AUTHORS' NOTE:  We have not revised this chapter into the same format as the other chapters, because it was easier to leave it like this, with the original name of the main female character, "Kanna".  But we will gladly change the format to match the other chapters if our readers do not like it.  So please comment with your opinion.  Thanks~~~

Soohyun arrived at Kanna's apartment, gazing at the aftermath of intrusion, amazed at the destruction.  He whispered her name.  Her scent still lingered.
As he examined the room, he closed his eyes, trying to sense any aura that was left behind.  He knew that Kanna and Kuro had been there, but then there was another presence.  Suddenly, his eyes snapped open.  "That bastard.."



Kanna came to in a dimly-lit room, the smell of burning incense filling the space.  Her mind was hazy as she tried to gather her thoughts.  The drug was obviously wearing off, but the side-effects made her feel dizzy.  She raised her head and looked around the room, disoriented.

It was furnished quite extravagantly, with velvet walls, tasseled drapes and pillows, and stained-glass lamps.  She then turned her attention to the bed she was lying in.  The sheets were satin, and there were many pillows.  It was extremely comfortable, but the atmosphere of the room was a little disconcerting.

As she looked around, she spotted the door.  Her first instinct was to go for it, but as she began to crawl off the bed, the door suddenly swung open.  In walked Tsubaki with a wicked smirk.  He closed the door behind him and Kanna heard the click of the latch, followed by the click of a lock.  She looked up at the vampire warily as he approached the bed with a crooked smile on his lips.

Tsubaki looked at Kanna as he sat on the bed.  "Are you enjoying your new room?" he inquired nonchalantly.  "You know, this was my room as a young boy," he chuckled slightly.

Kanna moved away from Tsubaki, crawling backward toward the headboard.  "Where am I?  And where's Kuro?" she asked, keeping her eyes on him cautiously.

"You're in my domain, my house," he said as he stood up.  "Welcome."  Bowing slightly, he walked over to the door and unlocked it.  "I'll be back, I'm going to go see Kuro now."  He gave Kanna a devious smile as he left, the lock clicking behind him.

Kanna helplessly watched him leave, knowing that it would not be smart to try to follow him.  'I wonder if Kuro is okay...' she thought, feeling more anxious by the minute.



Kuro gradually awoke, not quite over the concussion he had sustained from the tussle with Tsubaki.  'Where am I?' he thought to himself as he looked around, immediately realizing that he was chained to a wall.  "Hello?" he shouted out, hoping someone would reply, but there was no answer.  He pulled against the chains, trying to break them.  After a few minutes of struggling, he fell to his knees, having exhausted his last bit of energy.  'Damnit..' he breathed heavily.

Kuro glanced up as the barred door opened and Tsubaki walked in casually.  Kneeling down, he smiled softly and grabbed onto Kuro's jaw, holding it steady.  "Where is Kanna?" he shouted, desperately trying to escape his grasp.

"She's safe," Tsubaki murmured, looking him up and down.  "Your blood must taste good."

Kuro's eyes widened at the comment.  'My blood...?'  He remembered that Tsubaki is a pureblood, and can drink the blood of other vampires.  '...' he began to struggle again.

Tsubaki sniffed Kuro's neck and bared his fangs.  Without warning, he sank them into his flesh, withdrawing blood.  Kuro screamed out in pain as the life was from his body.  Gasping for air, he clawed at Tsubaki.

After a few more seconds, Tsubaki finally ceased, leaving Kuro on the floor, gasping and pale.  "Heh, you're cute when you're in pain..." he smirked as he wiped the blood from his mouth.



Kanna got off of the bed, staggering slightly as she regained her sense of balance.  Making her way over to the door, she tried the handle, knowing that it was probably locked, and she was right.  After yanking on it futilely several times, she sighed and turned around, walking back across the room, noticing that there were no windows.  And the smell of incense was starting to make her a little dizzy.



'Please be alive..' Soohyun begged while dashing over rooftops, knowing exactly where Kanna and Kuro were.  As he approached the outskirts of the city, on the opposite side of where his family lived, he looked into the distance and saw a large mansion.  "I will kill him," he muttered aloud.

He slowed as he neared the dwelling, stepping into the shadows cast by the large pine trees, and made his way across the lawn, trying to devise a plan.  'Kanna, I'm coming.'



Kuro gasped for air and glared up at Tsubaki, his head still slightly bowed.  "....Son of a ..." he spat, yanking on his chains.  Tsubaki only laughed, remaining just out of reach of Kuro's straining arms and bared fangs.

Suddenly, a figure appeared behind Tsubaki, who was oblivious, still laughing.  Kuro glanced up in relief.  The figure's arm reached out and grabbed Tsubaki's shoulder, ing him against the concrete wall, leaving a dent.

"Kuro!"  Soohyun ran to his side.  "What the hell did he do to you?"  He grabbed the chains restricting Kuro and pulled them apart.

"That guy, he..."  Kuro's breathing was uneven.  "He took my blood."  There were still wounds on his neck, and blood was still dripping slightly from them.

"Where's Kanna?" Soohyun said while supporting Kuro's weight.



Feeling weak and tired, Kanna crawled back onto the bed, lying face-down on the silken covers.  They felt like a cloud beneath her, and she began to feel more relaxed as she lay there.  But, even though her body was relaxed, her mind was telling her that she was in trouble.  This wasn't a normal feeling, especially in a situation like this.



"We need to find her, " Soohyun said, helping Kuro out of the room where he'd been trapped.  'Kanna, if you can hear me...please let me know where you are...' he thought, hoping she could hear.  As they made their way through the house undetected, Kuro suddenly stopped.



Kanna realized that the incense must be what was effecting her so much.  Suddenly, she heard a voice, seemingly coming from somewhere far away, yet close at the same time.  It was hazy and vague, but she could tell that it was familiar.  She struggled to make out what it was saying.



"I can't go anymore, he weakened me too much..." Kuro said, sitting down slowly.  "Just leave me here.."

"Kuro you have to come,  I need your help!" Soohyun shouted.

"I can't move, I don't have the energy," Kuro stated quietly, slumping forward.  

"Then drink my blood!" Soohyun said desperately, baring his neck to Kuro.

Kuro looked tentatively at Soohyun, trying to decide whether or not to drink from him.  Even though he was weak, he was still hesitant.

"Oh, for goodness' sake.." Soohyun muttered, pulling up his sleeve and exposing his wrist.  He sank his own teeth into his wrist, then offered the fresh wound to his friend.

Kuro smelled Soohyun's blood, noticing that it smelled different from human blood.  "Soohyun.." he said softly, trying to deny the offering.  "I can't..."

Soohyun nodded slowly, as the blood dripped from his wrist to the ground.  "You're letting it go to waste," he said, offering it again.

Kuro lowered his head in respect, grasping Soohyun's wrist, and began to drink his blood.

As he slowly withdrew from Soohyun, his eyes closed halfway.  It hadn't been more than a minute before he released his grip on Soohyun's wrist and slowly lifted his head.  Soohyun watched him cautiously as the wound on his wrist began to heal.

Kuro the blood from his lips and wiped the drips from his chin, then his fingers clean; it was blasphemy to waste a pureblood's blood.  He looked up at Soohyun, a new life in his eyes.

Soohyun stood up and offered his hand to his ally.  "Let's go, we need to find Kanna. "  He helped Kuro up and they hurried off, knowing that the scent of blood would likely attract other vampires.



Kanna heard the voice again, 'Kanna, where are you?' and realized that it belonged to Soohyun. 'Soohyun...you're here..?' she thought, then looked around the room, her eyes the only things able to roam freely.  'Help.. I can't move..'



Soohyun looked up as he heard Kanna's voice.  "Don't worry, I'm coming!" he said aloud, and Kuro looked at him, confused.  'Keep talking, you're close,' he thought, hoping she would reply.  He charged through the corridors with Kuro in tow, their footsteps echoing down the passageways.  "Kanna!" he shouted as he threw open the door of each room that they passed.  Strangely, they had yet to see any Ravnos.



Kanna heard him again and tried to keep him in her mind.  Then, she heard hurried footsteps from beyond the locked door, and she clutched at the blanket in desperation, willing him to find her.

Just then, the brass handle moved and Kanna's eyes focused on it.  Suddenly, something slammed into the other side of the door.  "Kanna!"  She heard Soohyun's yell, followed by another slam upon the door.  In no time, the hinges started to come loose and the latch broke.  The door was aside and Soohyun burst into the room, followed closely by Kuro.

They immediately saw Kanna and rushed to the bed.  "Kanna!"  Soohyun bent over her, placing his hand on her back.  "Are you alright?!"

She groaned, looking over to the jar of incense across the room.  Soohyun followed her gaze and furrowed his brow.  "You've been drugged..." he muttered.  He turned to Kuro as he began stripping off his shirt.  "Kuro, take care of that," he instructed, nodding toward the jar.  As Kuro did as he was told, Soohyun bent back over Kanna and covered and nose with the cotton shirt, then turned her onto her back and lifted her into his arms.

Kuro snuffed out the smoldering jar and suddenly heard footsteps approaching from a distant corridor.  He turned to Soohyun who was holding a nearly unconscious Kanna.  "We need to go."

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We're sorry for taking so, SO long to update.  We've been on terrible writers' block on this story for months, so we've been working on other stories. >~<  We hope you like the update, and please let us know which format you prefer.