CHAPTER 8: VAMPYRE NOSFERATU
A young looking man sat in a small twenty four hour diner, it was so late into the night that he was the only customer there. He had pale skin, dark blue almost black eyes, short black a little bit messy hair and dressed in a black casual suit with a dark blue dress shirt underneath with the collar turned up and top few buttons left open. He took a sip of the coffee that his waitress had so graciously provided him with while flipping through the newspaper he picked up earlier.
One article stood out to him and made him read it over. It talked about the famous artist and author Inuyasha Takahashi and how he recently inherited an old and famously haunted mansion called Okami Manor.
"Inuyasha Takahashi how interesting", he actually owned one of his paintings and was a big fan of his poetry book. Right now he was quite wealthy, but at the same time his 'condition' required that he moved around every five years or so. Inuyasha lived in a quiet mansion up in a remote area all alone, it would be the perfect place to stay.
"Perhaps he could use some company", he smiled to himself looking at the picture of Inuyasha in the paper.
THREE DAYS LATER
"I don't believe in this fortune teller shit", Inuyasha said looking across the table at his ghostly companion. Koga had found an old tarot deck in his secret lair and thought it would be fun to show Inuyasha some of the stuff he was into when he was alive.
"Come on its fun. Now let's find a card that best represents you", he hummed as he thumbed through the cards. "Sometimes you're more like the magician, with all your talent and creative potential", Koga placed the card on the table and continued his search. "But the best card for you would probably be 'strength'".
"Why that card?" Inuyasha looked at the old faded card he placed on the table.
"Well you never give up on anything, you always fight for what you want and what you believe in", Koga was referring to how Inuyasha never gave up on trying to be friendly with him and make this living situation work. Yes, it was safe to say he was enamored with his Inuyasha's strength and other 'assets'.
"So what card best suits you?" Inuyasha picked up the deck and began flipping through it. Koga smirked and picked a random card without looking.
"The 'emperor' of course, it represents incredible sexy masculine power, which I have", he said being the cocky bastard that he was.
"Really, because I was thinking this card suits you better", Inuyasha said placing the 'death' card on table with a cheeky grin.
"That's not funny angel", he frowned taking the deck back. He then grinned placing another card on the table. "Well this card certainly suits us both, the 'lovers', don't you agree", Inuyasha blushed at his suggestive comment.
"Aren't you smart", he said sarcastically while grabbing Koga's cheek and pulling. He was surprised when the ghost's face came right off like paper revealing a creepy grinning skull underneath. "GAH! Don't do that!" he threw his face back at him. Koga just laughed at his nasty little trick he pulled on his lover and put his face back on. He went back to the tarot deck and drew a card at random, his smirk fell when he saw it was the 'hanged man'.
"What's that card mean?" Inuyasha asked leaning over to take a look.
"Suspension, a man frozen or locked in a single state of being, never changing", he supplied. A mysterious card to get, unfortunately he wouldn't understand the meaning behind it until much later.
LATER
Inuyasha didn't have any work to do today so they decided to relax and have a little more fun. Koga said he knew how to paint as well as he did, but he just needed a model.
"I'm not really comfortable with this", Inuyasha said nervously playing with the tie around his waist holding his bath robe closed. He wasn't wearing anything else underneath, Koga somehow convinced to pose nude for his painting.
"Come on love, I've already you seen you without clothes on", Koga pleaded getting his canvas ready, it took him over an hour to convince his lover to do this and he wasn't giving up yet.
"Fine", he sighed and dropped his robe walking over to the couch covered in a red satin sheet.
"Just lay down and try to relax", Koga said admiring his lover's beautiful body. Inuyasha laid down on the couch, placed a hand on his chest and lifted his knee up while he stared over at his ghost. For two hours Koga stood there silently brushing paint onto the canvas.
"Alright I'm just about done", he said putting the brush down. Inuyasha stood up forgetting to cover up and walked around the easel to see what he painted.
"Koga?"
"Yes"
"You don't know how to paint do you?" Inuyasha stared vacantly at the mess of colors and haphazard brush strokes.
"Not a bit", he replied coolly.
"Then why did you need me to pose naked!?" Inuyasha yelled.
"Your pretty", Koga ducked as his lover's fist swung over his head.
"You unbelievable bastard", Inuyasha put his robe on and stomped out of the room. Koga floated down the halls of the mansion trying to keep up with him.
"Listen I'm sorry that was a dirty trick, but I had another reason", Inuyasha stopped to glare at him. "I just wanted you to relax, you've been so stressed lately with our work I knew I had to get you to stop and relax a bit".
"And that was the best idea you could come up with?" Inuyasha asked in disbelief.
"Well Like I said, your too beautiful for clothes", Koga laughed.
"If you weren't already dead I would kill you myself", he threatened storming away.
"Ah damn, I'm really going to have do something nice for him", Koga was interrupted by his thoughts on how to make up to his lover by the sound of the door bell ringing. He fazed through the wall and floated down to land on the spiral tiled floor of the main entry hall. Inuyasha ran passed him down the stairs fully dressed in a white form fitting t-shirt and jeans.
"Could you please hide Koga, I don't want people knowing that I'm living with someone", Koga stood there staring at him in confusion. "Please, I don't want to deal with the publicity right now", a little hurt that his lover wanted him to hide Koga quietly fazed through the floor. Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief as the doorbell rang again, he opened one of the large double doors to see a handsome stranger standing on the stone porch.
"Good evening, sorry to disturb such a lovely celebrity such as yourself, but I was in the area and thought to visit such a famous haunted location", the man said rather smoothly. He had short black hair very dark blue eyes, and pale skin. He wore a black casual suit with a dark blue buttoned shirt with the top few buttons left open.
"Um, now's not really a good time mister…", the man smiled and finally introduced himself.
"Miroku Shisai, a pleasure to meet you Inuyasha Takahashi", he bowed politely. "I must say you are much more beautiful in person", he said taking Inuyasha's hand and kissing along his knuckles.
"Okay enough of that", Inuyasha said blushing while pulling his hand away. "I'm kind of already seeing someone and he probably wouldn't like you doing that, just fair warning".
"Ah, is he around then, this… boyfriend of yours?" Miroku asked suspiciously.
"Well no, but that HEY!" the dark haired man simply walked passed him into the mansion without warning.
"This a lovely mansion, a little spooky, but much too big for one person", Miroku commented walking around the spacious circular entry hall.
"Excuse me, can you please leave!" Inuyasha was starting to get annoyed. Miroku moved with surprising speed and cupped his cheek.
"A gentleman such as myself can't possibly leave someone as lovely as yourself all alone", he sighed dramatically.
"I'm not alone, now could you…", Inuyasha lost his words as Miroku's eyes seemed to glow red for a moment. He couldn't seem to speak anymore and was getting sleepy all of the sudden.
"What's going on here?" Koga appeared from around the corner, he had been watching this creepy bastard flirt with his Inuyasha and decided he was done hiding. "Who the hell are you?"
"Forgive me I didn't realize he was telling the truth", Miroku finally broke eye contact with his target and Inuyasha shook his head quickly like he had just woken up. "My name is Miroku Shisai, I'm a traveler of sorts", he extended his hand to shake, but Koga didn't bother and continued to eye the other suspiciously.
"Of sorts? Well I think Inuyasha would appreciate it if you were to leave our home", he said politely while putting emphasis on the word our. Something seemed off about this man, there was something in his aura that felt inhuman, but Koga was having trouble figuring out what.
"Oh that's a shame, you see I'm also a big fan of Inuyasha's work and I was hoping to get a chance to pic his brain", Miroku sighed. "But alas I'm intruding on you two love birds", he made to leave, but Inuyasha stopped.
"Hold on a sec. I'm sorry if we seemed a little rude, if you just want to talk I can spare an hour or two", Inuyasha felt bad about treating a guest so rude, especially with how Koga was glaring at him. It seemed the ghost hadn't gotten over his territorial issues yet.
"That sounds lovely, do you have somewhere we can talk?" Miroku smiled seeing he was getting what he wanted. Inuyasha led him down one of the halls to the sitting room, Koga quietly fumed while he followed them not wanting to leave his Inuyasha alone with this creep. As they walked down the hall they passed a mirror, Inuyasha didn't seem to notice, but Koga did a double take in surprise as he saw that Miroku had no reflection. It suddenly struck him like lightning as he realized what Miroku was. Both Inuyasha and Koga sat across from the man or possibly creature as they conversed. Miroku and Inuyasha did most of the talking with Koga making as few comments as possible. Half an hour later Inuyasha decided to go get some drinks giving Koga the perfect to find out exactly he was dealing with,
"So are you going to say it or am I?" Koga questioned the other.
"Whatever do you mean?" Miroku said with a pleasant smile.
"I think you know exactly what I mean, blood sucker", Miroku's smile slowly fell at the mention of what he was.
"I prefer the term nocturnal sanguinarian, let's stay politically correct", his smirk returned.
"I don't give a fuck what you want to be called vampire!", Koga growled out as the room shook with the force of his words.
"Then I shall refer to you what you are, spirit", Miroku sat back down on the sofa. "Did you think I did not realize the moment you appeared in front of me? An undead being can spot the supernatural from a mile away".
"What are you getting at? I don't care what you're after, but Inuyasha is precious to me and I won't let you hurt him", Koga stood up to face this unholy creature that sat in his home.
"You may relax, I care not for his blood. While the crimson life fluid sustains me I haven't killed another person for it since I first became what I am", Miroku smile turned sad for a moment. "I find that the love of another helps fill the void where my soul used to be".
"What the hell does that mean?"
"It means, my ghostly friend that I fancy interesting creative people like Inuyasha and I wish to pursue him", at the words left his mouth the room shook again with Koga's rage.
"Not a chance in hell!" he roared, he wanted nothing more than to pierce this over grown leeches heart right then and there.
"Well I believe it comes down to Inuyasha who he wants as a lover does it not?", Miroku's words seemed to calm Koga down. The ghost smirked thinking he had a head start on the vampire already. He didn't know Inuyasha like he did and for that he knew Miroku would fail.
"We will see", Koga sat back down.
"Then may the best supernatural being win", Miroku smiled sensing Inuyasha was almost back.
"I brought some tea!" Inuyasha walked in and placed the tray on the table unaware of what transpired or the competitive looks the others were sending to each other.
"That sounds…", Miroku leaned over towards Inuyasha, "Lovely", Inuyasha flinched feeling a hand grab his ass. He jumped away feeling the room shake once again as Koga glared hatefully at his competition.
'On second thought, I'm killing him the first chance I get', Koga thought thinking of all sorts of ways to kill the perverted vampire.
Chapter end.
I want to be clear in that Miroku is not a villain in this, I'm using him as a sort of love rival for Koga as well as comic relief. In my experience there are two types of vampires, you have the devious bastards who don't care who they hurt to get what they want and the emo vamps that hate being what they are because they don't want to kill people. With Miroku I tried to make something that's in between, he's a little devious and okay with being a blood sucker, but at the same time he doesn't kill people for blood.
I wonder who would win in a fight a ghost or a vampire. I also have two other supernatural beings planned for this story that will make an appearance later on. Any guesses who and what they will be?
For those of you into Tarot please don't argue with the meanings I used. I brought out my old deck and used its definitions and I know every deck has its own interpretation of what the cards mean.
Thanks for reading.