Project A-Ko Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction / Vampire Hunter (Darkstalkers) Fan Fiction ❯ Nabiki 1/2 (A Very Scary Thought) ❯ Daywalker... ( Chapter 111 )

Nabiki 1/2

(A Very Scary Thought)

Written by Jim Robert Bader

Proofread by Shiva Barnwell

Based Upon the Altered Destinies Storyline

Inspired by the works of such fans as

Wade Tritshler

Richard Lawson

James Jones

And Many Others

Standard Disclaimer: This is inspired by the work of Takahashi Rumiko and is not my original creation. All characters belong to her. This is only a fanfictional work, and is not intended to compromise the rights of the original owners, distributors and publishers of the Ranma series. I have no money to spare and would very much appreciate if no one tries to sue me.

Kasumi was enjoying the sun beating down against her body as she sat on the edge of the resort pool in a revealing string bikini, her long legs dangling in the pool, which was warm and inviting, tempting her to take a swim, even though she was perfectly content to remain where she was sitting.

"Hey, Oneechan," a pleasantly masculine voice hailed her, causing her to look up at the sight of an incredibly handsome youth named Kaneda…her "little brother," as it were, due to a curse that had been laid upon her sister, Nabiki. He was holding a pair of drinks in his hands and smiling at her in a way that made her heart skip a beat as a pleasant smile of her own lit her face up like the sun itself. She accepted the offer of a drink, even though it was not the sort of fluid that would tempt her, being alcoholic in nature.

"Kaneda-chan," Kasumi said as the powerfully built youth sat down beside her, dangling his legs into the water without changing.

"You looked like you could use some company, Kasumi-chan," Kaneda murmured, "A pretty girl like you shouldn't be out here all by yourself. You need a man to look after you, and I know you've been sending clues to me telling me that I am that lucky guy who can give you what you need."

"Yes," Kasumi replied, "I need you, little brother…" Kasumi's tone was breathless, "I want you…you know how much that is?"

"A lot?" Kaneda guessed as he leaned closer to her.

"Oh yes," Kasumi leaned into him as she felt him put one strong arm around her shoulders and draw her into his embrace.

"You're cold," he remarked, "Want me to warm you up a bit?"

"Oh yes," Kasumi leaned forward as their lips almost touched, "You have exactly what I need…I have always needed you, you know that."

"Yes," he replied, "What I have is yours, Oneechan…feel free to take it."

"I will," cooed Nabiki as she lowered her lips to kiss his cheek and throat, feeling his warmth as if it drew her to him like a magnet. She felt the pulsing strength of his manly vitality and brought her lips even lower, then as the moment seemed most ripe, she parted those lips and revealed her fangs…prominent canines that she proceeded to sink into his neck, tasting the warm nectar of his blood as he gasped, then relaxed into her embrace. The soothing vitality and salty taste of his fluids filled her mouth as she began to draw his juices into her being, feeling the warmth fill her bosom and set her pulse to a different kind of racing…

Kasumi gasped as she woke from her dreams almost shaking with profuse sweat upon her brow. She found herself alone in bed dressed in her nightie, alone and feeling a terror far greater than any that she had ever known, afraid of herself, and what her dream might portend in the light of recent events. The very vividness of her dream made her get up and go to her dresser mirror just to assure herself that she still had a reflection, and even then the fear did not subside. She needed a moment to get a hold of herself, and then drew a deep breath and convinced herself that everything was back to normal. She was still Tendo Kasumi, and still-at least essentially-human.

Stability and the Wa of her house once more maintained, Kasumi rose up to perform her morning chores, knowing that her Aunt Nodoka would be hard at work preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

Try as she might, Kasumi could not entirely banish the dream from her mind, nor ignore the fact that in her dream she had tasted the blood of her own sister…and liked it. Nabiki might be horrified if she found out about that particularly unsavory aspect of the dream, and what it might mean for Kasumi herself, who would never dream of doing something like that in real life, let alone to Nabiki! Such thoughts would not even be proper even without the bloodlust as such incestuous behavior would be frowned upon under almost any other set of circumstances. Kasumi certainly had enough trouble just maintaining her dignity in the light of her unwanted and unrequited lust for the male aspect of her sister.

That Nabiki was away enjoying a honeymoon tryst with her recently wed husband (along with the rest of her marital "Posse"), Saotome Ranma, which only meant that such temptation was effectively beyond Kasumi's immediate grasp. That was both a relief and a source of vexation for Kasumi, who had never asked nor wanted to be under the spell of her intense infatuation. She wished her sister all the best, but even in doing so she found she yearned to be with Nabiki on her honeymoon, if only to enjoy the company of the one she loved and bask in the delight that always filled her young body whenever she caught sight of the charismatic Kaneda.

Her recent troubles were another story altogether…the result of a predatory creature named Dimitri, who fancied himself a "Lord of the Vampires," in fact a renegade seeking to make a name for himself by fighting and absorbing powerful fighters, and he had set his sights on Nabiki, making Kasumi a pawn of his dark ambitions. That Dimitri literally bit off more than he had expected to swallow was evidenced by the way in which Nabiki had banished him in their fight, but though the heroes had won and driven off the spawn of evil, Kasumi had been cursed with Vampirism and found herself a potential menace to her own loved ones. Thankfully a kindly priest named Donovan Bane had lifted the curse from Kasumi…or had seemed to, allowing Kasumi to return to her family and a productive life in the sunlight.

And yet some of the changes worked upon her had not been entirely removed, as was evidenced by the fact that she still had a serious "overbite problem," her canines being longer and more pronounced than those of an average Japanese housewife. She had also contracted an allergic reaction to the smell of garlic, and her night vision had improved considerably while she often would prefer to wear a hat out in the sunlight rather than be exposed to its full brightness…and then there was her disturbing preference for the taste of raw meat that had not been fully drained of its juices…but other than that, she was perfectly normal.

Well…normal if you ignored the fact that she was now a lot stronger than she had used to be before, a fact that came in handy while doing housework, and yet which still seemed…odd to her. After all, how many other housewives could dead-lift a couch or a bed one-handed?

She paused and silently chided herself for the use of the term "housewife," reminding herself once again that she did not have either a husband or a boyfriend.

She mused upon the significance of these things while raking up leaves in the yard, marveling at how quiet everything seemed to be this morning as she savored the peaceful atmosphere, for once not troubled by the sounds of people arguing or practicing martial arts. Her sisters were all away doing things with their boyfriends, leaving her alone to contemplate the dull routine of her existence, wondering if life could be any more fulfilling, or was it at long last time for her to consider going back to school to get a proper education, perhaps to study to be a nurse or a doctor, which had once been her childhood ambition…

"Excuse me down there," a voice called out from somewhere over to her left, "Do you mind not being so loud with that thing? Some of us are trying to sleep here."

Kasumi paused in mid-stroke of her rake, unable to recognize the voice in question. Very slowly she turned around and saw a figure hanging upside down from the roof of her home in a part that was shaded from the sun…a figure draped in a long black cloak with her feet somehow clinging to the edge of the ceiling. A face framed by short red hair looked back at her questioning inquiry and a pair of ruby eyes appeared to size her up with a studied, neutral expression.

"Um…" Kasumi considered what to say, not wanting to give offense to a stranger, and resolved to ask, "Hello, can I help you?"

"That all depends," the redheaded girl replied, "Are you named Tendo Kasumi?"

"Why…yes, I am," Kasumi replied, then paused and waited as she hoped that this girl would identify herself as it did not seem polite for her to ask such a personal question.

"Then you're the one I've come to see," the girl let go of her purchase on the edge of the roof and dropped down to the ground, somehow managing to flip all the way over so that she landed gracefully on her feet, her cape settling around her shoulders as though it was a pair of bat wings. The girl straightened out and said, "Konnichi wa…my name is Lenore…Lenore the Vampire."

"Oh my," Kasumi replied, realizing that this was going to turn out to be one very unusual encounter…

Faith Spencer coughed as she gasped for life, looking around with a momentary disorientation before gasping out, "Where am I?"

"She's coming out of it," a voice responded, "I think she's going to make it."

"Make it?" Faith blinked, "Where…?"

"Take it easy, Spencer," one of the Prison Guards cautioned, "You had a rough time of it, but you should be back on your feet in no time."

"Yeah, but count that as a minor miracle," the Paramedic attending her remarked, "I thought for sure we were going to lose her…she must be incredibly healthy to make it back after being ought for almost a full eight minutes."

"Oh yeah," Faith put a hand to cover her eyes against the glare and felt along the sides of her temples, "I'm a great survivalist…just ask anybody…" she paused then said, "What was that about me being out for…eight full minutes?"

"Well, technically, you were dead," the Prison Guard attending her explained, "You got jumped by that girl gang, and somehow you managed to take most of them out, all except Bertha, who damn near shoved your head halfway down a urinal. You drowned…but somebody called the guard in with time enough to get the paramedics in here."

"Somebody called it in?" Faith asked with mild disorientation, "Didn't think anybody here even cared…"

"Most don't, but you've got a few friends in this place," the Guard assured her, "Good thing too, or you might not have survived this one."

"Yeah," Faith began remembering being ambushed in the showers by some of her fellow prisoners, the ones who had the strongest reason not to like her, bullies and thugs for the most part, with one in particular earning her intense disapproval, "Bertha should have done a better job…she's gonna regret that."

"I certainly hope you don't intend to take the law into your own hands, young lady," the Paramedic sounded disapproving, "Isn't this how you wound up in this place to begin with?"

"Something like that," the former Vampire Slayer frowned, looking at the guard as she added, "Don't worry…I'll testify. Bertha can fry at the state's expense, unless she makes the mistake of looking for a rematch."

"I'll talk to the warden about getting you some protection," the guard assured.

"Don't bother," Faith replied, staring down the length of her body and realizing how close she had come to answering to a much Higher Authority, "I don't need any protection, they'd need protection from me."

"Exactly my point," the guard replied, patting her on the shoulder, which was exposed to view, like the rest of Faith's body above the waist, "You try and get some rest, Ms. Spencer."

"Rest," she frowned, "I've been resting ever since I came into this hellhole…only…"

"Only?" the Paramedic noticed the slight hesitation at the end of her statement.

Faith looked worried, "Uh…no offense, guy, but…there's something you don't know about me…and if I died, even temporarily…it could be bad…really bad…"

To herself, under her breath, she silently amended, (Angel is not going to like this, and Buffy's gonna freak for certain…!)

"Bad?" the Paramedic said, "What do you mean bad?"

"Uh…you wouldn't understand," Faith said evasively, "But…I got a feeling some girl somewhere is about to find out the same way I did…the hard way…"

"Natsume-chan?" Tatewaki Kuno asked, glancing at his lady companion, who had inexplicably doubled over, "Are you all right?"

"Guh…" Natsume responded as her fiancé knelt down to examine her more closely, "I…don't know…I just…all of a sudden…I felt these cramps…"

"Cramps?" Tatewaki asked in growing concern, "Are you ill, my love?"

In spite of the pain that she was feeling, Natsume felt a smile come to her lips upon hearing him address her with such open affection, "Yes…felt almost as if someone had kicked me in the guts for a moment there…but it seems to be easing up now…"

"Are you certain that you are all right?" Tatewaki insisted, "If not, then I can take you to Doctor Tofu…"

"I said I was all right," Natsume straightened up again, forcing a smile onto her lips, "Something just…came over me all of a sudden…but it's easing back now. I'm sure that I will be all right with…just a little bit of rest."

Tatewaki looked as if he were about to make a point of the matter, but then he thought better of it and said, "Very well…if that is what you wish, but if you have another such…cramp…then I am carrying you to the doctor's, and I will hear no argument against this."

"Oh, very well," Natsume said in mild irritation, stoically accepting this as the price one had to pay for having an overly protective boyfriend, though rarely would she have allowed anyone to speak with such a tone of authority regarding her welfare. She was too much the individualist, and after a lifetime of having only to look out for her own welfare, and Kurumi's, it was quite an adjustment having someone fret over her for a change…but not an entirely unpleasant prospect…

Unbeknownst to her, however, two sets of gleaming eyes were studying her from the safety of a heavily shadowed alleyway, both waiting until the man and the woman moved on before one commented to the other, "So…that is the new Slayer…how interesting. This bears closer investigation, don't you agree, Larva?"

Her silent companion did not acknowledge the question in any other way but to nod his head by a slight fraction. This was enough, however, as his younger companion smiled and eased out of the shadows, following the trail of the new Slayer while her companion remained hidden away in the shadows, watching and awaiting for her summons in the unlikely event that she should encounter far more than she could handle on her own.

After all, it had been known to happen a time or two that his Princess got in over her head, in which case Larva would do whatever was necessary to rectify such an unfortunate occasion…

As surprised as Kasumi was to be entertaining the foreigner, she was still too much the proper hostess to refuse hospitality to this peculiar redhead, who had to ask for permission before she could even enter the Tendo household. She also was rather surprised when her visitor asked for tea, a perfectly normal action that belied the claims of this stranger to be of the non-living persuasion.

"Thank you," she said as Kasumi offered her some rice crackers, and then without preamble she said, "The first thing you have to understand about Vampires is that almost everything you hear about us is a myth of one kind or another. Most of what people think they know comes from television and Hollywood, and virtually all of that is the fabrication of Breathers, who haven't the first idea of what it really means to be a Vampire."

"Excuse me…Breathers?" Kasumi politely asked.

"Slang term for ordinary humans," this Lenore person explained, "Some types of Vamps don't need to breathe air like regular folk…and that's the first thing you need to learn…we're not all one big homogenous group. Vampires come in different Tribes and different Bloodlines, and what's true of one isn't necessarily true of another."

"And why is that?" Kasumi wondered.

"Lots of theories about it, but actually, I think the one closest to the truth is that our different branches probably all came from a central source many thousands of years ago," Lenore explained, "And yet over the centuries these different groups became isolated, became distinctly regional, and then mutated into the various tribes that we have today. Each type is distinctive, and the rules that apply to us depends on the nature of our bloodline."

"By bloodline you mean…oh my," Kasumi covered her mouth with surprise at the realization.

"Yeah," Lenore nodded, "Most of us perpetuate our lines by turning others, whom we sire into new Vampires. A few of us get lucky enough to have children the usual way, but with our slowed metabolisms, this is as rare for us as ovulation. You know what it's like to have a period that lasts an entire six months? The cramps make some of us pretty irritable to be around, though the guys have it pretty rough, too, since they don't get it up quite as often."

"And why is that?" Kasumi wondered.

"Nature of the beast, I guess," Lenore shrugged, "Vampires like me don't really age…everything's slowed down, like we're living in slow motion. Oh, we can move pretty fast, in the blink of an eye I can cross this room and back again without batting an eyelash. I've been a vamp for about seventeen years, ever since a boyfriend bit me at a Rocky Horror Picture Show, and I haven't aged more than a few months in human terms…it would take as much as a century before I'd even start to look old enough to be carded."

"But how do you live?" Kasumi wondered, "The blood…"

"Oh, I only need a little bit to sustain me," Lenore replied, "A few ounces a day, a couple of pints a week. I don't really have to kill anyone to get that much blood, except maybe a few animals whenever my supply runs short. I usually get blood from donors, friends who supply me with what I need. We kind of have this big support network that sustains us so we don't have to do any killing."

"That…sounds very interesting," Kasumi replied with a faintly disquieted expression.

"It's existing," Lenore shrugged, "The alternative is…well…not existing, and after a while most of us know which one we like better. The thing is, we're not all soulless monsters preying on humanity, most of us live ordinary lives and try to blend in with society. There's too much risk in attacking humans and drawing unwanted attention to our existence. Breathers have enough funny ideas about who and what we are without adding to the ugly picture. That's why I'm here, to make you understand that being a vamp isn't a death sentence, neither it is a one-way trip to hell, at least for those of us who try to walk the straight and narrow. In other words…we're not all like Dimitri."

"Then…what are you…and what am I?" Kasumi wondered.

"Well, for one thing," Lenore replied, "You're not a full Vampire…I can sense that just by looking at you, without hearing Donovan's side of the story."

"Oh…you know about that?" Kasumi asked.

"Yeah," Lenora replied, "It's big news on the Darkstalkers Circuit…kind of an underground rumor mill in the circles I move through. You see…for most people there's the world of Daylight, where everything is perfectly hunky-dory, except for stuff you hear on the news about crime, war, famine, plagues and stuff like that. Then there's the Nightside, where folks like me dwell. You see…I'm not really hurt by sunlight, but it weakens me. Some Vamps are super sun-shy, others can walk by day and get a nice sun tan. You're what we call a Day Walker…the only problem you have with the sun is that it affects your night vision, but you won't burst into flames or fall apart into a pile of dust. You've got Dimitri's resistance factor working for you. He can survive by full daylight, but he loses half his strength. At night he's at full power, and as you already know, he's a lot tougher than a regular Vampire."

"Then…what is he…and how am I different from him?" Kasumi asked.

"Dimitri didn't become what he is by being changed from a human," Lenore explained, "His mother was a vampire, but his dad…that's a different story. Fact is…we think he was some kind of a demon."

"A demon?" Kasumi felt a slight shiver go down her spine at the implications.

"Yeah," Lenore explained, "Happened about a hundred and fifty years ago…and even then the Eurotrash stood out in a crowd. He briefly hooked up with Dracula, but he's always been a lone wolf type, can't stand abiding by the truce that the Council has going with the Human world…"

"The Council?" Kasumi arched an eyebrow.

"The senior tribes of Vamps have this thing about organized structure," Lenore replied, "Kind of like a Mafia family, more of a legend than something we live with every day. The Council was created centuries ago to keep the peace between the various tribes, and to try and keep the Breathers from coming down on us. Dimitri flouts the authority of the Council…Vamps like him make trouble for the rest of us, so the Chief would like to come down on him like a proverbial ton of bricks, only he's too smart, too powerful and too hard to track down. He surfaces where he wants and makes a name for himself, then goes back into hiding before the Tribal Enforcers can track him down and put him out of commission."

"You mean like when he challenged my sister, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked.

"Dimitri lives for the fight, he lives to test himself, and he wants to become strong…stronger than any Vampire who's ever lived, even stronger than the Big Bad D-man himself. He doesn't just attack people, he absorbs some of what they are into his being…only with you he did the opposite number, imbued you with some of his essence, temporarily became your Sire even, brought you over the edge and made you his plaything. Then…you resisted him…something inside you altered the chemistry of what he gave you, and you became a Master."

"A Master?" Kasumi blinked.

"A type of Vampire who's naturally imbued with the full abilities of a Greater Ancient, including your ability to influence and control other creatures of the night," Lenore explained, "In time you would have naturally broken free from Dimitri…I don't think the bastard really knew what he had with you…but you're stronger than he suspected. I can feel it just sitting here with you…even in full daylight you're got this powerful aura that makes me feel like I want to genuflect in front of you, or something."

"Oh my," Kasumi responded, "I certainly hope you won't do that."

"Not willingly anyway," Lenore replied, "Messing with people's minds is serious heavy stuff, I wouldn't recommend it. Better to ask than demand, better to let people choose to agree with you instead of making them dance to your command like a puppet. I've been there, experimenting, dabbling with my dark side, and let me tell you…it sucks turkeys."

"I can't imagine doing anything like that," Kasumi replied, "Forcing anyone to do what I want is just…wrong."

"Exactly, " Lenore replied, "And that's why you'll never be like Dimitri. When Donovan expunged the dark elements out of your system it must have broken whatever link there was between the two of you. I can feel your soul from here…it's clean of Dimitri's taint, even if what he changed in you remains as the Daywalker."

"Oh," Kasumi replied, "But…how does this affect my ability to live with my family…"

"That depends on how understanding they are," Lenore explained, "You have special needs, but you don't have to be a problem for them, just as long as you remember to observe your limits. You may want to know if there's a cure for what you are…and I really can't answer that. Donavan performed an exorcism, and obviously that didn't do the trick, but you're not suffering from a possession, and you're definitely not evil. I've seen dark and I've seen evil, and you're about as far from that as they get while still remaining human."

"But…" Kasumi shifted uncomfortably, "I…don't know how to say this…but…lately…I've been having these strange…dreams…very real…frighteningly real…"

"That's pretty normal," Lenore replied, "And in a way it's also a good sign."

"It is?" Kasumi blinked.

"You can't have dreams if you don't have a soul," Lenore replied, "And as long as you can feel bad about how disturbing they may seem, it means you have the ability to care. Empathy is a problem of those with souls, not soulless beings like Dimitri."

"Oh," Kasumi replied, seeing the logic behind this statement.

"You want to make the bad dreams go away…do yourself a favor and make sure you get plenty of blood and iron in your system," Lenore replied, "Bad dreams are a way of your subconscious trying to tell you something important. Also…if you have any personal problems, unresolved emotional issues, it might be a good idea to get them out in the open. The longer you carry them inside you, the worse they're going to fester."

"Oh my," Kasumi covered her mouth again, then said, "You don't think…that I'd actually do something like that for real?"

"That all depends on what 'it' is," Lenore replied, "You don't have to confide in me if you don't want to. I'm not a father confessor, I'm just a free agent doing a favor for Frank and the organization he works with. They wanted me to check you out, and now that I have I can report back and tell them you're kosher."

"But…I'm not Jewish," Kasumi pointed out.

"It's just an expression," Lenore smiled, "What I mean to say is that you're not a menace to society or anything close to that, but you're going to have to learn to live within certain limits. For one thing…I'd stay away from garlic, at least until you know if you have the allergy or not. Some Vamps are really sensitive to the stuff, and for a few types of Vamps, garlic has an effect similar to battery acid."

"Oh my," Kasumi remarked once again, then thought a moment before saying, "Excuse me for asking, but…why are there Vampires? I mean…if we're not all creatures from hell, like that Dimitri fellow…"

"Why do we even exist?" Lenore replied, "Good question. Goes back to those theories I told you about earlier…how Vampires got created in the first place. There's a legend, which I have on pretty good authority, that goes like this. Back in ancient times, before recorded history, there was an ancient Empire that today is known as Atlantis…many thousands of years ago it was a highly advanced culture…both in science and what we call magic. These ancient sorcerer-kings ruled a vast empire that has long since disintegrated…hardly anything remains of it today except the echoes of a memory…and the reason why it fell was that these guys tampered with something that should have been left well enough alone."

"And what was this?" Kasumi wondered.

"They tried to use their powers to open a gateway into a different dimension, or a level of being radically different from our own," Lenore replied, "Don't know why they felt like doing that, they already had power beyond imagining, but I guess they just got bored and wanted to conquer new frontiers…only this time the frontier nearly conquered them. They let something loose into the world…something dark and evil, beyond their ability to control or counter…the Rakshasa."

"What are the Rakshasa?" Kasumi asked.

"Nasty suckers," Lenore shuddered, "Ever see Urotsukodoji? No…what am I saying? Of course you haven't. Well…take my word for it…they're just…bad. They're soul drinkers, but they don't just suck your soul, they like to chew on it while having some fun with their victims, then they slowly digest them over a period of days, or maybe even hours, depending on how hungry they get. These demons flooded into our world and threatened to take over everything, and no one could stop them, they were just too bloody powerful, and resistant to high level magics."

"So…how were they defeated?" Kasumi asked, "Did the Kami…?"

"Wasn't the gods who saved humanity," Lenore replied, "It was us…or rather, it was the first of the Vampires, Atlantean mages…call them Necromancers, for lack of a better word, who figured out how to turn the Rakshasas's own power against them. What they did was create this powerful spell that turned them into Demi-human Vampires…creatures who were resistant to soul draining, who had the power of demons, and who-most of all-could kill a Rakshasa bare-handed, drink their blood, steal back their life essence. The spell worked by transmission of blood…one Vamp could create others by sharing their own vitality, bringing humans over to the state of Vampirism, and thus they were able to create an army almost overnight who could turn back the tide and wipe out the scourge of the Rakshasa. Of course then, once they'd achieved their victory, the problem for the surviving humans was what to do about the Vampires."

"Oh dear," Kasumi said, "I see how that could be a problem…"

"Yeah," Lenore replied, "A real Catch 22. Without the Vampires, the Rakshasa could visit Earth again and finish what they started the first time around, but if there were too many Vampires in the world…it could go very bad for normal humans. Obviously there needed to be a balance, so the surviving mages created an antidote, a human who got invested with the power needed to fight Vampires…the Slayer."

"The Slayer?" Kasumi asked, "What is that?"

"Hopefully someone you'll never have to mess with," Lenore replied, "Anyway…what I said before about there being different types of Vampires, different tribes who have different types of Vampirism…it's kind of like the old saying…all Vamps may be equal, but some are more equal than others. There's normal Vamps, like me, who are kind-of between alive and dead, but just existing on the fringes...there are outlaws like Dimitri, and then there are rare types like you, who fall on the other side of the spectrum. The type of Vampire you most have to worry about are the ones who act like soulless demons...we call them the Goya..."

"Goya?" Kasumi replied.

"Kind of an ancient word meaning, 'Wild Ones,'" Lenore explained, "They're the nearest equivalent to your Movie-style Vamps…they're actually reincarnated Vampires with the souls of long dead Soul Drinkers. They're not really human…they just take over a body, possess all the memories and some of the personality of their host bodies, and generally behave like bad tempered animals. They come closest to being like Rakshasa…ethereal creatures, not really entirely of this world, but kind of half way out of it. Kill one of them and they crumble up into dust, just like in the movies."

"But you're saying that they're not the usual kind of Vampire?" Kasumi asked.

"Hell no," Lenore replied, "Like with me…one moment I'm human getting off on Doctor Frankenfurter's creature, Rocky…the next thing I know I got this warm spot on my neck, then a funny taste in my mouth, and then I take a nap that lasts for several days…and when I wake up and I've suddenly got this craving for raw liver. Funny thing is I feel perfectly fine, only I notice that I get really sleepy by day and like to sleep in more than usual, and the sun looks real bright to me. Then I try and look myself in the mirror and…well…that's when I start to put it all together. Naturally I freaked out, went through a period of denial, the usual stuff before achieving a kind of quasi-acceptance of my condition."

"So how did you cope?" Kasumi asked, at once identifying with at least some of what this other girl was describing.

"One day at a time…or one Sunset, as the case might be," Lenore explained, "Once I got over the idea that I wasn't some lurking creature of evil, I had to experiment a bit to find out what I could do and what my limits are. It's not like you wake up with a set of instructions in your head…most real Vamps have to take lessons from the older pros, and then some of us never do grasp more than the general basics."

"You mean like training," Kasumi caught on at once.

"Yeah," Lenore nodded, "Training. The first thing you learn is how strong being undead can make you, and that you need to grab things with a lot less force than you're used to using. The older you get the more your power increases, but because we don't feel muscle fatigue, we can ignore the pain threshold that limits the activities of most humans. I can lift five times my weight with just one hand, or clean and jerk the back end of a Volvo. I also heal a lot faster than you can blink, though it still hurts a bit if I get stabbed by something that was formerly living, like wood, bone or some other thing that's basically organic. Silver hurts like hell, let me tell you, and garlic burns my eyes like tear gas. I've got really acute senses of smell and hearing, I can see in the dark and make out heat patterns. As long as my central nervous system remains intact, I won't die from conventional injuries, and I'm pretty much near immortal. That's just the basic stuff, though…there's also the things you can learn to do, like move really fast, go semi-invisible, crawl up the side of walls and buildings, or even hang upside down by my ankles when I'm sleeping. Levitation's a trick that took me a while to get a hang of…some come to it easier than others, but the one trick I've never yet managed to do is transformation. I've tried, but that one's a lot tougher than they make it out to be. Of course for you I'll bet these things come second nature."

"Um…well…" Kasumi demurred, "I…think I know how the Levitation part works, but…"

"Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it sooner or later," Lenore reassured her, "I'll help anyway I can, even if this territory technically belongs to her Nibs, the Princess…"

"Princess?" Kasumi blinked.

"Yeah," Lenore replied, "That's what she calls herself, and nobody around here has the guts to challenge her. She's the Master Vampire of this region…a hereditary member of a clan that's very ancient. The rules I just sited don't apply to her…she's a whole different category of Vampire. When you meet her you'll see for yourself, but her real name is…"

"Tadaima!" a friendly voice called out as the front door opened and a female shape stepped onto the veranda, "Kasumi? Are you home?"

"Natsume?" Kasumi brightened, "How nice…Natsume, we have a guest, she says her name is…"

All at once Natsume halted in the act of entering the living room, turned an incredulous look towards Lenore and said, "What…who are you?"

"Huh?" Lenore blinked, then all at once she shot to her feet and said, "Uh oh…"

"You…" Natsume suddenly had her rug beater in hand and stood in a menacing pose, flashing the wooden implement in the redhead's direction, "What do you want here? Who are you!"

"Natsume-chan?" Kasumi was amazed at the other girl's behavior.

"Great…a Slayer," Lenore backed away towards the open side of the room, seeking escape onto the patio, only to find Natsume moved first to block her exit.

"Natsume-chan?" a tall and very handsome looking man inquired, only partially distracting Lenore, though she was mindful not to take her eyes off the dark haired girl flashing the rug beater in her direction.

"Answer me, you fiend!" Natsume demanded in cold anger, "What do you want with my sister?"

"Sister?" Lenore blinked, shooting a side-glance at Kasumi, "You've got a Slayer for a sister?"

"Oh my," Kasumi averred softly, "Natsume-chan…this is no way for you to treat a guest…"

"Guest?" Natsume bridled, holding her weapon trained on the creature before her, "This…thing which poses herself as human?"

"Hey!" Lenore exclaimed, "I'll have you know I resemble that remark!"

"Natsume," Kasumi spoke the word softly, yet more sharply than was her usual wont, "Behave yourself…this is very rude of you. Put your weapon down right now and please calm down, I'm sure we can explain things if you'd just be patient…"

To Natsume's amazement she found her arm going down of its own volition. Her temper also stabilized as her anger drained away, leaving her feeling somewhat confused and disoriented at her own behavior, "W-What…?"

"My love…are you feeling well?" Tatewaki asked with even more concern than ever.

"I…I can't move my arm," Natsume stared at her own shoulder, then at the Vampire, "What have you done to me, Creature?"

"It wasn't me," Lenore shook her head from side to side.

"Oh my…did I do that?" Kasumi asked in surprise, realizing that she must have commanded Natsume's compliance.

"Yeah," Lenore said with relief in her expression, "I warned you about that…but, under the circumstances, I won't make an issue about it. Good thing she's not a seasoned pro, though, or she'd have been able to resist your suggestion powers. Must have only just Quickened…if she'd followed her reflexes, I'd probably be a grease smear."

"Would someone please explain to me what is going on here?" Tatewaki looked from one party to another before turning his focus towards the redhead, "Miss…?"

"Lenore, Handsome," she smiled back, "Lenore Darkholme…at your service."

"Lenore-san is from America," Kasumi explained, feeling more at ease now that Natsume wasn't being actively aggressive.

"America eh?" Natsume asked with forced calm, "Then why don't you have a suntan?"

"I burn real easy," Lenore explained, "Look, it's obvious we got off on the wrong foot. I'm not here to cause any trouble, or to disturb the Wa of your house, or anything like that. In fact, if my being here is churning up your guts, like I think it is, then I'll leave for now and come back later when it's all right with you guys. Don't bother showing me the exit."

"Are you certain that you will be all right, Lenore-san?" Kasumi asked.

"Oh sure, I'll be just peachy," Lenore turned to Kasumi and said, "Thanks for the delicious tea and ricecakes. You've been an excellent hostess, and I'm grateful that you allowed me to visit your home. Keep in mind what I said and get in touch with me if you have any questions."

"Questions?" Natsume frowned, "About what?"

"I'll get back to you on that, Lady," Lenore replied, then calmly raised the hood of her cape over her face and shoulders before turning and exiting out into the gardens. She was gone before Kasumi could even think of asking her to stay.

"How peculiar," Tatewaki remarked, "There is something about the way she talks…it's almost as though she hardly takes a breath before speaking…"

"Oh…" Kasumi caught herself before she could add the "my" to that statement and instead turned her focus back to her adoptive younger sister, "Natsume-chan…would you care to explain your behavior just now, and why you attacked my friend the way you did?"

"I…" Natsume frowned, "I…don't really know…I just felt…a wrongness in my guts, as though something…unnatural were here…against nature…I…" she suddenly widened her eyes as she stared at Kasumi, "Sister…what…are you?"

"Natsume-chan?" Kasumi asked with lifted eyebrows.

"You…you're not dying…you're…not aging either…you're Chi…it feels so…different…" Natsume continued staring before blurting out, "There is a hunger in you…it feeds on…life…but…but…it doesn't consume…it gives back…" and then she rolled up her eyes in her head and promptly fainted.

"Natsume-chan!" Tatewaki cried as he caught his fiancée before her body could hit the floor, scooping her up into his arms and supporting her weight as though she were the most delicate of creatures.

"I'll get doctor Tofu," Kasumi at once fell back on her familiar role as the "Big Sister" in the Tendo family, performing a routine as natural as breathing. (Oh my…there's that word again…) she thought to herself as she went to speed-dial a familiar number.

"I knew that I should have insisted that she seek medical aid," Tatewaki fretted as he gently caressed the face of the woman he adored more than life itself, "My love…you are so proud, so brave, so very foolish when it comes to looking out for your own welfare…"

Kasumi paused as she waited for Doctor Tofu to answer the dial tone, her thoughts momentarily straying from the helpless girl being cradled in the arms of a handsome man, wondering if she would seem as sweetly feminine in Kaneda's arms…before she turned her thoughts away to another matter, having caught a faint wiff of a peculiar scent that caused her to realize that Natsume was having her period…and rather early for this time of the month.

Even the faint hint of blood made her mouth unexpectedly water, and the realization that her quite formidable martial-artist sister would not be able to resist her summons should Kasumi ask her for a little…donation…just a sip of warm blood in her mouth, like that Ukyo whom she had tasted in the other dimension. In fact…Tatewaki looked strong and vital too…no doubt his rich fluid would course with life if she were to "sample" him, and surely a gentleman of such breeding would not deny such a courtesy to a lady…?

Kasumi was almost violently startled at the realization of the direction in which her thoughts were taking. Lenore had been right about needing to find an alternative means of satisfying her odd cravings…which put her in mind of one easy solution. A local butcher sometimes saved the drained blood of slaughtered animals for those rare recipes that called for such an ingredient, and if she asked for a fresh sample she was certain that he would not ask too many questions.

Barring that she would need to confide in Doctor Tofu to see what advice he might have to offer. Perhaps he could also explain the cryptic meaning of Natsume's statements regarding Kasumi…or at least serve as a "second opinion" to Lenore's diagnosis. She trusted that the redheaded girl had been entirely on the level…there was just something about the young Vampire which inspired confidence in her word…a genuine humanity and warmth that was very different from the false charms of that awful Dimitri. But even so, it never hurt to check one's facts, especially with someone of Tofu's vast knowledge and experience in things arcane and strange to mortal understanding.

Of course as she thought on this, Tofu himself answered the line, and after a few terse comments on her part, Kasumi was able to get him to understand her without his usual stammer. He promised to come over right away, so Kasumi thanked him and hung up the phone, and only then belatedly remembering a question she had meant to ask of the departed Vampire.

Exactly how did one "get in touch" with the Undead, and a foreigner at that? Was there some sort of embassy number that she could dial, or…did Vampires communicate by other means not yet revealed? So many questions to have to have answered, it was all so very…confusing, and yet somehow Kasumi did not doubt that answers would shortly be forthcoming.

In the meantime she picked up the phone again and placed an order with the butchers, and only then did she trust herself to attend to Natsume herself, feeling reassured that blood was on the way, and knowing that she could stave off her hunger…at least for a little while longer…

Lenore was careful to keep her face and hands out of direct contact with the sun, more from habit than genuine fear of such contact. It was true that sunlight would not make her burst into flames, as might be the case for a Goya, but her tribal Bloodline was nonetheless "sun-sensitive," and she could get a nasty rash if she were exposed too long to direct sunlight. Since her healing factor was slowed to half in the day, along with the rest of her "natural" abilities, the last thing she wanted was to risk a second-degree sunburn, especially with a Slayer in the area, and who the hell in the "Cosmic Jest" department upstairs had been the wag who had decided to make a Slayer out of the younger sister of a Master Vampire?

Though born of the Jewish faith, Lenore was a devout Agnostic…not an Atheist, as she would gladly have informed you, since she knew damned well that Gods were real, and Demons likewise. In her opinion "The Man Upstairs" was some kind of indifferent father figure-slash-practical joker, one who liked to pull the strings by permitting things like her to exist while simultaneously insisting on rules and regulations that made the simple act of enjoying worldly pleasures morally forbidden. Worship a clown like that? Not likely! But neither would she side with the other guys, the Demon Princes, who delighted in the torment and suffering of mortals.

To her, all Gods were tricksters, carnival showmen at best, a few willing to perform parlor tricks to impress the masses, but ultimately not to be trusted. She generally stayed well clear of religious types, and saints above all others. It just did not pay to mess with that sort of thing, and fanatics tended to make her skin crawl. They were just too bloody certain about things that were counter-intuitive, suckers for a good con job and any revivalist Bible Thumper who had a good spiel and could talk up a lot of nonsense. To her, people were simply people, some good, some bad, mostly in the middle between polar extremes, and generally she liked people (and not just as a condiment to her diet). She'd seen too much of the world in her three-and-a-half decades of existence (half living, the other half undead) to be taken in by fairy tales and Madison Avenue sales pitches. Neither was she truly a Cynic since those types were mostly failed idealists who hid their disappointment at life behind the veneer of philosophical condescension.

No, Lenore liked people because they WERE people, and given a choice about where to side on any issue, she definitely was a "People Lover," a Humanist at heart, indifferent to the polar extremes of absolute right and wrong, and she would challenge anyone to prove to her that there was any marked difference between the devotees of one extreme side or the other.

But this Kasumi…there was something different about her. She was…nice…nice in a way that wasn't mindlessly naïve or coached in false idealism, or even a blind expectation of humanity living up to their collective good points. She was nice because that was how she wanted to be, unpretentious and unselfconscious, good hearted and kind without any need for her kindness to be reciprocated.

Something about this Daywalker almost made Lenore want to protect her, to shield her against the world, and against the likes of a foul spirit like Dimitri. Lenore was no crusader and hardly considered herself exceptionally brave or heroic, though she could hold her own in a fight if it came down to it, and would stand up for herself if challenged. Throwing her life away in a cause just did not suit her lifestyle, yet she sensed that she would gladly put herself in harm's way if it meant protecting Kasumi from whatever threatened her peace and safety.

So it was that Lenore was thinking these thoughts when a powerful hand went around her neck, and all at once she was wrestled back and slammed into a wall beside the gate to the Tendo property. Lenore gave a sharp gasp and was about to make an issue of it when she heard a very sharp command say, "Stand still or I will hurt you."

Lenore froze where she was, feeling the power of that voice and knowing the authority of the other person's tone of command could only signify one thing, to which she gasped, "Oh shit…Princess?"

"Miyu will do," said a deceptively slender and youngish-seeming girl (who was easily many times Lenore's senior in the age department!) in a frilly light outfit, as unconcerned about her full exposure to the bright sunlight as any other supposedly "normal" seeming person, "What do you know about this place and the people who dwell here?"

Lenore licked her lips and knew that it was impossible for her to either refuse or lie to this Princess of the Chinese-Japanese line of Shinma-spawned Vampires, whose powers so far dwarfed her own Tribe's abilities that they might just as well have been two entirely different sub-species. Even so, Lenore managed to work up enough well power to say, "Don't hurt them…they're not to blame for what happened."

"So I have gathered, from what little I've been able to discern about Dimitri's get," Miyu replied in a silky tone of voice, "One day there will be an accounting between us for his daring to bring his battles into my Territory…but I asked you a question, Loire…what do you know about the people who dwell here?"

"The Tendo's?" if Lenore could have visibly perspired, she would have done so at that moment, "They're a family devoted to a traditional martial arts style…a variation of Kempo, called the Musubetsu Kakuto Ryu…"

"This much I already know," Miyu's grip tightened on Lenore's collar, "What else do you know about them?"

"If it's about Kasumi, the oldest of the Tendo daughters," Lenore replied, "Then you've got nothing to worry about…she doesn't carry Dimitri's taint…she's clean of his influence…"

"Are you resisting me?" Miyu asked with a slight frown, "You are protecting her. You cannot lie to one of my kind. You are truly certain that she does not bear the taint of the Dark within her?"

"She's…different," Lenore replied, "I can't really explain it…she's a Daywalker…"

"A Daywalker?" Miyu inclined her head, "How intriguing."

"She also doesn't know much about her own potential," Lenore explained, "But it's strong…very strong. I was sent here to help guide her…"

"Sent by who?" Miyu asked, "The Council?"

"No," Lenore replied, "By Frank. The Tendos are under his protection."

"Frank you say?" suddenly Miyu let Lenore go, allowing the other to gasp as though needing breath, having felt herself come so close to virtual extinction, "Well now…that is different. You are his emissary?"

"More like an old friend," Lenore felt the bruises around her collar slowly start to heal themselves so that the red marks soon faded, even as she amended, "Well…okay, for him I'm not really that old a friend, but he's done me a few favors, and so I naturally felt I owed him…"

"I see that you do not manifest the true Darkness within you," Miyu remarked, "The Dark you have is balanced with the Light. Very well then, what can you tell me about the other?"

"The other?" Lenore blinked, "Oh…uh…you mean the new Slayer?"

"Exactly," Miyu smiled in a non-committal manner.

"Adopted sister," Lenore explained, "Her name is Tendo Natsume…she has a young kid sister named Kurumi somewhere about, possibly with her new boyfriend. First class martial artist, can manifest a cold attack that will freeze you like ice. She also doesn't understand her real potential yet, but she has the mark, I'm willing to bet that. Don't know how powerful she might be…I think she only just quickened."

"I know," Miyu replied, "I was there when it happened, I felt it."

"You…knew she was about to quicken into a Slayer?" Lenore asked with rounded eyes.

"I have my ways," Miyu replied without elaboration, "So…where there is a Slayer, there must also be a Watcher…but who is to become her Watcher? By tradition it ought to be someone local…"

"Excuse me, Ladies," a polite gentleman addressed them, causing both Vampires to turn around in order to see a handsome man whose long brown hair was done up in a pony tail, the glasses he wore somehow belying a somewhat youthful appearance. He was dressed in a martial arts gi and had a leather bag in one hand, and as he made his way to the front gate he said, "Are you here to see the Tendos? Because I'm afraid it isn't proper for you to be standing out like this and…"

"We were just leaving," Miyu smiled pleasantly at the man, "Ah…excuse me for asking…but are you a doctor?"

"Why, yes I am," he replied, "My name is Tofu-Sensei, and I'm the Tendo family physician."

"How interesting," Miyu purred as she watched the man move through the gates, heading towards the house in some haste, which prompted the Vampire Princess to remark, "I sense the heavy hand of the Fates in this. At the very least, it is awfully…coincidental."

"Huh?" Lenore blinked, "You don't mean that he's…?"

"He has the look of a Watcher," Miyu replied, "I've seen many of his kind come and go…and yet how odd that he should be the family physician to both a Master Vampire-turned-Daywalker and the latest incarnation of the Slayer."

"Uh…yeah…that does sound pretty coincidental," Lenore admitted.

Miyu turned back to her and said, "In the first I would rather be consulted before one of your Tribe sets foot in my territory…but I won't make an issue of it…this time."

"Well…hey," Lenore tried to sound reasonable, "I'd have given you a call, but…nobody seemed able to find your number. Ever think of carrying a cell phone?"

"Those noisy things?" Miyu sniffed, "I have better ways of being contacted. Very well, I give you my permission to operate within this zone, since you have obviously already established a trust with the new Vampire. Continue as you were, but I do expect to hear regular reports on her condition. I confess that I am curious to see what all she is capable of becoming…and this new Slayer as well, assuming they don't wind up battling each other. It would be so tedious if I should have to step in myself and deal with this if it becomes a genuine…situation…"

"I copy you, Princess," Lenore grimly nodded, "And I won't forget…just as long as no harm comes to Kasumi. Frank…wouldn't like it."

"No indeed," Miyu remarked, "On that we are both agreed. I will keep watch just in case Dimitri or one of the others tries to do anything to take advantage of these…rookies…and you can report to Frank that I will respect his claims…so long as this does not cause any trouble for this district."

"Got it," Lenore nodded, "Um…look, I'll be staying in the shadows a lot, but if you need to contact me…"

"Don't worry," the girl said before she leaped into the air and vanished into bright sunlight as though she were a fading mist, her voice remaining behind long enough to add, "…I will find you…when I have the need for conversation…"

"Terrific," Lenore swallowed, then muttered under her breath, "I need a drink real bad…wonder if they've got a Pub anywhere in this district…"

Some horrors, after all, were beyond even the ability of even the undead to cope without a few "stiff ones" under her belt, so without further adieu, the redheaded Vampire went off in search of a good wino who wouldn't mind making a small "donation."

It was definitely turning out to be one of those days for the denizens of Nerima…

Continued

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