The vampire's shape filled the dark places in Sasuke's vision. Oh god, he thought; how is this happening? This doesn't make sense; how could Itachi be here?

He rolled to the side, found a hallway heading into shadow, chose it and ran. If he found a window he could throw himself through it, but out in the open he'd be even more of a sitting duck. Running through orchard fields with a vampire on his tail wasn't his idea of fun. Goddamn vampires.

A glimmer through a window -- moonlight; he nearly ran into an old stove -- a kitchen. A knife maybe? Somewhere -- a sharpened wooden stick maybe? Even as he yanked open drawers he knew Itachi should've been on him by now; the vampire was fast enough. He risked looking back: sure enough, Itachi stood in the dark of the hallway watching him.

This didn't make sense. Hinata's house should have been well protected: she and her grandmother were both accomplished witches. He found a knife and turned around.

Itachi hadn't moved. "Naruto," he said.

"What about him?" Sasuke edged along the kitchen counter. He wondered if he could reach the back door. There were always back doors in these old country kitchens.

"Orochimaru took him."

"You know that, do you?"

"You want to save him."

"Kabuto."

"Mhm?"

"You've been working with Kabuto. He asked Hinata to come in, she let him, and you followed. He let you in."

"You can't handle Orochimaru by yourself, Sasuke."

"And a vampire could, is that it?"

Itachi's eyes flashed. Sasuke cursed himself; he shouldn't have let himself get into such close quarters with the vampire; he shouldn't have looked into the vampire's eyes. He felt the effects immediately: he dropped the knife and fell back against the counter, mouth open, sweat breaking out on his brow.

The vampire was suddenly close to him, touching his hand, cold. The flowers in the pot on the counter were wilting, tinged with frost. Itachi spoke, "You've felt the agony of life long enough."

"Oh god," Sasuke breathed.

Itachi was very close now. "It's time for you to be with me."

"Oh god. Oh god, oh god, oh god--"

Bared neck, the white of his skin open to the moonlight. Itachi had no breath for him to feel as the fangs descended.

Noise. The vampire's mouth snapped shut as he looked up. Kabuto's limp form flew into the kitchen, skidded across the tile. Sasuke hit the ground, bumping his head against the cupboards. He was still under the effects of Itachi's proximity, which made the next few seconds a little confusing.

Ino knifed through the darkness. Itachi was too fast, blurring around her movements and sweeping up at her. Ino slid back, somehow still alive and kicking. Sasuke didn't see what she did, what martial art she was using. Hinata appeared behind her, terrified eyes glistening in the moonlight. She forked out a fistful of dried white cloves.

Itachi hissed, blurring backwards, and was gone, the back door hanging open, banging against its frame.

"Good god," Sasuke said. His erection, uncomfortable in its stiffness, throbbed against his leg. "Good god."

That had been the worst one yet.

ooo

Iruka's car motored through the dark of the forest, the trees becoming shuddering fingers in the headlights. Ino tapped the window, staring out. "Maybe I should keep an eye on you, Sasuke," she said.

Sasuke was a dark silhouette in the back of the car. His voice was steady, almost a growl. "Why?"

"Because of your brother. Would've had you back there, right?"

"He would have done the same to you."

Kakashi looked back at him, then looked out the window. He snickered.

"He could be in the trees right now," Iruka said, keeping his eyes on the road. "Goddamn it. There just had to be a vampire in this town."

Sasuke leaned forward, into the light thrown back from the headlights. He looked paler than ever, his hair wilder than usual. "Next time that happens you guys stay away. It's just me." He sniffed. "Just me he wants."

"Shya right," Ino said. "We're not going to let him have you."

Sakura and Hinata exchanged glances. Sai just looked at his feet.

There had been an argument. There had been a lot of arguments. They had argued about what to do with Kabuto, about what to do with Sakura and Sai (Iruka wanted to drive them home; they wanted to help Naruto), about what to do about weapons. Sasuke had demanded they drive back to his house, to pick up his blades, his chains, his stakes.

Kakashi had watched him, eyes glittering, and then said, from the shadows of Hinata's living room couch, "What do you expect those all to do against Orochimaru?"

And what to do with Kabuto? They'd decided to leave him for now, drop him on the side of the road, deal with him later. Every minute that passed was another minute Naruto's life was in danger.

Ino had been fond of mentioning that. She had stood in the doorframe of Hinata's house, arms crossed, looking cross. "Every minute," she'd said. "Let's stop bickering and let's get going."

Iruka wondered who would turn out to be the leader of the group if Iruka and Kakashi hadn't been there? Sasuke and Ino were the prime candidates, but Sasuke was getting to be more and more unstable the more the night wore on. Could you blame him, though? Goddamn vampires.

Iruka glanced out of the corner of his eye at Ino, who stared straight ahead, determination in her eyes. What kind of highschool girl was she?

And then, looming out of the night, over the tips of the forest, was Orochimaru's castle.

ooo

The castle, of course, was no more a castle than some ruins. Nature had almost entirely taken it back, ivy and roots clutching the stone in their grips.

"Do- do you feel that?" Hinata said, taking a few steps away from the car. "How cold it is?"

Ino could. She shivered, rubbing her arms. She glanced at Sasuke, who stood like a sheet of black against the night sky. He didn't seem to be feeling the cold. She knew his love was in danger, but that made him reckless. She wonder if he could be counted on in a pinch. She wondered if she could count on the adults in a pinch. Kakashi was sitting on the hood of the car reading a book by the light of a tiny flashlight, seemingly oblivious to everything around him. Iruka just looked worried all the time.

She wished Sakura and Sai had agreed to go home. They didn't have any training for something like this. She barely had any training for something like this, but she knew a little at least.

A little, Ino-darling? she said to herself; martial arts has become a bit of an obsession for you, hasn't it?

She took a step down towards Hinata, her sneakers crushing the rocks beneath her. And there was just rocks. Nothing but the ivy and the tree roots grew in this place. It was so cold.

Hinata was drawing something in the ground with a stick. She made symbols, then stepped back, judged her handiwork, then drew a large circle around them. "E-everybody into the circle."

"Okay I want everybody to stick together," Iruka said, walking down to the circle. "Everybody. No one wanders off at all. We'll get in, Kakashi and I will hold Orochimaru back for as long as possible, you guys grab Naruto and then we'll get out. It'll be simple."

Kakashi looked up. "It's always simple, isn't it, Iruka?"

Iruka looked worried. He shrugged.

Everyone got into the circle. Sasuke stood in the center, a silhouette, a black hole in the dark. I better be able to trust you, Ino thought; you're the only other one who can fight here.

"E-everybody, erm, ready?" Hinata squeaked, looking completely out of her element.

"Hold on," Kakashi said. He finished the page he was reading, turned it, and then looked back at her. "Okay, go."

She stared at him, then faced the night, and clapped her hands.

ooo

Orochimaru's words slid through the flickering air of the room: "Is there-- anything you would like to-- discuss?" A smile. Sensuous lips pulled back. "I'm a master of conversation." A chuckle. "Sometimes."

Naruto stood on the other side of the room, bare feet on cold stone. He had backed up as far as he could. "What do you want with me?"

"A little conversation, perhaps?"

"That's it?"

"What else?"

"Why me, though?"

"Why not?" Another smile. "Is one boy like another? You do have your own--" An appraising glance. His gaze slithered over Naruto's body. "-- charms."

"I can run."

"Yes. You can, can't you?"

"What if I just took off right now?"

"I'd be disappointed." He leaned back in her chair, looked at the ceiling. "Quite -- disappointed."

Naruto's limbs twitched. He looked at the hallway beside him, leading off to somewhere else in the castle. Did he dare run?

"Sasuke--"

Naruto looked back.

Orochimaru now stood near the dining table, sampling a grape. "How is he?"

"That's none of your business."

"Some conversation, that's all. Perhaps I should show you your quarters. You must be -- exhausted."

"I'm fine."

"Then stay. Talk."

"I've got nothing to talk about."

"Please. You must have thoughts in your head. Such thoughts."

"I've got no thoughts."

"That so? Would you like to try some wine?"

"No thank you."

"Try some."

"I said no thank you."

"So you did."

"Please let me go."

"Why?"

"I don't want to be here."

"You'd rather be with Sasuke?"

"Why do you keep bringing him up?"

"He's--" Another smile. "-- an obsession of mine."

"So I'm your bait."

"As I've said--" Another glance. "You've your own-- benefits. You could be an obsession all your own."

"I won't let you hurt him."

"How nice. Come. Let me show you to your-- quarters."

"I'll stay here, thank you."

Another smile. "As you wish."

Orochimaru turned and strode down one of the hallways, vanishing. Naruto watched him go, then fell to his knees, tired. Oh goodness, he thought; what have I gotten myself into?