• CHAPTER 169 - IT'S DANGEROUS

    You know it's dangerous and that it could potentially kill you, but it's something you have to do before everything is gone.

    "Are you in pain, Kai?" I asked as I wrapped his left arm around my waist and leaned back against him.

    Kai inhaled a little sharply but pulled me closer to him, "I'm fine," he admitted.

    I sighed deeply and we sat in silence. We were sitting with our legs stretched out and leaned back against the headboard and my head was leaning against Kai's shoulder. His left arm tightened around my waist a little more and he leaned his head against mine. His breathing was spaced out and concentrated; my scent was probably too much for him.

    I looked up at Kai, "If you're thirsty, just tell me," I smiled faintly. "I don't want you in more pain."

    "I am a bit dehydrated," Kai shrugged. "But I won't take from you."

    "Then go into town," I lectured.

    "I won't leave you alone,"

    "Kai, you'll die if you don't get blood," I scoffed. I climbed onto Kai's lap and moved my hair to the side, revealing my neck. "Drink."

    Kai shook his head, "I refuse,"

    I leaned forward quickly and pressed my neck against Kai's mouth. He inhaled sharply and his hands firmly gripped my waist. I knew that he would give in at any moment; it was difficult enough for him to pick up my scent, yet I was pressing my bare flesh against his watering mouth. His breathing became a little heavier as he licked my neck repeatedly. I closed my eyes just in time for him to plunge his fangs in. I winced but stayed still, allowing Kai to drink as much as he could.

    Kai was hardly hesitating; he was truly thirsty. I could feel the blood trickling down my chest and my nausea started kicking in. Even though I couldn't see the blood, the feeling of blood trickling and the sound of Kai's unbelievably heavy swallowing was enough to make me sick. After several more dragging seconds, Kai pulled back abruptly and stared at me.

    "You're so pale," he caressed me, worried. "I took too much."

    I shook my head, "No, you didn't. I'm just nauseous."

    "I'm sorry," Kai pulled me in for an embrace and flinched a little. "I told you I didn't want to drink from you."

    "It's fine," I sighed with a small smile, happy to help. A crazy idea sparked in my head and I looked up at Kai. "Call me stupid for what I'm going to ask, but...I think we should...visit Akatsuki."

    Kai paused and stared at me, "You won't,"

    "Kai, please," I pleaded. "He's going to kill himself someday and I don't want my last memory of him to be so brutal." I sighed. "I need him to know that I'm okay."

    Kai sighed heavily and wiped my blood off of his mouth, "I suppose. But we need to give you different clothing."

    ~*~*~*~*~*~

    Even though it was eighty degrees outside, Kai forced me to wear his heavy jacket with the faux fur hood and cuffs. We threw my clothes in the dryer along with ten or so dryer sheets and some of Kai's clothes to mostly eliminate my scent and layer it with Kai's scent, though it would only be temporary. Kai was going heavy duty; he didn't want Akatsuki attacking me again or going insane from my scent again. How horrid; I never imagined I would be suiting up to defend myself from Akatsuki. My sister's lover. My guardian.

    As we stood at the front door of Akatsuki's apartment, we noticed there was blood smudged on the handle and on the door. Rather than waiting for Akatsuki to answer--because he probably wouldn't--Kai opened the door and walked right in. Kai held my hand tightly, making sure I was safe.

    "What the Hell are you doing here?" we heard Akatsuki hiss from his bedroom. We turned around to see him leaving his bedroom and heading to where we were. His face shifted to fear immediately when he saw me. "Arisa?"

    I swallowed the lump in my throat, "Hey..."

    "What are you doing?" he mumbled. He glared at Kai. "What is she doing here?!"

    "She received your note," Kai stated apathetically. "She wanted to visit you one last time."

    Akatsuki directed his red eyes at me and I flinched, "I don't want us to leave off how we did..."

    Akatsuki winched loudly and clasped his throat, dropping onto his knees and hunching over. Out of natural instincts, I started to rush towards him but Kai pulled me back by my hand. I watched in fear as Akastuki groaned and cursed under his breath from the inferno under his skin and in his throat. I wanted nothing more than to comfort him, but only words could be used; I could no longer have physical contact with him.

    "Get her out of here," Akatsuki hissed. "I'll kill her."

    "Her scent is concealed," Kai informed. "She'll be fine for the time being."

    "It doesn't matter if I can trace her goddamn scent or not," he glared at Kai. "I've tasted her blood before and I want more!" He winced and lowered his head. "Listen to me...and I called myself a Necromantic Hunter..."

    "Stop it," I declared. "Stop it, Akatsuki." I stood confidently and clenched my free hand into a fist. "Don't say that about yourself; you survived through so many battles at such a young age. Don't you start attacking yourself."

    I released Kai's hand and stepped cautiously towards Akatsuki. Kai pulled me back by my sleeve and advised me not to go but I continued anyways. I lowered myself onto my knees in front of Akatsuki and stared at him, shivering from his thirsty red eyes. I took a breath and held it as I removed my gloves and set them aside. Reaching down for Akatsuki's hand, I could tell he wanted to pull back but he never did. I had confidence in him; I knew he wouldn't attack me again, not in front of Kai. I reached down and gripped one of his enlarged hands with both of my little flimsy hands.

    For a long moment, Akatsuki stared at my hands with wonder in his eyes but an apathetic complexion, "Your hands are so warm," Akatsuki pressed one of my hands against his frozen cheeks and closed his eyes and smiled very lightly, "It feels so warm..."

    My heart dropped and I held back my emotions, "You're...cold," I looked at Akatsuki and he stared back at me. "You're not going to hurt me, are you?"

    Akatsuki looked past me at Kai and I could hear a faint rumble coming from Kai's chest. Akatsuki stared at me again, "I'm trying not to," he was holding his breath.

    I stared at him in sorrow, "I'm so sorry," I looked down. "I'm sorry you have to go through this..."

    "It hurts so much," he groaned, gripping my hand against his face tightly. "I don't know how Kai did it..."

    "Tolerance," Kai said easily. "It takes a few decades, but you'll grow over it,"

    "Don't you say that so easily," Akatsuki hissed, still looking down. "Because I'm a Necromantic Hunter, I'm not allowed to become a Vampire. I'll have to die anyways."

    "Don't," I hissed back at him, becoming more angry than depressed.

    "Arisa..." Akatsuki sighed. "It's my duty."

    "Then move away from here!" I pleaded. "Move away so your friends won't know what's happened to you..."

    "If they never see me again, they will know," he shook his head.

    I couldn't negotiate with Akatsuki anymore; he was right. No matter what he would do from that point on, the Society would eventually find out that Akatsuki was no longer human and come to hunt him down. Even his best friends would have to kill him. I would never be able to do such a thing to such a dear friend; how do they do it?

    "I guess we'll be leaving," I murmured, releasing my hand from Akatsuki's face.

    "Take care of yourself," Akatsuki smiled weakly in reassurance but his eyes still showed pain and thirst.

    I made another dare and embraced him, making sure his face was pressed against the collar of Kai's jacket rather than my neck, "Be safe, please," I pleaded. I whispered into his ear. "Happy late birthday..."

    I could feel Akatsuki's grip tightening on my coat and I could tell he was subtly moving the collar of the coat with his face to pick up my scent. Kai pulled me back and Akatsuki stayed on his knees with his eyes to the ground. He sat on his bottom and leaned against one of the walls and stared at me in incredible pain. My lips pursed together and Kai and I left the apartment--probably for good. My heart was tearing in two as we climbed into Kai's car and left the lot. That was it; I would never see Akatsuki again. He was eventually going to finish his duties and he also refused to have me see him as a Vampire.

    "He'll be okay," Kai reassured and gripped my hand, though he flinched a little when he did.

    "I'm happy I was able to see him once more," I sighed and looked out the window at the rushing landscape with my wrenching heart and potential tears. "But he can't die...goddammit, he needs to pull through..."