Chapter Ten

Curiosity

Juliet had never gone out on the town after work, not because she didn't want to, but because she usually found herself too mentally exhausted to bother finding food and entertainment late at night. Kathy knew this, as best friends should, and on numerous occasions had tried to get Juliet to come out with her, but after Lord Highland's death, Juliet was even less prone to leaving her dusty manor. When the blonde dragged Juliet and her Vampire companion to the diner both she and Mika noticed the raven-haired girl visibly tense. Once they had found a seat, Juliet and Mika one side and Kathy on the other, smiling broadly at the two, Juliet began playing with the fabric of her skirt, suddenly uncomfortable in her clothing.

"Juliet I know you don't get out much, but you need to calm down." Kathy crooned, reaching across the table and taking Juliet's shaking hand. Juliet frowned widely as the, obviously irritable, nighttime waitress came to take their food orders. While Kathy ordered Juliet managed to slide her hand back where it belonged, only to have Mika take it and hold it gently in his. She looked up at him, her pale eyes wide and confused, and as they met his steady black ones the memory of their kiss the night before flooded her with more emotions than she could count and she began blushing.

"Aww, I see the lovebirds are sharing a moment." The waitress said, tapping her foot impatiently waiting for their orders. Juliet snatched her eyes away from Mika's, leaving the Vampire with a quiet longing, and asked for a bowl of soup, whatever was readily available. Mika in turn ordered whatever meat was on special. The waitress raised her eyebrow at their broad orders and walked off.

Kathy narrowed her eyes at the two of them. "You're acting mighty suspicious, Jules."

Juliet returned her narrowed look. "You're being mighty nosy, Miss. van Horn." She replied. Kathy smiled.

"Can you blame me?" the blonde asked. "Juliet you've never been one for keeping secrets- or for condoning violence for that matter, so I am a tad confused at this… turnabout." She darted her eyes to Mika at the last word. The Vampire straightened his back, suddenly aware of the tension in the air, something that wasn't there seconds before.

Kathy leaned back in her seat and smirked. "I'd like to see a demonstration tonight, if that's alright with you."

Juliet stiffened. "A demonstration? This isn't some sort of joke, Kathy."

"And I never said it was, Jules." Kathy sighed. "I just want to make sure my friend is being taken care of," She glanced at Mika again. "Not advantage of."

"You act like you have some sort of investment at stake." Mika said, gripping Juliet's hand tighter, and causing the tan woman to wince.

Kathy caught his eyes. "My friends are an investment," Her eyes flashed with seeming violence and Mika immediately tensed. "Especially Juliet."

There was a silence then, as Mika and Kathy exchanged heated looks and Juliet began using her other hand to play with the fabric of her skirt. She sighed inwardly, citing this as a better reason to never leave the house ever again. Mika was worried, she could feel it, she didn't know how bad it would be if his cover as a Vampire was blown, but she knew he wouldn't be happy, and that's for sure. As the waitress set their food in front of them, Juliet stared down at the bowl of thin soup with too many thoughts on her mind.

'If I have any sort of fighting skill, I should hope it would be nice enough to show itself soon.' She thought, untangling her hand from Mika's and stirring the soup with a spoon. Kathy took this as her cue to stop glaring and start eating her hamburger, and Mika shook his head and slowly began eating his stew. The flavor was lacking, unlike the food he usually partook of at Juliet's home, but he watched Juliet slowly sip her soup and decided he needed to play normal for a moment in order to make her happy.

Making Juliet happy was far too important to him as of late.

Kathy skipped happily in front of the dark couple, excited about the 'sparring match' she had initiated. Juliet took careful steps, swallowing all sorts of words she wanted to fling at her friend, most of which revolved around her bad habit of nosing into other people's business, but instead she looked at the ground, and at her loafers, unsure if she was ready to have her lie unraveled.

'It hasn't even had a good run…' she thought, sighing.

Mika glanced over at Juliet and put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry." He said, causing her to look up at him. "Everything will work out." He said the words with as much conviction as he could muster, but something inside of him was worried. Kathy's actions were certainly suspicious, and as they neared the grassy field outside Juliet's manor he smelled something strange in the air.

Kathy stopped her skipping in the middle of the tall grass. "Right here should do!" she looked at the two of them expectantly. "Now show me what you've been practicing, and I don't just mean in the bedroom~" she giggled to herself, Juliet didn't bother blushing, instead she sighed in annoyance. Mika pat her shoulder and stepped into the tall grass, distancing him from the girl, she copied his movements in the opposite direction.

Unsteadily, Juliet stopped and looked up at Mika, who was now approximately ten yards away from her. He gave her a curt nod, and she took, what she assumed to be, a fighting position. Kathy stood in the middle of the two, a few yards back, smiling somewhat psychotically.

"On my mark," she said, beaming at Juliet who nodded. "Don't hold anything back, you two!" She raised her arm up, and Juliet met Mika's eyes. She wasn't sure what the plan was, but her heart was beating so fast she couldn't think straight. Mika was a brilliant man, she reminded herself, he would have something planned out, some diversion. She never took her eyes away from his as Kathy's arm fell to her side, signaling the fight to start.

Suddenly there was only black. Juliet was gone.

Before Mika had a chance to blink, Juliet had pounced, higher than he ever thought a human could jump. She was beautiful, back arched and legs extended, almost like one of the Russian ballerinas he'd seen right after his turn. But Juliet was always graceful, at least when it came to dancing and jumping. He remembered their first contact, how she'd leapt gracefully to the tree limb he'd sat upon, though her landing had needed work, the jump was exquisite. Watching her now he understood that she'd had some practice. Eyes wide in awe, but still prepared, he caught her.

And he regretted it.

Immediately she began clawing at him, scratching at his arms and his torso, managing to rip his clothes. He was startled. She was stronger than she looked. He called her name, but she showed no recognition. Mika winced as she raked her fingers over his chest, spilling blood. His blood. He dropped her and jumped back.

"What is going on?" He shouted. Kathy didn't respond, and he didn't expect Juliet to. She seemed wild, feral almost. The distance between them was enough to make Juliet inspect her surroundings. A rustling to the west, Mika heard it, Juliet snapped her head to it. Then she jumped again into the tall grass, disappearing from sight.

A gut-wrenching noise. The cry of a wounded beast. Snapping bones.

Mika leapt, following her scent. He found the petite girl hunched over a deer, blood soaking her hands and her clothes, probably from the gash she'd managed to cut in the deer's stomach. The animal's neck was twisted gruesomely, as well as its legs. He wondered which she had broken first, and the regret the thought. Juliet was panting and shivering, the Vampire inched closer to her, ready for an assault, Juliet scurried away on her hands and knees, and fell over. She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears, and full of fear and uncertainty. Mika rushed to her.

"W-what… why?" She sobbed, looking down at her hands.

"Juliet…"

"What am I doing… what happened… why…?" She couldn't formulate a coherent thought. Everything was blurry. Black spots on her vision. Mika watched solemnly as Juliet sunk to the ground. He sighed heavily, uncertain of what to do next.

"Kathy!" he called, and suddenly the blonde was beside him, tenderly lifting Juliet into her arms.

She glanced at him, her eyes shadowed with secrecy. "We should get her home and get her cleaned up. I don't want her to remember this."

Mika narrowed his eyes. What was she talking about? More importantly what was she hiding?

"Oh and grab the meat." She remarked as she walked away. The General grunted and bent down to the dead animal, inspecting the broken bones, and the gash in it's gut. Juliet had definitely gone to town on the creature, and he could tell by the complete spiraling of the flesh, some of which had broken, that she had shown no mercy.

Mika scowled. Nothing was ever easy.