Well into the morning hours, we updated Lan about our situation. He messaged a few of the originals he had contact with, but none had responded. He agreed to come back home with us and to start working on lubricating his rusty fighting techniques.
We debated whether to waste time searching for other originals or work with what we had. There were no guarantees we’d find anyone else. We only had leads at this point. Even Lan didn’t know where the others were. Combining the strength and powers in our arsenal as is, it wasn’t a completely uneven match. After a few hours of debate, Kat made the final decision. We’d go home with our friends and prepare to attack. Every minute searching for someone who may or may not help, gave Kano more access to power.
Four original vampires, and another who was close enough with terrifying powers would have to do against Kano Sakura. Time was running out.
Chapter Forty- Six
Katsumi
I’d been working with the originals for three days since we had arrived back in Japan. I still didn’t want to be in my sister’s apartment until I controlled my gifts, so we rented a house in a quieter part of the city. Romi tracked the demon dad’s movements and tried to give us every advantage possible. Rei also joined in on training, where I found his familiarity comforting. I liked the originals, but it was still nice to see his face.
When the others discovered what my powers were, their eyebrows almost reached the ceiling. Lan laughed hysterically. He found joy that someone as cute as I was had such a dark power, albeit most vampire powers I’ve encountered seemed to come from a place of darkness. Tatsou had his shadow manipulation, Eleanor surprised me with a terrible scream that could make human heads bleed out, along with a cool power to control bats. The other originals had the typical powers that came with the title. Rei didn’t have an influx of the vampire powers, including day walking. He teased me about how I got all the cool powers, but I knew it bothered him that he couldn’t go out in the sun. I didn’t know if I could cope with being a vampire so well if I didn’t have the same privileges as before.
“Now look at me and push your emotions into my head.” Tatsou braced himself to live out his worst nightmare. I focused on his eyes and thought about sadness, and how much suffering he’d witnessed in his immortal years. He flinched as his expression became pinched. He offered himself up for practice. The others did not like their deep demons coming to play in their heads. I’d gotten better at blissful dreams because I naturally gravitated to the lighter side of anything. But the nightmares, the darkest parts of my new self, were harder to accept.
His teeth clenched together as he fought with whatever visions he saw and soon shadows swirled around him. I blinked a couple of times and looked at the nearest tree. Its oranges and reds were bright and beautiful. I tried thinking of what materials would look best with those hues.
“Very vivid.” Tatsou released a deep breath, then stood in front of me, sans shadows. His tense hand caressed my face in reverence. I suspected he needed to touch me to calm himself down from whatever he saw. He’d mentioned one of the nightmares had been of me being tortured to death. I can’t say I blamed him for wanting contact after that.
“You’re improving, but I know you can take it to a whole other level. I was still aware of my surroundings as well as what my mind tried to tell me. Once you are fully in control, I won’t know the difference.” Tatsou kissed me gently, then stepped back to give me space. I’d been working hard at this power. But something inside me refused to give into that monstrous side. I wanted to burn whatever resistance that kept me from becoming savage, but I didn’t know how.
“I’m gonna take a walk,” I said, and the other vamps gave me a subtle nod. Tatsou smirked and I thought he’d suggest we walk together, and by walk he’d mean find a place to fuck. But I shook my head. I needed some space. While my body wasn’t tired from the fighting lessons, my soul felt weary.
I walked onto the road in front of the house and headed north. I had no plan, just a desire to be wherever I was in the moment.
“You’re a monster, Kat. Be the monster, feel like the monster, embrace the monster.” I tried pep talking myself, but there was no fire inside. Even though I hated my ex-father, I wanted to move on. I didn’t want to linger on the pain. Pain sucked, so why should I put any attention to it? After two hours of walking, I decided the time didn’t help. I shifted on my foot, ready to race back to the house when I heard a voice from my nightmares.
“What the—”
“Surely, I’d have thought you and that original would have skipped town. Not very bright of you, Kitty.” My muscles tensed at his voice. Of course, the devil himself would find me while I was caught up in my head.
Kano Sakura stood next to two guards, his face a mixture of anger and smugness. The mere sight of me pissed him off, but simply not looking was just too much for him I guess. Angel, the tall asshole next to him, crossed his arms over his button-up. The other soldier prepared to fight. The sun had set, and I should have known better. Romi could track him all she wanted, but he was a slippery demon. He’d find a way out of hell without anyone seeing him.
“Are you going to kill me, ex-Father?” I asked, in an attempt to stall for a few minutes so I could find an escape route. I tried to use my power on him, since negative emotions were overrun in my head. However, with Angel beside him, my gift missed its mark. Damn him and his vampire powers.
“Merely to warn you off. I know you want to take me down. Romi isn’t the only one who can play on the computer. Leave Japan and live. Nothing and no one will stop me from my goal. I’m giving you the offer to live out your immortal years in peace.” He smiled at me like a loving father. I’d yearned for that smile, his acceptance, his love, so many times.
“And if I don’t?” I challenged him. As much as I wanted all those things in the past, I did not now. He sighed, and the loving look became an evil glare—the real man behind the mask.
“I’ll destroy you and everyone else you’ve gathered. What are four originals against an army, and a man who neutralizes your powers? You cannot win, and I hold no remorse for the destruction you bring upon your group.” He turned having warned me and walk away calmly. The need to get back to his villainous schedule calling him.
Without wasting time, I raced away and zigzagged to make sure no one followed me, then snuck off to meet my friends. Tatsou had Rei pinned to the ground and recited the steps to getting out from his hold.
“I just had a run in with my ex-dad,” I said, unable to keep my cool about the run-in with Japan’s biggest threat. Every set of eyes around me glowed, ready to cause chaos.
“What did he do?” Tatsou and Rei were immediately by my side.
“He warned me to leave, for all of us to leave, or he’d kill us. His bodyguard with the power to neutralize us stood beside him or I could have tried to see what the head of Sakura Industries has nightmares about.” I took a breath and looked into Tatsou’s swirling golden irises.
“He said he knows about us, our plan, and that we are outmatched, even with four originals.” I didn’t believe him, but I also didn’t want any of my new friends to get hurt.
“He’s not wrong, but I have a suggestion.” Angel, my father’s second-in-command, stepped into view. Not even a second later, Tatsou’s hand squeezed against the enemy vampire’s throat.
Chapter Forty- Seven
Tatsou
Murderous rage filled my veins, as I blocked the flow of blood to the vampire’s skull. His eyebrow arched as he clenched his jaw to keep from gasping.
