Isuke Chitaru's Story

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Kaito was calmly observing their surroundings. They were standing a top an area of shipping containers, looking down at the concrete stacked with crates and other things awaiting to be sent overseas. Beyond that was murky gray water edged in black and green; it was a place Kaito would most definitely never swim in. "Are you nervous?" He looked up when his boss addressed him, he could see that Shiro was hungry and revving for something to eat but whenever Kaito made the suggestion for him to drink his boss turned away as if the idea repulsed him. What good was Kaito if Shiro wouldn't drink his blood? It made the Ghoul feel awfully useless although he never expressed this to his employer.

"No, why would I be?" He questioned when Shiro's hand suddenly came up and pet his cheek. Kaito had braced himself for a slap as his boss could be rather unpredictable at times, but the hand was a gentle caress and Shiro's hand embrace strangely warm despite the fact that he was technically dead. Kaito nearly closed his eyes to savor the rather odd feeling, but caught himself and straightened. He looked down at the clipboard he nearly always carried in order to hide the blush that was coming across his face and wondered whatever could be going through Shiro's head.

"Stay here," Kaito looked up once more only to watch his boss take off across the shipping containers and crates, showing off his power despite his small stature. Kaito sighed and a ran hand through his blonde hair, knowing that it was going to be another long night if Shiro didn't eat something soon. Hopefully he would find a snack among the imps that were lingering below. The call of one of the pesky humans rose up to where Kaito was stationed, his voice shrill and a bit panicked as if they had not been awaiting for the young businessman. It was rather sketchy meeting out here and Kaito wondered why Shiro had ever agreed to go.

The hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood up. It wasn't chilly, so the goosebumps were not from the cold which could only mean one other thing; they were being watched. The Ghoul took a step forward and hesitated, Shiro had told him to stay put. Should he warn the vampire? He didn't want to interrupt the meeting if it was important, but if the eyes he sensed were hunters then they could be in serious trouble. What would his father do? He tried to think, gripping the clipboard in his hands so hard that the wood creaked.

"Shiro we're being watched!" Kaito finally called, hoping that his boss could hear him over the sound of construction and forklifts that had all decided to come to life at once. He cursed and began to pace when a black elegant, slender car caught his eye. Petrov. The Ghoul froze, the very thought of seeing Shiro's father again made him feel sick to his stomach. The last time they had met Petrov had made a few passive aggressive marks about getting rid of the assistant since Shiro had only ever drank from him once. Was his boss aware that his father was here?

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Enoch had not returned to their flat in days. He had gone out to take care of some business two nights before the ball and with each passing day Neptune grew more and more worried. At first she had planned to wait in the apartment like he had instructed, Enoch had promised he would be back but now Neptune was beginning to doubt. Panic flooded her mind and she wondered if he was abandoning her, just like every other good person that had ever come into her life. Had she done something wrong? Was she not a good ghoul? Neptune had done everything Enoch had ever asked of her. Except two days ago when he had picked out two different shoes.... She had refused to go get the matching one because she was manning the stove to make pancakes.

But he wouldn't have left over something as silly as that... Would he?

Neptune suddenly decided that she had waited long enough, she slammed her tea cup down on the table and went up to her bedroom to change into something more suitable for traveling. She was just taking her dress off when the window exploded and glass shattered across the room; scratching her body with tiny cuts. The ghoul looked around for something to defend herself with when she remembered the silver knife under her pillow and ran for it just as someone burst in through the broken window. She pulled the knife out and held it in front of her, legs shaking as he smirked and drew a gun from his waist holster.

"You think that little knife will hurt me?" He taunted, waving around his gun and turning the safety off. "Yes." Neptune replied simply, glad that she sounded a lot more confident then she felt. Another came in through the window and whacked his partner across the back of the head. "Our orders aren't to kill it, we need the kid alive so her master will come for her."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Neptune spat, "I live alone." The two looked at her, clearly confused. They glanced back and forth between each other and the girl standing in her underwear, brandishing a knife; then burst out laughing. "I nearly fell for that," the older of the two said and stepped forward, "now come quietly and you won't get hurt." Neptune gripped the knife harder and lunged, dodging his first bullet. She plunged the knife into the first gun wielder's arm, making him drop his weapon. He screamed, cursing her out and wrestling her to the floor. She stabbed him again in the leg this time and he grappled the knife from her grip, holding it up against Neptune's throat. She kicked him between the legs, causing him to fall to the side. He moved the knife from her neck and sliced her cheek as he rolled off of her. Neptune kicked him the rest of the way off and ran for the door, his partner leveling his gun and shooting her in the leg causing Neptune to fall and a scream to erupt from her lungs.

The one Neptune had kicked in the groin stood and motioned for his partner. Neptune attempted to army crawl towards the stairs but pain shot through her body whenever she moved. They grabbed the girl and dragged her back into the room, slamming the door shut and gagging her before exiting the apartment through their preferred method; the window. Once on the ground level they tied up Neptune's arms, not bothering with her legs since they figured the bullet wound would prevent her from going anywhere.

They stuffed Neptune into the trunk of an awaiting silver car and began to drive. Neptune struggled and let out a muffled scream, sliding around as the car drove. Minutes passed, then hours in maddening silence; the only noise was that of the road under her. Finally the car stopped and her captors popped the trunk open. They were at a gas station on a back road. Neptune knew this rest stop, they weren't far from one of Enoch's vampire friends. The one Neptune had stabbed in the hand undid the gag from her mouth and offered her a bottle of water; she chugged it thirstily, not caring about the liquid that spilled onto her body. "I have to pee," Neptune said when she finished and he looked at his partner nervously. The man simply nodded his head and he pulled Neptune out of the trunk, holding her arm tightly and leading her to the bathroom inside.

No one blinked an eye at the nearly naked girl being dragged to the restroom, in fact they acted as though this were a daily occurrence. "Go quickly," he said and undid the ropes on her hands, standing by the bathroom door to ensure she couldn't get away. Neptune went inside and to her delight there was a window. She limped to the far end of the restroom and shimmied the old screen up; wondering if she would fit. She had gotten about halfway through, but the window was small and Neptune scrapped and scratched herself as she clawed her way out and fell on her butt on the other side of the gas station. She broke into a run in the direction of the vampire Alan White's house, knowing there was a ball tonight and that he would not be pleased if she showed up in her sorry condition without her master, but Enoch had told Neptune that if anything ever happened to him to go to Alan right away.

Night had fallen by the time she reached White's property, her body sore and her bullet wound throbbing. It was dangerous showing up to a party full of vampires with open wounds, but at this point it was a risk Neptune was willing to take. She knocked on the door, crossing her arms self consciously as a butler opened it and looked the girl up and down. "I think you have the wrong address," he said distastefully and began to close it, but Neptune stuck her foot out to prevent him from doing so. "I have to speak to Alan White, it's about my master. He's gone missing."