"Here, Zenki," Yume said, flattening the newspaper on the table and pointing to one article. "It's a list of the where each 'gruesome vampire attack' took place, in the order that they occurred. … And stop picking at those scabs on your neck. It's gross."

Zenki came away from the window of Yume's hotel apartment and peered at the paper, idly picking on, much to his comrade's displeasure. The first thing he noticed was the name of the article's reporter—Misao Aikawa. "A woman wrote that."

"…… WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?? That was a terribly politically incorrect thing to say, Zenki, and I'll have you know that I'm very sensitive to remarks like that!"

Zenki did not blink for at least ten seconds. "You're scaring me, Goki. You're not gonna say things like that when you're a man again, are you?"

"………… *cough* Anyway, the attacks have all been concentrated in this area. And I really mean right around her college. I would have expected her to spread the attacks out, to lessen her chances of being caught—but it looks like we're in luck there."

"You seriously thought Chiaki would use something as complex as 'strategy' or 'logic' when she turned into a blood-thirsty hell-bitch and went on a life-sucking rampage? She didn't even do that when she was lucid."

Yume grimaced. "You haven't had anything helpful to say since we got here. I'm just as stressed about this as you are, and I'm getting a little sick of your attitude. You have to realize that I've got feelings, too, Zenki, and you can't just trample them and expect me to… to…" Her sentence trailed off into sniffles.

"Oh, fer cryin'—Take it easy, Goki." Yume looked up at Zenki with water welling in her eyes. He had to say something to her… "I guess... I should… um… Things have been a bit, er… Well, what I'm trying to say is…" Zenki struggled to share his feelings.

"Yes…?" Yume encouraged.

"—STUPID FUCKING WOMAN THING, STOP YOUR PATHETIC WHIMPERING!! FINDING CHIAKI IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR SILLY-ASSED 'FEMININE NEEDS'!"

Yume broke out in tears.

It didn't taste right.
Chiaki discarded another unconscious body, two fine piercings in its neck streaming with blood.
None of them tasted right.
Except Zenki… His flavor had been rich and satisfying, and her thirst for that flavor was not being quenched by any of the number of humans she had sampled.
The sun was beginning to rise. It didn't hurt her if she had fed well, but it didn't exactly feel like a relaxing dip in the steaming ofuro.
God, she needed a bath… Zenki and that girl with him—was Yume her name?—they couldn't still be at her dormitory. It ought to be safe to sneak back there just for an hour…

"This just in!" the reporter on the radio announced. The radio had accidentally turned on when the playful bodies of Shigeki and Kirira bumped into it. "College student Junya Kumagai, the fifth victim of the vicious vampire woman, regained consciousness this morning at 8:23AM. In an interview with Misao Aikawa of The Tokyo Times, Kumagai claimed to recognize the woman as his classmate, Chiaki Enno, age twenty. Police are now investig—"

The radio suddenly stopped.

Shigeki stopped as well.

Kirira continued to hold him. "Saph? What's wrong? Why did you stop?"

She noticed he wasn't moving at all. No blinking, no breathing, no nothing. She poked him—he was like a statue.

In his best high-pitched, girly-girl voice, Toshi mimicked her from behind. "Oooooh, c'mooon, Saphy-waphy! If you can't get it up and satisfy me, I'm gonna have to go back to Verbyn! He's got a super-duper demon rod! Sniffle! Sniff!"

Inugami struggled to maintain his composure. But he couldn't help it… he choked on a laugh and had a small coughing fit. That was when Kirira noticed his presence.

"…YOU!!" she blurted in surprise.

Inugami's eyes went wide when he finally recognized Kirira. But he said nothing in response to her.

"This won't do. I'll deal with you at another Time—when Time isn't Tokyaya-zoshi's play thing—" With that thought, Kirira swiftly fazed out of view.

"… What was that all about?" Toshi asked, turning to his little brother.

Inugami paused to gather his thoughts. "I've seen that demon in the company of questionable characters—" he admitted, "—Vampyres, to be specific. But I reserve my judgement for now. I have not seen her commit any heinous acts herself… yet."

"Oooooh, and you got caught spying, huh! That's how she knows you, huh! Am I right? I'm right, aren't I!!" Toshi was cackling.

"I feel it only fair to warn you… I am not adverse to the thought of punching your face a second time, dear brother."

"Stick and stones may break my bones, but you punch like a girl." Toshi emphasized the last word with a snap of his fingers. Inugami had no opportunity to retort as Time resumed.

Shigeki shook his head and blinked his eyes. "Kirira…?"

"Kiri-wha?" Toshi asked, getting Shigeki's attention.

"Toshi! You're here! Where's Kirira? What did you do to her?? Tell me how you know her!"

"Uh… What?"

"You called while she was here, and you said something about her, and something about Chiaki, and— God, my mind is in such a daze…"

"I called, sure enough," Toshi explained, "but you didn't pick up. You must have been asleep."

"… I… I was dreaming?" It was so real………

Inugami broke the uncomfortable silence that ensued. "Excuse me."

"… Who are you?" Shigeki asked the blond stranger.

"Your fly is undone," the stranger replied.

!!!!! Shigeki quickly tended to that formality.

"This is my little brother, Rou," Toshi introduced. "He's staying in Tokyo for a while. He's from the backwoods, and he's a real hick about some stuff. So humor him when he doesn't know things which anyone with half a brain normally would."

Mental note to self… thought Inugami. Do not let Tokyaya make my introductions for me in the future.

"What's so important that you had to come all the way here when I wouldn't answer the phone?" Overcome by his recent hallucinations of his past love, Shigeki felt frustrated and confused, and this was reflecting in his speech.

"Something's happened to Chiaki… We need your help…"

The radio continued in the background. "Police have discovered Chiaki Enno at her on-campus apartment and are in the process of her arrest. More on this story as it develops…"

"Chiaki Enno! We have a warrant for your arrest! Please come out with your hands up!"

Police surrounded the dormitory building of Chiaki's college.

"Zenki, come out of the bushes," Yume demanded, losing her patience. 'That Time of the Month' was really taking its toll on her. Thank goodness it wouldn't last for more than one or two more days.

"Can't."

"Why not?"

"Police."

"Huh?"

"I'm wanted for reckless driving. Now, be quiet—you'll draw attention to me."

"Yes, keep it down." A nearby shrub trembled with the movement of someone behind it.

"Inugami? Is that you?" Yume was certain that's whose voice she heard.

"Yes, shh! Zenki got me in trouble, too."

"You're all useless…" Yume muttered with a hint of disbelief. "I guess this is going to be a job for a woman."

Toshi instantly stumbled out from behind a bush and nearly ran into Yume in his excitement. "I'LL GO WITH YOU!!"

"AAAAHHH!" Yume immediately slapped her attacker.

"Ow!"

"—Oops! Sorry, Toshi, I didn't recognize you… Does it hurt bad?" she cooed, stroking his abused cheek.

Toshi cringed painfully. "Nah—nothing but a love-tap, babe…"

Inugami watched his older brother get love-love eyes for Goki. He was amused beyond words… Should I tell him that's a male…? Hmm… I suppose he'll figure it out for himself… eventually!

"Shigeki!" Toshi called. "Shigi! Come on, we're gonna look for a way in! … Shigi? Where are you?"

"Shigeki is here?" Yume asked.

"Yeah, he was a second ago…"

Shigeki perched on the branch of a high tree outside Chiaki's dormitory.

Police surrounded the building on all sides, but they hadn't gone in yet. They were still blaring their silly warnings and instructions through a megaphone.

He cast his eyes upward. There was an entrance into the building… on the roof.

The stupid dog wouldn't stop growling at her. Chiaki was tempted to lunge at it and rip out its throat. The thought of dog-blood in her system made her cringe, though—she knew what kinds of things those animals sniffed, licked, and ate. Kokutei, in particular, had eaten several objects which she knew she didn't want coagulating in her veins.

What the hell was Inugami's devil mutt doing in her room, anyway??

Chocolate, meanwhile, was having trouble deciding whom to hiss at.

It figured that within a half hour of returning to her apartment, her name would be all over the news for all the wrong reasons, and the police would set up camp outside. She never even got to step into the ofuro…

She couldn't hide in there forever. The police would eventually kick in her door and drag her away. Or would they be able? She was strong now, she knew that. Maybe strong enough to take them all on? Little piggies to the slaughter? Here, piggy, piggy…Oh, god, no—what's happening to me?!

"It's normal for now," Uta's voice answered her. "All the death—in the beginning, you think and say odd things."

"Uta!" Chiaki leapt to her feet and ran to Uta, throwing her arms around him. "Oh, god, Uta… Uta! Thank god you're here… Oh, thank god…"

"Perhaps God is not the one to thank at this moment…"

"Uta, you're here… I've been so lonely…" Chiaki's voice softened to a whisper as her exposed fangs made their way to his neck.

Uta tilted himself away from her and gave her an 'I-don't-think-so' look. "I would give anything to gain your forgiveness, Chiaki. Including my blood. But not right now. I need to get you out of here first, and for that I'm going to need my blood exactly where it is."

"Just a little drink?"

"No."

"I know that this is all your fault—have you realized that?"

"Guilt trips won't work. The answer is still 'no.'"

"You suck…"

"Only when I'm hungry."

"… I'm hungry…"

"I said 'no'! Besides, I taste like gasoline."

"Ew, really?"

"Yes, and so do you. So does every other Vampyre."

"'Vampyre'? Is that what we are…?"

"… You mean you hadn't figured it out?"

Chiaki frowned and let Uta go. "Don't make fun. How are we going to get out of here?"

"Stop rustling so much, Demon," Inugami griped.

"That's not me, Inugami."

"No?" Inugami listened closer. The bushes on his other side were the ones shaking. Inugami immediately sank into his own shrub, grabbing Zenki's arm and pulling him down, too.

A pretty girl, 'disguising' herself in sunglasses, popped out like a pearl-diver breaking through the surface of water for air. She was perhaps twenty-three years old, with boyishly short, light brown hair and a dangerously mini skirt. She wielded a pencil in one hand, a small pad of paper in the other, and a reporter's pass was hanging from a string around her neck.

The red spikes of hair sticking up past the top of the bush where Zenki hid were hard for her to miss. They looked suspicious… They looked like a story.

Peering over, she caught sight of the blond one next to the red one… "Oh, wow! It's you!"

Inugami looked up. Zenki persisted in pretending that he couldn't be seen.

"You! Hey! Did you find your dog?" The girl pulled off the glasses and blinked her silver eyes free of the light-shock. "I'm so sorry I had to ditch you at that one pound! There's a big story going on right now, and it's sort of my job to follow it," she explained with a smile.

"'Misao'… was it?"

"You remember! I'm so flattered! What was your name?"

"You may call me Rou. And Kokutei was restored to my person, unharmed, with thanks entirely to your selfless efforts and unparalleled kindness."

"Whoa… you're good, you know that?" Misao paused to marvel before changing the subject. "So, Rou, what are you doing here?"

"An acquaintance of mine is… involved… in this situation."

"An acquaintance? You mean a friend?"

"I mean an acquaintance."

"Am I an acquaintance?"

"Yes."

"Would you hide in the bushes outside my home if it were surrounded by police?"

"It's entirely likely. If I knew your address."

"Would you like my phone number with that?"

"Excuse me?"

"Who is your acquaintance in the current situation?"

"The one inside."

"Chiaki Enno?!"

"That is her name."

"… Do you wanna go out for some coffee or dog biscuits or something after all this?"

"I'm going to show you how to do something, Chiaki… that hurts a lot the first time. It'll be like losing your virginity—more of a shock than anything else—but it needs to happen sooner or later."

Chiaki blushed at the mention of virginity. "But I haven't…"

Uta put his hand over her lips gently. "I know, Chiaki," he spoke softly. "And I don't want this to frighten you—losing your virginity will be a far more pleasant experience overall, someday… but it won't get you out of this building."

"Say, I can get you and your friend front row seats," Misao offered, grinning. She dangled her reporter's pass in her fingertips.

"I believe it will be best for now if my 'friend' and I remain hidden from the public eye."

"Oooh," Misao hummed. Inugami was becoming more and more fascinating to her. "You boys suit yourselves—I'm departing for the front of this war zone! We're on for Saturday, right? Don't you lose my number, Rou!"

"I would sooner lose my faith in humanity and perish at the bottom of pitch-black waves."

"…………… Do you have a girlfriend!??!"

"Excuse me?"

"Don't give it a second thought! See you later!" Misao hopped out of the bushes and gave her mini skirt a work-out as she ran over to the police lines, flailing her pass at anyone who tried to stop her. Toshi and Yume began a small ruckus by one police car, demanding to know why the girl was let through and they weren't.

Zenki picked his head up and stared at Inugami.

Inugami didn't like being stared at. "What is it, Demon?"

Zenki began batting his eyelashes and holding his hands to his heart. His voice rose a full scale. "You may call me Rou." Bat, bat eyelashes. "Thank you for kindly restoring my lost puppy to me. Woo, you're so pretty~"

But Inugami wasn't paying attention to Zenki anymore. His attention was focused on something… moving high in a tree…

The Demon Lord followed Inugami's gaze and squinted his eyes to make it out.

In a flourish of feathers, the creature in the tree flew to the roof of the dormitory.

THE ANGEL!! Zenki realized. What is he doing now?! Shit, he better not disappear with her again—not the way she is! The one she needs is me!

Uta lowered his hand and took several steps back from Chiaki. He removed his shirt. After a slow, deep breath, Uta hunched his back and grit his teeth. Chiaki's eyes widened, watching two lumps on his back rise and fall, trying to push through his skin.

Uta didn't make a sound when two enormous, bat-like wings exploded out of his back.

So Chiaki heard clearly when the door to her room banged open.

Shigeki stood in the doorway. His feathery wings were safely away, and he stared at Uta…

"Back so soon?" Deva asked wryly. She was still in pain and still weak. Her only consolation was the knowledge that Uta was in similar anguish—and that ought to keep him as immobile as she was at the moment.

She despised sending demons to do her work.

She hated even more when they came back to her, whining about failure. Oh, big whoop, someone interrupted and I couldn't finish the job. Boo-hoo.

Kirira gave a half-hearted bow. "It couldn't be helped, Lady Deva."

It couldn't be helped! Oh, boo-hoo…