This is my first Kingdom Hearts fanfic. I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but if I did, Sora would totally be all mine...haha. Story is mostly original, but it is inspired by Vampire Knight. I hope that you guys enjoy. Reviews and criticism would be appreciated.
NOTE: The first section of every chapter is usually told from Kairi's POV, whereas the rest is in the third person. "Stained by Sin" is only the working title. Hopefully something better will come to me.
Summery: Sora disappeared from Kairi's life for unknown reasons. Vampires bring them together again, but it also tears them apart. Blood, lust, fear, secrets, friendships, reunions, and promises change their lives.
1. SCENT OF DISCOVERY
~Kanashimi no Kizu~
I ran up that steep hill, my breathing getting heavier and more labored as I approached the peak. I had to see him at least once before he disappeared from my life. I had to let him know how I felt, that I loved him. At the top, a dark shadow stood beside the old oak tree against the bright setting sun. Reds and oranges, the color of twilight, bathed his figure.
"Sora?" I called as I neared the tall tree, "Is that you?"
The dark figure only nodded as a response, remaining silent as he walked toward me.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I pleaded, finding my breath. "Why are you leaving?"
Sora stepped in front of me, his bright blue eyes intently gazing into mine. By looking into them, I could tell he wasn't going to answer me. He took my hand into his, holding it tightly, like he was afraid of something. His fingers trembled as they held on tightly to mine.
"Sora, before you go, I wanted to tell you..." My breathing was becoming more fast-paced from nervousness. "I want to tell you how I felt, that I lo-"
I never got a chance to finish. Sora grabbed my waist, pulling me toward him. He pressed his lips against mine, slipping a piece of paper in my hand. After an intense moment of passionate kissing, he broke away abruptly, the sensation of his lips on mine still lingering. He leaned toward me, whispering his last words in my ear.
"Wait for me..."
Before allowing me to respond or say goodbye, Sora disappeared as a dark figure into the sunset. I touched my lips, the warmth from his lips still there, and then remembered the note he slid into my fingers. Leaning against the tree, I delicately unfolded the piece of paper.
"There's something that I need to tell you, but now is
not the right time. I'll come back to you when the time
is right. So
please, just wait for me."
-----
"Kairi! Are you even listening to me?"
Quickly re-folding the note and tucking it safely in her sleeve, Kairi looked up at her boss...who was also her father.
Her father was also a researcher. Professor Kaito studied a very strange topic...the topic of vampires. He worked to find a substitution for blood to satisfy a vampire's thirst for it, the only major difference between them and normal humans. On top of being a father and a scientist, he ran an agency where a select trained few hunted Renegades, rouge vampires whose blood-thirsty nature had completely taken over.
"Honestly, Kairi," her father scolded, "if it weren't for the fact that Riku was your partner, you'd be gone out there."
"Sorry dad," she apologized, "won't happen again. I promise."
"I don't know whether to believe you now or the first fifty times you said that," her father retorted, handing Riku, who was sitting beside Kairi, a manila envelope. "There have been many reports about groups of people being found unconscious in an alley in the downtown area of the city. The people are fine, but have strange markings on their necks. I want you two to go check on this, but be careful," he urged, "you two have school tomorrow."
"Nice to know that you care about our well-being," Riku joked, leaning back on his chair.
"Your school's been on my case because of how often you two sleep in class or call off because of injuries," he explained. "Since they can't know the complete truth, I have to take some of the blame...actually most of the blame."
"We got it, we got it," Riku said before Kaito started off on some rant. "Is there anything else?"
"Nah, you're dismissed," he answered as the two started to leave. "But, Kairi, honey, be careful."
Dad, I'm not a little kid anymore," she responded. "I'm seventeen now. Don't treat me like a child."
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes, I'm positive about this."
"Just...be careful," he answered after a moment of brief silence, as if he wanted to tell her something, but opted against it.
"I'll try," she replied, following Riku, who carried the manila envelope in his hands, down the hallway.
"Why do you keep pulling out that silly piece of paper?" Riku questioned.
"It's not silly!" she retorted, clutching the note to her heart. "It's the last thing he left me before he left a year ago."
"Is he the reason you're doing this?" he replied. "Putting yourself in danger by going out and hunting vampires?"
"I'm not exactly sure he's the reason, but something inside me tells me that if I do this, I'll get a chance to meet him again."
"Yeah, in a dark alley where you find out that he's become a bloodthirsty beast bent on sucking the blood out of your neck."
"Don't even joke like that Riku! He was your friend too," Kairi responded, finding it hard to believe that Riku would even joke like that. "Besides, why are you doing this? Vampire suck the blood out of someone you know?"
"Actually," his tone had become dark and serious, "yes. Just last year. A Renegade attacked one of my friends from across the state. I promised to find a way to avenge his death, along with all the others who fell victim to vampires."
'I'm sorry," her voice dropping to an apologetic tone, "I didn't know."
"It's okay," he told her. "I never told you."
The air between the two of them became quiet as they geared up. Kairi picked up a long silver rod, named Flowering Strength, and collapsed it to the size of a water bottle, placing it in the band wrapped around her right leg. Riku loaded his silver gun, Way to Dawn, with anti-vampire bullets, an invention by Kairi's father that would only harm the sorrowful creature of the night. He put away his weapon into the protector located at his right hip. They both went outside, Riku handing Kairi the envelope as the two stepped into his car.
"Your dad did say that we were going downtown, right?" he asked, starting up the car.
"Yeah," she answered, reading the documents that she pulled out from the envelope. "By that abandoned apartment building across the street from the tattoo parlor."
"One of them could've done it," he said, giving the gas a bit more pressure. "Maybe they thought that it would've been a hilarious prank to make people think vampires exist."
"But then why wouldn't they just make the marks look more like a vampire bite?" Kairi argued. "Only a few people can distinguish the mark of a vampire. Otherwise, it looks like a strange marking to normal people.
"You're right about that," Riku agreed, turning onto their desired street. "Looks like nothin's going on tonight."
"Wait, wait," Kairi put her hand up, "I think I saw something."
"How can you see anything? It's pitch black out there except for the light of the moon."
"If you're not coming, I'll go by myself." She opened the door and quickly stepped out into the brisk cold air.
Riku followed, locking the car door from the inside so to not make too much noise. "What did you see?"
"Something...or someone staggering in the shadows," she explained, pointing to the alley. "And I think something was following it."
"You think it's what we're looking for?"
"Dunno, but we should check it out."
Slowly and in pace with each other, Kairi and Riku started toward the alley. It was silent, that walk down the alleyway. Then the sound of something - more like someone - being thrown against the brick walls resonated into the dark sky, followed by grunts of pain. The pair rushed down the ominous path. When they arrived at the origin of the cries, a tall man clutched a young teenager by his throat, the first barring his fangs and ready for a meal.
Kairi gasped when she saw the face of the young man in the sickly pale moonlight. "I-i-it can't be..." she muttered.
The vampire, upon hearing her voice, turned his attention toward Kairi, a gluttonous gleam in his eyes. "A girl..." he said lustfully, "...and a pretty one at that...I wonder how she would taste..."
"You take one step toward her," Riku threatened, his Way to Dawn in hand and loaded, "and it'll be the end of you."
"At least let me enjoy one last meal," the man replied, pushing the boy up higher against the black curtain of concrete and drawing his fangs closer to the young boy's neck.
Kairi acted quickly and grabbed Flowering Strength, holding it against the vampire's throat. "Let go of him," she commanded, her eyes serious, "now."
The man was wincing from the effects of the staff. "How about you take his place?" he asked. After he didn't receive a response, he questioned, "No?"
Stealthily, the man slid his foot underneath Kairi, and the next thing she knew, she was laying on the ground, her head pained from connecting with the ground. With an open opportunity, the vampire fled under the cover of the darkness of the night. Gunshots were heard, but none hit their target. Riku hurried to Kairi's side.
"You okay?" he asked, putting his gun away as he kneeled on the ground next to her.
"Don't worry about me," she answered, sitting up with certain difficulty.
"Are you nuts? You could've gotten a concussion from a hit like that," he replied, watching her getting up on her feet. "What are you doing?"
"Sora..." she said, walking with some complication. "We need to make sure..." her breathing was getting labored as her vision started to blur, "make sure...that Sora's okay..." She collapsed onto the ground and everything went black.
------
"Kairi? Are you okay?" a voice called out as Kairi slowly regained consciousness. Two blurred figures came into view as she opened her eyes.
"Riku?" she said, finally awakened only to find herself sitting amongst a pile of trash bags. "What am I doing here?"
"Looks like you really may have suffered something from that first fall," Riku diagnosed, relieved that she was okay.
"Who is standing behind you?" she asked, seeing a figure cloaked in darkness move in the space behind Riku.
"C'mon Kairi," a familiar voice answered, stepping froth into the dim moonlight, "it's only been a year. You already forgot about me?"
It took Kairi a moment to realize that the voice belonged to the person she was waiting for. She could hardly contain her excitement and threw her arms around him when he stepped in front of her. "Sora! It's really you! You've come back!"
"Yeah," Sora replied, slowly putting his arms on her back, "I'm back."
Tears filling her eyes, Kairi held him tighter, but that caused Sora to let out a small groan of pain. At that point, Kairi felt some kind of liquid soak into the sleeve of her jacket.
"Sora, you're bleeding!" she exclaimed when she realized the liquid was trickling from his neck. "You didn't get bitten, did you?"
Sora reached up and touched the wound. "No," he responded in a flat voice after looking at the blood on his fingers and quickly wiping it on his pants. "His fingernails must've cut me," he concluded, referring to the vampire.
"We should get that bandaged," Riku stated, tearing off a piece of his shirt and handing it to Kairi. "We'll have to do that at the clinic, so this will have to do for now."
"Thanks," Sora answered as Kairi wrapped the fabric snuggly around his neck. "I really don't like the scent of blood."
"Does it make you queasy?" Kairi asked, finishing the knot of the temporary bandage.
"Not exactly," he replied, touching the site of the wound again.
"We should probably get going," Riku suggested, already heading back to the car. "Your dad's gonna wanna run a medical check on Sora."
Kairi took Sora's arm in hers, urging him to come with her. "Let's go, Sora. My daddy's probably gonna run that medical check. Besides, he'll be so happy to see you."
Sora followed, but with full knowledge that 'daddy' wouldn't be so thrilled to see him. That was unless he had a certain piece of information that the professor wanted to hear.
-----
"Your father's busy right now," someone informed Kairi when she asked to see her father. "He's putting together his research on the blood tablets to present to the government, but he'll meet you in his office in about five minutes."
"Thank you," Kairi responded as the woman walked away. "I guess that we'll have to go to daddy's office and wait."
"I think that you need to be checked over too, Kairi," Riku stated.
"I'm fine," she argued.
"I agree with Riku," Sora said. "I don't want you to be seriously hurt because you tried to help me."
"Fine," she relented, being outnumbered 2-to-1. "But at least let me go with you two to daddy's office. I promise to go get my head checked when we get there."
"But Kai-"
"Sora," Riku interrupted, "you've been gone for a year and obviously don't remember how stubborn she is."
Smiling at her triumph, Kairi linked arms with her two friends. "Let's go."
Along the way to the back of the building, Kairi pointed out the various rooms and what research was occurring in each room: one was developing anit-vampire weaponry, another was dedicated to research on the blood tablets, and another was specialized in studying the swift healing ability that vampires possessed.
Someone walked out of a room marked "Product Testing" and saw the group, doing a double-take when he saw the third person with the usual two. A look of recognition appeared on his face and he rushed over to the three.
"Hey Axel-sama," Kairi greeted when he approached them.
Completely ignoring her, Axel took Sora's free hand in his, shaking it with fierceness. "Sora! I can't believe it's you. You're alive!"
"You two know each other?" Riku asked, making certain unseen observations and connections in his mind. "How?"
"I'm sorry, but I don't know him," Sora answered, nervous about something as he pulled his hand way from the stranger's grip.
"Well, he seems to know you," Riku stated. "That's a little strange, considering that you're human and Axel is one of our resident vampires."
"You've got vampires living here?" Sora inquired.
"Yeah, some of them even come to school with us," Kairi responded. "So Axel," she shifted the conversation to another topic, "how are the blood tablets?"
"I've had better," Axel joked. "It really doesn't substitute for the original just yet. Although they're better than the first batch."
"I just want to thank you for convincing the other's to help our research," Kairi said.
"Well, as a Superior, I do have some powers over the others," Axel replied. "Besides, if it helps to decrease the number of us getting hunted down and killed, I want to provide any help possible."
"Well, thanks Axel-sama. We've got to get going, so I'll see you around."
"Now if only they would just let me bite just one neck..." Axel mumbled to himself as he walked away.
"Should we worry about him?" Riku asked as they proceed to the door at the end of the hallway.
"Nah," Kairi answered, "he's always been sarcastic, ever since I met him a few years ago when daddy asked for his help in his research."
"That really wasn't what I was talking about," Riku replied, watching over Sora carefully as Kairi unlocked the office door.
"Then what were you talking about?" she asked, opening the door and turning on the lights.
The room was white, like a normal doctor's office. The only strange thing about the room was the map of the city on the wall behind the desk with large X's on it to mark areas with large amounts of rouge vampire activity. The bright lights reflecting off the wall caused Sora to blink a few times.
"Never mind," Riku said. "Now you go and get checked like you promised."
"Okay, okay," Kairi answered. "I'll meet you at your house tomorrow before school, Riku," she turned to Sora, "Good night Sora."
"Night Kairi," Sora replied as she closed the door.
A strange silence fell over the two friends remaining in the room.
"So," Riku sighed, "how long do you intend to keep hiding it from her?"
"Hide what?" Sora replied, a nervous chuckle choking up in his throat.
"She'd accept you for what you became," Riku continued, unchanging at Sora's questioning.
"What are you talking about Riku? Sora responded, feeling more afraid with each passing second.
In one swift move, Riku had Sora pinned against the closest wall with one hand. "You can't fool me, Sora." He ripped at the cloth around Sora's neck to reveal what was, or in this case, what wasn't there. "Funny, I could've sworn that there was a cut here, but there's nothing now." Riku released Sora, having finally getting his point across.
"How did you know?" Sora questioned, unfazed at the fact that Riku had just attacked him.
"I suspected something when you said that you didn't like the scent of blood," he explained, keeping his distance from Sora. "But it was so obvious when Axel came up to us and recognized you even though you never met him before."
Sora looked away, clearly ashamed at being found out. "I didn't choose to become this way."
"It's a wonder Kairi didn't notice," Riku stated. "She's been studying all this ever since you left."
"You're not going to tell her, are you?" he asked, his eyes open wide in fear.
"Even if she knew," Riku explained, "she'd accept you for who you are. It won't matter to her if you've become-"
"That's the thing Riku, I don't want her to find out," Sora pleaded, falling to his knees. "I don't want her to get wrapped up in the situation. I don't want either of you to get involved..."
"Get involved in what?" Riku questioned, surprised at the fact that his best friend was crumbling to pieces in front of him.
Luckily for Sora, a knock came at the door, giving him a temporary escape from answering the question Riku imposed on him.
"Okay," Prof. Kaito declared as he walked through the door, "who is this friend my darling daughter told me about?" The professor slid the pen he was writing with behind his ear and adjusted his glasses before looking in Riku's and Sora's direction.
The wooden clipboard the professor was holding slipped from his hands, landing with a small thud as it clattered against the ground.
"What are you doing back so soon Sora?" Kaito asked. "Did you find who did it?"
What happens next? Find out in the next chapter: UNEXPLAINED RECOGNITION.
Please review! Me like reviews!
I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but if I did, Sora would totally be all mine...haha. Story is mostly original, but it is inspired by Vampire Knight. I hope that you guys enjoy. Reviews and criticism would be appreciated.
NOTE: The first section of every chapter is usually told from Kairi's POV, whereas the rest is in the third person. "Stained by Sin" is only the working title. Hopefully something better will come to me.
Summery: Sora disappeared from Kairi's life for unknown reasons. Vampires bring them together again, but it also tears them apart. Blood, lust, fear, secrets, friendships, reunions, and promises change their lives.
2. UNEXPLAINED RECOGNITION
~Kotobani Naranai Kimochi~
Lying awake in my bed, I wondered what the other two were doing at the Sora okay? And was Riku getting along with him the way they had a year ago? Were they talking about me at the moment? If so, what are they saying about me? Would Riku talk kindly about me? Or would he mention all the stupid mistakes I've been making? What would Sora think if he heard all that stuff?
What does Sora think about me? My cheeks turned hot at this thought and I pulled my blue polka-dotted blanket up to cover my face.
What does Sora think of me? He must like me or else he wouldn't have...
I touched my lips, remembering the joy that rose inside me when his lips were pressed against mine. My cheeks flushed even brighter in the darkness of my room. Sleep slowly started to fill my eyes as I pushed the memory away.
We've been friends since we were little. That's all we're going to ever be, no matter how much I desire for more.
With a loud yawn, I closed my eyes as I slid the blanket below my chin, embracing a good night's sleep in my arms.
-----
Fully awake and unscathed from last night's run-in with a Renegade, Kairi bounced along the sidewalk, a light air in each step as she swung her school bag back and forth. When she reached Riku's house, she knocked on the door in a specialized pattern for that Thursday morning and then unlocked the door with her copy of his house key.
"You're sure in a great mood this morning," Riku commented from the kitchen table as she walked in.
"Really?" She took her normal seat on the stool next to the kitchen island as she watched Riku finish his breakfast. "I can't quite figure out why I'm so happy."
"Isn't it because Sora's back?" he smartly answered, getting up and placing his dirty dishes in the sink and running water over them.
Kairi felt her cheeks grow warm again at the mention of Sora's name. Refraining from holding her hands to her face, she questioned Riku, "How did things go last night? Is Sora okay?"
Riku paused, the soapy sponge suspended in air as he recalled that short conflict between Sora and Professor Kaito that he witnessed last night before he was quickly dismissed from the room.
-----
"What are you doing back Sora?" Prof. Kaito asked. "Did you find out who did it?"
"...No," was the only answer Sora came up with after an extended period of silence.
"Then why are you back?" Kaito replied, his voice hinting at slight hysteria. "I thought you weren't to return unless you find out who murdered Kairo!"
"I know," Sora responded. He appeared like a small child getting scolded. His fist trembled slightly at his side, a sign of holding back his fear.
"Then why did you come back?!" Kaito shot back, his chest rising and dropping heavily.
"I have a good reason, but..."
"But what?" His glasses were sliding off the bridge of his nose, balancing precariously between smashing into tiny pieces on the ground and remaining safely on his nose.
Sora turned to Riku, his fist vibrating with a bit more strength. "Riku, I think it would best if you left."
"But, Sora, I can't..."
"Riku," Kaito interrupted, adjusting his glasses, "this matter doesn't concern you. Please, take your leave."
Knowing better than to fight a losing battle, Riku headed for the door, hoping to hear more of the conversation. But the other two remained silent and Riku closed the door behind him in disappointment.
-----
"Riku? Riku, are you okay?" Kairi's voice broke his thoughts, pulling him back to the present.
"Sorry," he apologized, finishing up the plate he had in hand and running it under water. "I spaced out for a bit, but yeah, Sora seemed okay."
"Do you think that he's gonna come to school with us?"
"Dunno," he answered, drying his hands on a towel. He glanced over at the clock on the stove. "It's 7:10 already?" He grabbed his school supplies and slid on his shoes. "We better get going before they get too far ahead of us."
------
"Why are you guys so late?" Kaito asked as Kairi and Riku arrived at the clinic.
"Sorry daddy," Kairi answered. "Won't happen again."
"You're feeling okay, right?" The professor questioned, doing a visual check over of his daughter. "You didn't get hurt last night, did you?"
"Daddy, I'm fine," she declared, wriggling out of her father's grip. "But I was wondering if Sora was okay."
Her father looked startled for a second, but quickly regained his composure. "Sora, huh? He's checked out okay as of last night."
"Is he going to go to school with us?" she asked eagerly.
Hesitant to answer, Kaito remained silent, causing Kairi's hopes started to fall.
"Of course I'm coming to school with you guys," Sora answered, emerging from the shadows of the hallway. "I've been gone for a whole year, there's no way I'm letting the two of you go ahead without me. Gotta make sure that you both aren't doing something behind my back."
"What do you mean?" both Kairi and Riku asked, completely unsure what Sora was getting at.
Walking over to Kairi, Sora drew her face close to his, placing his fingertips on her lips. "You didn't forget did you, Kairi?" he said in a low and husky voice not like himself.
His breath warm against her cheek and neck, Kairi struggled to find an answer. All she could think of was whether Sora was going to kiss her again or not.
"Sora," Kaito said, breaking the intense atmosphere, "I would advise you to rethink your actions."
Letting go of Kairi, Sora turned to the professor, knowing that it was his actions toward Kairi that he was reprimanding. "I'm sorry. I was stepping out of line. I'll return to my room."
After recovering herself, Kairi stepped forward. "Daddy, you can't make Sora stay here!"
"Don't worry about me," Sora stated, seeming like himself again.
"Listen to him honey," her father said. "And he'll go with you tomorrow to get his classes scheduled. I just want Sora to rest for a day before doing anything."
"Promise?"
"I promise," Kaito agreed before turning to Sora. "I want to discuss a few things with you, Sora."
"We should get going," Riku declared, slinging his school bag over his shoulder. "Naminé and the rest are waiting for us to escort them to school."
-----
"You know we're going to be late," Roxas remarked as Riku and Kairi walked out the side doors to meet a group of three.
"Did something happen to you guys?" Naminé asked as the pair approached them.
"Sorry," Kairi apologized. "I had to find out if Sora was coming to school with us today. I kinda held us up."
"What are you talking about?" Roxas replied. "Sora's not here. I know that for a fact."
"Well, you must be talking about a different Sora," Riku retaliated. "The Sora we know is here. At the research center."
"I'm telling you," Roxas fought back, "That the Sora I know is the same one you know. And he couldn't possibly be alive."
"You two," Kairi intervened, "stop arguing!"
"Tell me then," Riku argued, "how do you even know Sora in the first place?"
"I'm going to get minor sunburn from being out here too long," Demyx declared, distracting the arguing pair. Everybody stared at him, to which he responded, "I've got to keep my appearance up for my adoring fans."
"We should really get going," Naminé added, hoping to relieve the tension from the situation.
"Well, then, let's go!" Kairi shouted, taking Naminé's hand and running toward the direction of the school. Demyx, holding his books over his head to shield from the sunlight, followed at a brisk pace. That left Riku behind with Roxas.
"After you," Riku offered, holding steady in the staring competition with Roxas.
"Thanks," Roxas replied coldly. "But you know," his voice softened, "Sora's gone. He was killed...right in front of my eyes." His choked up voice revealed a side of sympathy that Riku had never expected to see from him.
"You trying to make me drop my guard so you can make a meal of my blood?" Riku commented walking pass Roxas. "That won't work on me, vampire."
"Fine," Roxas answered, reverting to his usual self, "you can play it that way if you like, but I know what I saw."
-----
"You guys need to calm down and return to your classes!" Kairi shouted, standing in front of Demyx with her arms out as a barrier. "There's nothing to crowd around for!"
Even though the homeroom bell rang, the school girls stood by the entrance, waiting eagerly for their idols. Once the group had reached the school gates, it was mass hysteria as the girls pushed toward them, screaming "Demyx!", "Roxas!", and the occasional "Riku!"
"They're still here even when they should be in class," Riku observed, marching in front of the group to create a path wide enough to walk through. For some strange reason, all the girls seemed to be intimidated by Riku's presence.
"G'morning, my darling little fans," Demyx said, waving to the girls as he passed through the front doors into the high school. "I hope that you stay well."
As the doors closed behind them, Kairi let out a sigh of relief. "Why does this happen every morning?"
"Naminé," Roxas called, reaching out to her, "are you okay?" He touched her shoulder, a rare expression of tenderness on his face that he only seemed to show toward Naminé.
"I'm okay," she answered, putting her hand on top of his. "But thanks for worrying about me."
"They all look so healthy," Demyx commented wistfully. "Can't I just have one girl...?"
"Demyx-senpai," Kairi reprimanded, "what do you think you're saying?"
"I'd be careful of what you're saying, Demyx," Axel stated, appearing suddenly behind Demyx from the shadows. "You know what Kaito's cooperation plan is."
"Axel-sama!" Demyx declared, turning around quickly and dropping his head in a bow. "I apologize for stepping out of line."
"Just don't let it happen again," Axel answered coolly, proceeding down the hallways. "Kairi just let me know whenever one of these little vampires steps out of line. I'll deal with it much more harshly next time."
"Thank you Axel-sama," she said, bowing her head in thanks as the teacher walked away.
"Way to almost blow our secret," Roxas stated when Axel was out of hearing range.
"It honestly was just a joke," Demyx responded, starting down the hallway in the opposite direction. "Anyway, I'm heading to class before I'm further penalized than I already am for being late."
"Same here," Riku said, heading in the opposite direction of Demyx. "I suggest that the rest of you get going."
"You don't need to tell me that," Roxas remarked, walking in the same direction of Axel. Naminé quickly joined his side, since the two of them had the same first class.
Kairi watched the group separate, contemplating on what her real purpose at this school was. She and Riku were to keep a watch over them, making sure that no human uncovered Demyx's, Roxas', Naminé's, and Axel's true nature: that they were vampires. Her father believed that vampires could coexist with humans in everyday situations, so he asked Axel to find subject to test his hypothesis. Which explains why Kairi and Riku escorted them to and from school every day.
They were also to make sure that the vampires didn't attempt to bite anyone. It's not that hard a job, but Demyx had been tempted several times before because of the girls throwing themselves at him. Who was to blame them? It seemed to be a natural trait for vampires to be naturally drop-dead gorgeous.
The first class warning bell rang for the second time, warning Kairi to race down the hall to in order to reach her first class in time.
-----
"Roxas-senpai?" a thin quivering voice called out as Roxas walked down a outdoor hallway, which was lined with pillars on both sides, after final class let out. "Will you please accept this?"
Turning around, Roxas saw one of the school girls, his junior by a few years, holding out a letter to him, her head bowed down. Great...another love letter... he thought to himself when he noticed the red heart sticker sealing the envelope. Taking the letter from her hands, he tore it in half several times, and dropped the scraps to the floor. "No," he said bluntly.
The girl's eyes trembled as the pieces of her heart fluttered to the floor, waiting for someone to trample all over them. Without a whimper, she turned and walked away, breaking into a run some distance away.
"You must be enjoying yourself," Roxas spoke loudly, eyeing the adjacent pillar. "That must be what you think my true nature is. Right, Riku?"
"On the contrary," Riku answered, stepping into view and leaning against the column, "I'm quite proud because you didn't try to drink that girl's blood."
"You're not as snide as you usually are," Roxas observed, leaning on the pillar on the side opposite Riku, creating a brick barrier between them. "Is something on your mind?"
"As a matter of fact, yeah," he replied, shifting his weight onto the other leg. "You said that you know Sora. Was that before or after he left a year ago?"
"So, you know what happened to him. Did you figure it out or did he tell you?" Roxas waited for a response, but as he knew, he didn't receive one. "I actually knew Sora before what happened."
"Do you know when it happened to him?" Riku asked.
"I knew a few days before he left...before Professor Kaito sent him off to find out who killed Kairo," he replied. "But before you say anything, I didn't have anything to do with it."
"Who's Kairo?"
"You don't know?" Roxas scoffed. "Kairo was Kaito's wife, thus making her Kairi's mother."
"Do you know who did it?"
"If I did, Sora wouldn't have been sent away," his tone softened again, "he wouldn't have gotten killed..."
"Sora was never killed," Riku retorted. "But I didn't want to ask while Kairi was around..."
"Were you afraid of hurting her feelings? She's got something for him...too bad he's gone now..."
"You say that Sora was killed and you saw it. How was he killed and by whom?"
Axel and Naminé appeared in the courtyard, waving Roxas over. Pushing himself up off the wall, Roxas, with his hands in his pockets, walked over to Riku first, telling him, "Wouldn't you like to know?" and then left, joining his kind.
-----
"Tadaima," Kairi announced, walking into her father's clinic with Demyx, whom she was guarding over as he practiced with his band in the school auditorium. Even though it isn't a public practice, the school girls somehow found their way in.
"I thought today's practice fell short of our normal standards," Demyx stated, placing his guitar beside him as he sunk into a worn chair. "That isn't good for our performance in a few days." Not only does Demyx play the guitar, he also writes the songs and sings lead vocals.
"I thought you guys sounded just fine," Kairi replied, peering down the hallways, looking for someone.
"What are you talking about?" Demyx argued. "I couldn't even hear myself over all the screaming."
"Well, maybe you should tell the girls to leave the auditorium so you can practice," she answered. "Where's Riku? He's supposed to tell me if we've got to work tonight."
"You're finally home, Kairi," her father shouted, walking out of one of the rooms reserved for vampires.
"Yeah, I'm home," she answered, wondering whose room her father was just in. That's not Axel-sama's room? His is in the other hallway. Roxas' and Naminé's are on the other side of that hallway. Demyx's is near Axel-sama's. We don't have any other resident vampires than them, right?
"Kairi, I want you to brief Sora on what you and Riku do during your job," the professor told her as he closed the door. "I don't want him sent out there without knowing how to protect himself...or you for that matter," he added ominously.
"You mean that Sora's coming with me and Riku on patrol tonight?" she said, unsure whether to be happy or worried about this.
"Tomorrow night," he replied. "I want you to rest tonight."
"Does that mean Sora's also joining our team?"
He stopped walking, a few feet away from Kairi. "I'm not sure. I guess you can say that tomorrow's sort of a trial test."
-----
"G'morning Sora," Kairi greeted, walking to her usual morning stop with Riku. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"Mornin' Riku, Kairi," he answered, adjusting his uniform's necktie. "I'm fine, thanks."
"You sure you're ready to face the sunlight?" Riku questioned, glancing out the glass doors at the bright morning sun.
"I think I'll manage," Sora replied. "I took the medications that Professor recommended."
"You mean those tablets?"
"Yeah, those," he answered, looking away as if he was ashamed for having to take the tablets.
"What are you guys talking about?" Kairi asked, looking at them. "Are you sick, Sora?"
"I'll leave you two be, in case someone decides to get something off their chest..." Riku said, looking at the two of them.
Worried, Kairi thought Riku was speaking about her. She knew he knew, or at least suspected, her feelings toward Sora. It would've been great to tell Sora how she felt, but was now the right time?
Sora, the one whom Riku was actually speaking to, looked at him. He wasn't ready to tell Kairi what was eating away at him to hide from her because it was safer to keep her in the dark, or away from it.
"...but don't take long. We've got to escort the others to school," Riku added as he closed the door.
The two faced each other, both saying the other's name at the same time.
"Sora, I want to..."
"Kairi, there's something you need to know," Sora interrupted, taking her hand in his. "It's the reason why I left a year ago..."
Taking a deep breath, Kairi braced herself. She had always wondered why Sora had taken off so suddenly. Too excited about his return, she never had thought about the reason why he left or came back.
"A couple days before I left," Sora began, "something happened...something horrible. So horrible that your father advised me to leave for your protection."
"My protection?" she questioned.
"My family was targeted and attacked by-"
"SORA!" stopped him from finally telling Kairi as Naminé opened the door. "You're here! I can't believe you're here!"
"Naminé?" Sora called upon hearing a distantly familiar voice. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing!" she answered, hugging Sora tightly around his neck. "Wait till Roxas finds out you're really here!"
"Roxas is here?"
"Yes," she answered, letting go of his neck and dragging him by the wrist out the doors. "Demyx is here too."
Kairi watched as the door closed behind Sora and Naminé. She began to wonder what the relationship between them was. They seem really close, but they're nothing more than friends, right? But they...
"Yo, Kairi!" Demyx called from the open door. "I think that you should really get out here!"
Allowing for her thoughts to figure themselves out, Kairi found Riku restraining Roxas, who was struggling to break free. Sora was sitting on the ground, his hand rubbing the side of his head, and Naminé sitting beside him. From this information, she presumed that Roxas assaulted Sora for some reason she was going to find out.
"Roxas, what did you do that for?" Naminé asked, helping Sora to his feet. "Why did you just punch Sora?"
"That isn't Sora!" he answered, looking vehemently at the boy he didn't want to recognize. "He isn't Sora! Sora is gone...he's gone!"
"Roxas, this is Sora," Demyx stated, "His chemical make-up is the same."
"It isn't him," Roxas argued, struggling less with every passing second. "Sora was killed. I saw it happen...I know it happened."
"We all saw it happen," Naminé consoled him, touching his arm gently, "but we should be happy that he's here with us now."
Sora knelt beside Naminé and told Riku to let Roxas go. Falling to the ground listlessly, Roxas remained on the ground, bent over.
"Roxas, I'm glad that I can see you again," Sora said, offering his hand to help him up. Roxas looked up, anger burning in his eyes. He slapped away the helping hand and got up.
"I still don't believe you," Roxas said as he grabbed his book bag and slung it over his shoulder. "I think we should get going. We're already late as it is."
"That's a good idea," Demyx stated, following Roxas toward the school.
Naminé followed as Sora slowly got up on his feet. Kairi stepped beside him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, though his tone noted otherwise. "I guess I really don't blame him for not believing me."
"Why?" Kairi asked. "How do you two know each other?"
"Kairi, Sora," Riku called, starting toward the school, "we need to make sure that no one attacks them three."
"Attack?" Sora questioned. "We are going to school, right?"
Kairi and Riku looked at each other, recalling that it was Sora's first day, and smiled.
"You've got a lot to learn when dealing with the vampire business," Riku stated, a smug smirk on his face. "I think I'll enjoy watching this."
"What do you mean?" Sora asked, keeping in pace with his friends as they hurried to catch up.
"You'll find out soon enough," Kairi answered.
-----
Once again, the screaming fan girls were lined along the pathway even though homeroom had begun. Roxas, Demyx, and Naminé waited outside the gate for Sora, Kairi, and Riku.
"It's about time you got here," Roxas coldly said as Riku started into the main grounds of the school.
"Why are you guys waiting out here?" Sora asked Naminé.
"You'll find out soon enough," Kairi answered as she followed Roxas and Demyx inside.
The wild roar that arose when Roxas and Demyx stepped on the school grounds quickly subsided as the new student passed through. All the girls started whispering to each other, their fingers pointed at Sora and their eyes constantly watching him.
"Why are they all here?" Sora asked Kairi in a low whisper. "Why do they keep looking at me like that?"
They were now approaching the school doors. The group of girls had been strangely quiet for the past minutes and didn't make a sound when the doors closed behind the group. Roxas continued to class as the rest of them stopped to converse briefly.
"I guess I'll go with him," Naminé told Sora.
"Okay," Sora replied as she ran off. A look of desolate sorrow was in his eyes as he watched Roxas.
"Sora," Kairi said, "are you okay?"
Quickly recovering, Sora smiled and answered, "Yeah, I'm fine."
"I'm disappointed now," Demyx injected. "My fans...they didn't cheer for me today."
"Get over it," Riku replied, heading for class.
"Whatever," Demyx answered, going to his first class. "I'll see you later Kairi."
"Yeah, I'll see you afterschool." Kairi turned to Sora and gave him directions to the main office. "I would've walked with you there, but I've got to get to class."
"It's okay," he said. "I understand. I'll be able to manage from here."
"Well," she started walking backwards toward her class. "I guess I'll see you later after school."
"See ya later," he called after her.
-----
At his usual after school waiting spot, Roxas paced along the column-lined hallway. Sunlight settled on his honey-colored hair as he paused from his walking. "I know you're there, so..."
Sora stepped out from the shadows, a shy 'you-got-me' smile on his lips. "You always knew when I was around."
Roxas leaned against the pillar. "Problems is...you're not him."
"What makes you say that?" Sora replied, smiling as he leaned on the opposite side of the same pillar as Roxas.
"Because..." Roxas answered stoically, "...I killed you...with my own hands..."
*dramatic music plays* Roxas killed Sora? How could that happen? How will Sora's first night as a Renegade hunter go? And what is this about tablets that Sora has to take? What is he hiding from them? Find out in the next chapter: A False First Taste ~ Akai Tsumi~
For those without much Japanese, tadaima is what people normally say when they come home.
So, please leave reviews!!!
don't own Kingdom Hearts, but if I did, Sora would totally be all mine...haha. Story is mostly original, but it is inspired by Vampire Knight. I hope that you guys enjoy. Reviews and criticism would be appreciated.
NOTE: The first section of every chapter is usually told from Kairi's POV, whereas the rest is in the third person. "Stained by Sin" is only the working title. Hopefully something better will come to me.
Summery: Sora disappeared from Kairi's life for unknown reasons. Vampires bring them together again, but it also tears them apart. Blood, lust, fear, secrets, friendships, reunions, and promises change their lives.
3. A FALSE FIRST TASTE
f~Akai Tsumi~
Roxas and Sora seem to have a close friendship, even though they seem at odds right now. I wonder how long they've known each other. How Sora knows Roxas and the rest of them. They're vampires whereas he's not.
Even though Roxas and them are vampires, they don't seem any different than me or Riku. I'd say they're practically just like us, except for that acquired thirst for blood. But other than that, they seem like civilized people capable of interaction with the human world.
I can't say the same for the Renegades. They're unfortunate people who have been bitten by Superiors and left to die or be turned into a bloodthirsty creature by vampire poison. They begin as ordinary vampires without any kind of powers, according to my father, but they eventually fall to this level and being a non-stop killing rampage. That is why Riku and I hunt and eliminate them. To keep the human population safe.
And tonight, Sora's joining our team, or so I hope. I'm excited, but also afraid at the same time. I don't want Sora to get hurt.
-----
"Are you sure that he's up to this?" Riku asked the professor as they watched Kairi prep Sora on their nightly missions. "With him being a...you know..."
"So, you've figured it out, huh?" Kaito responded, not startled by Riku's knowledge of Sora's secret. "I think he'll be fine...as long as his body accepts the medication."
"What do you mean?" Riku questioned. Does that mean Sora's body won't...because he's been made into...instead of being born...
"Kairi! Are you okay?"
Riku and Kaito looked over in Kairi's direction at the sound of Sora's shout.
"What happened?" said Kaito in an urgent voice. "Did you get hurt, Kairi?"
"I'm okay, I'm okay," Kairi stated, pulling her finger out from her mouth. "My hand just slipped on the blade of this sword. I'm okay. See?" She held out her finger to show that she was alright.
Sora saw a drop of blood form on her finger and an uncontrollable thirst took over. He heard a pulsing beat run through his head, telling him to satisfy his lust. Struggling to fight it, Sora fell over on his knees, whispering to himself as he shook with fear uncontrollably.
Professor Kaito saw immediately what was happening to Sora and quickly left the room to get something.
"Sora," Kairi automatically asked him, "what's wrong? Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine," he answered through his difficult breathing. "Just stay back...stay back...be safe..."
"Be safe from what?"
"Kairi," Riku said, putting his hand on her shoulder, "listen to him. Do what he says and don't question him."
Kairi silently obeyed and stepped back, restraining herself from rushing to Sora's side. Professor returned with a glass filled with bubbling water, handing it to Sora, who quickly quaffed the drink. As the liquid flowed through his system, his breathing returned to normal and the hunger slowly disappeared. Kaito, when seeing that Sora was okay, stepped back after helping him to his feet.
"He's okay now," Professor announced, turning to face the other two. "He just forgot to take his medication and his body reacted violently, but he should be fine now."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Kairi asked, gingerly touching his shoulder. "Can you come with us tonight?"
"Yeah," Sora answered. "I can."
"We should get going then," Riku stated. "It's already getting late."
"Riku's right," Kaito agreed, handing his daughter a manila envelope, much like the other night's. "Recent reports show that Renegade vampire activity has been increasing daily over the past few days. We need to stop this before it gets out of hand."
"So basically," Riku concurred, "kill off all the Renegades we can find tonight."
"That's a crude way of putting it," Kaito commented, "but that's pretty much it."
"Alright," Riku answered, reaching over and grabbing Way to Dawn. He checked to see that it was loaded and hitched it into the protector.
Kairi pulled her Flowering Strength off the wall. After checking it over quickly, she collapsed it and tucked it away.
"Sora," Kaito addressed, handing him the sword that Kairi was handling earlier, "this is your weapon. If I recall correctly, you do have experience with handling a sword, right?"
"Yeah," he answered, looking over the gilded handle. "Riku and I used to spar all the time when we were little."
"I was usually the one who won," Riku commented.
"I did win a couple of times," Sora remarked.
"Only a few times."
"Don't get such a big head, Riku," Sora argued, much like a little child. "If you were so great, then why didn't you take it?"
"I tried," he replied darkly, "but it rejected me as its owner."
"Rejected?"
"It's a rumor that each anti-vampire weapon chooses its owner," Professor Kaito explained. "We don't quite understand why this phenomena happens, even though we forged these weapons ourselves."
"That is strange," Sora commented.
"Well, that is because the metal that you received is highly selective of its master," Axel elucidated, walking into the room with an air of confidence. "That metal is a creation of our race. It can synchronize with the mind of the wielder and determines their physical ability as well as their mental status."
"So, you're saying, Axel-sama," Sora thought aloud, "that these weapons are alive and have a mind of their own?"
"In a sense," Axel replied, pacing around the dimly lit room. "Anyone could handle the weapon, but only one person would be able to efficiently use the weapon to its fullest potential." He paused, glancing briefly at each of the three teenagers. "That's why Kairi possesses her Flowering Strength, Riku wields his gun Way to Dawn, and now you...The Keyblade is your weapon."
"Mine?" he questioned, baffled at why he would wield The Keyblade, a strange weapon with the teeth of a key forged on one side while the other was a sharp edge.
"This sword, unlike the weapons Kairi, Riku, and the others have, was made by the hands of our kind. It is more selective than the rest, desiring an exceptionally strong body, heart, and will."
"So you're saying that I have a strong body, heart, and will?"
"Not me," Axel answered, "the weapon...The Keyblade."
Sora took a moment to allow everything to sink in. Was there a hidden reason to why he was chosen? Was his life going to change after he accepted his new duty? Was this all leading up to a final battle with him?
"The hilt is the only part of this sword that we can touch that won't do us any harm," Axel pointed out, touching the hilt himself. "I'd be careful with this if I were you." Changing the topic, he turned toward the Professor. "Kaito, I wish to discuss something with you."
"Concerning what?" Kaito asked.
"Roxas requested something of me," Axel answered, "but it's not really my territory to answer. It's something that needs to be answered by you."
"Roxas?" Sora turned at the sound of the Noble-ranking vampire's name. "What did Roxas want?"
"Sora, you should leave with Kairi and Riku while Axel and I confer over this," Kaito answered.
"But..."
"Sora," Axel interrupted, "this doesn't concern you at the moment. Go and fulfill your mission." Axel's eyes glowed a pale red, boring into Sora's.
"Hai," he found himself saying, as if something was manipulating him. He wanted to stay and argue, but an unnatural force was controlling him. Realizing that the force was because of Axel's status as a Superior vampire, he felt chills run through his body from recalling his previous encounter with a Superior.
That was a dark chilling night when he first encountered him, a memory deeply embedded into him.
He then heard an unknown voice command him to leave the room and join Kairi and Riku, who were waiting for him in the adjacent hallway. There was something about the tone of the voice that compelled him to obey. It was soft and calm, but also at the same time, firm and commanding.
This is the same power that he had, Sora concluded as he walked into the hallway. The same power that Xemnas possessed.
The hallway was dimly lit and Riku and Kairi were conversing under a flickering fluorescent light. Riku made Kairi laugh and she brushed her hair behind her left ear, exposing the flesh of the nape of her neck. The same uncontrollable thirst overcame him, the pulse beating throughout his mind, like a drum, pounding faster and faster as his heart began to race. Axel's spell upon him had broken, but when he was consumed by hunger, another different voice commanded him. This voice, though calm in the same manner of the other, showed a darker shade of ominousness.
"Take her," it ordered. "Capture the daughter of Kairo."
He approached Kairi from behind, his eyes the color of blood under the flickering lights. Silently, he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him, pressing her back to his chest.
"So-Sora," Kairi stuttered, surprised by his sudden coming on to her. "What are you doing?"
Brushing her hair away from the nape of her neck, Sora lowered his lips to her skin.
Don't! he silently told himself, restraining himself from opening his mouth. I can't! Not to anyone! Not to Kairi!
"Do it!" that voice commanded, the sound pounding through his ears.
He lost control of his body and opened his mouth, licking the skin of her flesh. An ecstatic sensation flooded his system, urging his body to continue. Whether he had lost control to the commanding voice or to this feeling of his own body, he couldn't determine at this point.
"S-Sora," Kairi stammered, her breathing quickening, "what are you doing? Please stop!" She tried to pull his hands away from her waist, but they were unmoving.
Her words were a distant echo to him, ringing in the furthest corners of his humanity. After a final taste of her flesh, he was craving something more.
"I think this has gone on long enough, Sora."
This voice pulled him back into himself. Sora regained his sense of self-control and humanity. He fell to the ground, thankful to Riku for saving him from tainting his hands with sin.
"I-I'm sorry Kairi," he finally spoke after a few moments of silence.
"What was that supposed to be?" Kairi demanded after regaining her composure. "Some kind of joke?"
"Well, ah...no-" Sora stuttered, unsure of how he should answer.
"Actually, yeah it was, but like I said, Sora took it too far," Riku answered, relieving Sora of the burden.
"Is he telling the truth?" she asked, turning to Sora for an answer. "Or is this the joke?"
Sora glanced at Riku, a word of silent thanks passing between them. "Sad to say, but yeah," he replied, grinning broadly, "it was a joke and we got you badly."
Kairi gave both of them a sharp knock on the head, first Riku and then Sora. "That wasn't funny, you guys. You shouldn't toy with a girl's emotions!"
"What do you mean?" Sora questioned.
"When you took me by the waist, I thought you were going to ki-" she stopped herself before she said too much and quickly changed the subject. "We should get going. It's already late and we haven't headed out to the city yet." As a rush of red colored her cheeks, Kairi started walking away before either of the boys could see. "Let's go!"
Riku leaned over to Sora. "You know, she really likes you."
"Yeah," Sora replied, "it's too bad." A flash of red showed in his eyes.
"Really?" Riku responded, surprise in his voice. "I thought that you liked her too."
"It's not the matter of whether I like her or not," Sora answered. "It's not good because..." he remembered the command to kill Kairi that controlled his body.
"Haven't you been taking the pills?" Riku asked as the two followed Kairi outside. "Those should keep the attacks under control and prolong your transformation."
"Well..." Sora hesitated to answer.
"You two better get out here!" Kairi urgently shouted through the open door. "I just heard someone scream for help!"
Riku and Sora hurried to follow Kairi, who was following the cry for help. They turned into a dark alley, a scream being fainly heard at the end of this dark corridor. Cautiously, the trio ran into the darkness. Sora soon took the lead, guiding the other two through the tangible darkness. Once they approached the origin of the cries for help, they were left at a dead end.
"I could've sworn that they would've been here," Sora said to himself. "What do you think abo-" He felt the air around him change, sensing a change in the environment. "Riku? Kairi?" No response. "Who's responsible for this?"
"We've been looking all over this flea-ridden city for you, Sora-san," a voice called out in the darkness. "Xemnas-sama has something of you that he wants."
"Why don't you cowards show yourselves?" he cried out into the night. "Or if you don't want to, you can go ahead and tell Xemnas to come face me himself!"
"Are you sure you want that?" A pale white figure appeared suddenly before Sora's eyes. Her fangs were bared, glistening in the sickly moonlight. A malicious look dressed her face and her eyes glowed crimson. Her night black hair stood wildly atop her head, pointing out in random directions. "My companions captured your two friends. Do you really want us to leave with the two of them?"
"Why involve the two of them? It's me that you want. Let them go!" he pleaded aggressively. "Don't involve them because of me. Let 'em go!"
"Why should I listen to you?" the female vampire responded. Two other vampires revealed themselves from the darkness, along with Riku and Kairi, who were unconscious. A male held Kairi, a female held Riku, with both bounded by their hands and feet. The female vampire that was speaking to Sora slithered over to Kairi. "If I recall, this cute girl is the daughter of Kairo. She's also someone that Xemnas-sama is looking for."
"Get your filthy hands off of her," Sora ordered, his Keyblade appearing in his outstretched hand. He didn't know exactly why or how he knew how to summon it, but it felt natural, like how to breathe or to walk. "Let her go."
"What about this boy? Don't you care about your little friend here?" the pale woman commented, walking over to Riku. "He really does look tasty and it doesn't seem that he's anyone important." She drew her dark lips close to Riku's, but then dropped her head to his neck. "I am hungry."
Sora pointed the sword to her neck, threatening to take her head if she went any further. "Leave them out of this."
Before the next second passed, all three vampires surrounded Sora, fangs bared and ready to plunge. As they rushed him, Sora sunk low toward the ground and made an amazing leap into the night sky just before the three collided with each other. Sora landed on top of them, plunging his blade through two of the three. The third, the pale female who spoke to him earlier, watched in fear as her comrades dissolved into dust at the hand of Sora's anti-vampire weapon.
"You," Sora addressed the remaining one, "I spared you for a reason." His eyes glowed an ominous red and his voice dropped to a low, husky, commanding level. "Go back to Xemnas and tell him to never come around here again. That is unless he wants to finish things off. I'm not running anymore. And you're not to mention Kairi to anyone."
The pale female's eyes flashed crimson from the order and she promptly left to return to the stronghold.
Sora's eyes returned to their normal dark sky blue and he dropped to the ground. The power that he unleashed took massive amounts of energy, leaving him tired to the bone and gasping for breath.
Stirring from her sleep, Kairi sat up in confusion. "What just happened?" She glanced over and saw Riku laying on the ground beside her. "Riku!" she shook him awake. "Riku, wake up!"
"Wha...what do you want Kairi?!" he answered, opening his eyes groggily. He also sat up in a daze, wondering where he was and how he got here. "What just happened, Kairi?" he asked, holding his hand to his head.
"I'm not sure," she answered, standing up and looking about her. "The last thing I remember is someone shouting form this alley for help and you, me, and Sora...Sora! Where's Sora?!"
"Kairi...Riku..." Sora groaned from the ground a few feet away, "thank God...you two are okay."
"Sora!" Kairi rushed over to his side. "Sora, answer me!"
-----
Finding himself in a brightly lit, white room back at the clinic, Sora sat up, a pain pulsing through his head. "What is this?" he asked aloud, holding his head between his knees.
"Are you okay?" Kairi questioned, standing up from her seat at Sora's bedside.
"Kairi, you're okay?" he exclaimed, hugging her tightly to his chest. "I'm glad that you didn't get hurt."
"What are you talking about?" Kairi replied. "How would've we been hurt? There was no one in that alley. We couldn't even find the person that had called for help. Riku's..."
"Where's Riku? Is Riku okay? He's not hurt, is he?" he inquired, holding Kairi at arm's length away.
"Calm down, Sora. Riku's fine," she answered, checking his forehead for a temperature. "Question is, are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine," he responded, getting up out of bed. "See? There's nothing wrong with me."
"Thank goodness," she sighed, a sign of deep relief. "It's just that when we found you unconscious on the ground, I thought I...I lost you again..."
"Kairi...don't worry," he embraced her yet again, but this time much more closely and more intimately. "I won't leave you again. I'll stay by your side from this point on."
"Sora..." Kairi said wistfully, closing her eyes, capturing this moment of just the two of them, her heart pounding ferociously against her chest. An urge to tell Sora how she felt swelled up in her throat. "I-I want you to know something."
"What is it?" he asked, keeping his nervous voice steady as he let go of her. He didn't intend to hold her so close to him, so close to his heart that he could feel her heart beating in synch with his.
"Remember a year ago, when I asked you to meet me at the top of the hill?" Kairi paused until Sora answered with a nod. "I wanted to tell you how I felt about you...that I....I..."
"Sora," Roxas knocked at the open door, interrupting Kairi as she was about to confess, "I need to talk to you. Can I have a moment?"
"Sure," he answered, an edge of eagerness in his voice, "but can you wait there a moment? Kairi has something important she wants to tell me."
"For-forget about it," Kairi stated, taking a few steps toward the door. "It's nothing important. I'll tell you later."
"You sure?" Sora asked, a genuine tone ringing in his voice. He could read the slight fear in her eyes, the little quiver to her lip. Resisting the urge to reach out and pull her back into his arms, he reminded himself not to get too close to Kairi, not to get her too involved with him.
"Yeah, it can wait," she answered, taking a step out the room and quickly reappearing. "Sora, my dad told me to give you this for your medication." She walked back over to Sora's side and pulled out a pill. After observing the white round concentration of drugs closely for a brief moment, she placed it in Sora's open palm. "The markings on that remind me of the one on the blood tablet. Isn't that just strange...how much they look alike?"
Sora looked at the pill and then at Kairi, stunned at the connection she had make. "Yeah, isn't that funny? Because if I had to take blood tablets, that would've meant that I need to drink blood."
"And if you need to drink blood," Kairi continued, "then that would mean that you were a vampire..." She paused, thinking about the moment when Sora reacted to the sight of her blood. She shook off that thought, slightly ashamed that she'd even consider such a thought. "...and there's no way that you'd be a vampire."
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Kairi," Roxas said inexpressively from the door, "but I would really like a word with Sora."
"Oh, gomen," she replied, starting out of the room. She paused at the door and turned to Sora. "Don't stress your body too much, 'kay?" she told him, a worried tone filling her voice. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."
"Alright Kairi," he answered. "I'll see you and Riku tomorrow morning for school."
"Oyusami."
"Oyusami," he said after her as she left the room. He looked down at the pill in his hand, knowing that it would hold no effect over him, and placed it on the table.
"It seems that your body won't accept them," Roxas noted. "It also seems like she's in love with you."
Shaking the red color that arose in his cheeks, Sora turned away from his companion. "What did you want to talk to me about?"
"Why are you here?" Roxas questioned again.
"What do you mean?"
"You can't be here unless someone...I...I killed you with my own hands...pierced you through your heart...even though I didn't want to...there was blood all over my hands...we left you without breath...you couldn't have survived all that...there's no way you could..." Roxas was breathing heavily as he tried to explain to Sora his thoughts.
Sora took his friend's head in his hands, drawing Roxas close to him. "Roxas, I told you before. I can only die at the hands of one person."
"Who?" Roxas asked, his breathing back in pace. "Tell me who. I'll take them out now. I can't afford to lose you. You're the only one who understood me completely even though you were different then."
"I can't Roxas," Sora answered. "I'd put everyone in danger if I did that. You, Naminé, Demyx, Riku, Kairi..." He said that last name with a certain tenderness.
"You love her, don't you?" Roxas noticed.
"What makes you say that?" he replied, flustered at having Roxas find out.
"The way you say her name," Roxas pointed out. "There's a different between how you say her name compared to the rest of us. There's a softness that you add to her name. Kinda like the way I am with Nami-" He stopped abruptly, his face red because he said too much.
"Kinda like the way you're like when you're with whom?" Sora elbowed his friend in the side jokingly.
"Shut up!" His cheeks because even pinker than they had previously been. "What are you going to do about Kairi? She obviously doesn't know that you like her... or that you've become-"
"Don't say it Roxas," Sora interrupted. "It's already bad enough that I've been turned into this and that I'm falling fast. But I've tried to kill her...against my will. If she gets too close to me, who knows what he'll tell me to do next?"
"Who?" Roxas asked urgently. "Who's telling you to kill Kairi? Who is he?"
Someone knocked at the wall inside the room, causing Sora and Roxas to turn toward the entrance. Professor Kaito stood at the door, watching both of them as they looked at him.
"Roxas," Kaito quietly spoke, still in the same place, "I need to speak to you. It concerns your earlier request."
"But Kaito-sensei, I-" Roxas answered, not wanting to leave Sora until he received a clear answer about the voice controlling the marionette.
"I need to speak to you now," Professor argued, a stern tone in his voice. "Besides, I believe Sora should be resting at this time."
"But-"
"Roxas," Kaito stated once more. He looked at him with an unhappy look, one that said that if Roxas didn't leave, Kaito would drag him out.
"Hai," he relented, walking slowly toward the door in defeat.
As the two walked out the room, Kaito paused, his keen eyes making a quick observation. "I'd advise you to take that pill...before that hunger becomes uncontrollable," he said, closing the door behind him.
Sora, his eyes adjusted to the bleak darkness, searched the table which he placed the tablet. He picked up the white medication that was to slow his descent, looking at it with disdainful eyes. He walked into the adjacent bathroom, turning on the dim lights, and glanced at his reflection in the mirror.
He hated his reflection...no, he loathed it. It was the same face from over a year ago, but during that year, it grew evil and ugly. His skin, though it showed a youthful glow, was pale, white and cold to his touch. His eyes, though still blue like the promising sky, became red with an unquenchable thirst. His entire being was mocking him as he looked at himself.
Then his eyes rested on the pill in his hands.
How he wanted to smash the mirror into a million miniscule fragments, laying on the tiled floor. To smash his reflection. To smash his current existence.
"I can't take this anymore!" he cried to himself, pounding his fist against the bathroom countertop. "Why must I continue living like this?"
"Don't say things like that!" a voice stated.
Sora looked into the mirror and saw Kairi standing at the doorway, her hands held together over her chest. "Kairi!" he said, turning his head toward the door.
"Don't say hurtful things like that about yourself," Kairi repeated, walking slowly toward him. "I told you before. I can't lose you again. I don't know what I'd do if you left me again. I don't think I can live."
"Ka...Kairi, I'm sorry," he answered, remorse lying heavily in his voice. "I didn't mean it like that. I guess I was just venting."
A moment of awkward silence fell over them. Neither one knew what to say next. Then Kairi noticed the tablet in Sora's hand.
"You still haven't taken that yet?" she questioned, taking it from him.
"I'll take it in a little bit-"
"No," Kairi rebuked, her maternal side flickering in her voice, "you should take it now." She pressed the tablet to his mouth, persuading him to open it. "Here."
Sora pushed her wrist away, afraid of the consequences. "Not now, Kairi. I can't."
"Why?" she questioned. "Are you afraid of a little tablet?"
"No, it's just that I'm supposed to take it at a cer-"
His words were cut short as Kairi placed the white medication into his mouth mid-word. As the powdery substance dissolved, the chemicals within the tablet reacted with his saliva, forming a liquid with similar properties and taste to blood. His body rejected his imitation, no matter how similar its chemical make-up was to the real thing.
But, by tasting this false blood, his heart hungered for the real thing. And the closest source was standing in front of him.
"Sora," Kairi called out, worried, "are you okay?" She grabbed his shoulders, questioning him repeatedly. "Sora, is something wrong?"
"Ka...Kairi..." his voice strained. There was no turning back. He couldn't fight his body's desire. He took hold of her shoulders, pulling her close to him, and plunged his teeth into her neck.
So-Sora... Kairi thought as she felt him pierce her flesh, Sora's a vampire...
What happens next? Find out in the next chapter: True First Day ~ Kyuuketsuki~
I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but if I did, Sora would totally be all mine...haha. Story is mostly original, but it is inspired by Vampire Knight. I hope that you guys enjoy. Reviews and criticism would be appreciated.
NOTE: The first section of every chapter is usually told from Kairi's POV, whereas the rest is in the third person. "Stained by Sin" is only the working title. Hopefully something better will come to me.
Another NOTE: This chapter, to me, seems really choppy and I don't really like how it turned out at places. But I'm too lazy to do any editing, so you're stuck with this. Hope you still enjoy anyway.
Summery: Sora disappeared from Kairi's life for unknown reasons. Vampires bring them together again, but it also tears them apart. Blood, lust, fear, secrets, friendships, reunions, and promises change their lives.
4. True First Day
~ Hitsuzen~
I felt something sharp break my skin. Fangs....his fangs...meaning that he was a vampire.
It would explain why he had gone away for a year. He didn't want me to see him this way. He didn't want this to happen...but it did. Whether I was his first victim or not, I'm not sure, but I'm a victim nonetheless.
Sora's a vampire. I can't beli-
Ow. That was painful. He's beginning to draw blood. It really hurts, but I shouldn't scream. It would wake everyone up, or draw attention to Sora's room. No one needs to know.
No one needs to know.
"Sora," I whispered, my breath escaping my body, "please stop." I could hear my heartbeat, at first racing, but then slowly fading away. This must've been how it felt like to die.
It doesn't matter what happened to him, I'll be by his side. I won't let anyone hurt him.
Then everything went black.
-----
Kairi... his mind echoed as she clutched his shoulders, her questioning barely audible to him. His mind, heart, and body completely surrendered to this blood lust. This passion cried out from within his heart, ringing throughout his entire body.
He fell to the lowest status of humanity.
Sora grabbed Kairi's shoulders, his arm wound around hers, and pulled her into him, pulling her into his sinful act against his human will.
"Sora!" Kairi shouted, surprise and fear in her voice. "Are you okay?" She looked into his eyes, seeing that they were the color of blood. It couldn't be, she said to herself, he couldn't have fallen prey...
Burying his face in her neck, Sora licked the skin of Kairi's neck, tasting the warmth of her body. Her skin trembled under his touch, as if it was appalled at the creature handling it. This sent tremors of pleasure within his body.
Kairi struggled to break free of his grip, but he was too strong for her. His fingers tightened around her upper arms, as if in protest. She felt something sharp touch her flesh, sliding along as Sora moved his head to rest on her shoulders.
"I-I'm sorry," he told her, his breathing heavy. "I'm sorry, Kairi." It seemed that he regained only enough humanity to utter his apologizes as he let out a labored grunt while he moved toward her neck again.
"Sor-" her words were stopped as she stifled a cry of pain from Sora's bite.
His pure white fangs pierced her skin, causing her to grab the fabric of his shirt to quiet the pain. The faint smell of blood urged him to go deeper. He drove his fangs further into her neck, blood finally freely flowing. Finding what his body lusted for, he drank, her blood trickling down from his lips. As he drank, his heart beat in rhythm with another as the true essence of her humanity flowed into him.
"Sora," Kairi whispered, her voice dying, "please stop."
The beating of that second heart began to slow as Sora continued to drink. His sense of self returned and he realized that he had taken too much blood at one time. If he took anymore...Kairi could lose her life.
He withdrew his fangs and she fell dead in his arms.
"I...I didn't..." he stuttered, hugging her close to his blood-stained cheek. As he sat still, a faint warm breath brushed across his cheek.
"She's alive," he whispered excitedly, wiping at the tears and blood on his cheeks. "I didn't..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence because of the shame he felt brewing inside him. He looked at her neck, observing the deep bit wounds in her neck, a trail of blood sliding down her throat. Getting up, he walked out of the room, carrying her limp body in his arms as he licked the blood of her skin.
-----
Sunlight penetrated through the narrow opening between her blinds, dancing across Kairi's face as she stirred in her sleep.
"Please...stop," she whispered, drawing her fingers around her neck, tossing her head from side-to-side. "Please," her voice became louder and more frantic, "Sora, don't!"
She sat up, her hands holding her neck as her eyes opened wide with fear. Her breathing difficult and heavy, Kairi looked around the familiar surroundings of her room. She glanced across the room, catching her scared expression in the mirror directly across from her. The star-scattered blanket slid off her bed and fell onto the soft carpet as she got up from her bed to walk over to look at her reflection.
"Was it all a dream?" she questioned her likeness. She stared at it, noticing the plain tan bandage that was on the left side of her neck, in the exact spot where Sora had earlier bitten her. Her fingers trembled as she pulled off the bandage and she caught her breath when she saw the deep bite mark on her neck.
The house was silent to this point and Kairi heard the door open downstairs. She opened her bedroom door, wondering who would come over to her home so early in the morning.
"Kairi? Are you awake yet?" It was Riku's voice.
"Yeah," she answered, glancing at the time. She had gotten up much later than she normally would. This would've been the time she met up with Riku at his house. "Give me five minutes and I'll be right down!"
-----
"Why did you stay in bed so late this morning?" Riku questioned, concern deep in his voice. His silver-blue hair swept over his bright blue eyes as he watched Kair's face contort to an undecided expression. "Is it something you can't talk to me about?"
"No, no. It's not about that," Kairi answered quickly, the contents of her school bag rattling as she waved her hands in protest. "I was thinking about something...Anyway, I didn't wake up this morning until just before you came over."
"Why?" he asked, slinging his bad over his shoulder. "Did you not sleep well last night?"
After taking a moment to recall last night's events, Kairi replied, "I don't know. Last night felt like a dream that I couldn't wake up from. And when I did, it felt all too real." Her eyes clouded over with thought.
"What was it about?" he responded, regretting it when he noticed how she wrapped her arms around her waist. He fought the urge to reach out and pull her into his chest in order to comfort her. It seemed to him that the girl walking beside him would fall apart because of the emotions swirling inside of her. "So, ah..." he mumbled, searching for another topic of conversation, "what did you do to your neck?"
"Huh?" she replied, a break in her previous behavior. "What do you mean?"
"That bandage around your neck," he pointed out. "What did you do to your neck?"
Trying to figure out whether last night was a dream or an actual moment in time or not, Kairi kept her eyes directed in front of her, realizing for the first time how far they had traveled. She saw her group of vampire friends, all talking to each other in a hushed murmur.
Sora stood at the far end of the group, away from her. He glanced up for a passing second, his blue eyes drilling into hers, and then he turned the other direction. Kairi noticed the deep sorrow buried in his eyes, a sorrow so deep that she couldn't fathom its origin. But the fact was she had an idea for the reason behind the pain in his eyes...
"Kairi? What's wrong?" asked Riku, his hand resting on her shoulder after a mental debate with himself whether it was a sensible idea or not. His heart had won the battle in with his mind in the end.
"Huh?" Kairi said, shaking her head to tear her eyes away from the expression of solitude on Sora's face. "Oh. My neck," her voice seemed distant and far. "I was running through the woods last night and a branch nicked my neck. Don't worry about it. I'm fine."
Riku noticed how Kairi was strangely watching Sora, her eyes full of concern and confusion. This concern meant she lied to him; that she wasn't okay and something of major importance was weighing down her mind. Now wouldn't be the best time to ask her, he thought to himself. He made a metal note to ask her about it later.
"You guys are actually on time for once," Roxas commented rudely, his back toward the two. "What a surprise."
"Roxas, don't be mean," Naminé scolded, hitting him in the back of the head before turning to Kairi. Her voice changed to an airy tone. "Morning Kairi. Riku."
"Good morning everyone," Kairi answered, her voice bright and cheery, unlike the cloudy gray sky above them. "Let's get going so we could actually get to school on time."
No one gave a verbal response. Demyx didn't even complain about how the light reflecting from the clouds, unusually bright, irritated his skin. Everybody walked to school in complete and uncomfortable silence.
"What's wrong with everyone?" Kairi asked Naminé, her mind numb from the silence. "Why is everyone so quiet this morning?"
Naminé glanced around her, meeting the eyes of each of the other vampires, as if she wanted approval to answer the question. Her eyes turned to Sora, but he turned the other direction before she could meet his eyes. Hesitating for a brief moment to figure out her thoughts, Naminé spoke softly and quickly, her words disappearing into the wind as soon as they left her lips.
"What?" Kairi questioned, straining to catch the fluttering words from the breeze. "I can't hear you."
Taking a deep breath, Naminé repeated her previous statement, only a little louder. "Last night, we smelled blood...human blood."
Feeling her muscles tighten, Kairi forced her body to proceed forward without stopping. She commanded her face to remain blank, afraid of revealing a secret that the group didn't even know about yet. "Oh," she said, her voice void of any emotion, "what happened next?"
"Simple...we wanted to know who's blood it was," she answered, her fist shaking violently at her side. "All of us haven't tasted human blood - or real blood in general - for a long time, so the smell overwhelmed us. But before anyone of us could track down where it came from, it disappeared. We still haven't figured out whose blood it was."
"Cut the vampire talk," Sora interrupted, his harsh voice holding a parallel to the conversation. "We're already at the school gates."
"Time to meet my adoring fans," Demyx announced, following Riku, who took his usual place at the head of the group. Demyx appeared back to his usual airheaded self, a definite contrast to his attitude of the earlier morning.
The others seemed to returned to their usual demeanors. Roxas had on his slightly irritated scowl as he continued through the sea of girls, holding his school books up to one ear in an attempt to block out their fan girl screams. Naminé trailed a half step behind him, her fingers just barely holding onto Roxas' free hand. She smiled like the sunshine, ignoring the disapproving looks and glares behind her.
Only Sora didn't snap out of his morning gloom. His blue eyes were dimly clouded over, downcast as emotions swirled around inside his head. He stared at the ground as he followed Roxas and Naminé.
Kairi stepped in line behind the rest of them, the volume of the crowd nothing to her ears. She watched Sora's movements carefully as they entered the school building.
"Sora," Riku spoke as the doors closed behind him, "do you know where you're going around the school?"
"Yeah," he answered, a small grin playing in his lips, "I'll be fine. I'm gonna head off now, in case if I get lost, I won't be late." He waved goodbye to everyone weakly before turning into the hallway.
"I'll go watch over him," Roxas stated once Sora was out of hearing range. When he took a step forward, he noticed the bandage on Kairi's neck and made a mental note of it.
But he wasn't the only one to notice. Demyx caught the momentary glance in Roxas' eyes and his eyes flickered to Kairi's neck.
"Thanks, Roxas," Kairi said as he finally walked past her.
"Hey Kairi," Demyx announced, draping his arm around her shoulders, "I need to talk to you. Do ya mind?" He paused briefly, but not long enough to allow her time for a response. "Great. C'mon," he pulled her along and Kairi followed without much struggle.
"You better behave, Demyx," Riku shouted after him, his voice bouncing off the smooth walls of the hallway.
"Yeah, yeah," he answered, taking an abrupt turn into another hallway to put himself and Kairi out of Riku's line of vision. After a few steps, Demyx eased his hold on Kairi's shoulders. "I guess Naminé told you about what happened last night."
Her body tensed when she related Naminé's account to her own experience. It was her blood that they smelled last night, her blood that they had all lusted for, her blood that Sora thirsted and craved for.
"So," Demyx said, interrupting her thoughts to a frozen expression on her face, "did Sora tell you how your blood tasted?"
"What are you talking about?" Kairi retaliated, trying not to let much emotion escape the lines of her face.
"Those bite marks on the left side of your neck," he answered, holding the bandage between his two fingers as proof of his victory.
Kairi reached up to touch her neck, caught off guard. "How did you..." she eyed the smug smile on his face. "That doesn't mean that Sora did it. All this," she fingered the deep wounds, "proves that I was bitten by a vampire. It could've been anyone. A Renegade, even."
"I don't think so," Demyx answered, drawing closer to her. "We didn't hear any screaming last night. Considering how deep those are, someone had to have bitten you pretty hard."
"Like I said, anyone."
"Anyone?" he responded in a questioning tone. "Or just Sora?"
Kairi didn't show any sign of reaction, keeping her face as blank as it was possible at the moment. Demyx didn't need to know how right he had been.
"Well," he said after a challenging moment of complete silence, "I'm going to class. I'll see you after school." He started away, but turned around to briefly advise her to cover the bite marks before people began to question her about them.
-----
Closing the metal door of her locker, Kairi hugged her school books close to her chest, taking deep breaths. The nurse nearly caught on when she went to the office to ask for something to cover the wound on her neck. At least now, people wouldn't be able to see his mark on her.
"Sora," she whispered quietly to herself as she walked to her first class, AlgebraIII.
She desperately wanted to learn more about what had recently happened. For how long had he been a vampire? How did it happen? Why didn't he tell her? Did Riku and her father know about this?
"Kairi," Taka-sensei, her first mod math teacher, cleared his throat, "would you care to take a seat so I can begin class?"
"Oh, hai!" she answered, bowing her head apologetically. Fighting the red color coming to her cheeks, Kairi commenced to take a seat toward the exact middle of the room.
Today was the first day she noticed the empty seat beside her. She stared at the empty chair beside her, wondering how long had she been without a neighbor. It had to have been today, or at least recently. There was no way she wouldn't have noticed this earlier.
"Now," Taka-sensei announced in his loud but clear voice, "I'd like to introduce our new addition to the class. Sora, you can come in now."
Kairi's body stiffened at the sound of his name. She honestly had not expected to see him until the end of the day. She didn't want to see him yet, not until she had time to figure out what she was going to say to him.
"Ohayou gozaimasu," he said, his voice a heart-melting melody. "My name is Sora and I'm pleased to be in your class."
A brief paused followed as all the students – male and female alike – except for Kairi held their breath while gazing at the gorgeous boy standing at the front of the room. A couple sighs could be heard as a few girls recognized Sora as the new student from yesterday.
"Sora," Taka-sensei was the one to break the silence, "you can take a seat in the empty desk beside Kairi."
"What? Me?!" she blurted out, now realizing what the purpose of the empty desk was. She felt the jealous glares of the girls behind her hit her back.
"Is there a problem?" he questioned, opening his planner to the day's lesson.
"No, it's just...ah," she replied, scratching the back of her head, "nevermind."
As Sora walked to his seat, he answered everyone's greeting with a smile, but his face turned into a blank expression when he took his seat. He stared ahead at the front of the room, bored as he watched the teacher work out a problem on the board.
Kairi was hardly paying attention to the day's lesson. Her mind was already running in several different directions. The boy sitting beside her was still the same boy she knew from years ago and before last night. But there was something different about him. He seemed more...beautiful. Physically, he wasn't not the same, but he seemed more graceful, more striking, more...like Roxas and the rest of them.
-----
"Kairi?" a voice broke into her thoughts. "Class is over."
"Uh...what?" she shook her head and refocused her attention. Most everyone around her was leaving or packing up. She was too deep in her thoughts and didn't realize how much time had actually passed, that was until someone took the time to tell her. "Oh, thanks," she glanced up to see who it was (she also was too deeply buried to register whose voice pulled her out). "Sora," she added with a surprised smile.
"You're..." a small grin crept onto his lips, which he noticed, and he quickly changed expression, turning his back to her. "...welcome," he finished roughly. He needed to distance himself from her. He needed to protect her life.
Pulling in a nerve-calming breath, Kairi gathered her books and followed him out the door. "What's your next class?"
His blue eyes flickered back to her and a humored smirk arose on his face. There's no way I'm going to be able to avoid her. There's just some kind of attraction other than the one we feel for each other pulling us together. Should I play cold or maintain our friendship? He glanced back again and she was quietly following behind him, her eyes watching for a response. Sora pulled out his schedule and told her. "Chemistry I with Yukito-sensei."
There was a delay to her answer, for the first bell rang. "I have that class next too. Looks like we'll have at least two classes together every day," she responded slowly, afraid that if she said the words too quickly, the meaning would be lost.
The two of them walked in silence the rest of the hallway. Amongst the rushed chatter of the students trying to quickly finish their conversation before the second warning bell rang, Sora and Kairi's footsteps bounced off the linoleum floor, reflecting off the hallway lockers and resounding in their ears. When the second warming bell rang, they picked up their pace, the rhythm of their footsteps marching in a faster synchronized rhythm. Once they reached the door, Kairi stepped inside as Sora waited in the hallway. She turned around and gave him a confused look, wondering why he delayed his entrance.
"Introduction," he answered, knowing her question before she asked. He turned away from her as she proceeded to her seat, breathing deeply to calm his slightly racing heart.
He noticed, in that last exchange, that the bandage around her neck was different than the one he put on the bite wound last night. That meant, somehow, the original one had come off. It could mean that someone had discovered his mark on her, which was why his heart began to lose control.
"...Sora, please introduce yourself to the class." The teacher's voice drifted from behind the classroom doors.
As he entered, the same silence that accompanied his entrance in math was present. Keeping his face calm, he scanned the room, noticing the conspicuous empty seat beside Kairi. He was pretty sure that it wasn't void of an owner before this morning.
"Ohayou gozaimasu," he said, repeating the same introduction he made earlier in AlgebraIII. The response from the students was nearly identical to each other, mesmerized and deeply interested. All but Kairi's, which was more curious than the others, like she wanted to still learn more about him, about him being a vampire.
Don't think that way! he told himself. You need to separate yourself away from her. Not get closer.
But achieving the separation seemed difficult as he found himself sharing a lab table with the person he was trying best to avoid. Again, he masked his thoughts and emotions with a blank look and took his seat beside Kairi.
Despite attempting to act cold toward Kairi, Sora found himself stealing glances toward her, only to find her intent on focusing on Yukito-sensei's lesion. He concluded that chemistry may not come easily to her, unlike himself. This he found amusing because her father was quite fluent in the area of chemistry. How else would he be able to invent the blood tablets?
-----
"What do you have next?" Kairi asked promptly when the bell rang.
"Lunch. And then I have World History with Axel-sama," he answered, trying not to make eye contact with her. His plan for keeping cold definitely wasn't working. His heart wouldn't allow for him to hurt Kairi that way.
"I have lunch too," she answered, getting up from her seat and straightening her plaid skirt. "But I have Literature with Yuuko-sensei today. Guess we just missed each other, huh?"
"I guess we did," he replied, keeping his voice as distant as he could possibly make it. He followed Kairi out of the chemistry room to the cafeteria.
"Roxas and Demyx are going to be in the same class as you," she stated as they proceeded down the hallway, "and Naminé has Lit with me. Riku too."
Sora willed himself not to respond, fighting his body to not react to Kairi's voice. Kairi, noticing the silence, looked up and found him turned away from her, like he had been several times that day. In silence, they continued their way to lunch. Questions formed one after another in Kairi's mind, but two stood out among the group.
Was he avoiding her purposefully because she now knew he was a vampire? Or was there a deeper problem root within this mess?
-----
Sora was grateful for his third mod class because he wasn't around his only temptation. He was able to not speak to the rest of the students, but not Kairi. He was able to keep his eyes focused on everything other than the students, but not with Kairi. No matter how much he fought to keep her out of his mind, she would find her way back into his thoughts.
"Sora..." Axel read on his attendance list, his eyes lighting up at the name of his new student. "I'm glad that I got to have you in one of my classes."
"Axel...-sensei," Roxas added after a short beat of silence, "don't make a show of it. Sora's just like us. No big deal."
Noticing the emphasis Roxas placed on the word 'us', Sora took his seat beside Roxas and in front of Demyx. The seating arrangement only made it more terribly true: he had officially belonged with them, now that he had the blood of another person flowing inside him. One of the reasons that Kairi and him needed to not be so close.
"Okay class. Open your text to Chapter Five," Axel announced as he began to erase the previous history notes off the board.
-----
"He's been around for 550 years?!" Sora exclaimed quietly when Roxas answered his question about how Axel seemed so knowledgeable about the subject matter. The three boys were walking out of Axel's class and down the stairs to the main floor.
"Well, when you're a vampire, you age extremely slowly. And since Axel-sama is a Superior, he ages even slower than we would," Roxas replied.
"It doesn't seem like you and Demyx are aging slowly," Sora pointed out. "I knew you guys even before my change."
"Our childhood and teenage years pass like human years. It's only that way so we can grow up amongst humans without fear of being exposed as we enter school," Demyx answered, sounding quite smart.
"What about me? Will my life pass by slowly like you guys?" Sora asked. If his life developed at a slower pace than Kairi's, he would physically be younger than her. How awkward would their life become if that happened?
"Well, yeah, you've become one of us," Roxas responded, "but that's only if you survive the..." he trailed off, not wanting to finish the dreadful thought.
"Hey Sora!" Naminé's voice extended across the hallway toward the trio of boys. "Hey Roxas. Demyx." She waved to them, flagging them over.
"Look," Demyx said, "Kairi and Riku are with her this time."
"I wonder why," Roxas pondered, nudging Sora with his elbow. "They don't normally wait for us. Riku does sometimes to check on us, but never Kairi."
"Think it's because a new student's here today?" Demyx asked Roxas loudly with intentions of Sora overhearing.
"I guess I'll be heading to last mod with Naminé now," Roxas announced as Naminé took a few steps away from Kairi toward him. "I'll see you guys later."
"See ya later," Demyx said as Sora told Roxas, "Bye then."
"I'll get going too," Demyx stated. "Don't want to be a third wheel like Riku would be."
"No, don't-" Sora called after him, but Demyx dashed away too quickly for him to say anything. After letting out a sigh, Sora realized that Riku would be with them, so everything would've been fine. But that was until Riku walked away also. Nothing seemed to go right or wrong for him. Slowly, he dragged himself toward her.
"Hey Sora," she greeted him cheerfully, "how was class with Roxas and Demyx?"
"It was okay," he answered, cursing himself for not being able to deny his heart.
"What class do you have next?" she questioned.
"Drawing I," he replied, hoping for the best and the worst.
"Same as me," she responded gleefully. "Guess we can't stay away from each other for too long."
Sora paused, missing a beat. Emotions swelled up inside him when the news finally sunk in. There was no way he could put her in safety's way. Fate wouldn't comply with him. If it would, he would be able to ignore her, be cold to her, and they wouldn't have ANY classes together. This bond of deepness was only hurting her. Even he wasn't benefitting from this contract. The only person gaining favor in this relationship was...that person.
"Sora? Are you okay?" Kairi asked. "The final bell's gonna ring. We should get going if we don't want to get in trouble."
"You don't understand Kairi!" he shouted, but it didn't matter because they were the only people in the hallway. "There can't be no 'we'!"
"What...what do you mean?" she asked, her voice firm. "Why can't there be a 'you and me?'"
Sora opened his mouth to explain, but he paused, deciding that the hallway where anyone could hear them wasn't the best idea. Grabbing Kairi's hand, he pulled her into the nearest empty classroom, closing the door behind him. He pushed her gently to the door, leaning closely to her neck. He hesitated, feeling the warmth of her skin on his cheek.
"Why can't there be 'a you and me?'" Kairi asked, her breath catching in her throat. "Why Sora?"
"Didn't you hear it last night?" he replied, his eyes closed in pained content. "Didn't you hear the sound of me drinking your blood?"
I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but if I did, Sora would totally be all mine...haha. Story is mostly original, but it is inspired by Vampire Knight. I hope that you guys enjoy. Reviews and criticism would be appreciated.
NOTE: The first section of every chapter is usually told from Kairi's POV, whereas the rest is in the third person. "Stained by Sin" is only the working title. Hopefully something better will come to me.
Summery: Sora disappeared from Kairi's life for unknown reasons. A year later, he returns to her and Riku with little to say about his absence. Blood, lust, fear, secrets, friendships, reunions, and promises change their lives. f
5. Confrontation
~ Jusan Kikan~
He pulled me into an empty classroom, closing the door behind us and pushing me against it. I could feel the cold wood through the fabric of my uniform, but that didn't cool my rapidly beating heart. He put his lips to my neck, opposite the wound he gave me. They were cool against my flushed skin.
"Why can't there be a 'you and me'?" I questioned him, puzzled by his reaction earlier. My breathing quickened, catching in my throat. "Why Sora?"
"Didn't you hear it last night?" he replied, his lips moving against my skin. "Didn't you hear the sound of me drinking your blood?"
-----
A tense silence followed Sora's questioning, filling the dark room ominously. The light that filtered into the room only cast lengthier shadows of the empty desks in the room. The only sound was that of Kairi's breathing.
"Well, did you hear it last night?" Sora repeated, straightening up to look her directly in the eyes. "Couldn't you feel your heart, your body, getting weaker?"
"Yes, but..." she trailed off, turning away from him.
"I couldn't control myself then," he explained. "I lost control and you became a victim. I don't want that to happen again. That's why I can't get any closer to you." He didn't realize how much it hurt him to say those words. But the only way to keep her safe was for him to distance himself from her. It was the only way to protect his friends.
"I don't care about that," she responded, placing her hand on his. "You're still the same Sora that I've known for practically my whole life. Just because you've become a vampire doesn't mean anything to me." She pressed her cheek to his hand, feeling the warmth of his skin.
"What'll happen once I fall to the level of Renegade? My mind will no longer be in my control. I could kill you, Riku, and everyone else," he retaliated, trying to convince her and himself.
"What about the blood tablets? Don't they keep your body's cravings in check?"
"They would if my body accepted them, but my body doesn't. The only thing that will stave off my hunger is blood...human blood!"
"Then I'll give you my blood."
Another beat of silence followed. Tension arose in the silence of the room. Seconds which felt like lifetimes ticked off the clock on the wall.
"What?" he asked because he heard what she said, not because he hadn't.
"I'll be your supply of blood," she stated, confidence slowly rising in her voice. "If it'll keep you from falling, I'll give you my blood."
"What if I actually kill you?" he questioned, testing her courage.
"I know you won't," she replied. "You're no different than what I remember you as. Sure, you've become a vampire, but you're still Sora. You're still my friend; you're still the person Riku constantly argues with, only to laugh about it later; you're still the person that I fell in lo-"
"Have you actually thought any of this over?" he interrupted, his voice shaking under his control. "Do you realize what you're saying? You think I'm the victim here, but in truth, you're risking your life too." He let out a sigh and walked toward the other door in the room. "Maybe I should leave. It's the only way to keep you safe."
"Don't be so stupid!" Kairi rushed forward, holding him tightly around the waist and burying her face into the middle of his back. "I can't lose you again! If you leave, I'm just going to go out there and search for you!"
"How are you going to find me?" he questioned. "You forget? I'm a vampire."
"I don't care that you're a vampire!" she repeated, holding him more tightly. "I'll go and look for you. I'll put myself out there in the world until I find you. I'm not going to lose you again."
"Don't come after me," he told her, putting his hand tenderly on top of hers and closing his fingers around them. "It would put you in danger," he added quietly in a whisper.
"Why? I told you that I'm not going to let you go." Tears were forming in the corner of her eyes as she grabbed the front of his shirt in her hands.
Why? Because Xemnas is looking for you in order to fulfill an ancient prophecy. He's the reason I'm here. He's the reason I can't get close to you. He'll use me to get what he wants. Xemnas will use me to get you. Sora dropped his hands in defeat. It was a lose-lose situation either way for him. At least, as long as he's with Kairi, he could control to the situation...to an extent.
"Fine," he surrendered quietly, "I won't go. I'll stay."
"What?" Kairi said, her grip on him dying. "Did you say you're staying? You're not leaving?"
"Yeah," he replied, a confused smile crawling onto his face. Unknowingly, he was just as relieved that he wasn't leaving. "I'm staying here with you, Riku, Roxas, and the rest of you guys."
Kairi was so ecstatic that she threw her arm around him in a hug. Words couldn't explain the joy that swelled up in her heart, like air in a balloon. Sora, feeling extremely happy himself, didn't attempt to peel her off. He put his two hands on her arms, letting her excitement pass through him and mix with his own. The smile on his face was genuine now, no hint of confusion or worry on his face.
A thought quickly occurred to Kairi, something she knew she shouldn't bring up, but because of her concern for Sora, she did so anyway. "What about the blood?"
Sora turned around and stared at her incredulously. "Do you want me to leave?"
"Do you want me to put myself in danger by looking for you?" she retaliated smugly.
"Fine. I said I was staying anyway," he replied, saying the last part quietly. "But no blood. I don't want to hurt you. I'll figure out this transformation thing myself."
"But-" She began to argue, but an announcement came over the speaker system.
"Kairi, Riku, Sora, and Roxas, please report to the main office."
"I wonder why we're called up there?" Kairi asked aloud to no one in particular. "Guess we should go see what it's about."
"Yeah," Sora agreed, continuing on his previous path to the door. "Let's go," he told her.
Together, they headed out of the dark classroom into the lighted hallway and walked toward the main office. A single fluorescent light flickered on and off continuously for a few moments until Sora and Kairi made a turn into another hallway.
"Are you feeling okay?" Kairi questioned, the earlier situation still sitting on her mind.
"Ever since last night, I've been better," Sora answered, knowing exactly where she was heading with her questioning, "but I've lived the year after I first transformed without a single drop of blood. I lived a year surviving that unquenchable thirst. Last night will not change anything. I'll suffer alone if it'll keep you and everyone else safe."
"You don't have to suffer alone," she quickly replied.
"It's the only option that won't hurt you," he stated. "Your safety is my only concern."
Kairi gave up on pursuing the subject. Sora wouldn't budge on this subject and she was already at the disadvantage in the argument. At least he wasn't leaving. She could settle for that...for now.
They walked into the main office and found Riku and Roxas already there. Riku took a glance at them and walked away from them. Roxas looked at them also, his eyes narrowing at their hands. Kairi and Sora looked down at the same time to see what Roxas was staring at. Neither of them had noticed, but sometime in the hallway, they had reached for the other's hand.
"Oh!" they exclaimed, letting go of the other's hand and turning away from each other.
"Did something happen between you two that you're embarrassed to tell us?" Roxas pointed out.
"Professor?" Riku said as Kaito walked out from the main office's conference room. "What are you doing here? Are you the one who called us here?"
"Yeah," Kaito answered, lowering his voice to barely above a whisper. "I need to discuss nightly matters with you."
"Then why is Roxas here?" Kairi asked, nothing how Roxas stood farther away from the group of hunters.
"I'll explain that as soon as we get going," he responded, ushering the children out of the office.
-----
"Was this so important that you couldn't wait another half hour until school ended?" Riku asked as the group walked into the main conference room.
"Actually, it is," Kaito answered, peering out of the door as if he was looking for someone. "It's about the vampires. Axel wanted to talk to you about it."
"Then why am I here?" Roxas inquired, wondering why Axel had summoned him along with the Renegade hunters. "I'm a vampire, not a hunter."
"That's exactly why you're here," Axel replied, walking into the room as Kaito closed the door. "Besides, you asked to join them, didn't you?"
"What are you talking about?" Sora asked, tired of being lost in the conversation for too long.
Axel looked at Sora, a chuckle on his lips. "A little impatient, aren't we?" He rubbed the top of the kid's head, messing up Sora's hair. "Well, I wanted to talk to you four because there's a mission that I need you for."
"About vampires?" Kairi said.
"Yes," he stated. "Vampires, just like you guys, have a government, but it's more of a council. Unlike your government, you don't want to approach the High Council alone. They're a group of blood-thirsty vampire who would take any kind of meal that came along. You see, bonds of blood aren't as strong as bonds of love and trust."
"So you want us to approach the High Council with you?" Riku concurred, a little bit of apprehension in his voice. He and Kairi were only human, perfect target for a room of vicious blood-thirsty vampires.
"Actually, only Roxas and Sora are would accompany me."
"Then why did you ask for us?" Kairi questioned, her eyes worried for her friends.
"I didn't want you to be uninformed," Professor answered. "I know how much they mean to you. They're all important friends of yours. It would've worried you if they just left. I felt it was better this way."
"So," Axel said to Roxas and Sora, "will you two come with me?"
"Do you really have to ask me?" Roxas answered. "You took me under your care after my parents left me. You know that I'd do anything for you."
"What about you Sora?" Axel asked. "This isn't an order, but merely a request."
"If Roxas is gonna go, I'll go," Sora responded, looking at his friend.
"Great!" Axel stated, clapping his hands together once. "Go, get ready, we leave in five minutes."
"What? So soon," Roxas questioned. "What about Naminé? Aren't you gonna tell her too?"
"I informed Naminé ahead of time," Axel answered. "She said she pretty much expected for you and Sora to come with me. Speaking of which, you two, go hurry and get ready. We leave in a few minutes, as I have already told you."
-----
After Axel, Roxas, and Sora took their leave, it left Kairi alone with Riku. Professor Kaito had returned to his office to finish off some paperwork that he had procrastinated doing.
"Is something on your mind?" Kairi asked, noticing the contemplative look in his blue eyes. "You've been really quiet ever since they left. Something bothering you?"
"I wouldn't say that it's bothering me, but something is on my mind," he answered, looking intently at her.
"What's that?" he questioned, slightly taken back at how his electric blue eyes gazed at her.
"Why didn't you question why Sora was going, but not us?" he replied after taking time to figure out the wording to his question.
"I could ask you the same question," she said as she understood the meaning of his words. "I guess my answer would be the same as yours. Because I know what happened to him. What he's become."
"When did you find out?"
"Last night," she answered, sparing the details of how she found out. She touched the side of her neck softly, remembering how his fangs pierced through her flesh.
"Guess he's takin' that pretty hard," he concluded, remember Sora's earlier behavior toward Kairi.
"I guess he is," she agreed. I can see why, she thought, He didn't want me to know. I highly doubt that he wanted me to find out the way I did. She pressed her fingers against the wound, cringing slightly from the pain.
Riku noticed how her hand always hovered around the wound since she got it, which reminded him of his earlier suspicion about Kairi's explanation of it. "How's your neck?" he questioned. "Is it bothering you?"
"No," she answered automatically, her hands falling to her side. "I...I just remembered...something..." she added, trailing off at the end. She waited for a response, but as the silence passed, she looked at Riku, noticing the far off look in his eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Kairi," he sighted heavily, his electric eyes locked on her's, "I'm...your friend, right?"
"Yeah," she answered, startled at his question. She took a step toward him, a step closer to his seat as she reached out to him. "Why do you ask? Is something wrong?"
"That wound on your neck," his eyes were directed toward it, "how did you really get it?"
"I-I told you this morning," she answered. "A tree branch caught my neck." She paused. "Riku, what's wrong? What's with the weird questions?"
He continued, ignoring her concern. "Did Sora tell you about how his body doesn't react to the blood tablets correctly? About how his thirst for blood can't be satisfied unless it's real?"'
Memories hit her harder then they previously did. The way her skin crawled in disgust and pleasure at Sora's carnivorous touch. The feel of his lips as they brushed against her skin before they revealed the non-human trait about him. The pain she experienced as his white fangs pierced her flesh. The sound of Sora drinking her blood, a sound both pleasing and frightful to her ears. But it was how her body was slowly losing breath as Sora satisfied his body's urge that impacted her most. Sora could've take her life if he continued drawing blood, but he didn't.
"No," Kairi answered, keeping her voice steady. "I didn't know that."
Riku eyes the steadiness in her voice suspiciously. Something about it bothered him, conformed his earlier suspicions. "Kairi...are you lying to me?"
"What makes you say that?"
Emotions collided with each other in his heart, but one stood out prominently: Pain. It hurt him to know that Kairi was lying to him, that she was hiding something important. His heart ached because he knew she would never have the same feelings for him that she had for his best friend. "Did he..." he took her shoulder in his hands, "...no. Is he the reason for what's on your neck?"
Kairi, at first startled, looked at his hands and then turned to meet the determined expression on his face. A smile formed on her lips. It didn't surprise her that Riku was completely right about everything. She tilted her head to the side. "I told you. A branch did it," she pressed her fingers to the wound, afraid that he would discover the lie which he already knew about. "Sora had absolutely nothing to do with my clumsiness."
With this answer, Riku let go of her shoulders. "Okay," he told her," reclining into the chair. Her firm answer told him everything he needed to know...well, it more or less calmed his apprehensions. Sora didn't kill her. Sora still had control. He smiled, relaxing his hands beside his head.
"Was something on your mind?" Kairi asked, her fingers still pressed to her neck.
"Yeah, but not anymore."
"That's good," she replied, dropping her hand. She took a seat on the table in front of him. "What do you think Axel-sama and the others are seeing the High Council about?"
"Beats me," he shrugged. "We'll probably find out when they come back, but I can't say for sure."
"I hope Sora's okay," Kairi stated.
"Yeah, me too."
-----
After two hours of staring at the treeless scenery pass outside of the darkly tinted window of the black foreign sports car, Sora turned his attention to the front of the vehicle. Axel's eyes were watching him from the driver's seat.
"You feelin' okay?" Axel asked him.
"Yeah," Sora answered, his head hitting the back of the seat in front of him. He took his hands to his throat. It was extremely dry, a dull burning catching in his throat.
"You thirsty?" Axel questioned, noticing his actions.
"Yeah," Sora replied, "but I'm okay."
"Here," Roxas declared, holding out his wrist to him. "Drink."
Sora looked at his friend's offered wrist, unsure of what to doo. "Isn't it against Professor's doctrine to drink blood?"
"Human blood," Roxas answered. "It's fine if we drink each other's blood. We're not hurting any human by doing so."
"Do you guys..." he hesitated to ask, "you know...drink each other's blood then?"
"We can't," Axel responded. "Vampire blood is way too bitter for vampires or our ranking. It's nothing compared to human blood, but for you, who actually fought of the Renegade instinct for over a year, it might suffice."
"So here," Roxas offered, "drink 'til you're satisfied."
"Are you sure Roxas?" Sora questioned. "What if I can't control myself?"
"I don't think that'll be a problem," Axel stated.
The reassuring look in both their eyes calmed Sora. The burning was growing, slowly taking over his thoughts. He took Roxas' wrist and drew it to his mouth. Fangs bared, Sora placed his lips to Roxas' skin, closing his eyes. But when he tried to bite Roxas, something stopped him. His body wouldn't will him to drink Roxas' blood. It wouldn't will him to drink anyone's blood. Except for one person.
"What's the matter?" Roxas asked when Sora dropped his hand. "Aren't you thirsty?"
"Nah," he lied, the burning in his throat growing stronger. "I'll pass on this. I've survived this long without blood. I think I can manage this time."
Axel watched via rearview mirror and noted Sora's sudden change in mind. No vampire of his type could resist offered blood. Sora was different in that respect amongst others. Life's gonna get interesting.
"Axel-sama," Sora asked, "why are we seeing the High Council?" There was a hint of fear in his voice.
"Well, the Council knows about Kaito and his 'experiment.' Kaito first approached the Council when he wanted to test his theory. Most every member rejected the proposal. All of them but one."
"Who?"
"You're talkin' to him," Axel answered proudly. "I knew Kaito from his hunting days. He was an amazing hunter. Best in the land, but when he met Kairo, that changed. Everything changed.
"Anyway, back to why we're seein' the Council. Well, because I didn't reject, I volunteered to participate in his studies. The Council expects for me to keep them well informed about how everything is progressing. They also want to meet every vampire involved in this research. Roxas, Naminé, and Demyx all met the Council. Now, it's your turn."
"Oh," Sora said. He stared out the window again, his eyes restlessly watching the sky.
"Were you expecting something else?" Axel questioned.
"I...honestly didn't know what to expect," he replied. "But why is Roxas with us? You said that he already met the Council."
"He's here because he wants to be," Axel answered. "Roxas also wants to join you when you go hunting at night."
"Really?" Sora asked Roxas.
"Yeah," he responded. "I don't want something to happen to you. Not like last time. Besides, if a vampire of your status can track down Renegades, who's to say that a Noble can't?"
"We also have to report that too," Axel stated. "That you and Roxas have joined Kaito's hunting agency."
"I don't know how that'll fare with Xemnas," Roxas said. "Xemnas is the current head of the Council. He founded the Council in order to establish order for the vampire race. I think he has other intentions though."
"Yeah, he does like you don't know," Sora muttered under his breath, barely audible to his own ears.
"C'mon Roxas. Don't say that when the Council could be listening," Axel scolded, now looking at Roxas through the rearview mirror.
"Fine," Roxas answered, a grimace sitting on his face, "but I still don't trust him. Xemnas and his stupid prophecies."
"We're here," Axel announced, pulling up to a large white castle. "Be mindful of how you present yourself. The Council could kill you in a matter of seconds, so be careful."
Sora and Roxas followed their guardian as they proceed to the castle in front of them. It was brilliantly white with silver accents around the many minuscule windows. The walls appeared smooth, as if they were molded rather than built up from bricks. The surrounding area was void of any greenery, the landscape white the like the fortress that rested upon it. The top of the building seemed to disappear into the clouds, their outline faintly showing through the wispy white clouds against the pale blue sky. The only visible entrance was a fifteen foot door with a strange silver marking engraved on it. Sora reached out and touched the emblem, tracing the contours with his fingers.
"Familiar, isn't it?" Axel asked him, placing a friendly hand on Sora's shoulder.
"Yeah," he answered quietly, "it was the first thing that came to mind when I woke up as a vampire."
"It's the mark of our kind," Axel explained, waving his hand over the symbol. It glowed brightly for a few seconds and then the door opened. "Mark of Nobody. That's what we've come to know it as."
"Nobody?" Sora questioned. "Why the name nobody?"
"I'll explain later," he replied, walking into the darkened hallway. "Right now, we meet the Council."
The trio continued down the lightless hallway, travelling quite a distance before a faint light appeared. It was a comforting sign, the light, as it showed the path ahead of them. The continued until they entered a white room. The ceiling appeared to go on endlessly, just like the walls of the fortress. The room was void of furniture except for thirteen pillars.
"Is this where we're supposed to be?" Sora questioned, looking around the room for other people. "Where's the Council?"
"Look up," Roxas explained, pointing to the top of the pillars.
These pillars were not what they seemed because they were in fact chairs. Some were higher than others, determining rank, Sora supposed. Axel had taken his place amongst ten others, leaving two chairs blank.
"Why are there thirteen places when there are only eleven members?" Sora asked, looking around at the faces of the vampires around him.
"Those seats are for when Demyx and I join the High Council," he replied, indifferent to the fact he had a place already set of him. "They see potential in us. Can't wait to have us on the High Council."
"Roxas," a voice declared, brightly filling the quiet room, "how great to see ya. How've you been?"
"I've been okay," Roxas answered. "Thanks for asking, Xigbar."
"Won't be long now," Xigbar replied, "will it? When you and Demyx will be joinin' us. Speaking of which, where is the musical airhead anyway?"
"It's just me okay," he stated. "Me, Axel, and my friend, Sora."
"So," a female voice spoke, "this is the human friend that you didn't eat. I don't understand why you've befriended such a tasty-looking loser. Although, it seems that he's no longer human and one of us now. How lame."
"I'd be careful if I were you, Larxene," a third voice told her. "Seems that you've angered Roxas' friend. He looks ready for a fight."
"Shut up, Vexen!" Larxene snapped back. "What's the kid gonna do to me? Hunt me down like one of the Renegades? Boy, am I scared now."
Anger filled Sora's veins as Larxene's words reached the lower levels of the room. His fist clenched, he took a heated step forward, ready to fight.
"Don't do something that would put yourself at odds with them," Roxas advised, holding his arm across Sora's chest to hold him back. "They determine your fate as a vampire. Be careful."
"So this is the vampire with an incredibly strong will that can resist his Renegade instincts," a deep voice spoke from the highest chair. "That's impressive, Sora."
"Xemnas," Sora whispered spitefully under his breath.
"Yes, that is truly remarkable," someone else spoke, a slight applause in his voice.
"He's one of a kind, Luxord. He's also resisted offered blood," Axel explained. "You'd think after a year of fighting the urge, he'd gladly take up Roxas' offer, but he simply said no."
"That may be because he found someone to be his prey," Xemnas stated, looking down at the spiky haired teenager. "But that can't be the case now, can it?"
"Now," another person said, "why have you brought the two children before us today?"
"Well Saïx," Axel answered, "Sora had decided to cooperate with Professor Kaito's plan. And both of them have chosen to hunt Renegades."
"Hunt Renegades, huh?" Xemnas repeated, leaning forward slightly toward the young boys with intrigue in his eyes. "What a strange profession for you two to pursue. I don't see anything wrong with that. Does anyone object?"
The room remained silent as Xemnas reclined back into his seat. Sora and Roxas waited for someone to declare their discontent with the idea, but no one seemed to share that opinion. Roxas looked over at Larxene.
"What?" she retorted, questioning Roxas' accusing glare. "I'm not gonna say anything. I think I'll enjoy watching you trying to rough it out as a vampire hunter."
"So," Xemnas stated after a moment of silence, "there are no objections. It appears that you're both free to choose to do what your heart desires. I wish both of you the best of luck...Roxas...Sora." There was a silent maliciousness in his voice when he said that latter name.
A low growl escaped Sora's throat as he took a step toward the Council's Superior. He knew that tone of voice. It was the first thing he encountered in his life as a vampire.
"What about Sora?" Axel asked. "Is there any question to his residing with us at Kaito's clinic and participating in his studies?"
A door suddenly opened in the furthest corner of the room as Xemnas waved his hand. "I have no objections to that request, but I'd like to speak to Sora privately." He pointed to the open door. "May I?" he asked Axel.
"I don't see a problem with that," Axel answered.
"Good," Xemnas dropped from his chair, a fall of at least thirty feet. He landed softly on his feet, the heels of his shoes clicking on the ground. He proceeded to the door, stopping once to motion Sora to follow him. "Come, Sora. I'd like a word with you."
Roxas gave Sora a push to start him off. "Go. Don't deny him. He determines your fate. Don't get him on your bad side."
Slowly, Sora followed Xemnas into the other room, his eyes constantly scanning the area for any traps. As he walked through the door into the dimly lit room, Xemnas waved his arm and the door swiftly closed behind them. The single light began to flicker on...off...on...off...on and off continuously.
"You have an extremely strong will, Sora," Xemnas commented, circling around him, eyeing him like a prize. "It appears that I've made the right choice in turning you into a vampire." He leaned closely to Sora's ear. "Now all we have to do is make it so you'd do my will. How shall we do it?"
The main antagonist has now been introduced! What lies ahead for Sora and his friends? What is this will Xemnas has in store? Find out in the next chapter: Untold Truth
I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but if I did, Sora would totally be all mine...haha. Story is mostly original, but it is inspired by Vampire Knight. I hope that you guys enjoy. Reviews and criticism would be appreciated.
NOTE: The first section of every chapter is usually told from Kairi's POV, whereas the rest is in the third person. "Stained by Sin" is only the working title. Hopefully something better will come to me.
Summery: Sora disappeared from Kairi's life for unknown reasons. A year later, he returns to her and Riku with little to say about his absence. Blood, lust, fear, secrets, friendships, reunions, and promises change their lives.
6. Untold Truthf
~ Hitorijime~
I sat in a dark brown leather chair in the main room of my father's clinic, waiting for Sora, Roxas, and Axel to come back. Daddy said that it was useless to wait for them, but I needed to know that they were fine.
"You should go home and get some sleep," Riku told me, handing me a blue blanket the color of his eyes. "I bet'cha they're coming back now and they'll be here in the morning."
I wrapped the blanket around my shoulders, rubbing the fabric to my cheek, the electric blue soft against my skin. "I want to make sure that they're okay. That Sora...comes back to me."
"You know, he's not gonna leave you," Riku answered, placing a heavy hand on my head. "You mean too much to him."
"What about you?" I questioned him. "Are you gonna head home?"
"Well, I was actually thinking about waiting for him, too." He took a seat on the armrest of my chair. "Ya don't mind, do ya?"
"No. It's fine."
An awkward silence followed. I wasn't sure what to do beside stare out the glass doors to watch for their return. I could feel Riku's eyes on mine, gently watching me as he always did during that year Sora was gone. No, even before then. He was always watching me with those gentle and concerned eyes. I never made anything of it before...that was until now.
He loved me.
I just never noticed it before because of my feelings for Sora. He had been watching me stumble through my infatuation with his best friends without saying a word.
I hurt him in the worst possible way.
Maybe if I hadn't met Sora first...hadn't been so sure that he was the one for me...hadn't known that he would be my only love, it might've worked out between us, but there was no way it could happen now. I was irreversibly in love with Sora. There would be no way I could have these same passionate feeling for anyone else.
"Kairi, are you okay?" he asked, reaching out to me.
"Riku," my voice cracked, "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For not meeting you first." I couldn't bring myself to say it. Say that I was sorry for not choosing Sora over him. It wouldn't have been true. I'm glad I love Sora. I wouldn't want it any other way.
"Was that all I had to do? Meet you before you met Sora?" He smiled tenderly, a sparkle in his eyes. "It's okay, Kairi. Just as long as you're happy. That's all that matters to me."
"Riku," my voice was barely above a whisper, "I hope you'll find happiness with the right person. You're the greatest friend I could ask for."
"Same here," he replied.
-----
Kairi awoke to the sunlight that was intensified by glass windows surrounding the room. A second blanket slid onto the floor as she stood up, clutching the electric blue blanket around her shoulders.
"Morning," Riku told her as he passed into the room.
"Good morning," she replied, reaching down and picking up the red and black blanket from the floor and placing it on the leather chair. "I guess I fell asleep, didn't I?"
"Well kinda," he answered jokingly.
"Thanks for the second blanket," she said, hoping their relationship was still the same.
"It wasn't me," he responded, pointing to a chair beside her. "Someone else was worried that you'd be cold too."
She turned around to find Sora snoozing on the chair. His head was resting on his arm, which lie on the armrest, as if he was watching her. She leaned over and brushed the hair out of his face, only for it to fall back into place. He stirred slightly, opening one eye before drifting off back to sleep.
"Get up Sora," she giggled. "You lazy bum."
He sleepily raised his head, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Oh, Kairi, it's you. G'morning."
"Mornin'," she told him.
"Good morning Riku," Sora said after taking his eyes off of Kairi.
"Morning Sora," he answered, taking a seat across from him. "How'd everything go last night?"
"Great," he replied immediately in a usually bright voice. "The Council accepted both proposals without a complaint."
"That's good," Kairi said, sitting back in her seat. "Can I ask why Roxas went with you two?"
"He wants to join us when we go to hunt," Sora answered in his normal voice. "He's gotten permission from Axel-sama and your dad, but both Roxas and I needed the Council's approval."
"So that officially means you're part of our team?" she questioned, leaning toward him with eager eyes. "Roxas too?"
"Let's not talk about this right now," he responded uneasily, shifting away from her. "Do we have to go hunt tonight?"
"Probably," Riku replied, noting Sora's reluctance to stay on the topic for too long. "Professor's shuffling through a massive pile of paper work right now. It might actually be a while before we get a clear answer."
"Why don't we go to the park then?" Kairi suggested, the blanket sliding off her shoulders as she stood up. "It's been years since we went there."
"I'm game," Riku said, getting up from his seat.
"What about you Sora?" she questioned him. "Want to go for old time's sake?" She stretched her hand to him.
"Sure," he answered, taking her hand.
"Let's go," Kairi said, also taking Riku's hand. "Together."
-----
The dim sun was slowly climbing into the sky, casting long shadows on the ground. A cool breeze blew through the sky, causing the leaves in the trees to sway back and forth. The bird's bright song rang through the air, weaving between the colors of the flowers, a message of the new day. Sora, Kairi, and Riku proceeded on the gravel path as the butterflies approached them, only to flutter away within the next second. Clouds slowly moved across the promising sky, their shadows scattered across the ground. Sora looked up, avoiding the sun, and smiled at the eternally blue sky.
The three wandered through the park, only glancing around at the familiar scenery: the vast playing field where Sora and Riku would spar when they were little while Kairi observed as the audience; the heavily wooded forest where they would often explore mysteries they imagined; the old metal park bench that just got a fresh coat of paint so it glimmered in the sunlight.
"Look, there's our favorite spot when we were little," Kairi stated, pointing to a large tree at the top of the hill. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"
It was an old oak tree, around even before the children were born. Its gnarled roots protruded from the ground, forming small arcs before it buried itself into the ground. The bark was lined with wrinkles, rough to the touch of another creature. Its low sturdy branches formed seats that they, when they were younger children, could climb upon and sit. Many times have they watched the sun dip below the horizon, casting brilliant pastel colors against the stars that were slowly appearing. The end of the day.
It was ironic that they visited there at the beginning of the day. Instead of saying good-bye, they were now greeting a new day. It was also where Sora said his last words to Kairi before he left and now they were both coming back together.
"Race ya to the top," Riku challenged Sora, a childish smile on his face as he positioned himself.
"You're on," Sora agreed, also bending low. "Count us down, Kairi."
"Okay," she giggled, running ahead of them. She turned around to face them and held her arms in the air. "3...2...1!" She dropped her arms, signaling the start of the race.
Both Riku and Sora pushed off the ground, running toward the tree. Normally, both of them would be neck and neck with each other until the last few feet, where Riku pulled ahead. That wasn't the cast this time.
"Wow," Kairi whispered as soon as she turned around.
In the few seconds she waited to turn around, Sora was already at the tree's base while Riku was only a quarter of the way there. Sora waved back to them, a satisfied smirk dressing his face. Kairi ran up beside Riku and the two promptly walked the rest of the way.
"So, that's one of the few things you've gained," Riku applauded, admiring Sora's new abilities. "You get anything else?"
"Yeah," he answered, leaning against the tree. "Don't like to use them unless absolutely necessary."
"Hey," Kairi said, distracting the boys from a topic that she knew Sora was uncomfortable with, "let's climb to the top. We used to be able to see the whole park from there."
"We used to think we were on top of the world," Sora remembered, looking at the top. "I guess we know better now, don't we?"
"Yeah," Riku agreed. "Our world is so small, but it's a part of something so much bigger. We're always learning more about these worlds." He looked at Sora and then at Kairi, folding his arms across his chest. "It's the Professor's dream that the vampire world could live peacefully with ours."
"Riku..." Sora said, amazed at his friend's deep words.
"Sorry," he apologized, scratching the back of his head, "I guess I've been thinking a lot since you've come back, Sora."
A pause of silence followed.
"C'mon," Sora said, reaching his hand out to Kairi and Riku, "let's climb to the top."
Sora climbed onto the lowest branch without much effort. The whole climb up wasn't much of an effort because of his vampire strength and agility. He slowed down his pace in order to allow Kairi and Riku to keep up with him.
"Sora!" Kairi called when she encountered a branch too high for her.
Turning around, he reached down and grabbed her hand, pulling her up onto the upper brand. They both waited until Riku climbed up with them.
"You okay?" Sora asked Kairi before continuing up the tree.
"I'm fine," she answered, nodding.
Sora reached up for the next branch and pulled himself up. Kairi proceeded to follow him, but Riku grabbed her hand before she could climb up.
"I know I said that I'd be okay as long as you were happy," he told her, pulling her toward him. "But you know what; I'm only lying to myself."
"Riku..." she tenderly said, avoiding his eyes.
"Don't worry," he replied, holding her to his chest, enclosing his arms around her. "I just wanna know how it feels like. Could you at least give me that?"
"Riku..." she repeated, unmoving in his arms. "Okay." At first she hesitated, but she slowly touched his back, pressing both hands on the small of his back. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," he told her, releasing her. "Thank you."
"Yeah, I think I'll be fine...with time," he answered, turning his head away from her. "Can I try one more thing?" he asked after a brief moment.
But before Kairi could answer, Riku cupped her chin in his hands, placing his lips gently on hers. His lips captured hers in a short innocent kiss. Kairi didn't know how to react other than pull her head away slowly.
"I-I'm sorry," he apologized, his face completely red. "I didn't...mean to...actually..."
"Riku! Kairi!" Sora's voice called from above somewhere in the leaves. "Where are you?"
"We're coming," Riku replied, reaching for the next branch. He needed to get away from Kairi quickly before any other urge took control.
Kairi watched him climb the branches quickly, allowing or him to gain some distance. She knew that he needed time away from her to get things settled. As for the kiss, she could let him get away with that. It was the least she could do for him. Who knows, it might help him let go.
-----
"It's still as beautiful as I remember it," Sora commented, perched on a branch as he gazed out over the horizon. He looked over, expecting Kairi. "Riku?" he asked. "Where's Kairi?"
"Right here!" she answered, pulling herself onto the branch. She looked over at Riku, who was sitting against the trunk of the tree, gazing away from her over the horizon. His eyes were intent on a single point.
"Is something wrong?" Sora questioned her, noticing the serious look on her face.
"No, I was just thinking about something." She lowered herself back onto the lower branch below, her forearm level with the upper branch. Using the upper branch for support, she walked over to where Sora was sitting, standing beside him.
"Is something wrong with Riku?" he asked, worried about his best friend's quiet behavior. "Did something happen between you two?"
"You could say that," she responded, placing her head on Sora's lap. "The view from up here is still amazing."
Sora noticed how she changed the conversation. Instead of pursuing the topic, he agreed with her, running his fingers through the red strands of her hair, holding the tips for a moment before letting them slip from his fingertips. "It's just like when we were little."
"Yeah," she answered, breathing in the scent of his clothes, his smell. It was so familiar, how she laid her head upon his lap. Nothing was different, except back then, her feelings for him weren't as strong.
Sometime later, Riku got up and took a seat above them. When they were little kids, all three of them could sit on a single branch. They wouldn't dare to try placing the weight of three teenage children on one branch. But still, having the three of them together brought memories of their childhood, of simpler days. The morning passed by in silence as the three of them remained at the top of the tree. The worries of life disappeared in their little sanctuary, reminiscent of their younger care-free days.
-----
"Where have you been all morning?" Naminé asked when they returned to the clinic. "The professor was gonna send a search party after you guys."
"We were all just catching up with each other," Kairi answered.
"Well," Naminé responded, "Kaito-sensei wanted me to tell you three that you're going out tonight. He wants you all to prepare yourselves."
"I'm gonna start by getting something to eat," Riku declared, walking toward the kitchen. "Haven't had anything to eat all morning."
"Same here," Kairi said. "Are you coming Sora?"
"I will in a minute. I wanna take care of something first," Sora answered. "I'll catch up with you guys, so go ahead without me."
Sora and Naminé waited until both Kairi and Riku were out of hearing distance before saying anything.
"Roxas says that you've been acting weird ever since Xemnas-sama had a private conversation with you," Naminé stated. "Is something that matter?"
Sora hesitated to answer, but someone other than himself and Xemnas had to know about the power holding his will. "Xemnas is using me to get to Kairi."
"What?" Naminé questioned, unbelieving in Sora's words.
"Xemnas is trying to fulfill an ancient prophecy," Sora clarified. "The marriage of the human world and the vampire world. The marriage between a pure vampire and a human which will grand indescribable powers to the vampire race."
"What is this nonsense, Sora?"
"But no ordinary human will do," he continued. "Only a human with blood much like a pure vampire. That human was Kairo, Kairi's mother."
"Okay, let's say I completely understand," she gave up on stopping him. "Why would someone kill Kairo if she was the destined human?"
"Xemnas isn't the only one thirsting for power," he answered. "Many vampires are also against having the prophecy fulfilled. Kairo got caught in the cross-fire."
"So Kairi, Kairo's daughter, is the next destined human wife of the inter-world marriage?"
"Yes," he replied in a restrained voice. The effects of Xemnas' power were slowly fighting Sora's will.
"Why are you telling me this now?" She seemed convinced about Xemnas' plan. "Why aren't we protecting Kairi from potential danger?"
"Because," he struggled, "I'm the potential danger."
"What?!"
Sora fell to the ground, Xemnas' curse upon him taking full effect. His eyes glowed crimson, the manifest of power unnatural to his status. He stood up, taking Naminé's shoulders in his hands and forcing her to look at him. In a deep voice, he spoke.
"You are to take all the information I supplied you with about the prophecy or any related subject and lock it deeply in your memories, somewhere you can access it."
Naminé's eyes reflected the same crimson color of Sora's as she obeyed the command. As soon as Xemnas' bidding was done, his control over Sora slowly loosened its grip, draining Sora of any will to fight. Again, he collapsed to the ground, gasping heavily for the air that was knocked out of him. Naminé was released for the manifested power, returning to her normal self.
"Sora!" she cried when she saw him struggling for air. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"What..." his labored breathing caused him to stagger his words, "what was...the last...thing I said?"
"Ummm...something about taking care of something before joining Kairi for something to eat." She looked over him, wondering how he ended up on the floor without breath. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he answered. "I guess I'm a little winded from hunger." He paused to allow transition. "Does Roxas know we're hunting tonight?"
"Not yet," she replied. "Do you want to tell him?"
"Yeah. I do."
"Okay, I'll leave it to you then," she said, still uncertain. "I'll see you later then." She weakly waved bye and walked away, her eyes lingering on him until she left the room.
Frustrated, Sora fell back into one of the chairs. Xemnas didn't have to hold Sora' will to stop him from ruining his plans. If Sora decided to tell someone, he himself would take care of it. That was why Xemnas chose him. Because he had a strong will. He wasn't a normal transformed vampire. He possessed a power that Xemnas wanted, that Xemnas craved. Xemnas was going to take anything to his advantage, take anything to achieve his goal. That included both him and Kairi."
------
After grabbing a pepperoni-and-cheese sandwich from the fridge and placing it in the microwave, Riku scavenged through the refrigerator, looking for a bottled water. Kairi walked into the kitchen, noticing the towel draped on the back of his neck.
"Hey Riku," she said nervously, unsure of how their relationship stood at the moment. There was no need for her to be nervous, but she didn't want to lose him as a friend.
"Hey," he answered, still shuffling through the contents of the fridge without pausing to look at her.
"What's with the towel?" She took a seat at the kitchen table.
The microwave started to beep, meaning that his sandwich was warmed up and ready for consumption. After he found what he was searching for, he stood straight, closed the fridge, and crossed the kitchen for his meal. "Gonna go work out." He took his food, blowing off the heat and started for the door.
"Oh." She didn't know how to answer. "Ummm...." The conversation had died. The air between them became awkward. "Can we talk? About...well, you know." Her eyes followed him as he passed her.
He paused, standing at the door frame. He turned around and looked at her. "I'm fine, Kairi," he told her. "I mean it this time." He smiled.
"But still..." She wanted absolute confirmation he was better, that they could be friends again without the awkwardness between them.
"We can talk later," he stated, turning to continue to the gym.
"Alright." She watched him walk until he took a turn into another hallway. Something told her that things were going to be normal again.
-----
Night fell quickly as the sun plunged below the horizon. They sky settled into a deep starless violet-black with only the light of a new moon to guide the citizens through their nightly passage. Streetlights stood as the only hope for those stumbling in the dark. Even under the aid of these beacons of light, some fell victim to creatures lurking in the very substances of shadows, watching and waiting for a lost soul too foolish to listen to reason to get within their reaches. Many lost voices were drowned in the endless abyss of ongoing darkness. Night cloaked the existence of those who fed on lost souls. It also concealed those who hunted them.
Riku walked into the Briefing Room, drying his blue-silver hair. The majority of his day was spent in the gym, running on the treadmill, pushing his body to its limits. The feel of adrenaline rushing through his blood helped him think. It was true that he finally released his feelings for Kairi. The only thing bothering him was how he would explain the reason for the kiss.
"So," he said, placing the damp towel on the back of a chair before settling into it, "you're really coming with us tonight?"
"I thought that maybe I'd take a walk in your shoes," Roxas answered. "Find out why you enjoy hunting my kind so much."
"Wouldn't it be like killing your own family?"
"I guess you could say that," Roxas agreed, a smile on his lips, "but to lump me together with those creatures is a little insulting."
"I guess my work is done then," Riku stated, enjoying the little taunting between himself and Roxas. "Where's Sora and Kairi?"
"They're probably on their way. She went to his room to get him."
"Well," Riku leaned back into his chair, "they better hurry before Professor blows a gasket."
"Before who blows a gasket?" the Professor walked into the room with two manila envelopes. He gave both Riku and Roxas an envelope. "Where are Sora and Kairi?"
"We're coming!" Kairi's voice drifted from the hallway. Both Sora and Kairi ran into the room, breathless from running. "Sorry we're late," she apologized.
"What were you two doing?" Riku asked. "Making out in his room or something?"
"What?!" Kaito slammed his hands on the wooden desk.
"No, no. It's nothing like that," Kairi explained, waving her hands in protest. "Demyx demanded that I listen to his new song. He slowed us down."
Her father stared at her, unbelieving in her story. "Moving on," he glared at Sora quickly before continuing, "I've got two cases for you four tonight. One in the north side of the city, the other in the east end."
"How are we gonna do two cases in one night?" Kairi questioned.
"You haven't told her yet Sora?" Roxas asked.
"I didn't want to."
"Well," Kaito said, clearing his throat, "since Roxas decided to follow Sora's lead, I let him join. There was no way he was hunting alone and other teams wouldn't allow for a vampire to join them. A team of four seemed foolish, so I have to split you four into two teams."
"Which are?" Riku asked.
"Isn't it obvious?" Kaito replied. "You and Kairi were always my best team. It's gonna stay that way. Since Sora and Roxas joined around the same time, they'll be another team."
"So who's going where?" Sora questioned before Kairi could object.
"Riku and Kairi are northbound. You guys are supposed to search an abandoned factory. Someone called the police reporting that bodies of cats and dogs were found dead and void of blood. You know what to do. You, Sora, and Roxas are going to east to track down the Renegade that got away from another team a few days ago. You're both rookies at this, so be careful."
"Of course," Roxas answered coolly.
"Alright then," Kaito pushed his glasses up to his face, "I'll leave the rest to you."
Without a word, Sora left the room with Roxas following behind him. Kairi watched him leave, feeling the same vibes from him that she had on his first day of school. It must've meant something happened to make him need to avoid her again.
"You know," Kaito announced, "I was going to pair you with Sora, honey. But he came to me saying that he'd be partners with Roxas. I couldn't argue with him."
So he's avoiding me, she silently noted to herself. "It's okay, daddy. We're gonna go now."
"Be safe," he told her.
"I will," she responded, starting out the door.
"Watch over her," Kaito asked of Riku as he got up from his seat.
"Like always," Riku answered.
-----
"So, our guy is someone smart enough not to hunt humans, but stupid enough to make it look like animal abuse," Kairi concluded as Riku pulled over in front of the dilapidated building they needed to stop at.
"What kind of Renegadeis that?" Riku questioned as he stepped out of the car.
"Dunno, but this place sure gives me the chills. It's so dark and spooky," she commented.
Without the light of the moon, the building seemed to be a dark wall of blackness. The broken windows could be barely made out against the structure's face. The sound of chains rattling echoed from the corners of the building.
"Do you still wanna go in?" Riku asked her.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Kairi answered, starting for the building.
The two of them proceeded to the door. Its hinges creaked loudly as Riku pushed the door open. Riku pulled a flashlight out of his back pocket and switched it on, illuminating a narrow path for them to follow. Their footsteps ominously echoed on the wood floor, filling the empty building with their presence. Rats scurried across the floor, running for the light as it shone on them, reflecting red in their eyes before they disappeared.
"Are you okay Kairi?" Riku's voice emanated from the darkness. "Do you want to turn back?"
"And what? Run like chickens? I don't think so," she answered. She waited a few seconds before speaking again. "Are things okay between us again?"
"I guess," he replied. "I just needed time to myself to think things over. I realized that I can't keep hoping that one day you'd have the same feelings for me. There's someone out there for me. I've just got to find her. What I should be doing is supporting you, not causing you grief over my problems. Life doesn't always go how you want it."
"I'm sorry," she told him.
"Don't be. It's because of you I've rethought about my life. If anyone should be sorry, it should be me. I didn't think I'd actually do that."
"Let's just pretend it didn't happen," Kairi replied, understanding what he meant.
A gust of wind passed behind them in an unnatural fashion. Both of them could feel another presence in the room, but with only the light of Riku's lone flashlight, nothing but themselves could be seen.
"We've found the human bride," a voice called out. "Looks like we can stop the charade now."
"Seems so," another voice spoke. "I wonder if it's okay to take a little bit of her blood before we give her to Xemnas-sama?"
"I don't think Xemnas-sama would mind if we took just one bite," the first voice answered.
"Riku?" Kairi called out, her voice gripped with fear. They had to be talking about her. No one else was in there but them and Riku certainly wasn't a girl. "Riku? Where are you?"
"Hush now," a withered hand covered her mouth, "we don't wanna hurt your little friend." The voice was feminine, high and airy in tone. "Unless he tries something to hurt us."
"How come you get to go first?" the second voice asked. This one was male in tone, deep and raspy. "I thought of it first."
Kairi tried to break lose, but one of the vampires had taken a hold of her hands and pinned them behind her back. She couldn't reach Flowering Strength.
"I'm the one who caught her," the female snapped back. "Besides, I saw her first."
"Kairi? Where are you?" Riku called out in the darkness.
"Tell your friend that you're okay," the female ordered her, uncovering her mouth. "And don't think about trying anything, or else he's going to be our meal."
"R...Riku..." she hesitated, scared more of his fate rather than her own. "...I'm okay."
"Where are you?" he questioned.
Kairi answered before she was told to. She wanted him safe at least. He found something to strive for, something to live for. She was only chasing after someone who was always pushing her away. "I'm trying to find my way out. Help me."
"Alright," he replied. The light of his flashlight was distant now. She watched it wonder aimlessly toward the door.
"Good job," the male spoke. "Way to get rid of him."
"Now," the female tilted Kairi's head to the side, "this will only hurt for a second."
Closing her eyes, Kairi prayed for it to end quickly. Funny, she thought, I wouldn't be as afraid if Sora tried to take my blood. I never got to tell him how I felt. I wonder if Riku would tell him for me.
Thanks for the reviews!!! They make me happy. Anyway, what will happen to Kairi? Who will save her? Find out in the next chapter: The Renegade's Eyes
