The woods were luscious and green there in Japan, and thick compared to those in the West. The humidity nearly made those not used to the weather difficult to breathe but not for those who weren't mere beings of the mortal plane. These aforementioned beings were the shinma, the demons who have gone to live in the Dark than to mix with the humans as they did a long time ago. Some shinma strayed back into the human world, wrecking the balance of peace of the realm with or without intention as most of them have natures too destructive for the frail mortals. The only ones able to keep a reign on these shinma were the vampire clan, hunting diligently day and night for those renegade demons and banishing them back into the darkness. However, the vampire clan has grown thin and soon there was only one survivor - a child of dark hair, a Japanese origin with sapphire blue eyes framed by thick, sooty lashes and skin as white as snow and as smooth flower petals. Said child was now sitting under a tree, playing with his yellow-breasted bird as it sang him a tune meant to convey its love for its master, and the boy soaked that feeling up to its fullest. It was rare to have seen the boy's face open with emotion, so cold and distant he was than the rest of the children in the village and thus to see him at that moment with his expression of peace and happiness was a treasure in itself.

Hazel brown eyes from behind the stiff metal mask beheld that beautifully innocent sight with pleasure, unaware that another shinma has crept from behind him to scold angrily, "We are wasting time, Sakuragi. We must kill him now."

The redhead turned around to face his friend and scowled, "Ch! What's there to be afraid of? He's just a kid. It won't hurt to wait a little while..."

"He has yet to awaken his vampiric nature," Miyagi protested, "Kill him before it's too late!"

True to Miyagi's warnings, Rukawa's vampiric nature awakened before the two shinma could stop it. Rukawa began the beginning of his awakening in the most painful way - draining his mother of blood, the only person in the world who loved him like life itself and to give him life she gave him her own.

"I-I don't know what to do..." whispered Rukawa brokenly clutching his mother's kimono and burying his face against her breasts, "I-I want blood..."

"Come on, Kaede-chan..." his mother called softly, cupping his chin with one hand to bring his face near her neck. Only at ten he was already nearly as tall as she was.

"W-What should I do?" Rukawa asked in a daze, suddenly drawn to the pulse beating right under his lips, "Help me, okaasan..."

"Kaede-chan..."
Sharp teeth pierced smooth skin and dark, salty blood flowed into a hungry mouth. Upon instinct, Kaede suckled his mother's neck like a babe just been born, feeling the tangy taste of the warm liquid flowing past his throat and quenching his hunger. He wanted more and he just couldn't stop. He was not even aware of the short-sword dropping from his mother's other hand before those loving arms wrapped around him as he continued drinking from her.

I can't kill you, Kaede-chan. I love you....

"I love you," the woman whispered, before her soul died and she could speak no more.

I'm suffering...Why am I alive?! Okaasan... I'm better off dead...

Rukawa Kaede ran through the forest, his clothes, mouth, hands and feet tainted with blood from his mother's body and soil from the damp ground he was running on with no care of the tumbles and trips he took before he came upon a man with red hair and wrapped in cloak that further enhanced his broad frame. Rukawa drew to a sudden stop and stared at the redhead in dazed shock. The man was clearly not Japanese and something Rukawa was not able to comprehend told him that the person in front of him was not human either. However, with the way the masked being looked at him with soft brown eyes reflecting his sadness as if the person knew of the torment he was feeling, made him want to break down and cry. But even after what happened, Rukawa was still able to keep his cool mannerism in check.

"You came to kill me?"

The redhead nodded, "Yes. I am a Western shinma. I came by orders to kill you, vampire Rukawa."

"I killed my mother," the boy said dully, "because I'm a vampire? Then, yes, you should kill me..."

The tall man winced but suddenly found in his arms a defeated young boy holding him tight as if he was to be the person whom the boy would share that last moment of weakness. Sakuragi gaped but was unable to move.

"Get it over with," said Rukawa huskily against the thick folds of his black cloak, "I don't need anything anymore. Erase everything."

Sakuragi sighed and lifted his arms to embrace the boy back. Slowly he lifted one of his hands, the sharp points of his claws directed towards the boy's back where the heart would be. He wanted it to be quick and painless but this was the only method he knew on how to kill.

"Kaede..."



*****

The demon screamed, its whole body on fire burning it alive. A painful ending especially for one being burnt with the fire from hell. The fire worked quickly, nevertheless, as not more than a half minute later the demon body was gone in a swirl of smoke rather than it being reduced to dust like mortal bodies.

Rukawa Kaede was not the least bit tired after the fight but he was thirsty for nourishment. "It's done," the raven-haired boy said walking up to his companion who was wearing a dark cloak and a metal mask on his face.

"I can see that," his companion grinned, slipping off the mask before he pushed back his hood to reveal the fiery red hair.

"I'm hungry..." Rukawa told him, moving towards Sakuragi's open arms.

"Hmmm..." Sakuragi nodded, "You ought to be after that fight."
Locked in an embrace the two was familiar with from the day they met, Sakuragi tilted his face to allow the Rukawa access to his neck. As the vampire bit and began sucking the blood from him, the Western shinma sighed and wrapped his arms around the boy tighter to bring their bodies more closer.



~~~~

A ghostly ship sailed across the Demon World Sea, heading straight to the direction of the Japanese Shinma realm. On board the ship was a crew of the most powerful of the Western shinma, all of them standing on the wooden deck, postures rigid but with a measure of ease as if they were confident with the powers they held. As soon as they heard that the realm to the Japanese shinma world was visible, they all walked up to the deck, their masks on, to see for themselves against the mist from the sea.

"Japanese Shinma realm," Hikoichi breathed, "We're finally here."

"You sound as if we've been at the sea for ages," teased Ayako. Being a shinma with powers with the element of water had her enjoying the sea trip more than her companions did.

"Well, it felt like that for me," the young boy demon smiled, showing his fangs as he scratched his head sheepishly.

"Ch!" Mitsui scoffed, "You're so impatient. I don't know why Lord Maki bothers bringing you along."

Hikoichi scowled at the comment from the shinma who was wearing a dragon-like armour around his upper body, when suddenly a hand patted him consolingly on the shoulder, "Maa... It is exciting isn't it?"

Recognising the kind voice before he could see the face of Kogure's mask, Hikoichi graced his friend with an enthusiastic grin, "Hai."
Mitsui only rolled his eyes, not understanding why Kogure would bother entertaining a young shinma. Fukuda just continued staring through the mist and everyone could imagine him already twisting up the dreams of any Japanese shinma nearby with his power to create nightmares.

"What do we do first when we land, Lord Maki?" Kishimoto spoke up.

"We find Hanamichi," Haruko said at once, not waiting for Maki to answer. But as if suddenly realising her manners she turned to their leader for confirmation, "Will we, Lord Maki?"

Even with her mask on, Maki was able to see the sadness from Haruko's blue eyes and was thankful that his own mask was securely in place to cover his own pained expression. He has taken care of the young female shinma like her own sister ever since her dying brother gave her to him when she was just a three year old shinma child. Together with Sakuragi who he was also entrusted to take care of when his parents died, the three have travelled around the Western shinma world perfecting their powers and techniques until they became the highest of the most powerful Occidental shinma. When he heard of a vampire about to awake in the Japanese realm, he sent Sakuragi to kill it but when the redheaded shinma failed to return, Haruko, whose chipper personality was the source of light in the dark realm, became morose and lost.

"Hai," Maki promised, wanting those blue eyes to shine like they used to, "We will find him. And take over the Japanese shinma world at the same time."

Haruko nodded before she turned away again, letting the wind from the sea blow against her brown hair which escaped from her hood, and her thoughts began to drift to the moment when Hanamichi last held her close. He promised to come back after killing the vampire.... he promised...
"Rukawa Kaede. I will meet you soon..."



~~~~

A flurry of dark fur came charging through the bushes before it stopped right in front of two figures, one who was looking at the black wolf in mild surprise and the other emotionless behind the half-white, half-black devil painted mask.

Before they could even blink, the black wolf transformed into a young shinma boy with unruly dark hair, gasping for breath after the long run he made, "Some...someone's...coming! Not... from...around here!"

Fujima nodded solemnly, "I know. We will wait before we do anything."

"If anyone, it should be Rukawa who must be aware," the tall masked figure commented.

"Nani?!" Kiyota sputtered, "Why should we think about the well-being of a vampire?!"

Sensing that Hanagata wanted to knock Kiyota's head back for being so insolent, Fujima held up a hand against the tall shinma's chest as he told the younger one, "These trespassers are more trouble than Rukawa is at the moment. We must help whenever we can."

Kiyota sat down cross-legged on the ground and hurrumphed, "Next you'll be saying is that we, the second tier shinma, will be needing assistance from the Shi clan."



****

"Ah-choo!"

"Ah-choo!"

"Ugh," a spikey-haired young man sniffed, "Are we having a cold?"

"I don't know about you but I'm a vampire," sniffed Koshino, "I don't get colds."

"But you're also Shi, like me," Sendoh pointed out, "So you could get the same sickness as I do."

"Don't be silly," Koshino frowned.

"Hey, maybe you need another drink again."

Koshino sweatdropped when Sendoh bared his neck before he could even say no.
"I just drank, Akira."

"But maybe you need more..."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you only want me to stick my teeth in your neck again."

When Sendoh grinned lustfully, Koshino slapped his own forehead in exasperation, "You're so insatiable you won't even know if I'm draining you dry!"

"Wanna try?" the taller Shi wiggled his eyebrows teasingly.

The half-vampire, half Shi groaned and at once disappeared in a flurry of violet petals.

"Hiroaki! Wait for me!"

At that same moment, Rukawa and Sakuragi were resting after a fight with another trouble-making demon. The young vampire was huddled in the folds of the black cloak of the Western shinma as they leaned against a tree, Sakuragi's arm wound protectively over Rukawa's body.

"Are you hungry?" the redhead asked, his breath warm against the vampire's skin.

Rukawa turned his head and buried his face against the shinma's neck with a sigh, "Iie." But that didn't stop him from giving a lick on the warm smooth column before he gave a quick kiss onto the redhead's lips.

Rukawa sensed trouble approaching but knew that he has no way of finding out until it came to him. He dreaded of it being something that could tear away the happiness and security he was feeling in Sakuragi's arms.... something like a confrontation... or a war...

Next


Disclaimers: New Vampire Miyu belongs to Toshihiro Hirano & Narumi Kakinouchi. Translation by Sachiko Uchida & Kuni Kimura. Published by Ironcat.