Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rosario Vampire. I am merely twisting the creator's vision into my own dream. If the supernatural, sexuality, or violence is offensive to you, than you should not read this.

Chapter 204

Eric James Sat in his office doing what he did the most, he was thinking about ways to abuse his position. Half a lifetime ago he had been an attorney that practiced business law, and had specialized in international businesses and trade. Back then he had been tall, with a rich voice and an eloquent way with words. He had made a huge pile of money when Japanese imports had boomed on the American automobile market. He negotiated contracts for large fees that frequently included shares in different companies. He made rich connections that he went drinking with often. When the United States started exporting personal computers, Eric James made another fortune, more contacts, and found more rich people to drink with. Eventually, after his third trophy wife had decided she didn't want to put up with his smoking and drinking any more, Erik James moved his fortunes and himself to Japan. He had learned the language well enough, and had started out teaching English to young law students until he was ready to practice law locally.

Half a lifetime later, Eric James was still practicing law. He didn't make anywhere near the kind of money he used to, but he had no need to. He had no children to worry about and no close family. He already had more money than he could spend in what remained of his life. Mostly he still practiced law because it gave him an excuse to keep his office open. His current office was staffed with a receptionist, two paralegals, and a personal assistant. All four were cute young women just starting their careers in law. All four wore tight blouses and short skirts, just shy of good taste. Eric James insisted that they display themselves in such a way, so long as he wasn't meeting with a female client. When he did, he would give his office staff a long lunch break, a cash bonus, and shoo them out for a couple of hours. His office staff turned over quickly. Young women would be attracted by the pay he offered, and the experience he was willing to share. Usually in less than a year they would be looking for a new job to get away from his cold hands, his jaundiced skin, and his leering eyes.

Eric James was sitting in his office watching his staff, and thinking of how he was going to harass his new assistant. She had only been working for him for a month and a half, but the girl was smart. She could multitask, spoke good English, and wanted to put herself through law school. Eric was just a little frustrated that, while she had adapted to the office dress code, she had not learned the importance of bending at the waist in her short skirt.

The old attorney was distracted from his musing when the receptionist called to announce the arrival of his late afternoon appointment. He gave a sigh over the distraction and hoped the meeting would be brief. It was already late enough in the day that Eric was thinking about having a few drinks. If he could get the appointment over with, he could have his assistant pour him something. He wondered if she could be talked into a few drinks as well, and maybe things could get interesting after that...

The couple that walked into his office was not what Eric had expected. The young man had the same look haunting his eyes that spoke of a business man with a few too many responsibilities and never enough time. The woman had all the confidence Eric expected in a career personal assistant, but it was mixed with the same watchfulness he had seen in the wives of successful men when she saw the women working in the office.

XxxX

Tsukune tried to think reassuring thoughts. During his lunch break, he had called he attorney that Lady Kuroi Sora had retained to manage the property she had given him. Right after school he had hurried to change clothes, and then he and Ruby had taken Hiru to go and see this Eric James.

Tsukune's uncertainties were not lessened by the office he visited. It seemed to be a respectable sized space, but it was arranged in a strange way that left a lot of it unused. An example of the strangeness was the way that shelves were only up high or down low. The space in between was left open, with prints of historical art decorating the walls.

The man Tsukune had made an appointment with did not have the kind of appearance that eased worries ether. The man was tall, with yellow skin, wispy gray hair, and sunken eyes. The man looked almost like some sort of ghoul. He was so thin that he resembled a skeleton. Out of reflex, Tsukune found himself trying to detect the attorney's youki.

"You must be Mr Aono Tsukune," Eric James welcomed his visitors. He gave the young woman an appreciative look. "And you are?"

"She's with me," Tsukune said. He didn't like the hungry way the man seemed to be looking at her. He pulled off his riding jacket and passed it to Ruby in a negligent sort of way. He wanted to make it clear that she was there for him and him alone.

"I see," Eric said with a small nod. The young man seemed to like having his own assistant for personal enjoyment also. "Please have a seat," He gestured to one of the two chairs in front of his desk. "Can I offer you anything?"

"No thank you," Tsukune said. He pulled one of the chairs a little closer to the desk before sitting down. "I am sure you have a lot of responsibilities of your own, so I won't take up more of your time than I have to."

"Thank you," Eric said. He noticed the way the young woman had remained standing. "To business then. You came about the property. I take it then that you wish to take control of it then?"

"That's right," Tsukune said. "I'll be graduating soon, and I am going to need a new place to live anyway."

"I think you will be happy with the property," Eric said, reaching for the folder he had made ready for the meeting. "And it will be an appropriate step up now that you're finishing college."

"Actually I will be starting university in the fall," Tsukune said.

Erick James, Attorney at Law, blinked in surprise. The young man in front of him, who's personal presence was of somebody used to being in charge and being listened to, was only a high school graduate. The property he was about to hand over to the young man was the kind of place that many people would spend an entire lifetime to own, and usually not succeed.

"I see," Eric said at last. He opened the folder and pulled out a document and a set of keys. "If I can have your stamp and signature. This form says that you assume full responsibility for the property."

"You said full responsibility," Tsukune observed. "But you didn't say full control." He picked up the document and started reading it. It was worded in a complicated way, but Tsukune felt a distrust for the man on the other side of the desk, so he wanted to be careful before he signed anything.

Eric James watched the young man as he looked over the document. The longer Tsukune examined what he was holding the more nervous Eric felt. The document was legal, if they both signed it, but the longer he waited, the more Mr. James doubted the young Mr. Aono would agree.

It took Tsukune twenty minutes to finish his study of the contract. He had read it over carefully and looked at each of its sections. There was no doubt that the document was a contract and not just a transfer of control. He slowly put the document back down on the desk.

"Mr. James," Tsukune said in a firm voice. "Maybe we are misunderstanding each other." He held out a hand over his shoulder. "I have a copy of the deed." Ruby quickly produced the letter from Lady Kuroi Sora, pulled out the copy Tsukune was talking about, and placed it in his hand. "The deed lists me as sole owner of the property. When I look at this copy, I can see the seal that says that this is a certified copy." He placed the copy of the deed on the desk beside the contract. "Your document mentions percentages and money."

"It is a standard contract," Eric said. "If I am going to be helping to manage the property for you, remaining on retainer to help advise you, there is a small incentive built in to cover my services and to make sure I have an interest in giving you the best return on your investment."

"Mr. James," Tsukune almost growled. "I don't think you understand what I am here to do. I am not interested in having you manage the property. Your involvement in this is over."

"Mr. Aono," Eric James gave Tsukune a hurt look. "If that is what you want, then that is how it will be. But tell me, do you have any knowledge of managing an income property? Do you understand the laws and codes involved in renting apartments and maintaining a building?"

"No," Tsukune said. "But if I can learn enough about criminal law to be a police officer and supervise others while still in school, then I should be able to learn how to manage a property."

Mr. James was starting to dislike the young man. He sounded too confident. It reminded Eric of bullies he had known back when he had been just a skinny teen. He decided that he was going to do Mr. Aono a favor and shake him up a little. He casually reached over and did a double-tap of a button on his phone.

"Mr. Aono," Eric said. "I am sure you can learn to manage your property, in time. However," He double-tapped the button again without missing a beat in his words. "I would be negligent if I let you take on all the liabilities at one time. There are contract laws and housing regulations that, if you do not follow them closely, will subject you to fines, and leave you vulnerable to lawsuits. An example of this..."

Eric James knew that words were his best tool. He could use them to build a fortress with which he could defend is actions. They were the weapon he knew he could use to wear down opposition. He also knew that sometimes a good distraction to brake somebody's concentration was the best way to throw them off their guard. His signal of double-tapping on the phone had told his personal assistant what to do while he was talking. While he was telling a story about minor law suits destroying a major company, his assistant entered the office.

The woman was dressed, barely, in accordance with her employer's wishes. In her hands was a tray of prearranged props. On the tray was a tall glass, a pitcher of ice water, and a medicine cup with a handful of vitamins.

"Mr. James," The assistant said as she entered the office. She moved with an almost-strut. Her short steps made her hips sway "It is time for your medicines."

Eric James made a casual gesture and continued talking. He was using words to paint an image of a thousand law suits waiting in the shadows to take everything Aono Tsukune cared about and rip it all apart. His assistant moved to his desk, positioning herself to be in Tsukune's field of vision. She set the tray on the edge of the desk. From the try she lifted the medicine cup and bent forward at the waist to place it in easy reach for her boss, giving the young man a view of her thighs all the way up to the top of her stockings, and even a peek at her skimpy white panties. Next she lifted the glass from the tray, again bending forward, to place it close to her boss as well. For the final touch, she lifted the pitcher and bent forward to fill the glass. When the glass was mostly full, and the pitcher had almost nothing but ice in it, she stood back up and went to place the pitcher back on the try.

It was a carefully planned and practiced move. The tray hung off the edge of the desk. When she had set it down, all the weight had been on the side of the try over the desk. When she went to return the pitcher to the tray, she aimed for the side that hung out over the floor. When the tray and pitcher started to tip, the assistant responded flawlessly.

"Oh no!" She gasped as she reached for the falling pitcher to 'save' it. She caught it with a practiced move that launched wet ice cubes into the young man's lap, before jerking it up in such a way to get the front of her own blouse wet. Ice landed in her cleavage. "Eeeeek."

"Terry," Eric pretended to take notice of his assistant at last. "Be careful."

"I am so sorry Mr. James," She said as she set the pitcher safely back on the desk. She turned to face Tsukune. "I am so sorry Mr. Aono." She offered a deep bow, spilling the ice from her wet cleavage for him to see. "Oh, I have to clean this up." She knelt in front of Tsukune, continuing to display her cleavage as she started to pick up ice from the office carpet and drop it on the try.

Tsukune's distrust and dislike for Mr. James deepened. Tsukune had been in too many fights to have taken his attention off of his opponent just because somebody else had entered the area. When the 'accident' happened, the old man had not even flinched. It was clear that the whole thing had been planned.

"Let me get that," The assistant said as she started to reach for the ice in Tsukune's lap.

"No," Tsukune said. He waved the young woman away without taking his eyes off the old man. "My servant will take care of me."

"Yes Master," Ruby said perfectly on cue.

The exchange between Tsukune and Ruby was flawless. The happy smile she had on her face as she knelt in front of him was something Eric James had only ever seen from his ex-wives when he had handed them a large settlement check. The idea that the young Mr. Aono had such a relationship with his companion was a shock.

Tsukune saw the old man flinch, and a small smirk curled the corners of his mouth. Eric James saw the young man's eyes on him, and saw his lips twitch. The old attorney felt his insides clench. He realized that he couldn't win.

"If you insist on going it on your own," Eric surrendered with a small sigh. "I cannot stop you." He pulled a different form from the folder on the desk. "Just sign this. If you change your mind later, we can negotiate something then."

Tsukune reviewed the new document. It was clear and concise. It simple stated that Eric James was releasing all interest, control, and liability in the property, and that Tsukune would be sole owner with all rights, responsibilities, and control.

"Thank you," Tsukune said drily.

XxxxxxXxxxxxX

Tsukune decided that he liked the building. It was a newer building on the edge of an old district. There were more modern buildings in the same neighborhood, but more that were much older. The structure was built like a set of steps. The parking area was two levels, with one under ground. Half of the first floor was commercial units, and the basement under them used for storage units. The second floor, set back from the street as one step, was all apartment units. The ones on the front side of the building were three room units, with one room being the living room, dinning room, and kitchen, with patios over the commercial units below. The back side units were a mix of single room and two room apartments with tiny balcoonies. Stepped back again was the third floor with two three-bedroom apartments and a single two room unit next to the elevator shaft and the stairs.

Tsukune thought that there was a lot to like about the building. One of the commercial units was a laundromat. Another was a convenience store. The patios created by the stepping back stories had planters along the edges where hedges could be planted to add some green life to all the cement, glass, and metal. Within line of sight of the front of the building Tsukune could see a ramen house and a family restaurant. There was a grocery market within walking distance; he had seen it as he and Ruby had ridden over. To add to the list of things right about the building, it would only take Tsukune about an hour or so to reach his university, traffic permitting, and that was without the jumping locations Hiru could use.

Tsukune's inspection of the building was done quietly. He didn't disturb the businesses on the ground floor. He went to the small office off of the parking level, which would belong to the building manager if he hired one. The keys from the attorney only went to that one office, worked the keyed switches of the elevator, and also opened the heavy lock-box that held the master keys for every lock in the building. The only tenants in the residential section of the building were the couple that ran the laundromat, and the manager of the convenience store. Leasing one of the commercial units gave them respectable discounts on apartments and storage units. Tsukune looked into each of the unoccupied units and saw that everything was in good condition with little or no use. As a student and a police officer a two room apartment would be the best he could hope for, and that would have been a stretch, but as the owner of the building, Tsukune was looking forward to taking over one of the top floor three-bedroom apartments. As a bonus, he discovered that one of them had a very large bath. He suspected that whoever the original owner of the building had been, they had liked idea of having lots of comforts.

Ruby approved of the building as well. Tsukune saw it her eyes as they inspected the empty apartments, patios, and planters. Her creative mind was racing with ideas. When she pulled a tailor's measuring tape from some hidden pocket and started measuring a window, Tsukune knew she was already planing curtains.

"Now that we know where we are going to live after graduation," Tsukune said as he locked up the office. "It would solve some problems if we can start moving things right away."

"What did you have in mind?" Ruby asked.

"The Me sisters," Tsukune answered. "After graduation you and I can go home. My mother would love to see you again. I have been worrying over what to say when I brought Midori and Kurai home, but now I don't have to." He gave her a smile. "If we start moving some things in right away, Midori and Kurai can move in and take care of getting everything in order."

"Awww," Ruby gave a small pout. "If that is what you want..."

"Well," Tsukune said. "If you plan things out, then you can tell them what to do. Isn't that what the head maid does? You organize and give directions, and they do as you tell them. That way we can both spend some time visiting with my family, and we can still get our apartment in order."

"Really?" Ruby perked up.

"I will leave it all to you," Tsukune said as he held out the keys to her.

Ruby was so happy she just stood with a dreamy smile on her face for a moment. Tsukune felt a small twinge of... something. He wasn't sure what he had just said, but he thought he might have made a mistake in there somewhere. Before he could put it together, Ruby snatched the keys from him and pounced on Tsukune with a hug and a kiss.

XxxxxX

XxxX

(A/N; I apologize for slowing down on the updates for a while, I am struggling to get an ungodly cumbersome creation pieced together in the hopes that it will behave properly, and just maybe it will become beneficial in some small way to society as a whole.

Thank you all for reading and reviewing. And thank you for your patients as I tend to my many irons in the fire.

XxxX

XxxxxxX

Omake...

XxxxX

Brone sat in his hall, staring into the fireplace as he brooded. The fireplace was not something most sane individuals would want to spend much time looking at. Inspire by some dark imagination, it was a recreation of a corner of hell. The flames flickered and danced before blackened stone masks that showed expression of suffering and hopelessness. The few normal humans that ever saw Brone's hall thought that the fireplace was macabre. For those that possessed any kind of ability to perceive the supernatural, the fireplace was disturbing. The stone masks moved slowly, their ghostly moans of anguish sounded like the hissing of wet wood as it steamed and burned.

There was no wood in the fireplace. Nor was there any coal or gas jets. There was not a speck of soot or ash. The grating where a normal person would expect to see burning logs was filled by a twisted, stunted, and emaciated caricature of a woman. The twisted abomination was chained to the grate with feet pointing up but rotated at the waist and shackled at the neck and wrists so she was looking down. On top of her was an equally deformed male figure, with his head between her feet, forced to look up as his feet pointed down on ether side of his companion's head. Both of them strained against their bonds and writhed in pain. Their hides were blacked and cracked, exposing raw, red flesh in jagged lines.

The pair had once been brother and sister. They had also once been lovers and parents. The incestuous pair had sacrificed their own children, and even each other in their quest for immortality. They had spent their mortal lives in a selfish, endless, and ultimately self destructive search for pleasure. They had lived for physical sensations without regard for the suffering they had brought unto others or themselves. Now the immortal pair were shackled together over a pit. Out of that pit came the endless flames of torment to burn their immortal bodies and to bring them the never ending sensation of burning alive. Every so often they would be turned over, so the could each have turns staring down into the abyss, or up into the blackness of the chimney.

The irony of their eternal torment was how simple it would be for them to end it. All it would take was to for ether of them to forgive their sibling and to apologize for their own actions. Both of them were determined to wait for the other to give in first. Both of them were determined to make the other admit to being at fault for what had become of them. The chains that imprisoned them in their endless suffering was made of pride.

Brone looked into the flames without really seeing the fireplace, or anything else for that mater. He was brooding, his mind looking inward as he struggled with himself. All the while he was aware of the woman sleeping in his bed. The source of his greatest joy, and his greatest pain, Tara, the Lady Hemonoira. She had come to his domain for a visit, to escape her own responsibilities for a while. Even as he brooded, Brone's body was healing from the deep bites and scratches his lover had inflicted. Brone watched to dancing flames and cursed himself.

He was angry at his own weakness, or his own strength. There were limits to what he was willing to do. Moral limits that he had place on himself. His own immortality had been an accident. The results of a series of choices that he had made based on his own morals. His desire to do the right thing and to help others had one time too many put him into a position of accepting power or letting someone else suffer at the hands of evil. At least that was what it had looked like at the time. Now his humanity was reduced to some biochemistry and his own personal determination to not surrender to the darkness.

His beloved Tara knew all of this, and admired him for it. She also admired his power and his passion. She especially liked his passion for her. Whenever she was feeling the weight of her own responsibilities, her own torments getting her down, she knew that Brone would accept her without hesitation and make her feel loved and special all over again. Each was held back by one little thing. Each one was holding them both in torment. Brone was keeping them from being together forever by refusing to surrender to the darkness. Tara was keeping them trapped in their current relationship by refusing to let go of her place within the darkness.

Tara was bound to a dark lord that was old even when the British Empire was at its height of power. He was the force behind the kinds of organizations that made humans appear to be as ruthless as the monsters out of nightmares. Tara was bound to him by an old contract. In exchanged she had every physical comfort. She had given her sworn lord children, who were now grown and living on their own. To be with Brone, the one man that loved her regardless of the blood she had spilled over her long life, the one person that made her feel truly happy, all Tara had to do was give up her title and leave her husband.

Brone knew what was holding Tara back. He also knew that pressuring her would only push her away, because of her own stubbornness. Brone was just as stubborn, and they both knew it. There was just one simple thing he could do to make Tara his, and his alone, but he refused to do it. All he had to do was kill her husband.

Brone brooded in his hall, aware of the woman he loved sleeping close by. He was aware of his servants that waited to see to his every whim. He was aware of the dark shadows all around him. Most of all he was aware of his own stubborn pride.