I had plans to follow her father around today anyway. The gathering of Japan’s elite would be too perfect for me to pass up, watching her father play a deity amongst other elite men with power like his.
Time neared to exact my revenge. He had eyed me like a jewel that would launch his underworld business to the moon. He needed Katsumi out of the way to secure a monetary alliance with marriage. Katsumi would ruin that on her own without my instructions. All I’d done was set her father’s plans into motion.
After I claimed the honor of my people and our temple—I stopped at the thought of what I’d do next. This modern world held no appeal to me. People addicted to their electronics, ruining nature like it has infinite resources, and the old code of the original vampires was long gone.
I walked outside to the garden, ignoring Katsumi’s mutterings and admired the pink and purple flowers. Who was I without this revenge? Everyone I knew was gone. Even if other original vampires were alive, I wasn’t allies with them. I didn’t know where I belonged in this time, and that notion didn’t sit well with me.
Chapter Nineteen
Katsumi
Maybe I should have kissed Tatsou earlier. He seemed to be a nicer vampire afterward, and today something in him shifted back to asshole-ville. He’d gone out to the garden, and when he came back inside, he growled at me and then left the studio. Instead of obsessing what his deal was, I got to work on patterns. I didn’t have a lot of time, and I wanted us to look fabulous. My sister messaged that she’d stop by for lunch with food in tow. I eagerly wanted sister time, even with her boyfriend nearby.
Once she showed up, I grabbed her measurements and started pinning things over her body. She knew how I operated in fashion mode. I did all my preliminary pins and then we ate the ebiten and fried shrimp curry udon while talking about the latest K drama show she was hooked on.
“Takeo doesn’t have to wait outside you know.” The man walked casually around the premises. He’d always been handsome, muscularly built, and liked to put red highlights in his hair. I liked that he treated my sister well, and he was always like a brother to me. I’d hoped to participate in their wedding, but with Tatsou on the path to killing us, there would be no such thing. If only I could stop him somehow.
“He’s giving us alone time. He’ll probably come in later when his stomach can’t take it anymore. I bought him a bowl as well. That man loves food.” Romi smiled in his direction and then took a bite of her meal.
“I love how happy he makes you. I wish I could find that.” With my time on earth dwindling, I thought it would be nice to share moments with someone.
“Rei loves you, you know.” Romi knew why I’d pushed off his affections for so long. I sighed and laid back, my stomach full.
“I know. Maybe I should give him a chance. Maybe he’d surprise me.” The thought of trying with Rei didn’t light me up like thoughts of kissing Tatsou again. However, that vampire was planning to kill my whole family so why should he get to be the one who gives me the spark.
“Personally, I don’t think so, but I support whatever makes you happy.” She picked the last bit of shrimp off my plate and shoved it in her mouth. I giggled and she showed me the chewed-up food, then asked if I wanted it back. Sometimes sisters were dumb, but at least I smiled more with her than I had in days.
“How are you doing with everything?”
“Okay, I guess. Father is trying to turn me into a bride. He hasn’t said it, but I can tell. Not too happy about that.”
Romi nodded to confirm my thought. In a way it didn’t seem real . . . like I wouldn’t be given to some powerful man as a gift or Tatsou would kill me first. I wasn’t stressing about it, even though I probably should be.
“I tried to protect you from that. I’m sorry I failed you.” Romi grasped my hand and squeezed.
“I appreciate you buying me time.” Father probably would have married me off as soon as he could. Her making a deal with him and becoming a staple in his businesses gave me a chance to live. I found my passion in fashion. I traveled and experienced life. If I’d been married off before, I may have gotten those things, but I also may have been told to bear children and never leave the house.
“I’m still thinking about your offer to run away. Might be doable.” She let my hand go and sat back to stare at the ceiling.
I doubted we could run away. Father would find us. “Do you hate our parents?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking. Romi didn’t hesitate to answer, which was telling.
“Yes and no. If you can overlook the crime side of things, I think they were decent parents. They wanted us to have great childhoods and provided for us. We felt loved and supported. But I do hate what he does to Japan and to other people. The only reason we are safe is because we’re family. Even then I have suspicions he would do harm if it involved him gaining more influence in the world. Like marrying you off to gain business support. For that I hate him. Mother has lost her mind and copes by not caring. I struggle with it sometimes. Being family shouldn’t give you a pass when you are a shitty person.”
Her words soaked into my mind. We felt the same toward our parents. I think our happy childhood memories were the only things holding us to them. I didn’t need their money, and while they did give parental attention to us, it wasn’t that much. I’d be okay. I still don’t wish death on either of them, but I wished my father would face the consequences of being a shady businessman.
“Where is your guard?”
“Probably off doing father’s bidding. Father really has a hard-on for Tatsou.” Father didn’t know Tatsou was a vampire, but he sensed the raw power and wished to use it.
“He is pretty scary; I could see why Father wants him around. He is handsome, though.” She nudged me, and I laughed. Yes, everyone found Tatsou handsome, though none knew his dangerous other side, the side that kept me from acting on the attraction aching throughout my body in his presence.
“Who are we talking about?” Takeo’s friendly voice startled us as he opened the slider door and eyed the bowl of food his girlfriend had gotten him. “You are the best.” He leaned over to kiss her before diving into his meal.
“Kat and I were talking about her guard.” Romi’s eyebrows waggled, and I bit my lips to stop the laughter from escaping. Takeo chuckled, then pointed his food at us with a warning attached.
“The dude is deadly as fuck. I’d keep a distance, if possible. I won’t go into details, but your dad has made him do some pretty gross things and he did them without remorse on his face.” Takeo chewed on his food and moaned at the pleasure it gave him. I thought about attempting to feign surprise with Takeo’s words, but I know Tatsou has killed a lot of people. I also watched him obliterate vampires like they were squishy bags of meat. I knew firsthand what sort of monster Tatsou was.
“I can see that. He has this, ‘I can kill you at any second vibe,’ whenever I’ve seen him,” Romi chimed in and I kept my lips sealed.
