with us," he commented slyly and moved past him. "Good night, friend."
Still watching the pretty man carefully, Kyo sat down beside Shinya and forced a smile on his face. Once again, Shinya shifted uncomfortably, but instead of moving away from the strange man, he moved closer. He could not understand why he was so entranced by the little blond, as though the man had control over his movements and thoughts. "I apologize for Tsunehito's behavior, he didn't make you too uncomfortable, now did he?" Kyo asked softly, digging around in his pants pocket for something.
"Uh, it's fine, he just kinda' made me really nervous," Shinya explained. His eyes grew wide as he watched Kyo pull a bag from his pocket, half filled with what he knew was dark green marijuana. "Where the hell would you get that?"
"I know people, this bar has given me a lot of opportunities to meet some great people," Kyo winked as he pulled a black piece from his pocket, a bowl to smoke the weed out of. With a grin, Kyo took out a handful of the weed and leaned forward, placing it on the table in front of him. "Me and you, we're going to smoke all of that by ourselves."
Shinya looked at Kyo, then back at the pot, then once again back at Kyo. "You're kidding me," he said incredulously, his eyes wide with shock. The blond began packing the drug into the bowl.
"Nope, let's have fun with this," Kyo grinned and handed him the bowl and a lighter.
It seemed like they had been sitting there for hours, passing the drug between the two of them. The entire bar was filled with smoke and their loud, irritated coughs from inhaling the thick smoke. Shinya felt as though everything had slowed, his entire body lax and lethargic, his eyes burning and his throat itching as it never had before. He fell back into the cushioning of the couch, shutting his eyes and smiling; he was glad that he had come out that night.
"Your turn Shinya," Kyo said.
"No more, I'm going to puke if I have more of that," he grimaced, cupping his hands over his face and grinning. He peaked through his finger and looked at Kyo, the short man simply grinning right back at him. Kyo set the piece on the table next to the small pile of weed that was left and looked back at Shinya. "What?"
"You're quite the lightweight," he commented. "I've never seen someone's eyes turn as red as yours."
"That's great," Shinya giggled and turned away from Kyo to hide his eyes. He felt himself waving back and forth, but his vision did not follow in the right way, making him feel like he was seeing it before he felt it.
"Now, now, Shinya, don't turn away from me, I'm having far too much fun to be rejected now," Kyo laughed, grabbing the taller man by the shoulder and turning him gently, but forcefully to look at him. "Do you believe in vampires yet?"
Shinya shook his head and laughed again, reaching out to place his hand on Kyo's shoulder, but missing completely and slapping his arm. He tried again and luckily his heavy hand landed on the blonde's shoulder. "Of course I don't, you weirdo. I have no proof," he said with an irremovable smirk.
"Would you like some?" Kyo asked curiously.
"Sure, babble away."
"I live in a place called Chimachi, a vampire's city, and I am one of its leaders," Kyo explained.
"Where is this city?" Shinya asked, his face still taught with a grin, but falling slightly.
"Well, it's not necessarily a city as it is a very large mansion," Kyo explained. "The old Kokonotsu home, the one everyone thinks looks nasty and run down, well the inside is magnificent. Around a hundred vampires live there. It's our city."
"That's fucking bull shit and you know it, no one lives in there," Shinya said, leaning forward and back, trying to catch up with his mind and vision but unable to balance the two. "You're just weird, not a vampire. Vampires are not real. I saw you out in the sunlight."
Kyo laughed loudly. "This isn't some kind of joke, dearest Shinya, I am completely serious, and as a matter of fact, tonight is the night I claim my city back," he whispered seductively, a grin in his eyes. "I formed Chimachi over a century ago, our little safe haven. All the vampires in the city crawled up from the disgusting places they had hidden for so long and became a civilized people once again. Our people faded into a myth and we assimilated into your culture. However, one asshole in the bunch named Riku wanted control of the city, thinking he could manage it better than I could. I put my hard earned money into that place and he fucked it up. I made him, and he betrayed me with three others.
"They destroyed my most devoted followers, trashed the bar, and nearly killed me for control of the mansion. Those bastards got it too, so now we all sit on a Council and decide the matters of the city. I know what is best for our race, we have to blend in and accept the help of believing humans, but the rest of those dumb-fucks want to stay isolated."
"So…how are you supposed to get your city back?" Shinya asked, not even considering his doubts as he listened intently to Kyo's story. Maybe it was the weed, but he found himself enthralled by Kyo's soft yet vengeful words that his previous opinion mattered not.
Kyo leaned in closer with a grin, he pressed his lips to Shinya's ear. "I'm going to kill Riku tonight, I'm going to rip out his heart and take his seat at the head of the Council," he whispered, flicking his tongue out against Shinya's ear. "And I want you to help me."
Shinya pulled away for a moment and stared at the young man, searching his face and eyes for some sort of humor, something that would give away that he was in no way serious. "I…can't help you murder someone," he said wide-eyed.
"You can, and you will. I have looked over and over to find someone with the strength and will to help me take that bastard down, and now that you have appeared in my life, you are the one who can help me," he said softly, running his fingers down the taller man's cheek. "I need your help."
"No, I won't help you murder—"
Kyo grabbed him gently by the throat and smiled. "You will become my next blood lover and I will make you help me," he grinned.
"What's a—"
"Let me show you," Kyo bit his wrist, his fangs tearing into his own flesh and spurting dark red liquid from beneath his mouth. He moved his hand from Shinya's neck to squeeze his arm below the wound, making more blood flow freely from the puncture wounds. "Open your mouth."
"What? No way," Shinya said in disgust, his stomach churning as it had when he drank blood previously that day.
Kyo jumped atop him, straddling his chest and holding him down with the sheer weigh of his muscular body. "Get off of me, that's disgusting!" Shinya cried, flailing his arms to try and punch the blond. Kyo moved up, placing his weight into his knees atop Shinya's shoulder, making him cry out in pain. "Stop!"
"Open your mouth!" Kyo laughed loudly, as though he were playing a game. He thrust his bloodied wrist forward, catching Shinya's open mouth and forced his wound into the young man's mouth, squeezing the blood into his mouth.
Shinya grimaced and tried to block the blood from entering his throat with his tongue, but as the blood began to flow into his mouth and hit his tongue, something about the taste was intoxicating. It did not taste like real human blood, it was sweet, almost like a kind of candy. He relaxed his mouth and allowed the liquid to flow into his mouth and down his throat, the pain in his shoulders fading and his entire body going limp. He could not explain what was happening to him, why the blood tasted so good or why he was so willing to consume it.
Kyo pulled his wrist away and he smiled at the bloodied lips on Shinya's face, his eyes half-lidded. He leaned down and pressed his lips to the young man's neck, smirking before he relaxed his jaw and opened his mouth. "Wait—" Shinya's body suddenly tensed and grabbed his shoulders. The little blond bit down hard and Shinya cried out in pain, digging his nails into his flesh.
He felt a burning pain race from his neck up to his head, making his face grow hot. Kyo's tongue flicked against the bleeding puncture wounds as if beckoning the blood to flow into him faster. Shinya arched his back, trying to pulling his neck further down away from the malicious man atop him, almost wishing he could sink into the cushions he lie upon. "Stop—" Shinya groaned, digging his nails deeper into Kyo's bony shoulders. "Please…"
Something did not feel right, the room was spinning and he felt like he was falling through a black hole with an intense pressure on him, that pressure being Kyo's body. His face and hands began to go numb, his legs falling slack and relaxed. His hold on the little blonde faltered and he let go, his hands falling to his sides as he shut his eyes. Kyo was going to kill him; for some reason that thought did not phase him nor bother him. Perhaps it was true…perhaps Kyo really was a vampire.