You've Got Big Teeth, But I've Got a Knife...

[Jenna]

It was a busy day in the flower world. Two huge deliveries coming in, countless orders going out, and a steady stream of customers all morning. An appointment with a bridezilla at ten, brainstorming phone session with an event coordinator about a dedication ceremony at three-thirty. Yukimine and his boss had both come in early to get a jumpstart.
The morning was going as smoothly as could be expected. Countdown to bridezilla had commenced, T-minus half an hour. The various centerpiece and bouquets had been completed and laid out. Both deliveries had come and gone without major incident.
A little after ten, Yukimine's boss pulled him aside. She was smiling apologetically. "Something wrong?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, hun," said his boss. "Miss Leslie's mother just phoned. She-well. Um, can you take a break for the next couple hours? Like, at the diner down the way? I'll give you some money for breakfast; I know that landlord of yours is bleeding you dry."
Yukimine looked puzzled. "Er, sure, but aren't we a little busy? We could order in like we had to a couple weeks ago."
His boss sighed. "Miss Leslie was...uncomfortable with you from last time, I guess. I thought it better that we get you out of sight than deal with one of her tantrums."
"What about the back?"
"You remember last time?" That made Yukimine wince. Miss Leslie had torn the back room apart looking for a flower that wasn't even remotely in season. "It would just be best. Please, Yukimine. I'd owe you big time." And she pressed a twenty into his palm pleadingly.
Yukimine sighed. He didn't really like to go out, and he didn't have a cell phone so his boss could call if she suddenly needed him, so it's not like he could've gone to the park. He nodded reluctantly. "I'll be back."
His boss smiled and touched his arm. "Thank you so much."
He sighed, took off his apron, and headed down the street to the cheery little diner on the corner. He tried not to look too self-conscious as he ducked through the entrance. A quick scan of the restaurant confirmed what he had feared. There was no where for him to comfortably sit and hide his tallness. His best bet was to sit at the counter and hope no one looked long.
he quickly slid into a seat. The waitress bopped over distractedly, poured him some coffee and told him she'd be right with him. He glanced around nervously, sipped his coffee and wondered how to kill two to three hours he wanted to spend arranging flowers.

[Mistress K. Darq-Chylde]

As CJ half-dashed through the door of The Vaso Anxo, only a few heads turned her way. A quick glance at the clock behind the counter told her that she was three minutes early and she breathed a sigh of relief, slowing to a more normal pace as she went to drop off her coat out back and grab her waist-apron that held her order notebook and pencil.

On her way back, she caught sight of a dark-haired girl hanging about in front of the counter and looking confused. She was going to offer her assistance, but a massive throng of ten early-morning business types bustled in and she hurried to seat them and begin taking their orders. Never a dull moment, she thought ruefully.

She grabbed a pot of coffee and went about delivering it to everyone who'd asked in her section, the pleasant smile of a food industry worker in place on her features. She was amazed that she'd somehow managed to not look like she got hit like a truck the night before.

CJ caught sight of a very, very tall youth out of the corner of her eye. She turned to observe him more fully and saw auburn hair and a quirky little headband topped gorgeous grey green eyes. As he looked up and his eyes met hers, time slowed and all noises around her ceased, becoming muffled mumblings behind cottony walls of quiet.

Oh no... Nononononononono... she thought frantically, physically taking a step backwards so her hips bumped into the service counter. Not right now, no Visions, please!

Like an answer to her prayers, Ulysses - the very large Southern man who was their cook - hollered from the back, "Order up, CJ!" It broke the trance and the tragedy that had almost occurred and she scurried back into the kitchen to grab two heavily laden trays. Thankful for the distraction, CJ carried the food out to the customers, glad that her quick notes and Ulysses' speedy and accurate kitchen skills kept her from having to go back with adjustments to any of their orders.

Feeling much more calm, but still slightly apprehensive, CJ approached the redhaired giant and flipped open her notebook. "Would you like somethin' to eat, stranger? You're looking a bit peckish." she said with a friendly, genuine smile.

[Jenna]

Yukimine hunched over his coffee, trying to appear inconspicuous. Perhaps if he made no sudden movements, he wouldn’t stand out so much. He looked up and surveyed his surroundings. It was a sweet little diner. He hadn’t been before and besides the fact that he didn’t like to go out, he wondered why. He watched a harried girl rush through the door and behind the counter and it made him think of being late for work. He hated the feeling of being rushed. Just the thought made him shudder slightly.
He straightened slightly, shaking his head gently. He looked up, and straight into the eyes of the waitress who was late. He was slightly startled, but she stumbled back out of shock. As she bumped into the service counter, his face burned in shame and he dunked his head low. Ten minutes into his long wait and he had already scared someone. Damn it.
He consulted his coffee. His murky brown image looked a little monstrous. A voice snapped him out of his meditations and he jerked his head up. To his surprise, he saw the girl he had startled not five minutes before, smiling cheerfully. He smiled a careful, closed-lip smile that he hoped that didn’t look too uptight. Perhaps he had jumped to conclusions too soon. “Ah, um, can I get a peanut butter sandwich please? And a fork and a knife, maybe, um, please?” He struggled not to giggle, but he was obviously very pleased.

[Mistress K. Darq-Chylde]

"Sure thing, sweetie." CJ said with another smile and a little laugh, delighted by how shy and innocent this guy was. "Did you want anything else on it, or just peanut butter?"

[Jenna]

"Ah, just peanut butter, I guess." He smiled and watched her go put in his order. It was a nice surprise to find someone who would just chat with him. Usually, people avoided him or just stared, especially in public settings. He had learned early to skip taking the bus. He waited patiently for his sandwich and his waitress to return and tried to think of something nonchalant and friendly to say.

[Ruki]

Ruki had spent the majority of his morning on rooftops, pondering about the women he had met and why Gekido would have such an 'Attraction' to her.

"It makes no sense Gekido...after all this time you come back...for a seer?" he shook his head and dropped down from the roof of an apartment complex to the street below.

The sunshine stung his eyes, it had been awhile since he had been out in the sunlight. Not that he didn't enjoy it, he just worked better at night. Pulling out a pair of sunglasses Ruki continued walking, and coming to a simple conclusion for the Gekido complex.

"I'm not going to let him take her. Not this time. Not Again."

Pushing the door of the Cafe open Ruki walked to a booth and sat down. He was never one for human food, but he could manage to drink coffee without gaging.

[Mistress K. Darq-Chylde]

"A peanut butter sandwich? That's it?" Ulysses asked in disbelief, finished with the thing by the time he was done speaking.

"And a knife and fork for it, too." CJ added with a smirk and a shrug. "Some big kid out there who looks like he's frightened by his own reflection sometimes." She took the plate out to the customer, giving him another smile as she set the plate down with the knife and fork. "Here ya go, sweetie. Just wave or holler when you're done." With a wink, she was off to cater to a familiar face.

"Morning, Ruki." she said almost hesitantly, not sure how familiar she should act with him. She really didn't know him that well, even after what had happened last night. "What can I get for ya?"

[Ruki]

"Good morning CJ." Ruki looked up to her slightly, the sunlight was still bugging his eyes. "Think I could get a cup of coffee?" he asked, not wanting to be a free loader in the place, and besides if he was going to talk to her he had to wait around for her to go on a break.

[Jenna]

Upon his waitress's return, Yukimine had panicked, and not said anything at all except to smile shyly and instantly set upon his breakfast. "Fank you," Yuki remembered quickly, though he already had a bite of the sandwich in his mouth as CJ left him. He blushed slightly when she winked at him. She was probably just friendly like that. Waitresses were like that, right?
But he couldn't help watching her head over to her next customer. As she approached and then greeted the attractive young man squinting in a booth, something in his chest tightened. His heart? Lungs? Something. He hated the feeling and instantly knew what it was. He coughed slightly, choking on his bite of sandwich and turning away a little too quickly. He hoped no one had noticed his interest.
There was something off about them. Both of them. Not bad, just not...baseline. He wondered how he hadn't noticed before. Probably nervousness. That tended to override all his senses, but his waitress had put him at ease and now he was receptive. The man was...something in the night, power that comes from the blood. What had his mother called them? When he had slept fitfully from fear from their lessons? "You're such a sensitive thing, Yuki. That slender neck is far from the reach of Kyketsuki." But they call them different things here. He saw it on that B-movie that made him cry and hide under the bed until the landlord's daughter came knocking in the bright light of the morning and told him it was all pretend. Even though he knew it wasn't, he had allowed himself to be comforted. But he hadn't come across one yet. He seemed harmless enough now...
His waitress? Her off-ness was much more subtle. She was at least a human, but there was something more to it. Some openness, perhaps. he couldn't know without further interaction. Did they sense each other's off-ness? Did they know one another?
He found his curiosity piqued. He had many more hours to sit and wait. He promised himself that he wouldn't pry. At least without very good reason. Or if his curiosity really got out of control. He frowned and set back to his sandwich, which he found, much to his dismay, was almost gone. Perhaps he should have ordered something more substantial. He pushed peanut butter off the roof of his mouth with his tongue and tried to resist the urge to eavesdrop.

[Mistress K. Darq-Chylde]

"Sure thing, Ruki." She set off and returned momentarily with a cup of coffee steaming in her hands. She'd talked to the other waitress, the new girl, and was going to take her break early.

CJ sat down across from the vampire, a very large glass of what appeared to be some sort of cranberry juice in front of her. She sipped at it gingerly. "So... Care to explain to me anything about what happened last night?" She kept her voice low, but the inflections were lilting and seemed normal to anyone trying to listen in. They both knew that she meant her temporary visit to the nightmare world dripping with old blood and the very angry Asian looking man who apparently thought her gift useful enough to keep from causing her own blood to mingle with everything he'd collected thus far.

She glanced over her shoulder to the very large young man she'd given a sandwich to only moments ago and gave him another warm smile. The poor critter seemed scared of his own shadow. Or maybe it was just that he was part of the dark new world that had just revealed itself to her the night before. She was uncertain, but turned back to Ruki, expecting some answers.

[Ruki]

Ruki took the cup and sipped it slowly, it was hot of course but that was fine, he liked feeling the warmth once in a while.

His eyes locked onto hers, "All I can tell you is that you are in serious danger...." he looked to the awkward looking person near by. "If he saw something special in you then that means you are important to him, which means you need all the help you can get." He took gulp of the coffee, closing his eyes to keep from vomiting.

He looked back over to the other person who had been eying CJ. He didn't know what to make of it. "You got a new friend I see?" he asked gesturing to the person with his eyes.

[Mistress K. Darq-Chylde]

"Special to him in what way? What use could someone that is, I'm assuming, immortal have to do with someone who sees the future sometimes? I mean... The guy's been around long enough... Don't they have that shit figured out already?" She let her head drop into her hands and a soft, frustrated growl passed her lips. "I don't wanna be part of whatever this bullshit is..." she groaned, swiping her bangs back from her face with suddenly cold fingertips. She fought hard against whatever vision was attempting to overtake her, knuckles turning white as she tightened the grip on her skull. A few deep breaths and it passed, her flesh becoming unpleasantly clammy from the battle.

CJ shrugged. "The guy seems harmless enough." She glanced over her shoulder at him and made eye contact for the barest of seconds, but that was all it took to drag the both of them into what she Saw.

The young man before her had become something frightening. The stuff of both wetdreams and nightmares thrown together into an odd mixture that set her nerve endings on fire and made her want to run screaming into the night in the same instant.

Wings... Dark, curved horns... An aura that dripped with danger and intimacy...

She came out of the vision of what could possibly be the young man's true form and realized that she'd taken a deathgrip on Ruki's hands while she was mentally elsewhere. Her nails were dug into the backs of his hands almost hard enough to draw blood. It welled to the surface beneath his porcelain skin and she quickly jerked her hands away, apologizing profusely and wrapping her arms around herself as she shivered.

"Why does this keep happening to me? What the fuck did I ever do to deserve this..?" she asked softly, head bowed so her hair covered her eyes. A single tear fell from her eye, crashing to the tabletop with a wet plopping sound.

[Jenna]

His head-his horns-ached and burned as he saw what he was to become. It's not like he didn't know that something like that was imminent. It's just that he had avoided thinking about it ever since the topic had been brought to his attention.
It had been his last playdate with Laurent, before he had been banished from the house. Yukimine had always liked Laurent. The two played like boys ought to, and Laurent only tried to do naughty things with him occasionally and would always stop after being asked once.
Laurent had come at the time he always came, but he accompanied by a maid. He looked vastly different: taller, broader shoulders, harder edges. He looked more masculine and mature. He had grown ivory horns that twisted like corkscrews from his forehead, and his wings, which had until then been very small, had nearly doubled in size. Yukimine almost hadn't recognized him, until he spoke with the same smile as ever, "Yuki-chan!"
Much to the maid's dismay, Laurent had picked Yukimine up in an embrace and kissed his face. "Laurent!" Yuki had said in surprise. "What happened?"
Laurent laughed, and at the maid's insistence, placed Yukimine back on his feet. "Guess what, Yuki? I grew up."
Yukimine wasn't sure that he had heard him correctly. "But! It's only been a week!"
Laurent had tweaked his nose, and Yukimine frowned. "Duh, Yuki. It's different for us incubi, you know? There's only one way for us to grow up. You know, don't you?"
Yukimine made a face. "I don't know. Tell me!"
Laurent leaned close and whispered in Yukimine's ear exactly how incubi grow up, in high definition detail. Yukimine and the maid both blushed furiously. "And then you grow and then, right away, you have to feed! Are you listening, Yuki? This is important."
Yukimine wasn't sure how to respond, blushing furiously. Laurent seemed so sure but how could doing this and that really do what he was saying? "But Laurent," he protested.
"Ah, you don't believe me? I'll show you, Yuki-chan! " But the maid pulled Laurent off and away before he could do anything serious. Laurent laughed. "Wait for me, Yuki-chan! It'll probably be amazing for you, since you've already started a little."
Meridiana had forbidden Yukimine from seeing Laurent after that, but they still exchanged letters when Yukimine was home. Occasionally he would ask about his "growing up."
But something like that...? Someone like that, out of him? He was too shy for that type of thing. He blushed, and came back to his surroundings. He was looking at his waitress, the girl who saw what he might become.
He panicked, suddenly, seeing that she was crying. He stumbled over himself, tripped, and landed on the edge of their table with a crash. Most people in the restaurant stared, but for once, Yukimine didn't notice. "Ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he begged. "Don't be upset. Laurent said it was natural, but it's a ways off so don't be upset. I didn't mean to make you sad or nervous." He straightened, smoothing out his shirt. "M-my name is Yukimine. I'm sorry for any trouble, really." He bowed somewhat to each of them quickly, feeling very awkward.

[Mistress K. Darq-Chylde]

CJ was silent for the barest of seconds, but it seemed like an eternity to her. Then she started to laugh. She buried her face in her arms and her shoulders shook, but the sound of her nearly insane cackling was muffled so only a clipped bark of a laugh escaped her. After a moment, she sat up and her face was completely sober.

"I'll be right back," she said simply, addressing both men and walking briskly into the kitchen. She emerged with her jacket and purse and slid her aviators into place as she rejoined them.

"Yukimine... My name's Carmelia - please call me CJ, and this is Ruki. Um... What I just Saw tells me that you're probably part of this as well. We can take my car and go anywhere, but I can't be working right now. I'm going to lose my damn mind..."

She sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose between her forefinger and thumb. "Any suggestions, Ruki? I don't know how badly the UV rays will effect your... skin condition."

[Ruki]

Ruki was unsure of what to do when the Yukimine tumbled. It was funny yes, but it wasn't as important as what he was here for. He kept his eyes on Yuki as CJ departed and came back ready to leave the establishment.

His senses told him that there was more to Yuki than he saw, and that they will all play an important role in the coming events. "Preferably somewhere darker or well shaded prolonged exposure to the sun will cause me...my skin, to get....um...infected." He had never needed to cover up his Vampirism before, as great a liar as he was for anything else, he was horrible when it came to spontaneous excuses.

[Mistress K. Darq-Chylde]

CJ nodded briskly to Ruki and held her hand out to Yukimine with a small smile. "Come with us?"

[Jenna]

Yuki fidgeted. He could feel Ruki's evaluative gaze. He wasn't sure what to make of it. He expected it to feel hungry, but he couldn't get a good read on it.
CJ returned, and the quick exchange between she and Ruki suggested that they didn't think he knew the truth about Ruki's...skin condition? Of course, all he really had was a guess. He decided to play along. Perhaps that type of thing wasn't easy to reveal to people. He had never thought about it. Being a Diavol, he always read other to sensitive humans, while others simply chose to ignore his physical quirks. He had never had to "come out."
Yukimine took CJ's hand, nodding firmly. "Yes. There are many shady places to choose from, but really I just go from my apartment to the park to the florist, so I'm not sure where any of them are." Without thinking, he flashed a big grin. "So, um, lead the way?"

[Mistress K. Darq-Chylde]

CJ led the two men to her car and they drove in silence for what seemed like an eternity, but it was really only a few short moments. Once inside her apartment, she locked the door behind them, taking the guys into the living room and drawing the curtains so Ruki wouldn't be pained by the sun.

She sat down across from them on the smaller loveseat and set her gaze to the vampire. "You need to start spilling. Now."

[Jenna]

Yukimine thought his best bet might be to pretend he was a piece of furniture. He thought settee might be difficult, so he settled on lamp. He stood straight and still near the doorway. He suspected that after Ruki got it out, he'd be next.
The possibility made him nervous. What would he say? What would Ruki say? Just what was going on anyway?

[Ruki]

Ruki looked at CJ and sighed, there was no way he was getting out of this. He looked over both CJ and Yuki then let his head hang for a moment.

"CJ...you are part of something that has been in the works since...since the beginning of time almost...same with you Yuki..." he paused and knelt down to the floor.

"CJ...from what I gather, you are a key that these beings have been looking for. Though i don't know whats the purpose...and Yuki you will play a major role in this as well. Unfortunately not everyone in this room will survive...if they get their way...nobody will survive."

He cursed himself, for he knew what was going to happen, it was no mystery in his family of these beings and what they wished to accomplish...and how they would do it.

[Mistress K. Darq-Chylde]

Carmelia was silent a moment, letting everything Ruki had just said sink in. "If they get their way... Nobody will survive.

Fuck that sideways. "It's because of the Sight, then. They have some stupid notion that firstly, it's something I can control, and secondly that it's something they can use to tilt the events that have not yet come to pass in their favor."

She let her head drop into her hands and her knuckles turned white from the grip she had on her skull, like she was trying to keep it from exploding. With a sigh, she raised her eyes to meet his across the room. "So what the hell are they, anyway? I mean, I looked into a little with the web browser on my phone this morning. And 'Gekido' means anger, rage, wrath... And from what I saw in his 'realm' or whatever... Are we dealing with the fucking seven deadly sins here, or what?"

[Jenna]

Yuki tensed at the name. "G-gekido?" He kept his eyes steady on ruki until CJ's outburst. What role could he possibly be destined to play? He was just Princess Yuki at home. Something close to a joke. He was just the daughter of a family of privilege. He was brought back to Earth with CJ's question. "Ah, s-sort of. At least, as far as I understand the concept. In my world, Archeron, there are those that are more powerful. Leaders, I suppose. We call them Striders, and they hold the key to bridging Acheron and Earth. They are few in number, but have great power. I have never met Gekido, and I never wish to. But I have met the man who calls himself Lust in my mother's parlor, some years ago." He rubbed his arm absently.
"Gekido has a terrifying reputation, even where I am from. I was extremely...er, let's say, sheltered, and even i know things that make my blood run cold at his name." He shook his head, ignoring the creeping nightmare feeling sneaking up his neck. "B-but I don't know how I could fit into anything like that. I'm..." He shook his head again. "It's a little unbelievable."

[Ruki]

Ruki looked to Yuki, "Yes Gekido is, indeed, Wrath, Anger, everything of that nature, personified." He sighed as he looked towards a window. "What he wants with CJ, I am unsure...as for you Yuki, I have a feeling that you and I are in this as protectors... maybe more." Ruki looked back to CJ, "What I do know is that Gekido will never stop to get what he wants...and there isn't a thing he wouldn't do."

A feeling of dread fell over his body as he froze in his place. "There is somebody watching us..." his eyes went wide with terror as he could feel something piercing into his mind and body. "They've found us."

[Mistress K. Darq-Chylde]

"What I do know is that Gekido will never stop to get what he wants...and there isn't a thing he wouldn't do."

CJ nodded. "I gathered that much." She watched Ruki stiffen in fear and her blood was as ice water in her veins, her heart dropping to her toes. The whole atmosphere of the room seemed to shift, the very air around them becoming thicker, heavier with the scent of blood and... sulfur?

"...They've found us."

As if the very mention of his name aloud had summoned him to the spot, Gekido was now standing in the middle of Carmelia's living room. Next to him stood another man, one she hadn't seen before. His whole ensemble was dark, corporate casual, but he wore a neon green tie and his hair was a light blonde. Fashionably long and swept mostly to one side, it didn't seem to suit his demeanor, but it framed his cold Viking-like features perfectly.

"Indeed we have. But fear not, foolish vampire... We have not come to steal the little seer away. Merely decided to drop in for a friendly... Chat." His smirk was humorless and his darkly red gaze fell on Yukimine. "Could it be? Meridiana's little one?" He laughed then, amused by his own joke. "Seems as if the one she tried to pass off as a princess all these years was really an awkward prince."

"Get to the point, Gekido. We've more important things to take care of than a simple seer and her two would-be guardians." His voice was cool, empty, but there was something about it that made them all want to possess him, to make this quiet creature their own. It passed quickly once his words no longer hung in the air. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, an impatient expression curving up one side of his full lips.

"Now, now, Avarice... No need to get testy. You and I have all the time in the world." He turned fully to look at the vampire. "Come now, Ruki. What does this girl mean to you? She is but a useless human, aside from her slight gift. She is but a snack for you, perhaps a meal or two. There are hundreds more tasty and more fair than her in the vicinity of this building alone. Why waste your time on this one mortal girl? You mean to protect her, but at what cost?" His lip curled slightly in a sneer. "Would you go so far as to risk your own life to preserve hers, as you have done in the past?"

[Ruki]

Ruki snarled at Gekido. "This time you will die you filth!" he cussed at the striders in an ancient language. He looked to CJ and Yuki and then back to the two beings. "You have no business here Striders. Go back to the hole you climbed out of..." His eyes turned a dark red as his past came back to haunt him.

The rain was falling hard as Ruki knelt down, blood running from his body quickly. Laying not far from him was the body of a women, his Venus.

Standing before him was a figure, laughing at his folly attempts at heroics. "Is this all you can muster vampire?" the figure smiled as he kicked Ruki once more.

The vision vanished as Ruki stood and looked at the Striders, hungry for blood. His eyes, red, his claws extended Ruki lunged at Gekido, "You will die you worm!"