The Lineage

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.


The Lineage
By 11


Chapter 07
The Vampire’s Assistant: On Violence

Hands, my hands, move over pale skin. Fingers press in at the hipbone, tracing the figure drawing a moan from the form beneath me. A voice thick and heavy with lust, a voice I know well, and I want to hear him more. My lips trace the collarbone, thin and seemingly fragile, like a bird’s.

His wrist is small too, the bone is as if it would break under the lightest pressure. Still I can hold it tight and it stays firm in my hand. I bite harshly into the collar; the bone stays, it’s hardiness akin to diamond. Crimson blood flows like watery jewels from the wound and he moans arching his body up against me.

My tongue soothes against the wound and I taste the bitter and sweet meld of his blood. Like cherries dipped in a vinegar wine. The sweat on his skin is thin; but even through the darkness his pale skin glistens with it. My tongue leaves a sheen of white and pink across his skin where the blood wells to the surface at my touch.

My hips rock gently against his and he gasps moaning as he returns the motion. My head is floating in a dreamy haze as I move my body over him. My mouth trails over his neck; licking along the pulsing line of the vein.

I can bite in and pierce the jugular, and he’ll still live. But I won’t, because just this is enough. I lean back briefly, sitting upright in the cool air gusting around me; my hips still rocking in slow languid movements against his. He moans in frustration; attempting to hurry the pace.

My hand streaks the red from the wound and I marvel at the contrast of his nearly white skin and ebony hair; and then the deep dark red that splashes life and wonder into my vision and makes my body burn with need as darkeyes look up at me.

I am captured in that midnight gaze. He smirks and somehow the spark of anger in me turns to lust as he shifts so that I fall beneath him this time.

Something about I go too slowly? Then his lips are one mine and I nip and bite into that soft flesh; he’s a tease so he draws away, but I’ll give chase. He’s already moving his loins against me at a feverish pace.

Every part of me burns but the thrill of red pools in my gut and the worship of his body boils lower winding up hotter and hotter ready to burst.

My lips catch to his and my hand winds around his neck, catching his hair to pull him closer. He starts and his hips leave mine, momentarily I’m sure.

He won’t open his mouth so I nip his lips and at his gasp I slip inside to taste that mouth; it’s that taste. The sensation beyond the bitter and the sweet, that fills me and swallows me into that cavern. I want to devour him and my senses swim; every nerve alive and sensitized to him: darkeyes.

Sasuke.

“Naruto!”

What? I was totally lost in your mouth just a moment ago, why aren’t we naked? Oh wait… shit.

“Good morning Sasuke,” I greet; and grab my pillow from behind me to shove it over my raging morning wood. Though he’s probably already seen. I just hope I didn’t ‘say’ anything too incriminating while still asleep. Otherwise this jerk will give me a hard time again.

“Morning? It’s 8:20 pm. The sun finally went down.” Sasuke quirked an eyebrow. He regards me, standing of course where I am still sprawled over my bed, with his arms crossed - as if he is totally aware that I was thinking something inappropriate not too long ago.

“Well what do you say normally when you wake up?” I ask a bit annoyed that he can’t just accept the greeting and get onto why I’m up now in the first place.

I really wanted to sleep a bit longer you know, Sasuke; at least up to the point that I finally get to fuck my dream version of you.

“Nothing. We just get up.” Sasuke responded with a snort as if it were obvious; oh and he’s sneering at me, big surprise, that.

"My mistake, since in the normal world greetings tend to be exchanged." I manage to grin at him and not feel like the total moron that he obviously wants me to think I am. Hey, I know I'm not a genius - but I'm not some idiot either!

He nods, dark eyes rolling across the ceiling as if it had my thoughts torn out and on display for him. "Of course. 'Greetings.' Did you enjoy your sleep?"

He smirks and I fight back a grimace; he doesn't expect an answer, he just wants a rise out of me because, gods-knows-why, he loves pissing me off as best he can as early in the morning - night - as he can.

"It was lovely knowing you weren't in it." That's a downright lie, but thankfully he doesn't know that. Otherwise the cracks about my sexuality - that I already heard a week ago - will never end.

"Good to hear." He swerves into smirk and be infuriatingly-polite mode, “Meet me on the terrace after you’ve fed. We’ll continue our lessons.”

“Of course, ‘teacher’.” I respond with a smile that is very nearly mocking him. I think he catches it; but he dismisses it as something childish that he expected anyway. Lovely.

Well no more hurting people; I’ve been strictly on the blood bank stuff Jiraiya brings home ever since that night I first tasted Sasuke. Oh yeah, it’s been about a week since then.

Sasuke has been staying here with Jiraiya and me for… some reason? But he’s also sticking around to teach me about vampire stuff, as a favor to Jiraiya.

The blood pack is where I left it at last dawn. Hesitation doesn't reach my hands when I rip the top open and bring it to my mouth. It's a lot like a juice pack in the sense of its accessibility.

Ah... why- ... awake- now?

Shh. I try to hush it; that voice. The voice that only recently began to make it's rumblinds form into words. It's a voice that I've identified and always known as, my 'gut'.

It stretches sleepily within me as it responds pleasurably to the cool liquid coating my throat. It seems to have just woken up; and I can feel it's arousal dual alongside my own; perhaps the source of my own.

I suspect this since, always in retrospect, I ask myself how I could possibly want Sasuke as much as I do. Then I wonder if it isn't my gut that has brought me to that. Then again maybe it's me who is influencing my gut.

Every other instance my gut has had no sway on the people I associate with, who I liked and who I didn't. So perhaps this time it is my affect on the parasite that draws that similar lust for darkeyes.

I know it's not me now. I've known ever since it's presence inside me gets stronger. When I was younger and even a few weeks ago, I suspected that it was just me being slightly crazy or stupid or something along those lines.

I don't think so anymore. Now that I think of it as a separate entity, I figure it's something like a parasite; or a symbiotic organism. Since on occasion it has helped me, but usually only to further it's own means.

I can't even communicate with it, even though I can hear it's voice. I try talking back and it can't seem to hear me.

So maybe drinking blood has turned me even more batty than usual. Wouldn't that be peachy. Like I'm in serious need of another psychosis.

I down the last of the packet's contents and let that settle. Glancing over my reflection. Crimson eyes stare back at me, darker around the rims than I remember. I feel the food settle in my stomach and my gut murmurs in contentment to itself.

The tracts get to work and my senses sharpen acutely as I feel the liquid enter into my bloodstream and assume it's purpose of feeding strength to me. My irises blue at the edges and slowly the red turns smoky in color as it slowly ebbs from the cerulean blue that retakes control of my eyes.

My vision does not change; but the burning sensation in my eyes wanes and the color of my eyes returns to the shade it's always been.

It's a strange phenomenon during feeding time, I'd ask Sasuke if eyes changing color while eating is normal for vampires but I'd feel kind of stupid to ask. It doesn't just happen when I eat either.

Sometimes it happens when I think about Sasuke or tearing out his throat with my mouth and draining him - which I'd rather not do actually. Sometimes when my 'parasite' gets particularly loud. I can't really isolate an instance though besides while I eat.


I run a hand through my hair and breathe out, listening to the parasite, which seems to be in 'grooming mode'; meaning content to sit and preen on itself.

Neither Jiraiya nor Sasuke seem to have caught on that I'm probably more insane than either of them - in the traditional sense at least. However, given that vampires exist, it probably is entirely possible that I have had some strange 'creature' living in my gut since I was a child; even before I became a vampire.

It's kind of strange to think about, but nothing about anything seems to take the traditional stage of being normal anymore.

Then again maybe now; maybe this time, I actually am crazy, even though it doesn't feel like it. At the least it's not like my freaky eyes or parasite cause any real trouble right now for me or the people around me, so I figure it's fine.

I throw the empty packet into the trash and check the small fridge to see how many more I have in here. I count four and take out another. There's no way I'll last on just one; I'd have to come back here around 11pm to have another if I did.

Funny thing is, I'm practically addicted to the stuff now. I used to hate drinking this baggie stuff when I first tried it after the girl. It's not warm, and it's not fresh; there's something about the taste that is old and not as sweet.

Sasuke also hates the stuff; he goes out to eat I think. I haven't seen him eat the bag stuff here. Jiraiya only has it occasionally if he doesn't feel like biting me or going 'hunting', as it were.

Apparently vampires can live by drinking each other's blood; it's like recycling I guess. But the blood stays good and it technically means a vampire, or a group of vampires, or however many you want; can all live off of each other without having to kill a human in their life times.

Jiraiya seems to prefer this method. Sasuke likes hunting; but apparently is required to kill the humans he drinks from. Some vampire law? I don't know, they don't talk to me about that. I'm still a peon by their standards. Stupid stuck-ups.

Sasuke wanted to take me hunting with him more. But I didn't want to kill anyone. Jiriaya wanted me on the bag stuff but I didn't like that stuff either.

I'd probably be considered a picky eater. Which is odd, since when I was human I'd eat out of the garbage if it didn't smell bad or had mold on it.

Sasuke tried bringing back a dead one once, like he did before; but I didn't drink that one. I think Sasuke probably got kind of mad at me at that point.

I know he hit me at some point and I wound up hitting him; and he managed to pin me again. But damn him, he wouldn't let me close enough to bite him.

He'd asked me if I wanted to die or something, and I told him, truthful idiot I am, that I would never mind drinking blood as long as it was his. Then we both got kinda silent; and he started laughing.

He got off of me and just sat there laughing his goddamn ass off like I'd just told the joke of the century. Seriously; what's so funny about that? I'll never figure it out.

It's not that Sasuke's a cold jerky jerk who won't talk to you or something - though sometimes he does that too. But other times, he just acts like you're the dumbest piece of shit and he enjoys talking down to you.

He's condescending and arrogant and took what I said out of context - no not really I guess... and then just poked fun at me the whole day. I guess it gave him an excuse to be a total tease and then laugh it all off.

The next day he acted like nothing had happened and I'm stupid again. I wonder if there's such a thing as bipolar vampires. No, he's probably not bipolar. But the high point of his day is bugging the hell out of people. I'm guessing he used to bother Jiraiya a lot too and I'm just new, and apparently easy, prey.

He may be a jerk but he hasn't won. I haven't gone down, and I don't plan to. Sadly it hasn't changed the fact it's him I'd really like to screw with. And at this point I'm not sure if either of us would want much more to do with the other.

Sasuke may be hot, but his personality often drives me through the ceiling. Then again he's not a total bane to my existence.

He's been downright helpful about a lot of things, and as far as trying to get me feeding at all instead of letting me die... sure I guess I could call that looking out for me.

Sasuke has been trying everyday - er, night - to get me up to date on the things I need to know now that I'm not really human anymore. Though he still hasn't mentioned anything about eye color changing when feeding or parasites. Maybe there's nadda anyway.

I finish the second packet and toss it in the trash. Then I stand a moment more, letting the blood work through my system; and watch my reflection.

Red eyes shift back to blue and I let them close. Taking a moment to try and reach inside again. The parasite perks up as if sensing I'm trying to reach it but in the end settles back down; I try again and this time he shoots up.

He's agitated and my blood reacts; my heart speeding faster. it coils and whines; and a cool breath ghosts against my neck.

"Are you coming?"

My body starts and I pull myself back into the outside world. Sasuke's dark eyes peer at me in something like puzzled curiosity, but not quite. I hadn't even noticed he'd entered the room.

"Yeah. I was." I frown, now I know why the parasite got agitated. I'm no closer to communicating with it than I was yesterday. "Why?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and headed for the door again; this time making sure I was following him. "Because you're taking too long."

There was no need to add on an 'obviously'. His body said all that needed to be communicated anyway. Perhaps there is such a thing as words being too crude for some people.

I follow him out to the terrace. Now mostly I've been on the inside of the manor; Jiraiya never had me look after the grounds since all the plants were weeds, dead, or dying anyway. Apparently he doesn't give a rat's balls about the flora and fauna of his estate.

Actually the manor has a really great size, not even counting the inside. The 'backyard' back here is huge; perfect for training since beyond the stone and marble there's a lot of clear soil to spar, shape-shift, whatever we need it for.

Sasuke doesn't go down to the dirt though; he stays on the marble terrace, so I stop there too. I think I know what we'll be starting with today too; is there a breeze? A light one, okay that'll work.

"I think we should start with the changing of forms." Sasuke stated turning to face me. This is also known as shape-shifting, and it's one of the coolest things that I can now do. Well sorta, there are portions I don't have quite right.

"Let's start with mist."

My favorite one. Sometimes I wonder if Sasuke always picks that one first on purpose. Some days I think he really does too. Mist was the first form I got down without much trouble and now have complete control over.

"Remember to spread yourself as thin as possible, and hold those molecules just that far apart." Sasuke instructs as he goes over the mechanics again.

When he's done I go ahead and let my body 'mist'. I love 'misting', I think it's pretty easy. It's like swimming; letting my body fall into that state of buoyancy.

The blood is what holds everything together. Even as mist there's still that definite flow through every molecule; that's how I keep the cloud together.

Just like clouds, it's moisture, but it's conscious. I can feel everything I move over and that's how I move, how I see, and of course to re-solidify I just bring all those molecules together and condense them back into my original form.

Vision is a funny thing when I mist; since rather than 'seeing' anything I move. As I move over objects and people I 'feel' them more than anything else.

I wait for a small breeze to ripple through me and then I move towards Sasuke and stop after I've surrounded him. The soft of his skin, and the coarse of his clothes. His hair is silky, and his lashes flick against my molecules to keep them away from the wet.

I love misting for this much; like this I can condense just a bit around him so that it becomes more humid for him, but for me, it's like brushing my fingers along every inch of him. It's such a high...

And I can always blame the wind for gusting mist-me over towards him. Heheh!

I feel Sasuke's lips turn up slightly and he exhales. Now the one bad thing, that I am totally aware of, about misting over other vampires is that they have this terrible habit of exerting their presence.

When they do that, if they're a stronger vampire than me, it makes me shift back automatically to my original form. That same occurrence will revert a weaker vampire from mist-form, bat-form, wolf-form, you-name-it-form; back to the original shape.

Sasuke's presence swirls cold around me like a second cloud, clenching around every molecule of me, forcing my body back into it's original shape. I yelp slightly as I half-form and fall, with my feet not quite under me, to the terrace floor.

Sasuke smirks down at me. I grin up at him, as innocent as can be. Since I was absolutely not playing with his hair or brushing my molecules unintentionally all over his bared skin or trying to edge my way past his clothes - damnit why does he wear so much of them anyway?

He leans down to me, dark eyes narrowing slightly in a way that seems to suggest that I am very foolish. Despite any repercussions I have yet to regret doing anything!

"It was the wind." I defend myself. Now I may have used this same excuse in our lessons, and sparring matches, around twenty-eight times but it works. It's gold!

"Naruto," He sneers, "You have used that excuse exactly thirty-two times already. You honestly think I'm going to buy that every time?"

Thirty-two? Really? Oh, okay. So Sasuke has actually been counting - go figure. He wants me. "Why are you mad?" I ask tentatively.

Sasuke shrugs, "If you hold your molecules rooted to where you are, gusts will pose no threat to your movement." He takes my arm and pulls me up, that infuriating smirk on face as he releases me. "I hope that helps your trouble with light breezes."

Duly noted. I think he knows I'm faking though, he may not say anything now, but I think he knows. Or maybe he enjoys it too.

I don't want to release his arm when he drops mine, but he kind of makes me. I still want to touch him, skin to skin for once.

He turns away and steps onto the banister; dropping down to the dirt arena. For a moment I can't see him. I know it's wrong; I acknowledge this in my lucid moments.

I jump over the banister and land a few feet from him. My eyes catch again on the other youth though, and everything goes out of my head.

Sasuke's eyes darken as he turns to face me, his body lowers slightly and I catch the loosening of sinewy muscle as he angles his body slightly. "Shall we?"

A moment more and he shoots forward. I leap to the side to avoid the lash of a snake-like arm. My eyes are back on him as he comes at me again. Feints to the right. Kicks to the left.

I turn, dodge. Dash past him. An instant before I should have. As I pass; I ghost my fingers against the back of his thigh. Run, duck. Missed his arm.

He turns again. I catch his leg. Trap it. Hand strike to jaw. Connects but light. His body falls back. His leg is free.

I lunge before he recovers. He falls but turns. I'm pinned under him. He knees my stomach. Grab his ass. He leaps away. Dark eyes wary. Pale features scowl.

A lot of the time I can't concentrate too hard unless he makes me. My mind blanks and it's like I'm entirely driven by desire and want.

He lunges again. Traps my arm. My free fist slugs him. His body jerks hard. I throw my body forward. Drag him down. He's on his back.

He knees me in the stomach. I draw back. He rolls away. Then on his feet. I catch his kick. Toss him back so I can rise.

Dash to him before he stands. Grab his shoulders. Knee his chest. But he headbutts me; how uncommon for him. I'm on my back.

He moves to kick my head from above. I roll out of the way. Catch his leg. Toss him over my back. He rolls forward and I dash after.

I've been puzzling over this for a while, but I'm still sure. I can tell Sasuke wants me. Even if Sasuke himself doesn't fully realize it. Then again, I've been thinking, maybe it is just my obsession spilling over onto what I think of Sasuke.

He jumps up. I slug him again. He catches my arm. Pins me to the ground.

But even so, I can still swear I tasted desire equal to my own in Sasuke. In his blood, there was a burning desire identical to mine; I am sure of it.

I try to kick him at an odd angle, and it tosses him to the side of me, but he still has my arm. I try to free myself that way; but Sasuke voluntarily releases me.

He stands and dusts the dirt off of his clothes. Not that you could tell there was dirt; he wears nothing but black anyway.

I stretch my neck and note again that I only got two decent hits on him. He was going easy on me besides that. Course this has been the first and only fighting I've done that relies on speed and strength and not: get Shui mad so he gets sloppy and I win.


"Have you been attempted your other two forms?" Sasuke asks as I get up and knock off the stray twigs and dust from my hair, and where it's particularly noticeable on my clothing.

I frown, and look away. Sasuke already knows the answer to that anyway, in my free time I'd rather be bugging him or something. Or else he's busy bugging me so I don't have that free time to bug him.

I generally don't train at or in anything unless Sasuke makes me. I never did before either; don't see why I should start now. Training is boring - just like school and movies about girls getting pedicures.

"Let's try wolf. You seem to be in a fairly aggressive mood today." He gives me that look over like he usually does. Just a brief glance over, to check me; for bruises probably, though whenever I do it, generally I'm checking him out even if I didn't first intend to.

Aggression of course is part of the key to becoming a wolf. They are very primal creatures and very group-oriented. They're not exactly vicious but the key to getting into their shape is to become them when they are at their most feral.

Generally, according to Sasuke's informative explanations, the wolf form is used while hunting although it is also useful for several other tasks as well.

"You remember all that, right?"

No I blanked, what was the question?

"Yeah, I remember." It's an automatic answer. He nods, and I am expected to go ahead and do it. The problem is... I have this thing about the idea of 'kill'.

That keyword is the only phrase that really comes to mind when I think of a wolf at it's fiercest moment. Actually that counts for sharks, bears, lions, tigers, army-ants actually - those things hurt.

I remember the mechanics of misting and try to apply that though; you know reforming my molecules after looking up what wolves and bats are made of online. I've never actually gotten all the way there yet though...

I try not to open my eyes until I'm in some shape resembling a dog or something, but it's really hard to keep my eyes shut when my skin starts to tighten over and I can swear my arms just got a thousand times hairier.

I freeze up before either of my arms are entirely done. What's worse, I don't have elbows anymore. Now I've got some hairy appendages that maybe resemble paws but not entirely. I'll start with my legs next time, maybe that'll be easier.

"What's wrong?" Sasuke asks, stepping over to examine my paws. Yes, I am aware that I don't have claws this time - I did that on purpose!

Hm, what's wrong? Other than I can't grow fur and taking another shape it seems, kind of freaks me out; I dunno. Not much. You? "I can't."

Sasuke gives me a disbelieving stare, and his presence hits me like a bucket of ice. My hands and arm shed from beneath the mat of hair. I love my regular human-y limbs. "You've only been at this for three weeks, and you haven't practiced in between. You're doing alright to be able to get half your body changed."

"Half?" I thought it was just my arms.

"You're face gets pointier, but try for more dog than cat next time," he suggests, completely serious, "It makes you look like a fox or something; and your natural whiskers don't help the image."

I glare. I can't help about my birthmarks, and besides that there's nothing wrong with the vulpus species. "What's wrong with foxes, exactly?"

"Foxes are actually one of the 2nd tier shape changes. Wolf, bat and mist, are the ones everyone starts with." Sasuke rattles off the typical hierarchy of 'vampire learning' he covered when he first started teaching me to change forms. "When you get those three, we'll take on three more. We'll get to fox after you've got hawk."

"Right. So any pointers; like how to get past the fact I have no elbows?" I ask gesturing to how my arms were before.

"You do have elbows, but they bend the other way. You don't have that huge mobility in the shoulder, remember?" Sasuke directs with no mild frustration at me. "For claws, remember to think about your fingernails."

But I hate the feeling when my thumb disappears. I love my pose-able thumb! More than I ever realized before a few weeks ago!

"Try again."

Same mechanics as misting again. I refuse to use emotion as a transit to get into another shape; it just sounds dirty somehow. I ignore the limb-gone-to-sleep feeling when my thumb disappears into my arm, a small claw tucking under the furry protrusion at my wrist.

It happens with my legs too, but my toe curls around to the back rising on my thigh. The other four curl out as my skeleton lengthens. My spine and ribcage seem intent on shifting too.

It kind of hurts and it feels too weird; but I just gotta keep thinking about the physics of a wolf, and ignore that creepy bone-twisting-thing and-!

I can't do it anymore!!

I let my body fall apart into mist so my skeleton and muscle no longer twists and mangles around each other in the shifting of bodily mechanics and otherwise.

I hear Sasuke groan as I let my body fall back into it's original place. With pose-able thumbs, a spine not mangled with skuliosis, and a regular skull, unlengthened and devoid of dog-teeth.

"What now?"

"It feels too weird." I admit in petulance, and I am appalled to note that my voice comes out as nearly whiny. Sasuke sighs and shakes his head, dark hair drawn in silky strands across his cheek.

"It will pass. If you continue to practice eventually it won't be a problem." Sasuke scowls, "If you had continued just a few minutes more you might have transformed all the way. You're body was even starting to take the right four-legged shape."

But I don't want to be a four-legs. I like my two. But yes, I know. I'll get there. Eventually, but not now. I'm perfectly happy to still have a ways to go before I can change back and forth from a wolf with ease.

"I doubt that brat understands anything you tell him."

Jiraiya, didn't feel you mist in; oh wait, the dust has moved. You actually walked. Congratulations - a new record for you. From the door to here on the terrace; really quite an accomplishment.

"What are you grinning at, boy?"

"Oh nothing." I answer simply. "Just so glad my master decided to grace us with his ever cheerful presence today."

Day, night? I give up.

"You're not exactly a compelling companion yourself." the old man returns, red eyes narrowed slightly. But no, he's not angry. If he was angry, I would know, and I would be having my back torn open by a whip again.

Stupid fart. Ever since I've been a vampire, and Sasuke showed up, I've been seeing a lot more of the old psycho. Course in my opinion I think he's just been around a lot more recently.

His pop-up and inspect my cleaning has gotten easier to handle too. First off; I don't make any more mistakes now that I keep myself fed. I can also tell whenever Jiraiya's misting and I'm working in the same room. So he can't sneak up on me no-more - Yay!

"You are not having any trouble with him; are you?" And he ignores me to talk to Sasuke. Civilly, if you'll note that.

Sasuke's dark eyes glance over at me, as if thinking. "No. He doesn't misbehave too often. No doubt, that comes from your strict care and tutelage."

Now everyone here know that is hyperbole if not a downright lie. Love how they ignore me, though I'm in the same room. Great isn't it? I become the invisible person around these two; no joke.

"Of course master," I decide to interrupt, "This is me after all. I don't misbehave."

He stares at me in a way that is probably the closest he'll ever get to a glare without meaning it. Sasuke has a talent for using his eyes to make you feel angry, stupid, insulted, or otherwise. The old man - not as much; it's probably a talent unique to Sasuke that the psycho just can't quite imitate.

"I would believe you. But I know you." he returns languidly. I just smile back; he makes a pretty good argument; but to the point, what all do I do? I may talk back, but I do what I'm supposed to; mostly.

Neither of them seem to mind if I wait a few hours before cleaning; or take frequent breaks. Since now, it doesn't even take me all of three hours to clean up the whole manor on the inside. The blood room may take about an hour by itself, but that's only if Jiraiya had a lot of fun the night before.

"I was thinking I might take him hunting tonight." Sasuke starts talking to Jiraiya again, but his eyes lock on mine for a moment. He's not asking here; he's telling. It's not a question of he may, or may he; it's a statement that he will.

"Alright. Hunting may do him some good." Jiraiya glances over at me, "Might let you loose those irritating jibes on someone other than the one who owns you. You will be less liable to warrant a beating I imagine."

"Huh." I start, my legs locking into place automatically to keep me from deciding to bolt for no real reason. "I think I'd rather not."

I really don't want to go out and kill anyone. Really.

"I'm still only learning basic strength control and stealth techniques." I assert in my defense.

"It would only be once a month starting now," Sasuke presses, "You have to learn sometime."

I look over at the old fart, but as if he'd help. His mouth is curled up a gnarled and unattractive grin. He realizes I'm not quite comfortable with it; and I'm starting to think he really likes tossing me into places I don't want to go.

Scratch that, I know he does; because that's the whole deal behind the blood room and all his sick and twisted little games. It's how he gets his kicks. Don't ask me why, I don't really want to know.

"We should probably head out within the next hour, or else the people will start drawing indoors," Sasuke states, plans already confirmed in seconds.

"I don't think your first time should be in a club anyway;" He sends a smug look over at me, "too much noise pollution."

And within an hour Sasuke has taken me outside the manor for the, oh probably the third, time this week. Sasuke really seems to enjoy taking excursions to the outside. He actually likes being around humans. As if I didn't learn that the first night when he chatted up the lady at the brothel like an old friend.

Jiraiya, of course, displays the opposite behavior. He secludes himself in his manor and abhors going outside. The only way he gets prey is to lure them into the pit and the blood room and make them play his games. Not the typical vampire you read about, but obviously real and existing.

I guess you have both introverts and extroverts among vampires as well as humans.

"Ready?"

He only asks as a formality, and also - likely - because I'm fidgeting. I've been out before, but not with the intent or purpose to kill. That's something I didn't want to have to do for a very, very long time.

I mean, even though it's illegal or whatever, why does a vampire have to kill the person it feeds from? Why can't I just stick to the baggies? I can live with the baggies; really.

"Just relax, it's not as intimidating as it seems." Sasuke tells me as we start walking. And actually, that much, is exactly what I'm probably most afraid of.

I'm not scared I'll hurt someone or kill them. I'm scared that I'll enjoy it. My parasite is twitching with anticipation; as if sensing our purpose, and I cannot calm it. It's agitation and expectation crawling through my veins, as tangible as the flesh that surrounds.

I glance down at his wrist, and note the flash of metal before focusing my attention back on the sidewalk. He has one on the other wrist too. They look like bracelets or some other ornament; but they're wires.

I only know Sasuke's weapon because I caught him cleaning them one time. Long thick wires, sharp enough that he won't touch the wire while it's under the faucet. I don't know how long they are, but I know it probably functions like a garrote or something.

I never thought of vampires as creatures that would need weapons, but I guess if you can't snap the victim's neck first then having a knife, or a wire, may come in handy.

But that's not what I should be thinking about right now either.

The sidewalk is dark, wet; it was raining earlier today. The neon glow of the lights all come in iridescent colors that don't quite reach into the world and just hover in their small circles as if warding off the emptiness around them.

You can hear some people talking, one group standing outside a restaurant bursts into a short blast of laughter before settling back into loud talking. The voices carry and then vanish into one another across the street. A few cars roll by, but this time of night there aren't a lot out anyway.

The night air is cold and stale. It smells vaguely of smoke, fast-food, and car exhaust. It's cold but not so much for around here. Sasuke doesn't move his head but his eyes follow around the surroundings; searching, hunting.

As we pass, I notice that a few people look back at him. They watch him as we walk by. Some look interested, others somewhat perturbed; as if they sense a predator in their midst.

"I don't like this." I breathe under my breath. But I know he heard me. I can practically feel him pull back his lips in a smirk. "I don't want to kill anyone."

"I said not to worry about it." he reminds me, almost gently; but he's actually chiding me. "We're only going to be doing this once every month now. We're only going to target some homeless guy - no one anyone will worry about."

I frown but keep quiet until I can think of a better argument to take us back to the manor. But a homeless guy... most of them are insane, or probably wish their lives would end anyway. They've been called the dregs of society, and it's true. No one would miss a homeless guy.

Homeless means no connections to the outside world. In a way, humans without someone to miss them, without a reason to live; they sort of bridge the gap between those people who exist here and would be missed to those already entered nonexistence and only exist among more of the same.

But it's still not right to take a life. Life isn't measure by value, or how 'safe' it is to kill that person. What was I thinking?!

Someone who it's okay to kill. Such a person does not exist, surely. Life is life; that's something that's grilled into us from the moment we're born. Even if it's a cat or a dog, it's a life and no one has the right to take it away - although, apparently the state can.

Death occurs ever day; sometimes it's by chance, or by murder. Murderers are punished if they're caught, sometimes they get away scot-free. If a person has money they can get away with murder, even if it's obvious that, that person did it.

Perhaps it's not so unnatural? But then, there is still something inherently wrong with deciding one way or the other. Everyone is equal. Universal law: do unto others as one would have done unto them.

But what if you're not equal? Are vampires and humans equal? We only hunt them for food right; it's not like sport. Mother lions teach their cubs to hunt by bringing them along; and they eat their kill.

How is this so different then from fishermen taking fish to eat, or cats from eating bugs and mice? But then there is the blood bank and the baggies.

"Don't think so much," Sasuke tells me. I look over at him, and his dark eyes bore into me, as if he was aware of what I was thinking about. He smirks, "You might hurt yourself otherwise."

Never mind, he's just being a jerk as usual. "Shut up." Oh yeah, best comeback ever, but I don't exactly want to encourage him right now. I'm busy having an existential breakdown over the importance of life.

Or maybe I am thinking too much.

My eyes stray and I'm not even thinking about a person who it would be alright to kill. Somehow my eyes settle on a pretty girl with purple highlights.

She glances up as we walk by, she has pretty green eyes and the purple eye shadow and dark liner make them stand out more even if her face is fairly plain.

She's got a great neck though, and the thought just sort of creeps up on me, that it would be really neat to tear out that neck and watch her blood stream down her chest across her bared cleavage.

That's pretty sick, I realize that much and I look away when I realize that I'm aware of that thought without being disgusted with myself.

I so much as consider killing someone and I start having strange thoughts of going ahead and targeting random people off the street. Not right. It’s the voice; because it's obviously not me!

My eyes wander over to the other side of the street, there's a movie exchange and there's some people, mostly sallow faced, some in small groups with their friends picking out some late night flick. The guy at the check out's arms are good though.

He's a big blond guy and his arms are pretty well defined; there's a tattoo of some kind of bird on his right one and it flows up at the shoulder. He might own a bike or some kind of racecar if he has a ride; he may be all talk but with muscle like that I imagine if I did attack him he'd probably fight me.

I think it would be fun to fight with someone other than Sasuke. I'd like to test my new skill out. Like this, I might even have been able to beat Shui and those guy's back then without the help of fury or weapons. A guy like that might be a lot of fun to hunt down and rip apart.

But I know it's wrong to think like that. And it's gotta be that stupid voice that seems as keen to see and smell everything I am. Maybe these are its thoughts floating around in my head. Though it doesn't feel that way.

In a way it reminds me of the bullfights in Spain, or the gladiators of Rome. It's wrong to watch people kill each other for sport. It is wrong to think of something so sick as enjoying it - though I can think of one individual who indulges in it every chance he gets.

I know that it's wrong. At least I am aware of that much. Everyone knows that it's wrong, and I have to wonder if I'm the only one who ever held doubts about this sort of thing.

But sick as it is, and as aware of that fact as I am I still wonder, and I know myself. If I ever did get to see a gladiator fight, I would probably be the guy in the front row screaming for more blood - just like everyone else.

Is that so wrong? Is that human? Even humans are obsessed with blood. Vampires, they need it to survive, and it's their way of life. But even as a human I always felt a connection to these things that polite society shunned and pushed into the realm of oblivion.

Movies with mindless action, blow-stuff-up and blood and violent, horror and gore, sex... these are all things that have moved to the world of entertainment. Even humans are drawn to these things.

So is it really so wrong?

"Naruto."

His voice is soft enough no one else would have heard it, but it's enough to pull me from my thoughts. Sasuke's eyes lock with mine and he tilts his head in the direction of the prey he's selected.

The guy is probably in his late forties. His hair has started to gray and he has a beard. His eyes are gray and unfocused, he stands shuffling his feet next to the grocery bag filled with his few worldly possessions.

The way his muscles twitch and his irises dilate make me wonder if he's one of those that is homeless because of a mental ailment. I see why Sasuke selected him. He's weak, fidgety, and he's keeping far from the others on the street. He's not a group participant to stand around the can-fires.

No one would miss this guy, he's probably only still alive because of his basic instincts or perhaps a series of a few strangers' kindness. I don't know for sure. Who would?

Sasuke and I move apart to either side of the sidewalk. It’s the same kind of movement that nearly anyone watching from afar might recognize. Like a pair of raptors circling the prey from either side to strike for the kill.

I don’t know if I’ll move when Sasuke does, he’s leading me. He’ll give the signal and then I guess we’ll both move in at once. No one on the street will be any the wiser, we’ll fall back into one of these side-ways and then we’ll be gone. Nothing will be left. Until the police find the body, if they find the body, it will be as if this guy had never even existed.

Suddenly the man stops and his eyes dart up flickering over between me and Sasuke, as if something inherent inside is telling him of an imminent danger. Suddenly he turns and bolts, my and Sasuke’s pace picks up and we’re gaining on him.

The man is huffing and wheezing in a full out sprint to the back of the alley; Sasuke and I are walking in quick sure strides, my heart is pounding but not from exertion. There’s this familiar smell. Like old oak and burning cedar covered in moss. It's cold and thick and thrums through me. Feeds the anticipation of the creature coiling inside me.

Sasuke catches up to him first as the man attempts to scale up the fence to get to the other side. He cries out in fear and anguish as he seems to know what fate awaits him. Sasuke’s hand firmly seizing him by the arm and with a tug the man falls and turns to face us. His face is dripping with sweat and a tangible flicker of white panic shines in his eyes. His body shakes and as we close in that smell grows stronger and all encompassing.

I can identify this scent now; it’s fear. I recognize it too from my time in the death-games with Jiraiya. But this time I am in the role of the tormentor. I haven’t even done anything yet, my gut wrenches in elation as these thoughts of ripping out his throat enter my mind.

He won’t fight, so I could open him up if I wanted to. Peel off his skin and carve out his organs, I could make a river of red and take it in at my leisure. I could elongate this fear of his until it drives this thing inside me to the point of completion.

But I don’t want to.

These are not my thoughts. I know that now. In one quick move I slam my fist into his gut. The hit catches him off guard and he chokes forward before crumbling to the ground. There’s no blood, I didn’t even hit hard enough to kill him but he is out. Sasuke frowns, I know he can tell the man is still alive.

“I don’t want to continue.” I say truthfully stepping back and shoving my hands in my pockets. Every nerve of me is screaming to go ahead and kill him. That voice screams in rage and frustration; it would be so much fun! You’d like it you stupid brat! Damnit it’s been too long, how can this be happening!

I won’t pay attention to it. My will is my own, I won’t be controlled by this thing inside me. I can trust its instincts on occasion but I won’t let it rule me. I must be even more careful now that it has a voice that I can hear.

Sasuke is watching me, expecting me to break down and do it I suppose. He brought me out here to hunt, to make a kill. I don’t want to. I refuse. I wonder what he could possibly attempt this time to get me to do what he wants. He’s proven that more often than not, he can make me. Not this time, I won’t let that thing take over me.

“That’s fine.”

What? I look up at Sasuke, and I’m sure my shock shows. He watches me, but there’s something strange to that look. Something I haven’t seen before in those obsidian eyes of his. “You don’t have to kill him this time.”

He walks past me, and I stare back at the unconscious body. Sasuke’s serious or he wouldn’t be heading back now. What was that look? I can’t identify it. “But next time, we gut him when he’s down.” His words ghost coldly against my ear, although he’s already turning back onto the street to head back to the manor.

Somehow I sigh in relief. I didn’t even know I’d been holding my breath. I’m thankful, I realize. I’m thankful for this much. I don’t want to kill anyone, not even that guy on the ground.

Dawn is quickly approaching by the time Sasuke and I arrive back at the manor. Jiraiya was off somewhere on his own, I didn’t see him, and I barely saw Sasuke before he disappeared off to wherever it is he sleeps, and then I went and curled up in my room on my bed. No coffins for me, though I don’t know if that’s what Sasuke and Jiraiya actually use… guess I won’t know till I ask, but I’ll ask later.

We’ll probably go hunting again in another month, that’s what Sasuke said. But I don’t want to kill anyone, I don’t know if there’d be anyone ‘I wouldn’t mind killing’. I thought of Shui earlier, how with this new strength I wouldn’t even have to rely on him getting angry and sloppy. But I don’t really want to hunt him down and kill him.

There’s a bit of a draft in here.

It’s weird, huh? Shui and those guys, I don’t want to go hurt them; it’s too much like it’s not worth it. Perhaps that’s a part of why I don’t want to kill anyone if I don’t have to either. I know what it’s like to be the victim, I don’t savor the idea of becoming a victimizer.

Hey, that’s… Shikamaru?

Shikamaru too, I hope he’s happier now. He doesn’t look too happy; he’s frowning at me. Wonder why, he should be a lot happier now but instead he just looks resolved. Maybe that’s regret? Is that regret for our friendship or something else?

Shikamaru. Why am I thinking about him now? Oh that would be because he’s here in my room.

It took me long enough to process that! I must be dreaming though, because I’m sitting up in bed now and I’m looking Shikamaru in the eyes. He’s standing just a ways from me by the open window – no wonder it felt drafty. I never even thought about seeing him again though, or about exacting any kind of revenge. I’m not angry with him. So what is this?

It doesn’t matter anymore, what happened between us, if he didn’t want to be friends. It’s the same reason that Shui and all those people no longer matter to me. Now I have this instead, this parasite, these eyes, this strength; it’s a new world and it’s my life now. Everything before hand, it’s like a slow prenatal dream.

Now that I am what I am, to hold onto that previous life that has become so foreign seems petty and frivolous in my mind. So why am I seeing him now?

“Shikamaru?” even if it’s a dream, I can still ask him. Perhaps my mind will tell me why he’s here.

Dark brown eyes thin and that look of regret deepens. Is this my mind wishing that he was sorry about what happened, that he wanted to apologize even if not with words?

“I’m going to save you.”

What?

“I’m going to take you away from here. You’ll be free soon.” His words are clear like etched stone that resonate in my ears yet refuse to be reconciled into sense. “Not now, it’s not time; but soon. I will save you.”

I stare perplexed and I wonder if I should tell him…? Should I tell him that it’s okay? That I don’t want to? That I like it here? Should I admit that I’m one of them now? I wish I could let him understand that this isn’t a punishment to me. This isn’t something I need to be ‘saved’ from. How can I communicate that I’m just glad he’s alright and living his life, free from me and as he wanted to live.

I might ask him ‘how’ he expects to ‘save’ me as it were. Since we’re dealing with a psychotic sadistic vampire here, even if I wasn’t one of them. So the first thing I should definitely tell him would be that I am a vampire now; and perhaps I can’t be saved. So he shouldn’t worry anymore.

But I just say the first thing that comes to mind; “Thanks.”

Was it a dream? I can’t say for sure; the next time my mind seemed capable of coherent thought it’s already dusk. Sasuke stands near the door looking in on me. Shikamaru, of course, is nowhere to be seen. So maybe it was just a dream.

“We’re not starting with lessons today,” I remind him, we did that yesterday, so lessons are later today/tonight.

“I know. I just came to check on you.” he shrugs and steps fully inside once I’ve acknowledged him. The guy just loves to invade my room. Maybe I should start bugging him about it?

“Who’s Shikamaru?”

Excuse me?

“Shikamaru,” Sasuke repeats to my blank stare, “In your dream.”

“Huh? What about my dream?” Was I talking again?

“That’s the brown-haired boy you were thinking about a moment ago, isn’t it?” Sasuke ponders at me, “A friend of yours I assume?”

“…You can look in my dreams?”

“I didn’t, but that’s the surface of your thoughts. Although I could invade your dream if I wanted to.”

Shit.

“Have you?”

“Have I what?”

“Ever ‘invaded’ my dreams?”

He smirks that all-knowing and I’m-a-total-bastard look, “What do you think?”

I’ll take that as a big fat maybe if nothing else. He better not though! Today’s lesson I’m badgering him about entering dreams! Who cares about misting! If he can get in my head, I want to get in his! Otherwise it’s just not fair!!

It’s still amazing how I can just breeze through the work I have to do now. I haven’t ever been sloppy since the first time I was either. Yet it seems that because I now have over half the day free from chores after I’ve done them, this gives my master ample time to get picky about every little detail of my maintenance work. Sometimes I wonder if the old fart has anything else better to do.

“That portrait seems a bit slanted to the right.” Jiraiya nitpicks as he scours the room and fixes his tiny red eyes on a picture of some old dead dude. Yeah sure it’s slanted, maybe by .009 degrees!

“I didn’t want you to clear out that corner over there, I was still examining the webbing of that particular specimen.” He sniffs in disdain about a ‘clean’ section of all places. Yes of course he studies spider webs in his spare time. No only when it means there’s nothing else he can possibly criticize about the care I give the manor but absolutely must find something to complain about.

“Well I’m sure you can examine many specimens in the yard. It’s full of them.” I tell him cooly.

Crimson eyes flash at me in irritation, “Well I don’t want to have to go outside to do it.”

“Yet you will go outside to chat with Sasuke during and after lessons about my incompetence which is practically nonexistent.” I point out in valid objection, “You’ve got some very strange past-times.”

“You ignorant brat!” he snarls, but not in that dangerous way, just annoyed and actually excited. It may seem odd but I think he may actually just like arguing now that I’ve figured out there are places I can cross and places I can’t. Makes this interesting and fun I guess. Mostly for him, though I’d be lying if I said I completely detested the old psychopath.

“There is a very fine difference in outside spiders to indoor spiders as well as in their web patterns based on their diet and the form their food will take! There’s all the difference there that there is between a mangy outdoors cat and an inside kept well-bred feline.”

“Of course because we keep spiders as pets.”

“And a great many more dangerous and larger animals I would care to release on you,” Jiraiya turns away in distaste. Now I can wonder where he gets giant scorpions and three-headed snakes. They have breeders or something for those things?

“Now if you do that, you’ll have no one to yell at whenever you feel like.” I tell him as snidely as I can manage. He turns back to scoff at me, but there is a pause as Sasuke materializes in the doorway.

“Don’t give your master so much trouble. You’re not as exacting as you should be.” He chides, fixing me with blank dark eyes.

“Because exacting in your mind means better than perfect?” I’d like to say that they’re just a bunch of snobs, but they’re not that bad. Sometimes...

“If your idea of ‘perfect’ is less that mediocre, then I suppose.” Jiraiya flouts in an almost huffy way. Except he’s not so much huffy as haughty. Yeah, haughty; that’s a perfect way to describe the stupid old man.

“Mediocre is probably a bit much,” Sasuke states thoughtfully as he cocks his head to the side, “Really, you don’t give him enough credit.”

“Exactly!” Finally he’s taking my side. “And all I do is clean the stupid manor right now. Isn’t there any other things you vampires do?”

“Oh now it’s ‘you vampires’, as if you’re not one.” Sasuke and Jiraiya both glare at me unamused. Stupid Sasuke! Whose side is he on anyway?!

“Well really, staying here all day gets boring; isn’t there some kind of congregation, or others out there?” I wonder at them, “Surely some vampires are social rather than reclusive.” Here’s looking at you psycho.

“That’s true, but…” Sasuke looks at Jiraiya.

The old man finishes, “I don’t think you know enough yet.” Right. I don’t ‘know enough’ to meet other vampires? That sounds like a pretty lame excuse. There’s something else isn’t there?

“In any case he’s done here isn’t he?” Sasuke and Jiraiya go back to ignoring me and talking to each other about me like I’m not there. Not that either of them really care too much about that.

“Yeah I’m done.”

Jiraiya shoots me an irritated look; I wasn’t who was spoken to. “You may take him.” He makes a motion like a shrug and heads past me out of the room, “You are done.”

That last part was said to me, and that’s as close to an apology/praise as I’ll ever get with the guy. It’s okay, he never meant any of it anyway. It was to keep me busy and to kill the time.
I imagine the psycho concocts all those freakish death games in his spare time because he’s bored. The only time he probably wasn’t bored was when he had a new victim to yank around. In essence I was also a way for him to be amused.

Outside past the terrace the lessons progress smoothly. Already Sasuke’s moved to trap my legs. I jump to avoid his foot trapping mine to the ground. I lash out as I move to try and drive his movement back.

Blood boils thick just beneath the surface of skin. Land and propel myself forward, beneath his arm my fist connects at his chest. He moves to seize my arm and limit my movement.

I can’t retrieve my limb. His legs move in a pendulum motion kicking me to the ground. The battle rules are the same. If you’re down, you’re out; but this is only sparring.

He’s released my arm. Spiral my body backward; kick upward. He moves back. But my foot still catches him at the joint of the shoulder and neck on the left side. Draw my body upward with the blow’s momentum. Sasuke has moved away. I’ve regained my feet and he moves in instantly.

I can’t block his fist, but I can catch it and I hold it tight when he attempts to wrench it back. I haven’t trapped it right; but I can still use it to lunge at him and drag him down beneath me. “Stop!”

He shoves me off of him and sits up scowling, “Be serious. You wouldn’t actually trap anyone like that. You left your stomach wide open, and you know it’s not proper form.”

I don’t care. It’s more fun when I improvise; you went along with it until a few moments ago. “When do we move on to weapons? It’s boring using the same stuff too much.”

“Your improvisation is fine to a point. Don’t be stupid about things.” He tells me coolly, then glances at the far horizon. I follow his gaze and note that the sky has already lightened to pale shade of blue in the distance and pink and purple hues are beginning to form at the edge.

“We will resume tomorrow,” he stands and dusts himself off. Then offers me a hand to pull me to a stand as well. I brush the stray dirt out of my hair and clothes. Then I look back at the horizon.

It may be thirty minutes before the sun peaks over the horizon. I wouldn’t mind staying out here to watch the sunrise for once. It’s not like I need to sleep anyway, I don’t actually get tired anymore as long as I keep myself fed.

“Naruto,” Sasuke calls to me, drawing my attention back to him, “Come inside.”

I know I can’t be out here when the sun comes up, but I kind of wish I could anyway. If I wore sunscreen spf 70 would it be safe?

I turn and follow him inside, it’s annoying though. Stupid Sasuke, don’t vampires have relationships too? Or else, this wouldn’t be normal. But he doesn’t seem to have any interest in anything. Oh wait, I’ll rephrase that. He is interested in everything but cares about nothing. That sounds about right.

“You know you’re not that bad for being so scrawny.” I note offhand. Sasuke ignores me. I grab his arm so he has to look back at me. “Though because I probably shouldn’t have roughed you up as much.” My fingers move to brush against the dark bruise I left on his neck. The dark mark contrasting strikingly with his pale skin.

His mouth curled upward in a amused smirk. “You need to get to sleep,” Sasuke reminds me, walking away as if nothing had happened, “before the sun comes up.” Obsidian eyes glance back at me briefly and then he’s moved away and I’m still standing here dissatisfied.

I don’t get it. Is it so wrong? Is it really just the part of me that is a vampire now? Or is it in fact human?

All those things that make humans live: fighting, bloodshed, violence, sex, lust, greed; those things that are even present in children, even if it’s latent. Even they possess aggression and hatred, desire, greed; all those things that are forced out of our heads and labeled as wrong.

Perhaps that is what is most human. Perhaps as I am now – allowed to unleash everything I was not allowed to as a human – perhaps now I’m even more human than I was.

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