Chapter 51

The light hum of the plane was theraputic on my nerves. The last couple of hours had been hectic with a strange atmosphere of awkward denial and measuring of distance. Nick sat on the other side of the private plane, towards the front, looking over more reports and names from our search in Cairo. Ki sat across from me, reading that dusty old book about his families geneology once again. It was somewhat disconcerning and relaxing to see a Pureblood of such high rank interested in something usually only humans took an interest in.

My eyes glance up towards where Nick sat, now hyper aware of his presence, power, and soft pheremones. My lips burned still from his kiss as I place my fingers on them to cool them, rubbing slightly as I stare off into space, file in lap.

My mind couldn't seem to keep away from this fresh and sensetive memory. It was like a fragile flower had started to bud and it was terrifying. Pulled back to the moment Nick's lips touched mine. I remember the heat of him and the softness of his scent.

One arm slowly wrapping around my waist as another slide into my hair to tilt my head for a better angle and a deeper kiss. In that moment, caution was thrown to the wind, everywhere he touched burned and electricity sparked between us almost painfully. My arms had slowly slide up his chest. Everything was wrong with that moment and right at the same time. Puzzle pieces were clicking into place once again,as if 250 years apart had been a few minutes.

My past slamming into me in that kiss, the moment our lips first met in that fragile moment as I slowly wrapped my arms around his neck. He had pulled away from me for a moment, looking down at me. I had opened my eyes, looking up at him softly and whispered his name. His mouth had plunged back down, but just as quickly he jumped away from me, both of us panting in surprise.

What had just happened? He was two or three steps away from me, having moved like lightning. He stared at me for a long moment, looking dishevels and surprised. It was an expression I hadn't expected from him. His hair was mussed from my hands tangling in it on the second, desperate kiss.

Finally he brushes his hands through his hair, composing himself. As for myself, I didn't know what I looked like as he said, 'Forget this ever happened.'

'How?' I ask, still stunned by the moment, my arms hanging limply by my side.

'Don't care, just do. It was a moment of emotional weakness, and it won't happen again.'

Ki pulls me back from my thoughts and asking, 'Find something?'

I shake my head and murmur, 'No, just thinking.'

Ki slowly puts down his book and asks, leaning forward, 'What happened when you left? I didn't see anything you brought back from your arrend.'

Sighing, I slowly pull myself away from the moment I had said to Nick after his emotionless words. 'Are you sure?'

I shrug and say, 'It was a hated argument, we didn't see eye to eye.'

'So that's why there is so much tension between you two?'

I nod, look down at his book which was flipped open. It was in ancient Mandarin, but with time I had learned many languages and I ask, 'Is that Yuia Won?'

Ki looks down at his open book and nods asking, 'You know Mandarin?'

'Yes, I know many languages,' I say reaching for the book.

Ki slides it to me and says, 'Take a look.'

I could feel Nick's eyes on me, but I don't look up as I read about the one of the persons I wrote down as the last before the ripped pages from the Pureblood lineage during the Romane War.

It was a rather dry couple of paragraphs detailing a rather unaccomplished phantom. He was not very old when he died in the Romane Wars but even before that he seemed rather ordinary. He had served his family, a second cousin to the ruling Won Pureblood,his actions were mundane and I murmur, 'He was a rather plain fellow.'

Ki shrugs and murmurs, 'Unsurprising for his age.'

I glance up at Ki, the now three thousand year old man and ask, watching his face closely, 'Remind me again what you had accomplushed by the time you were two hundred.'

He flinches a little at this and sighs with a shrug saying, 'I was in completely different circumstances than him. He was closely associated with the main brach of the family, but I'm from a lower household, not only that but I'm also an undesirable in most Purebloods eyes.'

I stare at him for a moment before saying, 'So that absolves him of having a more active role in the Royal Branch?'

Ki shakes his head before he explains, 'No, not at all. However the main branch have a less active role. They are higher ranked royals and thus can have a very dull existence in their younger years.'

'But aren't the formative years that which you gain experience?'

Nick chimes in, 'Not to the extent of royal born Purebloods, during our younger years we are educated in language, economy, and higher matters of state. I some respects we don't have a coming out party until our maturity is determined by our parents.'

'So when was yours?' I ask, a sharpness in my words.

I hadn't looked vack at him, but I could feel the burb of his power, 'At about five hundreds, just as most Dracul princes.'

I look at Ki, brows raised and he says with a smile, 'When I was considered a threat. So not longer after I had garnered a reputation of killing assassin's.'

These two Purebloods sober my curiousity in that instance and I hand the book back to Ki, murmuring, 'Consider me satisfied.'

--D--

The plane funally touches down in Toyko with the sun setting far in the distant ocean. Only the last vestige of pink and orange speaking to its thunderous power to light our world. We were walking across the tarmac as Ki says all business now, 'My plane will arrive shortly, but I leave with you these papers.'

'What are these?' Nick asks as several Dracul loyal A rank get out of a black Lincoln Navigator.

'I called agead to my counsin Cho and he has prepared documents allowing your stay in Won territories. You know how maticulous they are and only on invitation can a Pureblood royal of another clan be allowed into their lands.'

Nick nods andI stare at the crest on the paper as I ask, 'An oriborus?'

Ki nods,smiling as he says, 'Yes my family are a mix of the pheonix of the royal won, and the water dragons of the eastern province, so we are know for having the flaming oriborus.'

This surprised me, but I nod as he continues, 'My cousin Cho is coming in on the flight I will be leaving on and will

l show you to Kita from here.'

I frown, listening to this, as Ki continues, 'He isn't the nicest man to deal with, extremely traditional. So don't react to any of his comments on the Dracul. As fir the Won Royalty, they are aware of your presence here, but only as a visitor, not an investiator of the Phantasma.'

'What about Cho? If he is so traditional, won't that cause problems?' Nick asks, reading the documents with a raised brow.

Ki shrugs and says, 'Its the lesser of two evils. Either take my cousin or have the full force of the Won Royalty come down on you.'

Nick nods, seeming sobered and continues, 'I understand. So you will return tomorrow?'

'Yes and when I do, we can continue the investigation. For tonight and tomorrow day, just be a tourist and stick out your feelers to see what's going on.'

Nick nods, looks at me, and asks, 'Did you understand that?'

'More or less.'

Just then another private plane makes a landing down the runway. Ki says under his breath, 'One of the few I wouldnt mind seeing gone once the Silent Phantasma have had their way with the world.'

I look up at him with a cocked brow and see the mask of a Night Hunter come over him. The only thing bespeaking his rage was a slight twitch at his temple.

The plane taxis up and beside the Dracul place, both looking similar, all but the crests on the tails. The one on the Won plane was that of the royal crest, the pheonix, while on the Dracul was the horned black dragon. The whistling engines wind down and the passenger stairs come down.

The man that comes down is supprisingly young looking. Most phantom have a rather distinct quality of seemibg ancient and ethereal, but he looked like he was in his early twenties, hair in the Korean K-pop style, pale almost white blonde. He had on a business suit and navy tye. His features were distinctly Korean and his eyes a rich brown, standing just under six feet. He comes forward, bows in the traditional way and says, standing tall, 'Welcome Dracul Prince to Tokyo. Ki, it has been some time since I heard from you.'

Ki nods slightly, before saying in a monotone, 'Though I wouldn't have minded it being longer. How is the family, in good health I presume.'

'Yes, so you will be in Hong Kong tonight, say Hello to Kim-Ki, she's been anxious to hear from you.'

I could sense irritation building in Ki, but that hole he possessed of none existance remained fixed as he said, 'I understand Cho, but unfortunately I was simply catching a ride with the Royal Dracul Prince to get to Hong Kong. Plus this isn't a pleasure trip, but an important one. I won't have time to see Kim. If you will excuse me, I will leave you to tend the Prince while I am away. I will return tomorrow for a return trip.'

I try not to react, wondering how we would be able to do any investigating if we would leave tomorrow night. But I can't voice that as Ki bows and walks towards the waiting private plane, which started to cycle its engines up. Cho watches him go and sighs in irritation saying, 'As cold as ice, isn't he Dracul dirt.'

This startles me and I stare at him. His once kind demeanor had changed as he looks at Nick. His eyes flick to me, gping up and down in evaluation and says in mock enthusiasm, 'So who is she, your pet?'