They found Kota slumped on the basement of the old mansion. He was lying unconscious on the floor. And true enough, the prisoner was nowhere to be found.

 

“Gomenasai!” Yuki sniffed. Tears were forming in her eyes.

 

Yuri shook his head.

 

Keito found himself staring at the chains that had been tying the prisoner before she was taken away. First, Shizuka, then, Ryosuke and then his best friend, Yuto.

 

He held his silver sword tightly in his hands and with tears in his eyes, he slashed the chains bending his anger at the stationary object.

 

Kei held the oldest of seven. “Stop that, Keito!” he exclaimed.

 

But Keito just staggered away.

 

Yuya and Daiki, who just came saw what was happening and held Keito’s hand and pinned him on the floor.

 

“It will not help if you trash around like that, Keito!” Yuya exclaimed at the crying boy.

 

“Calm down…” Daiki soothed him.

 

When Keito already calmed down, he buried his face on Daiki’s shoulder. Daiki blinked as tears also poured down from his face.

 

Yuya stared at the broken ceiling. He had been trying to suppress his tears but couldn’t.

 

 They grouped together in the living room.

 

“We are not safe here anymore.” Jhenie declared.

 

“Where are we going, then?” Aya asked.

 

Then, there was a flicker outside the window. Both the hunters and the vampires grabbed their weapons.

 

They heard a knock on the door. Jhenie silently asked them to hide. When she was sure that they were hidden safely, she opened the door.

 

An old man was outside the door. He was smiling at her. He was holding an old lamp in his hand, which seemed weird since it is already the 21^st century.

 

“Yes?” Jhenie asked.

 

“I am Rosendo de Yretti. Eldest of the Primeras.”

 

Jhenie stared at the old man in confusion.

 

“I am here to offer you a home under the mountains.” The old man stated.

 

“You are helping us?” she asked.

 

“Yes, I am.”

 

“Demo…”

 

The old man smiled at the vampire. “Will you let your guest take a seat first?”

 

As if mesmerized, Jhenie allowed the old man to come in.

 

Both the vampires and hunters stared at the old man who found an old chair which he fluffed and sat.

 

“Ah… there. Being an old man makes me easily tired these days. Besides, I haven’t travelled as far as I had for a very long time.”

 

Hana brought water for the old man who looked at the vampire happily.

 

“Thank you, dear Hana.” He said

 

Hana was taken aback hearing her name from the old man’s lips.

 

“H-how?” she stammered.

 

“I knew that you need help, so I came to offer.” The old man started. The primeras will house you in our territory. The terrains are well built and hidden, making sure that no enemy will be able to penetrate.”

 

“I’ve never heard of the existence of a primera before.” Jhenie commented.

 

“Oh, we have been existing for several hundred years already and leaving with regular people.”

 

“Primera?” Yuya asked.

 

“They are genetically created by the vampires. They were humans induced with experimented vampire blood. They were trying to make human’s life longer.” Satomi answered.

 

“Ah, yes. And I am one of the first ever made.” Elder Rosendo said.

 

“How come, we didn’t know that?” Kota asked.

 

“Oh, but your friend Hikaru does.”

 

“Hikaru?” Kei asked.

 

“Oh, yes. Hikaru had known our existence even before he come to this city. He was born under the clan that guards that primeras existence.”

 

The Jump members looked at each other.

 

The elder stood up. “So then, go and pack your things.” The elder said. “We will travel before the sun breaks.”

 

“But our friends…” Keito murmured.

 

“No need to worry, young one. They were still alive. The vampires have a huge use for them. They will keep them alive, though I don’t guarantee unharmed.”

 

 

THE BAND CAME TO A ROCKY TERRAIN.

 

“What a wonderful gift, the sunlight is.” Elder Rosendo commented.

 

The others keep quiet. They had been walking for hours after they abandoned their truck in the middle of the road.

 

Most of them didn’t have a happy feeling about this since they couldn’t see nothing but mountains.

 

They stopped under the foot of a mountain.

 

Hana held Aya’s arm and mouthed, “trap?”

 

Aya clutched at her waist scabbard. She didn’t say anything, though.

 

The elder tapped at the stone wall. To their amazement, the wall opened for them. The elder stepped before them.

 

They were reluctant to go ahead but they have no choice. They walked inside the wall and was greeted by a hidden city. There were several buildings, farm lands near the foot of the mountain.

 

They were amazed as they were looking of a somewhat early yet sophisticated civilization hidden behind the mountainous terrain.

 

“Woah, this is a real Petra[1] in Japan!” Kei exclaimed.

 

“Petra, what is that?” Daiki asked.

 

“It is some kind of a city of stones.” Yuri answered. “It is included in the seven wonders of the world.”

 

“Oh, the new ones?” Daiki asked. Yuri nodded.

 

“Bring the girl in the room in the villa.” The elder commanded some of the men. They carried Haruka away. Kei and Hana followed while the elder led them towards one of the biggest houses in the middle of the village.

 

He tapped at the door. The oak door opened and revealed an elderly lady who looked at them in shock.

 

Kota knew that they were quite a sight. The vampires were hooded from head to foot. Though, they were able to come out in the light, so much sunlight is not good for the vampires’ skin.

 

He had caught a glimpse of Satomi scratching on her skin earlier, probably reacting on the sun’s rays.

 

“Elder Rosendo, who are they?” the woman asked the elder.

 

“Oh, some of our Hikaru’s friends.” The elder answered and ushered them in.

 

The lady gasped. “Don’t tell me…”

 

“Oh, yes they are vampires, my dear. Where is Shou, by the way? I need to talk to him about the vampires.” He said in a cool voice.

 

The lady took another look at them. The vampires already pulled off their hoods.

 

“Where is Hikaru, then?”

 

“Oh, he has gone to a trip.”

 

“And your charge?”

 

“She is with him.”

 

“Where?” the lady asked curiously. There was concern in her eyes.

 

“Don’t worry. He is but safe.”

 

The lady looked at the man as if he could have brought peril inside her house.

 

Then, the door opened. A burly man came inside and looked at his living room in disdain.

 

“What does this mean, Rosendo?” he addressed the elder.

 

“Ah, so you come, Shou.” The elder commented. “I am fairly tired from travelling, would you care to offer me and our guests some of your cold soup, Minako.”  

 

The man who just arrived looked at elder Rosendo.

 

“Ah, let us sit on your library Shou and talked about our next move.”

 

“What next move?” Shou asked as he was ushered by the elder to another huge oak door adorning the living room.

 

The vampire and the hunters looked at each other. No one spoke but they had this uncertainty towards what was happening.

 

There was disdain in the eyes of the lady and the man but they seemed to do whatever the elder was telling them. Though, the band didn’t know if they could trust the elder. He was a primera after all. Jhenie was sure that he was one of the first rebels. Why would he help them, then.

 

The soup arrived after awhile.

 

It was not a cold one, as requested.

 

Daiki and Yuri stared at the soup. It smelt delicious and mouth watering yet they don’t have a nerve to take some.

 

The elderly lady bowed to them and walked back to kitchen leaving them staring at the soup.

 

“I don’t like this feeling.” Yuya commented after a while. He had been looking out of the window. He saw some eyes looked at the large house. Curious gazes came their way. Some even dared whisper in front of the house.

 

Kota went beside him. “Me either.”

 

“I would just draw the curtains if I were you.” Jhenie commented.

 

Aya sat next beside Yuri and took some soup from the container. “Come on, let us eat.” She said and handed a bowl full of soup to Yuri who seemed to be resisting the temptation of such a meal.

 

He looked back at Aya in curiosity.

 

“Don’t worry, it’s just plain soup.” She confirmed.

 

“How’d you know?” he asked.

 

“I’m a metaphysicist remember?” she asked.

 

Yuri smiled at her.

 

“Ehem.” Keito coughed and took a share of soup from the tray before sitting between the two.

 

Yuya gasped when he looked outside. “Ryuu-kun!” he exclaimed.

 

He opened the door to the flustered Ryutaro and Oburi. Jhenie stood up to aid the two.

 

“What happened?” Jhenie asked.

 

“It’s hard to track you down.” Oburi commented and pulled off her hood.

 

“We found your sister clan in Nagoya.” Ryutaro informed them. “They are also lying low but they had suffered quite an attack. They are also low on supplies.”

 

“How were you able to come inside the village?” Kota asked.

 

“A primera let us in.” Oburi told them. “Why are there primeras here? I thought they are already extinct?”

 

“There are things that we thought had ceased living. We don’t know what will appear alive next time.” Jhenie commented.

 

They heard a crash. They looked around to see Yuri staring at the shattered bowl and half eaten soup on the floor.

 

“What happened?” the elder lady rushed in upon hearing the crash.

 

“Gomene!” Yuri exclaimed. “It slipped and then…” he tried to bend down and pick the shattered pieces.

 

“Never mind.” The lady said and bent down. When she picked up a piece, she suddenly pricked her finger.

 

The smell of fresh human blood lingered in the air.

 

Aya gulped. It had been a while since she tasted human blood.

 

Keito saw her reaction. Within the vampires present, only she, Yuki and Sandhie didn’t have a lifeline present to feed them.

 

The lady looked up as she felt the tension in the air.

 

Yuri picked up the rest and helped the lady to stand up. “I’ll do the rest.” He said and aid the lady towards the kitchen.

 

“How can you stay with those vampires?” she asked as she wash off the blood in her finger.

 

Yuri smiled. “They don’t hurt humans, if that’s what makes you afraid of them. You don’t have to worry that they might attack the people.”

 

“I hope you are telling the truth.” She commented but she secretly stashed a silver blade inside her tunic, in case.

 

 

 

Keito took an empty bowl and cut his wrist.

 

“What are you doing?” Aya asked.

 

“I’m feeding you.” Keito said and let his blood fall on the bowl. He had poured halfway to the bowl when he felt himself dizzy.

 

Yuki ran to his aid and wrapped a buckskin leather on the top of the cut to stop the blood from coming out. Yuya then wrapped a clean cloth on the cut.

 

“He poured too much.” He informed the others as he helped Keito on a sit.

 

Ryutaro pulled out a package from his bag. Keito eyed the package and immediately recognized it. “There is no way I would swallow that thing.” He declared.

 

“You need this.” Ryutaro disagreed.

 

“No way!” Keito exclaimed.

 

“I will just put it with the soup. You will not be able to taste it.” Ryutaro said.

 

“No! No! No!” Keito shouted.

 

The elderly lady and Yuri went out as they heard the screams.

 

She stared at the bowl full of the fresh, red liquid. She grasped her chest as if she was having a seizure. “What are you doing in my living room?”

 

Kota stepped forward. “I’m sorry about this but our friend is really thirsty. She needs to feed so our friend there is helping her.” Kota said and pointed at Keito who was still dizzy.

 

“You are giving them your own blood?” the lady asked in shock.

 

Kota just shrugged.

 

“I-I…” the lady felt light-headed. “Do what ever you want but please be careful not to let the neighbors hear what you are doing.”

 

“Thank you very much.” Jhenie said and bowed to her.

 

The lady went towards the spiraling stairs that adjourned the living room and the bedrooms upstairs.

 

They gave Keito’s blood to Aya who sipped at it. It was delicious. She had been trying to suppress her hunger for they needed to cut on the supplies. It had been several months since she drank a pint.

 

“Gomenasai!” Sandhie told her.

 

Aya looked up with an inquisitive look.

 

“Because of us, you have to starve yourself.” Sandhie said. She had seen how Aya wouldn’t touch their supplies before. She knew that her friend wanted a share but thought better of it and instead gave it to them and to Haruka who was mostly in need.

 

Aya shook her head and put down the empty bowl.

 

“I see that everybody is well fed.” The elder who saw everything commented. He didn’t seem distracted though. He was even smiling at them. “But I guess, we have to do something to our precious Keito. Hikaru-kun would be angry when he learned that we didn’t tend to his friend’s need.

 

“Come, lot. I will lead you to your new home. We can only offer you shelter and food but aside from that, nothing more. We don’t have any intention to go between the two clans.” The elder told.

 

“That is enough. You’ve done so much for us already.” Jhenie said and bowed.

 

“You really have the heart and sweetness of your mother.” The elder one commented.

 

“You know my mother?” Jhenie asked.

 

“Yes, of course. Dear sweet Olivia was one of the most finesse vampires I have ever met in my entire life. Her love of life brought her end though. How sad is it to lose a lady like her.”

 

Jhenie stared at the older man.

 

She had known about the primeras from her mother’s tale. Her mother didn’t approve of what the early vampires call the evolution of men. When her mother learned about how the vampires studied living and dead humans, wanting to turn them into vampires, she plead against it.

 

She then met a budding dreamer who was one of the supposed to be victim of the experiment. Of course, her mother didn’t know this. She loved the man, and the man loved her. Jhenie was the fruit of that love.

 

When the vampires learned about this, they seized her mother. Olivia sent Jhenie to go away with her father. Her father didn’t agree to this but then for their daughter’s sake he accepted his dreams.

 

He dreamt of Olivia being chased to her death.  He couldn’t do anything for her. He couldn’t leave Jhenie who was half-human, half-vampire.

 

Her father knew that she needs him at the time. He cursed those who killed her mother.

 

The clan then separated. Because of the death of their dear Olivia, their family, friends and kin withdraw from the other clan.

 

They separated ways. The primeras were forgotten. That was their first encounter with the dreamer.

 

 

“Come on! Follow me.” The elder said.

 

Jhenie woke up from her trance. Daiki was beside her. He pulled her hood on her head and put his arm around her.

 

“Don’t think too much.” He told her before placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

 

Jhenie smiled at the way Daiki treats her. He didn’t seem to be intimidated though he knew about their . He treated her as an equal.

 

 

Kota became aware of the stares that they were getting. He stayed close to Satomi who was clutching her bag in her arms.

 

“Don’t be nervous. You will be fine.” He told her.

 

Satomi looked up to him. He sure was tall. She had always been intimidated with his height but that day, she was thankful for it. She felt small beside him. She wanted him to get the attention that she had been getting.

 

Kota is a fine man. He is lean and handsome, with a very cute smile. Satomi had always been aware of this. She always knew how Kota could capture a girl’s heart with his smile. Usually, she would get jealous towards the girls who drool openly when they see him. But that day, she wanted him to smile and capture all those hearts so they wouldn’t look at her.

 

 

“Here you are.” The elder declared.

 

The group stared at a huge house. It was very near the fields. The woods was just behind the back gate.

 

“You will let us stay there?” Yuya asked in shock.

 

“Yes, of course. That was the old church that became a council room once. But, when they build a council room, that was abandoned. Though, you will still see huge catholic images and crosses. You don’t mind, do you?”

 

“Iie. We don’t mind at all.” Jhenie answered and bowed to the old man.

 

The old man opened the huge gate. He had a key with him that opened the front door.

 

He led them inside. There were old yet strong chandeliers hanging down from the ceiling. A round table was set in a small dining room. There was no living room, though.

 

There were several rooms on the second level. Each room has its own fireplace that goes out to only one chimney.

 

Each room also has an altar. The rooms seemed to be used by former priest who stayed in the church.

 

“Is it really ok if we use this for a while?” Oburi asked.

 

“Oh, you may stay as long as you want.” The old man told them. “Every now and then, some primeras will come to aid you regarding your needs.”

 

“We don’t want to bother you anymore than this.” Jhenie said.

 

“Oh, don’t worry about anything. This is the least we can do for you.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

They bowed to the old man.

 

“Oh, by the way, Keito… boy, come follow me. We will tend to your wound and feed you something better than powdered folic.”

 

Keito followed the old man.

 

 

“Is this alright?” Satomi asked Jhenie.

 

“We just have to be thankful for the refuge for now.”