Ever stop to think that this day couldn't get any worse than it already had? Only to find out that you had quite possibly jinxed yourself. That was exactly what the young girl had been thinking as she hurried down the street trying to make it home before the city guards found her roaming the streets after curfew. The reason she was out so late?

Simple, she had returned home earlier to find the younger kids, who had banded together to survive, was in tears. One of the older ones, around eleven years old, had stormed out of the house just before dinner. She made it her mission to find him. A mission she had regrettably failed. There was no sign of the boy as she wandered the streets. Frustration had built up first followed by the sinking, cold feeling of pure dread. Curfew was coming up soon. It was signaled by the dimming of the artificial lights in the underground vampire city. She had decided to return home and resume her search the next day.

Her feet was heavy as she dragged them along the ground. She was the eldest of all the orphaned children being 15. She had found the house first and lived alone for only a few days before she started to gather up younger kids that couldn't find proper shelter. There was a total for eight of them ranging from her to about six years old. She had taken it upon herself to find a 'job'. It consisted of assisting the vampires in keeping the helpless children in line when getting their blood drawn. On occasion, she'd stand next to a vampire and scan the upcoming kids. It made her sick to her stomach, but the results of her labor always paid off. The kids under her care ate better than others. Not by much, but they did get two or three different things rather than the same meal night after night.

She did her best to make sure that the kids were comfortable. She made sure they were clean and slept as much as they could. Comforted them when they cried for their parents. It always formed a knot in her throat as she did. She missed her parents and older sister just as much as they did, but she had to be strong for them. She couldn't let them see her cry. She'd put a smile on and continue. It was getting harder and harder to do that.

Movement out of the corner of her eye freezes her blood. Her whole body tenses thinking the worst. Was it a guard? A hungry guard? She wants to swallow, but she finds she's unable to. She slowly turns her head and almost lets out a scream of fright. Despite no one seeing the scene, her cheeks light up. She had literally jumped at her own reflection in a dark window of some house. Her reddish brown eyes stare back at her making tears well up. Her father had the same color only a little closer to the color of rust. Hers was browner with a hint of red if it was caught at the right angle. A lump forms in her throat as a few tears make their way down her face. She reaches out and touches the glass. It's freezing beneath her warm finger tips.

She looks just like her mother, at least that's what she tells herself. Her memory was becoming fuzzy as time went on. Her hair was the same soft black color that shined just a hint of blue in direct light. It was pulled back into a bun, though it normally hung to just below her shoulders. Her skin was pale due to the lack of true sunlight. She didn't have a lot of weight to her either due to being food. She wasn't grossly skinny since that wouldn't fit their needs, but she didn't have any actual weight. Her clothes were still a beautiful pristine white. The clothes of livestock. Her ID tag hanging from the black collar around her neck catches her eye distracting her and bringing her back to reality.

With a startling realization, she realizes that it's darker than it was previously. She had to get home soon. She tears her eyes from the window and rushes down the street. She takes the last turn a little too fast and feels her foot slide along the road. She throws her arms straight out trying to get her balance, but it's futile. She uses her hands to brace herself against the ground feeling it dig into her palm. Her eyes shut as she suppresses a soft hiss of pain. She slowly pulls her hands up off the ground as she sits on her knees. Small dots of red signal where the skin has torn on the rough edges of the ground.

It all happens so quickly. She doesn't have time to really focus. She stands up slowly staring at the wound to make sure that she doesn't have any dirt or grime inside of it. She's satisfied that it doesn't and takes a step forward when she feels it.

The predatory feeling of a hungry vampire staring at her back. For a moment, she freezes before she does the best thing she can think of at the time. Her body lunges forward to escape whomever is hoping to prey on her blood. Her house is right there! She could only hope that the vampire won't follow her into it and endanger the kids.

An arm wraps around her shoulders. Another wraps around her upper stomach pinning her arms to her side. She can hear panting behind her. The arms draw her in close as her heart starts to race. The panting breath brushes right beneath her ear as the nose of the vampire brushes the shell of her ear. Pain prickles through her shoulder and side as the vampire clings to her digging fingers into her skin. She hears the vampire take a deep breath likely inhaling the scent of her blood just below the fragile skin.

Her body kicks into gear again. She drops her weight hoping to throw the vampire off for even a few seconds. Her attempt is futile. Even as her feet leave the ground, the vampire doesn't even budge. She's just held so painfully tight now that she can only focus on the pain. She closes her eyes and waits for the pain of a bite.

"Oh? What is this? Finally giving in?" A teasing voice says. It has a teasing lilt to it and is obviously male. Her eyes snap open at the voice, though she just focuses on the door to her home. Her safe haven. She can't see the new male vampire but from the sound of the voice he is somewhere behind them. "Now, now. Don't stop on my account. No one else is around. You won't get caught. You need it if even that small scent of blood kicked your cravings into high gear."

The vampire behind her freezes. She can still feel his breath, but she can't bring herself to even tear her eyes off the door to her house. Her knees are still up near her stomach forcing the vampire to effortlessly hold her off the ground. Her heart was still racing. Now there were two vampires. She didn't have any hope of getting out alive. She fights the tears as she feels the vampire behind her tense up.

"Oh? What's this? Has she given up?" the male vampire sounded so much closer now. A face appears in front of her eyes forcing her to focus on it. His hair is pulled back and a beautiful purple color. His red eyes and smile both hold a cruel quality to it as he leans in inspecting her face. She can tell by his outfit that he's a guard. His hands are on his hips as his nose is inches from her own. She leans her head back out of instinct brushing her head against the side of the vampire behind her. It makes her heart feel as if it is now pounding in her throat. The red eyes before her flick from her face to the one next hers. The new angle brings about blonde hair but that's all she can really see. She's still too afraid to look at the vampire.

"Awww, she looks like a kitten!" The purple haired vampire before her coos. He reaches out and brushes her cheek. She jerks her head away looking in a different direction. Unintentionally exposing her throat to them both. "Look! She's even willing. You can't let that go!"

Abruptly, she is dropped onto her behind. Pain shoots up her spine as she squeezes her eyes shut. A noise of irritation causes her to open one eye. The purple hair vampire is giving the other one a look of disapproval. "You can't hold it off forever, Mika."

Her curiosity gets the better of her. She slowly turns her head to look back and up at the vampire who had held her not too long again. He's obviously trying not to look at her as he gives a chilly stare to his companion. The chilly look matches his beautiful blue eyes. This shocks her slightly since she's never seen a vampire with any other eye color other than red. The angle is awkward, but she can still tell that the vampire behind her is handsome. All vampires seem beautiful in some way, but he seems to take the cake.

It doesn't change her fear of him. It doesn't change the fact that he was about to bite her. She slowly scoots herself away from the vampires. The purple haired one glances down at her with a fanged grin. He takes a step toward her. Bile rises up in her throat as she forces herself away a little faster. Her back presses against the cold side of a building, and her heart plummets to her stomach. There is no way she can fight off two. Even if the blonde vampire didn't seem interested in her anymore.

"Lacus, it's against the law to drink directly." The cold voice matches the cold eyes of the blonde. It sends a shiver down her spine. Lacus pauses and glances back at his companion with an irritated frown. He sighs exaggeratedly and crosses his arms. His eyes drift closed as he impatiently waits for Mika's next move. Without a word or even a glance at her, Mika turns on his heel and begins to walk away.

Lacus opens an eye looking after his companion. She takes this chance to scramble to her feet and bolt to her house disappearing inside. Lacus glances after her and growls softly following after Mika. He needed to finish his duty anyway. There was no point in following the girl. Besides, he was more interested in teasing Mika. He quickly follows the other vampire with a call of his name. It's no surprise when Mika doesn't even respond.

She was looking out the window at the two retreating figures. Her muscles still refused to relax even though she was sure she was safe for now. She sucks a breath in and holds it tightening her hands into fists as they disappear into an alleyway. She was still terrified they'd come back for her. A hand on her upper back makes her jump. She spins around and meets cool teal colored eyes.

He raises an eyebrow as he pulls his hand away from her holding both up. He peeks out the window. He sees nothing out there. He refocuses on her. It's impossible to see much of him since his hair is a chocolate brown, though it looks black in the shadows he's standing in. He's still a few inches shorter than her, but he is two years younger. He's the second oldest of the group.

"Izumo came back a while ago before curfew," the boy whispers and crosses his arms over his chest. A frown can been seen if you look close enough at his face. "Where did you go? It's way past curfew. Was you meeting someone? Are you giving blood to the leeches?"

The last statement has a hint of venom to it. She can't stop the appalled look on her face as she says, "As if I would! I lost track of time looking for Izumo."

She flinches at his glare since she had spoken louder than she had meant to. They both freeze glancing toward the 'lumps' that are the sleeping members of their group. Both let out a soft sigh and relax when they don't stir much.

"Look, Sora, I know that you were worried about me, but I promise you that I was just looking for him." She reaches out and puts a hand on his shoulder giving him her best reassuring smile that she can muster.

He eyes her suspiciously. Finally, he closes his eyes and nods slowly. "I just worry. We are over the age. I don't want either of us coming down with the virus. Or just disappearing."

She can feel the tension in his body. A frown replaces the smile. This was all too much to worry about for young children. They shouldn't have to worry about this at all, but it was reality now. They may be safe from monsters outside the city walls, but there were more dangerous monsters inside the walls.

Her eyes slowly move to the window looking outside. They were trapped. They had nowhere to run. They could only rely on each other. Her eyes drift closed before she turns her focus back to Sora.

"Let's get some sleep, huh? Who knows what tomorrow will bring."

He grumbles softly, "The same thing that every day brings. Life beneath the leeches. It's never going to change till we die."

She laughs and reaches out to ruffle his hair causing it to stick up even more than it usually does. He grunts at her and swats her hand and snaps, "Don't touch me, Atsuko."

"I love you too, Sora. Goodnight," she says playfully and passes him. She can hear him cursing her under his breath as he follows her to sleeping area. She stretches out on the edge of the group, between the younger ones and the door. Sora does the same for the part of the group she doesn't quite cover.

She realizes that she never found out why Izumo had stormed out. Her eyes feel heavy as she dismisses it. She'll talk to him tomorrow before she heads out to do her duty for the vampires. Just as she closes her eyes and relaxes her body the memory of the blue eyed vampire. Her mind slips into sleep before she gives him very much thought.

Hopefully, she will never encounter him again.

Thank you for reading! (: It's obvious I don't own the characters you recognize. (:

Have a great day!