The real heartbeat

by Porcelain.Memories

HE is the irresistible VAMPIRE Prince who rebels against the sacred rules of the immortals. SHE views SUICIDE as the ultimate liberation. On a faithful night, they meet. And he comes with an alternative choice in lieu of death: in exchange for her blood, he pledges to fulfill her dearest wish: "Teach me...how to feel alive." She asks for the impossible, but love is unpredictable.

6. The other side of the Moon - Part II

::CHAPTER VI:: The other side of the moon –Part II::

---

.

.

.

::The rhythm that your touch elicits into the guitar of my heart,

Lulls me into your arms like a melody that we have both been singing from the beginning of eternity.

Our nocturne lullaby.

I want to drown into your eyes until I will be everything you see whenever you blink,

And you are going to wipe away my tears.

You stole my solitude and turned it into hope.

Do I need to let myself swallowed by the Darkness, in order to read the light with your soul?

If I wanted to take one more step into your world and see how it goes round, will you be there to hold my hand?

What if I get lost into the maze of deception that lies underneath Immortality? Will you be there to guide my steps?

Prevent me from falling?

Is there anything beyond the abyss of pleasure, lace and blood that can make my heart soar?

Will I ever fly to you with my angel wings, if your abode is not Heaven?

I know now that you are a pedestal built from lights and shadows...

But it is that exact essence of you that I want to taste on my lips

Whenever you kiss me.

If you don`t want me to think that you only shine during night time,

Then let me gaze at the other side of the moon...

Sasuke::

.

.

.

---

If Sakura would have sipped from a drink right then, she would have sprayed the contents all over Ino`s face, not actually anticipating such an answer. "W-What? You are kidding me, right?"

She wish she did, but Sakura was so unlucky to have missed such an event going on live, but then again, she wasn't even born on that world when the incident has made the entire Vampire race quaver, at the adamancy and the perturbation that his erratic bold behavior has caused, hence the rift into the Uchiha family.

And what a scene it was. Ino would forever have those memories imprinted down her mind, for as long as eternity would have mercy on her and shelter her from a violent ending –even if they were Immortals, there was hardly any vampire who has lived more than 1000 years and that was because of the constant rivalry and revenge among them and their enemies.

Having Sasuke stand up and be the voice of ration and the lawyer of the mortals, was something fantastical and dramatic at the same time, because his declaration and behavior have been so appalling and no one would have expected them.

Truth to be told, Ino was somehow suspecting that it was that particular open –and killer- declaration of war towards the entire Vampire race, the nail in the coffin in his relationship with his former fiancé. Somehow, Ino simply couldn't brush off the feeling that the woman was only in search for power and a social status.

Reputation, fame and respect from all the entire elite of Vampires would have been unequivocal the moment Sasuke would have become the King of the Vampires and rule in Fugaku`s place, but no.

He chose not to pursue that dream and, instead, find his own way as he deemed fit. And the woman who claimed to love him unconditionally, the same one who should have been the first to stand up and support him towards the end –even if it meant to die with him or for him- was the one to act like any other face in the crowd, scurry into her seat like she has been ashamed of his unpardonable behavior and keep silent, while his friends wasted no heartbeat to stand up and cheer for him.

Everything strengthened Ino` s suspicion that, unfortunately, Sasuke has been blinded by her charms and failed to see that she was just another superficial woman who was lusting for the same materialistic things as all the other fangirls: his gorgeous looks, the money he had, the reputation of his name and the power tagging along with his social status and the title of royalty among Vampires.

The always sharp and visceral Yamanaka heiress always despised that woman, but after her unexpected behavior and her lack of support, she only loathed her even more. Yes, Ino would never lie to herself and deny the fact that she too has been attracted to the youngest of the two Uchiha brothers at some point, but then again, who could have blamed her?

Sasuke was the prosopopeia of any woman`s night-loving fantasia and dream, in terms of everything that the eye and imagination could comprise: even if he was still in his early years as a young transformed Vampire and still getting cozy with the life as a child of the night, his features were at their swell.

He was beyond handsome as a man –he has always been gorgeous, even in his mortal days as a human- but after he earned the mystical noble aura of a Vampire, he became something surreal in terms of looks and that was something that no woman –or even men- could simply ignore it. Sasuke was turning heads whenever he went and that was a painful undervalue.

Grace, maturity in terms of judging and reasoning, deluxe finesse, the genial taste for aesthetic and elegance, luxury and volubility came with experience and touched the supremacy after decades, molding and metamorphosing an inborn royalty into something that anyone would imagine having beside; truly a grandiose heir of the Leader of the Vampires, but unfortunately, his soul was everything but his character was.

Inwardly, Sasuke has been born a rebel by definition. Everything he deemed as wrong, corrupt, illicit, sybaritic and meaningless, he plainly rejected it and fought against it, be it his own family, peers or the other Vampire peers.

Ironically enough, it did nothing to diminish his magnetizing appeal, on the contrary, it pushed it through the limits of beauty and power. So, in other words, who would not fall for someone like the mighty Uchiha heir?

Of course, Ino never got past the point of infatuation and crush, for she too understood that loving and lusting for someone were antithetic. Lust was mere attraction for the strong beautiful parts, while love equalized acceptance of both the strong and the weak parts of a person.

That was true adoration according to her definition: seeing beauty in the dark and ugly parts and accept them unconditionally.

Like Sasuke`s lover couldn't do. She couldn't get over the fact that she might not gain the reputation she has been dreamed of and become the Queen of Vampires, since Sasuke was repudiating his family and the inheritance.

She couldn't accept his flaws and darkness, so naturally, she didn't love him, only desired what he got to offer physically –be it money or his body.

And that thing in Ino`s vocabulary was totally objectionable and unsatisfactory. Love was commitment and unconditionally, otherwise, it cannot be called by that term. Looking at Sakura and doing a short comparison between the two women who caught Sasuke`s attention, Ino could see that the emerald eyed young female beside her was million times more profound in terms of understanding people`s or vampire`s feelings and scrape the surface to get to read what was underneath. Sakura wasn't superficial.

Probably, she understood the full meaning of the term romance and what it implied in order to truly and ineffably be intimate and romantic with a man. From that point of view, Sakura would never betray the one she loved, straying away from him when her support was most needed.

She would be there, faithful, committed, supportive and loving him like she did from the very first day they fell in love, no matter who her lover might be or what his doctrines were.

And those drifting figments were making Ino hopeful that Sasuke could finally move on. She trusted him and felt sorry for the fact that his fiancé left him heartbroken –though she thought it was for the better that she left, since she didn't love him enough to make the supreme sacrifice in the name of love- also, after she quickly realized how childish her crush was, Ino and Sasuke were close friends and confidents. As a friend and his supporter, Ino wanted the best for the raven haired Uchiha.

And maybe, just maybe Sakura might be the lighthouse in the middle of the storm. Her radiance was surely glowing over the night and so was her honest smile.

"Nope. After he left us gasp at his nerve to stop the fun, he used that insane speed of his body flicker technique to appear on the stage and without further notice, he took on the six vampires on the stage, without breaking a sweat sending them flying right through the walls of the building, while the audience simply stood frozen and no one interrupted him.

I will never forget the moment light has broken into the stage from the fool moon and he turned around to face us, then walked to the woman that was being abused, took off his coat to put it on her naked body and used his own blood to give it to her to drink for she was half dead and couldn't have been saved in any other way, thus saving her life, but since she still had human blood inside and hasn't fully died, she remained a human. Then he stood up and faced us all, but we all know that he was addressing his father."

Ino was absorbed like replaying the scene in her mind, while Sakura couldn't believe that Sasuke went that far to oppose his family and defy them in front of an entire audience and honestly, she wished she saw a side like that in him, since Sasuke hardly seemed like the type of man to pick up a fight, but then again, the conjuncture has been different.

"I have never seen Fugaku-sama so… so murderous looking and in fact, we all anticipated that he would leash forward and make his son pay, which he didn't because Sasuke shut his mouth before he had the chance to speak and told him that if he could, he would die again and be born again if that would sever all his bonds with the Uchiha name, a name that he feels cursed and ashamed to bear and told his father that he could forget he was alive and for the rest of his days, he would fight against him. It was crazy I am telling you!"

No kidding, Ino was bloody serious. She, along with the entire auditorium were enthralled in some sort of a trace, while seeing Sasuke`s raw, yet fine and calculated, display of striking sheer power, as he found the moment to be extremely appropriate for proving his point: he wouldn't be the one to be painted into colors that didn't fit his taste –by no one, his father included- and he had the pluck and bravery to assail and contradict them, simply because he had so much trust in his potential.

Most likely, not even his father himself –who has always praised and cheered for Itachi to be his heir, totally neglecting Sasuke`s merits and development- would have expected his youngest son to be that strong, so daring and unpredictable and so ferocious, while preserving his inborn elegance and eloquence, even if he was hardly a vocal outgoing man.

In a nutshell, Sasuke has sensibly relied on the element of surprise, because absolutely no one would have thought that the very heir of the organizers of the spectacle would be the one to stand up, bolt to the stage and spit that the show was utterly miserable and ridiculous, macabre, grotesque and it made him repulsive.

Albeit Ino was certain that there were also silent voices in the audience who were on the same page with Sasuke, but not so daring, after all, the punishment for defying to Current Leader, was either extermination or becoming an outcast, pertaining to no clan of Vampires, hence a sure easy prey.

"…" Sakura was speechlessly absorbing Ino`s words, while the blonde pressed down the parking brake, whirling the steering wheel and speeded up down the starry streets, continuing her story, being almost at the finale of her short intense recollection.

"And then the unthinkable happened. Naruto, who was staying beside his mother stood up as well and shout out that he would support his bastard of a friend and turn his back on the Vampires. The next ones were Neji Hyuga and Hinata, who was already in love with Naruto.

Ten Ten and Rock Lee, their childhood friends wordlessly stood up as well, declaring that they supported him and after I have seen Shikamaru beside me stunning his family and standing up as well, after he yawned like the lazy zombie he is, I snapped out of my stupid stupor, took the hand that he subtly had stretched towards me, offering me the support I needed to take this forbidden step to oppose the Uchihas and the rest of the Vampires and stood as well. This is how our group was formed. It all started from there."

The level of respect and admiration that Sakura had for Sasuke in that moment grew tenfold. She wanted to get back home rapidly and hug him, after tell him how much he appreciated his strength and determination and even… kiss him once again? Where did that come from?

"I don know what to say, I knew he was an avid defender of humans, but I didn't know that he went that far. Wow…"

As Ino has been transported in to those faraway times, when she has been left stunned by Sasuke`s bravery and display of such a spectacular fine display of power touching the swell of its blaze, Sakura on the other hand was having a small trial developing into her head, as she couldn't believe the fluttering sensation tickling her lips the moment she has reminisced about her kiss with the obsidian eyed handsome Vampire.

As if on cue, her fingers tapped along her lower lip, trying to determine whether she could reinforce the feeling and maybe reenact it once more, or her mind was playing tricks on her. No, it wasn't!

The way her heart seemed to have been turned into a nightingale trapped in a silvery cage, chirruping and fluttering her wings to be set free and return to the sky, assured Sakura that her spirit and mind were sending contradictory signals: while part of her found it fit and fair to stay away from any romantic liaison with Sasuke, the other one was calling for his name.

What should she do in that situation? She was heavily attracted to her benefactor with the most mesmerizing eyes like ink, but at the same time, she didn't want to disrespect and vex him with a flirtatious attitude.

What would he say about her? That she only made such an equivocal request, just to take advantage of his proximity and seduce him?

It wasn't his bed Sakura`s final destination.

It was his heart-

She stopped her train of thoughts there because she didn't want to careen from the righteous path and break their mutual silent trust established through their vow to each other.

Or at least, that was part of how Sakura viewed her part of modesty and prudery as a woman, because Sasuke had absolutely no problems in letting her go further. And maybe that thought of outright intimacy between a man and a woman –especially a woman and a Vampire male- was making her so reticent and ultimately afraid.

During her delirious trail of questions and confusions, Sakura found herself yenning for Sasuke`s acceptance and acknowledgement.

Somehow along the road of meeting Sasuke, that feeling started to effloresce into her chest –that she didn't want him to hate her. Maybe it was the way he talked to her –like she mattered the world to him- or the inspirited deep gaze he used to bore into her soul –like he wanted to find something within her that he has been searching for forever- and maybe it was the kiss that bloomed between them so beautiful and sweet and so ineffably spontaneous –like a lover would touch her- and maybe, it was the feeling of home, protection and warmth that his presence was inflicting into her, the things that made Sakura feel like she has been knowing Sasuke for a long time ago.

Like they weren't strangers from different –opposing- worlds colliding into an affinity so intense and unwritten by any laws.

And she has been only known him for two days, but definitely those hours were the best moments of Sakura`s life. Unconditionally, she had no problem in openly admitting it to anyone that, for the first time in her life, she felt valued, cared for, appreciated, observed and… happy?

And for that thought alone, it was worth fighting against the idea of suicide.

Yes, it only dawned to the insightful rose haired woman that she wanted to live just a little more and see how the world went by through Sasuke`s onyx eyes; hues that saw, experienced, tasted, felt and fought against everything she has only dreamed of; eyes she longed to see more and more and swim inside that ocean of infinite darkness, but the night into Sasuke`s eyes, was romantic, tender, serene, a silent witness, otherworldly and warm, Sakura observed.

It wasn't eerie, spooky, demonic or dangerous. At least, not when he was in her presence.

Still, that occult desire to taste his lips again remained a mystery that Sakura couldn't explain it to herself, without trespassing barriers between them and she would rather not.

Meanwhile, Ino was closely following her new human friend`s reactions, completely understanding Sakura`s inner torment.

As a woman and not necessarily a mystical creature, the baby blue eyed female Vampire could relate to her feelings. Sasuke was a desirable man and she shouldn't feel ashamed or guilty about her feelings of lust and attraction towards him, it was just natural.

But she inwardly smirked and approved of the way she seemed to ponder whether she should let her feelings set free from their bindings or keep her virtue, because it showed how much she cared for Sasuke's feelings.

If anything, she didn't want him to suffer and that probed how deep her bonds with the others could go. It was exactly the typology of an excellent lover for someone like Sasuke.

And the onyx eyed Prince of the Immortals wasn't by all means discriminatory: he had absolutely no problems in equally falling for a female Vampire or a simple mortal woman, no matter what her social status was. Sasuke was hardly someone with prejudices and preconceptions, since his analyzing of the others` characters was his main priority, the rest being irrelevant.

He proved it by refusing many of his aristocratic female Vampires suitors, despite the money and high social status and accepting someone like Sakura, unconditionally.

"I know you don't understand it Sakura, because you are not bound by our rules, but for us to oppose our families is among the deadliest sins. And Sasuke isn't just anyone. He is Fugaku`s successor.

And his only one, because Itachi has left the family long ago to live with his lover, Konan. She is a human as well. In fact, she is the woman that Sasuke saved that night, from being publicly humiliated.

She has come with us and Sasuke brought her to Itachi. They fell in love afterwards and she is forever indebted to Sasuke and swore to support our cause. Itachi as well.

Sakura, Sasuke is basically haunted down by his family but they don't want to kill him, no, they want to crush his spirit and force him into taking the lead of the vampires and become his Heir because that way, he would be forced to bend to the doctrines of vampires and succumb into the things he loathes most. It is like a curse he cannot break free from."

The Uchiha curse.

---

Sakura felt absolutely sorry for Sasuke, even though he hardly fell into the category of man to be pitied by the others, but as an orphan and an abused kid, she shared his pain. "This is so unfair.

To not be able to confide in your own family… it must hurt a lot." She knew. Even if Sasuke has never once let it flaunt over his calm façade, there was so much solitude in the depths of his onyx eyes –those beautiful eyes which melt her insides with their energy, were incredibly lonely.

"It's his own free choice. I am lucky that soon after, my parents have understand our point of view and now the Nara, the Akimichi and even the Hyugas share our views, hence they can put a lot of pressure on the Council and the Leaders and their word means something in the world of Vampires, but Sasuke isn't that lucky.

Uchiha Fugaku is an unflappable chauvinistic Vampire, but we have the secret support of his wife, Mikoto-san. She tries to persuade him into being more respectful and mindful to people."

"Are you guys the only one opposing the others?"

"Actually, no. We also have adepts and Vampires who think we are right and joined us. Recently, the three Suna brothers, who are the children of the rulers in there, also pure bloods, sent us the message that they support us and they formed a small group there to be our sister group and make our voice be known around the world.

We need all the Vampires, from all around the world to know us, learn who we are and join us. The fact that we have the son of the current Ruler, an Uchiha, helps a lot. Basically, we are abusing Sasuke`s name for advertising our purpose, but he doesn't care as long as we are successful."

Ino was positive and aware of the fact that in order to unify the two colliding opposing worlds –Vampires and humans- patience, eloquence, delicacy and tenacious political skills were gemstone virtues, but their group was a proud possessor of such fine people and Sasuke`s family name and the reputation he earned through sheer personal contribution and work, were making their voice be heard through all the world.

They were taking baby steps and put the bricks, one by one, in order to build something so solid and everlasting.

Maybe Sakura couldn't grasp the implication of her words, but to Ino and her kinsmen, it meant the world; it was a noble wild dream that was worth fighting for –and giving their life for, ultimately.

Basically, it gave them a reason to continue their perennial existence. Sasuke, Naruto -who never considered him anything below his own brother- and the others have opened up her eyes to how blind, shallow and materialistic Vampires were by default, even if their taste for aesthetics seemed to be overwhelming because of its brilliance.

They only live for supreme luxury, the Balls and receptions, their biased rivalry, the carnal debauched pleasures, human blood and ridicule and abuse the mortals.

That sort of never-ending living was horrifying and ultimately undesirable by the ones who were sharing her group`s ideology. Living like a parasite was not making them better than people who had no ideal and no determination in life, only living on others` expenses and meaningless.

"So… among the clans you have just named… which one do you guys belong to?" Inquisitive jadeite orbs cruised to the hand that was resting on the steering wheel, not able to see any symbol engraved down her wrist, since Ino`s palm was facing down.

The dazzling female Vampire with honey painted locks cocked her head at her, grinning proudly at Sakura.

"We are the most reputed, intriguing, loathed and hunted down clan of all the above, my dear." She flipped her hand so that her wrist was facing upwards, showing a smiling and nodding in understanding rosette the Greek letter tattooed on her opaline skin. "We are Lambda: the rebels."

Children of the sun.

"What did I get myself into?" Sakura couldn't help but utter, while letting her finger trail the contour of the letter, understanding the exact level of danger that the group she became affiliated to was facing everyday: really high.

So basically, Sasuke and his peers were openly hunted and chased all along the Vampire`s world. Oh dear…

As if sensing where her dread and the suddenly appalled aura enveloping the beautiful rose haired woman, Ino explained and assured her that there was no way they would have resisted so far with that sort of attitude, was not because they had power, but because it was a truth that every single Vampire up to the latest half-breed knew: the rebels were led by no other than Uchiha Sasuke –the son of the Leader of the Immortals himself- and that name alone was enough to bring apprehension and dread on anyone`s spine.

Plus, the other children of the prophecy, Uzumaki Naruto, was his best friend and anyone with a functional neuron could easily imagine how ridiculously strong they could be together.

Albeit, it wasn't brutal power the way they wanted to change the world for the better and bring peace between human kind and the Vampires. It was friendship and bonds. They didn't have to be scared by them because that would automatically imply tyranny and domination, no.

The concept that linked all the rebels was based on equality, respect, trust and ultimately love. "Don't worry Sakura. You are safe with us. In fact, I could say you are the most protected one since you live with Sasuke. There is nothing out there who could defend you more than he does. He is ridiculously strong and one of the children of the prophecy."

Yes, that much was obvious, because, even in his weakened drunk state, Sasuke has been able to prevent them both from failing plus there was absolutely no way that anyone could have not notice it in everything that the midnight haired son of Fugaku, the fact that he was incredibly strong.

It was the kind of studied, vibrant and tenacious power that let anyone know they were facing the real deal and not a buffoon hiding behind his obnoxious bravado, no. Strength was oozing through every single pore of his hot hard steel body and it was both delicious and frightening.

To a woman who came in contact with his allure, it was magnetizing. "Prophecy?" Sakura arched a fine eyebrow at the golden haired woman before her, while Ino narrowed her orbs, already having the lights of the parking lot in her field of view, deciding to where should she park her pink blob in order to not have it scratch again, by alcoholics, delinquents and druggies, who found it funny to express their street art by covering it graffiti or deflate her wheels.

Damn sexist assholes.

"This is something complicated that I myself don`t have all the details of but it has to do with our common ancestor, Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo, the first born Vampire. He had two sons, which are rumored to have been so strong, that their spirits themselves never perished, but continued to spread through the generations until they found their mirror image in our times. And they are Naruto and Sasuke.

I am sure you have seen the small moon on Sasuke`s left hand. It means that he is the successor of the oldest son Indra, hence the representative of the Yin part of the universe. Naruto is his Yang counterpart, Ashura`s image. I know, it sounds complicated and trust me, it is, but I can totally assure you that they are almost like Gods in terms of strength. This is the reason why not even Fugaku-sama himself can touch Sasuke, nor control him. He is simply on a league of his own."

She wasn't lying to Sakura, but there were just more things regarding Sasuke and Naruto that not even Ino, who has been close friends to them for so many decades, was aware about.

It was something that went beyond the level of understanding of a regular Vampire, but even she knew that it only gave them a privileged place among their kinsmen.

Although, another painful fact was that along with a tremendous amount of power, there came huge responsibilities.

Not only they couldn't abuse their powers and try to turn the tables into their favor, but also both Naruto and Sasuke were hounded and harassed constantly by anyone who was hungry for power. Specimens like Orochimaru who would kill to have his hands on the valuable Sharingan and the power of the Yin or Yang release at his disposal.

She suspected that even Fugaku was so adamant in making Sasuke his successor, just because he knew that there would hardly be any other Vampire who could outsmart and stomp him.

Plus, there were times when Sasuke and Naruto were talking about other creatures –who weren't resembling Vampires or humans- who were lurking from other dimensions, ones that were invisible to anyone else that didn`t poses their skills and eyes, silently observing, calculating and making plans to find the origins of their power, but they were keeping it as a secret from anyone else, so that topic was something that only Naruto and Sasuke knew the details of and Ino was positive that whatever it was making them so secretive and occult, it was probably something huge.

"Ok… it is not like this is intimidating or something…" Sakura mumbled as her jadeite orbs fell on her lap, fidgeting with her fingers nervously and they both burst out in laughter, realizing that somehow, Ino was feeling the same.

"Don't worry. I am quite good with this things and I can assure you that if Sasuke chose you for whatever promise you guys have, then he will never hurt you. Never. He won't go against his principles, even if it costs him his life. And you might be able to clean his soul from what that slut of his former fiancé did and help him to open up to love once again.

He might not show it but fighting every minute of his life, going against his father and living under a constant alertness, takes a toll on him. Sakura, please, if you do have sentiments for him, any kind of feelings, help him find happiness again."

Ino`s first reaction upon hearing that Sasuke has brought Sakura to his home to drink human blood, was to erupt.

Their group was set on befriending humans, make peace with them and stop using them as meals, so it was only natural that anyone who transgressed those rules would be deemed a defector and ultimately, a traitor, but then she realized that it was hardly the case.

There was clearly much more than just blood between Sasuke and Sakura and whatever it was, it looked beautiful, innocent and promising.

The blonde female Vampire parked the close to the entrance, as she killed the purring engine, both the women stepping out of the car and heading towards the front doors, seeing that the night was cool and serene and there weren't many customers at that hour.

Ino immediately linked her arm with Sakura, as it was the most natural gesture in the world and the rosette understood that it was something spontaneous and heartedly, and not someone she did out of politeness.

She felt utterly overwhelmed. Those Vampires were amazingly warm and patient with her even going as far as to entrust such secrets to a stranger and Sakura found herself whirling in a world of gratitude and… overwhelmed.

There was suddenly a lot of pressure amassed pressing on her shoulders, but not necessarily a heavy one; it was rather a responsibility. "Ino… I can't do that now. Because I… asked for the same thing from him."

Cobalt blue orbs went wide open like the sun, halting her moments to gasp dramatically at Sakura, but she came as a lead actress of a teenage movie.

"You… you asked him to make you happy? Really? Oh my, this is GREAT! You two… are made for each other! Oh this is totally ROMANTIC!"

Sakura had no idea of why was Ino beaming and flailing like that news was the happiest thing she has heard, but to the experienced blonde who fancied studying relationships and interaction between people and Vampires, being an avid digger of gossip and romance, it was the perfect scenario of a Shakespearean story, in all the plenitude of the romantic idyllic and musical language, tragically stories with a lot of substance underneath and a strong moralizing message.

Sasuke and Sakura`s back stories were so antagonistic, yet so downright complementary, that it was almost like a dream.

She was exactly the pure flower that incited his natural manly sense to protect and love her, at the same time, she wasn't stupid and naïve.

Sakura was sharp, strongly moral and elegant and with strong beliefs that she was sticking to, so she was also someone to spark his interest in more than one aspect; someone who could eventually share an eternity with him and not only his bed.

Ino definitely understood the reason why Sasuke seemed to get so attached to her and saved her: Sakura was someone who has seen all the PEIN he has seen, hence she understood, even if he wasn't complaining or showing it.

He was lonely. But Sasuke didn't want a woman to pity him and stay with him because she felt sympathy. He had his friends for that and his mother. He needed someone to feel him, for what he was and share his views and accept his darkness, not only as someone who needed to be pampered.

But Sakura herself needed someone like that and she didn't know if they could work together and learn from each other what they both needed after all, she wasn't the only one seeking happiness.

Sasuke was doing it unconsciously as well, even if he was focused and distracted with rebelling against his family. He was doing it for peace and happiness, and somehow, he was considerate towards each other and that was the reason why, even if he was drunk and weak, his heart was the one to react to her wanting to commit suicide.

He couldn't help it, it was instinctual and that was why he was so harsh and adamant in not allowing her to take her life.

"You still didn't tell me about what they do. If it is ok with me asking…" The chartreuse eyed young woman whispered to Ino, as they were passing random shelves, throwing different supplies inside the shopping cart and the blonde has responded in the same soft way, so as making sure that no one would peep at their conversation.

"Oh yeah, remember about the half-breeds and their greediness for wealth and blood? They are involved in all sorts of illegal stuff, like drugs and prostitution and sometimes, illegal substances and we have this feeling that they kidnap people for Vampires to drink their blood, but somehow, they do the dirty work in their place, hence get paid for it and have some sort of truce, because normally, the Vampires should not allow our race to be tainted by them and kill the half-breeds.

So our group, namely the boys, would go to their nest and remind them that the streets and the underground don't belong to them and we are watching them closely. Frankly, they play the unofficial vigilantes, because the Police can't do anything against them."

In all honesty, it wasn't the answer that Sakura has expected to hear. Frankly, she thought more about street fights between gangs of Vampires for supremacy, but she had her doubts since Sasuke was hardly the type to jump into such puerile actions.

Slowly but surely, Ino was presenting a bigger picture of how their lives truly was and Sakura came to the conclusion that being part of their group was a very heavy task. Basically, they never rested.

She felt tired, but in the presence of the Immortals, time had but one meaning, namely none.

Two days in the presence of Sasuke`s group felt like two months in terms of experience, feelings and tiredness, but those Vampires were having amazing energy supplies, living free of the restraint of counting down minutes.

They probably had watches so as to not be late to school or jobs, and that was a fascinating thing –to not be bothered by the presence of time, laughing into his implacable face and defy it. "This sounds like an action movie."

"Yeah, but it isn't that fantabulous if you think that not only they have to see all those orgies, but they have to stain their hands with filthy blood. Usually, this isn't our job. It is the Hunters` one, but they too are outnumbered."

"Hunters?"

"The Vampire Hunters are like the equivalent of your Police Force if you want. Like special troops. They are in charge of keeping the balance between humans, half-breeds and Vampires and maintain the order, but of course, they cannot do anything about the Vampires, so at least they could take care of the half-breeds.

Some of them, starting with their leader, are also pure blood Vampires, who share our point of view, even if they don't actually fully support us since they think we try to act in their place, hence overthrown them, but they get along with Sasuke and Naruto really good, so they let it pass, as long as we don't interfere too much and weaken their authority."

"This is odd to hear a vampire fighting against… his brethren." Although it might sound twisted, it did made sense.

Having so many rebel groups of Vampires, as well as the secrecy and conspiracy between their involvement into the Governments and the most influential organizations, there had to be a group arouse from their own members to maintain the balance; an independent group that was in charge with controlling the illegal things that their kinsmen were tempted to do, since normal police force –human- weren't able to handle Vampires, nor did they have the 'technology', so it was only natural that an equivalent might have been found into the world of Immortals, and they were the Vampire Hunters.

Their purpose was to be impartial and independent into dealing with Vampires or half-breeds who were violating laws –both human and vampire.

This way, the power of enforcing coercion over the transgressors wasn't part of Fugaku`s attributions, avoiding a situation where he would have too much power of deciding upon his own free will and eventually, lead to abuses and discrimination.

Unfortunately, they didn't have that many adepts by their side, since anyone would hate on the ones that had the authority of public security and maintain order.

Just as the Rebels, the Hunters were universally recognized by the Vampires, but they were loathed, feared, their work was many times inefficient and they lacked personnel. So that was the reason why, Sasuke`s group was helping the Hunters in dealing with more problematic cases –such as Orochimaru and his web of illegal affairs- but they did it in the shadows and clandestine; it wasn't like they wanted to contest their authority, it was a friendly help and even if the Hunters weren't exactly pleased with their actions, it did prove to be efficient.

"Well she is not an ordinary woman, either. Uchiha`s main rivals to be more precise. The Senju family of old Pure Blood Vampires. And their daughter is the Leader of the Vampire Hunters, Princess Tsunade Senju."

Ino`s azurite orbs filled with glossy stars, as she brought her hands upon her heart, exhaling dreamy.

"She is any girl`s role model in both power and beauty. She is amazing!" As they stopped in front of the toiletries, Ino took a fancy white bottle of shower gel, opening it up and held it towards Sakura, urging her to smell and express her opinion about the fragrance. "Do you like white lilies? I love them, they are my favorite flowers."

She let her small nose sniffle as her emerald orbs beamed and she nodded energetically to the blonde. "I like the idea of having independent dedicated women to fight for a good cause. Yes, it smells divine. I want one too."

"Yes, indeed. And hear this out. One of her right hand men, Hatake Kakashi, is the Principal of the college we are all attending and the same you will attend too. Isn't it great? Of course, no one but us know and… I think I said to much hehe."

A sheepish smile bud on Ino`s glossy lips as she rubbed the back of her her nape while they stroll to other shelves, filling their basket with every single cosmetic that Ino deemed as 'absolutely necessary', such as various fragrances of shower gels, bath foam, floral glitter body lotions, massage gels and soaps, and Sakura felt like she was on a spa session not shopping.

What she didn't know, was the fact that the conniving devilish Ino was totally taking advantage of the Vampire`s sharp senses, which were enhanced and keener than humans` senses, so Sakura could totally fructify –and twist- Sasuke`s high sense of smell and outer perception and make him go crazy with all the floral and fruity exotic aromas that Ino coaxed –forced- Sakura to buy, under the pretense of being mandatory for a girl to delight and spoil herself with such feminine fragrances and aromatherapy.

Oh, wasn't she absolutely genius in terms of relations and seduction? Ino was very proud of herself. Now, she should patiently wait for the next day to come, yank the rosette from the boring college, go in a round of insane shopping to the best branded shops and hunt down for the sexiest lace night gowns and garments.

Oh, she couldn't wait!

"Really? I didn't expect so many Vampires and humans to be involved. Does he have this job as a Principal just to keep an eye on the students?" What? The Principal of Konoha's University was a Vampire Hunter? Were those Vampires for real?

"Probably, who knows? He always bragged about wanting to be a teacher but I guess you are right. It is Tsunade`s way to keep an eye on the teenagers since they are the most vulnerable, consequently an easy prey and probably to keep an eye on us as well."

When they got to the shelves were pads were resting, Sakura asked Ino. "Ahm… Ino can I ask you something very personal? If Vampires react to blood then… will I drive Sasuke insane and NOT in the good sense when… you know, I will have THOSE days?"

"You mean when you are on your period?" The rosette nodded in confirmation. "Hehe, actually no and this is the beauty of it. You see, you have your period because you didn't get pregnant, which means you don't bear life. So what leaves your body is like a… dead tissue. Dead cells and since Sasuke is immortal, he cannot feel death, nor sense it. Plus, blood is a tiny part of what period truly is, so no, you are safe and so are they. Though, it would be funny to see them being tortured for five days and avoid us because of that." They both laughed hard at that, it was indeed a funny thought.

"This is good. I don't want to be embarrassed, even though Sasuke has been a gentleman and didn't make me feel uncomfortable."

"He truly is, even though he is kind of old fashioned, but I guess it is because of his harsh strict family upbringing. I have never actually seen Sasuke being disrespectful towards a lady." Ino subtly emphasized the word with the connotation as a respectful Madame; the libidinous slutty female Vampires were another story and triggered other sorts of reactions from Sasuke, but it wasn't Sakura`s case.

She didn't mind the way he talked it was refreshing in a world of cursing and gibberish guys of his age, he was like a Count.

"Yeah, it`s kind of hard to imagine someone like him being anything but ho- polite!"

"Aha!" Ino pointed an accusing finger towards Sakura, who was beat red by the moment she understood her slip of tongue. She couldn't believe that she almost said that she found Sasuke to be…

"You wanted to say 'hot', didn't you? Haha, I knew it!" She threw a hand around Sakura`s creaky shoulders, pinching her cheek, which was getting a beat hue of the raven haired Uchiha`s favorite food. "Sooo… what was going on between the two of you before I came in, hm?"

When no words came out of her pursed lips, Sakura knew that Ino has caught her with the hand in the cookie jar.

.

.

.

---

"No, please-"

A ruthless slap connected with her ivory damp cheek, making her head whip over her shoulder at the force of the impact, crudely reverberating the cold steel sound of skin hitting skin through the night.

"I just luuv lambs that beg." He rumbled deep into his chest, low and mischievous, while the hands that were dug into her soft flesh had her pressed into the peeling wall beside.

A nose went shamefully into caramel light hair, stifling the feminine scent, as the girl was paralyzed in fear, sobbing and imploring.

"Hm, peaches and roses. Not bad." An abrasive wet tongue latched on her throat, as his hand roughly tucked her head backwards, pulling at her soft disheveled hair, and took a lascivious long lick along her throat.

The feel of life pulsating warmly and delicious into her sweet body tantalized the beast within her captor, as he howled like a beast to the crescent moon above, laughing and suckling on the newly exposed skin of her collarbone and the swell of her heart shaped cleavage, keeping her in place, as the woman was trying to free herself in vain.

Her airy cotton middle-length dress was tattered and the thorn straps were lolling down her bare shoulders as deep crimson red fangs and nail scratches were gleaming and clashing with the ivory of her skin, tears spilling from her hyacinth blue glistening eyes.

A calloused hand groped her left breast through the soft fabric of the dress she wore and squeezed her all the while the other hand kept her arm pinned above her head, making any struggles to escape that humility be futile and her screams were begging in vain.

In that back darkened alley, secured by the abandoned factories around, no one would come to her rescue. "Aaah! Don't... no-"

Dark bloodshot narrowed indomitable orbs blazed with fury as he slapped her again against her delicate face harder, and the helpless female hit her head on the rough wall behind, a fine line of luscious blood spraying from her full lips.

Her once fancy pink rouge was scribbled around the contour of her mouth, while the leaking vines of black rimmel and kohl cat-eyes pencil emphasized the grotesque image of a porcelain shattered gothic doll. "I warned you to stop fucking screaming or else..."

Worst part of the horrifying scene, was that the brute abusing her body and brutally beating her wasn't alone. He was accompanied by another of his kind, with equally thirsty savage eyes and daring hands and both let their urges control the course of the raping scene.

In the back of her mind, the lady knew what would come and there was no way that she alone could ward off the danger and keep her virtue, but panic and terror were making her head spin, as her lips were utterly constant prayers to the Heavens above.

To think it was her free day and she just wanted to spend some time with her girlfriends in a club they suggested, before she has been hauled by two strangers when she passed a less populated part of that neighborhood, oblivious to the dangers lurking from the shadows. It was just bad karma.

She tried in vain to squirm and trash against the forceful hold without luck, eyes squeezed and clouded by burning tears, while a pair of lips was trying to find the way to her appetizing lips, but she kept on shaking her head, no.

Something soft was sliding down her inner thighs and the girl realized in apprehension that it was her panties that were being lugged down her slim legs and a pair of sharp razor like teeth grazed along the silk exposed flesh. Her heart lapped from her chest, resting painfully down her throat as she was drowning in salty tears.

A libidinous sleek tongue was tracing the sensitive exposed skin on the apex between her legs, rolling over her lace lips. "S-Stop… p-please n-n-no…"

Eyes that were beseeching and conjuring the clemency of the Heaven flew open in apprehension as a pair of steel blade cold and sharp fangs punctured the flesh concealing her pulse, penetrating the pulsating hot vein, greedily sucking on her blood as her flesh was being ripped and bruised.

Unfortunately for the woman who went petrified at the violent electrical discharge bolting along her spine, his saliva couldn't numb the pain and produce pleasure –he could never give her pleasure from that brutal act.

Then the pain stroke her and she caterwauled, until the heart-breaking sound of her broken voice tattooed on the stars and the silent witnessing solitary buildings.

"AAH!" Even the moon turned an insolent shade of magenta and the air felt with hot heavy sweat, abused flesh, tears, blood and lust.

The woman with the rich color of chestnut in her tresses knew that she wasn't the only victim, but she cursed everything, even the God she avidly entrusted her fate to, feeling her body go limp and numb by the pain.

Tears of agony, anguish and misery were immixing into the blood that stained her long locks and her lips were fluttering and turned a light shade of lavender. Her skin was glowing with a sick pallor as the vital fluid was departing from her system.

Vaguely, she felt the corset of her dress –her new pure white dress and sewed with big roses and tulips flowers, a handmade gift from her grandmother- being ripped along the side of her protruding ribs, leaving a small rounded ivory breast sprung free from its bindings and a scratching barbarous unpolished clutch the delicate mound, leaving a bruise in the shape of his hand imprinted.

Muffled indecent curses and harsh sounds of sexually aroused men were ringing through her screeching ears, as both were tasting and drinking from her skin, biting in various places of choice.

Her mind was starting to automatically shut down, the lack of blood lulling her into giving in to darkness. Her head fell listless on her shoulder and a weak plea ripped from her chest.

Two vicious hands coiled around her thighs, roughly spread her thighs open wider and hoisting her lower body up to give her second rapist a perfect angle to hungrily eat her dry core out, suckling greedily from her, hoping to get a taste of her fruity nectar, in vain because she couldn't possibly be aroused by that.

His sharp long nails were puncturing the skin of her legs until blood started to upsurge from her angry reddened flesh and one last mellow cry for help left her weeping lips, before the metallic sound of a zipper yanked down reached her. "Help me... someone please... s-stop..."

It became unbearable to fight back the vertigo twirling into her head, her vision was benumbed by her burning dry eyes, the immensurable pain was merging with the dread of being cruelly violated –unfortunately enough, she was pure as a maiden- while no one would know, as well as the dread from encountering creatures resembling to the popular ancient stories.

It felt like a horrendous nightmare, where she wasn't sure about the outcome or if she would survive to see the eyes and smiles of her dear ones.

Dejected, she let her glassy turquoise orbs give up to the heaviness and she exhaled deeply, finding her vocal chords unable to produce anymore sounds.

She felt cold, that brute –whatever demon he was- was still nourishing from her blood and pinched her nipples hard and rough, grinding his body against her soft one, as something hard, engorged and promising immense pain was poking on her unprepared small entrance, while she was being kept in place and spread opened, to be entered merciless-

---

"When a lady tells you to stop," A voice with a timbre richer than the fines cognac and chocolate velvet resounded into the electrical night, subduing the harsh groans of the excited males and the young woman`s mournful wails, but it held so much virulence and rancor that it cut the night`s veil in half, tossing it towards the Seven Horizons and swallowed the very quintessence of darkness, successfully making both the defilers halt frozen in their assault, as a lightening has discharged down their columns and pulverized their contracted bodies. "You stop."

Before they had the opportunity to even squint or crock their eyes to follow the occult lead of the silk embroidered masculine sensual voice, the two creatures found themselves hoisted from the woman they were disrespecting and tainting, totted through the sharp cool night air and thrown into the opposite wall.

A deep piercing blast of bricks being cracked erupted from the buildings, being accompanied by feral grows in both pain and indignation.

But they were fast to ricochet back, and materialized in front of the two newcomers, in all the repugnance of their half human and half Vampires, seeping blood from their sharp thick fangs, panting harshly.

Dust was oozing from their ripped clothes, dark blood like tar dripped from their open cuts and the glares shot from their equally stained bloody narrowed orbs blasted like million needles. Their fists were clenched on their sides and stances were dropped into a common beastly fighting stance.

Their two new rivals didn't even flinch or quail in front of their display of sheer dementia and the humanity they forgo in order to obtain power, being as implacable and intractable as cold Greek statues or Olympian deities, laughing in the time`s face, defying seconds, decades, millions of sunrises and the falls of the moon. They were mere flickers of dust and dirt for their absolutely steel eyes.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"You… will pay for that, you son of a bitch!" Was that supposed to sound menacing and intimidating? A perfect set of fine eyebrows in the color of the night arched mockingly, silently daring them to take the much anticipated step forward and unleash the orgy, so that they could properly be put into their places.

"Tch… half-breeds and their unlettered presence…" Sasuke started in a velvet baritone voice, that he dropped two octaves lower, to make it more resonant and almost robotically, and a shiver of dread flickered along his disgusting interlocutor`s spine, by the lack of emotion into the way he talked –a flawless doll, with an empty carcass. "Always succeed in making me feel repulsive over my own kinsmen."

He whirled his hand through the charcoal kissed disarray silk locks, exhaling heavily like he was trying to control himself from turning around and leave the place which was filled with a stench so pungent, that it made his stomach churn in repulsiveness. It was always Orochimaru`s lackeys and lapdogs the ones to be affiliated to the most ludicrous and concupiscent affairs and they always managed to get him annoyed and stirred beyond belief.

To put it frankly and uncensored, the Prince of the Vampires wished nothing more than to lash forward and slit their throats with his katana.

But he couldn't because, firstly, it wasn't his job to be a hero or a Cerberus –it was the Hunters`- and secondly, it went against their doctrine of peace and Sasuke knew that, as a blazon of his pacifist group, the very Leader couldn't be promoting such a violent attitude during the night, while he militated for peace and friendship during the day. He would be losing credibility, so he mentally took a step back.

Oh, how lucky they were.

Without further notice, the two half-breed Vampires flickered to Sasuke and Naruto in what would normally be considered beyond the Speed of Sound and transcend human`s untrained eye, but to Sasuke and his solar tanned best friend, they moved in slow motion, and that was the reason why the two haven't sketched a single gesture to step back or defend themselves.

That was the scale of a time that didn't pass for Immortals: a heartbeat. It all happened during the span of a pumping of the heart.

"Aw man, and here I was hoping that they would at least be decent…" Naruto exhaled deeply, heartedly disappointed that the prospect from that night didn't look promising at all.

Last week, they had to deal with a pathetic group of renegades and half-breeds who have joined their force to rob a military base full of firearms and they were, by Naruto`s standards, sucking major balls and not represented any challenge.

Honestly, the golden haired Uzumaki was getting sick of taunting and attempt to stimulate his raven haired friend to spar with him, because Uchiha Sasuke was unflappable, hence he was no fun, since he wasn't reacting most of the times.

Naruto casually avoided a well-aimed speeding punch, which threatened to collide with his grinning whiskered tanned figure, by sidestepping like he was clashing with amateurs, then let his normally aquamarine orbs –turned into the distinctive pattern of a Sage frog- flash open and when he did that, the first thing he did was to smile wickedly.

Then he punched the half-breed Vampire -with an interesting silvery-snow hair- into his jaw cracking it and sent him crushing down, as a pretty large hole dug into the ground.

Shikamaru who has been straying into the shadows has run towards the trembling woman as she was looking petrified in disbelief at such horrendous scene before her eyes, helping her up, while she seemed reticent at first but he had a friendly demeanor around him.

He peeped at Sasuke who was humiliating her rapist - who foolishly thought so mighty and high of himself- with an astonishing display of supremacy and lethal finesse, mentally rolling his eyes at his two best friends.

What a bunch of show-offs.

He knew that the only reason why Sasuke was being spectacular was because he was silently competing with Naruto like they always did, playing every part of their rivalry like an intense choir of violins at the chorus.

The Uchiha merely blocked a frontal kick, which was supposed to be swift and lighting fast, countering it in a fluid elegant motion, by flickering his body like a twinkling star before the viewer had the chance to blink once, missing him then he appeared from his back, twisting Orochimaru`s henchmen`s arm until the bone cracked and lifted him up, just to whirl on his heel and crush him down the ground planting his heel down his chest to keep him down.

"What the fuck-"

"Who the fuck do you think you are to spoil our fun, you cocky motherfucker?!" The other who unglued from the wall spat to them viciously and discourteously.

Shikamaru wrapped his coat over the woman since the wind was blowing and her clothes were tarnished and ripped on her sides, concealing her modesty, and she immediately relished into the warmth, gripping it to her chest and she was clinging to him.

"Don't be afraid, Miss. We are the good guys. You are safe now." Shikamaru wrapped a hand gently around her shoulders to provide comfort. He was hardly showing affection and pity by the felt his blood boil at the sight pathetic of the abused woman and the vista in general was making him sick and strengthened his resolve to put an end of their reign and the miseries they did.

The half-breeds and Vampires were terrorizing the humans and turned the dark streets into the walks into the lion`s den.

They had to do something and put an end to it before it was too late and many others would be killed. They have saved that lady, but what about the others that they couldn't save? No one was omnipotent, not even them.

He also observed the way she curled her fingers around the base of her neck, trembling and sobbing, olive orbs narrowing at the suspicious familiar gesture.

He immediately understood that she has been bitten, hence the troubles she had in keeping balance –she was clinging to his arm for dear life- so he strengthened his hold around her, feeling sorry that he couldn't personally do that for her and make it quicker, but he respect her and didn't want to scare the young lady even more and expose their identities, so he simply slipped a hand into his vest, took a badge that was embed with their special Vampire healing saliva and placed it on her neck, after their brief silent eye lock. "This will help numb the pain."

"T-thank... y-you."

"You don't have to thank us. It's our job." Shikamaru threw the girl a small hearted smirk, turning to peep at his two comrades, while they were lecturing –namely beating the hell out of them- the two repulsive creatures before them, wondering whether they weren't wasting time in trying to open up their eyes, or not.

What was more interesting, was Sasuke`s undocked flip of attitude while dealing with the half-breeds and Vampires that he found revolt against, being completely different from the gentile and gallant man that Sakura has met.

His acting artistry and cleverness were scary. He was staying before the two fallen down half human half Vampires, hands casually loitering into the pockets of his black polished leather pants, stance unforgiving, defying, straight and proud and his eyes –the only part of his anatomy that dipped down to acknowledge their presence before him- were keeping them pinned down in a suffocating intense stare. "You filthy miscreant lowlife criminals make me sick."

"You son of a bitch-" The Uchiha drag an exasperated sigh as he pressed the one he had under his shoe further into the ground and Naruto briefly wondered whether his friend would turn him into a squashed omelet.

Azurite amused orbs turned to the other idiot who lunged himself towards Sasuke, enraged and bleeding, snickering and intertwining his hands upon his chest. "I will send you two straight to Hell and back-"

The young woman that Shikamaru was trying to comfort let out a short shriek when seeing the speed of her attacker, dashing forward to the beautiful raven haired man, because Sasuke made absolutely zero attempts to even turn his head over his shoulder and acknowledge his presence.

Shikamaru turned her into his arms, holding her tight to his chest and whispered down her ear. "Don't worry, he will be all right."

Who was Sasuke trying to impress? Cocky braggadocio Uchiha.

"What the-" Orochimaru`s proud experiment came to an abrupt stop, while a pair of crimson blood sharp like razor blades orbs, flickered in the menacing form of a star, successfully trapping him into a genjutsu collapsing on the hard concrete, motionless and crying like a baby, loud, painful and pathetic.

The world that Sasuke has created for him consisted in menacing huge white snakes curling around his body, constricting him and biting his flesh.

On the background of the leaking bloody landscape, he could hear Uchiha`s disimpassioned chocolate smooth merciless baritone voice, cutting into his very soul like an icicle, spilling poisonous venom.

"I should end up your pathetic existence right this instant. Such behavior is unpardonable. If you call yourself the superior race... then act like elites."

Sasuke freed his captor from his illusion, tucking on his collar and easily hauling him up in the air to align with his terrorized eyes, as the half-breed creature was spilling blood and panting harshly, his once daring muscles and body going limp.

His eyes widened in apprehension when he realized that he recognized those unrelenting bottomless onyx eyes, which pierced into the depths of his soul and he started to tremble like jelly. Sasuke kicked the other one he had trapped under his feet sending him flying to his blonde haired friend, who was having too much fun and shooting roots. "Y-Y-You are... U-Uchiha S-Sasuke-sama?

" Sasuke fought against his escalading impatience of letting his ebony orbs hit the back of his head, but he wouldn't do such an inelegant gesture, even in front of those sickening lame excuses of Vampires.

Observant, weren't they? "What gave me away, the hair?" His eyes? Naruto snickered as he had a firm hold on the equally jittery comrade of the one Sasuke was humiliating, as Shikamaru snorted at the way Fugaku`s son was mocking and ridicule them.

The girl into his arms turned around to gasp at the spectacle and a wave of tranquility seemed to have traipsed to her, since she stopped trembling realizing that the unexpected saviors were on a league of their own and clearly not in danger.

But apparently, insanity was having interesting side effects on their already messed up brains. "We have heard the rumors that the next in line has grown soft. Who wants a pussy to lead the Vampires?"

The one that Naruto had under a strong hold, keeping his hands squashed down his back, found an unforeseen pool of energy and jerked from his grip, but Naruto simply punch him square in the jaw cracking it open, and sent him floating backwards, hissing with an uncharacteristic fierceness.

"Watch your mouth when addressing your Prince or you will pray for death to come and take you after we are done with you."

"I in return, will never be a Leader for rats like you. Snakes." Feeling that he was getting too irritated and his message has been embed into their skills, Sasuke nonchalantly let the distinctive pattern of his Mangekyou Sharingan gleam and immediately two skeleton huge hands, smoldering with a purple phosphorescence, seething through the night and have them arise the two half-breed experiments up in the air, having them stabbed with a bristling indomitable stare that knocked the wind out of their lungs. "Should crawl in the ground and not attempt to fly like hawks."

He knew they understood his silent message, for it was addressed solely to Orochimaru, who was the master puppeteer behind the curtain and had the uncanny ability to always keep in contact with his subordinates and witness everything that happened, seeing the world through their eyes.

Naruto stroll to his raven haired smug friend, having a lighter in his right hand and turned the spark wheel in one rapid motion, pressing the ignition button, holding it proudly before their horrified eyes, grinning. "Time to wrap it up guys. Fun is over."

He grasped the hand of the one who was closer to him, tucked his shirt up to reveal his wrist, and wordlessly, he approached the flame to the lighter to his skin, dragging it along the familiar tattoo as he shouted out in pain, trying to squirm with no success since Sasuke was keeping both at bay, looking lazily at Naruto, who was having fun burning and erasing the tattoos –the mark of their affiliation to a Clan of Vampires- from their skin.

He repeated the motion to the other one, until everything that could be distinguished was the red burned peeling skin and a scar around.

Having the crest of their respective Clans erased was the biggest shame in the world of Immortals, a clear token of the fact that one wasn't able to defend his principles and secure his place among his peers –a clear sign of weakness- and it equalized automatically to fall prey to the other Clans.

Not belonging to any respective group and fraternity, was even worse than being a Rebel like the Uchiha successor and his friends, and that method of erasing the tattoo was used as a punishment to the ones who committed a sin.

"Teme, you were right. This fuckers are Omega. It looks like that snake Orochimaru needs a painful lesson."

"No." Sasuke smoothly replied to his friend, while tossing the two weaklings –which were put in a comatose state by his genjutsu, limp and motionless- into the trashcans, as the metallic muffled sound rung through the eerie atmosphere.

It was just obvious from the way he was pressing every syllable, calm, composed and painfully dark, that the man resembling a white serpent, Orochimaru, was making him grossed out.

"We are not permitting him to dictate the course of our steps. We walk on our own path without swaying and we will deal with it on our own way." As Naruto`s golden eyebrow arched in confusion, as he traipsed towards Shikamaru, seeing that he got cozy with the lady they saved just in time, fighting the urge to turn around and empty the contents of his stomach.

His smell and his sixth sense of reading auras and depict the evil in everyone, was making him sick and disgusted, and the stains of blood on the girl`s tarnished clothes and skin was burning his nose. Sasuke slant a hand into his pocket, fingering his phone, scrolling down his contacts list. The man answered on his first call. "Kakashi, I have a job for you."

"The Vampire Hunters? His father, Lord Fugaku-sama will definitely not like this." Shikamaru noticed apathetically, orbs slightly narrowed at the Uchiha before him, who was giving their Principal some directions. He did not like it when they intertwined with the hunters` work.

No one was content with their approach, not even the ones they were ailing and they were right.

It wasn't their job to interfere, but on the other hand… his eyes fell on the girl and suddenly his temples sizzled and throbbed. If they didn't help, then many similar tragedies would happen and the Vampire hunters could do nothing about it.

It was a double-edged sword.

"I know." Naruto on the other hand, had a mischievous grin about him, cackling at his questioning friend. "And Teme knows it as well." Shikamaru didn't need to ask for an explanation for he knew exactly what was his friend referring too.

If Fugaku was extremely displeased with his son`s contumacious defying behavior and his refusal to be his Heir –he didn't quite have a say in that aspect- then the fact that he was so openly fighting against him and his brethren, laughing into his face that he couldn't be controlled, but accepting to help him run his corporations and make good business with his father, was making the Vampire Leader enraged.

"Do not be late. I have more important matters to occupy my time with than baby-sitting nitwits."

It might have seemed that Sasuke was being rude and harsh to Kakashi, but in reality, he was just being himself, only less elegant in front of the ones he should enforce authority and appear as ruthless.

He was grateful for that man`s great work and even though the silvery haired Principal was a mortal joining the Vampire hunters, he was still an enigmatic character.

But he was trustworthy, he understood and acknowledged Sasuke and his group`s work and had a silent agreement to accept their help.

And Sasuke has always been fair-play with Hatake, for he tried to interfere as less as possible into his work, so that his jurisdiction wouldn't be diminished and inform him when he needed to interfere. Their cooperation was based on trusteeship, confidence and respect.

"This is getting problematic." Shikamaru noticed while Sasuke approached the small group, ending his conversation with Kakashi, knowing that the Hunters would be there soon, dispatching a troop.

"There have been three attacks in the span of this week. Now we have three dead victims on the Vampires' account."

It was a painful truth: while they were striving to prove it to the mortals that there were Immortals who tried to come in friendly terms, they couldn't gain their faith if their kinsmen kept on attacking and striking terror among them.

And that pissed Sasuke off pretty bad. Oh, how he wished to simply erase those people from the surface of the earth, until everyone would get it once and for all, that they should cooperate and not consider themselves something they were not –the superior race.

But he couldn't because inflicting panic and dread into his own race, just to force them into cooperation, was pointless, stupid and unprofessional.

For it to ever work, compromises and love were needed. The bonds had to be sincere and come from the heart, and not from fear. Nothing good would come from hate: no friendship, no peace and ultimately, no love.

"Damn that rogue snake monster... I will shove my fangs down his throat and rip off his head as soon as I get my hands on him."

It was hard to hear Naruto sound so menacing, practically spatting that name from his lips, bitterness and acrimony visibly present while reminiscing about their main source of trouble, Sasuke and Shikamaru silently decided, but they agreed with his approach, for they were just as annoyed and fed up with cleaning the mess he left behind.

"It is not just Orochimaru. There are many new emerging pledges, who embrace my father's doctrines with a little bit too much pathos and seed fear among the humans. The streets... are not safe anymore and there are not enough Hunters."

While thinking about all the ruckus they were creating, Sasuke was silently worrying about Sakura as well. She could have easily been in that woman`s predicament and he might not have been fast enough to save her; that figment alone twisted his handsome face into a deep frown.

It was pure luck that they decided to check on that place first and Naruto has sensed the fragrance of fear and blood coming from there so they could be in time to save someone, otherwise that woman would have been another victim on the TV screens by then next day and add another mystery case on the Police`s report.

"Well, this is why we're here, right?" Naruto grinned at his two friends, proudly tapping his broad chest with his thumb, resembling Rock Lee.

Shikamaru responded with a side smirk of his own, while their Uchiha companion remained serious, hard and composed.

"We are not God, thus there are things that slip past our vigilance. We cannot be omnipotent. Meanwhile," Gleaming silvery-obsidian almond irises flickered towards the woman who has been starting at him wide-eyed and he quietly and elegantly elevated his hand to brush a chocolate lock out of her cold face, as the surprised woman missed a breath.

The contact with his gentleness warm and compassionate touch has successfully made her stop tremble in fear completely into Shikamaru`s loose embrace, looking at him totally enthralled and hypnotized by the incredibly elegance and beauty of that raven haired man.

She wasn't being impolite and lustful, only surprised and confused about her own orbs about what she has just seen.

"People die. And this makes adrenaline rush through my veins." By that, Sasuke meant that he lusted for blood, but not the one that Sakura was offering for nourishment, no, he itched to make filthy blood spring from those creatures` chests and skulls as he would get the world rid of.

Especially Orochimaru.

"What do you want to do?" Shikamaru inquired as Sasuke dropped his hand from the young woman`s hair, side stepping and ambling past their shoulders, sliding his hands into his pockets, instructing his genius comrade on a velvet casual voice.

"Escort the lady home and give her two replenishing blood pill to make up for what she lost, and then reunite with us here."

"What about us?" Naruto upshot his blonde eyebrows up, crossing his hands behind his nape, strolling to his ebony haired friend.

He couldn't have bothered to come there –and risk to be lectured by his mother for staying up so late- just to deal with such weaklings, clearly asking for more… action.

Sasuke resisted the need to hiss at him to stop being so juvenile and punch him in the jaw, but refrained from any unnecessarily excessive behavior, so he merely notified him about his plans for the night.

"We get inside and reconvene with Neji and Kiba. More than sixty percent of the latest attacks happened here.

There are also illegal occurrences that have been reported to me by Kakashi and I want to personally investigate them." The huge grin blooming on Naruto`s full lips had his raven haired friend roll his eyes, unceremoniously but he couldn't help it anymore.

Serious business happened in the 'Sound' club –Orochimaru`s nest of crawling dirty Snakes- and it was the kind of place where the Hunters weren't venturing too far because powerful Vampires –both pure bloods and half-breeds- were allured by it, since it was one of the few places where they could have orgies, carnages and unlimited supply of drugs, prostitutes and blood.

So Sasuke naturally understood Naruto`s frenzy and motivation, but seriously, he should grow up from his annoying manner of revealing his inner –idiotic and hyperactive- itches and display more self-control and stoicism. He was doing it to annoy the heck out of him, Sasuke was aware.

The blond was in for a good beating later on, that was already decided into the raven haired Uchiha Vampire`s dangerous dark mind.

"Roger, Boss!" Naruto placed a hand on his temple mimicking a common ceremoniously military salute as Sasuke narrowed his eyes in his direction. Did he look like in the mood to play games and take on mockeries?

Why was that dobe so damn hyperactive and happy anyways?

It only meant that they –miraculously-managed to avoid being decapitated by Hyuga Hiashi for having their sweet little secret concursion, otherwise he would be wailing like a willow by then.

"Come on. We are wasting precious time."

As his olive shrewd orbs followed the impressive sleek silhouettes of his two friends casually passing the security guards and step inside the aforementioned club –thanks God Sasuke has shown clemency on him and didn't make the lazy brilliant Nara go inside as well- he tucked on the woman`s in his arms shoulders, leading her towards the more illuminated part of the street. "Shall we go, Miss? What is your address?"

.

.

.

---

Grazing bodies were sowed all around the leather sofas, as the dim light and the glowing maddening effect of the colorful lasers concealed their bold gropes and lascivious touches into the darkness.

A deafening Gothic and Pagan song vibrated through the stereos, attuning with the wanton overflow of expensive pungent cocktails and strong alcohol, sizzling down the throats of the intoxicating never sleeping partying bodies.

The thick carnal air was hot, reeking of perspiration splashing from the hungrily bodies that were grinding together on the dance floor, licentious colors of pitch black and crimson red molded over the almost naked bodies of the females, doing nothing to conceal modesty that wasn't meant to be treasured.

Hungry males were trying to get as close as possible to them, all wearing luxurious suits over their intoxicated bodes, while their hands were daring, groping certain parts of anatomy, growling like rapacious beasts, as the sexual tension became suffocating.

And of course, the unambiguous honey miasma of dripping blood and fresh flesh immixed into the orgy of the stuffed place and the thick veil of smoke fog, oozing from the burning Cuban and slim cigars and weed, all courtesy of the concupiscent pigs populating every corner available, as they were sucked by lecherous harlots in leather and fishnets, without a shame, or making out, suckling, biting and scraping flesh.

Sasuke felt beyond abhorred and scandalized, fighting against the need to swirl on his heel and get out of the Devil`s realm, but he was there with business so she tried his best to focus straight ahead and ignore every other… distraction, with talent.

Naruto was right on his heel, mumbling curses under his breath expressing his dismay and having a hand plastered over his mouth and nose, his stomach reeling with disgust. He really felt the need to vomit.

They knew exactly where the 'upper males' were nesting, so they just needed slip past the ecstatic excited bodies and make their way to the more exclusive parts of the club, but what were the chances to sneak unnoticed by hoards of Vampires with amazingly sharp senses and keen eye, looking exactly for someone burning hot and desirable, with someone like Sasuke Uchiha beside?

Exactly, none.

Said onyx eyed Uchiha Prince groaned low on his chest and gritted his teeth as he felt a pair of soft lips latch to his neck, coming from his side and a slim arm curled around his flexed bicep, successfully making him halt and jerk, trying to get out of whoever dared to approach him so boldly.

"Hey there, handsome. You wouldn't happen to have been looking for me, would you?" He fought the urge to cringe at the voice and the promiscuous sexual remark breathing against his ear.

Onyx orbs shot to his left side, colliding with a skimpy, bony and half naked young blonde prostitute.

He briefly narrowed his eyes when a silver laser burned his vision, merging with the thick smoke coming from the stage, observing that she was very young and most likely drugged.

"Let go." He tried his best to not snarl at her, since he clearly saw that she was a mortal and not a Vampire, and probably forced into prostitution, but his tone came as hard steel and commending.

Glazed high playful round orbs tried to fix his enthralling onyx ones, as she pressed further into the sexy Vampire, purring like a cat.

"How about a drink for starters? It might cool you off a bit, assuming that you are already very hot."

His face contorted into a menacing deep frown and he was one step ahead of gnarling at the woman, shaking her off his person, but he abruptly halted and bit back a nasty remark when his perceptive obsidian orbs saw the real look in her widened eyes, exhausted, terrorized and silently imploring. "I would advise you to sto-"

He quickly shifted his stare to a faraway corner when the woman bit her quivering rouged lower lip and cocked her head to gesticulated and point to the object of her dread.

A huge bulky bald brute, with a deep menacing scar scattered over his left cheek and going to his temple, was looking straight into their direction, as the Uchiha held his gaze for two seconds, understanding her desperate attempt to swallow her fear and approach him.

A pimp and he seemed to be in charge with his 'girls' from the first floor of the burning glossy club, paying attention to each whore so that they won't try to run away or escape with his money.

It took every cell of the iron self-restraint he had for the Uchiha heir to not flicker to that man and pulverize him.

He had to hand it to the dobe that time, for Naruto has been right about a net of prostitution being lead from that place and conjuring the bosses.

"Please... just let me keep you company for a while." His viciously dangerous onyx hues returned back to the woman, who looked like she has seen the Devil himself and she half moaned and half begged, knowing that he wasn't interested in whatever she had to offer, but if she failed, a much worse predicament waited for her. "I promise I will make it worth it."

The object of his rage wasn't the absolutely pitiful and miserable skinny woman before him, but his own Vampire reign.

Sasuke felt deeply insulted to even be of the same species with such creatures. Was that the very essence of a Vampire? The girl looked abused and anorexic and drugged and they were probably beating her if she failed to pleasure her client, which was revolting.

Someone like her should be in school, go shopping, hang out with her friends, have a lover and enjoy life, and not have puffy eyes from crying, concealed by heavy disgusting makeup that didn't suit her and have her body abused in various ways that were making Sasuke's mind burn in revolt.

There were visible fangs marks all over her body, some new and some scarred and old, from all her clients.

Naruto, who has seen that Sasuke has stopped without a warning, was quick on his side, hollering so that his interlocutor would hear him, with the blasting sinister music piercing through their eardrums.

"Teme, what the fuck man? C'mon, stop fooling around. Mom is going to ground me again and threat me to enroll me into the Navy if I am not home until 3 a. m!"

No matter if she was a noble pure-blood Vampire, Kushina had her solid principles and habits and demanded his son to lead a normal life, and part of her odd behavior were due to respect to her deceased husband, Minato, who was a mortal like his son.

At first, the cerulean eyed Uzumaki was heavily confused when he saw the Uchiha before him embracing a woman, being more than ready to leash forward and punch him into the next century, but then he quickly saw the stiffness of his broad shoulders as he was basically forcing himself to not explode and the woman`s tensed attitude.

Sasuke abruptly spun the girl around so as to bring her flush into his chest, attaching his lips to her ear and whispering.

"You should value yourself more." Inconspicuously, so as no one would see what he was doing, the ebony haired Uchiha slide a pile of money on her stunned small hand, which were more than enough for her to escape there and live for some months until she found a decent job.

For any other eye of any witness, he looked like he was kissing her and playing with her hair, doing what she was supposed to do, namely lure him and charm him.

Puppy orbs turned wide as plates when the girl understood his generous gesture and almost flinched when a hand went to tuck a strand of hair around her ear, searching for the eyes of the gorgeous stranger, observing him with gratitude in her eyes.

She could smell his delicious scent and felt the warmth and strength of his touch. "Go. He will not follow you. I give you my word."

Her orbs flew wide in shock, as she remained petrified into his arms, loss of what should she do or if she should trust him –she knew she would be dead if he was tricking her- but something about the way he crept a small side smirk to her assured her that whoever that man was, he wasn't a liar. She felt bad for not having a way to repay him. "B-But, Mr... I should-"

"Do not make me repeat myself, because it is so annoying." Sasuke exhaled heavily, letting go of her waist and racking a hand through his disheveled soft hair, spinning around swiftly and going after Naruto, who stopped few steps far from them, so as to not raise suspicion, but enough to have his friend on his field of view. From the corner of his sizzling onyx orbs, Sasuke could clearly see that the brute was looking after the runaway girl who was slipping past the grinding bodies, trying to scurry outside.

"Bastard, what were you-" Seeing that Sasuke was steadily heading into the direction of a male the size of mountain, who seemed to guard a door concealed by a black velvet curtain, looking smugly around, he dashed after his friend, blabbering.

"Shut up and follow." Sasuke growled at Naruto, as he picked up his sleek pace, nearly flying over the polished floor, seeing as that disgusting Vampire or half-breed –damn Orochimaru for making them so reminiscent to the traditional Immortals- has conjured another bulky male, whispering as the other one nodded to him, pointing in the direction of the running woman, swirling a large knife on his right hand, grinning mischievously.

The midnight haired Uchiha could easily depict the arousal of his lust for blood rushing down his system, imagining him ripping off their throats.

"Those two clowns…" Sky azurite orbs set on the things that Sasuke has pointed at, understanding why was his friend so adamant in heading towards that place. "...are part of Orochimaru's circus."

It was everything that Naruto needed to hear, already grinning and having a hand upon his leather belt, that cupped his equally black luscious skinny pants to his slim hips as they were approaching the aforementioned guards. "Can I at least shoot one of them?"

"No."

"Aw man, seriously? Where is the fun in not putting a bullet or two down their skulls? You know they deserve it, dattebayou!"

Sasuke didn't even flickered his onyx eyes on Naruto`s complaining whiskered figure to shot him a smartass retort for using such unmannered and colloquial foul language, because the two disgusting men were already on his view, as his swift menacing steps were getting him nearer to whatever secret door they were guarding.

The moment they took a glimpse of a pitch ebony haired man and his blonde counterpart, the two of them scowled and straightened their spines, speaking loud and firm. "This is an exclusive area. No commoners allowed."

To emphasize their objective, they pushed their broad chest like two smug chauvinistic cocks, crossing their arms to give them a more menacing aura, and glared at the ebony haired Uchiha hard and vicious.

Naruto, who briskly joined his raven haired Uchiha`s side, discourteously rolled his aquamarine azurite eyes at their lame attempt to be intimidating and flickered a quick rear glance at his best friend, resisting the urge to erupt in an abrupt fit of laughter.

The Uchiha didn't have any sort of reaction written over his handsome face, looking as autistic as ever, but Naruto knew it all too well that it was just a mask for the rage he probably felt at the moment, although it was absolutely illegible from his steel attitude.

It still fascinated Naruto how in the world Sasuke could muster that phlegmatic indomitable stoic appearance, being so nonchalant when doing it.

"Step aside and let me pass." Oh, the way he basically spat those words out of his thin firm lips almost had Naruto take a step back, sounding darker than the Ruler of twilight himself. "Now." They better move the fuck out of his way, or else… Naruto didn't want to think about what might happen to their bodies if they disobeyed.

He so so hoped they would, because the cerulean eyed Uzumaki was bored out of his mind and Sasuke has always been so reticent and strict when killing traitorous Vampires and half-breeds, the party-popper.

Now expecting them to bend to his hard still cold and rude command, Sasuke trust a step forward, but the brute before him, who was lightly shorter than the Uchiha, but visibly bulkier and apparently physically stronger, placed a rough bold hand down his shoulder, brutally pushing him back, while Sasuke didn't budge.

An indecipherable eerie look travelled from the man`s stretched hand, resting on his shoulder, ruffling his clothes, to his face, resisting the need to smirk at his expression. He was visibly red from all the effort he had to put in that insignificant gesture. "I said, no visitor-"

"If you are smart, which I highly doubt it," Sasuke growled at him low and rich, like a beast, fisting his own hand into the black collar of his navy shirt, fiercely hauling him down to greet his venomous onyx orbs, hissing into his face like a Cobra.

"You would do as I instructed. I am granting you one last chance to step aside. Be smart and don't create unnecessarily havoc. There will be plenty of chances to do so after we are finished here."

"Hey, are you fucking deaf-"

A guttural exasperated sigh escaped past Sasuke`s lips, as he shut his eyes to calm himself down and not rip off his throat, his voice lackluster yet incredibly sharp. "I have forewarned you, but you foolishly chose to defy me."

In a nanosecond, both his hands curled around their bulky sweating throats, almost making the bones and jugulars crumble into his inhumane grip and threw them inside the door they were safeguarding, behind the velvet fluttering curtain, audaciously stepping nonchalantly inside. "Wrong decision." Naruto was right on his tail.

---

Both the rebel Vampires allowed themselves to step into a darkened room, reeking with an unpleasant heavy scent of blood, sex and weed piercing their nostrils. A deafening sultry gothic melody was blasting through the stereos muffling the sounds of the orgy enfolding there, creating a vicious thick atmosphere of pure dementia.

Multiple leather and plush L shaped sofas with men sowed all over it, accompanied by skimpy clad promiscuous women, drinking, smoking, as throats were puncturing by short thick fangs, blood flowing past glistening with alcohol, were building up a grotesque partying and clubbing atmosphere.

Greedy lips were met in a disgusting bold and sexual carnal thirst, men were fingering them under the mini skirts and dresses that were barely concealing their porcelain skin feverously and moans erupted from their purple and crimson rouged lips, juices flowing down their thighs as blood surged from their necks.

Sasuke felt a churn inside his stomach, crunching nose to prevent himself from violently puking right there and then.

That was ten times worse than what he witnessed on the previous main room of the club.

The stench there was absolutely insupportable for someone with his senses and Sasuke quickly covered his nose with his palm. He absolutely abhorred that type of entertainment and not to mention that place.

"Aw man, look at all this mess here! What the heck?!" Said Uzumaki blonde had a sensitive nose and had a hand cover his mouth carefully strolling beside Sasuke almost tripping on a rolling empty bottle, formulating a rude curse of choice as he followed Sasuke deeper in the room.

Roars of laughter roared all over the place, immixing with the sickening euphoric music as everyone was too high or stoned to take notice of their presence, save for a few attentive women.

In the middle of the farthest sofa, a familiar character was too engulfed into his own pleasure to observe Sasuke and Naruto steadily approaching him.

He was fervently sucking the blood of a blonde woman who was leaning with his head prompted on his shoulder, from behind the sofa, looking half death and half lost in bliss -probably drugged since half breeds couldn't offer satisfaction and their fangs are not fine but sharper and painful- a hand gripping a fist of her hair while another skimpy woman was sprawled on her knees, nesting in between his spread wide legs, sucking him eagerly, as his left hand was harshly tugging on her high ponytail, thrusting viciously inside her mouth.

Naruto already had a hand slipped into his jacket, where a silver gun was eagerly waiting to be used, when another woman coming of nowhere, swayed to his raven haired friend, hips undulating sensually like a snake`s, but unlike the innocent helpless girl before her, that one was on another level of sultriness.

She boldly came in front of Sasuke successfully stopping himself from advancing towards his number one target for the night, and pushed herself into his hard steel body, running a palm over the slim fitting dark blouse that rippled over his pectorals, purring like an Egyptian cat. "Young Master, Sasuke-sama…"

Her half split pierced long tongue rolled his name in a banshee like spell bounding low way, tracing it over her sharp long lustrous fangs, as a dainty trace of blood decorated the sharp tip, being sensuous, dark and seductive.

"What a pleasure indeed. How may I be of any of your help?" She skimmed her hand down his chiseled abdomen, attempting to decrease deeper to his navel and the front of his pants when he stopped her halfway, with a steel unbeatable grasp on her wrist until the fine bones almost cracked. She let out a loud robotic screech that made Sasuke`s eardrums vibrate painfully.

For the love of-

She has just dropped out his name. Sasuke gave her a smug superficial once over confirming his suspicion.

Black leather G-string, high lacquer boots, a loose net tank top squashing her visible big round breasts and she wore no bra underneath, nipples erect and pressed on his chest. She said his name and the suffix that signalizing his social status, meaning that she was a full-fledged Vampire, and not a half-breed or a turned Vampire.

His mercy dissipated in the span of a nanosecond being replaced by an immensurable disgust. He growled mincingly to her.

"Touch me once again and you will lose it." Not giving the woman a chance to swoon and drool further at his hot attitude and looks, Sasuke forcefully twisted her wrist and threw the vampire prostitute on one of the random round glass tables, where a group of men in dark expensive suits were focusing on their game of cards.

"Filthy harlots…" Now he had to burn his clothes because Hell might only knew where those hands of hers have been wandering before touching –tainting- him, Sasuke viciously let out a course of disarray curses, urging a snickering Naruto to follow him. Why the heck was that dobe laughing at?

Next thing he knew, he was right in front of an euphoric looking drunk Yakushi Kabuto, who hasn't even sensed Sasuke and Naruto approach him and nor did his guards, who were all busy with their respective sluts.

Sasuke leaned forward and forcefully gripped his slim throat cutting down his air supply, gaining the aforementioned character`s undivided attention. He stopped thrusting into his whore`s mouth and drink from the innocent neck of the other –she was human, oh Havens.

Sasuke saw bloody crimson red before his eyes, and it wasn't caused by the Sharingan.

As soon as his dirty sharp razor fangs detached from her bruised neck, Naruto caught her into his arms and checked on her vital signs, while the one who was orally pleasuring let out a cry and scurried the hell out of there sensing danger.

That was clearly another disgusting Vampire woman in search for animalistic dirty sexual pleasure, and not money. Vampires had plenty of money, and that was never their number one priority. But carnal pleasures were other story.

"H-Heyyy… w-what the..." Kabuto slurred at the pair of blazing obsidian orbs pinning him with the most evil stare he has ever seen, clearly drunk as hell and not recognizing Sasuke from the first time.

Then when he realized that he was being prevented from breathing –half-breeds needed oxygen to live, unlike Vampires who didn't need to breathe so frequently- Kabuto started to trash, squirm and slap Sasuke`s hand away, but the ebony haired Uchiha Prince tucked him towards his left fist, as it connected to his jaw, punching him hard once.

Dark repulsive blood sprayed out of his mouth as his fangs pressed on his lower lip, splitting it in two fine blood lines.

"You have always made me repulsed, Kabuto." Said man coughed twice, blinking rapidly and trying to come into his senses as he had much alcohol running into his body. When realization stroke him like a high fever, his dark round eyes flew wide and almost budging out of their sockets.

Uchiha… Sasuke!

His demented lips broke in half as he threw his head backwards and let out a manic sinister laughter. "Hahaha, the great rebel Prince Sasuke-kun, decided to get his pretty hands dirty and come to the snake's den himself!"

There was much derision and insult into those words that he had the audacity to spat into Sasuke`s face.

The perturbing metal music suddenly stopped as his pig half human half vampires laughed and roared along, all hearing what their 'Boss' has just said.

But everyone seemed to blatantly ignore one single detail: Sasuke was still the one who had a hand fisted into the collar of his luscious purple shirt and the imprint of his knuckles was tattooed on his bruised jaw.

The Uchiha was holding his stance eminent and illustrious, not even curbing his shoulders to dip forward, only his onyx orbs were cast down on Kabuto, repulse and disgust clearly written all over, while his regal chin was still royally held up.

"You test my patience Yakushi Kabuto. And mind telling you, I have never been a lenient man." As if to highlight the swell of his menacing threat, Sasuke tightened his grip around Kabuto`s neck when he suddenly tried to jerk out of his grip and get free.

"I have granted you an ultimatum last time we have met, but like always, you lowlife underlings pathetic excuses of half immortals chose to disobey me and thus forced me to personally descend into your world of filth and garbage."

Last time they scouted the places where Vampires and half-breeds fancied to meet and agree on coming together into doing illegal stuff, Sasuke and his gang has cornered them too and warned Kabuto –and indirectly, Orochimaru who was the master puppeteer- about prostitutes drugs illegal bets and warned them to stop hurting civilains. "And you know that I would rather not get involved."

"Fuck you, Uchiha!" Kabuto gnarled viciously and spat Sasuke in the face, as the undeniable stench of his saliva and blood and reeked of sewer and that made Sasuke even more disgusted.

His onyx orbs shut down briefly and a deep scowl bedecked his handsome face. Naruto took a wise large step back, using the back of his right hand to heal the blonde`s wounds forcing a replenishing blood pill down her mouth, since she was severely injured, thinking for himself.

'Uh-oh', that was clearly not a wise defying move coming from someone like Kabuto. If there was something that clearly enraged Sasuke and made his tranquil demeanor and self-control crumble like bricks under a thunder bolt, was being affronted in such a low inelegant way.

The honey haired Uzumaki could clearly feel pure rage soar to his friend`s body, as his entire musculature tensed, his jaw clenched until his teeth were grazing and his nostrils were puffing like Chinese dragons, spitting flames from their mouths.

That was never a good sign. Sasuke was the type of man to rarely lose his temper, but when he did… "You lowlifes motherfuckers are not Gods and definitely not our Gods or Kings or whatever the fuck you think you are! We don't take orders from scums like you, Uchiha! Here, no one recognize your word! The word of a pussy Prince, unworthy of his family name and inheritance!"

He spat the reality of the underground straight into Sasuke`s and the fact that he didn't accept his father's commend and recognized him as their Leader.

Sasuke was well aware of the fact that Uchiha was losing authority among the half-breeds and more and more Vampires turned their backs on him and joined the 'other side', teaming up with Orochimaru.

The games and battles for power were far from over; they were as ancient as history and would last as long as Vampires would populate the world.

It was a never-ending curse and war.

"If your convictions are such…" Sasuke started lowly like his voice wasn't belonging to such a graceful looking gorgeous man, but to a robot, he easily lifted Kabuto up in the air like he weighed nothing, until his pointed lacquer black shoes unglued from the floor by his fine grey Armani shirt stained from all the blood leaking from his face and squeezed his onyx orbs shut, his forehead crippling from the frown he had plastered over his visage.

And when he let them shine for the world again, Kabuto`s body benumbed into his grip and his limbs fell limp on his side, freezing under his magnetizing implacable force.

Sasuke simply threw him back on the sofa, both falling backwards from the impact and the power that Sasuke has applied, all the while the lethal Uchiha didn't flickered an inch from where he stood, proud, menacing and arrogant ,like he was the owner of the place and no one dared to interfere.

"Then I find myself obliged to refresh your memory and remind of who exactly I am."

And by that, Sasuke didn't mean to flash those people his title as a Ruler –an appellation that he wasn't content with- because he knew that his father was overlooking them, hence the fact that they were still gathering and plotting, otherwise, the Uchihas would have long dealt with them and erased them from history.

Fugaku`s youngest son meant that he was a certified rebel who showed no mercy to his enemies.

The boisterous bang of Kabuto being tossed down like a dirty bag rung across the room, and havoc erupted.

Suddenly, there were shrieking harlots scattered all over trying to make a run for it, screaming horrified men attempting to get their asses out of the place, sensing the danger knocking on their doors, jaws dropped in shock when the name Uchiha Sasuke has been dropped for the first time, but Naruto was firmly planted in front of the only exit arms crossed upon his protruding wide pectorals, barking.

"No one leaves this room! Everyone shut your mouths and stay put!"

Kabuto collected himself from the floor, whipping the blood off his face with the hem of his shirt and a gun in his right stretch hand, pointed right to at Sasuke who instantly pulled out his own one and shouted twice in Kabuto`s knees, without even blinking or giving the child carbon copy of his serpent Boss a change to flirt with the idea of threatening him or even shoot.

Just as smooth and precise, Sasuke shot a third bullet into his shoulder and forced Kabuto to drop his gun and everything happened in the span of a second.

The man before the ebony haired Uchiha dropped on his knees like he was sending prayers to Heaven and winced in sheer agony, yelling at the top of his lungs. "You motherfuking cocksucker asswipe-"

The Uchiha cut the words out of his mouth, before he had the chance to complete his vicious curse, being more deadly than the gun he was holding in his left hand.

"The only reason why I don't decapitate you right on the spot until you bleed and end up your worthless meaningless existence Kabuto, is because I want you to convey this message to your filthy serpent Boss." He started dangerously pure venom dripping from his mouth.

Then Sasuke spun around and into seconds flat the Uchiha did something very atypical to him, namely shoot every single man in the room in the forehead killing them all.

Kabuto recognized the innovative concept of the bullets that Sasuke used: silver bullets with platinum and gold alloy coating -lethal for half Vampires because it stopped the regenerative process of their cells.

To put it simply, it was a very effective way of easily killing them. Almost inoffensive to full pure blood Vampires, save for few injuries which would heal –since Immortals were required to bleed until their bodies would remain dry of the blood that nourished their already dead bodies- but fatal to half-breeds.

Before Kabuto had the chance to open up his mouth and sneer at him, Sasuke whipped his head to him as his charcoal hued longer bangs scattered all over his temples and eyes bleed in the color of rubies, being colder than the veils of ice and darkness.

"Either he returns to the pits of the earth where he belongs to and take all of his puppets with him, or you will all share his fate." meaning that Sasuke would personally kill Orochimaru if he needed to.

"Y-You can't do this! You cannot just come here and mess with our business like that!"

"I assume you wouldn't mind another demonstration of all the things I can do, am I right in my assumption? Careful Kabuto," A satanic smirk framed Sasuke`s thin lips, as he slowly allowed the maroon hue of his Sharingan saturate with the violet distinctive shade of Rinnegan, arrogantly flashing in the sinister pattern and Kabuto`s face drained of color and his orbs froze in unadulterated shock, horror written all over his face.

Not many knew of the existence of the Rinnegan and the ones that did have acknowledge over the eyes of the founder of Vampires himself branded it as a legend, but Sasuke decided that it was time to make it reputed and let them know that the inheritance of Rikudo Sannin was real and alive, flaring into Fugaku`s youngest child`s left eye.

"Dobe…"

"Osu!" The blonde hollered from the other side of the room, cheering behind him.

"How many of the drugs cartels and prostitution markets do they monopolize both in Konoha and Suna?"

If Kabuto`s orbs were horrified by the pattern of the pinning Rinnegan which kept him trapped on place with that pulverizing stare alone, then the prospect of losing his business and an important source of their illegal money made his eyeballs roll on the floor.

No one knew about that, except for Orochimaru and some trustful subordinates and they gained an important amount of money from that business.

"About sixty percent if Neji is correct." The blonde smoothly replied and Sasuke smirked at the scared look on Kabuto's face, enjoying the scent of dread that oozed from every of his pore. He should be afraid, giving the fact that Sasuke had the power to crush him by merely lift a finger or blink once and that absoluteness was slowly sinking down into Kabuto`s skull.

Uchiha Sasuke was… on a league of his own. He alone had the unsullied invulnerable power to crush them ALL if his desires were such, Orochimaru included and that fact was enough to bring fear into someone as strong and famous as Kabuto Yakushi, Orochimaru`s right hand man.

Not to mention that Uzumaki Naruto was there with him, being his sworn brother and having his skills probably on par with the Uchiha`s. The rebels… became too dangerous. To everyone, even Fugaku.

"Which means that if we dispose of their Heads now," Sasuke started, his scrutinizing deadly orbs never leaving Kabuto`s horrified visage. "The criminality rate with lower with at least fifty percent. You are behind the last two attacks, Kabuto, but this time around, you succeeded into making into the headlines. It never came to me that you were hungry for attention."

What Sasuke was strongly emphasizing, was the fact that Orochimaru was standing out too much and that contradicted the pact they had with the government: Vampires must stay away from people and not to merge into their lives, as much as they could.

Of course, it didn't apply to business, since Vampire`s corporations were on the top of the stocks markets and supported the national economies.

And the half-breeds` recent attacks, were besmirching the reputation of the Pure Bloods as well, which was highly inconvenient.

"If you want to start a war, you are all alone in this!" Kabuto barked a reprehensible ironic laughter spitting the words into the Uchiha`s sinister twisted face.

"No one supports you in your insurrection! Not even your own family! The great Uchiha should stop playing the damn saints because they also kill and drink blood just like us! What makes you better than us, huh?! Your names alone?! Reputation?! Power?! The fact that you are ruthless and unforgiving?!"

Kabuto was steadily losing his temper, his cheeks turned the color of crimson red, alcohol was painting his figure and clouded his mind and words, while Sasuke pinned him down with a stare so intense, that the blazing Hell was a small child compared to it, letting him go on with his tirade.

Inwardly, he was envisioning himself brutally murdering the man in front of him, being so sick of playing the same game of mouse and cat with Orochimaru and his bastards, but he couldn't kill the Higher-ups of the half-breeds.

Those half human and half Vampires were part of their community, they were a large number of a new cross species and ultimately, someone that couldn't be ignored and murdering them all and leave a massacred behind to haunt the minds of their successors for decades was not an option and not a bridge to peace.

Words were more prolific on a long run than any other destructive weapons, as fine politics and eloquent smart compromises were the keys to universal peace and Sasuke was conscious about that fact. It still irked him, though… maybe he should let Naruto throw some punches to decorate his smug face.

Kabuto and his half-breed peers knew it all too well that the Prince wasn't content with the current dogmas.

Sasuke said nothing but let it vent out until he calmed down completely. If anything, the Uchiha heir simply couldn't stand talking to anyone who lost control over their emotions and let reason be clouded and impaled by rage and hate. He found it extremely unprofessional, impolite and unsophisticated.

"You took us by surprise but you won`t take us down! Orochimaru-sama is stronger than you, did you hear me Uchiha?! So you and your fucked up pathetic weak friends can go and very much fuck yourselves `cos you won't take us down anytime soon! You are all tough talk but you can't kill me! You can't cos you know that you will anger him!"

Upon depicting the word of 'fear' into Kabuto`s risqué language, Sasuke surprised his audience by allowing a smirk to form at the corner of his mouth, catching Kabuto out of guard.

"You are a fool if you think that you mean anything more to him than an obedient lap dog. It is obsequiousness the thing that keeps you alive, Kabuto. So quit the bravado and shut your vulgar mouth…"

A suddenly trembling Kabuto gaped in horror as he was impaled by the brilliant flouting color of violet blazing into Sasuke`s left eye, following the revolution of the pitch dark comas embellishing the lilac spheres of the familiar Rinnegan pattern, as a technique that he hasn't seen before had him charged by an invisible force that kept him frozen on place and uplifted him from the ground, levitating above the fallen couch. "Or I will gladly do it for you, if you don't obey."

Just as Naruto was cracking his skull at what weird technique was his friend using to imitate telekinesis, Kiba and Neji step inside the room, immediately crunching their noses in utter repulsiveness, gasping at the unexpected mess around them.

Kiba instantly got a knock on the pits of his stomach, immediately being invaded by the abhorrent reek of dark blood surging from the impaled bodies around him, fighting against the urge to vomit, stepping carefully on the rolling bottles and squeezing his orbs to make out the outlines of the standing occupants of the room, scurrying to Naruto, swearing viciously. "Whoa! What the heck dudes? What is with this mess?"

"I thought we follow your instructs to be as discrete as possible, Sasuke." Neji stated empathically as the bleeding milky protruding fine veins creased at the corners of his orbs to take in the dead people and half-breeds scattered over the floor and he almost gasped when he realized that there were Pure Blood Vampires among the impaled ones, thought those weren't dead… yet, but still bleeding heavily and weakened.

What the hell was going on there? Has Sasuke lost his mind?

"And I thought that they have already learned their lesson, but I found out that they were very adamant in proving me wrong."

The Uchiha responded carelessly as if nothing happened, whirling on his heel to face his comrades, breaking the Jutsu he cast –and successfully tried- upon a falling Kabuto, who was still shaking and puzzled by the extreme behavior of the Uchiha Prince, letting his orbs return to the usual onyx color, not wanting to give them anything more to nag him with, as disclosing his new techniques to them.

But he still gnarled through his teeth at Kabuto knowing that the man was having his eyes all on him. "Consider this as your last warning. And one more thing: The reason why you are still alive is because it is actually not in my job to play the hero, but the Vampires Hunters'. Kakashi will deal with the rest."

Sasuke grounded smoothly but lethal and venomous, while he fought against the need to let his onyx orbs spin until they hit the back of his head at the deadpanning expressions dancing on his friends` figures.

What the heck was their problem? "Clean this mess before you go. Make sure you free all the human girls. See if any of them need medical attention, and escort the critical ones to the hospital. Contact Tsunade Senju if necessary." He briefly instructed.

"No way man, she will bitch us around!" Kiba was the first to protest as if Sasuke has suggested the most outrageous ting and giving her volcanic temper and the way she snapped at everything that wronged her, it was not such a beaming prospect, but a rough elbow looking for his ribs and coming from Neji stopped him from turning into a whining woman. "Hey, what's the big deal, man?"

"Still better than have him preach us further, you idiot." The margarite eyed Hyuga heir whispered back to the boisterous Kiba, annoyed by his lack of tact.

Clearly something must have pissed the Uchiha pretty bad if he went farther than normally to intimidate those snakes.

And when those rarely moments when Sasuke was angry enfolded before their eyes, he was putting much characteristic passion into it.

They would better not get him angry..."Stop acting like a spoiled brat and give me a hand. I have three courses tomorrow morning."

"Psh, who cares about that shit? You already studied in advance, didn't you? Geek..."

"How did you call me?"

Azurite narrowed orbs were following the coward silhouette of Kabuto hiding into the shadows and making a run for it using a secluded back door, as soon as Sasuke drifted his indomitable attention to something else.

"Do we let him go away like that?" He arched an eyebrow up at Neji, who also observed that Orochimaru`s right hand man has been permitted to vanish from their field of view.

"Can't help it since our hands are tied. Sasuke is right, this is not our job."

"I wished we could slit his throat and get it over with once and for all. This is getting just like Shikamaru says... troublesome."

Naruto would have absolutely no problem in dealing with Orochimaru and Kabuto since that was something that he couldn't agree with Sasuke The Uchiha was being too lenient and permissive in his approach and that was only causing them more trouble.

Yes, he knew exactly about his aversion and repulsiveness over his father`s ways of ruling, as well as the dogmas of their Vampire peers and the sadistic pleasure for blood and revenge, but seriously, he couldn't possibly be so naïve into thinking that he would gain more authority and notoriety by always overlooking such behavior.

That was the reason why the whispers thrown among the population of the underground world travelled as a piece of gossip stating that the Uchiha heir has lost his touch and even powers, which was utterly ridiculous.

What the heck was going on in that intricate mind of his raven haired friend? Sasuke clearly not stopped believing into his convictions, he loathed Vampires more than ever and he was stronger than ever and he was clearly not intending to stop there.

Those were the things that bothered Naruto`s mind for as long as he followed his small group outside the room that was reeking for heavy smoke and lingering stench of dead, outside into the main club.

Music wasn't blasting like when they first entered the place. The once vivid atmosphere crushed the moment their guns went off, leaving the place eerily empty, save for the personnel and the bodyguards, but no security dared to approach them.

There were still some occupants spread over the sofas, consisting in confused men and scared trembling harlots decorating their laps, eying them suspiciously through their stoned glossy orbs, but Sasuke kept on focusing straight ahead, not acknowledging anyone. "It is unusual for you to be so... offensive Teme."

Naruto came beside him, silently questioning his friend`s unusual behavior. Sasuke was, by no means, violent. Yes, he was a Pure Blood Uchiha Vampire and definitely had was a darker bloodthirsty homicidal inner side, but he was keeping it in full control. "What went to you today to kill so many of them?"

Sasuke knew exactly what puzzled his friends, but he desisted from giving him the answer he was suspecting: Sakura.

Somehow… looking into the eyes of the young woman attacked in the back of that building and the pathetic pitiful whore who clung to him like he was a lifesaver, the obsidian eyed Uchiha simply couldn't control himself when his eyes landed on the cause of the problem –Kabuto, Orochimaru`s messenger.

A terrifying thought has grown roots inside his mind, one that he couldn't stop from blooming" one of the two young women could have been Sakura and that figment alone has been sufficient into fueling the tank of the thirst to kill some of them.

There was always a limit to everything, even ETERNITY. Some considered reincarnation to be the end of a paradisiac life. And so Sasuke`s patience was also confined and it just happened to run extremely low that night.

So he cryptically told to his cerulean eyed whiskered tanned friend, on a tone that left no room for further inquiry. "They went too far for my liking and they think we lack manpower and grow soft and lenient. I want them to know that such unacceptable le behavior will not be permitted as long as we are still standing here."

"Heh... you just like to play the bad guy cos you know ladies love it.", Content with the reasonable lucid answer of his onyx eyed conceited friend, Naruto decided to swap his approach to a more satirical one, snickering to him. "Especially one particular pink haired beautiful dragonfly."

Sasuke simply frowned deeply at the indecent imply of his friend`s words, punching him briskly on his shoulder, but Naruto didn't even flinch, only cackling more like an evil angel in disguise.

"You are an idiot like always, dobe." What Sasuke also didn't forget and Naruto`s words ringing down his eardrums only enhanced that horrifying experience, was that Sakura has also been terrified by that ferocious barbaric slip into his tranquil and composed usual demeanor and that didn't sit right with him. IF anything, Sasuke didn't aim for Sakura to be scared of him, never.

Not after he learned that he was his…

Self-animadversion and disgust over his actions and the sway in his self-control got Sasuke extremely repulsed and the fear sizzling into those petrified emerald orbs had him It killed him.

Over the decades, the youngest rebel child of the Uchiha clan has been meticulously educating himself into not indulging into the monster that his family wanted him to be and took from his vile savage Vampire side only the good parts and its benefits such as the extraordinary powers and ability to mold chakra.

---

"You're such a pompous sick bastard." Naruto rolled his eyes at Sasuke`s visible internal struggle, finding it funny how his friend was so young yet had the mentality of a grandpa or his ancestor`s, throwing a peep at his wristwatch, cursing under his breath. "Is already 2 a. m? Damn it, mom is gonna kill me and cut down my allowance!"

"You are wasting it on Ramen anyways."

"Did you leave Sakura-chan home alone?"

"She is with Ino."

"Did you leave Sakura-chan home alone with Ino?" Naruto had a very precise purpose in his wicked conspiring and scheming mind from the moment he decided to call and send her to Sasuke`s home and that was good blackmail material on the raven haired Uchiha Vampire.

Ino had no pardon when it came to gossiping about others` private lives and what better way to get his friend cornered than let Sakura know about how much of a bastard he was than have Ino open up her mouth?

Of course, he didn't mean to make Sasuke look bad, only less… perfect. Because being splendid was scary. "Oho, I can bet she knows every embarrassing stuff about ya by now, bwhaha!"

"They went for a round of midnight shopping." Why the heck were they still talking about that and why was Naruto plotting behind his back, coaxing his friends into participating to that charade, was unknown to Sasuke. Maybe the blonde should get his beating earlier and deliver his sorry ass to Kushina covered in stitches.

But then that crazy woman would bitch at them to no end and kill them both.

"You left two ladies alone night shopping with all this attacks going on lately? We are vulnerable because we play Batman and Robin and Sakura-chan is a tempting mortal. Have you lost your goddamn mind, Teme?"

"Didn't you hear that Ino is keeping her company? You know what kind of woman she is." I o was a rather sensitive and delicate woman, but when it came to half-breeds and Vampires assaulting and abusing mortals, she had a flip of personality and grew ruthless and in for torture. What was even more frightening, was that she was highly skilled in that domain.

Once, their platinum blonde female member of the group, took down an entire gang off twenty half breed alone and didn't broke a single nail while she whipped the floor with them, for attacking a group of Elementary students who were visiting an arts museum.

"And you forget that they are evolving, got stronger, rose in number and hate us more than ever. Next time they will strike, it won't be that simple." Sasuke also knew that, he felt it on Kabuto`s demeanor that his turbulent rebellion was coming from confidence and his aplomb has been a result of Orochimaru`s successfully vile sickening experiments.

But there was also something else that Sasuke knew for a fact and it had him rest assured –for then- that they won't go as far as to attack Ino and Sakura.

"It is my head they demand, not yours." Sasuke knew that Uchihas had many sworn enemies and they wanted the heir's blood to be spilled. Itachi was keeping a low profile and didn't strike as much but Sasuke was opposing them publicly and Naruto knew that he meant he had two enemies: family and its adepts and half breeds which were the second most powerful after Uchihas.

But he had support of Hunters and families of his friends which were members of the Council. Unfortunately many prominent families were supporting Fugaku not wanting to give in the privilege of drinking blood.

Blood pills were insult and admit they had addiction weakness, like they were sick needing cure. Strong refused to bent to the weaker race.

It was complicated to give up lower ranked creatures. Power blinded and separated family friends and lovers just like fright shattered bonds and oaths, ultimately causing a segregation of hate within one family and their entourage.

The moment their small platoon stepped outside that damned club of demons, a cool night has met their racing hot blood, in a pleasant soothing way. There was a half crescent dazzling mysterious moon peeping from the plush velvet clouds, and a serene draft flurried his long ebony locks, framing his face.

Sasuke scowled deeply as he realized that he smelled heavily of cheap perfume, smoke and blood. He needed a goddamn shower and fast because that stench was insulting. His fingers were flying over his phone, sending a short message to Ino instructing her to take Sakura home as fast as possible, because they were ready and kind of… overdid it that night.

If anything ,Naruto was right and Sasuke didn't like to risk uselessly.

"Teme," Naruto started out of the blue, coming to stand beside his onyx eyed friend, tapping his left shoulder, giving it a little squeeze in reassurance. "I know it's a pain in the ass bit you're bot alone in this. We are all here to support you and soon enough, the others will hear our voice and join us. Shikamaru told me that there is a strong supporting movement led by the Akasuna brothers in Suna and they share our point of view and teamed up with the humans. They sought for a platoon of Hunters to scout in Suna's clubs and watch the streets.

They have a little over seventy followers and their popularity is growing." Akasuna were a noble family of Pure blood Vampire with an ancient tradition and a reputed history in the city of Sunagakure and hearing such great news made Sasuke feel grateful for that luck.

He said nothing in return as his face remained expressionless and reserved, but his eyes were deep and content as Naruto flawlessly read into those obsidian infinite pools.

He was also crushing Kabuto`s empty useless words, when he stated that Sasuke was alone in his rebellion; he was not. He had his friends to back him up whenever, Itachi included. And then came Sakura to crumble the boulder in his heart. He was anything but alone he was not.

He knew that Sasuke was solitary in fighting with both his family and enemies and constantly playing with fire but their convictions were getting to the others. They had the proof that they were perfectly capable to change something in the conservatory mentality of the Vampires. They were slowly getting to understand their ideology and fraternize with their purpose.

"This is indeed very good news."

"I hate to be the one to break the bad news to you." Shikamaru popped up in between the Uchiha and his solar counterpart, jumping from a building and landing gracefully and silently on the ground, being inconspicuous enough to scare the living daylights out of Naruto, who almost jumped in scare.

"Man I hate it when you do that!"

Ignoring the Uzumaki`s winnings of complain at the way Shikamaru seemed like deeply amused to always trick him, Sasuke injected flatly. "What is it?"

There was probably something serious going on since Shikamaru`s usually blasé lethargic tone turned serious and involved. "Pops has called me short after I escorted that chick to her home. It is such a drag, but it looks like your father has called for the Council to meet by tomorrow and it has something to do with the Vampire Hunters."

"Whoa- hold on a sec! Are you kidding us!" Naruto`s orbs widened in pure horror, whipping his head towards his motionless friend who was the personification of a statue. "Why would Times dad call up for the Council?!

And what does it have to do with Kakashi sensei and the Hunters?" Summoning the Council of Vampires was never a good sign; in fact, it only happened only a few times during the day when the successors of the first Rulers took over and met for the first time and it was always for grave problems. Last time the Council has met, was to discuss the problem of Orochimaru.

"I have no idea. My mom has found out that from Mikoto sama but she doesn't know much either. Guess we are going to find out soon."

Shikamaru`s gaze flickered to Sasuke`s impassive visage, not able to penetrate that indecipherable hard steel look. "Maybe the heir has more information about that and he might want to share it the with the rest of us…"

They surprised eyes of Neji, Kiba, Shikamaru and Naruto were all set on Sasuke`s onyx ones, waiting for an answer of enlightenment. "Teme? Did your father called you about that?"

Sasuke would have laughed at that, but the issue was far too pressing and urgent to express amusement. Fugaku hardly called him and when he did, it was usually for a boring business related problem, but never personal.

Instead, the Uchiha Prince simply kept on being silent as a grave. Even a tombstone would have been more vocal than he was in that moment.

He definitely foreseen it that Fugaku would summon the Council as soon as that particular information about Sakura would reach his ears, though he didn't quite expect his father to be so fast.

"Hn. He casually walked past Shikamaru, brushing his shoulder and turning his back on them, silently casting them aside of his personal affairs. Fugaku was… a nagging problem that he had to shoulder alone and not involve his friends.

"I will personally handle my father. I will see you tomorrow." and with that he flickered his body using that light speed technique and erased his presence from their vicinity. Naruto and his companions remained flabbergasted to stare at the empty spot where Uchiha`s cryptically presence has once been.

"What the fuck is this all about?" Kiba burst out in syphoning the Nara genius with questions as soon as he recovered from shock. Not a single member of the Inuzuka family has ever been summoned to a Council –since they weren't an old family with a long tradition- but he heard the stories.

Whatever it was, was definitely bad news.

"How should I know what is going on in that dysfunctional family?"

"Whatever this is about… I have the feeling that it might be related to Sakura-chan."

"Who?" Kiba shot his eyebrows up to his friend and Naruto almost slapped himself for the slip of tongue. Now he had to give a full explanation regarding the newest member of their group, while that was Sasuke`s job.

But he couldn't help himself. Sasuke was the next in line for the title of the King of Vampires and he found himself a woman who was a mortal. Naturally, that would displease Uchiha Fugaku to no end, because it was equivalent to the ultimate sign of defiance from his son`s part.

It was a miracle that his father hasn't forced him into an arranged marriage yet, just to get that problem solved.

"A woman? What does she have to do with Sasuke?"

"It is too complicated to explain now, but you will see tomorrow."

"Tomorrow we`ll all be fucked, man!" Kiba hollered as they stroll down the street, not wanting to take the roofs and act more out of that world than they were, scouting the area for transgressors of morality. "This is clearly about us, the Rebels! They plan to annihilate us, I so knew it!"

"Shut up Kiba, you are being too vocal. This is absurd, Fugaku wouldn't go as far as to summon the Council in order to take on his own son, get real."

"How troublesome."

.

.

.

---

Tiny bare toes were tapping to the balcony, as Sakura was enjoying the millions iridescent shimmering stars bedecking the afterglow velvet sky, leaning serenely with her elbows folded against her chest and resting towards the filigree railing, savoring the cool blow of the wind dancing playfully through her unfastened veil of virgin pink tresses and the pastel pink coquettish long silk and chiffon nightgown, exhaling contently.

Sasuke wasn't home when Ino drove her back to his flat and that airy spacious place was too cold and subdued without him around, enhancing the feeling of solitude sneaking into the tranquility of his residence, so the chartreuse eyed lady sought for the company of the effulgent nocturnal city lights and bright mysterious crescent half-moon above.

A gentle salty ocean breeze was occasionally smoothing the silk of her tresses, as fine luscious coral locks were percolating towards her opaline rounded shoulders.

The silk night robe embracing her violin outline was fluttering in an ethereal dance of soft shadows and fading lights. A natural forest green glow was clashing with the aureate ring around her irises; in the blue diamond fade pale moon light, she was presented as a nymph.

As her calm gaze was skimming over the lavender-onyx horizon, Sakura caught the sight of some fireflies drawing lazy patterns into the night sky, swarming before her eyes like a romantic pair taking a walk along the street, enjoying their intimate moments together and she smiled.

The nocturnal arcane was embellished with million twinkling stars, smiling right back at her in a mysterious salute. She tried in vain to fall asleep, understanding that there was no point in waiting for Sasuke to come back –they weren't husband and wife or even lovers so...- but another nightmare hit her from the basket of the darker parts of her mind and she gave up waking up trembling and hearing voices of a drunk man approaching her with malevolence and reeking of alcohol and disgust.

The natural instinct to defend herself against the dangers -alcoholic step family- was lurking from the pits of her mind as Sandman refused to lull her into sleep, so Sakura simply got cozy in Sasuke`s balcony.

She liked that place because it gave her the feeling that she was floating over the plush cute clouds with the angels.

The house was avian as a dragonfly, but without Sasuke, it lacked vitality and animation and it was almost eerie. Cold shivers punctured along the porcelain of her skin, covering her exposed forearms.

"Hm?" She let her head fall askew playfully watching midnight lucent creatures gracing the sky. "Aren't you quite the loner now?" A small smile kissed her heart shaped dark cherry lips, as she stretched her hand towards the fireflies, giggling at how such an unimportant vista reminded her of the elegant Uchiha Vampire. "So pretty..."

She always fell prey to the mesmerizing ephemeral mystical beauty of nature, enjoying the shimmering of fireflies emblazoning the night scenery. To her, they gleamed like unpolished precious diamond and their radiance was making her feel less lonely; like the sky was sending her small memories for her to grasp one and ingrain it into her mind.

In her haste to touch the gentle insect, Sakura hasn't realized that she tiptoed, having a loose grip around the bars of the railing, because she wasn't tall enough to reach them, bare toes curling around the edge of the balcony pocking on the outside. "Come here, don't be afraid to-"

In her overjoyed alacrity to touch the fireflies and catch one into her palm, Sakura felt herself losing balance because she wasn't attentive and miscalculated the force of gravity and her lack of coordination, as her hand slipped from the bar which wasn't that high, bending too much over the railing- an elegant modern combination of lace wooden design made in fretwork technique and colorful tinted glass- and she has been thrown on the other side of the balcony

Her heart leaped down her throat when she found herself projected into the embrace of the night abyss which was pulling her down to the ground, free falling with her desperate hand stretched above her head, slim fingers missing one of the bars in a desperate attempt to catch it and prevent a tragedy, in vain. "Ah!"

Life… couldn't have been more ironic.

Or Death.

.

.

.

---

::A/N:: I know, not much SasuSaku in this chapter, but I wanted you to know exactly what is Sasuke and his group dealing with and how complicated things with the other Vampire Clans are in the world of Immortals.

But I promise that the next update will be entirely SasuSaku. It was just that I want to take my time and focus more on building up an intimacy between them, and this is why I don`t want to rush things between them, this Sakura here is not promiscuous and very independent and moral, so I will stick to kisses and gradually increase the romantic moments between them.

You guys know how much I like to emphasize the finesse and subtlety of feelings in my stories. By the way, speaking of intimate scenes, I want to let you know that the lemons are not going to be posted here, for the simple reason that I don't want to break the rules of the ratings, so I am going to make full usage of metaphors and subtle suggestions as much as I can and the full detailed scenes are going to be posted somewhere else, but no worries, I will give you the exact link to them, posting it on my profile when the time comes. I know it is frustrating, but I don't want unnecessary problems. There will still be very intimate moments, but I will keep them within the rating of the story, hence not get into graphic detailed scenes. I am sorry for this, I hope you will understand me.

Yes, I know that I am only at the beginning of this story, I am trying to imagine the world of Vampires upon my own philosophy about Eternity in general and the concept of immortality and what transcends my comprehension, I will complete it with elements from the local folklore about Vampires. So naturally questions will arise. I will answer to all the questions about Vampires as I will update. Very good question with their sense for smelling blood, I hope this chapter made it clear.

Another good question about Sasuke being the heir of an Immortal, I will of course clear that up too. What I can say for now is that I made 'research' hehe and yes, Vampires DO age, as much of a paradox it can be, but the rate of aging is definitely slower –much much much- slower than human`s aging process. Plus, Vampires can be killed so think about what might happen if Fugaku gets killed? Who will be his successor?

I know that many of you guys are intrigued about who is Sakura and why is Sasuke so fond of her, but no worries, you will find out pretty soon –two or three chapters at most. I want to prolong the mystery.

Anyways, arigatou gozaimashita Mina-sama for taking your time to read and follow this story and many thanks for all of you for leaving me reviews with the feedback for my work. You guys are definitely awesome!