Chapter 2 “City Heat”

Chapter 2 “City Heat”

Kyoko woke with a start knowing the sun was setting. It was like a biological alarm clock to her and had been since… as far back as she could remember. She pushed herself up knowing it was time to go to work. She just wished she were getting paid for it.

Hearing a siren in the distance drew her attention to the window just in time to catch the last rays of light leaving the city sky. She could hear the faint sound of thumping music from the nightclubs on the strip where she lived. She had picked an apartment right in the heart of the city for a reason.

She could feel the vibration through her bed… The Underground was the name of the club she lived above. Rent was cheap because there was no way someone could live here and expect to get any kind of sleep unless it was during the day. That’s where Kyoko believed in luck.

Where else could she have found a place that had the same hours she did? There were no rude people running up and down the halls… unless you counted Yohji, but he didn’t usually stir up anything unless it was early in the morning when she got home or in the evenings just before she went to work.

Speaking of rent… hers was late. She would have to come up with it soon if she didn’t want to deal with Yohji, the landlord’s brother, who lived right across the hall from her. The last time she had been late with the rent he’d actually offered to work it out in trade with her. He had seemed so disappointed when she’d handed him the rent in full less than an hour later.

She glanced at her cell phone seeing the message symbol blinking and smiled. Clicking the buttons that could connect her with something familiar, she listened to her mom’s voice, not even paying attention to what she was saying. She already knew anyway.

“Hello Kyoko it’s your mother,” Kyoko mimicked the words on the answering machine. “I really wish you would call, we miss you terribly. We’d like to know when you’re coming home again so I can make your favorite dinner. Tama had a great time the other weekend and is already starting to have withdrawals from not seeing you. Are you eating well enough or need any money? Please give me a call, I love you.”

Kyoko shook her head and let the voicemail continue playing the rest of the messages. One was from Yohji reminding her that the rent was due. “Yeah-yeah… sleaze.” She deleted his message. The other was from her younger brother Tama telling her about his latest girlfriend then warned her not to tell grandfather or he’d spread really embarrassing rumors about her and Tasuki. It was an empty threat and they both knew it.

“You’re gonna have to do better than that little bro,” Kyoko said into the phone.

She’d left home to keep them safe. There had been no way around it. Ever since she was little, she had been aware of demons in the world… but that didn’t mean she wanted her little brother to know the monsters from the movies where real and waiting out in the darkness. It was like she was the only one who could see them walking among the innocent… feeding off them.

Demons usually looked like normal people until they had their victim alone. The demons within the city were multiplying at a dangerously fast rate and she was having trouble keeping up and helping to even the odds for the humans. As a matter of fact… she felt like she was losing the war.

Those humans she was trying to protect had given the evil a name through books and movies… vampires. It was just a name though… vampire, demon, to her it was the same thing. She shrugged. With her it was almost like a two-way mirror because although she could detect the vampires… they also knew when she walked into a crowded room. She didn’t think they could detect her power… that wasn’t what seemed to draw them to her… it was more like a dinner bell with her as the main dish.

She’d even gone to the doctor once to see if she had a strange blood type… thinking that was drawing them to her. But the doc had only given her a clean bill of health. What gave her cold chills was that when she was leaving the office, the doctor had stopped her and asked her to donate blood. Twisted… it was just twisted.

For some reason, vampires were always drawn to her and she would have to fight them. Maybe the doctor just hadn’t been looking for the right thing. A sad expression slid across her face knowing that was why she had to remain alone. She’d put her family and friends in danger too many times to live near them. The last time one had followed her home. It was hard enough keeping her secret without having a demon in the front yard.

Her grandfather was the one who had brought her into this life, so it was him that she had asked the one question that plagued her. How did the vampire’s sense when she was near and why did they always seek her out in a place full of hundreds? She remembered he’d tapped his chin while deep in thought, but the way he was looking at her made her feel like he was keeping something from her.

“I’ll research it and let you know if I come up with a clue.” Was all her grandfather had said.

She’d stopped questioning why she had the power to hit them and actually hurt them… it wasn’t like they couldn’t hold their own sometimes though. She had limped home too many times to think she was indestructible. But she healed faster than anyone she knew and she could take a hard punch better than… okay, she didn’t know anyone who could withstand what she could… any human that is.

Now that she had a safe distance between her and everything she loved… Kyoko had a reason to be angry and a reason to fight. She blamed them for it… the demons that stalked her. They’d forced her to leave home and abandon everything that resembled a normal life. Now her family had moved into the home at the shrine. Granted, it placed them closer to Tasuki and that made her feel better.

“It’s not that bad,” She said aloud within the solitude of her apartment. Getting out of bed, she headed for the small kitchen and opened the refrigerator. “Okay… maybe it is that bad,” Kyoko smirked seeing it was still empty.

She would just have to go hunting for vampires tonight and if they had a wad of cash in their pocket when she killed them, then so be it… it wasn’t like they could take it to hell with them. Closing the door she turned to the one thing she knew she had plenty of. “Thank god for coffee.”

She lifted the cup to her lips knowing it was going to be a long night.

***** Hyakuhei lay in the bed listening to his brother’s voice once again before it faded. This had become a habit… although in his opinion, it was better than being face to face. They would listen to each other’s thoughts most nights for the few moments it took for the sun to set… then the link would vanish. As of late, the silent conversations had become more and more disturbing.

He glanced up at the canopy that covered his bed… seeing the gift from his brother. The Mirror of Souls had appeared in his room over a month ago… he’d seen it before. It was the only mirror that could cast the reflection of a vampire. It had once been his brother’s prized possession.

When he had silently called to Tadamichi, asking why he’d given it to him, his brother had responded, “I only wish to remind you of what you are.”

He now gazed up at his own reflection and knew there was another reason for the gift. It was a way to see his twin brother as he gazed at himself. Hyakuhei flung his arm over his eyes, refusing the sight.

He’d thought Tadamichi would be angry when he told him that he was killing the half-breed vampires within the city for the mere fact that they were in his way… or in the wrong place at the wrong time. The knowledge hadn’t even fazed Tadamichi. His brother only reminded him that the power to rule the human city and the demons within it was theirs for the taking.

Tadamichi had even confessed that it pleased him. In some twisted way… his twin brother was happy he’d provided entertainment for him… something to kill… again reminding him of what he was. Hyakuhei glared back up into the mirror thinking about the manipulation. He and his brother were nothing but monsters in every sense of the word and he didn’t need to be reminded of it.

One thing Hyakuhei noticed over the last couple months was that when his brother turned a vampire, then that vampire turned a vampire, and so on, all it created was weak, needy half-breed vampires who were greedy and sloppy. Where he was pureblood… he only fed maybe once a year and left no evidence behind. He could survive on nothing if he chose to do so or even partake of human food. A newly turned half-breed vampire would feed every night and usually slaughtered their meal before they were through.

A true vampire didn’t do that… a pureblood vampire could seduce humans into their thrall then feed off them just enough to quench their thirst before leaving and taking the memory of it with them. No one was the wiser. In other words, the further down the line the vampire was from Tadamichi… the closer they were to being an ugly liability like city trash.

He could feel the need to step out into the city and become a part of it. He didn’t need Tadamichi reminding him of who he was… he could already feel the need for the hunt. His hunger was growing not only for the need to feed… but also for the need to feel a part of something. He blamed this craving on his brother.

Hyakuhei slid his black silk shirt on as he stepped to the window, drawing the curtain back now that the sun was gone. He narrowed his eyes at the view. “Nice wall,” he said sarcastically. His scenery was the side of a brick building across a small alley and there was a reason for that. Although he could stand the daylight for a few moments at a time… the last thing he wanted was it streaming in through his bedroom window.

He almost turned and walked away but something caught his attention and he glanced down into the alley.

There… leaning against the far wall just out of the reach of the street lamps was a young man maybe in his early twenties. Hyakuhei glared at the well-dressed college look knowing it was deceiving. He could smell the blood of the underling’s last kill even through the closed window. The shadowed face turned just a little and Hyakuhei could see the glow of unnatural light emanating from its eyes.

If there was one thing Hyakuhei could say about himself, it was that he was very territorial. Even he and his twin stayed on different sides of the city for this reason. He would not allow these greedy half-demons to feed so close to his building. If this was what his brother desired… to watch him kill a killer… so be it.

Hyakuhei reached out and slid the window open without making a sound.

Before he could jump out the window, Hyakuhei heard footsteps coming from the far side of the alley and paused. He waited for the stupid human to walk into the deadly trap. Whoever it was… they deserved it for traveling the dark alley.

Demons where not the only dangers of the city night… human riffraff like muggers and rapists also hid within the darkness of most city alleys. Maybe he would even let the vampire have its last meal before he killed it… it was the least he could do. It wasn’t like he owed the human population anything. He owed no one.

He leaned against the windowsill with dark brooding eyes. The first thing Hyakuhei noticed was the long auburn hair as the human slipped from the shadows into the dim light below. Half of it was up in a bouncing ponytail, leaving the rest to cascade down her shoulders and back in silken waves.

She wore a short black mini skirt with trails of black lace coming down lower and covering some of her lower thighs. The shirt was matching with black satin cloth that came down just above her bellybutton but also had the same V shaped trails of black lace that moved as she walked.

He didn’t miss a thing as his gaze caressed the small flashes of exposed skin. Her aura was the size of a hundred humans and it spread out covering most of the alley. As her aura passed mundane things, dull colors would become vibrant making even the darkness seem breathtakingly alive.

He was so enthralled with watching the girl that he momentarily forgot she was walking into her own death trap.

Kyoko walked slowly as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She knew she looked delicate and defenseless… little more than a child really. She was fine with that because she was a good target. The city night was alive and thumping but if you turned the wrong corner, it could turn into dark shadows with deadly edges… for humans.

Her lips hinted at a deceiving smile as she turned and headed down one of those very long dark alleys. Hearing the slight echo of her own footsteps, she kept her gaze in front of her even though she noticed a shadow peel away from the wall about halfway down.

Lowering her lashes so she wouldn’t give herself away, Kyoko took in his clothing and had to suppress a smile. He looked like he came from the rich part of town. One thing she’d noticed about the vampires in the city was that most of them could have had modeling jobs before they were turned… sexy and deadly.

She jerked her head up knowing the demon was about to make its move. True to her act… she gave an almost silent scream… it wasn’t like she wanted to draw attention from the innocent people passing by on the sidewalk, it was only a ploy to act frightened and take off running.

Sprinting past him, she ran forward, and then steered off toward the darkest spot within the alley as if trying to hide from him. Just as she turned, he slammed into her, placing his palms on either side of her head as if she would try to escape.

The aggressive vampire pushed his body against hers as he stared down at her with cold blue eyes. “Would you like to join me for dinner?” His voice held a wicked sense of humor that she wasn’t supposed to catch.

Kyoko almost smirked hearing the double-edged request. “Sure… as long as it’s stake.” Her hands slipped around him and he smiled until he felt the pain slice into his back and out the front of him. He looked down at the tip of the glowing light that protruded from his chest and opened his mouth making no sound.

Seeing the girl pinned against the wall, Hyakuhei gripped the windowsill deciding he would be selfish and not allow the vampire that last meal. Pushing himself forward, his feet hit the ground just as the girl stepped out of the shadow alone.

Hyakuhei didn’t move when she seemed not to notice him. He backed into the shadows and watched as she pulled a pair of pants from the darkness. He cocked an eyebrow realizing it was the clothing of the vampire that had just attacked her.

“There’s got to be a better way to get rid of them,” Kyoko muttered. “Who ever heard of a vampire melting anyway? I’ll never get used to that. It should be more like in the movies… poof and they’re gone.” She continued while reaching into the front pocket of the pants and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. “Save those for later, never know when I’m going to need a favor. Why the hell is a vampire smoking anyway?”

She held the pants out in front of her and made a face at the goop on the front slowly dripping down. “Eww,” She said childishly before starting her search of the back pockets. “Let’s see here,” she whispered. “Comb, lighter… membership to the local gym… dental floss?” Kyoko stared at the dental hygiene product before tossing it behind her. “Now there’s a gross thought.”

Dropping the pants, she pulled his jacket out of the vampire’s remains and started searching there. “Okay, this is more promising,” She said a little louder. “Tiffany and Co., definitely worth pawning. HA, jackpot,” Kyoko exclaimed when she fished out the dead creature’s wallet.

Opening it, she took out the credit cards one by one looking at them. “Bank card, MasterCard, Visa… whoa, American Express card… Don’t leave home without it.” She dropped the credit cards on the ground and pulled out the cash. “SCORE!” Kyoko shouted when she saw how much was there. “Another month without having to have sex with Yohji for a place to live, life is good.” She finished as she pocketed the money and dropped the jacket in a garbage can.

Hyakuhei arched an eyebrow listening to the young woman. ‘She’s insane,’ he thought to himself. He let the briefest smile appear on his lips when she relieved the dead vampire of all its cash. As she walked back out onto the sidewalk, he stepped from the darkness and slowly walked toward the spot where the other vampire had been left.

Seeing all that was left of it was a black dusty puddle, he reached in his pocket for a match and lit it, tossing it on the remains. The alley illuminated for about five seconds before burning out… leaving nothing behind.

He was having trouble accepting that a mere human woman had done this to a vampire. She was dressed indecently, apparently had a few screws loose in the head and was a master pickpocket considering all of the worthless jewelry she’d left behind. Proof of that being the Rolex knock off that had been burned with the rest of the dead half-breed.

He inhaled still smelling the lingering scent of the girl. How odd for one dressed so provocative to still be a virgin. He glared back at the burnt spot on the ground no longer caring how she had killed it… if she hadn’t… he would have.

As he stepped to the sidewalk, his gaze slowly turned in the direction she’d taken. For the first time in a long time, Hyakuhei felt a stirring within his blood. Tonight he would hunt and before dawn… he would taste her.

***** Kyoko groaned seeing the mob still milling in the doorway of the Underground. It was the weekend and the place seemed to be a hot spot. She slipped around the line and headed toward the bouncer, giving him a mere nod before ducking under the arm that held the door open for her. All the bouncers knew her on sight because she lived above the club.

Once inside, she headed straight for the door that read, ‘Do Not Enter’. Punching in the code on the door lock, she reached out and opened it, letting it close behind her. She breathed a sigh as soon as the noise became a dull roar. Feeling the wad of cash clutched tightly in her hand, she headed up the stairs. Demons were not the only dangerous thing in the city and she was not walking around all night with her rent money in her bra.

Stopping by the small lock boxes at the end of the hall, she punched in another code and opened it to check her mail. Normally it was empty but Kyoko smiled seeing the lone envelope resting inside and pulled it out, recognizing her grandfather’s handwriting on the address label.

Closing the mailbox locker, she headed up another flight of stairs. The secret to staying in shape… living on the third floor with no elevator. She stopped before hitting the top floor and counted out the money seeing she would only have twenty dollars left after giving Yohji her rent money.

Yohji… she cringed. Kyoko knew he wanted her to ask him for more time to pay the rent but she’d be double dipped if that ever came to pass. Yohji was scum as far as she was concerned, but she had to be nice to him since he was the one who collected her rent every month. It was also up to him to fix things and he had the say so in who rented and who got kicked out.

She walked to her door and barely got her key in the lock before the door across the hallway opened. Kyoko inwardly groaned before turning around and giving Yohji a strained smile. What was he… psychic?

“How’s it going Hot Stuff?” Yohji asked as he leaned against his doorframe as if acting all cool.

“It’s going,” Kyoko answered, suddenly wishing she were wearing a huge trench coat that hid everything he was so leeringly looking at. “Oh, I got your rent money by the way.” She handed the money she’d carefully counted out toward him knowing better than to get close to his doorway. The last time she had gotten to close, he had invited her in.

Yohji’s shoulders visibly slumped as his eyes trailed down her again, “That’s good, come on in and I’ll get you a receipt.” He’d hoped she would come up short this month and beg him to let it slide. The corner of his lip lifted in a smirk.

Kyoko shook her head as she counted to ten. “I can wait out here for it.” She folded her arms in front of her as if she were bored out of her mind waiting on him.

Yohji shrugged knowing that little game… they’d played it before. He would go get the receipt and she would be gone before he made it back out. “I’ll give it to you later.”

“That’s fine,” Kyoko turned the key in her lock and opened the door to her apartment trying for a quick getaway.

“Has anyone told you how hot you look in that skirt?” Yohji asked suddenly right behind her.

Kyoko glanced over her shoulder at him and arched an eyebrow. “Are you flirting with me Yohji?” She’d always wondered what he would look like flat on his back… with a bloody nose.

“Does it matter?” He asked, running a hand through his spiked hair and grinning, thinking he was finally going to get lucky.

“Actually it does,” Kyoko stated. “I don’t think my boyfriend would like it very much.”

Yohji smirked at her knowing she spent her time inside the apartment alone, “Now we both know you don’t have a boyfriend, Kyoko. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were trying to avoid the inevitable.” He pressed his large hand against Kyoko’s open door so she couldn’t close it. “What’s wrong? Afraid I won’t be man enough for you, or are you saving it for that imaginary special someone?”

Kyoko glared at him, her emerald eyes turning stormy. If he was tired of being nice… then so was she. “I’m sorry Yohji, but I’m more into guys that don’t dip into a different flavor of sauce every night.”

Kyoko gasped when Yohji suddenly grabbed the hand she had on the doorknob and pulled the door closed then pressed against her backside, pushing her body into the unforgiving wood.

“You can’t tell me that you’re not the least bit curious Kyoko,” Yohji whispered in her ear while grinding his arousal against her bottom. “I won’t tell your imaginary boyfriend if you won’t.”

“He’s not imaginary. In fact, I’m meeting him downstairs in a little while,” Kyoko ground out knowing if she lost her temper with the dumb ass… she would definitely get kicked out and he would leave in an ambulance.

“Oh really? Tell me what he looks like,” Yohji demanded as he felt himself strain inside his jeans. He liked the ones that put up a little fight.

Kyoko took a deep breath. “He’s got long black silky hair, pale skin, very dark eyes and a body to die for.” She described and mentally smirked. ‘Take that you ass!’ “And he’s very possessive.”

Yohji made a sound that was supposed to be a growl. Kyoko almost busted out laughing… if Yohji only knew what the real thing sounded like. She finally decided she’d had enough and was about to turn on him when a door further down the hall opened.

Amni stepped out in a pair of tight jeans and black T-shirt that accentuated his athletic body. His sky blue eyes narrowed and the muscles in his jaw jumped as he took in the so-called landlord virtually mauling Kyoko. He watched as Yohji quickly pulled away from Kyoko and the auburn haired woman turned around with a glare.

“Let me know when you want the rent,” she said sweetly. “On second thought… maybe I’ll start mailing it to your brother Hitomi so I won’t bother you anymore… okay?”

Before Yohji could stop her, Kyoko slipped into her apartment and bolted all the locks behind her. Tossing her jacket onto a nearby chair, Kyoko ripped open the letter from her grandpa and started reading it. She slid down onto the sofa and rolled her eyes at its content.

“Oh, this is rich,” Kyoko growled softly. “Not only am I an eighteen year old virgin… but that’s the reason vampires can sense me?” She huffed in disgust just before her eyes widened at the last line in the letter. “You want me to WHAT?” Kyoko screeched.

Her grandfather had just ordered her to find a boyfriend or he would tell Tasuki where to find her.

“Grandpa…” She seethed as she crumpled the letter in her fist. “YOU PERVERTED JERK, YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME THIS A LONG TIME AGO!”

Amni had stared Yohji down until the creep went back into his apartment. “I’ll get even with you for touching her later,” he informed the closed door then turned to knock on Kyoko’s. His hand halted in midair wondering who she was yelling at.

There was a soft knock on her door and Kyoko stormed across the room. She quickly undid all the locks and nearly tore the apartment door off its hinges before glaring at the poor soul on the other side.

“WHAT?” She demanded.

Amni backed up a step and raised his hands in front of him. “Calm down Kyoko, I was just making sure you were all right.” Although he would admit anger looked very sexy on her, especially when her breast rose and fell like that.

Kyoko sighed and leaned her temple against the door jam. Amni was the bartender downstairs at the club. They’d struck up a type of friendship not long after she moved in. Amni was very cute with blonde hair that hung in layers around his face and down his back… the longest layers barely touching his upper thighs. His skin was clear of any blemishes and had a silky appearance that Kyoko was sure any girl could get used to.

He would have been her first choice for what Grandpa Hogo had suggested… too bad he was a vampire. That was an odd, if not disastrous relationship waiting to happen if it ever came to pass… which it wouldn’t. Amni had never made any moves to kill her or bed her for which she was grateful. It was all for the best anyway, because she wouldn’t be caught dead with a vampire as a boyfriend, not in a million years.

Amni stood patiently outside her door and studied her tired expression. He’d first met Kyoko in this very hallway the same night she moved in. It still made him a little high when he realized the full implications of that very meeting.

She’d just come out of her room and was locking it when he stepped out of his. They both froze and stared at each other. Her right fist was balled up and he saw the glowing spirit dart clenched tightly within it. After staring at him for a few moments, she turned to face him but stayed next to her door, leaning on it.

Amni carefully walked down the hall toward the stairs and breathed a sigh of relief when he finally made it down to the club. Later that evening, or early that morning if you will, he’d come upstairs ready to shower off the smells of the bar from his body. Again he saw Kyoko standing outside her door and remembered wondering if she’d stood there all night.

As he walked by her toward his own door, she finally spoke to him.

“I know what you are,” Kyoko said softly.

Amni stopped but kept his back to her hoping she would see it as a sign of trust. “I have a pretty good idea what you are as well.”

“Then I purpose a truce,” Kyoko stated.

Amni finally looked back at her curiously. “Why didn’t you kill me last night?”

Kyoko crossed her arms over her chest having thought about it off and on all night. The truth was… she simply didn’t want to. “You don’t kill humans to feed,” She had been more than grateful to find all the empty Red Cross blood pints in his trash.

“My sustenance is delivered once a week,” Amni explained secretly wondering how she already knew.

From that point on, Amni had become Kyoko’s friend, brother, protector… maybe more. He wasn’t really sure what word he would use to describe their relationship. All he knew was that they sort of looked out for each other.

“I’m all right,” Kyoko answered, drawing his attention back to the present. “Just a bit stressed out.”

Amni grinned, “Yeah, Yohji can do that to you. Would you believe that he actually came onto me the other night? Talk about bent.” It was a lie but the look on her face was worth it. The truth was, he had caught Yohji in the bar coming on to a girl that had already told him ‘No’ way too many times… but he would leave out that little detail.

Kyoko’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline and a disbelieving grin spread across her face. “Oh my god, you’ve got to be kidding me?”

Amni shook his head, “Nope, I wouldn’t kid about something like that.”

“What did you do?” She asked, wishing she had been a fly on the wall.

“I knocked his drunken ass out and deposited him in his apartment.” His smile widened, “I would have loved to have seen his face when he woke up though.”

Kyoko’s eyebrows raised a notch, “What did I miss?”

“Instead of putting him in his bed… I put him under it.” His blue eyes sparkled mischievously.

Kyoko laughed and shook her head, “You are priceless Amni.”

Amni smirked, “Now don’t go telling everyone that… they might think I’m a nice guy.” His face softened knowing he had made her happy. “I guess I had better head on downstairs before the place gets too wild without me.”

“You are a nice guy,” Kyoko informed him. “I’ll see you downstairs in a little while.”