Sorry about no update last week: life is mean. Ugh. Anyway, this story is defiantly heating up now, and I must say I'm enjoying writing it. In other newa, poll on my profile! Answer please?

15 YEARS OLD

ALMOST THERE…

Kokoa ground her teeth and was mildly amused to realize she wouldn't be surprised if her illustrious fangs were nothing but stumps by now. The damned Succubus just refused to shut up, and resisting the temptation to beat the crap out her was getting harder. To be perfectly honest, the only reason Kokoa didn't unleash the power of the vampire was because Kurumu's threat was very real.

Kokoa re-adjusted Tsukune's limp body on her shoulder. He had been unconscious for a half-hour; they had nearly entered the monster world. A groan from Tsukune made both Kokoa and Kurumu stop, but for different reasons.

Yay, Tsukune's awake! Kurumu gleefully thought.

Oh great, Tsukune's awake. Kokoa mentally groaned. She shifted her shoulder and tossed Tsukune to the ground like a sack of potatoes. The human groaned once again as he lifted his head, rubbing the spot he landed on. Blinking, Tsukune struggled to focus on what he was seeing. Kurumu leaned in, and Tsukune scrambled away.

Kurumu felt a pang of sadness. This was exactly why she hadn't told Tsukune about her true form: after being stabbed in the back by the vampires, Kurumu was worried that maybe Tsukune wasn't ready to trust another monster just yet. She held her breath as Tsukune stared at the duo, as if looking for the right words. Kokoa just tapped her foot in annoyance; they didn't have time for this!

"…What happened?" Tsukune asked dubiously. Kurumu glanced at Kokoa to see if she was going to answer, then turned back to Tsukune when she saw that the vampire would remain silent. She bit her lip, then decided on a safe thing to say.

"You fell unconscious." She said, blatantly ignoring the reason why. Tsukune's mouth formed a tight line.

"Because you had wings and a tail." He said bluntly. Kurumu let out a few strangled chuckles, and Kokoa smirked at his snapiness.

More spunk than I thought. She absentmindedly thought.

Kurumu scrambled while Tsukune looked at her expectantly from the ground. "Well, um, funny story, ah, I WAS going to tell you…maybe…wait, I mean…no…erk." She sighed, slumping over. She lifted her head up, meeting Tsukune's eyes with her own. Her purple eyes were tinged with sadness. "Tsukune, I'm sorry." She said. "I was just…I dunno, afraid that you wouldn't like me anymore, after what those lousy vampires did to you…" Kokoa wisely decided to keep her mouth shut and let that insult slip by. "I should have told you." Tsukune looked at his best friend, silent. Then, he grinned from ear to ear.

Tsukune stood up and held Kurumu's shoulders. "Don't worry Kurumu." He said jovially. "I understand. Don't worry; I forgive you." Kurumu searched Tsukune's face for any signs of a bluff, but she could tell her best friend was being genuine. She cheered, then grabbed him in a tight hug. Tsukune patted her on the back. "But seriously, what are the odds that both of my best friends turn out to be monsters?"

Kokoa watched the sappy scene for a minute, then her anger at being held up got the better of her and she cleared her throat. Kurumu and Tsukune blushed and quickly separated, coughing a couple of times out of awkwardness. Kokoa rolled her eyes, then narrowed them at Tsukune. She leaned in, lifting up a finger and getting into his face.

"Listen human," She started, wagging her finger. "Are you going to help Moka or not?"

"Help Moka?" Tsukune asked frantically, his eyes, widening out of shock. "What's wrong with her?" Kokoa told Tsukune what was happening with her sister, and Tsukune gasped, his eyes tinted with sorrow.

"Moka…" He breathed, not willing to believe what he had heard. He stood up straight and clenched his fists. His eyes filled with resolve. He turned to his companions. "Show me where she is."

XXXXXXXX

The cores were, quite honestly, the only thing Moka had to look forward to anymore. Their monotonous repition allowed her to focus on something else. Anything except Ts-

Moka increased in her furious sweeping as the person she was forbidden to think about crept into her head again. It wasn't that she didn't to think about the human; it was that she wasn't allowed to. One would think that their thoughts were no one's but their own, but Count Akashiya always seemed to know what she was thinking. The last time she had been caught thinking about his chocolate-brown eyes…his raven-black hair…his heartfelt smile… Moka sighed in defeat as she accepted that she wouldn't be able to get Tsukune out of her head anytime soon. She smiled as she relived her memories of her best friend and the times they spent together.

Moka finished sweeping the room, and with that she had completed her chores for the day. She picked up her cleaning supplies and was about to leave when her father entered the room.

"Hello Moka." He greeted his daughter. Moka nodded in return. Count Akashiya glanced around the room with a frown. "Moka, have you seen Kokoa around?" Moka shook her head no. Count Akashiya's frown deepened. "She should have been back from her feeding by now…." He thought for another few moments before Moka spoke up.

"Father, may I take a walk around the grounds?" She asked. It was not an uncommon request; almost every night Moka took a stroll. She didn't know why she did it, but it was quite relaxing.

"Of course." Count Akashiya said with a wave of his hand. "Find escorts and take your time." Moka bowed and went off to find escorts, which were required whenever she left the house; Count Akashiya had a ridiculous fear that she might run away (well, she would, but that was beside the point).

As Moka moved through the hallways, she had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. If she didn't know better, Moka might have called it a nagging sense that something special would happen tonight.