Daiki gagged as he was trying to catch his breath. He was still trailed by the black wings. He had tried ripping them with his silver katana but they were fast and damn, they can fly and he couldn’t. He had resolved never to use his gun against anything but the vampires themselves but then he had no choice. And he was sure that he was already short of silver bullets.

He groaned as he slid behind a small crack in the wall and rummaged at the contents of his backpack.

“Sheesh!” he grumbled and scowled as he found out that he had no more bullet pack in his bag. He scowled again and let his bag dangle at his back as he pulled his katana. He sighed heavily and prayed that Kei would be alright wherever his feet brought him.

They were walking from the jimusho to report about Yuya’s sudden absences when they were attacked and they had to separate.

He cursed their fate. It was unlikely that they get attacked and hunted down since it was supposed to be what they should have been doing… the tracking and the hunting.

He kept his silence as a group of black wings passed the crack he was in. When he was sure that the birds were away, he sneaked out of his hiding place and crept silently on fours since he had to crawl out.

He was to stand up when pairs of black boots stopped in front of him. He held onto his katana and looked up.

He was greeted by several angry red eyes and bared pangs. One of the vampires stooped down and he felt electricity ran on his veins from the small of his back. He collapsed on the sudden electric shock before totally passing out.

~~~~~

Kei was grasping for breath when he met with the others beside the dark park.

“You didn’t find him?” Kota asked. He was also tired from running around looking for Daiki.

Kei shook his head and leaning on his knees. Hikaru, together with Keito and Yuto joined them. Ryosuke, and Ryutaro came running from the far east of the park. They were grasping for breath. Ryosuke held out his palm and showed them one unused silver bullet.

“Daiki’s.” Ryosuke said. He was tired and sweaty yet there was plain fear in his eyes. He was heaving yet he was looking around seemingly restless.

“Yama-chan, relax!” Yuto commanded as he caressed Ryosuke’s back.

“What could have happened to him? He won’t survive the black wings. He is human, for pete’s sake!” he kept on rattling. The others were trying to calm him down but Ryosuke won’t. He just wanted to break something and kill every single black wings again and again until they spit out his best friend.

Out of a sudden, a phone rang. It was Ryutaro’s. Their youngest snapped his mobile open. “Neh?” he didn’t bother for any honorific and proper behavior which was very un-Ryuu. “Nani?!” he exclaimed. “Izuku?” he asked. “Hai! Wakatta! We’re going there now!”

He ended the call and found the guys looking at him. “They got Daiki and asked Jhenie to come to him.” He started. “The vampires know that it is a trap but Jhenie will still meet the other clan.”

Kota gritted his teeth. He looked at Ryosuke, Keito and Yuto. “You stay here.” He commanded.

“No way!” Ryosuke answered.

Kota sighed. He knew Ryosuke, he was very hard-headed. He wouldn’t be able to command out of what the other one decided. “Where can we find him?” He asked Ryutaro. “We need to plan our moves.”

~~~~~

The others were getting restless beside Kota. Keito kept on brushing the edge of his long knives. Kota found it hard to believe that Keito, Yuto and Ryosuke were able to learn sword, and knife fighting in a small amount of time. But then, they are dancers so it was probably in their system, being physically fit and being quick.

They found an empty hut in the middle of the field near a deserted mansion. There were dim light coming from the mansion. Earlier, they saw Jhenie passed the hut. It was as if she was held by the air as she was literally floating.

They already got in touched with the other vampires. The latter would be joining them since they didn’t want Jhenie to know that they followed her.

There was a small pop and Aya emerged beside them. They looked at her in shock.

“Metaphysics.” She shrugged.

“Where are the others?” Ryutaro asked.

“If the others means Oburi, she is coming.”

They saw a blur in the grasses followed by a gushed of wind, then Sandie and Yuki were beside them.

Another several fast wind and Ryutaro found himself enveloped in Oburi’s arms. Shizuka and Haruka were also there.

“Where is Hana?” Keito asked Shizuka.

Shizuka’s eyebrow went up “With Satomi.”

“Oh.” Keito pouted and then nodded which the others found odd.

“Shizuka, you’re pangs dropped.” Haruka murmured.

Shizuka gulped as the others stared at her in shock. “Gomene!” she bowed and forced her pangs to go up.

“What do you think is happening there?” Kota asked.

“I’ll check.” Yuki volunteered.

“I’ll go with you!” Ryosuke said.

“No way!” all of them said in the same time.

“Eh.” Ryosuke found himself being pulled down by Sandie and Yuto while Yuki easily navigated in the grasses.

Aya slumped down on the earthly floor. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She poured her thoughts on Yuki who was already inside the castle without being noticed.

~~~~~

Jhenie stared at the limp body of Daiki hanging in a chain suspended from the ceiling. His shirt was torn but he didn’t seem harmed except being held in his wrists and dangling in the air.

He was breathing hardly in half opened eyes but snapped as he saw Jhenie appear.

“Ah, as expected of our Jhenie-sama.” It was a voice that Jhenie could never forget. It was once baritone but now it was already too deep and husky.

Jhenie faced the newcomer. He was tall and still handsome despite the wrinkles in his face and skin. “Drinking blood didn’t do you any good.” She commented.

The man laughed harshly. “Still good with those witty remarks, I see.” There was amusement in the usually black eyes which turned uncomfortably gray.

“I’m just honest.”

The man smirked. “I am sure you are.” He studied her. “You on the other hand are getting prettier, mistress.” He told her.

Jhenie didn’t show any emotion.

“I see having a lover really did you something good.”

“What do you want from Daiki?” Jhenie asked. Anger was evident in her usually calm voice.

“Ah, so, my source is right. It is his name.” The man smirked and went beside Daiki. He pulled a whip from a wall.

Jhenie’s eyes grew in fear as she realized what the man wanted to do. “Leave Daiki alone!” she exclaimed at him. “He didn’t do anything.” She said.

The man didn’t seem to care as he studied Daiki’s face. “What a handsome young man.” He commented. “Did you enjoy him as much as you enjoyed me?” he asked. He held Daiki’s chin. “Uhmmm,  very smooth skin.”

Jhenie launched towards the man but the man just flipped his hand and Jhenie felt herself being thrown by an invisible force.

“Jhenie!” Daiki exclaimed as he watched her bumped with a bone breaking sound on a wall.

Daiki felt a whip came in contact his thighs and he shouted in pain and shock.

“How dare you call our mistress in her first name?” the man growled at him.

Daiki stared back at the man in full hatred.

“Jin, let go of Daiki, onegai!” Jhenie pleaded catching her breath and trying to stand up.

“Ah, you care too much for this kid. It really pisses me off. I’m already burning in jealousy.” The man Jin commented.

“Please Jin, it is me that you want. Just let him go!”

“Of course, it is you that I want but I have other plans for this young man.” Jin said smirking at Daiki.  “My ladies would want to devour him. He could bear them a child and it would be good for the clan, especially now that my influence had already spread all over the world.”

“Please, no…” Jhenie pleaded.

“Ah, one’s possessiveness, so sweet.” Jin commented.

Jhenie sobbed. In her head, she tried to move Daiki’s chain but it won’t let go. It was magically attached to the ceiling. She gritted her teeth as she wanted to help her lifeline.

“It was so sad that we meet each other this way again.” Jin who sat down before her commented. He was staring intently at her eyes, though she couldn’t see any emotion there. They were uncomfortably cold.

She gasped as she felt his cold hand in her chin. She tried to avoid his hand by moving her face away from his touch.

“Let her go!” Daiki shouted at him as he struggled against the chains in his wrists.

Jin flicked his hand and the whip automatically ripped through Daiki’s thighs. Daiki gave a shrilling shriek which he never thought he was capable of.

“Daiki!” Jhenie cried and tried to run towards him but a hand went into her waist.

Jin’s hands s on her body. He nuzzled her nape. “Hmmm…. I miss your smell. So rosy…” he commented as he let one of his hands caressed her face.

Jhenie glared at him. “Let me go!” she commanded angrily.

“No way, honey. Not when I really missed you…”

Jhenie pulled on her strength and shoved Jin away. His body met the cold floor. She willed the floor to explode beside him. Jin had anticipated this and shielded his body with thick black stones. He then squeezed them and threw it to her which Jhenie wasn’t able to dodge thus she found herself being held in the dark wall.

Daiki gasped as Jhenie was enveloped with dark chains coming from the walls. It was squeezing her limp body. “No!” he shouted.

He stared as blood slowly gushed out from her skin. She looked at him in despair before she passed out. Daiki closed his eyes and shouted angrily. “No!!!”

There were rumbling everywhere. A part of the roof collapsed. There were shouts everywhere and Jin cursed. All the while Daiki kept his eyes closed.

When he opened his eyes he was already in the floor. Only a part of the chain was left in his wrists. He directed his gaze towards Jin who was trying to crawl away from him. Daiki found himself reaching out as he willed the floor underneath Jin to open up. But before Jin fall into the opening, a black wing soared low and grasped him. The black wing flew with the shocked Jin in his claw.

Daiki stared at the girl on the wall. He tried to reach out his hands. The black chains let go of Jhenie’s body. He spread his arms as if waiting for her. Air surrounded Jhenie’s body. It carried her sleeping body towards Daiki’s waiting arms. Daiki hugged her tightly before closing his eyes and collapsing on the dusty floor.