Author's Note: Well, here it is. The long awaited Akiha chapter! This is definitely my favorite chapter. It's also the longest; I had quite a bit of plot to trudge through for it, so it took a while. Hopefully it's worth the wait. I decided to add in an h-scene. Those of you that don't like it, I've isolated it into its own scene via the horizontal lines that signal another scene. It won't affect the story in any way, so please feel free to skip it if it's not relevant to your interests. Anyway, enjoy folks.

Also note: The Kagetsu Tohya continuation of Akiha's True ending is being omitted here. Although, if you want to take it into account, it won't affect how you read this chapter.

Continuing Dreams:

Internal Politics

I think I hear a low pattering. It causes me to wince in my slumber and grind my face into the soft, smooth material of my pillow. I pull the sheets and covers higher to my chin and breathe deeply, wishing that I could sleep a bit longer. Even though I'm half dazed, part of me knows it's already time to wake up. I'd give anything for another hour of sleep….

While my eyes remain closed, my ears are very aware. I hear a low padding approaching me from behind. Other than that, only the dead stillness of this bedroom hangs in the atmosphere. Even my own heartbeat seems overly loud in this stillness. Silence. The sort of silence that seems deafening.

"Master Shiki? It's morning." A calm, quiet voice from behind me. She must know I'm awake. Or at least partly awake. Part of me wants to stay asleep and see what she would do if I just didn't respond. Actually, I've considered doing that on many occasions, but I can never bring myself to do it. To someone else, perhaps, but not her. She gets flustered too easily. I decide to be polite and roll over towards the source of the disturbance. I open my eyes slowly, letting them adjust at their own leisure.

"Ah…good morning Master Shiki."

"…yeah…'morning Hisui." I say groggily, regarding her with a dazed look. I rub my eyes with the back of my hand. She stands beside the king sized bed in this enormous master bedroom. I raise myself up onto one forearm, and open my eyes fully. This only lasts a second before the weight of my eyelids pushes them back down to half mast for the time being. They order me to take it easy. Yeah fine…I got it, I'm waking up slowly this morning…

My eyes have adjusted better, and I get a sudden head rush as my eyes focus. Glowing red 'lines' appear all over Hisui's face and body. Blackened lines stand out on the surface of my bed, the walls, the carpeting, everything. These 'lines' seem to crawl into everything I can see like tendrils. They expand out and I feel slightly nauseous. It's the same thing every morning. I snap my eyes shut and reach toward my nightstand for my glasses. I reach tentatively but my fingers find only the cold wooden surface.

"Here…" I hear her say quietly. She must have them ready for me, as she occasionally does. I hold my hand still and I feel one arm of my glasses get placed against my thumb. I quickly move them to my face and position them properly. I open my eyes, and through the blessing of my lenses, the 'lines' vanish. My light-headedness subsides, and my stomach adjusts. I sigh.

"Thank you."

I throw back the sheets and sit on the edge of the bed, my feet meeting the carpeting. It's a calm morning. It's a bit cold in the room, having left the warm cocoon of my bed. Outside the window, through the curtains, I can see only gray. It is a dark and overcast day. The weather has been oppressive lately. I look over the scene of the bedroom, the walls to my left being obscured by the sheer curtains that overhang this overly-luxurious bed. The small sitting area in the center of the gigantic room stands unused, as always, and Akiha's vanity is organized in its usual manner across from the bed. I move my gaze to Hisui as she shifts and takes a step backward, placing her hands in front of her at her waist. She's wearing her maid's uniform as usual, looking clean and kempt. Her hair is straight and placed perfectly around her chin. Her cerulean eyes regard me with a worried glance, her brow furrows slightly.

"Um…you seem…exhausted. Did you not sleep well?"

I shake my head a bit and rub the back of my neck, massaging it in an attempt to loosen the stiffened muscles.

"I guess you could say that. A little more sleep would be nice. I wish you had a snooze button, Hisui."

Her face jumps in surprise and she shifts uncomfortably. "P-please don't say such troubling things Master Shiki."

I smirk a bit. That reaction was too perfect for her.

"But…if you would like, I will wait here for another fifteen minutes and wake you then."

"Uhh…no…that's alright."

Her brow furrows again and she looks dissatisfied with my response. The scary thing about that is that she really would do it. You'd think by now I'd be more careful with what I say to her. She's always been that way. She'll do absolutely anything I ask her. I think sometimes she takes her duties as my personal assistant too seriously, but I don't consider her just my maid, she's an old friend. We've known each other since childhood, after all. I feel the same about Kohaku. Although…Kohaku makes it a general practice to fluster me. Maybe she's subtly getting me back for the trouble I cause Hisui. Or maybe it's just karma….

"Hisui, what time is it?"

"Seven A.M. sir. And just to remind you, today is October ninth, the day of the meeting."

I stare at my thighs for a moment and stand, stretching my arms and upper body to rid myself of the tightness that came with last night's sleep, or lack thereof.

"Yeah…that meeting is what's turning me into a portrait of the sleep-deprived."

"I believe everyone will be arriving this afternoon, and the meeting will be held at Three P.M." she continues, without giving any regard to my statement. She tactfully avoids making any comments about our soon-to-be guests. I know she has to be stressed as well. Usually, she only has to worry about two people. Now, she'll have almost a dozen. I feel bad for her. I want this to end as soon as possible. Truth is, all of these 'guests' have stayed at this mansion at some point or another. Albeit, when they did this house was full of servants. It's going to be difficult on all of us.

"I've laid out proper attire for you as well." She motions across the room to the door of the walk-in closet where a formal black suit hangs from a hanger in a protective vinyl bag. Black shoes are set below, with fresh underwear and socks placed on top of them so they do not reach the ground. Thorough as always.

"Thank you, Hisui."

"Not at all, sir. I'll be preparing rooms all morning, but if you need anything else from me, please let me know." She bows deeply and pads across the room towards the door, the material holding her apron together in a large white bow swaying with her hips as she walks.

"Ah, Hisui?"

She stops promptly and turns on her heels, her hands folded respectively at her stomach. She looks at me, awaiting orders.

"Where is Akiha?"

"I believe she is in the sitting room, having her morning tea. My sister should be preparing breakfast for the two of you right now."

"…How is she?"

Her eyes dart to the windows nervously. She never wants to make personal statements about anyone, especially Akiha and I, so putting her in this position makes her uncomfortable. I realize that, but sometimes it can't be helped. Akiha has a habit of hiding things from me when she's under pressure. And she is definitely under some pressure today. If anyone would notice changes in her mood, it'd be either Hisui or Kohaku. She fidgets with her fingers for a moment and sighs lightly, closing her eyes.

"If I were to make a statement about Lady Akiha, I would say that she appears pensive this morning."

I smile. She's changed too over these last five years. She's definitely more open. Getting her to say something like that would have been impossible back then. I nod to her.

"Sorry for bothering you. Please do what you need to."

She bows again.

"Not at all. If you'll excuse me, sir." With that, she turns and walks from the room, stepping into the hallway, whirling around and closing the door quietly in one fluid motion. I stretch again and yawn loudly, relaxing my tired muscles. I scratch the back of my head and regard my formal attire, taunting me from its hanging place by the closet.

"Man…I really hate wearing stuff like this…."

I make my way into the sitting room, donning my formal black suit. The slacks are comfortable, but the shoes are too hard and rub against my ankle bones abrasively. The suit is mostly made of polyester, and is quite warm. Not in a comfortable way either. The white button-up shirt beneath the suit coat is more comfortable, but the black tie around my neck feels like it's strangling me. I'll get used to it in twenty minutes or so, but people shouldn't have to get used to dressing this way. It's so uncomfortable!

Actually, I have it easy as a man. Women have it ten times worse. If I had to wear heels I don't know what I'd do. Stockings and hose have to be horrid, and I can't imagine cramming my toes into a shoe that has its end pointed like some of theirs do. Feet aren't shaped that way, so who thought it'd be a good idea?

At least they don't have to wear corsets anymore.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.

The steady rhythm of the grandfather clock counts the seconds. I approach the sitting area, regarding the elegant Victorian furniture. A set consisting of a cream colored couch, two chairs, and a table, all detailed with dark mahogany wood and clawed legs. Akiha sits on the couch, sipping tea from an expensive looking floral china cup, holding the saucer close to her chin with her other hand. The teapot sits on the coffee table on a silver tray along with another cup and saucer. She's also dressed quite formally. Her outfit is entirely black; her blazer jacket, shirt, skirt, stockings, shoes, and even her headband. Her sleek, raven black hair somehow stands out even amongst her abysmally colored outfit. She's also wearing a black choker necklace that intertwines itself in an ivy pattern made of lace. She's even gone to the trouble of applying some makeup: Slight eyeliner and a tint of pink lipstick. She sees me out of her peripheral vision, and gives me a weak smile as I come and sit down next to her. Apparently she's also wearing the lavender perfume I bought her for her birthday. She smells amazing.

"Good morning." She says in a tired voice, setting her teacup and saucer onto the table. I watch the amber liquid swirl in its container as she places it down, having finished with it. Steam lifts gently from the remainder of its contents.

"'Morning." I respond in an equally tired tone.

A silence befalls us. It's not a malicious silence, nor a comfortable one. It's just that. Silence.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

I reach to the tray and pour myself some tea. I bring the cup and saucer to me and lean back into the firm cushions of the couch and take a long, comforting sip. The steam rises from the tea and warms my cheeks.

Clink. I set the cup back on its saucer and hold it in my lap. Looking around the room, I still can't help but appreciate my own circumstances. I hope I never lose appreciation for at least that much. My exquisite lifestyle. At first…I really hated it. I lived with the Arimas for so long, I had really grown accustomed to being a normal guy. Even as a child growing up here, I never indulged in these luxuries. I guess you could say I've gotten used to it, but not entirely, or I wouldn't be able to appreciate it this much.

For instance…this room is beyond elegant. This room alone costs more than most people's houses. The vases on the small tables distributed around, the woodworking around the walls and windows, the drapes, the chairs placed against walls, the paintings mounted here and there, the grandfather clock, this furniture, the tea set, all of it. I can't even imagine how much it all costs. Not just this room…the entire mansion. You can't walk three steps without seeing artwork, or some type of Victorian furniture. Beyond that, the sheer size of this mansion is staggering. The grounds it lies on are even more impressive. And to top it all off, I have personal assistants. Everything I need gets catered to; All the cleaning, my meals, all of it.

Is it really all right for me to have all this? Should one person be able to indulge themselves like this? I often think things like this, but at the same time, I enjoy them. Maybe it would be more of an insult if I didn't. I guess that's why I try to appreciate this lifestyle, for what it's worth.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

I swirl the tea in my cup slowly, nearly hypnotizing myself with the fluids' motion. I take another sip after a moment, and place the cup and saucer down onto the tray.

"You're rather quiet this morning." She says, breaking the silence. I give her a side glance. She's staring down into her lap, gripping her right hand with her left. It's dark in this room, it suddenly occurs to me. The dismal weather outside does little to warm the room with light, and Akiha has turned on none of the stained glass lamps that adorn the side tables.

"I could say the same about you."

She sighs lightly. I see her nod out of the corner of my eye. I turn my body slightly to face her.

"Are you nervous?" I ask her.

"Of course I'm nervous!" she shouts out abruptly. She breathes deeply, composing herself, and continues.

"The entire council is coming. Having all the power holders of the Tohno lineage here at once is….taxing." she finishes her statement in a dismal tone, quite different from how she began it.

"I'm not very happy about it either, but there's nothing we can do, right?"

She nods, a few locks of her long, dark hair falling over her cheeks.

Seven or eight days ago, Ayato Tohno, one of the most powerful members of the family was found dead in his home in Germany. He was a primary shareholder in many technological corporations, and brought in a great deal of wealth for the family. He was also the CEO of a major automobile manufacturing company. So of course, the remaining members of the Tohno family call a meeting to be held at the main estate.

In other words, here.

There are a few extended family members, but the primary power holders of the Tohno family make up what we refer to as 'the council.' The members of the council are considered powerful because they not only are very wealthy, but because they know the dirty secrets of the family. And you only know about those secrets when you carry the blood yourself. All of them have Tohno blood in them.

Meetings at the main estate are only called during a crisis. Given that the wealth of this family never seems to be in question, meetings are apparently only called when a member of the council dies. Usually, it's because they inverted and were 'disposed of'. The meetings then serve to check on everyone's status and to divide up the deceased member's wealth and influence. It's both a funeral and a business meeting, hence the formal black attire.

I've never been to a meeting before. Akiha has, though. Or so she's told me. I wasn't here when it happened. It was when Makihisa died. As the daughter of the head of the family, of course she had to attend. Her father's will stated that she was to become the new head of the Tohno family. Akiha hasn't told me much about it, but from what she has, she said it was miserable.

It makes sense. She was a sixteen year old girl. There were many other council members who were much more intelligent, wealthy, experienced, and prepared to accept the responsibilities as head of the family. Seeing a young girl become the new head must have been dishonorable to them. Unacceptable, even. Apparently a few council members even threatened her life. Akiha has told me that none of the members respect her, even to this day.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

So why am I going? Akiha is the head of the family, not me. I'm not even a member of the family. I have no Tohno blood in me. Does it even make sense for me to be there? I'm only going because…

I'm going because….I'm her husband.

That's right….we were married about a year ago.

After I returned to the mansion following everything that happened with SHIKI, things returned to normal. We never really talked about it. She never even asked what happened to me. It would've been a boring and short story anyways. To save Akiha, who had inverted, I committed suicide. Well…I tried anyways. I tried to stab my own 'point of death'. Somehow…I missed. I don't think I was afraid….I think that my instincts just took over at the last moment, and I merely stabbed myself. Or…maybe that's just how I justify it to save whatever sense of dignity I still have. Even so, it was a near fatal wound. Ciel found me and took me back to her apartment. I guess she sensed some kind of non-human activity. She later told me she was hunting SHIKI, and happened to find me bleeding and unconscious. Had she not…I probably would have died there in those woods. She cared for me for a few weeks until I was better. She told me that Akiha had reverted back to normal. How that happened…I'm not sure. She still supports my existence. Maybe…I cut a different 'line' when I stabbed myself. Maybe what I severed wasn't one of my 'lines' but one that connected my life to hers. Whatever the case….she's herself again, and I'm alive…and we're together. I guess that's all that matters.

After my short time with Ciel to recover, I came home. I never heard from Ciel again, and she's since moved from that apartment. I guess she's gone on to her next assignment, far from Japan. I'll probably never see her again.

I was probably only gone a month. Even so, Akiha greeted me like I'd been gone for years. Actually…it was more like she thought she'd never see me again. The days passed as we graduated high school, and attended college. I don't have a normal job. Why would I? I'm from one of the most powerful families in Japan. I'm a writer. I write fiction in my spare time, which is most of the time, really. I also edit for a few local newspapers and magazines. I guess I wanted to spend as much time here as possible. This way, I get to be at the mansion, and be around Akiha, Hisui, and Kohaku most days. It's not a bad life at all. It's pretty much the opposite. I live a life of absolute luxury.

I guess we waited quite a while to marry. To be honest, I never thought that we would. On paper, I'm SHIKI. We switched places when he inverted, so to the legal world, I am Akiha's real brother. Of course it would be impossible to legally marry.

I underestimated the power of the Tohno family.

Akiha had some key influential political, bureaucratic, and even apostolic contacts make special 'arrangements.' She never did tell me exactly how she did it, but we were officially married through her machinations. Even so, it was a very small ceremony. Hisui and Kohaku were the only witnesses, alongside whatever priest that was obviously connected to the Tohno family. It was true that the government recognized our union, but most others probably wouldn't. For all intents and purposes, we are married, but it's probably better if we don't announce it to the world. Most of the influential people in the family's pocket would no doubt look down their noses at this concept. I don't even want to think about what the council members would say.

I look to Akiha's hands in her lap. I reach over and cup them with my palm and wrap my fingers around them. I feel the diamond set in her wedding ring poke my hand.

"I know it's hard, but we'll get through it together, right?"

She simply nods one more time.

"Shiki."

"…yeah?"

"…Don't do anything to embarrass me during this meeting."

I remove my hand from hers as if burned.

"Wh-what?"

She looks at me with fire in her eyes.

"I'm saying don't do anything embarrassing!"

"As if I would!"

She flicks her hair from her right shoulder and turns her chin up.

"I wouldn't put it past you."

"So, I embarrass you?"

She suddenly looks at me with a troubled face, her beautiful features contorting a bit.

"I-I didn't say that…"

"Then?"

She averts her ocean blue eyes from mine and looks back down into her lap and refolds her hands there.

"I was just…" she trails off.

"You were just….what?" I prod.

With a heavy sigh, she slumps her shoulders uncharacteristically. As if realizing this herself, she straightens her posture and closes her eyes. A silence falls over us again.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

"These people are…very different from whom you are used to dealing with. They're like piranhas. They already have quite the dislike for me, and you tend to say things….well…you tend to speak your mind."

"So…you're asking me to bite my tongue?"

"No…I'm just asking you to be mindful of what you say, and how you choose to say it. They don't respect me, and they aren't going to like you either, Shiki."

She chuckles bitterly and shakes her head, her bangs swaying and dancing over her forehead.

"On the contrary…they are going to despise you."

"…..why?"

She looks at me with a strange look I've never seen her give me. A mix of sorrow, regret, and almost humor. Maybe it's so ironic that it makes her laugh?

"….they all advised father not to attack the Nanaya forest. They said it was suicide. The Nanaya and the Tohno families were bitter enemies for generations."

"Yeah…I know that much."

"…they're afraid of you."

"…."

"The Nanaya were experts at what they did. They were assassins who specialized in killing inhuman things. Demons, vampires, corrupt men…they were even considered by some to be gods. To the council… you symbolize their death."

Her words hang thick in my head. They fall over us in an ominous blanket that stifles both of us. This, time, a very uncomfortable silence descends.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

"You're being too serious about this." I say finally. Her brow furrows with a sudden anger.

"And you aren't being serious enough!"

Her face softens immediately after snapping. I must have a surprised look on my face, as she looks somewhat guiltily at me. She looks down from my face to my chest, then off to the table before the couch.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Shiki…."

"I don't think it'll be that bad…."

"…you're lying."

"What do you mean?"

"….you couldn't sleep last night either."

"….." I can't refute that. She's absolutely right. I've been trying to keep my spirits up so that she wouldn't worry so much. She's the one shouldering the brunt of this burden. If I worry, it'll only trouble her more, and make her more anxious. But…she saw right through me. Am I that transparent?

"Akiha…I-"

"Stop trying to protect me."

"I'm not try-"

"Yes you are!" She flicks her hair over her shoulder again, looking even more frustrated. She crosses her arms just under her breasts and turns her head away from me. We sit there awkwardly for a few moments.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

She sighs heavily and returns her eyes to her lap.

"I knew what entailed rising to the head of this family. I knew what awaited me. I don't need you to protect me, Shiki. I'm not…your little sister anymore….I'm your wife."

"...Isn't that all the more reason to protect you?"

She shakes her head violently.

"No! I don't want that! I just want you to be honest with me! You don't have to hide painful things from me, just….just face them with me when they come…."

I see…I guess I hadn't really given much thought to what I was doing. I just did it out of habit. I was used to always protecting her…maybe she's right. Hiding things from her definitely can't be a good thing…and it's not like she can't handle it. I should try and be more mindful of what I do. Without realizing it, I had treated her the same way I always had when I thought of her as my little sister. But….why does it have to be a few hours before this meeting that I realize this? Why are we having this argument now of all times?

I sigh lightly, accepting my defeat. I reach out and tug her arms free of their crossed position in front of her chest and hold her right hand firmly. She looks at me with a side glance and a raised eyebrow. A sort of look that says 'What do you think you're doing?'

"I didn't realize I was…" Her face turns even more suspicious. Making excuses is even worse, I decide.

"I'm sorry Akiha. You're right."

Her facial expression changes and she looks more confused now that upset. That's a good start. She eyes me with that puzzled look for a moment, and then returns her blank stare down to her lap, her hand still in mine.

"No…I'm sorry." She answers in a low tone.

"What are you saying all of the sudden?"

"…this meeting is very stressful…for the both of us. You don't deserve to have my frustrations taken out on you. I know you meant well."

I let out a chuckle, unable to contain it.

"Haha…you change your tune faster than a radio sometimes, you know that?"

Her eyes close to slits and she moves them to the corners of her lids to glare daggers at me. Her head doesn't move, which makes the situation seem almost dangerous. Only almost, though…

I move my other hand to her opposite and turn her head by her chin, and promptly place my lips upon hers momentarily. I pull back, absorbing her slightly flustered face full of surprise and a slight blush. I move the same hand to her long hair, which had fallen over her shoulder again, and tuck that side behind her ear, running my hand then down her neck and to her shoulder.

"All we can do is deal with it right? No point in getting stressed about it now."

"….said the man who lost sleep over it."

"….."

Come on…she couldn't even let me have that moment? She's a tough one….

Fufufufu.

A disturbance from my right near the dorrway. I release Akiha and turn to meet a grinning Kohaku. At least, I think she's grinning. She always does that when she's covering her mouth with her kimono-sleeved hand. I swear, when I see her in that pose, she looks like a fox. I can almost see ears and a tail wagging about energetically behind her.

"Ah! You were trying to be so cool there, huh Shiki?"

"Sigh….can't you ever restrain yourself?"

"Hm? Not with a couple like you two. It's too cute!"

Akiha, having composed herself, retaliates. Probably to hide her embarrassment.

"Kohaku, why have you come?"

Kohaku's face suddenly straightens and stiffens, and she folds her arms in front of her apron at her waist. Why can't she react that way when I'm annoyed?

"Ah, forgive me Lady Akiha. I've come to inform you that breakfast is ready."

Akiha releases her hand from my grasp and stands, beginning to walk around the sitting area and heading for the door, before looking back at me with an annoyed 'Are you coming?' look. I sigh and gather the silver tray with the tea set placed upon it.

"Ah…don't worry about that Master Shiki. I'll take care of it. You and Lady Akiha just go enjoy your meal." She says with a bright smile. Even so, I lift the tray and carry it towards the door. Kohaku stands between me and the exit with a stern look, her hands on her hips. Before she can lean forward and point at me with her index finger in her typical motherly fashion, I hand the tray towards her. She takes it with a satisfied look and scurries out of the room, followed closely by Akiha and I.

Knock knock.

A sharp rapping on the door to the sitting room. "Come in." Akiha responds quickly. Kohaku, followed by Hisui enter quietly. Hisui closes the door behind her and then walks up beside her sister. They both bow in unison. I stand up from the couch and straighten my tie. I look down across the black material of my suit and brush it down with the flat of my hands, even though it is pristine and unwrinkled. I walk over to them, now joined by Akiha. I already know what they're going to say.

"The last of the guests have arrived, and are seated in the dining room. They are expecting you." Kohaku says with a smile.

"Thank you Kohaku. Is there anything I should be made aware beforehand?" Akiha asks in a stoic tone.

"I'm not certain, I was attending the refreshments. Perhaps my sister would know."

Without turning to acknowledge her sister, Hisui immediately picks up on the cue.

"Actually, yes. Mister Jin Tohno is not feeling well. I spoke with his personal assistant. He said that Sir Jin has been ill for several weeks, and has been getting progressively worse. Even so, he decided that this meeting was of importance, so he is braving the illness. I wanted to have my sister examine him, but he refused."

"I see….thank you, both of you."

"Lady Akiha, what would you have us do during the meeting?"

"Attend whatever duties you need to, but stay away from the dining room. The contents of the meeting are to be kept only between the council members. Understood?"

"Yes, Lady Akiha." They both say in unison, bowing again.

I grit my teeth. I'm already getting pissed. We haven't even had the meeting, we haven't even spoke to them yet, and look what they've done. Akiha has already entered her 'business mode.' She's cold, callous, and uncaring to everyone around her. I know she has to be this way. I know that…but it still…

Kohaku and Hisui are nothing but obedient servants. Hisui is even more stone faced than usual, and Kohaku isn't far removed. We've all become puppets of the Tohno family…it sickens me.

The twins step aside, and Hisui opens the door for us, allowing us to walk by. Akiha wastes no time and exits the room, heading for the foyer in powerful strides. I follow mindlessly. I glance at Kohaku and Hisui as I leave. Hisui looks down at the floor, and Kohaku eyes me mindlessly. I really hate this.

I follow Akiha down the stairs of the main hall and towards the dining room. Her black hair flows behind her with each step. Her heels clop against the floor in loud resonating bursts. My palms are getting sweaty, and I feel warm. I'm nervous. My hands are shaking.

As we reach the large wooden double doors leading into the dining hall, Akiha stops for a moment, breathes deeply, and looks over her shoulder to me. 'Are you ready?' her eyes say to me. I simply nod and open the door for her. She enters in front of me, and I close the door loudly behind me and lock it. The locking mechanism clicks loudly, echoing in the large hall. As we cross the enormous room towards the elongated mahogany table, the handful of members seated around it all rise and greet us with stern looks. The windows just beyond the table only cascade in the gray, abysmal sky. The only light comes from the two chandeliers positioned above the table. I follow Akiha to the two available seats at the head of the table on the left end, near where everyone has seated themselves.

Everyone is garbed much like Akiha and I: in formal black suits. Most of the members of this council are middle aged, but there are a few in their thirties or forties. That alone makes me feel like an outcast. There is one other woman besides Akiha, dressed in a business suit. As we reach the table, Akiha sets the manilla folder she has been holding onto the surface. I can see the reflections of each person on the tabletop. A glass of water is set out in front of each person, and a few glass pitchers of water are distributed every few seats with a tray of small fingerfoods. Mostly cheeses and crackers and the like. I suppose this meeting is going to be a long one.

Akiha and I stand before our chairs. I look at her, wondering what to do. I really don't know what I'm supposed to do in this type of situation. I'll have to rely on her.

"…thank you all for coming here today. It is always heartening to find you all well." Akiha sounds genuine, but I know otherwise. She hates all of them. And the feeling is mutual. They all give slight smiles and nods, but it seems somehow fake. It's as if they all know this is nothing but a formality. All of it. I can already feel the atmosphere choking me.

Akiha sits, and the rest of us follow. As head of the family, she obviously sets the tone here. I can't help but be impressed with at least that. She opens the folder she'd set down and looks through a few documents, organizing them into three piles in front of her. Finished, she folds her hands on top of them and looks over the members left to right.

"Well then…normally we'd get right down to the issues at hand, but we have two new members to this council. I suggest we all introduce ourselves to become familiar with one another…starting with our new members."

She looks at a younger man of about thirty and then to me. I guess we are the new members….

There is an awkward silence for a moment, disturbed by one man shifting in his chair. Nobody seems to care either way. Akiha looks at me and motions upward with her eyes, telling me to stand. I guess I'm first…why me?

I stand awkwardly, concentrating on pushing my chair out softly. It doesn't. It creaks loudly against the floor, and I feel myself sweat a bit. After standing, I eye the council with apprehension. I really hate this…

"…My name is Shiki Tohno. I'm the adopted son of Makihisa Tohno, and Akiha's older brother. It's nice to meet all of you." Finishing, I sit down quickly and straighten my suit coat. I look at Akiha as if to say 'was that ok?'

A sudden thought hits me…what if they thought I was SHIKI? Oh shit….were they supposed to keep

thinking that? Was telling them that I am the adopted son a mistake??

I look around frantically, and most seem to be nodding in acknowledgement rather than surprise. It seems like I made the right call after all. I feel relieved. I assumed they all knew about SHIKI inverting, so hiding it would have been stupid…but still…maybe I'm just jumpy. Or maybe I'm just overthinking this…

"And?" A deep voice permeates the silence.

I look up to find one of the middle aged men staring at me. I guess it was he who spoke.

"….and…what?" I ask tentatively.

He sighs loudly. "And…what is your area of expertise?"

"My…"

"What do you do? What do you contribute to this family, and more importantly, to this council!?"

I'm stunned for a moment. I knew this was going to be difficult, but I didn't expect such a hard-hitting question right off the bat. This really is no joke.

"I…I'm a writer."

"A political writer? For which newspaper?"

"…no…I'm a fiction writer."

There is an awkward silence. The man shakes his head with a slight chuckle. Somehow, I feel very small right now. I look at Akiha for support, but her gaze remains focused on the council. I glance back around the room. Two members are whispering amongst themselves. I can't make out what they're saying, but I can't imagine it's anything good.

"So…you write stories, do you? You don't do anything else? You aren't establishing contacts, or even increasing power and income for the Tohno family?"

"Well…that is-"

"So you're just hanging off of the laurels of this family…of your sister, is that what you are saying?"

"No….I-"

"Indeed, you're just riding along with-"

"Come now, Suichi, give the boy a chance to answer if you're going to question him." A man besides him says.

"Tch."

There is another silence. Everyone is staring at me…..

"My brother is a fiction writer in his spare time, but he is invaluable for the finances of this family." Akiha finally speaks up. "He balances most of the accounts that I am responsible for managing, and has proven to have great insight for investments. He has advised me on several occasions."

The council members turn their attention to Akiha. A few of them whisper amongst themselves again.

I can't describe the relief I feel. The entire council was prepared to crucify my for such a small thing, but Akiha says that, effectively bringing me down from the cross. Although…she's lying. I only help her balance accounts once in a great while. I can count the number of times I have, actually. More than that…I've never advised her on any investments, I don't know anything about it.

Finally, the man that was called Suichi pipes up again.

"Is that so?"

She nods. He leans back in his chair as if satisfied with that, or as I could tell anyway. I'm not sure how I feel about her lying for me, but I guess it's better than the council persecuting me for being a novelist. That was a premature assumption. He leans forward suddenly and begins the onslaught again.

"Alright, but what is he doing at this meeting? What has he to contribute?"

"He is my brother. Is that not reason enough?" Akiha responds with a stern gaze. That seems to have annoyed her a bit. The man beside Suichi strokes his chin for a moment, then leans forward on his elbows on the table and gives Akiha a cocky glance.

"Hmm….don't you mean….'he is my husband'?" He says slyly.

Her eyes widen. Mine too. We exchange glances, and I see her clench her fists. He found out. I'm not sure how, but he did. This isn't good, this is going to look really bad for her. For the both of us…

"Manipulating the family's resources for your own personal agenda? Even more importantly, you use our contacts for such a sinful endeavor? I don't think you understand the importance of being the head of this family…" The middle aged man says with conviction. Another man from across the table turns to Akiha.

"Is this true, Miss Akiha?"

"Of course it's true." The unnamed man answers for her. "Marital records are public property. I had a suspicion about her, so I looked into everything regarding her name. All I had to do was ask the prefectural government office, and here it is." He throws a few documents onto the table. They slide across into the center for the council to see. A few crane their necks to glance at the paper. I don't need to. I can see it from here. It's a copy of our marriage license.

I hear a few scoffs and murmured gasps. Shameful I hear one man utter under his breath. The clambering continues for what seems like eternity.

"…so…Shinjiro…you investigated the head of this family?" The other woman asks.

"Yes, I did."

"…don't you find that shameful? Suspecting the head of the Tohno family of something? Have you no trust, no respect?"

"Had I found nothing, I would have held myself in contempt, but I did find something, did I not?"

"Indeed….this is sinful, Miss Akiha." Suichi accuses. Again, clambering among the council. Akiha lowers her head. She has no defense. There's nothing she can say. It doesn't matter what she says, on paper, she's married her brother. There's nothing I can say. I'm nothing in this political, corporate world.

"Alright, alright, ladies, gentlemen, let us remain open here." I look up in confusion to find the younger man speaking. He is a tall man from what I can tell, with a slim face, short blonde hair and dark brown eyes. His features are much more defined than the other members, and his face is absent of the many wrinkle lines that riddle the other members' faces.

"If you recall, this young man is the adopted son of Makihisa. These two are not related by blood. Therefore, their union is legitimate, correct?"

"That doesn't matter, he even announced himself as her older brother! They've lived together that way since childhood! Even with no blood relation, do they not regard each other as siblings? Isn't that just as sinful?" Suichi replies with venom in his words.

The young man merely shakes his head with a smile. "If my information is correct, after Akiha's real brother inverted, this young man here was sent to live with another branch family. How old were you then?"

"….I…was eight." I respond after a moment. It took me a minute to realize he wanted me to reply. I feel a bit stupid.

"You see? And he returned many years later. Thus, they spent most of their childhood away from one another. It is feasible to say that they did not consider each other siblings, but childhood friends."

"Even so…manipulating records for personal reasons!" Shinjiro refutes.

"Ah…and…you are Shinjiro Tohno correct? Did you not use Russian Mafia connections in Kyushu to take control of several real estate properties last year that you have not claimed to the family? Isn't that personal gain?"

The older man named Shinjiro is stunned. His mouth drops open and his eyes widen. He sits back into his chair, and the council members all direct their attention towards him. Another silence. A larger set man coughs loudly. He is sweating profusely, and his face is pale. I suppose that is Jin. It must be the pressure, or the tension in this room, but I haven't even noticed him until now.

The main locus of attention now seems to be on the other new member, the younger man who is boldly standing up to the more influential members, apparently with well informed intentions. Not only has he defended Akiha and I so far, but he has inside information that apparently none of the other members know of. It's pretty impressive actually.

"Shinjiro…you're using the Russian Mafia? Are you mad!?" Suichi yells.

What was once a calm meeting has erupted into a screaming match between members. Five or six members stand from their seats and begin bickering about financial deals, contacts, political agendas, etc. I can't follow most of it. I look to Akiha, who seems to be getting more and more irritated. It's been a few minutes. Finally, she stands and slams her hands down onto the table.

"Enough!!" The room grows silent, and the formerly bickering members compose themselves and sit back down. Akiha follows and sighs loudly.

"Arguing amongst ourselves will not accomplish anything." She finishes.

"I agree." The younger man says, standing up from his seat. He looks around the table, and most noticeably, to the two men besides him.

"As we've said, Miss Akiha's circumstances are not so unforgivable are they? There is no sin being committed here. Furthermore, to accuse the head of the family of shameful acts is an act of treason in itself. Has she not performed extraordinarily well since her father appointed her as the head of the family?"

The members remain silent. A few of them nod slightly.

"Well then. Let us overlook this slight bureaucratic manipulation on her part shall we? She clearly only did so because of Makihisa's cover up of her true brother's fate. Is it fair to deny these two to love each other simply because SHIKI inverted, and Makihisa could not effectively deal with the fallout?"

A slight murmuring echoes into the room.

"For a new member, you are clearly overstepping your bounds…." Another man begins from across the table. "…however….I agree with what you've said." The young man smiles and nods.

"Well then, let us continue with the introductions, shall we?" He says energetically, clasping his hands together and looking at the still nervous Shinjiro. Shinjiro glares back at him. It seems that they are meant to be enemies. I can't help but admire this man. He's obviously in a different position than I am. Even if I had his knowledge and experience, I'm way too nervous to have talked my way out of that scenario. He did it almost effortlessly. More than that, none of the other members know him to my knowledge. For him to stand up and take charge like he did….it took guts.

"My name is Itsuki Tohno, I am the son of Sousuke Tohno. My father, in his old age, decided that he was no longer suited to his business affairs nor this council, and had me succeed him in all his endeavors. He is now in retirement in Switzerland. From now on, I will be handling all the families' contacts in Switzerland as well as Russia, West Germany, and France. My father's main enterprise was banking, and I have been preparing many accounts and investments through the Swiss banking system for future financial transactions, should this council require them." He sits down after his well ordered thoughts and looks to Akiha and I with a bright smile. Somehow…I get the feeling I can trust this man. I'm not sure why…a gut feeling really. I've learned to trust my first reactions.

The man next to Akiha stands. Suichi, he has been called. Now standing, I can see that he is a short, middle aged man with graying black hair with a receding widow's peak. His face is elongated and sharp, and is covered with well defined wrinkle lines. No doubt he is a very stressed man.

"I am Suichi Tohno. I manage fine dining and vineyards across Greece, Italy, and France." Direct, and to the point. Besides him, a plump man with yet another receding hairline stands half-hazardly as Suichi seats himself again. It is the still nervous Shinjiro. He is not obese by any means, nor truly overweight, but he does have a bit of a stomach. He is in his mid or late fifties, with black hair and piercing blue eyes. He looks mostly Japanese but obviously has some western influence, most likely German.

"I am Shinjiro Tohno." He speaks in a low tone, all the while, staring intently at Itsuki. "I manage real estate properties in Japan, Russia and Eastern Europe."

This turn of introductions apparently passes over Itsuki. Across the table, the other female stands. She is probably around forty years of age. She has short, chin length black hair parted down the center of her head. She looks very healthy physically, and her face is very clear of the 'worry lines' that coil the faces of the rest of the members. She has very thick thighs, I notice. Her blue eyes exude an aura of dominance and refined tastes.

"Anko Tohno. I have oil interests in the Middle East and Europe." She says so very bluntly and seats herself again, crossing her legs. Next to her, the next man stands. He is very tall, probably 180 centimeters. He has a darker complexion that the rest of us, and has curly black hair. It is hard to tell its true length, as he has it pulled back into a ponytail that only hangs to his neck. It looks very sleek and well cared for, as do his nails, I notice. His dark brown eyes seem a bit gentler than Suichi or Shinjiro's eyes.

"I am Johannes Tohno. I invest in The American Stock Market and provide legal council for this family."

A German name? I guess the Tohno family really has spread out over the generations….

Next to him, the sickly man, who can only be Jin remains, seated. This man, I would consider overweight. His shirt seems too small for him. He's not huge either, but I would assume he has some heart and breathing problems. He attempts his introduction between ragged breaths.

"I am…Jin….I…invest in various universities in Japan…for biological research."

"…Are you alright, Jin?" Akiha asks.

"Ah…yes…please continue."

Everyone glances at him for a moment, then returns their attention to the remaining member. He stands. Another plain looking man, thin and balding, wearing thick spectacles that amplify his beady brown eyes. His head is shaved bald. All in all, he looks very scraggly, but at the same time he doesn't seem like someone who should be trifled with.

"I am Yuusuke Tohno. I invest in various medical facilities in Europe and North America."

It seems that Itsuki already knows Akiha, so there is no reason for her to go through the formality of introduction. To be honest, this seemed ridiculous anyways. I guess it's another tradition, this formality. Everyone settles into a more comfortable position in their chairs. I see Suichi and Shinjiro take long gulps from their water glasses. I'm starting to realize a few things, even though I've only been in this setting for a little bit. You can tell these men in particular are hiding something, by their nervousness. They constantly fidget, their eyes dart around rapidly. A few others seem to be sweating a bit. It's good to know I'm not the only one stressed here.

Akiha breathes deeply and rubs her right temple with her fingertips and rests her head onto her palm.

"Now then…since we've all been introduced, before we get down to the matter at hand, shall we discuss any current events with the council that should be dealt with?" She asks. It seems that these meetings are very structured. A few moments go by, and nobody makes a sound. Akiha opens her mouth to speak, but is interrupted by Shinjiro.

"Ah- yes…I have something to say." We all turn to him. He laces his fingers together on the table's surface and stares into his grasp.

"My eldest son…God rest his soul….inverted last month."

Silence. We all simply stare. I'm not sure if it's because nobody cares, or if, like me, they don't know what to say. It's not like anything we say in this tense atmosphere would mean anything more than a common courtesy or formality anyway….

"….I put him down myself."

"…I'm sorry for your loss, Shinjiro." Akiha is the one to say it. I guess as the head, it falls onto her again. She has to be the one….she always has to be the one I guess.

"…thank you…. He was only sixteen…." He breathes deeply before continuing. "…It seems that the Tohno blood was too strong for him…he was always a frail boy…in body and mind. All of you…be on your guard….this blood of ours is…very potent."

"…a valuable lesson to all of us." Yuusuke comments, adjusting his glasses with his right middle finger at the bridge. A few minutes go by in a respectful silence. I guess if this council can do anything well, it's silence. At least here, it's called for.

"If there's nothing else, shall we get down to Ayato's unfortunate circumstance?" Shinjiro asks, obviously wanting to change the subject. It must be horrible. To have to kill your own son….

I can sympathize. More than that…I can empathize. I know exactly what it feels like. I promised her…I promised Akiha that if she inverted, and was no longer herself, that I would kill her. When the time came…I couldn't do it. I just couldn't. I decided that even if there was a one millionth chance that killing myself could let her be herself again, then I would. By some miracle, even if it was that one millionth chance, or by God's own hand, I'm alive, and Akiha is herself. I never take that for granted. Everyday I'm thankful. But for this man to have killed his own son? I don't see how he could do it….Makihisa had no problem killing SHIKI though…right? Or did he?

Who knows with that old man?

I clench my teeth. What the…these people…this man's son just died, and Ayato too? I didn't know either of them but…they talk about death as if it were s meal they had last week! They hear someone has died, and it's 'is that so? Well anyways…'

It makes me sick. Do they care about anything at all? Anything besides their bank accounts that is?

"Ayato Tohno was found dead in his home in Berlin by one of his personal attendants." Akiha continues. She slides a few of the documents she'd set out across the table and into the center.

"Those are the medical records and reports of the scene. Itsuki, I believe you sent these to me?"

Itsuki nods. "That's right. Also, I've included the autopsy report. Evidence suggests a severe pulmonary embolus that passed through his right ventricle. This caused cardiac arrest."

"In other words, all that cholesterol from the sausage he'd taken a liking to?" Johannes comments.

"It sounds cruel, but that is a valid assumption." Itsuki responds with a shrug of his shoulders.

Yuusuke leans forward in his chair and places his chin onto his palms, leaning onto his elbows. "If I recall, --Mercedes--stocks--"

He keeps speaking…I only hear bits and pieces. A few others comment. I hear the other woman, Anko, speak. A few chuckles across the room that echo. It all sounds disoriented. Only faint murmurings. I'm staring intently at the sickly Jin. He hasn't spoken since his introduction. He is looking away from the table, sweating profusely. He is intensely pale, his eyes are bloodshot. His shoulders rise and fall jaggedly with his erratic breathing pattern. Everyone is too involved in their discussion about how to divide up the late Ayato's wealth. I can't hear them. I don't think Jin can either. He's clutching his chest. From the outside, it looks like he's having a panic attack, or perhaps asthma. Perhaps even a precursor to a heart attack.

It's not any of those. I'm not a doctor, so how do I know?

…..the voice in my head. I don't know how I know, but I know. Part of me tells me to kill him.

Kill…….

Kill. …

Kill him. Kill this man. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill. Kill! Kill! Kill! Kil!! Kill! Kill! Kill him!

KILL HIM!!

I shake my head violently. It won't go away. My instincts tell me this man is something that should not exist. He isn't human. I try desperately to stifle my instincts. Shut up! I tell them. Stop it! They won't relent. I can't help it, my eyes find him again. His breathing has calmed a bit. Why has nobody here noticed him? Not even those sitting besides him!?

"That's preposterous! Ayato's resources should be used in other countries to spread our influence!" I hear Suichi yell out. They are still deliberating on this. They are so engrossed in their debating, no their arguing, that they don't notice Jin. Suichi is leaning forward, pressing his palms into the table. Johannes and Itsuki remain calm, their arms crossed. Anko looks away disinterested.

They don't notice that he's inverting. Right before their eyes. He is inverting.

I reach my trembling left hand up to my face and remove my glasses as slowly as possible, in a natural movement. I place them down onto the hard wood of the table and rub my eyes. I open them slowly. I look out across the room and the table before me. Black lines snake into all the surfaces, and glowing crimson lines coil across each council member's body. I stare at Jin. His lines grow brighter and brighter. He's turning…any minute now….

"Shiki?" I hear Akiha whisper quietly besides me. "What's wrong?" I don't respond. I keep staring at Jin. Out of my peripheral vision, I see her follow my gaze to Jin. She stares at him for a moment and gasps. She's realized it too.

"Shiki! He's!-"

"Yes. He is." We continue to whisper, unbeknownst to the arguing council.

Thud! Someone pounds on the table. "No! I'm saying that medical investments aren't that profitable! It would be wiser to invest in technological industries!"

They are still bickering. They haven't noticed. I can't do anything while they haven't realized. If I kill him now, I'll be accused of murder. I have to let them realize it before I make my move. Risky? Yes…he may kill one of them before they realize he's changed….

No…I'll have to be faster than him. Even if these people are self centered, I can't let them die. They are still human beings. Even if I hate them…I can't let them die. I try with everything I have to stifle the voice. I call it the voice…but it's not really a voice. It's more like an itch. Your body doesn't really say 'I itch', or 'scratch here', it demands it from you. It's the same thing. Kill. Kill this thing. This thing should not exist. Eliminate it from this world. Kill it.

"Shiki, wait for-"

"I know." I say, clenching my teeth.

How long has it been? One minute? Ten minutes? They still bicker amongst themselves and I still stare at him. Waiting, begging for him to make a move. I glance around the council, keeping one eye on Jin. I see Itsuki. He's staring at Jin as well. How long has he been staring? I can tell by the stern look in his eyes, he knows. Why hasn't he said anything?

Maybe because he's a new member too. Maybe because he's already stepped on quite a few toes today. He must feel the same way I do. Unless a distinguished, established member of this council realizes, one of us will be branded as traitors, even murderers. Itsuki eyes me with a pensive smile. He knows I know. He wears a sad expression and looks back to Jin. He takes his glass and drinks slowly, regarding Jin with a defensive look.

Jin slumps forward onto the table.

"Alright, then perhaps we can divert half of his automotive stocks into-…hey, Jin, are you alright?" Suichi cuts himself off mid-sentence.

"Jin?" Yuusuke asks pensively from beside him. He places his arm onto his shoulder. "Don't you think you're pushing yourself?" He gives him a slight shake. A low snarl. An inhuman snarl. Jin lifts his head from the table and glares at Yuusuke. His eyes are completely bloodshot…they look almost like they're bleeding…..

"…Jin?" he asks in confusion. That stimulus seems to set off the inverted Jin. He cries out in a ghastly wail and throws Yuusuke off of him and onto the ground. Yuusuke's glasses fly from his face and skid across the floor, along with his chair which topples over. Jin reaches down and places his hands around his throat. He lifts him up into the air. Such strength….

"My God!! He's inverting!!" Suichi screams.

The council gasps in unison, all the while bounding out of their chairs. Most back away. Anko runs to the other side of the table to join Shinjiro and Suichi. Itsuki has since left his chair and is backing off as well.

I've already left my chair. I push out of it and dash forward. As they all back away, I'm dashing across the tabletop, my torso bent down in an almost crouched run. I close the few meters between us in an instant. I've already drawn my knife from the small of my back, tucked in my waistband. The inverted Jin is now nothing but a mindless beast. He is focused on strangling Yuusuke, who can't even make a sound. His feet kick at Jin, but it only makes him angrier. I'm two meters away from them. I leap into the air, and flip forward. I didn't really plan on this movement, my body sort of flipped on its own. Now that I'm in this position however….

While upside down, I place the palm of my left hand on Jin's balding head. My knife moves. I slice through the lines on both arms in two jerking flicks on my elbow and wrist. I vault off of his head, slicing the line across his throat as I leap off and complete my flip, half turning mid air and landing facing the beast, should he still live by some miracle. I hear a few surprised shouts. As I land I see that his arms have fallen to the floor, along with the gasping Yuusuke in a bloody pool that seeps into the fine rug. I land into a crouch, placing my free left hand flat on the floor in an awkward looking, yet completely natural stance for me.

"When the hell did he!?-" Anko's confused words are cut off as Jin's body falls forward, his head rolling off from the clean cut line across his throat. His overweight corpse hits the floor with a loud thud. The glasses on the table rattle, and a sloshing from the water in each of them can be heard for a moment. Blood gushes from his neck in twin fountains that stain the rug and creep out slowly across the edge onto the hardwood flooring. His twitching corpse lies in a crumpled mess, blood oozing out across the floor. Yuusuke has sat up and is regaining his breath. He stares in horror at the body next to him. He regards his body, covered in blood around his torso and thighs. His face stretches into a mixture of surprise and disgust.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I can see Itsuki, Suichi, and Johannes all reaching back into their breast pockets. Are they armed? Maybe what I did was unnecessary….no…that's wrong. I was right. I don't know if they are armed but I wouldn't be surprised. If they would have fired, Yuusuke would be dead, and those bullets probably wouldn't have stopped him from killing the entire council. They might have slowed him down, or even killed him after the fact….but there's no doubt in my mind a few of them would be dead right now. I watch them all carefully as they readjust their standing. I don't take my eyes off of them until I'm sure none of them are holding a weapon.

"Fucking Christ!" Shinjiro yells. He looks to me. He points at me accusingly with his index. "Murderer!"

"Hey, you saw it didn't you? Jin was inverting, he tried to kill Yuusuke!" Anko yells back.

It turns into a free for all screaming match. I stand from my crouch and sheath my knife back into my waistband at my back. As they scream, I walk back over to my sitting place at the table, striding by Yuusuke and Jin's corpse and replace my glasses onto my face. The lines vanish. For some reason, I don't feel the least bit light headed. I look back to Jin's body as I hear the echoing raised voices bickering in no particular order. Somehow….staring at his body….I feel sick. Nautious…queasy…my innards seem to spin as if in a clothes dryer. I cover my mouth with my hand and stifle the upheaval I was sure would come. I only emit a dry gag. Why? Why do I feel so sick? I continue to stare at his body, the pool of blood. My eyes move a meter or so away to his head, which had rolled away from his body upon hitting the floor. His eyes are rolled back into the skull, his tongue can be seen under his limp lips. It lays on one side, pathetically. Why?

I had no problem killing SHIKI…but…Yumizuka….

Even so, she turned to dust. As did SHIKI. I guess….this is the first time I've seen the body of something I've killed. I killed him. The realization hits me. I almost chuckle at myself. How could it take me this long to realize that? I had no problem tearing him apart….and yet….why after the fact am I questioning it? It had to be done, right? So….why do I feel like this?

I give Akiha a blank stare as she stares at Jin's still twitching body. She looks angry. Her head whirls around as the looks at the council, huddled together by the windows screaming in each other's faces, including Itsuki. I still can't make out anything anyone is saying. Akiha takes a few steps towards them in powerful strides.

"All of you, silence!!" Her shrill voice echoes into the high ceilings, and the room goes silent again. They turn from their arguments, their faces flushed from the yelling. They all look at her with dumbfounded expressions.

"It is clear that Jin was in fact inverting…wouldn't you say, Yuusuke?"

"Ah…y-yes." He finally manages to stand. He looks at the corpse of Jin one last time and walks carefully around it towards the others, apparently abandoning his spectacles. "He…he wasn't human…"

"Then my bro-" She cuts herself off and takes a deep breath. "….my husband, was right in killing him. Had he not, Jin may have killed us all."

I want to believe that she's right….I do…but….

Shinjiro looks at me with disgust. He steps forward, in front of the others. My stomach sinks a bit.

"Is that how it is? …Or…was that just a good justification for you to kill one of us?"

"What?" I say in a disgusted confusion.

"You're a Nanaya right? Do you actually consider yourself one of us?"

"….."

"No answer? As I thought. You'd like to kill us all, wouldn't you? Our inhuman blood drives you wild. Doesn't it? That's why you couldn't resist killing Jin, isn't it? I know about you…Makihisa told me all about you and your family."

"……" I look away from him. Is he right? That drive I had earlier. The drive to kill. It was insatiable. Like an addiction. Am I just a killer, in the end? What if I get these urges for normal people? Who would I kill? Random people I bump into? My friends? Hisui? Kohaku? ..

…..Akiha?

They continue to talk. I hear their words, but the meanings escape me. It's as if my mind has stopped.

"Hmm…seems someone is feeling threatened." It's Anko's voice. She says so in a sultry, teasing tone.

"What did you say?"

"Hmm…who knows? Maybe you're just envious that he was able to kill Jin so easily? Why, are you afraid you'll invert too? Or maybe….you're just bitter about your son?"

"You bitch! Don't you ever talk about my son!!"

"Now, now. This is the exact reason Makihisa brought him into the family, isn't that right Miss Akiha? To deal with those that invert?" Johannes says calmly. Almost annoyingly so.

"Eh…yes….that's right…." She responds in a low tone. I can feel her gaze shift to me.

I feel like vomiting. Despite all I've done, all I've tried to become, I'm still doing the bidding of that old man? My stomach turns. I feel waves of self loathing pulse through me. Even worse…that fact is how I am going to be justified in this situation?

Maybe the old man knew what I didn't. The fact that I…or at least part of me, is a killer. He adopted me just because of that. I want to scream. I want to destroy something. I want to…I want…God…I don't even know what the hell I want anymore…I just want this feeling to go away.

"…in any case…I for one am curious as to how you killed Jin, young man." I am snapped from my inner brooding to find Suichi walking toward the now still corpse of Jin Tohno. He reaches the side of the body, careful not to step in the ever growing pool of crimson. He eyes the body with interest, like a detective surveying a crime scene.

"…you severed both of his arms and decapitated him….with only a dagger, if my eyes were honest with me."

I remain silent. He looks to me for an answer. I don't have one to give him. As if I'd tell any of them about my eyes.

"…not to mention…I've never seen anyone move that fast." Anko adds from across the table near the others.

I still remain silent. A few moments go by. I think they've gotten the point. I have nothing to say. Suichi sighs.

"Well…perhaps it's better left unsaid…."

I find Shinjiro to be glaring at me intensely.

"Hmm…well it is safe to say that our meeting is adjourned for now?" Itsuki conjures with a shrug and a shake of his head.

"I've taken the liberty of having rooms prepared for you all. Shall we retire and resume this meeting tomorrow?" Akiha offers.

A shiver runs down my spine. I run my hand through my black hair and inhale slowly. They're going to stay here for the night? I don't know if I can stand one more hour of these people, let alone another day. Not to mention the burden this is going to place on Hisui and Kohaku. I can't let them handle all these people by themselves. Horrible thoughts start to cross my mind.

"I'm afraid I'm expected in London tomorrow evening." Johannes declares, closing his eyes and crossing his arms. I can't deny that his words make me hopeful.

"Indeed, and I have a board meeting to attend." Anko adds. There is a quiet clamoring amongst them. I'm given even more hope.

Suichi steps away from Jin's body back towards the rest of the group and speaks. "Miss Akiha, thank you for the offer, but the members of this council are far too busy to postpone this meeting. I believe I speak for all of us when I say that it was damn near a miracle that we could all meet here for one afternoon. We must reach a consensus now….and unfortunately…." He looks back mournfully at the fallen Jin. "…now we have to decide upon what to do about Jin's circumstances."

Akiha brings a hand to her chin and thinks for a moment. She looks at me contemplatively. She sighs heavily and turns back to the council.

"It can't be helped then. Let us move to the sitting room upstairs and finish our business here. I wouldn't want to impede on anyone's schedule."

They all seem satisfied with that. Shinjiro wanders back a ways and brings out a cellular phone and promptly dials a number. Everyone eyes him questioningly and eavesdrops on his conversation.

"…it's me….no, not that…..I have a situation, I need someone to dispose of something……how long?"

Again, I feel almost sick. They talk about Jin like he's just a pile of garbage, literally. Something that needs to be destroyed, like evidence. Maybe it really is evidence…I suppose if his body was autopsied they would find some abnormalities but…to just dispose of him? I thought of him as nothing but an inhuman monster that needs to be destroyed a few minutes ago…. But now, lying there….he looks like just an unfortunate, middle aged man.

"….good, come to the main house as soon as possible. Also, contact the caretakers of the mausoleum and have them…..yes, something hopeful….good, make it so." With that, Shinjiro flips his phone closed and replaces it into his breast pocket. "Well then, lead the way, Miss Akiha."

With a surgeon's precision, the meeting is carried out upstairs. We sat there for hours. I said nothing the entire time. Akiha and the others spoke with each other without arguing for the remainder of the meeting. It seemed like Jin's death made them all realize something. It's sad that it took something that drastic for them to conduct themselves sensibly.

They reached some kind of compromise. I'm not really sure how Jin or Ayato's wealth and assets were distributed, I didn't listen. I didn't care. During the meeting, Shinjiro stepped out to greet whomever it was he called. There was some kind of group that came. I'm not sure about the details. All I know is that Jin's body has been removed, and all evidence of him, his corpse, his briefcase, the blood he left in the dining hall, they all vanished as if they'd never been there. As if he'd never existed.

At first, I was surprised. Only at first. It made sense to me after a moment. The idea that a family wanting to suppress knowledge about their inhuman blood. It mandates elaborate cover-ups. Especially these days. Shinjiro must have some kind of 'clean up crew' that handles disposing of evidence of their inhuman side. That too, was carried out with ceremony.

I sent Hisui and Kohaku to bed early. They were both exhausted. Akiha too. I cleaned up the dishes that were used and made sure Hisui wouldn't have to do much tomorrow. Kohaku protested, but I simply gave her a direct order. There was nothing she could do. Maybe it was harsh, but I want her to rest, especially. Akiha reluctantly went to bed before me. I all but ordered her as well. I guess I've worried them, but the truth is I really just need to be alone right now.

God knows I can't sleep right now, so I might as well do something useful with my nervous energy. I finished the dishes a little while ago. It's dark throughout the entire manor, save for the kitchen. I'm scrubbing down the countertops and sinks. In a daze, I again hold the washcloth under the flow of warm water from the tap and wring it out. I reach for the cleaner and spray some into the sinks and scrub them, making sure not to miss any spots. Just the silence of the night, and the bittersweet scent of antibacterial cleanser stimulate me. I glance at the digital clock on the nearby microwave oven. Two seventeen. It's late. I glance around the kitchen. I still have a few counters to clean, and I notice the stone flooring is dirty as well. I should sweep it up. No, I should scrub them down after that too. I don't feel tired at all.

I wipe down the rest of the counters, including the island cutting station and the refrigerator and drawer handles around the perimeter. I rinse out the rag one final time and hang it on the tap's shaft to dry. In the pantry off to the side I find a broom, bucket, and a rag amongst the non perishable canned goods and miscellaneous cleansers. I begin sweeping the cold stone flooring. The swishing sound of the bristles are somewhat calming. My mind hasn't stopped since earlier. At this point, it's not even about Jin. It's more self loathing. Which causes more self loathing to think that I'm this weak. That I perseverate on things. But I can't help it.

I don't know why, but I've never thought of things this way…not until I saw his body lying there. Even if he wasn't human…I still took his life. Not just that, I did it as if it were taking a breath. I did it thoughtlessly, my body moved as if walking. I think that…I think that I could come to terms with it without too much trouble, if it wasn't for what the council said. It wasn't Shinjiro who impacted me either. It was Johannes. He was trying to help, trying to keep the peace by rationalizing. He said it so nonchalantly, but still…he said that Makihisa adopted me to kill those that invert.

Why did that never occur to me? I never thought about why he adopted me. I just sort of accepted it. These were my circumstances, and the only thing I could do was live as I saw fit, and to adjust to them…but, is that what I really wanted? Hah…it's a bit late to question that now.

"….Shiki?" A tired voice beckons to me from the hall. I whirl around to find Hisui standing there, rubbing her right eye with the back of her hand. She's in pajamas. Blue, white, and pink pinstriped bottoms and a button down shirt, that she's lazily only buttoned a third of the way up. As she rubs her eye, the front is pulled open a bit, and I have to forcibly remove my eyes from her cleavage. I didn't know Hisui's bust was this large….

I try to say something to her, but no words come forth.

"…you're still up?" She puts her hand back down to her side and moves her amber eyes across the kitchen in a quick glance, and then notices the bucket on the counter next to me and the broom in my hands. Wait…amber eyes? This is Kohaku, not Hisui. I guess I almost mistook her without her trademark hair ribbon. Without that ribbon, and without her uniform, she looks just like her sister. I guess I sometimes forget they are twins. I sigh a breath of relief. I am so glad I didn't call her Hisui! Really, I should have known when she didn't put the 'Master' in front of my name. Their voices are a bit different too, but it's hard to tell when all you hear them say is your name.

"Shiki….please….go to bed….I'll take care of this now if it's bothering you that much." She says with a slight chuckle, taking a few steps toward me and holding her hand out to accept the broom. I just shake my head. She stops and frowns. She runs a hand through her tousled red hair and tucks some behind her right ear. She's obviously just rolled out of bed.

"The meeting….didn't go very well I'm guessing…"

I nod. "I just…can't sleep right now."

"Well…at least let me help you do this…."

"Thanks, Kohaku, but I'd rather be alone right now."

She frowns even more and averts her eyes from mine. She crosses her arms and grips her upper arms.

"….it's not good to brood alone over things Shiki…."

"…you wouldn't understand."

She looks back at me with a mixture of anger and pity. "I didn't say you had to tell me! I'm just saying it's not good to be alone!"

"Shh…Kohaku."

She covers her mouth, apparently just realizing how loud she'd been. We both stand there in silence, listening for any stirrings in the house. All that greets us is the ever present silence. She exhales softly, and crosses her arms again, giving me a worried look. Her lips purse. I run a hand through my hair and scratch the back of me head, then return to sweeping the floor.

"….do you think you could at least tell me what's bothering you?"

Shhhift. Shhhift. I continue sweeping, keeping my eyes on the floor. There's no way. Just no way I could say 'sure, Kohaku, I murdered someone during the meeting, and I'm wondering if I enjoy killing, and if that's exactly why I was adopted by this family in the first place!' It's better if I just stay silent. I think she knows about me. About my eyes. I can't be sure but….it's better if we don't talk about it, even if she does. She shouldn't have to carry this burden as well.

She sighs and goes to the cabinet, picking out a glass and getting herself some water from the tap. I hear her gulp it down quickly behind me and set it down beside the sinks. Man…I just washed all the dishes…

Then she just stands there silently. I continued sweeping the floor for several minutes. I collected the dirt I'd ushered into a pile and scooped it up with a dustpan and thrown it away in the garbage can in the corner of the kitchen. All the while, she watches me silently. I put the broom back into the walk-in pantry and return to the counter. She's leaning her lower back against the counter near the sinks, watching me intently. I slide in next to her and begin to fill the bucket I'd set aside with hot water and a bit of concentrated soap. I toss the rag in as well, swishing it around in the steaming water. As I lift the bucket from the sink by its handle, I stop and make eye contact with her.

"Didn't you already get a drink?" I ask, indirectly telling her to leave. She smiles.

"I can't make you tell me what's wrong…but I can at least make sure you're not alone right now."

"So you'll watch me scrub the floors?"

"I don't mind."

I shrug and walk over to the corner of the room and bend down. I wring out the rag and begin to scrub the floors in a systematic pattern. It's hard work. These floors aren't very smooth, so I have to put a lot of force into moving the rag.

"Have you…." I start.

"Hmm?"

"Have you ever felt like maybe you're not in control? Like fate has locked you down into something you'll never escape?"

I continue scrubbing the floor. She doesn't respond. After a few minutes I look back to her. She's staring down at her feet. She has a painful look on her face. I can't quite place it. I stare at her for a while. She realizes I'm looking at her and shakes her head, forcing a weak smile.

"…yeah…I think I can understand that feeling…."

I'm a bit confused. I guess I can understand what she means, she was adopted with Hisui, and forced into a maid's position, so yeah, she would feel like fate threw her into something. Is that really that bad? Hmm…maybe she just hates being this family's maid?

I continue on. "I guess I always felt like I was in control of my life…but today that changed. I guess I realized something about myself that makes me feel like I don't have the control I thought I did."

She tilts her head at me, and I can't help by smile at her dazed expression. I return my attention to the floor and scrub harder.

"I like to think that…life is twenty percent what happens to us, or fate. Then sixty percent how we react to fate." She says with an innocent tone.

"…where's the other twenty percent?" I ask.

"Oh, that's luck."

"Luck huh? ….that's an interesting way of looking at it."

After that, I continued to scrub the floor, working around the small space she stood in and finished the rest while she watched. As I finished, I carefully walked across the damp floor and dumped the water down the drain, rinsing out the sinks one more time. She didn't move from her spot the entire time. No finished, I look at her.

She smiles at me and stretches, throwing her arms into the air and arching her back. Again, my eyes latch onto her breasts, seemingly wanting to burst forth from her pajamas. As her stretch finishes, I forcibly remove my eyes, nearly getting caught looking. Why am I looking at Kohaku this way? I'm married, happily at that. Maybe it's the stress. No, it's probably the pajamas, I've never seen her dressed this way before. It's just something new. I look to the microwave oven again. Almost three in the morning.

"Are you done? Will you go back to bed now? I think Lady Akiha must be getting worried by now."

"She's asleep."

She smiles and shakes her head. "No she's not."

"How do you know?"

Her eyes go into half slits and she gives me a side glance, covering her mouth with one hand.

"If I were your wife, I wouldn't be able to sleep, knowing you were like this."

"You sound so sure…"

"I am sure."

"Then why is it that you came down here instead of her?"

She chuckles to herself. "Because Lady Akiha is too proud for that. C'mon Shiki, you should know that by now."

I cross my arms and look away. I begin to wonder if she's right. I have a creeping suspicion she is.

"Listen, go to bed. For all our sakes, Shiki."

"….."

"I can give you something to help you sleep. I have a great herbal remedy that-"

"That's alright. Thanks though."

She sighs. "Then will you go to bed please?"

"….you're…really worried about me aren't you Kohaku?"

"Of course I am."

"…why?"

She closes her eyes and sighs. Heavily this time. "…you really are dense, aren't you?" she says quietly.

"What?"

Suddenly, she takes a step towards me and leans forward. She kisses me quickly on the cheek. She pulls back and turns around, beginning to walk out of the kitchen, then stops at the doorway and looks over her shoulder at me. A few locks of hair fall onto her shoulder.

"Your wife is waiting for you. Go to her ok?" She says that with a smile. Somehow I don't think it's a real smile. It's painted on. Her voice sounds genuine, but it seems scripted. As if there's something beneath the surface. I don't really understand it.

"Kohaku?"

"Goodnight Shiki."

"Hey."

"….Yes?"

"….thanks. For listening."

"….My pleasure."

With that, she flicks off the lights and exits, leaving me standing in the cold, dark kitchen.

I went to bed after that. When I crawled into bed next to Akiha, I thought I'd made it in unnoticed. It's hard to tell when she's asleep. She never makes a sound. A few moments after I settled in under the covers, she rolled over and wrapped her arms around my chest and rested her forehead against my neck. She never said a word. She just clung to me like that. I didn't say anything either. I just put my arm around her and we slept until morning.

It's been a few days. Things haven't been the same around Tohno Manor since the meeting. I've been quiet. Hisui was been even quieter. As if to make up for the both of us, Kohaku is running on all cylinders in overdrive. I've never heard her be this loud. Akiha has been….more like she used to be. That's not a good thing.

She's been very distant. In fact, the last two nights she hasn't joined me for dinner. She busies herself in the office in the other wing all day. I don't go into that room. It was once Makihisa's room and study. Now it's just a study with an oversized desk. A quiet place for her to get any work done that needs tended to. I just assumed she had a lot of paperwork and phone calls to handle with the deaths of Ayato and Jin.

In normal families, the death of a loved one means grieving, funerals, meeting old cousins that you haven't seen in years, or maybe ones you have never met. In this family, you lose a member, not a loved one. There are no funerals, just debates over who should get their inheritance. There is no grieving, only arguing amongst the surviving members. There are no cousins, only acquaintances. I wonder how Akiha feels about this?

I sigh frustrated and sit up on our oversized bed. Another dreary day. It's almost dinner time. I guess I should just go downstairs so that Hisui doesn't have to come find me….

I stand and walk over to the window and look down into the courtyard. I can see the trees bend and sway every few moments under the gusts of wind. They wave in the overcast landscape. I can see my reflection in the clean window. My eyes are half open, my blue irises look dull, devoid of life. I shake my head and chuckle at myself. Pathetic. I'm still bothered by this….

I turn and walk from my room. I wonder if Akiha will show up for dinner today?

"Thank you Kohaku. It was delicious." I say, watching her and Hisui take away the many platters full of food along with my silverware and plate. Hisui leans forward over the table and blows out the candles that had been lit. She begins to maneuver the objects on the table to that she can remove the tablecloth. I start to help her by raising the silver candlesticks.

"Ah…please, Master Shiki. I will take care of that. You go rest for the rest of the evening."

"I've been resting the last few days."

"Even so, please return to your room."

I ignore her and end up removing the tablecloth myself. She tugs at it a bit, but not near enough to fight me for it. I snatch it away in its large wadded mess and turn away from her, heading towards the kitchen area. I stop in my tracks, facing a stern looking Kohaku. She's smiling, but her eyes portray those of a devil.

"You should listen to your assistant, Master Shiki."

Yeah…there's no way I'm going to win this one. I back down. I turn to Hisui and hand her the wadded white tablecloth. She eyes me uncertainly and then walks past her sister and out of the dining hall.

I glance at Kohaku momentarily with disinterest. I shrug and jam my hands into my pockets, heading for the double doors leading into the hallway of the West Wing.

"You're…." I hear her begin. I stop, but I don't look back to her. I wait for her to finish. After a moment, she does.

"…still down about this?"

I don't answer her. I don't want to. I can't answer her. If I could, then maybe I could answer myself, and maybe I'd be over this by now. In the end, I just walked out of the dining hall without saying a word. I tried not to imagine the look on her face as I left. It didn't work very well.

It's late. It's going on midnight. Kohaku and Hisui have gone to bed, I believe. The mansion is dark except for the light coming from the office. It streams into the hallways from the cracked doorway in a narrow bolt of light. The windows in the hallway filter in no light, it is pitch black outside. A dark and cloudy night, concealing the moon. Akiha hasn't come to bed yet. Not that I'm ready to sleep either. I'm still dressed, even.

The past few days, she has wandered into our room and slipped under the covers next to me silently. I usually pretended to be asleep, for some reason. She may be able to melt away my bad moods, but when she is in one of her moods, I've found she doesn't want to be coddled. It's best to give her some space until she calms down. There's no reasoning with her when she's upset. On one occasion, I tried to. When her hair began to turn red, I decided it was for the best if I just left the room.

She's still in the study, I'm sure. What paperwork could take several days to complete? She's avoiding me. I knock on the door. I wait a few moments. No answer. I push the large lacquered door open. Its black iron hinges squeak as they glide open. I step into the study and glance over the room. Akiha is sitting behind the desk, leaning forward onto its surface. There are several papers strewn about, but she is not attending to any of them. Her arms are strewn across the desk, her shoulders slumped over. Her long black hair falls onto her arms and even onto the table. In her right hand, she holds a glass half-full of a dark red wine. Her blue orbs are in barely open slits, fixated on the contents of her glass. She twirls the liquid inside, watching it rotate hypnotically. I find myself gazing at it for a moment. It seems to glow under the light of the stained glass lamp atop the desk. She looks at me with a blank stare and then brings the glass to her lips and takes a long sip. I notice the bottle next to her. It looks like she's only had one or two glasses so far.

"You're drinking alone?" I ask, putting one hand on my hip.

She looks to me again and shrugs, a few locks of her hair falling off of the table and down to her sides. She takes another sip of her glass, emptying its contents. She reaches for the bottle and fills her glass again and sets them both down. I walk over to the desk and sit on top of it across from her position. She

moves her hand to take her glass again, but I'm faster. She glares at me as I bring the glass to my own lips and empty its contents in several long gulps. I hesitate for a moment, holding the glass limply as I feel a wave of light-headedness rise from my throat and into my temples. I exhale and maintain my balance, one foot planted lightly on the floor, the other dangling off the edge of the desk. I feel a slight warmth arise in my chest and move to my face. When I set the glass down, our eyes meet. She looks really pissed.

"What's with that look?"

She doesn't answer me. She leans back in her oversized leather studded chair and crosses her arms. I take a better look at her. She's wearing a white cardigan sweater and a pair of thin black slacks. She's foregone the constant care on her hair, and it looks somewhat disheveled, yet still maintains its straightness and sleek sheen. It's just out of place. Somehow, it makes her look more attractive….

"So, is this what you've been doing these past few days? Closing yourself off and drinking yourself into a stupor?"

She scoffs loudly and glares. "Hmph. As if you're one to talk." She mutters disgustedly.

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You've been avoiding me too. You have ever since the meeting."

"Not really…"

"Yes, really."

I sigh loudly and avoid her sharp eyes, staring at the oil landscape painting on the far off inner wall. It looks dull from years of neglect. I can barely see it in this dimly lit room.

"And just because I'm drinking doesn't mean I'm doing so to stupefy myself. I don't have anything to hide from."

I stare at her. I'm not trying to, but I know I must look angry. She's really getting on my nerves right now.

"Tch. And what are you saying about me? You think I'm hiding from something?"

"I wouldn't know. I just know you've been avoiding me."

She readjusts her arms and tightens their grip on each other, looking away and throwing her long hair over one shoulder with a violent flick of her neck.

"I haven't been avoiding you…just giving you some space."

"Who said I wanted space? Maybe I wanted to talk to you. But no, you wanted to 'protect' me again."

We continue to bicker, each of us careful not to make eye contact. I can't say that I wasn't hiding things from her…because I was. I still am….but….

"Akiha, listen, I-"

"I wanted to talk with you that night. But, you'd rather stay up until dawn cleaning the goddamned kitchen!"

Her shout echoes, or seems to at least. They seem to repeat themselves in my head. For the first time in several moments, I look to her. She's still avoiding my eyes, looking off to the side, arms crossed.

"…what's bothering you, Akiha?"

"Hmph, and now you want to ask me what's wrong? Forget it, I've already told my wine glass." She leans forward and makes to grab the glass. I snatch it from the table and hold it away from her. Staring daggers at me, she snatches the bottle and begins to bring it to her lips. I snatch that from her grasp too. Her eyes seem to burn with anger.

"Stop it."

"Don't tell me what to do."

"Akiha."

"What?"

"Tell me what's wrong."

"If you don't know that by now, then you're even stupider than I thought."

"I honestly thought you were busy. There was something bothering me, so yeah, maybe I unintentionally avoided you. I'm sorry, but don't just shut me out like this because you're pissed."

"Pissed!? Pissed doesn't even begin to describe it!"

She's stood out of the leather office chair and rounded the desk, coming a bit closer to me. The air feels even more tense. Her hands are at her sides, clenched into small fists. It's hard to see her face in this dimly lit room. I place the bottle and wine glass behind me on the desk's surface pensively under her fiery stare.

We stare at each other nervously for a few moments. I hadn't realized how upset she was. These past few days I've been so self absorbed I didn't notice something was wrong. That doesn't make it right. Not in the least. Staring at her now, I realize how negligent I've been. What could possibly make her this upset?

"Please tell me what's wrong."

"You first. Whatever is bothering you seems to be so damn important!"

"What's bothering me isn't important right now. I'm concern-"

smack

She strikes me hard across my left cheek with an open handed slap. My face gets jerked and I can already feel the burning and swelling on my flesh. I don't touch it. I just move my head back to face her. She's furious.

"…you're still trying to hide things from me!?"

I stand up from the desk and take a step forward. She backs away. At least she tries to. I grab her wrists with my hands. She squirms violently, writhing in my grasp.

"Let me go!!"

I ignore her and come closer. I release her hands and bring her into my arms into a tight embrace. She struggles, but I have her arms pinned at her sides. After a moment, she whimpers and relaxes. She leans her head onto my right shoulder and I feel her hands snake around my waist. I stroke her long hair slowly. She's trembling.

"Why did you marry me?" She whispers. I'm dumbfounded. Why would she even think of asking me such a thing? Out of nowhere, she asks me such a ridiculous question.

"What?" I say in automatic response.

"….do you still see me as your little sister?"

"Why would you even think-"

"Shinjiro…" His name cuts off not only my words, but my thoughts. "…what he said about our marriage….it-"

I grasp her tighter, stopping her short.

"I married you because I love you, Akiha."

"….you didn't answer me…."

"About what?"

"….do you see me as your little sister?"

"Akiha…you mean too much to me to just summarize in one word. I guess I feel the need to protect you, yeah. So in a way you're still my little sister."

She tries to push me away, but I hold her tightly. She pulls her head back and shakes her head. I just smile at her.

"Do you remember what I told you that night?"

She stops resisting and looks at me quizzically. Her eyes are full of uncertainty. I see. This is what she's been thinking about these past few days. She's been sitting alone, ever since that first night, wondering if I only see her as my sister. She's been afraid that I don't love her the same way she loves me, that our marriage is…

I suddenly feel very guilty for making her suffer like this, alone.

"….I love you as my sister, but I love you even more as a woman."

Her eyes look downcast and she looks away from me, toward the wall.

"So…you do still see me as your sister…."

"No…I see you as Akiha."

She scoffs. "Don't patronize me!"

"Like I said…you're too much to me to just put into one category. You're my sister, my friend, my wife…." I lean forward a bit. "…my lover…" I place my lips gently onto hers, then pull back only a few centimeters. She stares at me, this time her eyes full of a bit more clarity. She smiles at me and looks down at my chest.

"…you sure know what to say, don't you?" She says so almost bitterly. Instead of responding, I lift her chin with my thumb and kiss her again. This time more forcefully. I pull her closer into my arms. My tongue dances across her lower lips, then parts them and enters her mouth. She tastes like wine. I continue on. She moans into my mouth and it only serves to spur me on further. My tongue flicks against hers, sliding smoothly across in a rhythmic motion. My hand travels down her back slowly. I massage her spine as my hand moves downward. She moans into my mouth again and pulls away from my lips, gasping. I smile. Her body is so incredibly sensitive. Her thighs clench together. Just running my hand down her back has gotten her excited.

"…I'm sorry I slapped you." She says, almost in a whisper.

I shake my head. "No…I deserved it. I'm sorry I made you worry alone."

Now she shakes her head. "It's never alright for me to hit you. Really…I'm sorry. I was just…"

She looks at me with a half dazed look. I pull her closer and kiss her again. My hand travels further downward, grabbing her butt through the material of her black slacks. She whimpers. I grind my hips into hers. She gasps a little as she no doubt feels my bulging erection through the material of my jeans. She looks at me with a completely different look. One filled with desire.

"Shiki…"

Riiiiing.

Both of us jump at the sound of the telephone on the desk. We both look to it, she in surprise, and me in annoyance.

Riiiing.

"…who could that be?" Akiha asks with a perplexed look. I shrug and release her, walking over to the phone with two steps. I scoop it up as the third ring begins, cutting it off.

"Hello?" I speak.

"Sorry to call so late. Is this Shiki Tohno?"

"Who is this?" I ask harshly.

"Ah…I'm sorry. It's Itsuki Tohno. We met at the council meeting earlier this-"

"What do you want?"

"Hey…come on now. Most of the council members are a bit shady, but believe me when I tell you I'm not your enemy."

"….." I wonder about that. They say it's the people that help you that you need to look out for. I don't like the idea of suspecting people, especially people that have helped me…but this isn't everyday life. The politics of this family are on a completely different level. I don't like it…but I can't trust him. Not just yet…

I hear Itsuki sigh into the phone. He continues after a moment, as if collecting his thoughts.

"Listen, Shiki….I have reason to believe that Shinjiro is planning something. I think he intends to take control of the Tohno family."

"I'm not interested in his politics. I appreciate the concern, but-"

Akiha comes closer to me. "Who is it?" I ignore her and concentrate on Itsuki for the moment.

"No. Listen to me. Shinjiro is a dangerous man. I can't be certain, but...I think he's planning a hostile takeover." Itsuki continues.

"What are you talking about?"

Itsuki scoffs, his voice muffled by the receiver.

"Didn't you see the cleanup crew he called? Professionals. Shinjiro employs some questionable people, Shiki."

"Thanks for the warning, but I really don't think-"

"Don't be a fool! Why do you think I'm calling you this late? I wouldn't if it wasn't urgent! You need to be on your guard, or else-"

"Listen, I'm grateful for what you did for us at the meeting, but I don't think there's anything to worry about from him. I'll talk it over with Akiha. Call back tomorrow and we can talk more if you're really that worried."

"Wait!-"

I hang up the phone. Geez, what's his problem? He acts like this is a matter of life and death. A hostile takeover? He can't do anything against the head of this family. I don't claim to know anything about politics, but I do know that his hands are tied. I shake my head and walk over to Akiha.

"So…who was that?"

"Itsuki. He said he has some concerns about Shinjiro."

She looks to the side, her eyes closing to half slits. "Don't we all?"

"We can talk about it later." I say simply.

I take hold of her wrist and take a step backward, flicking off the light on the desk. She looks at me questioningly in the dark. I start for the door, tugging her along.

"Eh?" She manages as I tug her into the hall. She holds her ground and puts her other hand on top of mine.

"What are you doing?" she asks me in the darkness of the hallway. Good thing my night vision is excellent. I turn to her, still grasping her wrist.

"I want you."

Even in this dark hall, I can see her blush. It never fails to make me smile. Even though we're married, even though I've made love to her countless times, if I blatantly say something like that, she always gets embarrassed.

"…but, don't you think-"

"Right now." I cut her off. "I can't hold myself back anymore Akiha. I have to have you. Right now."

She blushes even more.

"S-Shiki…"

With that, I tug her down the hall, across the foyer's second floor, and into the west wing to our bedroom.

After ridding the both of us of our clothes, I push her down onto our bed. She whimpers as I again assault her lips with my own. I manage to pull her upper body into mine and unclasp her white bra and toss it over the bedside. I push her down again, flat on her back. I begin teasing her supple breasts with my fingertips. I release her lips and she gasps for air. Her breathing is becoming ragged. Her thighs squirm against each other beneath me. She really is sensitive. Her hands move from around my shoulders to my chest. Our eyes meet. She looks dazed, even half asleep. Her right hand moves down my throat to my chest. Her fingertips trace the large scar over my heart and down to my abdomen. Even in this darkness, you can see how discolored the skin is. Darker than the rest of my pale skin, as if permanently stained by the blood that once poured forth.

She always does this. She always traces the horrific stab wound from my childhood. Really…it was the start of everything. Even though it nearly killed me, it bonded Akiha and I together. Literally. When two people marry, they are pledging their lives to each other. They decide to share their lives with the person they love the most. Akiha is literally sharing her life with me. She's given half of her life to keep me alive. Sometimes I forget that, but I try not to. I try, everyday, to at least acknowledge it consciously. That she is the reason I am alive, and the reason I live. It's reciprocal. I live because of her, and I live for her. I think it's the same with her.

I take hold of her hand and drag it away from my scar and kiss the back of her hand. She blushes a bit. I smile and pin her hands above her head. She doesn't fight, she just accepts it. I place my lips on her throat and tease her. Holding both of her hands with my left, I am free to explore her slim body with my right. I run my hand up her torso staring at her hip. She shivers.

After a while, I move my hand down her stomach and down between her legs. Parting them with minimal effort, I run my fingers over her pristine white panties. They are already damp. She whimpers and squirms, but I press on. Her hands struggle against me, but she's too weak. I keep a firm grip and hold her hands down against the mattress. I adjust my position a bit and place my lips onto her breast. Meanwhile, my fingers trace the folds of her entrance through the cotton of her panties. She lets out a low moan.

"S-Shiki…."

Her breathing intensifies. Her moans become more frequent. Even this much is pushing her over the edge. Well then….

I take hold of her panties and pull them down to the bend of her knees. I release her hands and run my fingers from her shoulders down to her wrists. Then up her stomach, and back down to her hips. She writhes a bit. It's as if my touch leaves traces of fire on her skin. I move my head down between her legs and hold her legs up. I duck my head under her panties stuck at her knees and run my tongue along the outside of her entrance. She all but screams. I begin teasing her with my lips and I stroke her thighs with my hands. She continues to moan, squirming under my caresses. She's on the edge now. I plunge my tongue into her folds. She tastes incredibly sweet.

That pushes her over. She lets out a loud moan and writhes against me. My mouth is filled with a flow of her succulent nectar. I continue to lash my tongue inside her for a few moments, until she comes down from her climax. Once I am certain she has fallen back down from her ecstasy, I run my tongue up to her naval, then up her stomach. She shifts as I do so. I find myself positioned between her legs, between her petite, naked body, and the panties that bind her knees. She blushes fiercely, realizing her position.

"Shiki! What are you-"

I kiss her, stifling her protest, allowing her to taste herself on my lips. She moans in protest, but also accepts me willingly. After I pull back, she still squirms.

"This is…embarrassing…."

"What do you mean? We're married."

"Yes, but-"

I don't give her time to complain. I slide my erect member into her entrance. She gasps out in part surprise, and part pleasure. Her walls are already tightening, and I've barely entered her. Adjusting my hips a bit, I slide my entire length deep inside of her. She arches her back, her small frame pressing into me. Her small breasts jump up as she arcs her body. Her long, black hair falls to the bed behind her. She tries to move her legs, but her panties refuse to let them move beyond a certain point. Her walls crush down on me. Even though wet and warm, she is putting forth a good deal of pressure. To relieve it, I begin thrusting. I begin at a slow pace, but after a few minutes, I build up momentum. Her moans spur me on, and she claws at my back in pleasure. I hold her down on the mattress and pin her hands above her again as I slam inside of her ever more forcefully. Her moans become screams. I kiss, lick, and nibble on her neck as I enter her deeper and deeper. Her small body jerks upwards toward the headboard with each thrust and falls back down with me as I pull farther out of her. A light clapping sound can be heard as our thighs meet. It only makes me thrust inside of her harder.

"Oh God! I'm going to-"

She comes again, without being able to finish her sentence. Her walls come down upon me with crushing force. I feel another flow of her juices. I can feel the bedspread becoming more damp under my thighs. Our bodies are both hot, covered in a film of sweat. Her blue eyes look up at me in pitiful ecstasy. I realize I'm still holding her down. This position must be almost humiliating for her, almost as if I'm raping her. I smirk to myself. She may protest or call it embarrassing, but she loves this. She loves every moment of it. She may have the upper hand in any other situation, but at night, in our bed like this, I have the advantage.

Her personality is so domineering, so fiery most times. But alone, I get to see a side of her that is only for me. I get to see the quick to anger, demanding, pretentious Akiha Tohno demeaned, ashamed, and completely under my control. I have to admit…I love every second of it. This side that she shows only to me.

I reach behind me and help her fully remove her panties. She seems a bit relieved. Her legs wrap around me tightly and she kisses me. She strokes my hair, running her thin fingertips through my locks of black hair, gripping them in tufts in her grip. Trying to show a little dominance? I can't have that, now can I?

I grip her wrists. Making sure she's incapacitated, I remove my swollen member from her. I sit up onto my knees and grip her hips tightly. She gives me a confused look before I drag her towards me across the mattress and flip her onto her stomach. She lets out a surprised gasp and I bring her hips up to my waist, forcing her onto her elbows and knees.

"H-Hey! Shiki!"

To distract her, I again take advantage of her overly sensitive body. I run my fingers up her back. The other hand stays on her hip. I move it across her ass and down to her core, teasing the outside. To fully rattle her, I run my tongue up her spine to her shoulder blades. She shivers against me and involuntarily grinds her ass into my groin. I hardened erection slides down underneath her as she does so. She moans, then whimpers.

"Shiki…this is really-"

Taking note of how that affected her, I grip her hips and slide my member against her outer folds. She gasps again, and grinds her hips against me harder.

"What? You don't like this Akiha? Your body is telling me different." I tease her, whispering into her ear. She whimpers pathetically in response. I continue to rub my manhood against her core. She flicks her head, and her long raven hair falls over her back and to the left side of her head, showing me fully her pure, untainted back. I can't help but run my hand along her silky smooth skin. Maybe that's part of why I feel like I have to protect her. She seems so small, so frail. Her petite body seems weak. Even so, she is beautiful. No…that doesn't do her justice at all. She is gorgeous.

"Mmm…don't say things like that. I'm not-"

"Not what?"

I rub harder, and she moans harder.

"If you want me stop, I will." Those words may seem like a gamble, but they aren't. She won't tell me stop. On the contrary. She wants this even more than I do. I smile to myself in the darkness of our bedroom. Maybe it is a bit mean, but I love teasing her like this. I can't help it. My carnal desire takes over, and I feel the need to dominate her. Completely.

She merely whimpers.

"Akiha? Tell me. What do you want?"

I continue to grind against her. She tries her best to contain her moans, but with little success.

"I want…"

I push more.

"Yeah?"

"I…want you inside me."

I lean closer, pressing my lips onto her ear. "You'll have to be more clear than that…."

She writhes a bit and grinds into me more.

"I want you inside me…from behind…" Her voice is more of a plea. I'd wanted a better reaction, but that'll do. With that, I secure her hips and enter her forcefully. Her back arches again, throwing her long hair across her back. Unable to support herself under the weight of her own pleasure, her arms give out and her upper body falls onto the bed. Holding her hips up, I begin to thrust into her. She's moaning. No, she's screaming. My member enters her at a different angle than what she is used to. I must be hitting a special spot. It isn't long before she climaxes again. This time I continue on. Her voice reaches a higher pitch. She's screaming my name.

I reach down and grab her arms, lifting up her torso. I continue to enter her, holding up her torso by her arms. Her body sways with each thrust, along with her hair. I pull her upper body closer to mine and embrace her from behind, massaging her breasts. The angle has slightly changed, and I'm thrusting at an upward angle to reach deep inside her. One of her arms reaches over her shoulder and to the back of my head, holding onto me. She moans uncontrollably, her walls getting ever tighter around me. I can't hold out much longer.

She leans her head back onto my shoulder, her silky hair cascading down my chest to my stomach. Her body jumps with each powerful thrust I give. I feel a rush building in my stomach.

"Akiha…"

I grit my teeth and enter her forcefully one final time, holding her up against me. She screams out loudly as I release inside of her. The pulsing rhythm of my orgasm coincides each burst of my seed, intermingling with her own nectar. I hold her like that for a minute or so, until my muscles loosen from the sheer pleasure coming in waves. We fall onto the bed, both of us face down. I'm still holding her, and her ass is still ground deep into my hips. Our breaths are ragged. She inhales sharply, and lets out small moans as she exhales.

I finish putting on my underwear and jeans and look back through the darkness to our bed

I finish putting on my underwear and jeans and look back through the darkness to our bed. Akiha lies on her side, completely exhausted. Her breathing has calmed, but it is still deep, and she seems to be sighing slightly with each exhalation. She has crawled underneath the sheets. I can see the outline of her thin, yet curvaceous frame just below the thin silk of the cream colored sheets. I look out across our Victorian style bedroom, fixating my gaze on the windows momentarily. I still can't see much outside. Such a dark night. The clouds still conceal the moon. Too bad…I think it's almost full tonight. It'd really be beautiful on an autumn night like this.

I glance at the clock. 2:42 AM. I rub the back of my head, trying to regain some strength. I'm a little tired myself. I lean over the bed and place my hand upon my wife's hip. I kiss her cheek lovingly.

"I'll be right back."

"Mm-hmm" she responds, shifting into a more comfortable position underneath the sheets. "Don't be gone too long." She says lightly.

I smile and walk out of the room quietly, my bare feet padding over the cold carpet. As I reach the hallway, the contact of my naked feet upon the even colder wood sends a wave of alertness through my body. I almost shiver. God that's cold! It must be getting colder outside. I reprimand myself for not putting on my shirt and rub my arms with both hands. I walk down the hall, down the stairs of the foyer, and back into the small kitchen. I flick on the light and rummage through the cupboard overhead for a glass. Pouring myself some water from the tap, I begin gulping it down.

"So, you two made up?" I almost spit the water out instinctively. A bit does leave my mouth in my surprise at the intruding voice. I wipe my lips with the back of my hand and awkwardly swallow the gulp of water still in my mouth.

"K-Kohaku!" I yell at her.

"Fufufuf…sorry Shiki. I didn't mean to scare you." She's smiling mischievously.

"Yes you did!"

"Huh? Well…yeah but not that badly…." She makes an innocent gesture, bringing her hand to her chin.

"…yes you did!"

"Huh? Well….Fufufuf…yeah I guess so. But it was too funny!" She snickers at me again.

I glare at her from my place at the sink. She's wearing the same outfit I saw her in the other night. This time, I'm careful to let my eyes stray nowhere near her chest. I wish she'd button her shirt up all the way though…

She tilts her head at me with another smile and walks over to the cupboard, retrieving her own glass. I step aside, letting her access the tap while I chug down the rest of my glass. I let out a refreshed sigh and set the glass down on the counter near the sink. She tentatively drinks her own glass and does the same.

She makes eye contact with me and waves her hand at me.

"Come on, don't look like that."

"Like what?"

She leans forward a bit, studying my face intently with a serious look.

"Hmm…nevermind."

What the hell? She's being really weird…then again, isn't she always? As she leans back, my eyes unconsciously catch a glimpse of her cleavage. Dammit! Why won't she button it all the way? I wasn't even trying to look! Geez….I'd be in some real trouble if I get caught doing that. I'm not really attracted to her or anything…I mean she is cute but…I love Akiha very much and I would never, ever betray her, but…when Kohaku just puts them out there like that…

"Well, I'm glad you two are better now." She says finally.

"Yeah…me too. I bet things aren't very easy on you when she's mad about something, huh?"

She closes her eyes in a nervous face. "Yeah…well…sometimes….heh"

"Well then, I guess I better do my best to keep her happy, for all of our sakes."

"Yeah, that'd be a good idea Shiki."

She turns on her heels and heads for the hallway. She reaches the threshold and stops, looking back at me over her shoulder. Her amber eyes don another mischievous look.

"Although…you might not want to stare at my chest. That might make her a little angry."

"Eh!?" I let out an uncontrollable yelp of surprise. A wave of fear runs through my body. She….noticed!? Crap….

She shakes her head and smiles, seeing my reaction.

"Good night, Shiki."

With that, she flips off the lights in the kitchen, once again leaving me alone in the cold, dark, kitchen. I let out a sigh. Now she's got blackmail material…she'll probably make me do her chores for a week….great….

I walk up the stairs of the foyer, heading for our bedroom. As I reach the second floor, I stop and cast a glance across the dark room. Before I turn towards our hallway, I see a glint of light out the window nearest the foyer on the first floor. It wasn't much, but it was enough to catch my attention. What was that? It was like something moved….Usually I'd shrug it off but…I have a weird feeling about this. I walk to the east end of the foyer nearest the east wing. I look out the window of the hallway and see nothing. Hmmm…

I look out amongst the ground and simply cast my eyes down to the grass below. Nothing unusual. My imagination must be getting the better of me. When I begin to turn, I see another flash. It was very dull, almost unnoticeable. I still saw it. This wasn't a flash of light this time. This was movement. I stand on my toes and look down. That's when I see it. That's when I see them.

I can see many men running close to the manor's walls on the east wing just below me. They are all wearing the same outfit. Dark black pants and long sleeved shirts. They all wear helmets and bullet-proof vests adorned with various tools. They are all heavily armed, carrying automatic weapons. They look very powerful. They all wear ski masks underneath their helmets. I can hear one of them whispering.

A sudden fear grips me by the throat.. I try to count them. I can already see over forty. There have to be even more. They are probably surrounding the house. I try to get a better look at them, but I can't see much in this darkness. This moonless night conceals them well. I run to into the east wing, following their movement. Shit….who are these guys!? My mind races. What do they want…

Suddenly, it hits me. 'Shinjiro is a dangerous man' Itsuki said. 'Why do you think I'm calling this late? I wouldn't be if it wasn't urgent!'

This is what Itsuki was trying to warn me about….I never thought that it was this serious. These men are professionals. The way they move is so utterly organized. They move in patterns, clearly with some type of command. They use hand signals to communicate, as well as some type of earpieces. Mercenaries probably. Hired killers.

Okay…think…It would take a while to navigate the gardens in the back, so they must just be approaching. That means that they are probably just getting in position. Okay…the east wing…Kohaku and Hisui's rooms are just below me on the first floor, and Akiha is in the west wing on the second floor. It'll take a while for them to get to her, and even when they do, she can defend herself. Kohaku and Hisui won't be able to do anything to these men. I have to make them my priority right now. I feel like I should protect Akiha, but in this situation, I have to protect them first. One of the men signals the others with a closed fist, then points toward the house. I look down to see a few of them closing in and ducking behind the several windows on the first floor. They're about to make their move.

Dammit! I realize I don't have my knife. Of course I don't, it's in our room. I only got up for some water. Looking around, I burst into the office, Makihisa's old room, and look across the desktop. I throw a few documents to the floor and reach around. All I find in these few seconds is a large fountain pen. Better than nothing…. I remove my glasses and throw them down onto the desk, running out of the room. I ignore the 'lines' snaking into everything. I ignore the head rush and the pangs of the headache to come. I have to hurry. I reach one of the windows and look out. Out of my peripheral vision, I can see more men gathering into position. Only a few seconds before they enter. I want to scream. I want to tell everyone in the house what's going on, but if I do that, then those men will know I'm here too. They'll know that I know they're here.

I am an assassin. I can't take these men head on. Their assault rifles will tear me to shreds in an instant. Any chance I have of killing them is going to be in the element of surprise.

Wait…kill them? Again…I'm thinking of killing so easily? What am I becoming? Wait, I don't have time for this! If I don't do something we're all going to die! I have to do something now! If I don't kill them…they'll kill us. That's all there is. I'll deal with my conscience later. I run to another window where I can see tree branches close by. I used to sneak out this window when I first came to the mansion. I guess that's convenient.

I open the window quickly but silently. I leap into the tree and grab hold of it, making sure to keep a firm grasp on the fountain pen. I swing myself onto the branch and run down it towards the trunk. The branches shook a little as I did so. The men stop. Shit….

One of them makes an open palmed sign with his gloved hand. "Did you hear something?" He asks in a whisper. I can hear them now. I look through the foliage several meters below me to the group of men and listen. There is a silence for a few moments. It feels very cold out here, but I ignore it. Oddly, my heart is not beating quickly. I am not panicked. Rather than feeling like a fugitive, I feel like a spider. A spider…stalking its prey.

"Just the wind in the trees I think." Another says.

I spot one man, obviously keeping a lookout over the east wing. He is back by the tree I am standing in. He has some type of binoculars, they must be night vision. These guys really are professionals. Upon looking at them closer, I notice their accessories on their vests. Each one of them has a bowie knife strapped to their left shoulder. Along their back they have spare clips of ammunition, and on their belts, they have what look to be handcuffs, and also a grenade. Geez…are they starting a war? They have taken no chances…I guess Shinjiro is pulling out all the stops. Fine…so will I.

"Alright…ready ladies?" One gruff sounding man says to his counterparts.

Now's my chance. I jump down to another branch below, just above the lookout's head. Putting the backs of my knees on the branch, I flip upside down behind him. I had spotted his 'point' of death, right at the base of his neck while in the tree. I cover his mouth with one hand to prevent him from screaming, and stab the pen as hard as I can into the point. Leaving the pen there, I rip the bowie knife from it's sheath on his left shoulder and flip myself back up into the tree. I run across the branch again and jump to the window sill and shimmy along it to the next window. As I reached the windowsill, I heard a sloshing followed by a muffled thumping. I hear one man say "Holy Fuck!!"

They must have just seen his body fall into several pieces to the ground in a miserable lump of flesh and blood. I won't let you kill us. I won't let you lay one finger on any of the women in my life. Hisui, Kohaku, and Akiha…they are too important to me. You all want to kill us? Then I have no choice. I'll kill you all first. I look down. They are all focused on their fallen comrade. One man tries to calm them.

"Fuck! It's that kid! Half of you, move on the mansion, the rest of you, find him! He's out here somewhere!"

I see…he must be the commander for this squad. Take out the head, and the body follows. I push off the side of the mansion's wall and jump down to the man who barked out the orders. I place the flats of my bare feet onto his back as I land, cushioning my fall. He hits the ground with a thundering force and lets out a weak yelp as I dig my feet into his back, pushing his body into the earth. I feel a crunching under my feet. I must have collapsed his ribcage. I leap from his body as he hits the ground, using the force as a sort of trampoline effect. I leap forward just in time, as a few men open fire, the repeating rat-tat-tat of the weapons firing after my movement. I hear a gurgling as I run and dive behind a nearby tree. They fired at me and killed their commander? I must really have them afraid right now. Good.

I hear the crashing of glass. Shit…they're moving in on the house. I poke my head out momentarily just to see the situation. As previously ordered, half of them are moving in breaking through the windows and entering the first floor, while the other half closes in on where I am. Dammit! I have to hurry! I bring my head back in quickly, hearing a few gunshots. I feel windswept as a hail of bullets whizzes past my head. I can feel the tree groan under the pressure of the oncoming storm of flying metal. I climb the tree quickly, using it as a shield. A few soldiers round the tree as I finish climbing into it. I quickly leap into a nearby tree. Just in time, as a few of them realized and fired randomly into the treetop a few feet overhead.

"Where is the bastard!?"

I move to another tree, and another. They can't see me anymore. They are checking nearby trees carefully, aiming their weapons upward. A few of them bring out flashlights, aiming the beams into the trees. Without their lookout and their commander, they are much worse off. Their information and their organization has fallen. That gives me an advantage, but it doesn't mean much. I'm still out in the open. I must fight close quarters, and they can use distance. I have to be swift. I don't have time for this…I need to frighten them to take off their aim. They've followed me almost in a line. There are about fifteen of them out here. I think I can manage…I quickly look at the branch I'm currently in, and use my newly acquired bowie knife to cut the 'line' on the end of it, taking a hunk of branch. This knife is heavy and unwieldy. Too bulky, and it doesn't have good maneuverability. I take an overhand grip. I'll have to make due. Holding the branch in my other hand, I toss it down behind the soldier closest to me. He turns and fires instinctively. He thinks it was me. Bad mistake.

I leap down in front of him and crouch before him. He never even sees me coming. The sound of his weapon deafens him to my landing behind. He stops firing and yells out "Where the fuck are you!?"

It's too late. I glare at the many lines across his torso. I slice them in an instant. Both shoulders, from his left armpit to his right side, down his spine, his hip to his heart, and countless others. The other soldiers are staring at him. They don't realize yet. I'll make them. His body hasn't fallen apart yet. Before it can, I slide back and perform a spinning back kick as hard as I can to the center of his back. The resulting force causes his body to explode. The lines that I cut perforated his body, and giving it a blow heaves them across the air. An explosion of blood and inner organs launches towards the horrified soldiers. A rain of blood hails down upon two soldiers that were standing near him. His intestines, his lungs, his pancreas, his heart, all flail about in the air before hitting the ground with a sickening sloshing sound. Various limbs and chunks of skin travel a bit farther and roll across the ground. I hear a few screams. They're terrified. Before his body has completely fallen, I rush through the smoke screen of blood and organs. I get covered in his blood. I look downward, keeping my eyes from being obstructed. I reach the other two soldiers, who scream out in terror. They lift their rifles to fire. I don't even think they saw me, they just want to fire in this direction, having seen their comrade die so gruesomely. Too late.

I slash both of them. Only the lines across their necks. I grab one of them, holding his body up. Both of their heads fall down, and twin geysers of blood spray from their necks. Horrified soldiers behind them begin firing. Using one of their bodies as a human shield, I rush forward, his bullet proof vest absorbing all the damage. As I reach the group of soldiers, I kick the soldier's headless body into the fray, knocking down another soldier. He falls under the weight of his dead comrade. I leap to the side, avoiding another hail of bullets and slice the 'line' across another's belly. His torso rips in half and he falls dead. The other soldier struggles out from underneath the projectile body and points his rifle at me with one hand. I turn and slice the 'line' across its barrel. The rifle falls to the ground to his surprise. Before he can get up, I slice many lines across his face. His frontal lobe, his cerebellum, his eyes, all of his head slides apart in a bloody refuse.

I stand and turn to face the ten remaining soldiers. I'm covered in blood and entrails. My hair is matted with blood, which runs down my cheeks and my bare torso dying me a dark crimson. I stand above the bodies of men absolutely desecrated. They stare at me for a few moments. I stare back at them, between the trees of the side yard, ready to dodge the next attack.

Why am I not scared? I regard them with uninterested eyes. They aren't alert and wide, they are half closed in a natural position. My body moves not out of urgency, but as if it's completely natural. Why am I so calm? One wrong move and I'm dead. If even one of those bullets hits me, I'm finished. So why?

"F-Fucking demon!!"

One soldier yells, raising his weapon. I dive to the side and plant my hand on the ground, flipping forward and landing behind a nearby tree.

"Screw this! Surround him and don't get too close!"

It's been about one minute. I'm taking far too long. They'll reach Hisui and Kohaku soon, if they haven't already. Will they kill them? I can't be sure. Shinjiro might have ordered them to kill every witness. I need to hurry.

I decide to attack. I dash sideways from behind the tree and leap forward. I can hear them firing at me. I move as swiftly as I can. I dash right and left as I sprint towards the soldiers. I begin circling to the right to draw their fire. I'm just ahead of their paths. But only by milliseconds. I reach the first man and jump, kicking him under the chin. He stumbles back and his helmet flies off. The soldiers back off and begin firing. I grab at the man's belt and run for cover. I stinging pain on my left side. I ignore it. I reach cover behind a tree. I did it so quickly, I wasn't sure if I'd actually grabbed hold of it. But I did. I hold in my left hand the grenade from around the man's belt. I hear heavy footsteps. Their boots thunder against the ground as they approach my hiding place from both sides. I don't have to be quiet anymore. I'm sure every soldier knows that I'm here. If there are others, they know they are under attack. There's no need to play it safe. My element of surprise is gone. I locate the pin on the grenade in the form of a lever. I flip it up and wait for a second. I'm not sure how long the fuse is, but it has to be a few seconds at least. I toss it to the left side of the tree. One man screams out. "Run!" he yells. They don't get very far. I cover my ears and stay behind the tree and sink down against the ground. A thunderous boom. I feel dirt and twigs rain down upon me. The tree groans and cracks. It begins to fall. My ears are ringing, even though I covered them. Whatever. I see the tree falling to the left. I grab hold of the trunk and Run up it a little ways and fall with it. The surviving men to the right fire on the space I previously occupied. They didn't expect me to use the tree. I leap off of it before it hits the ground and slam hard into a soldier, knocking him down. I cut the 'line' across his forehead and dash towards the others. Five more men, standing somewhat close together all take aim. Hey fire. I dash forward between them all in an instant. I'm even faster than before. I must appear to them a mirage. I dash forward, and the knife I hold moves. I stand behind the men, not even looking at them. I hear all five bodies crash to the ground in a fleshy rain.

I don't think about killing them. I don't think about how to kill them. I see their lines. I tell them to break. They do. It's as simple as that. It's like grabbing an apple from a bowl. You don't think about telling your nerves to send an impulse to your muscles, to lift the bones in your arm, to tighten your fingers around the apple, and to bring the fruit to you. You tell your body to grab the apple, and it does. There is no process, all there is, is the endpoint. You want to grab the apple, so you do.

I tell them to die. And they do.

I look behind me after a moment. I regard the carnage I've wrought with my own hands. Several trees are riddled and splintered under the concentrated gunfire. The tree a few meters behind me lies pitifully, a few men crushed underneath it. A small indent, a crater of dirt among the otherwise untainted grass stand defiant following the grenade blast. I look across the field. Those fifteen men all lie dead. Intestines are coiled and stretched across the ground. Various other organs lie in pieces, I can't make out what they are. Arms, legs, torsos, heads, they all lie scattered about. It's almost like a doll manufacturing plant exploded. The ground is dyed a dark color. I can't see that it's red on this dark night, but I know. The ground is a dark red. It will dye the grass and kill it. The trees will absorb the blood and they will become sick. Their leaves will turn brown, not because of the season, but the vermillion life bloods leaving these men.

These men. They were doing a job. They came here prepared to kill. So they must have been prepared to die. They take lives to earn money. They want to gain something, so they take something away from others. It's no different than any other thing in the world. Right?

I want to live. I want us all to live, the four of us. So, I have to take something from them. I have to protect them. To do that…I need what I've been trying to suppress my entire life. The mind of a killer. But I won't become a killer. I'm still myself. I've been trying to hide from this part of me. This dark side of me…but…even a dark side can be used for good. The good is that I can save those close to me. If that means I have to kill, then that's just reality. I can't save everyone. Anyone so naïve to think they can save everyone is nothing but a fool. AS long as I stay true to myself and persue what I believe in, it doesn't matter. Even if there is overlap in what I want and what Makihisa wanted…it doesn't make a difference. I finally realize that. I smirk to myself. To think, it took slaughtering several people for me to snap out of this mindset. How ironic…

I smile to myself and begin walking towards the mansion. My left arm hurts. How did I not notice until now? I guess it happened when I made the grab for that soldier's grenade. I've been shot. It looks like several times, in fact. Nothing serious, a few bullets grazed my left arm. Blood runs down my arm and mingles with the blood of the soldiers. My ear stings too. I think a piece of shrapnel cut my left ear in the blast. I can't tell. I'm too covered in their blood. I brush my hair a bit. Droplets of blood flinging off of my dark locks. Whatever. I don't have time!

I reach the house after a quick sprint and crouch below the window. A few men stand in the hallway. I can see all the doors on this floor have been opened. They've found Kohaku and Hisui. I can't see or hear them, but their bedroom doors are open. Without thinking, I lift myself up and jump in. I'm immediately greeted with gunfire. Luckily, all the soldiers are on one side of me. I dash closer to one man and use him as a shield. Their bullets tear into him. He makes to fall, but I hold him up. I have to have a shield. He screams out in pain. He looks at me in anger and points his rifle at me. I cut the 'line' across his elbow. He screams out as his arm hits the hardwood floor with a thud, blood collecting on its cold surface. I use the same tactic. Holding his body up I rush the fray and send his body into them. They all seem to block it, holding the body still as it slams into them. I run after the body and run up it and leap into a front flip. As I fly over the heads of a few soldiers, I swing my knife in a circular motion, twisting my body midair. It takes the heads of three men. Even upside down, it's the same. I see lines across their neck. Break, I tell them. They do. The soldiers are relentless. I can hear one in the back barking out the situation to someone through his earpiece. The others continue to fire. A few stop and reload while the others keep up the onslaught.

As I land, I dash to my right and take hold of the drapes on the next window. I leap into the air and run across the wall with the aid of the drapes. They begin to give. They've served their purpose already. I release them before they give under my weight and manage to take two more steps across the wall. I leap off across the corridor, their bullets following my body and crushing the walls, splattering them with holes and taking chunks of plaster with them. Reaching the other wall, I leap off towards the retreating soldiers. As I fly into their ranks, my knife moves. I land forcefully under the momentum I'd gained leaping off of the wall. Arms, heads, upper bodies crash to the ground in a bloody mess. Four more dead.

The last man in the hall in the back kneels downs and prepares to fire. Unable to move from my crouch, I hurl my knife at him. As his rifle trains onto my head, the knife enters his right pectoral, the site of his 'point' of death. He pulls the trigger, but the gun moves upward, firing randomly. His body falls apart, every line breaking. Blood flows across the floor by the liter.

I dash forward and grab another knife from a fallen soldier. The other one was getting dull. My feet splash against the bloody puddles on the hardwood floors. I reach Kohaku's room and hide behind the entrance. I stick out my head slightly. I see a movement and fall back. Loud gunfire follows. I smile. Outside, they may have had an advantage, but in these narrow halls and rooms, I have the advantage. I can use my flexibility and my speed to my advantage. There's nowhere to run. I jump up and grab the wooden molding around the door frame at the top and swing into the room. They fire at me, but below my position. These men…they don't expect anyone to use the walls or the ceilings. That's their fatal flaw. I fall to the ground and dash behind Kohaku's bed. I use my momentum and slide underneath it. Luckily, she has nothing underneath. I slide clear to the other side. They can't see me here. They round the other side. Fools. I jump onto the bed and leap off of it. Only two of them. The lines on their necks break, their heads fall, followed by their clumsy weighted bodies.

Kohaku isn't here. They have to be around. Maybe they brought both of them to Hisui's room. There are probably a few of them left here. If I charge in like this, I won't be able to do anything. If they are still alive, then they'll use the girls as hostages. I won't be able to do anything with their lives hanging by the weight of a trigger. I'm fast, but not fast enough to span a room to save someone from a point blank shot. Of course I'm not that fast, I'm only human.

I search the headless body of one of the soldiers I've felled. He must have been one of the communications officers for this group. I can hear a voice in his earpiece shouting questions from his head that has rolled a meter away. I can't make out anything that he's saying, but I can guess. 'What happened? What is the situation?' I quickly glance over his body and decide to take his grenade. I can't use his rifle or his sidearm. I have no experience with guns. Besides, what if I hit Hisui or Kohaku. No…I have to rely on my speed and my cunning. I run to the room silently, hunching down so as to avoid any shots that may come from outside. I glance out the windows out of my peripheral vision as I run. There are no reinforcements outside. Good.

I reach Hisui's room. I stay close to the wall and jam my body by the doorframe in the inner corner.

"I said shut the fuck up you little bitch!" I hear a crack and a thud.

"Sister!" Hisui's voice.

"You too! Don't make me splatter that pretty little head of yours!" The voice commands.

I kneel and peek one eye in. Dammit. I bring my head back slowly as to not draw attention. Hisui and Kohaku are in there. They are still alive, thank God. There are four of them that I can see, but there may be more that I can't from here. Hisui and Kohaku are near the back corner of the room on their knees. Their hands are above their heads. A soldier stands behind both of them, the muzzle of their rifles against the backs of their heads. It looks like Kohaku is back-talking them. One of them must have struck her. I'll make sure he pays for that.

They are playing it smart, keeping them away from the windows. I won't be able to charge in that way. The only way to get to them is through the several soldiers in that room.

"This is the team in the eastern block. We've secured the two Synchronizers. The Nanaya is somewhere near here. He's fighting with the rest of the troop. Send reinforcements here soon. We'll hold down our end here." I hear one man utter. He must be reporting to some commanding unit. After a moment of silence he says, "No, only five of us are left. We have a good defense built though. If he is around, he'll have a hard time getting through. Just get your asses over here! And watch yourselves, that guy is a fucking devil…"

A devil, huh? Yeah…maybe I am. I'm your devil. I'm here to send you to hell. Along with anyone else who tries to hurt us. You're all dead. Every. Last. One of you.

It's a good thing I listened too…it looks like there were five of you, not four. I decide to get their attention. I poke my body out, enough for the soldier nearest the door to see me.

"There he is!!" I hide back as he begins firing. The bullets stream into the hallway and then begin pummeling the other side of the wall I hide behind. It won't hold for long. I hold the grenade and launch it deep into the room. It clacks and bounces against the hardwood floors. I hear a few gasps and a yelp.

"You crazy fuck, you'll kill the women too!"

I dash into the room. As expected, everyone is in a total panic, except Kohaku. She stays still, almost dazed. Hisui looks apprehensive. She clings to her sister. All five soldiers are dashing towards me. Well…not towards me, but towards the exit. To escape the impending explosion. I reach the first soldier. He doesn't even have time to react. I tear him apart. His body falls in pieces. The next man behind him follows. The others yell out curses, bolting for the doorway. They fire as they run. I dash to the side, narrowly avoiding the hail of bullets. I'm now beside Hisui's bed. I leap atop it and bound through the air towards the other three men. It's been more than a few seconds. The soldier in back falls backward to the wall. He must have realized what the other two haven't. They still run for the door. I land just behind them and leap forward. I take out their legs and part of their torsos. They scream out and fall mid run. Their diced corpses hit the ground and skid, with the aid of their own blood as lubricant. Their bodies reach their much-seeked doorway…but not in the way they'd wanted. There was no reason to. The grenade will not explode. I never pulled the pin. The fifth soldier realized this. Of course I wouldn't pull the pin. Why would I endanger Hisui and Kohaku? These men are only concerned about their own lives. It becomes clear to me now. These men have no loyalty. They do not believe in this cause. They are working for money. This is just a job to them. Otherwise, they would be much more organized, ready to lay down their lives. These men…they never had a chance.

I turn around to find the last man retreating behind the girls. He holds Hisui at gunpoint, and Kohaku by the shoulder from their kneeling place on the ground. The exact situation that I didn't want to happen….he has them as hostages. I was careless…I should've been faster. I should have been…

"Drop the knife or I'll drop them!" He barks. I looks into his brown eyes behind his ski mask. His eyes are stern, but desperate. He kneels down behind them so that their bodies shield him should I make an advance. He holds them both together in a death grip, his rifle strewn across Kohaku, the muzzle pointed at Hisui.

I turn to face him, knife in hand. I glare at him. What can I do?

He shifts a moment. It was only barely that I noticed. Only his shoulder seemed to move. I hear a clanging. Metal hitting the wooden floor. An object lobs towards me. My hand moves unconsciously. It moves of its own free will. I didn't tell it to move, but it does. The thing flying towards me falls into two halves on either side of me. I glance down at it, almost uninterested. Two halves of a grenade. He tossed his grenade at me, and intended to use the girls as a human shield from the blast. Clever….

He still ducks behind them. I don't give him time to understand. That grenade will not explode. I cut its 'line'. Its existence as a grenade came to an end the moment I did that. Now, it is just a hunk of metal and gun powder. I leap through the air, moving into a flip over the twins. They stay still. They both know. They both trust.

I come down upon the man, landing behind him and squatting down in the landing. I stab the 'point' on the back of his neck. I stand and walk around, helping them up. Moving his body away from them changes his balance, and his body collapses into pieces.

"Are you both ok?" I ask quietly. Kohaku looks at me in a daze.

"…Shiki?" she asks stupefied.

Hisui lets out a loud sob and falls into my chest, burying her face into me. She holds onto me tightly.

"M-Master Shiki!" She holds onto me with force. She looks over my body and then to my face in horror.

"You're-!"

"Calm down. It's not my blood." I tell her calmly. I must look dead already. I'm still sticky with the soldier's blood. Of course they'd be worried. I tell her calmly, and try to comfort her.

"What?"

"It's the soldiers…not me…."

Kohaku comes closer to me and grips my left arm tentatively. She looks over me with a worried glance, some of the color returning to her dull eyes.

"Shiki…you've been shot…"

Hisui's face contorts into worry and she looks to her sister, then to me, her mouth opening, but no words coming forth.

"….You don't have any deep wounds….but the one to your ear has to be dealt with. Cartilage has a lot of blood vessels, and your platelets won't clot the wound easily…." She's very calm about this, considering the situation. She takes off her sleeping pants, stripping down to only her shirt and her panties. She begins tearing the leggings apart as Hisui watches worriedly. She hands Hisui one of the leggings.

"Tie this tightly around his shoulder." Pointing to the several bullet grazings. She nods and does so. As she does this, Kohaku rips the other legging and wraps the cotton around my left ear and across my forehead to keep it on. She ties it tightly, securing pressure. Hisui secures her legging around my shoulder tightly, but not as tightly as her sister. That's ok…it'll stop the bleeding for a while. Standing here, I feel a bit lightheaded. I don't know if it's from using my eyes too much or from the blood I've lost. It's hard to tell how much blood I've lost.

"…Thanks…" I say to both of them. I toss down the knife, it having been cracked at the handle. These knives are not durable at all. Besides being fragile, these are too bulky and unbalanced to use effectively. I wish I had my knife

I walk across the floor and retrieve another knife from a fallen soldier. This should do for a little longer. I've taken care of these men, but there are obviously more. They must have entered elsewhere and are storming the mansion right now. They've probably finished the search of the first floor and are moving to the second….to Akiha. I'm sure she's heard the firing and the explosions. She has to be checking it out…I pray that she didn't run out into the open like an idiot.

"Both of you….hide somewhere. Don't leave the east wing. I'm going to deal with the rest of them."

Kohaku simply nods. Hisui holds her hands in front of her with a worried face, but does not object. They both know I have no choice. They both know how serious this is. There is no room for arguing or worrying. We can only act. They both stand. I run to the doorway and take cover. I look down the hallway quickly. Upon seeing no soldiers, I motion to them to follow. I sprint down the hall. All clear. I look outside. All clear.

I hear gunfire. Repetitive, ongoing gunfire. Akiha!

I run ahead of them. I hear a door slam behind me. They must have hid in Kohaku's room, or maybe a closet or something. That's fine. As long as they aren't seen. I have to get to Akiha right now!

I reach the foyer. Several soldiers are in here, both on the second floor and first floor. A few guard the twin curving staircases.

"Behind!!" I hear one yell. I dive back into the east wing, hiding behind a dresser against the outside wall underneath a yet unbroken window. A few stray bullets splinter its wood. I feel particles fall down onto me. I peek my head out near the floor. I can see flashes from their rifles in the west wing on the second floor. Near our bedroom. Goddamn it, I can't move! Akiha…she needs me. She needs me and I can't….I have to do get up there. Maybe she's in the same position I am….cowering behind something for cover. Maybe she's too terrified to move. Maybe she's wondering where I am…I have to…

ssssscccccREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!

An intense light from the second floor. Blood curdling screams. Two soldiers run from the hallway ablaze. One rams into other soldiers and falls down the west staircase, tumbling down like a ragdoll. The other frantically runs and falls over the railing, descending ten meters to the floor in a heap. I can still hear screams coming from the upper hallway. The men in the foyer writhe and convulse on the floor, wailing in anguish. The other soldiers simply stare in horror. Good…she's doing just fine.

That is one piece of information that nobody else has. Akiha's Tohno blood awakened long ago. She can use her ability without turning into a monster. When she uses it, she partially inverts, but maintains her mind. Very few Tohnos have been able to do that. I'm sure these soldiers had no idea that they were walking into something inhuman. They were probably told that I was the biggest threat. Maybe in a one-on-one fight I am…but against large groups like this…they have no chance against her. Akiha will mow them all down in a few moments. At least when I kill them, they feel little pain. When she 'plunders' them, they virtually burn alive. No…that's not entirely true. She steals their heat. So…they are force-frozen to death. The heat leaving their body burns their flesh, while their insides flash-freeze. I can't think of many ways to die that would be more painful.

The screaming continues upstairs. The high pitched wailing pierces the night.

ssssscRRRREEEEEEEEE

She unleashes another wave. The screaming intensifies for a moment, and then is abruptly silenced. She's not only killing them…she's killing them slowly.

"What the fuck is going on!?" One soldier screams.

"You think I know!? Just get ready to fire!"

"They aren't paying us enough for this shit! I'm outta here!"

"Fuck, me too!"

A few of them descend the stairs and head for the main entrance. No…you're not leaving here alive. I begin to crawl out of hiding, but a few steadfast soldiers open fire on me, forcing me back into hiding. They have me pinned….

SsSCCREEEEEEEEE!!

I hear men screaming again. I hear gunfire. That sounded much closer. Akiha is advancing on them. Looks like I at least distracted them and allowed her to move in. I peek out. The men on the second floor plunge to the floor ablaze. The men on the stairs tumble downward to the first floor, wailing in anguish. Now's my chance. I roll out along the ground and bolt up to my feet. I sprint across the floor towards the retreating men on the first floor. They take aim at the second floor. I glance to their target. Akiha is standing at the top of the stairs in the foyer. I increase my speed. One of them sees me and turns his rifle towards me. There are maybe five more of them. They don't get a single shot off. I dash through their group, in between several of them. I continue forward to the wall, turning to face them. I was only able to get three of them. Dammit, this knife is too heavy!

The other few men take aim on me. I dodge to the left hard and roll on the floor. I didn't have to. As I dodge, Akiha plunders them. The inhuman screech echoes along with the men's screams. They fall to the ground writhing. Akiha's red hair fills the air around them. They eventually stop screaming. When they have been silenced, Akiha's hair dissipates.

I look up at her. She turns to me, holding her right hand towards me in a claw shape.

"Wait Akiha! It's me!!"

Her eyes soften, her hand relaxes.

"Shiki?"

I run up the stairs to meet her. Her brilliant vermillion hair dances down her back to her waist. It seems to amplify her beautiful blue eyes. She seems to have had time to put on my shirt. I think that's all she's wearing. I look down the west wing hall, seeing a countless number of scorched bodies. I look across the foyer. Even more bodies, covering the floor, the staircase, the entrance, everything. We've left nothing but death in our wakes. Somehow, I'm not disgusted in the least.

"Sorry…I couldn't tell it was you, its too dark and-….oh God! You're bleeding everywhere!!" She pensively places her slim fingers onto my chest. I grab them forcefully.

"It's not my blood…don't worry."

Her eyes remain in shock for a second, and then soften into relief. She brings herself to me and hugs me fiercely. I stroke her blood red hair and lift her face to me. I place my lips onto hers passionately. God I'm glad she's safe. We separate.

"You're alive…" She says that with a fragile smile. I smile back.

"I guess Itsuki was right to worry." I say with a bitter laugh.

She holds her right hand up to me. I hadn't noticed. She's holding something. My knife. I hold out my hand and take it. She smiles at me, but her eyes are stern. I nod in understanding. I toss the useless soldier's knife away and extend the blade of Nanatsu Yoru. I flip it in my hand and take a reverse grip. I smirk to myself. That's much better….

"How are-" She begins to ask.

"Fine. I had them hide in the east wing."

"Good…" I look down the steps and begin descending, Akiha following closely.

"There are more outside, I'm sure." She says in a monotone voice.

"…then let's finish it." I reply decidedly.

We descend the stairs and make our way to the entrance. She stays behind me. We hide behind the molding of the doorway. The doors are ajar, kicked in by the soldiers storming the manor. I peek my head out slowly and look into the courtyard. There are only a few soldiers left. They stand on the stone pathway leading from the gate to the front doors of the mansion. Too far for me to reach them. They stand twenty meters away. I turn around to my wife. I smile at her and place my hand on top of her head. She gives me a look that says 'uh…what are you doing?'

"…it looks like some painful things have found us. So….I'll face them with you."

She brushes my hand off and straightens her reddened hair, just in case I managed to alter her perfectly placed hair. In the middle of a battle, she's worried about her hair?. She rolls her eyes at me.

"It'd be a bit hard for you to hide armed soldiers from me, don't you think?"

I almost laugh.

"Akiha. Go back to our room and go out on the balcony."

"Hmm…so you want me to be your sniper?"

"Think you can do it?"

"Just don't run out there until I've taken care of them. I won't be able to tell who is who at that distance."

"Fine."

I wait a few minutes. They keep talking amongst themselves. No, not amongst themselves really. One is using his earpiece. Let's see….twelve left. They are standing on either sides of the stone walkway. They begin to move backward even further towards the gate. As they do, I hear the shrill screech coming from the west wing balcony. Torrents of red fill the air around them. They scream and writhe, a few of them back off and retreat. That's all the distraction I need. I stay low and sprint across the yard, making sure to avoid the walkway. I'll be easily spotted there. The red strands dissipate as I close the distance. They are still alive. Well, most of them. Three are down, a few others are injured. Five or six are unharmed. That's to be expected at that distance, but she did well. They don't see me coming. They are too stunned, or in too much pain. A few saw her and have opened fire. She's already hidden herself.

I dash forward between their ranks. An absolute maelstrom of slashes. My arm contorts in ways I don't even understand. I slide across the ground from my dash, and leap forward again, running through their ranks, another flurry of slashes. I repeat it one more time, completing a triangular pattern. Their bodies, in clusters of threes, break apart and fall in miserable hunks of flesh and blood. Limbs and organs litter the front yard. The grass drips with crimson.

I decide to look outside the grounds quickly, just in case. As I approach the outer wall near the gate, I hear a fierce humming. My instincts take over. I dash sideways, away from the gate. A black car blasts through the entrance, ripping the iron gates form their hinges and throwing them through the air. The car slides across the front yard to a stop. I run to take cover behind a nearby tree, however I hear no gun fire. I hear a car door opening. I remain hidden.

"Show yourself, you Nanaya dog!"

That voice…that's….

"Shinjiro Tohno!!" I hear Akiha yell across the courtyard. I can see her from here. She's at the entranceway of the mansion. What's she doing!?

"Ah…young Miss Akiha! A pleasure to see you this fine night, although I would prefer to see you dead."

"How dare you do this!? Do you actually think the family will take this kind of behavior lightly!?"

"They will have no choice but to acknowledge me. This has been a long time coming. I was the heir to this family, not you!"

They stand and argue, shouting across the ten meters that separate them. Shinjiro is standing at the driver's side, just behind the door. He's being cautious. The car separates us, and his front is protected from Akiha by the door, just in case. He may even know about her abilities now…the soldiers probably informed him. Still…this is a very bold move. Shouldn't he stay away from this place? If he sends an armed squad to kill us, doesn't this incriminate him? He must either really despise us and want to see us die firsthand, or he must be very confident…maybe both.

I stand and come out from behind the tree. He glances over to me and then back to Akiha, keeping us both within his peripheral view. He draws a handgun from the breast pocket of his suit and aims at Akiha. She quickly ducks behind the entrance of the manor as he fires off a few rounds. I too take cover.

"You little bitch! Makihisa just had to name you head! He chose you, over me. I'm his goddamned brother!!"

My mind stops. This bastard is Akiha's uncle? I had no idea…It starts to make a bit more sense. It seemed strange that one man could simply be this power hungry. It makes sense. He felt slighted, disrespected by his brother.

I guess I can understand a little better….but that still doesn't mean anything. I'm not letting him have his way. I run out from the tree and dash towards the car, keeping my body low. My body is swift. I glide across the lawn quickly, my right arm extended out, ready to snap at a moments' notice. I approach the car. He's noticed. He aims and takes a shot. I dash left. Another shot, I dash right. Another shot, I duck. I feel the bullet whiz by my head. I get under his line of fire, beneath the top of the car. I reach the passenger side. He's mine. I'll slide under the car and take his legs. When he falls, I'll have his head.

Suddenly, the passenger side door is burst forth, fully off of its hinges and collides hard with my chest. I'm thrown back to the ground and back flip across the ground several times. My chest screams out in pain. I manage to do a back spring and flip backward onto my feet. As I do so, I hear another shot. The bullet hits the ground where I previously laid. I roll right and make a grab for the car door where it laid. I can use it as a shield.

Before I can, I'm hit hard. I am sent through the air and land on my side, rolling a few more meters. My side is killing me. I think I've cracked a few ribs. I manage to roll again and stand.

"Shiki! Behind you!"

Akiha's voice. I don't know what she means, but I leap forward and roll. I turn and look behind me. I see something closing in. A young man. His face is contorted in a grimace. I leap back and he swings at me. He rushes me with inhuman speed. I dodge left and he swings downward. My arm slashes three times at the various 'lines' across his torso, but he leaps back. I'm stunned. He's leaped back ten meters. I get a better look at him. He's dressed in a white shirt and dark pants that look quite dirty. His eyes are…they're a malicious red. His hair is ghostly white. He snarls at me. He looks to be very young, a bit younger than me. He's hunched over, his hands touching the ground. He has the posture of a primate.

"That's…" I begin.

"You didn't put your son down! You've kept him locked away and use him like this!?" Akiha screams out, furious.

"Hahahaha! Of course you fools! You think I'd kill my own son? My precious, wonderful child? 'Put him down.'….you talk about him like he's a dog! I can't forgive you…He may have inverted, but he still loves his father! He obeys only me!" Shinjiro taunts.

"Disgraceful! He is a dog. No…he's worse. He's nothing! He's an abomination. Those that invert must be eliminated! That has been the Tohno law for centuries!"

"Shut you mouth you little bitch! Those that can't see the gray area of this world are bound to die, caught in their own laws. I'm a revolutionary. I will change this family for the better. All you've managed to do is continue this mindless tradition."

"Don't try to justify this! You're just a pathetic old man thirsting for power!"

"Now, now…is that any way to talk to your uncle?"

The inverted monster retreats back to him, bounding across the yard and leaping over the car to him.

"You see? My son obeys only me. Even if his mind is gone…he still loves me. Don't you see? I am the one in control. I can control men, and monsters alike."

I grit my teeth. This guy….

"You think you two are beyond my power? Even the demon-gods of the Nanaya forest were no match for me!"

What…did he just say?

"You look surprised, boy!" He looks over to me, bringing his gun over in my direction with an obnoxious smile across his aged face.

" That's right….Makihisa decided to raid your father's pathetic village of monsters, but I was the one who led the attack. Assassins. Hmph! They were nothing! Even that…Nanaya Kiri fell to me! The so-called Red Demon God was nothing to me!"

He's the one…he started everything…

"And so will you!!" he finishes.

He points his gun at me and fires off a few shots. The sound seems to have startled the inverted young man. He howls and sprints toward me with blinding speed. I manage to hold up my knife in defense just in time. His hand collides with it, sparks are flown. I see…his hands are like claws. He's a berserker…increased speed and strength, but he has no intelligence. He should be just like Akiha when she inverted….he should have no mind at all…just the desire to kill, eat, and drink.

He charges me again, this time low to the ground. I'm beginning to follow his movements. I leap into the air and plant my left hand on his back as he flies beneath me. I perform a flip off of him and land, facing him. He's already closed the distance again. Instead of defending, I step left and slash. He whizzes past me. He skids on the ground and howls. I took his arm. It flops to the ground beside me. He charges me again. He doesn't care…he only wants me dead.

I begin running towards the car. I see Shinjiro reloading. He takes aim.

scccccrreEEEEEE

He yelps and hides down behind the car door. Damn…Akiha's plundering won't work in this position. I hear the bounding monster behind me. I reach the car and roll underneath it. The monster hits the car with a thunderous crash. The force rocks the car. He probably dented the side. I can hear Shinjiro yell something to the monster.

I grab hold of some of the pipes of the car and slide towards my feet, coming out behind the trunk of the car. I stay low to avoid any shots he might take at me. I run out and blindside the monster, a powerful sweeping kick to his side. He doesn't even flinch. He grabs my foot and throws me across the yard. My body skids and rolls across the bloody grass. I collide with the corpse of a fallen soldier.

The monster leaps on top of me and grips my throat with his remaining hand. His claws dig into my flesh. His right leg has stomped on my right hand, pinning it, and more importantly, my knife to the ground. I grip his arm with my left hand, trying to alleviate the pressure. He's so strong…he's going to pop my head off….

I hear the inhuman screech again and the monster wails in pain. His flesh burns. It's enough of a distraction. I contort my legs up under him somehow and kick him as hard as I can. He flips backward across the ground.

scREEEEE

His flesh burns again.

"Akiha! Stop it!!"

I yell out to her and run towards the monster. She stops her assault. She had no choice; she would have plundered me too in a minute.

"What are you doing!?" She screams.

"Don't be stupid! If you plunder his life, you'll invert too!"

I don't hear her reply. She must realize I'm right. I charge after the monster, but he's already recovered. He makes a swipe at me, I flip over him. As I land, the car charges forward. I leap back to my hands and push myself backwards, landing on my feet, narrowly avoiding the charging car. It launches itself across the yard, careening for the front door. Akiha turns and runs inside. The car crashes through the doors.

"Akiha!" I yell out. I don't have time to worry about her; my adversary descends upon me again. He makes to grab me by the throat. I duck. He tries to kick me, I roll sideways. I begin to dash forward to lure him. He's faster. He appears in front of me and swipes me hard across the side. I'm thrown back to where we were before. Before I can stand, he leaps atop my chest again. My knife moves and connects with his claws, instead of the 'point' of death over his heart. I have to kill him.

I can hear gunshots inside the house. I hear the screeching of Akiha's power. I have to hurry…

The monster's strength is far greater than mine, my knife gets pushed back down to my chest. He launches his face out and his teeth find my right shoulder. I scream out as he bites deep. I punch him frantically with my left hand. It doesn't seem to hurt him at all. My knife is pinned…and I can't…

I decide on a gamble. I poke his point hard with my index and middle fingers. Nothing…his skin is too hard. My fingers cry out. I think I dislocated them. He doesn't even budge, he takes another bite into my shoulder. I try kneeing him, kicking him, he won't move. Despite his smaller frame, his strength is….

Is this how I'm going to die? Pinned beneath this inverted monster? No…I can't die like this. They need me. I can't let Shinjiro….

That's when I see it. The monster's fallen arm. It's just out of my reach. It's my last chance. I release the pressure on my knife, enough for a fraction of a second of release. I roll to the left towards the arm. His bite clamps down on my shoulder. It hurts immensely. I grit my teeth and bear it. I reach the arm, simultaneously blocking the monster's slash with his other hand with my knife. I take hold of the arm by the wrist and stiffen the fingers. I use the claws on it to slice off his arm at the elbow. His body falls on top of me, his teeth unlock from my shoulder. I take hold of his face with my left hand and hold him in place for only a second. With a weak movement, I trace the 'line' diagonally across his face, then neck. His face falls apart and detaches from his body. His corpse begins twitching. I push it off of me and stand wearily, holding my left hand over my bitten right shoulder. Inside the house has fallen silent. I manage a half hazard jog toward the house. My body is so utterly tired. I've lost so much blood. My ribs are cracked. I know this for sure now. It's hard to breathe. It hurts…but I ignore it. I ignore all the wounds and move towards the house.

The foyer is in ruins. The black sedan crashed through the door, sending part of the wall down. Plaster and wooden molding are scattered across the scorched remains of soldiers. I grip my knife tightly and glance around. That's when I see. Akiha and Kohaku are dragging Shinjiro away towards the wall. Hisui stands and watches.

"Is he…." I begin tiredly.

"No…he's just unconscious." Akiha states flatly. "…that monster?"

"Dead." I state flatly, walking towards them.

"Shiki…." She realizes the wounds I've acquired. They aren't life threatening but…

Kohaku runs toward me, seeing my shoulder. She puts her hands onto my elbows and applies pressure downward, trying to bring me down.

"Sit down. Let me stop the bleeding."

She's so calm….

"Hey…how'd you stop him?" I ask curiously. Akiha furrows her brow and shakes her head.

"It wasn't me." She says, crossing her arms. Kohaku starts giggling to herself, holding her hand over my shoulder tightly.

"He was so preoccupied with Lady Akiha that he didn't notice Hisui behind him." She says with an amused look.

"H-Hisui?" I ask, looking amazedly at her. I notice she's holding a frying pan to her chest. She gives me a half embarrassed look.

"W-well…I was in the hall…and he came over near me and put his back in front of me. He didn't seem to notice…so I just…."

"Hah…" I can't help it. I burst into laughter, but quickly stop as the sharp pains in my shoulder stifle me.

"Ugh! The bleeding was beginning to stop and you've torn the wound open further….come on, let's go to the bathroom." She says, irritated. Kohaku helps me up, letting me lean on her shoulder.

"Hey Akiha…you better call Itsuki…and apologize for me….and thank him."

She nods. "Yes, I'll do that…."She walks towards me and replaces Kohaku under my left arm.

"…after we've bandaged you up. Kohaku, you and Hisui take Shinjiro to the basement."

"Ok. Come on Hisui." Kohaku says with a remarkably enthusiastic tone. I guess that's the best thing right now. How can you not laugh at the absurdity of this night?

It's morning. After bandaging up my wounds, I managed to catch an hour or two of sleep. Akiha stayed by my side the entire time. Kohaku and Hisui also stayed with me. After I awoke, we all just talked. Akiha is as thorough as ever. She told me she's contacted Itsuki. It seems he's still in Japan. He'll arrive this afternoon, and an emergency meeting of the family has been called. Fortunately, I will be exempt due to my injuries. The meeting will be arranged within a few days; away from the mansion in its current disrepair. Akiha used her connections, namely a few crooked cops to tape off the grounds. When I awoke, the last of the soldiers' bodies were being cleaned up, but the evidence: shrapnel, bullets, and most of all, blood, was a long ways off. It seems Akiha has hired some unnamed 'cleanup crew' of her own. The grounds should be free of any evidence by the end of the day. She told me repairs to the mansion should be done in two days time. She must have hired a massive amount of construction workers, all tied to the Tohno family's influence no doubt. That's a huge job…

Itsuki will be arriving soon. He wants to personally interrogate Shinjiro. Apparently he's worried that Shinjiro is not the only one inclined to take hostile actions such as this. Itsuki wants to find out if there is a threat from any of the other members of the council. If anyone knew, it would be Shinjiro. We should prepare for it.

After following the girls in getting dressed, I follow Kohaku and Akiha down into the basement. Shinjiro has woken up. He sits, tied to a simple wooden chair by his hands and his feet. He squirms and writhes in the chair against his restraints, but to no avail. The basement is cold and dark. A single light is cast above his head. This room is typically used only for excess storage. The shelves around him are cluttered with dust and various tools that have no doubt been sitting there for the better part of fifty years. He casts spiteful glances at all of us.

"Where is my son!?" he screams. I take a step forward and adjust the glasses on my face.

"Which part of him?" I ask in a low tone.

"You miserable little….Just kill me! Kill me too!"

"Kill you?" Akiha says with interest in her eyes and her voice. "Oh no, Shinjiro. I won't kill you. I'll let the council decide what to do with you."

"They'll decide the same thing. Spare me the formalities."

"They aren't just formalities. They are forms of cooperation and respect. They are the social codes of the world, the laws you have forsaken."

"Laws? Worthless."

"No…it's those who forget their place in the world that are worthless. No matter how important you think you are, you are still just one person. You seem to have forgotten that. You were never above these laws, Shinjiro, in fact, you are the reason they exist."

"Tch."

"Well then, Itsuki will be arriving shortly, and wishes to interrogate you personally. I trust you'll tell him everything he wants to know?"

"I have nothing to say to any of you."

"Oh…I think you will." Akiha says, turning to the side and glancing at Kohaku. She nods and takes a few steps toward Shinjiro with a mischievous grin.

"Master Shiki, would you mind holding him still?"

I nod and walk behind Shinjiro, holding his head and shoulders down. He tenses against the chair and against my hands, but it does no good.

"H-hey! Get your fucking hands off me! What are you doing? What the hell's in your hand!?"

Kohaku grins and holds out an alcohol swab, dabbing down a spot on his neck and waving at it to dry. In her other hand, she's prepared a syringe with a translucent fluid inside. Sodium Pentathol, I believe she called it. The so called 'truth serum'. She holds it ready, her thumb on the plunger. She smiles at him.

"What do you mean 'what'? It's needle time Mr. Shinjiro."

The horror on his face was priceless.

After Itsuki's interrogation, it became clear that Shinjiro had acted alone. Even so, Akiha approached the meeting with care. I didn't go. She told me to trust her, so I did. She told me the results later.The meeting was held in the conference room of a hotel downtown. Shinjiro was 'silenced' as she put it. In other words, he was executed. That too, was covered up from the public. The power of this family still scares me.

Like I said, I didn't attend the meeting…but the entire council showed up at the estate afterwards, just to meet me. I exchanged handshakes with each one of them, and they all genuinely looked relieved to see us all well. Each one of them was so radically different than I remember. They weren't uptight and self absorbed, at least they didn't seem it. Not entirely. There were a bit more aware, a bit more cordial, and a bit warmer. Maybe the raid on the estate made them all realize just how fragile our bonds are. Maybe they realized that the Tohno family had become more like a corporation than a family. They all seemed to have forgotten that they were just that, a family, all related by blood. Even the suspicious Suichi personally apologized to me. Anko apologized, and I think flirted with me a bit, earning me a nasty look from Akiha, even though I didn't do anything. I'm still trying to make her forget about it, but everytime she's been annoyed with me, she doesn't hesitate to say something like 'Well if you're so unhappy about it, why don't you just go have Anko take care of you?'

It's alright though. The manor was repaired within the week, and things have settled down again. The days pass by slowly but peacefully, with the occasional shattering of glass as Kohaku tries her hand at cleaning again, or the smoking kitchen when Hisui tries to make pancakes. And of course the occasional disagreements with Akiha which usually ends with her being determined to hold a grudge until I say just the right thing to calm her down. Sometimes all I have to do is kiss her and she forgets all about whatever made her angry in the first place.

…I love my life here. I love my marriage with Akiha. I couldn't ask for things to be any different.

I've accepted the Nanaya part of me. Fully this time. It's just something I have to live with. I hope that I never have to use my eyes again, but if I do, I know that it'll be alright. Because I won't misuse them. As long as I have my sense of right and wrong, it'll be alright. I know it will.

"Oh my God! What time is it!?" Akiha yells out beside me. She wrenches her nude body from underneath my right arm and looks to her nightstand for the digital clock.

"It's past ten!!"

I pull her back down under the sheets and hold her to me tightly. She fights against me, but I hold her down, forcing her to relax.

"Just sleep in a bit longer with me alright?" I say groggily.

"This is all your fault! Now I'm as lazy as you!" She says that, but she isn't fighting anymore. She turns toward me and buries her face into the pillow beside my head.

"And why didn't Hisui wake us up?" Her voice asks, muffled by the pillow and the sheets.

My arm tightens around her more.

"Because I told her not to."

"….you're going to pay for this, you realize."

"Yeah, I know."

I smile to myself. It'll be worth it.

Author's Note: Well there you have it. Next up, the Kohaku chapter. It may take a while for that one as well. Admittedly, I only have a few ideas for it, so I need a little inspiration for it, but rest assured, it will come. Hope you guys enjoyed!