I flexed my fingers and each joint cracked as if frozen. My robes were petrified against my body as I attempted to lift my torso from the altar. I cursed, and my throat burned. Dust flew past my lips as I roared to sit up. Something had gone wrong. With my perfect eyesight in the dark, I saw webs, dirt, and human bones beside my altar. Something had indeed gone very wrong. Every move felt like lifting a boulder instead of my legs. I needed to feed and regain my strength. Instead of rested, I was overly tired and weak. I managed to squat down to scan the remains for any sort of identification.
“Botan.” My dry voice cracked as I saw the medallion resting against the dirty chest bone. Botan had been what I’d considered a friend, family even. When I found their temple after years of war and wandering, he’d help me find purpose in my ill fate. He taught me patience, the beauty in this nightmare, and how to control my thirst. He’d earned that precious gift from his father after fifteen years of silence. He should not have been in this place. Bone-popping sounds bounced off the stone walls as I twisted my neck to the door. It was Botan’s idea to add a door to the cave for privacy. Many planks and chests had been placed against the wooden door. Botan had barricaded himself inside. Apparently, the foresight for privacy was true but was also needed for security.
With effort, I lifted his bones and a metal sound clanged as it fell to the ground. After placing my friend’s bones on the altar, I examined a golden-handled knife. Botan was not familiar with violence but apparently readied himself to fight, if needed. He was protecting me, protecting my body. I’d find out what happened, but satiating my thirst came first. Even though my rod-like spine creaked as I lowered myself into a bow, my friend deserved the respect. My body trembled as I walked to the doors and tossed the makeshift barricade like it was paper. The nailed boards ripped out with ease, and I pulled the old doors off their rusted hinges.
Another blast shook the ground, and I gripped a tree that had grown in front of the doors. My eyes squinted as the barest of evening light blinded my eyes. Many years had passed, if nature had taken over the path to my resting place. Shouting echoed around the forest, and I closed my eyes to determine the direction of the sound. Men shouted, their language unknown to my knowledge, but I deciphered their location. Scents of sweat, dirt, and heat lingered on the breeze. My fangs descended, and I took a step past the trees, leaving them intact to conceal the cave. I hissed as my throat throbbed, demanding blood to sate the pain. With my eyes closed, I thought of the darkness, the shadows created from the tall trees around me. I eased into the darkness with a slow step and felt the lightness of walking through shadows. My assignments with the warrior monks and ninjas of our town had been easy with this power. I didn’t use it every time, since my other strengths needed to be flexed from time to time. Slowly, I neared the grouping of men standing around a large metal creature, blinding lights on poles surrounded them. Seven average-sized men stood there, not enough to glut myself on. However, it would give me the strength to investigate my surroundings further.
Despite the tightness of my robes, I moved faster than the human eyes could register. The first male barely squeaked as my fangs ripped into his throat. The hot blood poured into my mouth, coating my throat as it dispersed to the rest of my body. A thumping thundered in my chest as my heart filled each chamber once more. I didn’t need a working heart to function, but I was stronger when it pushed blood around my dried veins.
Another man screamed when he saw his companion being drained by a monster, then another. One male in a strange, hard hat ran at me, and I quickly grabbed him by the throat as I finished my current snack.
One by one, I lunged for every pulse in their throats. The few who ran didn’t make it far. My speed and strength outmatched theirs. My body warmed and the beating in my heart was a welcome sound. I tried to keep it going as long as I could, a silly attachment to a time it worked without a conscious thought to do so.
I breathed deep, taking in every scent of this world while blood coated my chin and the robes covering my torso. I ripped at them, the material tearing easily. I’d have to dispose of the dead and my clothes to hide the evidence of my wakening. There was much to learn, and I couldn’t have anyone knowing I’d returned to this region until I wished it. I tore into the bodies like an animal, sucking every drop of blood as I went. Whoever looked for them would assume a creature attacked, not a vampire. I carried my shredded robes to my cave and recovered the entrance with the broken doors.
This land used to be my home, but the earth didn’t feel the same beneath my bare feet. The chill in the air without the snow covering the trees hinted of the change of year toward winter, a time when the crops were harvested and placed in the storage buildings before any freeze happened.
I walked silently toward the temple, keeping to the shadows in case enemies lurked nearby. People talked in the distance, the same language I did not understand before. My partially sated hunger growled like a beast within for me to take more from every human within range. I breathed deeply and cooled my thirst for now. I was in control, with the edge taken off. As I jumped through shadow to shadow, I froze when the temple came into view.
No, it wasn’t the temple I knew. It was something else entirely. I glared at the blasphemous structure while humans walked past clear walls that used to be open to nature’s breath. Anger clawed beneath my skin, and my newly beating heart raced.
Baton starved to death alone to protect my body from invaders. Those invaders had desecrated the temple and changed everything I’d known and treasured. I leaned against a tree outside the home and waited.
For hours I watched and listened. Once the breaths of the habitants of my old home evened with sleep, I crept into the shadows of those familiar yet unfamiliar walls.
Chapter Three
Katsumi
Two days after I promised Romi I’d nudge our father, I trekked to the main house. I’d been fingers deep in lace, thread, and needles with the scabs on my fingers to prove it. Thankfully, I knew Romi didn’t expect me to charge up to our father and demand he approve of her boyfriend the very instant I declared I would. I tended to get spacy sometimes, in my own little world. So now, with my purple tee, leggings tucked into knee-high black boots, and a black cardigan, I marched into battle.
“Hey, there’s my favorite cinnamon roll.” I rolled my eyes and kept walking, despite the sounds of footsteps coming up beside me.
“Good morning, Kitty Kat. I’m glad to see you out of the studio and moving. You’re starting to turn into a little hermit.” Rei, my childhood friend, bumped me with his shoulder and I rolled my eyes again.
“I’m not a hermit, and I don’t think you can call me one since I’m up here every weekend and drive to Osaka about once a week.” I made sure to do yoga every day, get out for walks around the studio, and venture into the world. Sometimes I felt like my family truly did think me a hermit.
“Yeah, but I haven’t seen you in a while.” Rei reached over and pulled me into a side hug, my boots slipping on a wet steppingstone in the process. He caught me quickly. His strong, muscular arms pulled me up and kept themselves around my waist. I glanced up to see his handsome face looking down at me sweetly. Those hungry brown eyes and medium brown hair gelled into spikes gave him the appearance of a bad boy rather than the sweetheart I knew.
“Two-way street, you know. You can visit me.” I untangled myself from his embrace with flushed cheeks.
“I like it more when you chase me.” He winked and flashed a dazzling smile my way. For a moment, I thought about giving into his crush on me. He was handsome, smart, strong, and had a sense of humor I enjoyed. There was just a part of me that couldn’t accept him as a potential love interest. Even now, the thought of pressing my lips against his perfect bow-shaped ones, turned my stomach sour. Maybe it was the vast history we had together. I’d hate to lose him as a friend.
“Typical man, expecting us females to do all the work.” I poked him in the stomach for fun and met hard abs beneath my touch. Again, I wish I felt something for him.
“Oh, don’t worry your cute little head about that. When you come to me, I’ll make sure we share equal loads of work.” He waggled his eyebrows, and I scoffed. Rei loved to toss sexual innuendos at me while we were alone, but in front of my father, he acted like he barely knew me.
“How thoughtful. I’m off to see my father. Wanna walk with me?” We weren’t far, and I hoped the question would pacify him for now, although it seemed like he was getting more daring with his advances toward me.
“Sounds good. Got any other plans for the day? Maybe we could grab lunch later.” He held out his arm for me to take like a gentleman, and we moved our way to the main house.
“I’m sewing a dress for a client. I’ll be working on that until family dinner tomorrow.” It was half a truth and half a lie. I did have to sew a dress, but it wasn’t for any client in particular. I had faith it would be picked up quickly once I showed it on social media. For now, all anyone has gotten is bits and pieces of me working on it. I can practically feel the drool through the screen.
“I do think it’s pretty cool that your fashion stuff has taken off. The next big thing is the word on the street. Even celebrities in America follow you online.” I smiled at my friend’s nice words. We were almost to the house and as expected, Rei’s hand gently lifted mine off his arm and set it at my side. It was odd that he feared my father. My father was a businessman, not an evil spirit.
“Cool, well . . . see ya.” My voice sounded more annoyed than I liked it to. Usually, I reserved my frustrations for my resting bitch face, but this time it was exposed with my tone.
“Kat.” Rei winced and I opened the giant red door and stepped into the house. I slowly took off my boots and set them against the wall. I gagged as the strong scent of incense blasted my nose. My mother occasionally fumigated the house with the smoke. As I walked through the halls toward my father’s office, I was surprised to see my sister and mother were gone. Perhaps they went for a walk or shopping. If it was the latter, I would have to give them a stern talking to about going shopping without me. They knew better.
