She dreams.
"What's it like?" She heard. "What?"
"Being a vampire?" The little girl asked. Her eyes gleamed in childlike wonder. The other children quickly straighten in their chairs. The entire classroom's eyes and ears open wide.
"Do you drink blood?" a little boy asked loudly. "Or change into a bat… or" another yelled out.
"Hmmm… I'd really forgotten about that." She said, looking around. Images suspended in the empty darkness. She looked up at one when she visited a children's school.
"What?" Little misaka said.
"Children are pretty scary," she said with a laugh. "Inquisitive and no boundaries. Just plain rude. Hmph!"
"And look at your own?"
"Please." Mikoto rolled her eyes, puffing her cheeks. "Terrifying." She grinned.
A slit of light, like eyes, slowly opened.
A blurring face with emerald-colored eyes filled with concern and worry. Damp cloth in her hand, gently tapping her cheeks and forehead. An unforgiven throb of a sledgehammer pounding a nail. The slit of light faded.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch… tch…" she groaned." Let's not do that again."
"Quite the hangover, princess." Little misaka spoke, sarcasm dripping words.
"Shut up." Mikoto misaka clenched. Electric pain shot across her forehead. "Ah, at least I remembered not to yell…. "
"The sound would have reverberated." Little misaka slowly shook her head. She was kneeling by her side, eyes closed, smiling demurely, rubbing her back.
"Seems we had a little too much of the sweet stuff." Her smile grew. "Good times," she whispered. "Wolves would've liked it…. It's not a party unless there's some bloodshed."
Mikoto rolled over on her back, an arm over her eyes. A chill rolled over her skin. She opened her eyes and peeked from underneath her arm. Puckered and moved her lips. "Why am I naked?"
Little misaka rubbed just above her breasts.
"We're all girls here." Little misaka quipped. "And.."
"And?"
"Seems a certain little pervy kitten has undressed and bathed us."
Mikoto, a dull throb of a hangover, behind her closed eyes. "Not really caring right now." She said, rolling over on her side. She felt something soft and warm curled against her chest, belly, and thighs.
A slit of light appeared as she opened her eyes. She arched her brow, seeing the furry-edged tips. "Cat ears?"
She did her best to raise her head and look. But the dull thrumming of her hangover pounded louder. And her head weighed a ton. Quickly giving up, she let it drift down. Kea was lying next to her, pushed, pulled, or scooted close enough to leave no light between them, Mikoto's hand on the slight curve of her olive-striped hip. Her fingers lazily traced the separation of color on her skin. With a soft sigh, Kea rolled over. Mikoto's fingers followed her turn along with the olive and brown of the belly and settled on the other hip. Kea nuzzled closer, burying her face in her chest.
"Please tell me we…. didn't."
"Nope… more concern, but I am thinking she is."
"I don't need that right now…. I just… want."
Little misaka gently stroked her arm. Eyes still closed, smiling demurely. "I won't tell you no or to go for it… but." Darkness slipped as her eyelids opened slightly. "By the smell of it… it could be sooner than later."
She sighed, "you know?" listening to the little one's soft breathing, the rush of blood flowing just underneath her skin.
Little misaka smiled.
They both spoke. "I hate being a vampire sometime."
She was worried. Taking a deep breath, Kea's scent was changing. Mixing and flowing with hers. She smelled the familiar jasmine, sandalwood, and yiang ylang oils. Exotic, deep, and floral. Rich and distinctive and a hint of linalool. Calm edged with the smell of fire. She smelled of her house. Smelled of those who served.
They'd danced, sweat and scent mixing and clinging to each. And when they left and sat down. They touched and rubbed together. Even when she rose to dance, Kea stood with her, her small face pressed against her cheek. Ears flickered against her skin. Her hand across her belly.
She groaned.
"I need to be more cautious." She spoke.
A deep rumble across her chest, answered by a soft purring against her chest. Mikoto closed her eyes, and the slit of light faded.
Distant, heavy winds kicked up and howled. Yelling and screaming. A blurry image covered in the dark struggled forward. She felt familiar. Mikotos' eyes shot open as she sat up. Little misaka kneeling by her side, eyes closed, smiling demurely. Gently put her hand on her back. "Who is that?!" Felt, the anger burning. It clawed through the angry rippling in the darkness, over and over. A fierce primal growl sending wave after powerful wave. Coming closer and closer. Her heart pounded against her chest. Her blood burned in her veins. Clenching her teeth, Mikoto snarled and screamed into the darkness.
"Crapppp!" Quickly hiding her eyes from the bright sunshine. She woke.
"Pain!" Little misaka shouted, her eyes closed. "Who the fuck turned on the lights! And why are they so bright!"
"Owe! Owe!" shaking her head. "don't do that!"
Mikoto's head pounded like sledgehammers on a small nail. Her hands covered her ears, pressed tighter to muffle the sound of her pulse in her ears. But nothing worked.
"Here." Aya bent over, holding a small bowl. She grinned, eyes glistening. "A little headache…" she said.
Mikoto snatched the bowl, noticing the bruise on her cheek. She sniffed it, fretting her brow, "this smell like…."
"Taste like it too. But it should help…." Aya straightened up and put her hand on her hip. Mikoto took a drink, throat lurching, but she forced it down. "Oh crappp, why does it taste so..."
Nya was coming from the back of the longhouse, holding a heavy bag. She put her arms through the straps and adjusted them to carry her back. Her lower lip was swollen, and she had a few scrapes on her arms. "No rest for the wicked," she said.
"And you were wicked last night…." Aya quipped. "You should talk.," She wiggled her eyebrows. "Oh, I can," she grinned. "How much detail do you want? Maybe learn a thing or two…."
"Little sister! Who was it that told you?"
"Ahhh…." Mikoto groaned, her shoulders sinking fast, smacked her lips, and took another drink. "Urp, why am I.? "Seeing a large pitcher sitting next to her. The gel-like glistening across the liquid's surface, the smell curling her nose.
"You need to finish it." She said, "it'll help. It's what the little ones drink when they come to stay."
Mikoto leaned over, sniffed, and looked into the pitcher. "What?"
"Baby food?" Little misaka spoke.
She looked over the pitcher at the large pot with a wooden lid. "You don't mean…."
"Oh, how sweet?" Little misaka rolled her eyes, her tongue hanging out of her mouth. "Yummy not!"
"Think of it as a little hair of the dog," Aya smirked.
Mikoto looked at her, eyes half-lidded, pale, and somewhat near death. And in a voice that would intimidate death itself, "If a dog bit me, there be no hair of the dog left." She put her cup down, burped loudly, picked up the pitcher, and slammed it, wiping her mouth and putting it on the ground. Glanced over towards the large clay pitcher in the corner. Roots, vegetables, various plant leaves, and herbs. Steeped in boiling hot water. Food for the little ones to eat when they come back home. She remembered Nya, Gullah, and Rae holding them. A texture and taste of blanched spinach, stringy roots, and vinegar for a not too pleasant taste.
"Ohhhh, that is grossssss," she said, going paler.
"The young ones will start returning." Aya reached over and adjusted the wooden lid, half on and half off.
Mikoto nodded. "Are you going on a hunt?"
Aya nodded and joined Nya at the entrance. "Where's?"
"Who?" Aya tilted her head, eyes and smile going soft. The implications were unspoken. Mikoto knew it.
"Nothing happened…" she said slowly.
"What do you mean?" She grinned and chuckled. "Kea left early to go back home and get ready." She said. "She spent all night making sure you were good." she put her finger into her mouth and pretended to throw up.
Mikoto blushed, still tired and worn. "Yes, yes… everyone makes fun of the one who threw up.. but you…" she pointed accusingly.
"Me what?" Putting her hand on her chest. "you were just as…" she puckered her mouth, furrowing her brow," no-no…" she shook her head. "I did not… uuuurrrrrpppp!" She laughed.
"Wellll. hold on, and I'll get ready and join you." Mikoto exhaled. Her breath stinks. She cinched her nose.
"It's ok..." Aya said. "Besides, the hunts can be dangerous, and you don't look so good."
Rea peeked around the entrance and waved. "You missed a good one," she said, a few scratches across her face. Her eyes gleamed brightly.
"Didn't she have more than us?" Little misaka spoke, surprised. "If anyone, she should be worse off!"
"Let's go," Aya said. She gave her head a tilt, eyes looking wolflike, mischievous, like knowing a secret she couldn't tell. Young shewolves were like that. Mikoto thinned her painfilled eyes. "what?" She said sharply.
"You should be careful," she said, Aya's smile getting bigger. "Once is ok" she held up a single finger, "twice is so nice, but thrice…" holding a second then a third finger, closed her eyes, grinned, "oh so nice…."
And they left.
"What the hell did she mean?" Mikoto groaned, "what have I done twice…. that I'll do a third time.?"
Mikoto fell back and put her arm over her eyes.