Beautiful Death

by Christina Moore

  “You mean…?”

  Yuki’s expression remained disturbingly grim. “Sō desu ne. They turned to vampirism.”

  “But that—”

  “Do not interrupt.”

  Tristan bit his lip. That meant then that he was part vampire? That was just insane!

  “The Uruwashi created a new race. They had to become that which they hated and hunted. This family of hunters were so horribly efficient in their task that they had managed to wipe out more than ninety percent of vampires worldwide by mid-Heian period.” The old vampire’s eyes unfocused as she stared off at nothing, her pipe forgotten. “So many lost. Friends, lovers... Nobuyuki-dono... wagakimi.”

  Tristan stared at the child vampire in a bit of awe. It was the first time that evening he felt something other than anger or annoyance towards the girl.

  Yuki shook herself like a bird fluttering its wings to dry, took a hard drag on her pipe and blew out a long column of smoke. “The remaining vampires of the world resolved then to put aside their differences and join together against the Uruwashi. As I was excluded from the actual battle, I am unsure of the details, but my people, those dear to me, fought. One bloody night of hell and we prevailed. ”

  “Wait,” he interrupted. “We’re... enemies?” Why hadn’t he thought of it before? Ah, but really, he always knew, hadn’t he? Felt it inside of him. Besides, why else would Malik be afraid of him, a nobody?

  Yuki flashed her fangs at him and he tensed, ready to move. The finger on his gun trigger not forgotten. “Very much so.”

  “Am…” He hadn’t realized it until the surge of adrenaline shot through him, but the opium was really starting to kick his ass now. His whole body was heavy. Eyes, limbs, even his breathing had slowed. “Am I your enemy?” By all rights, she should have ripped his head off when he came in if he was truly this thing she just described. He held a small sliver of hope that it was all just a simple misunderstanding.

  She narrowed her eyes at him and he flexed that stiff finger again. Not that he’d ever get the gun up in time. But it wasn’t in him to not try at all.

  “Iie.”

  “No? Really? Okay, I know I’ll regret asking, but why?” He was starting to feel more awake, shaking off the effects of the haze permeating his senses, trying to dull him.

  “Honest?” she asked and Tristan nodded. “I am not entirely certain you are Uruwashi.”

  Tristan let out a long breath. There was still hope. “How do we know for sure?”

  “I bite you.”

  He started to stand, to back away, but tripped, falling to his knees again. They were heavier than he realized and a little numb. “No fucking way, you’re not sticking me with your chopsticks.”

  Yuki grinned. “I have one other way, though not one-hundred percent it is rather effective.”

  “Let’s hear it.”

  “Come closer.”

  “If it involves biting or the mixing of any body fluids I’m out.”

  “I promise. I swear on my ancient honor that I will not harm you.”

  A husky voice said behind him, “Please, just do as she asks.”

  Tristan jumped, looking back. How could he have forgotten about Ash? His savior, his… what? What was she to him? Hell, he didn’t know or have the time to figure it out now. Ash looked terrible. But if Yuki really knew…

  “All right, but I’m warning you if you hurt me, I’m going to come back and haunt you for the rest of eternity and make you even crazier than you already are.”

  The girl vampire’s lips stretched into a thin line until she couldn’t keep her fangs covered anymore. “Very well.” She placed down her pipe and motioned for Tristan to come to her. “Put that away, please.”

  He looked down at the gun she motioned to. “Rather not.” The look she gave him was cold and unyielding. She would win whatever verbal or physical fight they might have over it. In the interest of time, he gave in and holstered the gun, leaving the safety off and hoped he didn’t end up being careless enough to accidently shoot himself in the leg—or worse. Yuki nodded, indicating she was pleased. He wasn’t. He was way too close to her for his comfort and felt sick.

  “I’m going to touch you. If you move, you can just leave. Understand?”

  “I don’t work in absolutes, sweetheart. If I want to move, I’m going to fucking move, ‘k? Now get on with it and be gentle.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him but leaned in. He balked, thinking she was going to kiss him but then a palm slapped down against his stomach under his jacket. Tristan sucked in a gasp of sweet tasting air, whispering, “Oh my god.”

  That same strange sensation that started the night Ash took him into her home was on him again. It felt as if his blood was boiling, yet ice cold, starting at his navel and stretching lower. That coldness burned, but was delicious as it reached for more sensitive areas. He wanted to tell Yuki to stop, to let him go, that she was hurting him, but the sensation was stronger now than it had ever been before. And it was glorious. How could he deny something that felt so damn good?

  “Mattaku,” Yuki whispered. “That’s…” She let out a long slow breath, her face tilting up into Tristan’s.

  Unbidden, his eyes fluttered shut and he moaned. There was a breath of sweet, hot air across his lips and he opened his eyes. Crystal clear eyes were inches from his. Fangs too.

  “Oh shit!” In a burst of adrenaline, Tristan swung out, pushing Yuki back and tumbling to his own back away from her.

  “Tristan!” Ash was on him in seconds. “Are you okay?”

  “Freak…,” he grumbled with no air, “tried to kiss me.”

  “What happened?”

  He blinked up at Ash’s worried expression. Somehow, she managed to look even paler than before. Sick almost. She’d lost a lot of blood. Tristan sighed, relaxing and reached up, touching her face. Her skin was as soft as he remembered.

  “Tristan?” she asked, brow knitted and her hand came up to cup his cheek.

  He took her hand into his, lowering it between them and looked at it. His skin was so dark against hers. His warm, hers cold. They were such opposites. They never belonged together. Even so, he had this overwhelming sensation to kiss her fingers, to pull them into his mouth and taste them. Taste all of her, consume her. Ash gasped, snapping her hand back and Tristan’s eyes widened. What the hell was he doing?

  Yuki laughed a small laugh and the pair both turned their heads to look at her. “Subarashii. Subarashii! I knew it. Uruwashi…”

  Tristan cringed. Ash gasped, looking down at the man lying on the floor. Her enemy. She slowly backed away.

  “You’re sure?” Tristan asked.

  “Hai, hai, hai! Very much so.”

  Ash frowned as she sat back down, missing her target and falling to her bottom. Tristan sat up, he had so many things bouncing around in his head but the only thing that came out was what he was really feeling at that moment. “Fuck.”

  Yuki giggled again, the slightest hint of that salaciousness in her laugh. Tristan backed away from her lest she touch him.

  “Wha—what was that?” he asked, pressing his palm to his lower belly. The feeling was still there, more noticeable now that he knew what to focus on, but not so strong that it was blinding him. Yuki’s touch seemed to pull the feeling closer to the surface and it begged to be stroked, fought desperately for attention. And he wanted to give it what it wanted, anything to keep feeling that way.

  “Our blood knows each other.”

  “Meaning?” Tristan asked.

  “You are an Uruwashi,” Ash whispered.

  “You remember?” Tristan asked.

  “Uh—I. Gomen ni, Shishō, I did not mean to speak your own thoughts.”

  The old vampire harrumphed but was smiling to herself. Of course, Yuki never allowed anyone to read her mind except when it fit into her scheming. She would feed Ash just enough information now that she was sure of Tristan.

  “So… what does this mean? I’m an Uruwashi, but I don�
��t even know what they are. Who am I?”

  “You are a monster. Ah, but like diet monster, ne?”

  Tristan narrowed his eyes at the grinning vampire, thinking she was being a bitch and odd that she used such a modern term.

  “Ah, but lucky for you, you are also folklore. There are not many of my kind old enough to remember your kind. The rest chalk our stories up to ramblings brought on by too long life and senility.”

  Tristan looked to Ash. She was more alert now and looking at Tristan with new consideration. Great, maybe she was thinking about joining Malik’s side now.

  “Okay, so I’m Uruwashi. Does that mean you’re going to kill me now?

  Yuki’s eyes lit up and she laughed. “Kill? No, I think not. I think I like the idea of you alive. Malik he is a fool. He has always been a fool.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” Ash said softly and listed heavy to the left.

  “Whoa, hey.” Tristan was up and moving for her. He grabbed Ash, wrapping his arms around her middle, before she could hit the ground. “You okay?”

  She blinked up at him, licked her lips and answered softly, “Thank you.”

  He frowned, tightening his hold. God, she felt so right in his arms.

  Someone cleared their throat and Tristan groaned to himself. How was it that Ash always made him forget his surroundings? Dangerous.

  “I think perhaps you should take our dear Asta-chan home, ne? She looks ill.”

  Tristan scowled at her. But, she had a point, even if she was deflecting again. Ash looked a little sick, pale, weak. If he waited too long, she might not even be able to get herself to her feet, none less ride her bike back. “There have to be others out there if the bloodline survived all these years, where are they?”

  “Others? You think there are others? Danshi, my dear, even in his lunacy, Malik is an efficient hunter. You are the last.”

  He frowned hard. “Then my mother?”

  She harrumphed, grinned slightly and said, “Dead.”

  “Shit,” he said with real feeling. Ash moaned softly and Tristan tightened his arms around her. “So what? Am I understanding the situation right to say that I’m the last of a clan that was at all-out war with the vampires, part vampire themselves and lost, presumably all dead, but then somehow survived what… a thousand years? And now, all the sudden Malik is after the last of these “special” people because some pythia told him so?”

  Yuki’s eyes lit up. “Subarashii. You know Lilith?”

  “No, just heard the name. It’s her fault I’m running for my life now.”

  “Oh no, danshi, do not blame that darling girl. She cannot help but see what she does and she is honest to a fault. She would not lie to anyone, even those who keep her captive.”

  “So she’s Malik’s prisoner?”

  “Did I say that?” Yuki asked around a grin.

  Tristan shook his head. He’d about had all he could handle for one day. Yuki reverting to childishness again didn’t help. “So, bottom line, you’re telling me I’m dead?”

  “I have faith.”

  “Yeah?” Tristan straightened, adjusting Ash’s weight and stood with her in his arms. She was dead weight, limp and breathing slow and deep like she was asleep. “Well, I don’t believe in any god.”

  A sharp laugh burst from the old vampire. “Ah yes, very good. But God does not determine faith, your will does.”

  “My will is just fine.”

  “Yes,” Yuki said with that sly smile again. “Yes, it is.”

  He looked down at Ash and frowned. She wasn’t well at all. “Look, I’m leaving now. But remember what I told you, if I find out you lied to me about anything, I’m going to come back and haunt you crazy. Got it?”

  Yuki held her hands out as if giving up. The look on her face said she wasn’t. “And I will repeat myself, I want you alive, danshi. Or perhaps I should just call you, ryōshi? Hai, hai, I like that very much. Hunter-san.” Though with her accent it sounded more like “huntta”. “Dear Ryōshi-san, please, I will not stop you.”

  He frowned at the child, wondering her thoughts, if she meant now or ever. She was up to something and with Ash having lost her memories, they couldn’t even begin to know what that the old vamp was up to. He made a silent vow to Ash to live and help her get those memories back, for her sake. It was the least he owed her.

  “Thank you, Yukihime for the information,” he said working on being a touch polite since she stopped fucking with him. Mostly.

  She grinned all fang. “Please, visit again soon. I can find more entertaining ways to spend our time than with idle chatter.”

  He furrowed his brow at the tiny vampire, frowning hard. Idle chatter? Visit again? No fucking way. He started to turn away, but stopped and looked back to Yuki. “Oh and next time you want to fuck with us, just know I won’t be this nice again. I’ll have a bigger gun too.”

  “Ah yes,” Yuki said around her laughter. “I like you very much.”

  He gave her a dirty look and turned towards the door.

  “Oh, and Ryōshi-san?”

  Tristan turned to face her, cringing. God, was he ever going to get away? “What?”

  “Remember, I have faith in you.”

  16: Sleeping Beauty

  THE October night air felt deliciously liberating. Despite the colder inside temperature, Tristan had been sweating under his heavy leather jacket. The opium didn’t help either, making his legs drag like he was wearing exercise weights. Not to mention his arm ached where the stitches started to pinch. He was still a little miffed at Ash for not warning him about Yuki’s not-so-stable state. And while that tiny shit did fuck with them both, he learned a lot. And nothing, really.

  Tristan Blum was Tristan Uruwashi. The last of the dead clan of vampire hunters. But what did that mean for him? He didn’t have anything in common with the vampires. He liked solids and sunlight. He aged and got hurt. Though, there was a nagging thought at the back of his brain saying, “Notah! You’ve never been sick and you know it.” Sure enough, he’d never even a cold. And after he broke his leg… well, he was sure he scared his doctor with how fast that healed.

  “Shit,” he sighed and adjusted Ash’s weight as he trekked through the dark to the front of the house. She hadn’t moved since he picked her up and he hoped she was okay; he didn’t have a clue what to do it she wasn’t. It wasn’t like he could waltz a vampire into a hospital and ask, “Hey, where’s the blood bank, she just needs a refill.” Right.

  He looked down and gave a small start when he met the soft purple eyes staring up at him. He wondered if she’d been quietly listening in on his thoughts the whole time. He was starting to really not care. He gave her a warm smile, a smile that he meant; it filled his whole face telling her he was happy to see her. She only blinked up at him.

  He stumbled the rest of the way in the dark in silence. When he reached the front of the house he gently lowered Ash to her feet. She wobbled, but managed to stay upright. Her eyes were half lidded and heavy. Tristan was sure she couldn’t possibly be any paler, until he met Yuki anyway. Ash was almost the loony vamp’s shade now, and it had nothing to do with usage of powers. God, there was so much he didn’t understand.

  Standing behind her, he leaned into her, his hand lightly around her waist and he put his mouth near her ear. “Are you okay?”

  Ash swayed, brushing the front of his body and nodded. “Yes.”

  “Hey, maybe you should ride with me. We’ll come back later for your—”

  Ash’s head snapped around and up to glare at him. “I said I am fine.”

  Tristan held is hands up in defeat and sighed, turning away. Fine? Whatever. He learned a long time ago to not fight logistics with women, whether he was right or not, he always lost. Who knew how the angry vampire would react when pushed past her limit. He liked a girl that could kick his ass, but only if he had a chance of living afterwards. He was sure it wouldn’t take much for the petite woman to kill him.

  With another exasper
ated sigh, thinking letting her ride was a bad fucking idea, he got on his bike and followed her out of the driveway back home. Ash took the lead, managing to keep her pace steady and reasonable. The drone of the motor, the darkness, his exhaustion let his mind wander, distracting him from the road. He thought of home and the friends left behind. He thought that it was a shame he let his bullheadedness rule him and left them angry with each other. He would have liked to at least seen his oldest friends, Gillian and Eric, once more. God, what would they say to him? Would they turn him away for being such a dickhead? No, he liked to think he knew them better than that. That they’d open their arms and hearts to him again. There was nothing in this world that couldn’t be fixed. Even big bad walking dead out for your blood.

  The screech of metal and plastic being torn apart shocked him out of his thoughts. The bike swayed under him as he gaped in horror. Ash's motorcycle was sliding across the pavement toward a guardrail in spray of gold sparks. He gasped and barely missed the lump of dark leather and white flesh lying in the middle of his path. He only just kept the bike upright and came to a rolling stop, jumping off and dropping it to the pavement, not caring that it was their only way left to get home. He ran to that unmoving lump, fighting with his helmet.

  “Aaassh!” Tristan hit the ground on his knees, sliding the last few inches to her. He felt his jeans tear and the sharp burn of his skin grating on the pavement. But the pain meant nothing as he rolled Ash to her back, fumbling at her helmet. Gently he pulled the helmet free and tossed it away to join his. “Oh my god. Ash? Ash, honey, open your eyes.” His voice was heavy with fear, his stomach twisted in knots. But he felt her, the Uruwashi in him felt her.

  Still, he had to know for sure and jabbed two fingers into the side of her neck. She was freezing, but there was a strong, steady pulse. He let out a long breath. It was silly to think a little tumble off a motorcycle would kill her, but he was terrified anyway. His hands were shaking and when he looked down to them, he saw that they were covered in red. A gasp and a quick pat down revealed the source. Her entire right side had road rash. Her legs and torso were fine where the leather saved her, but her arm had been bare and took the brunt of the damage.