The drive was so quiet it was uncomfortable. The engine revving on Sora's bike was the only thing cutting through the thick tension between us.
As we drove down the dark road, I realized we were heading farther away from town, entering deeper into the darkness as we passed fewer streetlamps.
My heart raced, not with excitement, but with fear. I had no clue where he was taking me, and the further we drove, the more I started to regret my decision.
Where are we even going? I'm getting a bad feeling about this.
I glanced to Sora, but I couldn't see his expression because of the visor on his helmet. His heartbeat was calm and steady, while mine hammered in my chest.
Questions tumbled through my mind, each one more confusing than the last. But one thing was for certain now, Sora wasn't who I thought he was. Not entirely. I should have known better. Why would someone like him want to be friends with someone like me?
I should have questioned it from the beginning, but I let my guard down. All because I was so desperate to call someone my friend.
Am I walking into a trap? But if I back out now, will I be betraying everything I said about trusting him?
That intimate moment we shared at his apartment… it didn't feel like a lie. His voice, the glint in his eyes, the sadness—it was all so real. I wanted to trust him and maybe I still did. But how could be so sure now after finding out he's just another deceitful vampire?
The road stretched on, longer and darker. Every twist and turn felt like we were plunging deeper into unknown territory, and I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was waiting ahead was far worse than what I had left behind.
But it was too late now, I had already made up my mind. I needed to see this through to the end.
We entered a deep part of the mountain, a place even I wasn't familiar with. And I was a local!
The thicket of trees grew denser, the road now gravel and uneven beneath the tires. The night seemed colder, the shadows swallowing us, as if the mountains were watching.
Sora slowed down, his movements more deliberate as he searched for the exact spot to stop. Finally, he pulled over and parked his bike behind a cluster of bushes. He swung his leg off the bike and removed his helmet, giving me that usual nonchalant smile as though everything was just another routine for him.
"Just a little further now. Up for a scenic walk?" Sora asked, his tone light and playful.
"I'm not in the mood for your jokes right now. You told me you'd show me the truth, so hurry up." I shot him a glare.
I got off the bike, my gaze narrowing on him as I crossed my arms. I shivered, not from the cold, but because of the uneasiness that creeped up my spine. This wasn't a scenic walk, this was a path shrouded in both mystery and danger if I wasn't careful.
Who knows what Sora's true intentions really were.
"Fine. If you want to keep acting all cold, then be my guest. But when we get to our destination, try to be more chill, got it?" Without another word, Sora turned his back to me and navigated through the trees as if he'd done it a hundred times.
I hesitated, still unsure if I should turn back. But with a deep inhale I steeled myself and pressed onward, following his every step.
We walked for what felt like an hour. It could have been shorter, but it was getting harder to tell. My senses were dulled. Even though I could see clearly through the darkness, the silence and eeriness of it all kept my mind blank. My eyes were purely focused on Sora's back as I didn't want him to leave my line of sight.
He was the only beacon I had to guide me through the uncertainly I was walking into.
Up ahead, I could barely make out the vague silhouette of a disheveled building. It was an old abandoned military base, with tall, barbed wire fences and watch towers.
"Is that where were going?" I asked, not paying attention as I bumped into Sora's back who had come to an abrupt stop.
"Not quite. Just shut up and pay attention. And don't speak until I tell you you can," Sora said, seriously. He knelt and brushed away leaves from what appeared to be a hidden bunker with a large steel door. He knocked on the door in a specific patten then waited a moment.
The steel door opened with a long, ear shattering creak. The hinges were old and rustic, no doubt dating back to World War Two which would probably also explain the military base. For a well-kept secret, Sora chose to hide it in a good place away from prying eyes.
Out from the door popped up the head of a middle-aged man. His eyes were tired and sunken, and his skin was pale as if he hadn't felt the sun in ages. But other than that, he appeared to be in good physical shape with a handsome, square face and a five o'clock shadow.
"Sora, you're back! We didn't expect to see you back here for another few days. Does that mean everything is going according to plan?"
"More like plans are ahead of schedule. Our honored guest was more observant than I originally gave him credit for," Sora replied, gesturing to me from over his shoulder.
I stiffened as the stranger gave me a once over. His eyes narrowed, taking me all in. He was judging me, or more like, feeling me up, determining if I was a friend or foe.
"Are you sure that's him? I mean, he's kind of scrawny. Your reports said that he was strong, but he looks like a string bean to me."
"Yes, I'm sure. Now let us in, Aogiri." Sora spoke like a leader. He reminded me of Kana, the way he took charge so easily.
"Of course, right away. Sorry for doubting you, boss. But you can never be too careful these days." The man named Aogiri climbed down the ladder, giving me and Sora room to follow him into the depths below.
"You coming or are you just gonna stand there looking like a lost little kid?" Sora remarked as he climbed into the hole, flashing me a cheeky grin.
"Even in moments like this you can't seem to stop teasing me! Just knock it off already!" I yelled but quickly hushed myself by covering my mouth. I needed to be more careful, this place was being kept a secret for a reason. It wouldn't be a good idea if I continued to let his petty jabs get to me.
Sora chuckled softly as he climbed lower, his voice only an echo as he disappeared into the hole.
"Yeah, yeah. Now hurry up before someone sees us."
I sighed, irritated, but I knew he was right. I was already wasting enough time. Here it finally was. The opportunity to get my questions answered. All I had to do was take the plunge.
I stepped inside and climbed down the ladder, closing the door above me. Now it was completely pitch black, not a shred of light could penetrate inside.
My eyes were good in the darkness, but even in here it was still hard to see. I climbed down the ladder cautiously but slipped on an unstable step and began falling toward to the floor. I screamed, waiting to hit the ground. But instead of hitting the ground, I landed in Sora's capable arms.
"Wow, that was kind of pathetic! And funny. But it does feel nice to hold a princess in my arms," Sora said sarcastically.
My face flushed as I jumped away, brushing off my clothes frantically.
Sora's laughter only seemed to fuel my rage more.
"Sh-shut up! It's just hard to see in here! And you should have warned me that that ladder wasn't stable!" I'd never been more embarrassed in my life, and I've had a lot of embarrassing moments. Hell, I was an embarrassment, but Sora rubbing it in made it that much worse.
Why is he always like this? Geez, he's so fucking irritating!
"If you two are done now, I think we should head into the base. Everyone's been eagerly waiting for your return, boss." Aogiri interjected, distracting us from my clumsy display.
Aogiri lead the way. Leaking pipes dripped overhead, echoing as they splashed in small puddles on the ground which echoed down the hallowed hallway.
In the distance, there was yet another metal door, but light could be seen peeking out from underneath. From the clattered muffled footsteps, I could tell there were more people inside.
Aogiri grabbed the handle and yanked the door open, unleashing the booming voices of those within.
"Make way for the top dog! The boss is back in the house everyone!" he said, which in turn caused the people to cheer.
We stepped inside, and my eyesight was cleared with the help of the many candles they had burning.
As soon as Sora stepped in, the people crowded him, especially the happy children that clung to his legs and swung on his arms.
"Hey everyone, it's been a while! Sorry if I kept you waiting, but I hope you've been taking care of yourselves," Sora reassured his people.
The way they frolicked around him with smiles and open arms made me think that perhaps I'd misjudged him. My stomach twisted, because I had been acting so hostile toward him. I thought that maybe he was a bad guy, and I had doubted him.
But if he was so bad, then why did it seem like everyone adored him?
"If you're back then does that mean you've completed your mission?" asked the small child wearing a baggy t-shirt who clung to his right leg.
"Yes, my reconnaissance is over, but that doesn't mean I'll be staying for long. Although, I'd like you all to meet the person you've all been waiting for." Sora looked over to me, coaxing me closer with his hand.
I approached them and I could feel everyone's weary eyes land on me. Suddenly, the cheering had stopped.
Looking around, I noticed just how dire their situation truly was. There was furniture but they were made with shabby pieces of wood and dusty looking beds with old, stained blankets.
There were more children than I anticipated. Honestly, I didn't think I'd see any at all. I didn't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this.
What are children doing down here?
Everyone in this room was a vampire. Nothing like Kana or even that man and woman who had tried to kill me. It's like I could sense it, that they were just barely vampires. They were weak, clearly in need of a leader. And it was obvious that to them, Sora was the leader they desperately relied on.
"This is Rui Kemmotsu, the guy I've been telling you all about. He's a vampire, but I must warn you all now… he is indeed a Suit," Sora said, and instantly chaos erupted among the crowd.
"A Suit? I thought you were just trying to see if he was one of us and recruit him! How could you be so careless as to bring a Suit here?" said a concerned mother who pulled her child away.
There was that term again, the one I didn't understand. I was being called a Suit, and just like then, I was received with negativity. That hole in my heart which I had slowly been trying to fill, felt even emptier than ever. I was finally being accepted by the people at my school even though I was no longer human, but even amongst my own kind, I was still the outcast.
"I know this alarms you all, but I would never put you in harms way. He is indeed a noble, but it's not what you think. Which is why I brought him here, to shed some light on everything. He was freshly turned, a newborn who hasn't even killed yet. Show some sympathy toward the guy," Sora said, his tone confident.
"We were all in his shoes once. We were all thrown into a world we didn't understand, and he's just as confused as we all used to be. I trust him, so trust me when I tell you that you can to."
That statement shocked me. Even though I attacked him knowing full well I could have hurt him, the fact that we argued, and even though I told him so many nasty things, he could still openly place his trust in me.
"Now I'm sorry to cut this short but me and Rui need to have a small chat. Afterwards, I'll be free to answer any of your questions. Rui, follow me, please." Sora shewed away the children and grabbed my wrist, slowly pulling me through the weary crowd.
All I could do was stare at the ground, my sweat dripping down my forehead. I could feel it again, that sense of isolation. I thought I had put that behind me, but here I am, still fearing being rejected. But Sora's hand around my wrist made me feel better. It anchored me before I spiraled deeper into my darker thoughts.
"This is my office. Here we can have a bit of privacy while we talk." Sora opened yet another door, and inside it wasn't much. It was like what I'd seen so far. The shabby furniture accompanied with a desk lit by candlelight and an office chair. On the other side of the room was a worn in leather couch and a cork board with string and pictures.
He'd been tracking something, or someone, but I could've cared less about that.
"Sit wherever you like. Make yourself at home!" Sora said as he closed the door behind us. He then walked over to a cooler and pulled out a blood bag and a wine glass. "Sorry I didn't offer you any of this at my apartment. I tend to leave this stuff here."
The sight of the blood made my mouth water, and I had to force myself to look away.
"No thanks. I… don't need that stuff. I refuse to drink blood."
Sora looked at me with disbelief as he set the items down on his desk. "Woah, you've never drunk blood before? That's surprising. I was always taught that Fool's had a blood problem. There's a reason your Suit is the most feared amongst all others."
"You're calling me a fool too? My master always calls me that, but I just assumed he was insulting me. Are you telling me that my Suit is a Fool? Like, what even is a Suit? It's got to be something bad if everyone is so scared of me!" I clenched my teeth.
"Some mentor you have. How can your creator not even explain that much to you?" Sora sighed as he sat in his chair, leaning his elbows on his desk.
"A Suit is basically vampire nobility. There are typically four. Clovers, Spades, Diamonds and Hearts. And even amongst those Suits there are levels of power, like a deck of playing cards. The King, Queen and Jack make up the nobility. Anything below them are just numbers."
"But…" Sora lingered as he poured himself a glass, "there are two exceptions to that rule. You, Rui, are a Fool. A rare Suit that doesn't appear for hundreds of years, and there is only one at time."
"How the hell am I nobility? I was just a regular guy! There's nothing royal about me!" Everything Sora said sounded preposterous, but I had no reason to doubt him. He was the first person to explain anything to me up until now. He gave me clarity.
"You don't need to be. A vampire's status is determined by the quality of their blood when they were human. When a human becomes a vampire, their blood attribute determines if they become a Suit or a regular number." Sora said, taking a sip of his drink.
Sora was very knowledgeable on the topic. It made sense, since he'd clearly been involved in this world much longer than I had.
"But how did you know I was a Fool or whatever? I mean, don't you need to see my mark?"
"Ah, so there are things you know." Sora chuckled softly. "Well, I didn't need to see it. That power you displayed in the hospital parking lot was all I needed." He finished his drink and set the cup down delicately, but his gaze carried an edge of danger and warning.
"That blood-wielding ability you have, that's the signature of the Fool. It's a power only you possess, but it's also what makes you dangerous. You use your blood to fight, but lose enough of it, and you lose yourself. Being called a Fool is almost fitting, don't you think?"
The more he explained it to me, I didn't know if I should feel relieved or more stressed. I wanted answers, but this wasn't what I wanted to hear at all. All I wanted to know was who he was and what he wanted from me. But now, I felt more alienated than ever before.
"I think you've gathered by now who we are. And who I am. I am the person you met in the park tonight, Nero, the leader of the Stray Dogs. But we're not what you think we are."
He stood up and walked over to me, leaning against the desk. His eyes locked onto mine.
"All those people out there are unfortunate souls who were turned. Whether it was their choice or not, but they've been cast aside simply because they were too weak. A vampire without a master might as well have been left to die. But I won't allow that." Sora's eyes were serious. He wasn't the carefree guy I've come to know, but a full-blown leader.
"But I also know that I can't do it alone. Even if I am the strongest of the numbers here, I'm useless against the Suits…" Sora's bangs covered his eyes, casting a shadow of doubt on his face. "Which is why I need you, Rui."
I took a step back. My head felt dizzy with the overload of information. What was I supposed to do? Even Sora said before, I'm just a confused newborn!
How am I supposed to help them?
"What are you getting at, exactly? What is it you want from me?" I asked him, boldly. My heart was beating so hard I could feel it in my head.
Sora looked up and desperately grabbed my hand, squeezing it tight.
"Please. Help me protect my people. And in return, I'll help you. No matter what it is you want, I will do it for you."