Chapter Nine
Katsumi
I woke up startled, sheets tangled around my legs, and sweat beaded at the nape of my neck. I scanned the room and didn’t see Tatsou anywhere. Did vampires need sleep like humans did?
“Batty Boy?” I called out a nickname, figuring I’d hear a growl from somewhere in the studio, but only silence greeted. I knew deep down his appearance wasn’t a nightmare, despite wishing he was. Unfortunately, I assumed he was draining a nearby town dry or maybe tossing trees on other people’s cars. I peered out my window and saw the steam of the hot spring bath waving me over. A bath sounded like a heavenly way to start my day. I rolled out of my futon and walked around the studio to find the vamp one last time. I’d hate for him to surprise me while I was naked in the bath. No Tatsou. I stripped down and wrapped a towel around my body, then opened the sliding door to the spring. I could have put on a bathing suit in case he decided to surprise me, but I was already climbing in when the thought occurred to me. The heat wrapped around my skin, and I sighed deeply while sinking farther into the water.
“Perfect.” I moaned and relaxed every inch of my body. My eyes closed and I emptied my thoughts, only focusing on the steady rhythm of my heartbeat, the birds chirping nearby, the sound of Romi’s music blasting from her room at the main house, and the movement of the water.
Movement of the water?
“Please tell me you’re not in this bath with me?” Somehow, I knew . . . I knew that asshole would show up while I was enjoying myself in the nude. I didn’t dare open my eyes to see his angry expression or to see his naked body. I already admitted to finding him attractive, I didn’t want to confirm the rest of his body was toned and thick and drool-worthy.
“You’re not the only one with heavy burdens on your shoulders.” The water rippled as he moved farther into the water.
“My burdens could be eased if you let go of your villainous ways.”
“I’m sure they would,” he purred, and curiosity got the better of me. I peeked and saw toned skin over the same rippling muscles I had yesterday. I bet if I looked down, I’d see more bared skin.
“I have a deal to make with you, Bloodsucker.” I watched a smirk blossom on his face at the nickname.
“I’m not in the mood for deals.”
I fully opened my eyes and did my best to give him the face that got me whatever I wanted. My sweet sunshine smile might be this vampire’s undoing. I’d be written in the history books as the cinnamon roll that brought a vampire to his knees.
“I want to save my sister. I’ll do whatever you want, if you spare her life.” I’d thought of this after Romi admitted she protected me by working for our father and his dirty deeds. I loved both my parents, and I still didn’t want anything to happen to them, but I couldn’t live without Romi. She sacrificed much for me; now it was time I did the same. I watched as Tatsou slithered into the water where only his eyes stared at me above the water. Would he consider my offer?
“No.” He rose enough for him to speak, then drifted lower again. He looked like a water monster, with only those piercing eyes watching me.
“I hate you,” I murmured and closed my eyes to tune out his probing stare. We both rested in the water for what felt like hours when I knew it was probably thirty minutes.
“I’m getting out now. You can close your eyes.” I moved toward my towel and waited for the vampire to close those lids. He did not.
“Seriously, you’re already planning to make me do terrible things. You can’t just give me a little privacy?”
“What does that symbol mean?” he asked, and my cheeks turned chili-red.
“You looked.” I knew he would look. There were no other symbols other than the tattoo on the inside of my hip. It was a perfect place to keep hidden from my parents with a bathing suit.
“I have superior sight.”
“So, just because you have it, doesn’t mean you should use it.” I moved to cover my bits but then stopped because he’d already seen everything.
“What does it mean?” He ignored me and asked again.
I thought about denying him the answer to his question. But as the seconds ticked by, I realized he was being nice . . . sort of. He was asking me a personal question and wasn’t snarling.
“It means beauty. My name Katsumi means victorious beauty, but I mostly chose it because I try to see the beauty in all situations both good and bad. Tattoos aren’t looked upon nicely here, so when I interned in America, I got it done.” I’d like to think of it as a small rebellious act. In the old days, criminals were tattooed for their crimes. But then they started covering the evidence with pretty tattoos, and regular people couldn’t tell the difference. Tattoos were illegal in Japan for a while, but that ended before I was born. I wasn’t a criminal, but getting the ink made me feel a little wild.
“We leave for the temple shortly.” His low voice huffed, then turned to step out of the water. I gasped as an intricate tattoo of flowers cascaded from his shoulders down his back. It looked like wisteria, a very beloved flower. It was beautiful, and whoever did it took their time to make every detail stand out.
Then his perfectly toned ass came into view, and I shut my eyes. I could not keep finding this vampire sexy; it was an unhealthy habit. My heart raced in my chest, and heat that had nothing to do with the water rushed through my body. He was dangerous, a fucking vampire, and I wanted to play pretend vampire and bite that muscled backside.
“Oh, Kami, kill me now.” I pleaded silently to the Shinto deities to end my life. How could I continue on after lusting for a vampire? He wanted to kill me, my family, and everyone else. He was not a good guy. He was a very, very bad guy. Yet, the bare parts of him I’d seen were burned into my thoughts. It was like my brain hated him, and my body wanted to mount him. Something must have broken in my head when he slammed me against the glass to crave him this way. I would use that excuse until my last breath.
I hurried out of the bath and covered myself in the towel. Tatsou had disappeared into the studio to hopefully put on some clothes.
“Should have put on a bathing suit,” I muttered, as I darted into my room and picked out what the daughter of a crime lord would wear. Today, I’d be jumping feet first into the world of organized crime. Might as well do it with some badass Louboutin’s on.
