She was sitting on a bench they had brought out from the longhouse. She dug her toes into the cool soft dirt and rocked, listening to the creaks and squeaks of the wood. Villagers were laughing and talking, many on their knees tearing white chunks of centipede and feeding the little ones. Each sent out an appreciative high-pitched chirps and grunts.

The water roiled, smelling like boiling shrimp. Mikoto cringed, watching the bits and pieces of the centipede rise and disappear under the rapid surface. It splashed and hissed as water overflowed and dropped into the fire. Nya stirred the pot with a long, thick wooden spoon, more like a staff, nearly six feet in length. And dropped herbs and spices that smelled like onions, garlic, basil, and sage.

"Gotta admit," little misaka whispered, "they do it right." Raised a cup.

Mikoto's face paled as Gullah brought a small barrel of the good stuff over her shoulder. Her stomach a little queasy. Her mouth, remembering, was dry and hard to swallow. Thinking of the welcome party. "Oh no," she thought, "not this time." She'd assured herself and gave a vocal warning. "A small cup," she answered the threat.

Aya followed behind, frowned, brow fretted tight, "but…" she pouted. "it's a feast, and one must partake in it. So…" she thrust a huge wooden cup and quickly nodded.

"Yep, pretty sure she would be a perfect sorority girl," little misaka quipped. Mikoto sighed. "For once, I will have to agree with you…."

"That must've hurt."

"You have no idea." Mikoto shook her head and grabbed one about the size of a coffee cup. She grinned and thinned her eyes. "I'm familiar with the good stuff."

Walking over to Gullah, who put the small barrel on the bench. She tapped the top of the small barrel with the blunt end of a small hatchet, and the wood cracked. She slipped her fingers inside and yanked. Alcohol splashed and spilled over the side. Laughter filled the air. "We drink!" Gullah said as she dipped a small cup and served it. "We feast today and hunt tomorrow, so pace yourself." She drank and gasped, cheeks turning red, and thinned her eyes at Aya as a warning.

"Poo…." Aya puckered her mouth, looking disappointed. Nya grinned, holding a handful of spices in a wooden holder and her little one's hand. Her dark eyes looked up at Nya, her dark hair swaying.

What music there was, was soft and natural. It moved in time with the breezes as the leaves rustled, the patting of tiny feet across the dirt. The chirps become softer, quieter, and less frequent. With bellies full, many of the little ones were dropping into sleep. Soft snoring, and heavy eyes, Gullah and Nya took their little ones inside to bed.

"I wonder?" seeing them cradling their little ones.

"Wonder what?" Mikoto interrupted little misaka.

"Oh, nothing much." She said, stretching her arms over her head. "Where does she go?"

"Who?"

"You know," she said, taking another drink and wiping her mouth, "our sweet little, I have an aversion to wearing any clothes, little one." She sighed with a mischievous grin.

"I don't know… and I don't care." Mikoto took a drink, smelling the honey-scented alcohol as it cleansed her mouth. Gritted her teeth, eyes glistening. She wanted to know. She wanted to know who she was going too.

"You do care, and you should." Little misaka said, reminding her. "One or the other, or both. It doesn't matter, or…. we take a nap."

"I'm not risking that… give me a few days. To think about it."

"I'd like to," Little Misaka thought, looking sadly into her cup. "I really would. But you were on the edge and that frightens me more than you will ever realize, my Queen."

She was in her favorite recliner, stretched back, and her feet propped. She ran her thumb around the edge of a coffee cup, the transparent honey-sweet liquid glistening in her dark black eyes. "No one here is strong enough to stop me if I go, rogue." She sighed, a small tear slipping over her cheek.

Mikoto leaned back on the bench, her shoulders, and head against the wall. The fading twin suns felt good on her face. Just the right amount of warmth. She looked up, and the winds were rising. "Getting closer…" she thought, letting her eyelid drift and close. Each pass was getting longer.

After another shallow breath, she slowly opened her eyes. She could see but not see. Her eyes were blurred but clear enough to see the feast slowing down. The smell of the herbs in the simmering water. The white-hot coals around the pots and the low voices of conversations. A warm, comforting feeling, like a familiar blanket wrapped around her. Each time she closed her eyes, it was harder to open them. A soft breath, the beat of her heart, and she fell asleep.

"Hey, wake up."

"Huh?" She struggled to open her eyes. "What is it?" she said, wiping the sleep off her tired eyes. She blinked away and focused.

A young woman with dark eyes and shaded skin kneeled in front of her. She was holding her hands. Ears pricked forward, blushing cheeks, and nervously wanting eyes. She let go of one hand, reached to Mikoto's cheeks, brushed back her hair, and her fingers drifted over her cheek. Mikoto found it hard to breathe, feeling her body becoming warmer. "Kea?" she whispered, pulling herself away from her eyes and looking past her shoulder in the clearings.

The large pots were gone. The villagers were gone. Mikoto looked around, leaning forward, calling for Aya, Nya, and Gullah. "They're not here," she said. "It's just you and me." she smiled, tilted her head, and kissed her. Mikoto felt the soft warmth of her mouth against hers. The kiss was soft and sweet at first, becoming firmer. Pressed hard, pushing her tongue into her mouth. Mikoto tensed her fingers, her nails digging into her palm. "I don't want this," she said, over and over. Kea's tongue slipped against the sharp edges of her fangs. Each one throbbed. Mikoto knew she'd cut her tongue. Their mouth separated for just a heartbeat, and Mikoto gasped for breath. "Please. I'm afraid." Seeing Kea's blood-red mouth, Fighting the fear and want. "You shouldn't swallow!"

She pressed her mouth to hers, wrapped her arms around, and pressed their bodies together. Heated flesh on flesh, hearts pounding, blood burning. Mikoto broke their kiss. Kea whimpered, panting. Mikoto pulled back, face flushed, seeing them both naked. She looked over Kea's naked form. Her breasts flushed and plumped, fighting for each breath, pheromones rising. Kea straddled her legs and raised herself closer. Anticipating her touch.

Mikoto could smell her sweat, blood, and sex. "I can't… do this," she said. Her hands moved without her control, fingernails digging into her hips and pulling her tighter. Mikoto's mouth watered, her fangs throbbed, lips glistening with venom. This time she kissed her, moving to her neck, smelling her heated blood just under the surface of her dark skin. She could hear it calling to her. The hunger in her eyes turned dark crimson, her mouth opened wide, dragging the points of her fangs over Kea's shoulder to the softness of her throat, and she sank her fangs. Kea bucked hard, inhaled a deep breath, and bit down on her shoulder. Sending shivers down their spines. Her crimson eyes rolled. Sank in ecstasy.

"It's a dream, it's a dream, it's a dream." She opened her eyes, her hands digging into her thighs. Arms trembling and weak, almost exhausted. She could feel her hair sticking to the back of her neck. Slight sweat across her forehead and around the collar of her armor. She hung her head, mouth parted, and breathed in, tasting the honey-sweet alcohol and her. Running her tongue over her lips, a throb and distant ache.

She was there next to her, asleep with her head against her shoulder. Long hair pulled to one side and looking serene and satiated. When did she arrive? Kea snuggled closer. Little misaka whispered. "I'd be asking when did she come? If I were you."

She was wearing a light green pollera. A one-piece dark green shade of leaf prints decorated the soft cotton fabric. The opening pulled from her shoulders to the top of her shaded arms and opened low across her shaded rising and falling chest. Mikoto turned slightly, and Kea moaned softly, and Mikoto gently guided her to her lap. And brushed some of her hair from her face and cupped her cheek. she gently turned her head and sighed, seeing no bite marks on her throat. Closed her eyes, smile on the corners of her mouth. Leaned her head back against the wall. And rested. She put her hand on Kea's chest, her fingers slipping into soft cotton. With each breath, her hand followed the warmth of her skin to the gentle rise of her breast. Resting softly between them, feeling her heart's warmth, comfort, and beating.

She opened her eyes, her arm across her forehead, looking at the thatch roofing inside the longhouse. "She always leaves early." Still feeling the warmth next to her. Kea had awakened just as the sunlight slipped over the jungle's edge. The air smelled fresh, and the morning sounds of the villagers waking, soft chirping, and grunting reminded Mikoto she was still here. She rose slowly, letting the blanket fall to her waist, and felt the morning chill across her back and front. Arching her right brow, "didn't I keep my….? Bringing her hand to her breast.

Little misaka rolled over in her overstuffed chair and shook her head, "nope…something about its hot, and you flung it over your head, see!"

Mikoto looked at the rooftop and saw her undershirt hanging on a peg in the light breeze. "Pretty sure a certain someone used us a very nice warm pillow." Little misaka sighed, "check for drooling while you're at it?"

"Wouldn't you know that already? Considering…"

"Just making morning conversation…." she answered, "where is my morning coffee?" Looking around.

Mikoto groaned, her shoulders dropping, "coffee? I really would like some coffee?" her eyes opened wider, "is that…" thinking of the warm cup in her hands, blowing over the top. The steam drifted around her. The perfection of the moment. Just her and Anastasia, that quiet moment before the day's chaos would come rushing through the door and interrupt them.

"No, just me," holding a warmed coffee mug in her hands, blowing over the top. "Making you remember." She smirked.

"You really are a…."

"Yep." Another blow, and she slurped her coffee.

Mikoto smelled and heard the slurp.

"Might as well get ready," she said, standing up and reaching for her armor. "And get ready for the hunt."

Mikoto followed behind. It had become routine now. Aya is in the lead, followed by Gullah, Nya, and Kea. Rae had to stay behind and sit with her dying father. The Queen, her mother, refused to allow her to leave his side. No matter how often he'd nod his head for her to leave. The jungle itself went silent as they followed the animal trails. Occasionally stopping, Aya would look over her shoulder to Kea, her ears moving like radars, shaking her head, and moving on.

"Gotta nice set of ears on her," little misaka whispered. "You should tell her about the pack a half mile south of here."

Mikoto rolled her eyes, listening to the faint excited chirps as they tried to escape from the hunters. She could see them, looking more like young children, no longer the blanks she had heard them called. Eyes, mouths taking form. Hair and eyelashes, and the way their cheeks puffed when they smiled. each chirp tugging at her, each chirp calling her like little queen vampires. Senessa, Gwen, and her own loveable pain in the asses. Or PITAs as they are known around the kingdom.

She clenched her fist, hearing them taunting and teasing, even celebrating when they caught one. Her jaws ached, grinding her teeth.

"What's the problem?" Little misaka asked harshly. "We can hear them. They can't, so do something!"

"I just can't."

"It's not like they will think you're their daddy! And if they do, so what!" Little misaka shouted. "Get over it! if they…"

"They?"

"If anyone from the households even thought you'd ignore….phttp!" little misaka growled, "you'd have not time to react. They know, they'd attack." she said. "isn't that one of the rules of the house of Mikoto. Another is children aren't held responsible for what mama or papa did! "So..why don't…."

"Kea! This way! " Mikoto burst into a run, leaving the trail, slashing, and ripping through the long leaves, small trees, and vines.

"Closer," she whispered, hearing the small beating of their hearts, the fear in their chirps for help.

Hearing the laughter and continued taunting of the hunters. Her eyes thinned, turning crimson red, her fangs pulsed, and her blood heated. Her fingers curled, and sharp nails caught the twin sun's rays and dark shadows.

She was just a quick, explosive shadow coming out of the jungle's edge. The six hunters never saw her. she tackled one, taking him off his feet and into the jungle. His death would be quick once she stopped playing with him.

She waited to hear Aya and the others attacking the hunters.

She kept him alive, dragging her nails across, leaving a long line of dark blood spreading across his hairy chest. Her eyes, red eyes dark, dark as pitch, with a smile that matched. He tried to scream, but it was hard with this tongue ripped from his mouth. She rolled her head to the side, sniffing him. A malevolent dark aroma coming from her.

"Take it easy." Little misaka whispered.

She was standing, eyes closed, arms to her side. Wobbling back and forth. She could've passed for a drunken person. But she wasn't. Black veins spidered up her legs, rising and bulging through her alabaster skin, to her neck, over her cheeks, and into her eyes. They went gray, then black and grey again, then blue. Blood-red tears rolled from her eyes, following the black trails. "This isn't good," she said. "Must take back control."

She clenched her fist, a snarl on her face. The black veins drew back, like vines receding to her waist, and stopped. As if it were battle lines drawn on a map.

"Mikoto!" Aya called out. "Mikoto!"

Her eyes flashed, going black to red to reddish brown. "What the?" surprised, She wiped her mouth, tasted the blood on her tongue, and closed her eyes with a deep breath. Iron, the smell of sweat, fear, and blood mixed in her nose and lungs. She gazed down, appalled, even disgusted at the savagery of the attack. His massive chest was shredded and mushy, heart gone, his throat torn and glistening. His expression of pain was etched in every line of his face, and his dull wet eyes

"I'm here!" She yelled, dropping to her knees, and wiping the blood from her hands. "This isn't good! fuck!" she pulled the long blade on her hip, placed the sharp edge on its throat, and without any effort, she cut off the head of the hunter.

"Leave no trace…" she whispered, taking the head by its long blood-matted hair in her left hand and holding out her right hand. Bluish white electricity flashed, striking, dancing along the body until it boiled like water. The stink of cooked flesh rose and filled the air. she stood, eyes staring, bluish-white flashes over her face with no emotions until it was nothing but charred black bones.

"Done." She said, pursing her mouth. "Time to go…see."

She turned and stared.

Kea was watching, blood splattered across her face and body. She tilted her head, looking behind Mikoto. Then she took a few steps, reached out, took her empty hand, and tugged and pulled her back onto the path.

They had the bloodied dead bodies piled on top of one another. Aya was putting something back into her pouch. It contained the powder that covers the corpses. Small kindling underneath. Nya had already set them on fire, clicking two black stones together.

"Is that all that's left of yours?" Aya asked, putting her hands on her hips with a half-smile.

"Yea," Mikoto responded unemotionally.

She followed Kea to the lumps of simmering flesh. Seeing the deep slash and stab marks on the bodies. She placed the head on top. Fretted her brow. Aya tapped her cheek as if to tell her that she had something on her face.

Mikoto touched her cheek, reached her utility belt, and pulled out a small compact. The others looked on curiously. As she opened the small compact and looked. She groaned, " sorry," handing it to Kea, and reached to her belt, opened another pouch, pulled out a small package, and opened them. moist towelettes and wiped the blood from her face.

Kea, eyes wide like a child surprised, moved her head back and forth, close, and away. Aya, Gullah, and Nya stood by her, moving around to see themselves in the small compact mirror. Like Monkeys seeing themselves in the mirror for the first time. Mikoto smiled and burst out in laughter. Or teenagers taking selfies. Whichever you prefer?

Mikoto, the lines of her face creased with worry. She felt different. It was different. It was one thing to kill to protect and defend. But to feel nothing, ignoring the pain and cruelty, but to feel good about it. Made her stomach go uneasy. She had a coldness in her chest, remembering savory the way her nail cut through the thick hair of his chest, the blood rising up and pouring out. The way his eyes trembled and his thick wet tongue felt in the palm of her hand like some large fat worm. She felt the bile burning the back of her throat. Pulling her lower lip into her mouth, she watched the fire flicker and feed, taking what it wanted from the corpses. The bodies burned red and black and popped. The fire cracked and hissed and stank. She cleared her throat, seeing the sack they had used to hold the little ones they had captured and taunted, dropped into the blaze, and quickly disappeared in flames. Bits of fabric and fire flew up and away, drifting along the pathway and into the path. Blood-red tears slipped from the edge of her eyes, reminding her of her friends who'd been killed. The death of a vampire is both grotesque and beautiful. She heard Anastasia's words inside. The body decays and returns to the soil and who they are, rising from the earth like fireflies, flicking and saying goodbye and fading.

She tasted iron in her mouth and rolled her tongue inside before she realized she'd pinched her lower lip between her fangs.

"I don't feel anything." She whispered.

Little misaka was shivering, sweating profusely. The black veins spidering around her legs bulged against her skin, stretching underneath, throbbing with each beat of her heart. "I…." .struggling to speak, "I….am…thinking of a nice place to take a nap," she said quickly. "Just a short one…maybe a year or two…" she breathed, "somewhere perhaps we can dig a deep hole and…you know….wait for it….out…until…." strings of slobber hung from her lips and chin. She was struggling to keep control. Mikoto was becoming….

It hit her like a sledgehammer to the chest. Her breath seized as she gasped. Sweat poured from her like she was drowning. She had come out of nowhere. Mikoto dropped to her knees, grasping her chest. "I can….I can….hear her calling…wait?" She thinned her eyes, "complaining about…."

"That ungrateful," she hissed and pulled herself up, eyes crimson. She sneered, "how could she?" She turned around, tapped her boot, cracked the ground, and ran through the jungle. Rushing forward in a straight line, she left the animal trails, tearing through the jungle, leaving Aya and the others to follow a rough, easy path.

A familiar yelling voice getting louder.

"These damn things won't leave me alone!" She shrieked.

"Why don't you die!"

"Why can't I tear you in half!? What are you, gummy bears? You stretch and stretch but don't tear…come on!"

"I kick and stomp, bite and chew, and still, you keep coming…."

"You little bastards! "

"Hey, I found you…" she was smiling.

Each step brought her closer, her wings slipping from her back, reaching forward and tore and raking across, clearing a path. Her heart beats faster, each breath deeper, bringing in her scent. A scent she'd known, it felt like forever. Her arms anticipated being wrapped around her, pulling her close, smelling and tasting her essence. She was alive. It rolled around in her thoughts. She was not alone. She wouldn't become. She ignored that thought. Her crimson eyes sharper, staring farther ahead. She saw her.

Angry, yelling. She had a little one in her mouth, pulling it like taffy, muffled threats, and then a violent toss. Only to grab another, "die!" she'd scream.

She was surrounded, the little ones piling on her, getting higher. The armor was torn at her right calf, upper thighs, and belly. Bits of exposed skin on her arms. And when she turned to throw another into the jungle, her back was exposed. A couple slapped her back and rolled down the small chaotic mound of little ones. And rushed off. Others taking their places. A feeding frenzy of Koi. Mikoto could think of.

Close

Closer

Her anticipation grew. Her smile grew.

"Vita. Of all the ones to live, it had to, be you?" little misaka lips curved to the right. Eyes narrowing. "You'll know what to do. And she'll do it…no remorse…" she spoke exhaustedly, feeling the black veins creeping.

When Mikoto crashed into her. she smiled softly, closing her eyes, feeling her fangs biting into her throat. she wrapped her arm around her and whispered, "I found you…Mistress."

And violent tumbled like a ball across the jungle. Good size trees shattered, leaves floated and drifted, and a stillness remained.

"What were you saying about me?" Mikoto quickly sneered.

"What? I have no idea what?" Vita implied her innocence.

"You were saying something about a spoiled little queen and something about hot springs and naked villagers…serving my every need! While you had to walk and crawl on your hands and knees for days. Why wasn't there a welcoming committee for you…why? Why?"

"Why did it take you so long?" Mikoto's wings folded and slipped inside her back. The taste of her blood was still in her mouth, her scent lingering in her nose. "Why did you?" she buried her head in her embrace. And they dropped to their knees.

Vita smiled, put her hand on her hand, and stroked her hair. "I have battled a dragon, walked and crawled across heat-parched lands under twin suns, and attacked by some unkillable gummies bears to find you… and?"

And Mikoto thinned her eyes at the dramatic pause of her smart-ass elite. Head of her own household.

"This is the thanks I get," she said, kissing her cheek. "Have you tried to kill these damn gummy bears from the seven hells?" She growled as another small transparent, ill-looking one stumbled over, a few quick slaps to her cheek, and wobbled away.

"Runts…" Mikoto whispered, a sad smile across her face. "A chance is all they want."

Vita wrinkled her brow. "Ohhhh? She said, "I'll give them a chance. A chance to die! Little perverts. Do you have any idea where they have been touching me?

"Somewhere where many have touched before."

Vita shook with laughter, "Yeah, well… still."

"Sorry, mistress, but if you don't mind." She took Mikoto's hand and slipped her nail across her palm. Blood seeped out and filled Mikoto's palm. And held it to her mouth. "This will do for now…" and drank.