Chapter 5 “Deadly Savior”

Chapter 5 “Deadly Savior”

Kyoko decided that cell phones were a product of Satan as it rang just as she was really getting into her dream. She wanted to stay within the room of angels she had found. She reached out to touch the cheek of one of the statues wondering why he looked so sad. At first, the ringing was just an annoying sound within the dream but very slowly it was waking her up.

She fought tooth and nail to keep the dream but the cell phone wouldn’t let her and the vision vanished completely.

With a sigh of frustration, Kyoko reached out from under her blanket and squinted her eyes at the caller ID. Her vision wouldn’t focus quickly enough so she answered it just to make it stop. Only her family had her cell phone number and they knew she didn’t do days.

“What?” She demanded groggily once she fumbled to get it open.

“Don’t talk to me that way young lady,” Grandpa Hogo exclaimed. “You young people really don’t know how to treat your elders.”

“Grandpa…” Kyoko mumbled. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“Of course I do… it’s six in the evening,” Grandpa Hogo stated proudly.

Kyoko slapped her hand over her face knowing it was useless at this point. “Why are you calling?”

Grandpa Hogo sighed over the phone. “I’m calling to see if you got my letter.”

Kyoko stiffened under the covers and rubbed a hand over her eyes. She totally did not want to talk about her sex life with her grandfather. She also didn’t want him to know about her actually doing the deed.

“No I didn’t. It might be in today’s mail though. I haven’t checked yet,” She lied, wondering if she could later claim that some random dog ran up to her… grabbed the letter… and ate it. She actually grinned at the mental picture of some random bulldog running up to her, grabbing the letter out of her hand with its teeth and viciously whipping its head back and forth so fast that small scraps of paper started flying around like graffiti.

‘I really need to get some more sleep,’ Kyoko thought as the vision continued with the dog peeing on the remnants of the letter.

“Now don’t forget to check it and remember all your bills come due next week.” Grandpa Hogo said. “Remember? Your power almost got turned off last month.”

“Yeah, yeah I got it,” Kyoko grumbled and sat up in bed feeling the lecture coming on. She instantly smiled remembering her secret stash of money… no worries. Her bills would be covered for a while. ‘Steal money from dead vampires, pay bills with money stolen from dead vampires… got it.’ Her mental checklist looked great for the month… for the next several months.

“Don’t get all smart mouthed, Kyoko. You really need to take more responsibility and do things…”

“I gotta go Grandpa, I’ll call you tomorrow.” Kyoko said through a yawn and hung up on him. She loved her grandpa… but, geez, it was way too early for all that.

Grandpa Hogo stood there staring at the cordless phone in his hand and blinked when it started beeping at him, signaling the other person had hung up.

“I don’t believe it,” Grandpa Hogo exclaimed softly then turned his wide eyes to Mrs. Hogo who was sitting on the living room sofa. “She hung up on me.”

“Father,” Mrs. Hogo said. “You know how Kyoko is. Every time you challenge her about being irresponsible, she either takes the bait or ignores you.”

“When I was her age, I knew how to take care of myself,” Grandpa Hogo complained. “Your grandparents never worried about me.”

Mrs. Hogo gave him a smile that said she knew better but she would humor him.

The phone rang again and Grandpa Hogo picked it up expecting Kyoko.

“Now you listen here little girl,” he started.

“Mr. Hogo it’s Tasuki.” The voice sounded indignant.

Grandpa rolled his eyes. “Tasuki my boy, how are you?”

“Fine. Have you gotten word from Kyoko?” Tasuki asked. “I really need to speak with her.”

Grandpa snorted, “Well you should have spoken to her the night she left. I don’t know her phone number or where she’s at. Don’t call here again.”

With that, Grandpa hung up on Tasuki feeling satisfaction after Kyoko had hung up on him.

Mrs. Hogo stared at her father in shock until she saw the malicious grin on his face. He stood there with the phone in his hand and after twenty seconds or so it rang again.

“Did you just hang up on me?” Tasuki demanded heatedly.

“I don’t know,” Grandpa said. “Did it sound something like this?” He hung up again.

The elder man chuckled and held up a finger to silence Mrs. Hogo just before the phone rang again.

“Hogo Retirement Home,” He exclaimed happily.

“Don’t hang up on me again,” Tasuki growled.

“Oh, so that’s what that sounds like.” Grandpa said with wonder in his voice. “I always wondered.”

“You know what?” Tasuki demanded. “Forget it old man.”

Grandpa blinked when the line went dead and he lowered the phone from his ear to stare at it.

“He hung up on me too,” Grandpa said softly. “That little brat hung up on me… an old man. Him and Kyoko actually would make a good couple… they are so much alike.”

“Serves you right, Dad,” Mrs. Hogo stated. “And I think it’s a little late in the game to pull the ‘old’ card, don’t you? You’re a grandfather and yet act like a five year old making prank calls to pizza delivery places.”

Grandpa Hogo grabbed a notepad and a pen. By golly, if Kyoko wasn’t going to do anything about her problem… then he would. Once he was done writing, he found the box of plain envelopes on the computer desk and stuffed the piece of paper inside. Mrs. Hogo sat watching him with a knowing expression but said nothing.

“I’m going out for a bit,” Grandpa Hogo stated as he slipped on his shoes.

“What are you doing?” Mrs. Hogo asked suspiciously.

Grandpa Hogo threw his arms in the air. “Who cares? I can take care of myself remember? Next time you talk to Kyoko, maybe you should ask her the same question. Better yet, send her a self-help book on how to take care of herself.” Grandpa Hogo paused, “Now that’s a good idea.”

“What is?” Mrs. Hogo asked.

“Checking the Mailbox for Dummies,” Grandpa Hogo growled before walking out.

The older man walked down the sidewalk at a brisk pace muttering to himself.

“Stupid kids… why do I waste my time? She probably got the letter and doesn’t want to tell me, thinking she can handle it on her own. No one can do THAT on their own… if they can, they belong in the dirty movie industry,” he ranted as he crossed a side street intersection. “I’m getting too old for this.”

Grandpa Hogo stopped in front of another house and stared at it for a minute before opening the mailbox and slipping the plain envelope inside. He saw there was mail in there and, looking up and down the street, pulled it out to look at it.

“Bills… bills… dating service… bi… what the hell? Dating service?” Grandpa Hogo slipped the solicitor in his pocket and returned the rest of it to the mailbox, making sure to place his envelope on top.

“There,” he said with satisfaction before glaring at Tasuki’s house. “If you can’t make heads or tails of this, I will personally beat you. Stupid boy doesn’t even know how to ask a girl out.” He frowned thoughtfully and stroked his chin. “I wonder if Kyoko is taking birth control. I don’t think I can handle a bunch of tiny Tasuki’s running around.”

Grandpa Hogo turned around and started for home. On the way, he opened the mailer for the dating service and started looking it over. His grandson Tama was always saying he needed to get a life. He wondered if there were any women out there that could handle an energetic and semi-retired demon-hunter trainer… only one way to find out.

***** Hyakuhei paced across the room in frustration, swirling the red wine in his glass. The sun wouldn’t set for a couple more hours and it was making him bent. He was anxious for the night… and bored out of his mind. He glanced around the room not recalling destroying the place, even though there wasn’t a piece of furniture still intact.

His eyes landed on the mattress that was now stripped bare and snarled remembering when he’d tried to go back to sleep to make time move more swiftly. The scent of their mating had nearly driven him crazy. It was then that he vividly remembered destroying the room.

Hyakuhei’s fingers squeezed the glass until it shattered in his hand… his facial expression becoming murderous knowing he was no longer alone within the room. “Why are you here brother?”

Tadamichi stepped from the shadows behind his brother knowing he was unwelcome but he had to know how much damage had been done. “I can feel the unrest in your mind.”

“Be careful Tadamichi, you don’t want to be in my head and see the demons you left crawling around in there,” Hyakuhei hissed as he turned, only to find his brother had wisely vanished.

***** Kyoko stepped out of her apartment and nearly skipped down the hall. Well, she would have skipped, but the high-heeled shoes she was wearing would have sprained her ankle for sure. The heels were great to jerk off during a fight though and dressing like a hooker made the normal people leave her alone while she paid attention to the filth it attracted. She walked through the still empty club and waved happily at Amni.

“I’m off to work honey.” Kyoko exclaimed cheerfully. “Do you want me to bring you back anything?”

Amni looked over his shoulder at her and felt his jaw drop to the floor. Kyoko was dressed in a short skirt that barely covered her… assets, fishnet stockings and a black leather bustier that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Tossed over one shoulder was a black leather jacket and his eyes widened.

He’d seen it in the club last night… being worn by his sire’s brother. His hands shook realizing just what that meant. Clearing his mind for the moment, he turned to face her fully.

“Yeah, you can,” Amni answered, letting his blue eyes darken attractively. “Condoms and a hand mixer.”

The two bouncers and another bartender started laughing at Amni’s comeback while Kyoko just batted her eyelashes at him. “What, no whipped cream or edible panties?”

“Nah, got those upstairs.” He felt himself harden at the thought and cringed.

Kyoko smirked, “Still have them left over from last Christmas huh?”

Amni sputtered before staring at Kyoko incredulously. How in the hell she was always able to outmaneuver him during one of their playful banter conversations he’d never know.

“Just go,” he finally managed although he was having flashbacks of the last time she’d walked out the door. “I’ll leave the light on for you.”

Kyoko cocked an eyebrow at her friend and started for him, noticing something was up. At that precise moment there was a thumping noise coming down the stairs and, without looking, Kyoko knew exactly who it was. Not wanting to become Yohji’s target again so quickly, she swung her gaze pleadingly back to Amni.

“Oh dear… do you mind?” Without explaining what she was doing, Kyoko wrapped her arms around Amni’s neck and pressed her lips to his. No sooner had she done so, the door to the upstairs apartments flew open and Yohji appeared in a pair of boxers and ripped tee shirt.

“Who the hell took my clothes and stapled them to the ceiling?” Yohji yelled.

Kyoko giggled against Amni’s lips not realizing his blue eyes had started glowing. After a moment, she was able to turn and give Yohji a sympathetic look.

“Have you gone out at all today?” Kyoko asked still wrapped around Amni, who was looking at her like she was a wish that had just been granted.

“I was fucking sleeping the whole day,” Yohji exclaimed. “Someone keeps breaking into my apartment and messing with my head.”

“Want us to call the police?” Amni asked as his hand tightened around Kyoko’s back to lift her completely off the floor… ‘Hey, she started it.’ He smiled inwardly as she clung to him.

Yohji looked like he was going to answer an affirmative but snapped his jaw closed. Finally, he shook his head and turned to go back upstairs then stopped as he realized what he was seeing.

“What the hell are you doing dressed like that and letting blondie paw at you?” Yohji demanded. “I thought you said you had a boyfriend?”

Kyoko was about to give Yohji a piece of her mind when Amni interrupted.

“She’s going to a costume party over at a friend’s house tonight and was telling me to probably expect a phone call from her for a ride home. She just saw a mouse and jumped up on me.” He looked back down at her as if to say ‘tag you’re it’. Let her wiggle out of that one.

“A… a mouse?” Yohji asked suspiciously.

“Yeah,” Kyoko said unable to take her eyes off Amni’s. “A really big one too, it might have even been a rat.” She frowned and looked down when she heard how breathless her voice had become.

“I think you can get down now,” Amni said… wanting to put distance between Kyoko and his erection.

Kyoko slid down a bit before freezing in place and jerking her eyes back up at Amni with a blush on her cheeks. She quickly got off of him and took a few hurried paces back.

“So… um… yeah, I’ll call you later,” Kyoko said nervously before almost running out the front door.

Amni shook his head and started to go back to work when he was suddenly confronted with Yohji.

“You stay away from her,” Yohji hissed darkly then blanched at the hand that was suddenly locked around his throat in a tight grip.

“Are you really that stupid?” Amni asked wondering when he’d started losing his cool so easily. “Your brother might own the apartments upstairs, but I own this club. You don’t own anything… especially Kyoko.” He shoved Yohji backwards then added, “Don’t you have laundry to peel off the ceiling or something?”

Amni dropped Yohji back to the floor like a rock and walked off.

***** Kyoko got out of the cab and slipped down a side alley. She’d gotten a ride to the worst part of town and took out her compact to check her makeup one more time. It had been kind of rough putting it on in the cab, but she managed and the result was great.

Putting the compact away, she opened the jacket to show off the bustier she was wearing and shoved her hands into the jacket pockets. By god, the man she’d slept with last night must have smelled heavenly if the remnants of the cologne on the leather were any indication.

‘I might just have to go find out what the smell is so I can spray my whole apartment down with it,’ she thought to herself. ‘This stuff has to be bottled sexual attraction.’

She closed her eyes as some of the memories from last night rushed through her mind then quickly shoved them away for the fifth time since waking up. No fair… she’d gotten drunk so she wouldn’t have to remember what she had done. In her mind… it had been the safest way out… almost like it had never happened.

Denial was a wonderful thing, but if the memories kept trying to creep back in she would have to own up to it.

Looking up at the sky, she realized that the sun was setting behind the murky clouds that had been hovering there so darkly since she had left the club. That’s when it dawned on her that none of the usual crowd would be out yet. She’d jumped the gun wanting to get to work early. If what she had done last night really worked… then maybe she would have to hunt harder for her targets since they wouldn’t be hunting for her anymore.

‘Stupid Grandpa,’ she thought to herself. ‘Waking me up too early.’ Her steps slowed knowing she was lying to herself. She had left the apartment early trying to outrun the memory of last night. She wondered who he was… wait… no she didn’t! She stomped her foot wishing she had something to fight.

Kyoko ducked into another alley and leaned against the wall for a moment. She nearly jumped out of her high-heeled shoes when her cell phone suddenly went off. Yanking it out of the jacket pocket, she flipped it open ready to give her grandpa a what for. Looking at the number on the caller ID, her eyes widened and she pressed the answer button with a nervous finger.

“Hello?” Kyoko said softly as tears tried to blur her vision.

“Kyoko! Oh my god. Where are you, how have you been, why did you take off and not contact me?”

Kyoko allowed a tiny smile to appear on her lips. “It’s good to hear from you Tasuki. I’m living on my own, I’ve been fine and Grandpa Hogo thought it would be best.” She answered all of his questions feeling like a weight was pressing against her chest. God she had missed him.

“It was a vampire problem… wasn’t it?” Tasuki asked.

“Among other things,” Kyoko answered and leaned her head back against the brick wall of the alley. “It… it’s good to hear your voice again.”

“Why didn’t you tell me something or get in contact with me?” Tasuki asked sounding extremely hurt that she obviously didn’t trust him to help her.

“Tasuki,” Kyoko said with a sigh. “I couldn’t… OH GOD!”

Kyoko ducked to miss the claws of a vampire that came out of absolutely nowhere. She winced when the second set of claws managed to get her across the belly, causing blood to instantly well up. Dodging away from the creature, she dropped the cell phone… completely missing Tasuki’s concerned yelling.

Kyoko immediately forgot about the cell phone and concentrated on the half-breed in front of her. Red angry eyes clashed with her deep emerald ones as more shadows appeared behind him. Just as they came into existence, lightening lit up the sky and the rain came down with a vengeance.

“Welcome to hell… population one,” Kyoko murmured.

***** Hyakuhei stepped out into the lobby, adjusting the black shirt he’d had delivered along with a supply of them to hang in the closet. Pulling up the collar of the black leather duster around his face, he walked past the men busy replacing the front picture windows and out into the early evening air. He breathed deeply, taking in the scent of nighttime quickly approaching.

His need to find her hummed through him like poison in his blood.

In the blink of an eye, he was on the roof overlooking the city. The wind was stronger up here, blowing his long black hair and duster in the updraft. The two moved as one in the breeze, creating the illusion of black angelic wings. Moving with speeds that couldn’t be seen by any creature other than one of his own, Hyakuhei glided over the rooftops… tracking not only the woman’s scent but his bond to her as well.

Her scent became stronger as he neared the area the city populace called ‘The Slums’ and he wondered why she was here of all places. Her scent was suddenly tainted with the aroma of fresh blood and Hyakuhei stopped on the low roof of a rundown apartment building. He remembered the scent of that blood… he had tasted it and craved more.

Tilting his head to the side, he heard the sound of a fight going on and moved toward it as the sky opened up in a torrent of rain. The scent of her blood became stronger and he looked down in the alley below him. His eyes began to glow a deep red and the nails on his hands extended into claws. She was hurt and the vampires surrounding her had just signed their death wish.

His rage surfaced and the glass windows of the building he was standing on started to tremble.

Kyoko looked around and comprehended that she was finally in over her head. She was now facing off against five vampires instead of only one. Apparently the first one had buddies and they all wanted the same thing… her blood. Clenching her fist, she let the spirit dart flare to life in her hand and crouched into a protective fighting stance.

“You want this do you?” she taunted, suddenly angry they had interrupted her special phone call. “Come and get your dinner if you can.”

What she wasn’t expecting was for all five to attack at the exact same time… cowards. The storm had set in as if trying to make things worse for her by making it harder for her to see. The gods must have had mercy when a flash of lightening lit the alley, giving her the fighting chance she needed.

The demon closest to her got a high heel to his perfect face and one on her left got an elbow to the throat. Strong arms grabbed her from behind and she felt its claws sink into her soft skin. Kyoko grunted in pain and rammed the spirit dart into the vampire’s thigh. She took only a second to pull her arms free before he started to melt, reminding her of the wicked witch of the west. That fun little distraction was all that was needed for an attack.

Kyoko cried out when a set of claws raked across her cheek and another grazed the laces holding the bustier closed. The string broke open on the top three holes but luckily the rest of it stayed intact. Another half-breed was suddenly in front of her pulling the collar of the leather jacket aside with one hand and the other pushing her head away, exposing her neck.

God she felt like she was being mauled by wild dogs. Her knees and elbows were bleeding within seconds of her struggle. These were the worst kind of demons… nothing more than animals.

Each one of her arms was pulled out to her side, preventing her from using her darts while the last one grabbed her ankles with a wicked laugh. Kyoko started struggling with all her strength and was satisfied when she heard them grunt with the effort to keep hold of her.

“This one’s a fighter,” the one behind her said with a grin. “Let’s have a little bit of fun first.”

The other three fanged buddies laughed and Kyoko suddenly found herself slammed down on the cold concrete. For a split second she was so stunned all she could do was listen to the loud ringing in her ears from where her head had smacked the concrete. As soon as the sound dulled, she thrashed wildly from side to side trying to throw them off of her.

Her eyes widened when she heard more laughter from deeper in the alley.

“Get the hell off of me,” Kyoko raged trying to twist the spirit dart around with her wrist but only hitting air with it. “Damn it!” she screeched, kicking violently as one of the punks slid between her legs. Very slowly the red headed vampire’s claws sliced through the strings of the bustier and with a snarl, he jerked it open exposing her breasts to the cold rain.

The red head grinned, making a show of his elongated fangs and started ripping the fishnets off of her legs. His grin turned into a leer and he fingered the black lace thong she was wearing before it too was ripped away.

Kyoko struggled as she glared at him. “I always knew there was a reason I hated red heads!” She growled, realizing her voice was about the only weapon she could still use, though it was useless.

“Come on honey… I don’t bite,” he said treacherously as he snapped his teeth together loudly, staring right at the juncture of her thighs. He laughed out loud when his comrades took a hold of her bustier and ripped it completely off her. To her horror, in union, they all surged forward with bloodlust in their eyes.

For the first time in a very long time, Kyoko was scared out of her mind. Her fear manifested itself into a full-blown scream when she felt the first set of teeth penetrate her skin. She was going to be eaten alive.

Hyakuhei growled and the glass windows under him cracked with the force of his anger. This was another reason he detested half-breeds… they resorted to tactics such as this to gain their satisfaction. He stepped off the edge of the building, falling straight down seven stories to land silently on the ground beside them.

Kyoko was suddenly covered in warm, sticky blood when the one between her legs abruptly didn’t have a head anymore. The remnants of his body dissolved into powdery liquid mush, making her cringe when it splashed up on her body. She felt her limbs being released and she rolled away, quickly looking up into the most beautiful face she’d ever seen. Perfection… with an aura of danger and death surrounding him.

The man had long flowing ebony hair and his floor-length black leather duster gave him the appearance of an avenging angel. She watched as that beautiful face distorted in an angry hiss that showed fangs. The fierce look on his face would have scared the devil himself.

Kyoko’s lips parted. No… Oh God No… he was a demon.

She scrambled back from him and finally gained her footing only then realizing one of her shoes was missing when she stumbled. His blood red eyes gazed at her steadily and Kyoko felt the spirit dart form in her hand. Paying no mind to her exposed body… she plunged the deadly dart into his chest and gasped when it vanished, leaving no wound behind.

“What the hell?” she whispered as she slowly looked up into his suddenly black eyes.

Hyakuhei reached out and snatched her wrist in a tight hold wondering what she had just tried to do to him. “Did you think you could escape me by trying to kill me?” he growled and shook the wrist clutched tightly in his palm before shoving her backwards and out of danger.

Still feeling the hysteria of the last few moments, Kyoko fisted her hand again and nearly screamed in frustration when the dart wouldn’t form. “Damn it!” she exclaimed then looked up at him in fear. “Guess it’s the old fashioned way then.”

He was expecting many things but not what he got. The woman came at him with fists and feet flying. He could have easily defeated her but he didn’t want her to come to any harm. The claw marks on her skin were already tearing at his mind. His shock and confusion only lasted a moment until her fist connected with the side of his face with a bone-jarring crack.

Hyakuhei took the hit and flipped back, landing gracefully on his feet. His hair fluttered around him as if the rain had decided not to touch him and his dangerous beauty once again captivated Kyoko. The expression on his face was livid but for some reason Kyoko’s fear had left her due to the insanity.

‘What the hell does she think she’s doing?’ Hyakuhei thought to himself then snarled violently when he felt his brother’s interference for the second time since awakening alone.

“She’s fighting a vampire,” Tadamichi’s voice echoed in his head. “That is what she was born to do, dear brother.”

“What?” Hyakuhei yelled as he grabbed another half-breed by the hair and twisted his head clean off. “What the hell does that mean?”

“You have no power over her Hyakuhei… you must let her go for both our sakes.” Tadamichi’s voice was softer than Hyakuhei had ever heard it and he felt the chill clear down to his bones knowing his brother wasn’t bluffing.

“This has nothing to do with you… she has nothing to do with you. Stay out of my way,” he growled back defiantly. Snapping his head around, he noticed the girl was running toward the mouth of the alley as fast as her small feet could carry her. “I will not let her go!”

He heard the growls and hissing from further down the alley and stood up to his full height. A strong wind swept through the alley and Hyakuhei’s eyes darkened to a deep red… the color of freshly spilt blood. His power pushed against the walls around him and the windows of the buildings on both sides started to shatter, exploding outward and dropping to the ground in painful splinters.

The air around him started to writhe with what appeared to be black smoke that crackled with power. Hyakuhei lifted his right hand toward the vampires at the other end of the alley. The smoke rose and suddenly spilled forward, blocking the half-breeds in. They all stood there for a moment looking for an escape, then started screaming when the supernatural wall brushed across their bodies.

They instantaneously combusted… melting into the concrete in a mass puddle of fiery ooze that quickly vanished.

He pulled his hand back and the wall of smoke returned, spiraling to a point in the center of his open palm before vanishing. As if knowing the fight was over, the harsh rain faded to a slow drizzle.

Hyakuhei brushed himself off and pivoted on his heel, intent on stalking the girl when he heard a tiny voice yelling by his feet. Looking down, he picked up the forgotten cell phone and examined it. He arched an eyebrow when he heard the voice more distinctly yelling… a male voice.

“Kyoko! What happened! Damn it… answer me!”

Hyakuhei growled into the receiver then smirked when he heard a startled yelp on the other end. So, the woman’s name was Kyoko. Closing the cell phone, Hyakuhei tucked it into one of the inner pockets of his duster. “Whoever you are… she doesn’t need you.”

***** Tasuki dropped his cell phone and swerved to miss the oncoming traffic. Getting back in the correct lane, he leaned over and retrieved the device. With a quick glance, he saw that Kyoko… or someone had shut off the phone from her end. That growl he had heard was decidedly not human, nor was it friendly.

Throwing the useless phone up on the dash, he stared hard at the road. “Damn it, I can’t lose you now.”

He could still hear Kyoko’s screams echoing within his head. He’d seen her fight many times, but not once had she ever made that terrified sound. He gripped the steering wheel, trying to pay attention to the road that had now become his speedway.

He had called the cell phone number, happier than he’d been in a long time. He finally had a way to communicate with her. It’d sounded like she was being attacked… he’d been yelling for her the entire time and felt a cold chill wash over him when he heard Kyoko scream like that. But what was even scarier was when he couldn’t hear her anymore… then that growl.

“Damn it.” he slammed his hand down on the horn as he glared at the red light and traffic around him. “It’s the middle of the night people… go home!”

Reaching into his shirt pocket, Tasuki took out the piece of paper that had been haphazardly tucked into a plain white envelope and placed in his mailbox. He’d been elated to find not only Kyoko’s cell phone number but an address as well. That address was what he was now focused on.

It’d been so nice to hear her voice on the phone after so long, yet when he heard that scream… Tasuki had never moved so fast in his life. Thanks to Kyoko’s training all those times they’d worked together to kill vampires, he’d already had a suitcase and weapons packed in case of an emergency.

He glanced over at the fighting staff in the seat beside him… it gleamed mysteriously in the glow of the streetlights as Tasuki sped down the highway.

The tip of the staff was coated in gold that appeared to have been poured on. The gold itself was wound part of the way down as though someone had twisted it while it was hardening. Two prongs graced the top at what seemed to be right angles pointing inward toward each other.

Between the two prongs at the tip of the staff was a huge amethyst stone about the size of his fist, surrounded by golden rings that dangled and chimed together when in movement. Another amethyst, larger than the one at the tip, was set at the apex of the prongs against the ‘body’ of the staff. More rings dangled from the bottom halves of the prongs larger than those at the top. All in all, it was an extremely beautiful weapon.

They’d discovered it in an antique shop a couple months before Kyoko had vanished. The man they bought it from said it came from a long line of monks and was enchanted. Not that they believed him. But from the moment he’d first touched it… Tasuki had felt empowered. It felt like it belonged in his hand. A scroll had been wrapped around the hand grooves that had been worn due to much obvious use.

Once they got it back to Tasuki’s place, Kyoko had removed the scroll and found a name beautifully carved into the petrified wood… Shinbe.

When spoken aloud, Tasuki remembered, the name had sent a shiver down his spine, but not in a bad way. When Kyoko had whispered the name and wrapped her arms around herself like she was going to cry, he had quickly dropped the staff and asked her what was wrong. She’d only smiled sadly and shook her head; picking the staff up and handing it back to him.

“It belongs to you now,” she had said with emotion.

He somehow knew that this staff had once been in the hands of a kind and gentle man… an honorable man. Sometimes Tasuki was convinced he could see the man’s face but for some reason, whenever he thought too hard on it… he got the creeping sensation that he was stepping on his own grave.

The face didn’t matter, what mattered is he had a marvelous tool that he knew for certain would help him protect Kyoko. Now all he needed was to find that vampire and take his head off with it.

Looking at the dashboard GPS, he pressed his foot down on the gas wanting to get there faster but knowing it would still be a couple of hours before he could lay eyes on her again… if he could find her.

“I’m coming Kyoko,” he whispered.