#sap!au

Kyouko spun around at the voice in the doorway. She blinked in mild surprise, watching Celes stroll in and shut the door behind her. “Celestia,” she murmured. “Aren’t you supposed to be at lunch with the others?”

Celes hummed as she made her way closer to Kyouko’s desk. Her fingertips scratched along some of the desktops, her eyes not lifting from her hand. “I was under the impression, Kyouko, that you were to be my meal as I see fit.” She stopped in front of Kyouko’s desk and slowly lifted her eyes. They were a deeper red than usual. “However, color me surprised when, not only do I arrive outside ready to eat, but I am left waiting for my food to arrive. How rude.”

Oh dear, Kyouko thought. “In all fairness, Celestia, feeding you out in the open would likely blow your cover-.”

“Something you could have told me before lunch, Kyouko,” Celes interrupted. “You made me wait for my favorite treat. How will you repay me?”

Violet eyes rolled ever so slightly before Kyouko stood from her desk. Unbuttoning the top few buttons on her shirt, she loosened her tie and presented her neck to the thirsty vampire. “The only way I am able. Care to eat?”

Celes’ eyes darkened further and her lips stretched into a pleased smile, her fangs just barely poking over her bottom lip. She stepped around the desk between them and hooked a finger in Kyouko’s loosened tie. Bringing the detective closer, Celes purred, “I would love to.”

With those words, she leaned forward and sank her teeth into Kyouko’s neck, greedily drinking up the blood that flowed from the wound. The sweet taste on her tongue calmed her anger considerably. She hadn’t truly been mad at Kyouko, but the thought that the detective might be hiding from her put her on edge. Now that she could feel Kyouko’s blood trickling down her throat, she felt her worries melt away.

Kyouko barely even cringed when Celes’ fangs pierce her skin. In fact, a small bit of warmth ignited in her stomach. She knew this was potentially dangerous if not properly managed, but she couldn’t find it in her to care at present. The immediate danger had passed as soon as Celes’ lips touched her skin. The thought caused a very slight shudder through Kyouko, but she quelled it and idly played with one of Celes’ drills.

A throat cleared at the door and Kyouko looked over in confusion. One of the upperclassmen, Sonia Nevermind, stood in the doorway, politely avoiding looking directly at them. “I was wondering if I could borrow Miss Celes for a moment?”

A soft growl emanated from where Celes still drank, but this did not deter Sonia. “Don’t be like that, Miss Celes. I promise it will only be a moment. I have a… private matter I wish to discuss. You can return to your… activities once we’re finished.”

Celes pulled back from Kyouko’s throat with a reluctant sigh. She licked over the wounds she’d created and straightened up. Kyouko nodded to her and buttoned her shirt back up, fixing her jacket and tie. Celes turned to Sonia and followed the upperclassman out of the room.

Before Kyouko could dwell on what one of their upperclassmen would want with Celes, the bell signaling the end of lunch rang and her classmates filed in. Aoi and Sayaka practically gravitated toward Kyouko, their eyes shining with questions. Kyouko knew it would be a few moments before the teacher came in. With no escape, she resigned herself to her fate.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Sonia stepped into an empty classroom and motioned for Celes to follow. Personally, the Lolita would rather return downstairs and finish her meal, but if the Ultimate Princess wanted a word with her, even she couldn’t refuse. Sometimes, I envy her talent, Celes thought. Not many can resist it.

“What did you need to speak with me about?” she inquired, checking her nails nonchalantly.

Sonia leaned against a desk and smiled. “Nothing much,” she responded. “I simply heard you were joining the school and wished to make sure you were settling in alright.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Celes asked with her usual smile.

“No particular reason,” Sonia shrugged. “We simply haven’t seen one another in a few decades. I had no way of knowing how you had changed in that time, if you have.” Her eyes narrow just slightly. “Are you settling in well?”

Celes sighed and dropped her mask a little. “Yes, I am fine. It is only my first day, Sonia. Give me some credit; I haven’t even burned the school down this time.”

“Yet,” Sonia giggled. “However, I will give you the benefit of the doubt for now.” She straightens up with a smile in place. “That girl down there, was she one of your new marks? She seemed familiar with the process.”

“Kyouko?” Celes glanced to the door. “I suppose you could call her that. We’ve struck up a deal of sorts with one another. I’m simply keeping her around until I grow bored of her.”

“You always were like that,” Sonia laughed. “One of these days, one of your marks will surprise you.” She moved toward the door and called, “You should get to class. Don’t want to miss the rest of your first day.” With that, she strode out the door, as elegant as ever.

Celes smiled after her. As jealous of her talent she might be, Celes really did like Sonia. She was always welcoming whenever Celes traveled. Lifting a finger to her lips, Celes brushed away a stray drop of Kyouko’s blood, licking it from her finger. The sweet lavender taste ignited on her tongue and she couldn’t help the giddy grin that momentarily spread across her lips.

Kyouko yawned as she awoke for school on Monday. She had spent well into the night with Celestia on Saturday and then spent a good portion of the afternoon with the Lolita on Sunday. Celes had taken her around the castle once more before deciding that she could use a walk in the park. Kyouko had filed away Celestia’s want to keep her alive for a later investigation as she was more preoccupied with wondering what the new student in the class’ talent would be. Their current graduating class was smaller than most of the others due to the scarcity of talent at the moment, but maybe things would turn for the second half of the year.

Getting dressed, Kyouko checked her backpack before grabbing the breakfast her father had set out—a blueberry muffin—and heading for Hope’s Peak. As she walked, Kyouko mused over the different talents one could have. Usually, no two people of the same talent would be in the school at the same time. The only exception in a while is that Makoto is the SHSL Good Luck, which is the same as one of their upperclassmen. But aside from that, there were still a vast amount of possibilities. After all, one of the teachers was a SHSL housekeeper. After hearing about that, Kyouko was certain anything could be a talent.

Arriving at the school, the lavender-haired detective made her way to her seat. Her classmates were immersed in conversations similar to her own thought process, so Kyouko simply listened to their own speculations. Aoi hoped for a baker, but that would be repetitive with the SHSL cook and confectioner being their upperclassmen. Mondo, Makoto and Hifumi mused on the probability of the talent being aggressive, artistic or intellect-based. Kyouko had to admit that she would like someone else in the class whose talent was intellect-based. Junko’s frequent mood swings became repetitive after a while, even if she was the SHSL Fashion Designer.

The bell rang, signaling the beginning of class and jolting everyone from their thoughts. The class moved to their seats as the teacher strode in. Placing his suitcase on the desk, the instructor turned to the class and cleared his throat. “Everyone, I would like to remind you that today is the day we were supposed to get our new student, but there seems to have been a mixup with the information they were given and, because of this, they will not be here until tomorrow.”

There were groans all around the class, both internal and (majority) external. Kyouko was not one to enjoy sitting idly while she could be getting answers. Unfortunately, this was something she couldn’t get the information on herself and therefore, would have to wait on. With an effort, the detective stopped herself from sighing and resigned herself to solving this particular mystery tomorrow.

The day passed as it usually would, with minor arguments between Kiyotaka and Mondo. The teacher ignored them as always and continued with the lesson, which Sayaka or Chihiro interrupted every once in a while to ask questions. The others simply diligently took notes or ignored the class altogether. Without looking, Kyouko knew that Hifumi was doodling ideas for a new doujin, Junko’s pen was scratching a new outfit design, Mukuro was working on her knife throwing technique, and Leon was sleeping.

By the time lunch came around, the group had moved on from the topic of the new student and were lost in their own conversations about whatever held their interest. Kyouko simply enjoyed her meal as she and Makoto listened to Sayaka talk about a new song she and her band were working on. It sounded like it would be a hit—as many of her group’s songs were—and the detective was interested in hearing it.

As she was finishing up her lunch, Kyouko felt Makoto nudge her slightly. Feeling the now-familiar tingle down her spine, Kyouko stood and turned to walk to where Celestia was waiting by the gate for her. The Lolita smiled at her and Kyouko stopped in front of her with a nod of the head. “Good afternoon, Celestia,” she murmured.

“Good afternoon, Kyouko,” the vampire’s voice was louder than usual and Kyouko knew her classmates could overhear. “I trust you had a good weekend?”

“Yes,” the lavender-haired woman responded. “It was kind of you to invite me to your home.” There was a slight gasp from Chihiro at this and Kyouko resisted the urge to sigh.

“Well, it would have been rude of me to leave you all by your lonesome,” Celes chirped, red eyes focused just slightly passed Kyouko. “So why not invite you to spend time with me? I hope you enjoyed dinner?”

The detective attempted to ignore her friends as Aoi now joined Chihiro in quietly squealing behind her. The entire rest of the group had gone quiet, not even bothering to try hiding the fact that they were eavesdropping. “Dinner was very delicious, thank you.”

“And… how did you like… dessert?” Here, Celes eyes narrowed just slightly as her voice deepened to match the suddenly sultry look. Ah, so that’s what she’s doing. Kyouko realized as Hifumi choked behind her. Very well.

“Dessert was much better than expected. I was surprised to find out how talented you are.” Kyouko wondered just how deep this hole could go as Mondo and Leon joined Hifumi in choking at the conversation.

Celes leaned forward and her lips tugged upward just so in a smirk. “You’ve no clue how talented I can be, yet, Kyouko.” Yasuhiro fell off his seat.

Sufficiently satisfied, Celes turned her full attention to the woman in front of her, returning her voice to an appropriate level. “How are you feeling, Kyouko?” she inquired, eyes closing as she addressed the detective. “I know I took more than expected on Sunday.”

“I have been increasing my amount of nutrition intake.” Violet eyes stayed on the Lolita’s face, tracking every movement that might indicate why the vampire had closed her eyes this time. “I began doing so shortly after you began drinking from me, upon my realization of how negative the effects were.”

“How intelligent of you,” Celes giggled, hand rising to cover her mouth slightly. “As to be expected of such a formidable detective.”

“Understanding how our lives and work both affect our health is imperative to being a detective,” Kyouko pointed out. “We must be in top shape in order to properly focus on a case, hence why I am one of the top in the class at gym.”

“Gym?” Celes’ lip curled at the thought of sweating, or even changing. While she didn’t necessarily despise physical education, her outfit took a lot of work to get into and her makeup would be ruined if she sweat in the class. Of course, that was supposing the class actually gave her enough of a challenge to sweat in the first place. With enhanced strength and speed came heightened endurance and stamina.

“It’s a required class.” Her companion shrugged as Celes’ eyes roamed the students once more. “I try my hardest in gym and sometimes accompany Sakura and Aoi when they work out after school, if I’ve no cases to attend to.”

This caught the vampire’s attention. “You work out?” she asked, her voice dropping a note or two in pitch. It wasn’t much of a difference, but enough for Kyouko to catch.

“Yes. To stay fit.” The purplette watched the black-clad woman’s eyes close and once more wondered what had caused it.

“That sounds intriguing,” Celes murmured. “Do you mind if I accompany you one day? Just to watch, of course. I imagine it would give away my identity to lift as much as your muscular friend over there despite my much smaller stature.”

“I don’t see why it would hurt for you to come watch us,” Kyouko told her. “I can always tell you when I’m going to have off so you’ll be here when school lets out.”

Celes nodded in approval and lifted her head as the bell rang. “It appears our time is up, Kyouko.” Smiling at the detective through the bars, she giggled, “I’ll see you after school!”

There was a choked gasp and Kyouko once again resisted a sigh at the fact that her friends had still been trying to eavesdrop. “We should really find a way to talk during my free time where others won’t find out about your condition.”

Celes huffed and pouted at the term. “At my species, Kyouko,” she grumbled. “Have a good rest of your day!”

Kyouko gave her a nod, turning to her friends. All of them were watching her in utter shock, eyes zeroing in on the mark on her neck more than before. Shaking her head in irritation, Kyouko lifted the collar of her jacket to cover the mark and plucked Yasuhiro between the eyes. The fortune-teller fell backwards from his seat once more, but the detective paid him no mind as she gathered her leftover lunch.

Beginning to make her way to the school, Kyouko cocked her head at her friends, who had still not moved. “If you all don’t hurry, we’re going to be late to class.”

The others dumbly followed after her, eyes still wide when they took their seats. Sayaka and Chihiro shot her frequent intrigued glances while Aoi and Sakura whispered about the encounter and what it could have meant. Makoto had gathered some tissues to help Hifumi and Leon quell their bleeding noses, and Hiro spent a few minutes attempting to predict what would happen between her and Celes. Swallowing the air bubbling up from her lungs, Kyouko was simply glad that Byakuya had yet to make any kind of rude comment and that Junko wasn’t being odd anymore.

The rest of the day passed relatively alright, though Kyouko could have done without all of the speculative glances thrown in her direction. Slipping from the class as soon as they were released, Kyouko made sure not to get caught by any of her friends on her way out. She knew they would catch her eventually, but that didn’t mean she needed to make it easy for them.

…

Walking into class the next morning, the detective did not miss the way most of the class’ eyes flicked to her neck to see if she had any new marks. Thankfully, she had anticipated that response and her jacket collar covered her neck from their eyes. Making her way to her seat, Kyouko set her bag down.

“How was your night, Kyouko?” Leon asked, smirking at the violette as she took her seat.

“Most likely better than yours,” the detective clipped as she rummaged in her bag. Hisses were heard from several others in the class as Leon pouted over at Kyouko.

“That’s low, man.” Kyouko shrugged and turned to face the front as their teacher entered the classroom.

“Good morning, students,” their teacher called, grabbing the attention of the class. “I would like to introduce our new student to you all.” Looking to the hall, he called, “You may come in.”

Kyouko felt her eye twitch as a red heel stepped into the room, followed by a pale woman in Gothic Lolita wearing a small smile. Sitting up a bit straighter, the detective’s mind immediately began going through all of the possibilities of why Celestia would want to come to Hope’s Peak. Was she recruited because of her gambling talent? Did she want to be able to see Kyouko for longer during the day? Was she here to make certain none of the other students attempted approaching the purplette after their show the previous afternoon? Did she have other friends in the room without Kyouko’s knowledge? Were other students in the class vampires?

That last question had Kyouko glancing furtively around the classroom to gauge the reaction of the others. Most of them were looking between her and Celes in wonder, trying to see if there was a connection between this and yesterday’s encounter. Byakuya, of course, looked as disinterested as ever and Touko was too busy drooling over him to mind anything else. Junko was in a gloomy mood and therefore didn’t have much of a reaction at Celestia’s entrance while Mukuro’s unreadable expression remained stoic, similar to her own. None of them seemed to be vampires, but at first glance, neither did Celestia.

“Good morning, everyone!” Celes called, red eyes taking in the students before her. She noted the gaze of the large boy in the back. She would have no trouble hypnotizing him into her slave, if even that was necessary. Her eyes landed briefly on Byakuya’s disinterested expression and Junko’s gloomy one before her gaze pinpointed her target. With a small smile, the vampire said, “I’m Celestia Ludenberg. Please call me Celes. It’s wonderful to meet you all.”

“Alright, now let’s see if we can find you a seat,” the teacher murmured. Meanwhile, Celes stared at Leon for a few seconds, as he was in the seat beside her darling toy. Without hesitation, Leon gulped and stood, gathering his things to move to the other side of the room to find an empty seat. Celes’ smile widened at his complacency and she strode to the seat, settling beside Kyouko and winking at the detective.

The wink did not escape the other students as the teacher shrugged at Leon offering up his seat. Sayaka and Aoi were brimming with questions for their crime-solving friend, but knew that they had to wait. With any luck, come lunchtime, they would all be able to get to know Celes a little and what connection she has to Kyouko.

“You… brought me to a castle.” Kyouko murmured, staring at the large structure. It wasn’t something one would be used to seeing in Japan. It was a large stone structure with flags of red, black and sunset orange decorating the boundaries. There was no moat, which was to be expected, however, the large doors appeared to be several inches thick and were far above Kyouko’s head. 

“Of course I did.” Celes responded, walking forward and turning to the purplette with her usual smile. “You said you did nothing otherwise.” 

“Actually, I believe I told you the specifics of what I normally did.” Kyouko pointed out. 

“And it sounded boring.” Celes stated simply. “So, I brought you here.” 

“The least you could have done was ask first.” the detective sighed, turning back to the extravagant building before her.

It wasn’t too large, but certainly bigger than her apartment building. The outside was decorated in an array of white and silver with splashes of lavish gold and bronze to add a bit of color. Some of the statues were sporting red sashes around their waists or necks and Kyouko wondered briefly if that was because of Celes’ secret or just a personal preference. Two pillars flanked the large ornately carved doors and Kyouko’s curiosity reared its head. She wanted to know what the structure of the building was like. Perhaps there were secret passageways she could discover, or family secrets hidden away in library tomes.

Celes glanced over to see a calculating look cross her companion’s features. She was certain she had seen that look before; thinking back, she remembered that Kyouko was sporting the exact same expression when she had found her with that male in the alleyway. Closing her eyes, Celes pushed down the rush of rage at the thought of someone daring to touch Kyouko in such a manner. After all, Kyouko had pledged herself to Celes in return for her life. That meant only Celes could touch her that way. Taking a slow breath, Celes reached out and grasped one gloved hand in her own.

Kyouko was jolted out of her stupor as a hand clutched her own. For a moment, the thought of practically flying through the air again crossed her mind before she shook her head. She had just told Celes that it was ineffective and the vampire had proven that she did in fact listen to Kyouko. Looking to the Lolita, Kyouko cocked her head expectantly.

“It’s no use standing out here, Kyouko.” Celes told her, ever-present smile at full force. “Why don’t we go inside?”

Kyouko simply nodded and allowed Celes to guide her through the magnificent front doors. Staring around the long hallway, Kyouko was not the slightest bit shocked to find the interior of the castle was decorated with different hues of violet, red and blue. There were fewer statues in here; instead, paintings along the walls and the occasional vase took up the space to make it seem less empty.

Celes allowed Kyouko to take in the castle for a moment before tugging at her hand slightly. Waiting for the detective to begin following again before dropping the surprisingly warm hand, Celes began leading them through the castle. Walking calmly through the spacious corridors, Celes wasted no time in pointing out the proper rooms for Kyouko to know, such as bathrooms, sitting rooms, a passage to the kitchen, etc. Kyouko took it all in quietly, memorizing the most important routes. 

Coming to a sitting room larger than the others, Celes settled onto one of the couches close to the fire and motioned for Kyouko to take a seat. The purplette chose a seat slightly apart from the Goth, allowing the fire to warm her. The castle was drafty, unsurprising with how large it was. However, most of the space seemed to be dedicated to the hallways more than the rooms themselves. 

“Why so many rooms?” Kyouko inquired, glancing to her companion. Celes had been staring into the fire, but turned at the question. 

“Pardon?”

“Why do you have so many rooms?” the detective replied. “Surely not that many people stay here?” 

“They used to.” the Lolita replied, turning her gaze back to the fire. “A long time ago.”

Kyouko felt a shift in the air, but noticed Celes’ face fall back into the serene smile she always wore. That meant no more information would be coming from the gambler unless she wanted it to be known. Stifling another sigh, Kyouko glanced around the large space, cocking her head as she found that the only sounds were coming from the rustling fire. 

“Where is everyone else?” she asked, trying to spot servicing staff.

“The staff have Saturdays and Sundays off.” Celes replied, not taking her eyes from the fire. “They will return on Monday.”

“How intriguing.” the purplette murmured. “I didn’t know such generosity existed inside of families with this much wealth.”

“Why, Kyouko!” Celes giggled, shooting her companion a sly glance. “I may be a vampire, but I’m not heartless. Certainly the staff have families.”

“And you?” Kyouko inquired. “Do you have a family?”

Celes’ smile froze on her face, her left eye twitching ever so slightly. There was a tense moment of silence before the vampire stood. “I’m feeling thirsty.” she stated, striding to stand beside the detective. “Care accompanying me to the kitchen for some tea?”

Kyouko stood and nodded. “Tea couldn’t hurt. Though, considering you had some not too long ago, I would have thought you would crave something else.”

“I ate before I arrived at your window this morning.” Celes explained. “And I won’t be hungry again until around dinnertime.” As they neared the kitchen, Kyouko found herself suddenly pressed against a wall. She was slowly beginning to get used to Celes’ favorite habit as lavender eyes gazed down into red.

“Won’t you stay around for it?” Celes purred, her smile widening just enough to show the tips of her fangs as she leaned closer. 

Kyouko fought to keep her breathing even as her body reacted to the natural predator holding her. “If it will help you, then I see nothing wrong.” the detective said as levelly as she could. 

“Wonderful!” Celes chirped, continuing on her way. “I would have hated needing to hypnotize you. It’s such messy business.” 

“So, hypnosis is an ability that you’re advanced in?” Kyouko inquired, willing her heart to slow. “I recall you saying something about it, but I was unsure of your level of expertise.” 

“I am quite old for my species.” Celes murmured. “Not nearly as old as some others I know, but old enough. I have grown into plenty of abilities. Shape-shifting for example.”

“Shape-shifting?” Kyouko repeated, somewhat curious. 

“Actually, it’s more like dematerializing.” Celes giggled, heading to the stove. “I can become a wisp of smoke if the situation calls for it in order to avoid detection.”

“I can imagine that would be useful if there is more than one person in a room you infiltrate.” Kyouko murmured, sitting at a small table in the spacious kitchen as Celes went about making tea.

“Yes. That is quite off-putting.” Celes grimaced at a memory before turning to sit at the table with Kyouko while they waited for the water to boil. “And how about you? Have you ever been on the receiving end of something as embarrassing?”

Kyouko glanced to her hands, her lips turning down just the slightest. Celes’ eyes caught the motion, though, and her interest was piqued. However, she refused to push if Kyouko didn’t say anything. She may have been a monster, but she wasn’t that rude. Kyouko cleared her throat and turned her eyes back to Celes, the momentary distortion in her features now gone. “You could say I’ve been in quite a few of those situations. Luckily, backup has always been nearby.”

“And backup will always be nearby from now on.” Celes stated in an even tone. However, Kyouko noted the way she closed her eyes as she said this and wondered if that meant the vampire would be watching over her from now on.

How confusing. She thought. I’m just one simple human, but she’s willing to take the time to save me? She could find any number of meals in a city as big as this one. The investigator within her was eager to unravel this new mystery and Kyouko told herself she would try to get Celes to stay around for as long as possible to find out why the vampire was so interested in her. After all, she was willing to let me live. I can’t see her doing that to every human she meets.

As the tea went off, Celes stood and went to grab the kettle along with some teabags. As she did, she listened to the snippets of thoughts she sensed from within Kyouko. She wasn’t very skilled at mind reading, as it wasn’t a power she focused on. She preferred winning her games through skill than supernatural powers. That being said, the small snippets she was catching from Kyouko were making her lament not practicing the skill more. 

Kyouko yawned gently as she awoke, her eyes slowly opening to the bright light. Gritting her teeth, the purplette closed her eyes and allowed them to get used to the harsh light before reopening them. Looking to the window, Kyouko found the sun quite high in the sky. It couldn’t have been less than nine in the morning. Shrugging at the slightly late hour (for someone like her anyway) the detective slipped out of bed and proceeded to do a full body stretch, popping her back and joints into place.

“You look beautiful in the morning.”

Kyouko’s head whipped to the side as she found a head poking through her window. Celes smiled at her from the sill, red eyes blinking innocently. Kyouko rolled her eyes with a huff and reached over, pulling the vampire into the room. “What are you doing here so early?” she demanded.

“I felt like coming to see you.” Celes shrugged, standing and brushing herself off as she examined the detective’s room. “So, I climbed the wall and came to see you. The sun really compliments you from that angle.”

Kyouko put a hand to her forehead, wondering how she was going to deal with this happening often. “If I leave my window unlocked, will you come in next time instead of hanging on the ledge? I don’t need anyone else seeing you and beginning to ask questions.”

“You’d leave your window unlocked for me, Kyouko?” Celes purred.

The purplette brushed off the sultry tone and turned to her closet, getting out some normal clothes to wear as she replied, “Yes. If it meant no one came to my door and asked about you, then I will leave my window unlocked for whenever you felt like coming to see me.”

Celes pouted at her slightly, but allowed her normal smile to creep back onto her face as she watched Kyouko grab the necessary supplies for a shower. As the detective began heading out the door, the vampire made to follow.

“No.”

Celes paused and cocked her head kittenishly, watching Kyouko head across the hall. Pout much more prominent now, Celes settled onto the detective’s bed, taking a longer look around the room. It was sparse in the way of celebrity posters, but Celes wouldn’t have thought Kyouko would have those anyway. All around the walls were pictures of different case files that had the word ‘CLOSED’ stamped across the top in large bright red block letters. Not only that, but there were also pictures of suspects from the cases, some of which had large red X’s drawn across them neatly. Celes’ own picture hung in the middle, the largest of all of them. Underneath of the picture were the words ‘High Priority’ and it warmed the vampire’s heart to know that she had been a high priority for her little human for a bit.

Of course, the room wasn’t without its femininity either. Kyouko had her products neatly placed on the top of her small desk, all of it organized. Celes read some of the labels and found them to be male body products, aside from deodorant and the obvious menstrual necessities. She cocked her head in confusion. Why does she use male products rather than female ones?

At that moment, Kyouko stepped back into the room and Celes turned to her expectantly. The detective was dressed in a white tank top and a pair of loose jeans–in a boy’s size, Celes noted–her hair loose around her shoulders and curling slightly at the ends. It was a slight shock for the vampire to see her human outside of the normal school uniform or work attire she normally wore. As Kyouko was replacing her supplies to her desk, Celes decided to ask about her products.

“Why do you have male body products?” she inquired, her eyes zeroing in on her object of interest intensely, waiting for the answer.

“Male products are strategically cheaper than women’s products.” the purplette told her calmly, moving to her clothing hamper. “I learned that when I was fifteen. So, in order to save more money and not abide by the ‘pink tax’ or whatever people call it, I buy men’s products. I don’t have the resources to pay more for my products, therefore, I save money as best I can. After all, I won’t be working full time for another…” Here, she cocked her head a moment. “eight months.”

Celes wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion of what Kyouko was saying. “Why would they make women pay more for their products? Isn’t that a bit se-?”

Before Celes could finish the question, a knock sounded at the door and a voice called, “Kyouko? Are you alright in there?”

Kyouko glanced to Celes in slight apprehension as she called back, “Yes, everything is fine. Why do you ask?”

“I just heard… unfamiliar voices. It must be the neighbors.” Kyouko rolled her eyes, but waited for her father to continue. “Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I need to meet with a few of the teachers today, so I left a bit of money on the table for dinner if you don’t feel like cooking. There’s breakfast in the microwave when you want it. Have a good day!”

“Thank you.” The pair waited until there was the sound of fading footsteps and the shut of a door before Celes turned to Kyouko with a smile.

“My picture is still on your wall.” she pointed out almost giddily.

“Hm?” Kyouko glanced to the wall and nodded. “Yes, I was too tired last night to take it down after you told me that I was no longer on your case.”

“I think you should keep it there.” the brunette told her calmly. Kyouko glanced over at her, only to find Celes’ eyes closed in a serene expression. “I think it gives the room a certain shine, to have a friend’s photo hanging on your wall. It makes it more… comfortable.”

The purplette cocked her head, wondering what was going through the vampire’s mind. “Alright.” she stated, beginning to run a brush through her hair. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”

Celes beamed and stood, moving over to the detective and wrapping her arms around her with a sigh. Kyouko stiffened, unsure of what move to make. Is she going to drink from me? Kyouko wondered. Maybe she’s hungry.

Celes felt… warm. It wasn’t the kind of warmth given off by a fire or the sun, no. This warmth was deeper inside of her and it was coming from the person she was currently holding onto. Strange. she mused, sniffing along the freshly washed lavender locks. I haven’t felt like this in quite a while. I believe it was fifty or sixty years ago. Sighing once more, the brunette pulled back, smiling as Kyouko slowly turned to face her quizzically.

“Is something wrong?” the detective asked slowly, trying to gauge her reaction.

“No. Your hair simply smells… mouthwatering.” Celes’ eyes narrowed slightly to emphasize the last word in an effort to get Kyouko’s train of thought where she wanted it.

“If it was that good, you would have drank.” Kyouko stated, crossing her arms.

Celes nodded, but refused to answer, instead looking around herself for something to busy herself with. Kyouko watched her suspiciously for a few moments, sighing when she realized she wouldn’t get an answer. Making a beeline for the door, the detective called, “Would you like some tea?”

Celes instantly perked up and followed after the purplette eagerly. She would never admit it out loud unless she was more comfortable with a presence, but she loved tea. Her favorite pastime was drinking it, whether during a game, while reading or just because. Celes loved tea.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Kyouko murmured, filling a pot with water and putting it on the stove to boil. As the water began to heat up, Kyouko moved to the microwave, examining the breakfast her father had made. With a nod, she took out a teabag (she was running low on the actual leaves she normally used) and slipped it into a cup, waiting for the water to finish before turning the heat off and lifting the pot, pouring the hot liquid over the teabag while it was still boiling to get maximum effect. Setting the cup and a dish of honey in front of Celes, Kyouko slid into her own seat and dug into her breakfast.

“So, what are your plans for the day?” Celes asked, sipping the tea slowly. Her nose wrinkled slightly, but she continued drinking it, glancing to the honey thoughtfully.

“I usually don’t have any for Saturdays.” Kyouko shrugged, chewing idly. “I normally read or take a walk.”

Celes hummed for a moment before her eyes brightened as an idea came to her. She remained quiet, watching the purplette finish her breakfast. As Kyouko stood and dropped the plate into the sink, Celes stepped behind her and smiled mischievously. “Come with me.”

Kyouko’s eyes widened as a strong hand clamped around her wrist and the next moment, she was flying through the air. Shapes whizzed past as Celes carried her through the streets and into a more rural area. When they finally stopped, Kyouko slammed to the ground, her breath knocked from her. Blinking the stars from her eyes, the purplette slowly raised her head, testing her body to make sure nothing was severely hurt.

Finally standing, the purplette glanced around and assessed her surroundings. They were in one of the more rural parts, surrounded by a lot of trees and growth. Turning to Celes, Kyouko narrowed her eyes, rubbing her wrist to soothe the ache.

“Please do not do that again.” she ordered calmly.

“Why not?” Celes looked taken aback. “It proved effective.”

“It will no longer become effective if my wrist is broken.” Kyouko retorted.

“Oh.” Understanding dawned in the red eyes and Celes nodded. “Well, still, it got us here.”

“Where exactly is here?” Kyouko sighed, looking around again.

“Turn around, Kyouko.” Celes giggled, her hand to her mouth mischievously.

Kyouko groaned as she awoke, her body protesting greatly as she moved to sit up. Glancing blearily to her alarm clock, the detective found that she was an hour early in waking up. Why do I feel like this? she wondered, sluggishly heading for the bathroom. I slept almost as long as usual last night. What’s wrong with me?

Brushing her teeth, Kyouko thought about what could be causing her morning fatigue and flashed back to the events of the night before. It must be how much blood Celestia keeps taking from me. she rationalized. She took quite a bit yesterday and the day before that. Maybe it’s starting to take a toll on my body. Sighing at this, the purplette concluded to consume more each day in order to make up for the losses she was suffering.

At least it’s Friday. the detective sighed inwardly, getting dressed. I may have a longer shift tonight, but I can sleep in tomorrow. Speaking of, I may need to tell Celestia that she might not see me tonight. But since she can walk in the sun, I can meet her tomorrow before my shift at work begins.

Nodding to herself, Kyouko grabbed her backpack and headed out, snagging her bento and the egg sandwich from the table on her way. Walking the short distance to school, the detective mentally prepared herself for the questioning from her friends. She knew they would be clamoring to ask about Celes and any relationship they had with each other. Arriving at Hope’s Peak Academy, Kyouko took a steadying breath before entering.

As soon as she stepped into the classroom, Kyouko found herself surrounded by a group of her classmates gazing at her excitedly. Sighing–she seemed to be doing that quite a bit lately–Kyouko made her way over to her seat and set down her bag, settling in before nodding to Sayaka.

The blunette squealed happily and cleared her throat. “First things first, who was that girl yesterday?”

“Someone I recently became acquainted with.” Kyouko replied, deciding to stick to the truth as much as possible without giving away too much.

“Is she the one that gave you the hickey?” Aoi demanded, eyes shining in excitement.

“She was the one to leave the bruise on my neck, yes.” the detective told her.

“So then, are you two dating?” Chihiro asked cautiously.

“No.” Everyone stared at the purplette in confusion.

“But, she gave you a hickey…” Makoto murmured, glancing to his friends in puzzlement.

“One bite does not automatically mean romantic involvement.” Kyouko stated, giving him a pointed look.

“Do you have an interest in her?” Hifumi piped up.

“We only recently met one another.” Kyouko resisted the urge to sigh and put a hand to her forehead. “We have not known each other long enough to be-.”

“But you’ve known each other long enough to neck?” Leon snickered, receiving a sharp slap on the shoulder from Sayaka.

Kyouko’s eyes flashed and the majority of the group backed away, knowing what was coming next. They shot glares at Leon sulkily and pouted as Kyouko stood. Lavender eyes pinned the baseball player in his spot. “It is none of your business what goes on in my personal life.” Kyouko stated, her emotionless voice taking on a slightly colder edge. “What I do in my free time and whom I do it with and how I become integrated into relationships is none of your concern. I suggest you mind your own business about such matters and learn some tact before speaking again.”

Leon lowered his head in shame, nodding meekly. “R-right. Sorry, My bad.”

Kyouko nodded and sat back down. The rest of her classmates shifted around her nervously, wondering if they could ask anymore questions. The teacher entered moments later, so the remaining students reluctantly headed to their seats, shooting their lavender-haired friend curious looks. Kyouko pointedly ignored the stares and glances, taking out her notebook as the teacher began the lesson.

That was only the tip of the iceberg, I’m sure. Kyouko inwardly sighed, making a note to stop doing that. They’ll have more questions to ask by lunchtime.

The day passed easily along, Kyouko scratching down notes as her classmates alternated between note-taking, glancing at her and going about their usual routine. Once lunch came around, Kyouko headed outside with her bento and sat at her usual table, opening the box and digging into the sandwich provided for her. Sayaka, Makoto and Yasuhiro sat around her, chatting about the day’s lesson and what could be in store for the latter half of the afternoon. They meticulously avoided talking to Kyouko in case she was still upset about Leon’s lack of tact.

Kyouko let them go about their business, focusing on enjoying her lunch before she had to return inside the school. Finishing up, the purplette decided to get a bit of sun and turned her head up, relaxing as the rays caressed her face. Feeling her ears twitch, Kyouko turned toward the school fence and found Celes waiting for her. The detective stood and made her way over to the Lolita, her friends’ gazes boring into her back. Coming to stand opposite the vampire, Kyouko cocked her head. 

“Hello, Celestia.” she murmured in greeting. 

“Kyouko, how are you?” Celes beamed, red eyes gazing at her calmly. 

“Contracting a headache.” the detective replied nonchalantly. 

Celes hummed and stole a glance behind her before giggling slightly. “Interrogation?” the goth girl inquired.

“They are quite interested in you.” Kyouko chuckled lightly. “They actually thought we were dating.” 

Celes leaned her head back and closed her eyes, that same smile remaining on her face. “What a silly thought.” she murmured. “A human and a vampire cannot be in a romantic relationship. You are food or friend, anything more would make things quite complicated.” She lowered her head once more, her eyes opening and glowing slightly as they gazed at the purplette.

“I suppose you’re right.” Kyouko conceded. The bell rang before either of them could say anything else and Kyouko sighed, making a mental note to stop doing so. “I have to be getting to classes.”

“Then I will see you tonight.” Celes chirped.

“Yes. By the way, I may be a little late tonight if I get off work at my usual time. However, weekends tend to run late, so I’m not sure. If I am unable to make it today, I have tomorrow morning free.”

“I’m sure you’ll be able to make it on time.” Celes giggled, red eyes glinting mischievously.

Kyouko stared at her for a moment, wondering how she could be so certain, but decided to put it off for now, her mind switching back into school mode as she grabbed her bento and made her way back inside.

Throughout the rest of the school day, Kyouko received notes passed to her from the other students with questions about her relationship with Celes. She answered them as effectively as possible without giving away Celes’ identity or secret. Her friends seemed satisfied with her answers thus far and settled back into the classroom groove, allowing Kyouko’s day to pass normally once more.

Once the bell to end classes rang, Kyouko swiftly packed her things and slipped out the door before Mondo or Hifumi could corner her again, striding for the exit to Hope’s Peak so as not to be late for work. As with the previous day, there were no new cases, simply more paperwork to be filled out. Kyouko resigned herself to filling out more forms and writing more reports, surreptitiously watching the time tick by.

When it came near time for her to be getting ready to go, Kyouko wondered if she would be assigned another last minute case. Just as she was contemplating it, a shadow fell over her and the purplette glanced up to see her chief. Speak of the devil. she inwardly sighed, unhappy at still sighing so often. I suppose Celestia is going to have to wait until tomorrow.

“Detective Kirigiri?”

Kyouko glanced up to find the chief standing over her. He seemed pale and shifted nervously, clearing his throat. “Yes, chief?” Kyouko watched him, detecting the signs of someone being threatened. He was beginning to sweat and his face was still losing color. I see. Kyouko sighed. Celes must have threatened him somehow to get him to let me go for the day.

“It’s getting kind of late, Kirigiri.” The chief told her, attempting to retain his calm demeanor around the other detectives. “You should probably be heading home. Don’t want anything to happen to you on your way home. Who knows what kind of wackos are out on the streets these days.”

Kyouko nodded and stood, placing her work carefully in her bag. “Yes, sir. Report in at my normal time tomorrow?”

“Ah, actually, Kirigiri, I think you should take tomorrow off.” her boss told her. “You’ve been looking pale and a bit rundown lately. Take some time to rest. I don’t want your father suing me for overworking you, after all.” He forced a chuckle. “Have a good night, Kirigiri. And be careful out there.”

“Yes sir.” Kyouko replied. “Thank you, sir.”

Hitching her pack on her back, Kyouko strode from the building, making her way along the streets toward her home. She knew Celes was most likely waiting in the park they had arranged to meet at, so when she arrived at her apartment building, Kyouko strode past it, on to the park entrance. Stepping inside, the purplette looked around for her companion. Spotting a large black umbrella at one of the benches nearby, Kyouko made a beeline for it and found Celes sitting there with her signature smile in place.

Sitting beside the vampire, Kyouko stared around at all of the children enjoying the last rays of sun before they had to go home. Without preamble, she stated, “You threatened my police chief.” 

“I did.” Celes agreed. “It was a simple measure to make certain he did as he was told. Monday, he will be taking you off my case.”

“Oh?” Kyouko turned her head just slightly, but Celes’ eyes were closed. 

“Yes. That way, there will be no surprises if others see us together after that.” Celes’ eyes opened and focused on her “Wouldn’t want the rest of your department spotting you with me and think you’re being biased.” 

The pair walked for a bit, watching as the sun sank below the horizon. Celes brought them to an open space where they could watch the sun set more peacefully without prying ears eavesdropping. She turned to the detective with a small smile, noting the very slight scent of discomfort Kyouko was giving off. 

“Are you uncomfortable, Kyouko?” Celes murmured, red eyes glowing in the red shades given off by the setting sun.

“Simply… nervous.” Kyouko told her, deciding to be more open to keep the situation calm. 

“Perhaps we should be formally introduced.” Celes stated, turning to the detective and holding out her hand. “Hello, my name is Celestia Ludenberg. I’m a vampire from western Europe and I have been alive for four hundred years. You are?”

Kyouko took her hand firmly and glanced up into the red eyes seriously. “Kyouko Kirigiri, seventeen-year-old junior detective native to Japan. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Celestia.” 

“Wonderful!” Celes chirped, eyes closing giddily. “Now, shall we make ourselves comfortable so that we can talk?”

Kyouko nodded, settling onto the grass as Celes did the same, the vampire smiling contentedly. The vampire turned to her expectantly, but Kyouko simply cocked her head, waiting for her companion to speak first so that she knew where the vampire was comfortable with starting.

“Aren’t you going to ask a question?” the brunette asked in confusion. 

“I’m not certain what questions to ask.” the purplette replied. 

“Well, is there anything in particular you wish to know?” Celes inquired.

“Only what you are willing to share.” Kyouko responded, gazing ahead at the stars twinkling in the sky.

Celes tapped her chin with a little hum before shifting and turning to Kyouko with a small smile. “I’m a vampire.” she stated casually. “I drink blood to survive and normally sleep during the day because my eyes are light-sensitive. I do not sleep in a coffin, though I could if the need arose. Like most other vampires, I have an exceptionally strong aura that I must keep locked tight unless I have a meal that does not want to cooperate. I prefer to spend my time gambling in order to further my family’s immense fortune.”

Kyouko listened closely, turning slightly to face her companion as Celes went on. “My castle in the west is being renovated, which is why I’m here in Japan. I do not need permission to enter anyone’s home; that would be a hindrance to my survival if I had to ask every time I wanted to drink blood. I rarely ever communicate with humans outside of gambling as they have proven to be untrustworthy, greedy creatures.

“I have a few friends in Japan who have been around for almost as long as or longer than myself. We haven’t communicated much in the past several years, but we are no less close because of this. As you have seen, sunlight does not kill me and before you ask, I am perfectly able to set foot on holy grounds without the slightest hindrance.”

“Does a wooden stake through the heart kill you?” Kyouko asked.

Celes gave her an odd look and said, “Please point me in the direction of a creature that a wooden stake through the heart wouldn’t kill.”

Kyouko nodded with a slight chuckle. “Fair point.”

The pair lapsed into silence for a few moments, both thinking on the conversation that had just ended. Kyouko shot a sideways glance at the vampire beside her and found Celes’ face illuminated by the moon’s glow. The vampire truly did belong in the night, where she was freely able to walk and be herself. 

That’s probably why she took up gambling in the first place. Kyouko mused. Gambling is a way to make a living and most prefer for it to be at night in order to relieve the stress of work. 

“What do you think?” Celes asked suddenly. 

“Excuse me?” Kyouko responded, shaken from her thoughts. 

“About me. What do you think of me?”

Bright red eyes alighted on Kyouko as she replied, “You don’t seem much different than me, honestly.” 

Celes looked taken aback, her eyes wide. “Truly?”

“You’re a seventeen-year-old trying to find your way in the world.” Kyouko shrugged. “The difference is that you know more about the world since you’ve lived for so long. I’ve only experienced this era, whereas you have experienced several. But when it comes down to it, you’re still a young woman trying to fit into this world as best you can and put your talents to their use.” 

Celes beamed at her happily, a slight blush coating her cheeks. Only a few other humans had seen her for what she truly was. Not a super-powerful creature of the night, but a normal woman living in a world ruled by men. It was comforting to know that her newest companion understood that about her. So lost in her thoughts was she, that when Kyouko stood, she was actually startled by the motion.

“Where are you going?” she inquired, standing as well. 

“It’s getting late.” Kyouko replied, staring up at the sky. “My father will be getting worried if I’m not home soon. If he calls the station, he will find out when I left and that will raise even more questions. The last thing I need is my father asking me who I’ve been out with at night.” 

Celes giggled at that and nodded. “Alright then, I will walk you back to your residence. Wouldn’t want any evil to find you in the dark of the night.” 

“Yes, evil usually tends to find someone in the dark of the night.” Kyouko sighed, mentally slapping herself for breaking her good streak.

The pair walked from the park in silence, both comfortable with the other’s presence. Kyouko mused on the information she had been given as they walked. Celes was a vampire who could go into anyone’s home, owned at least two castles and had a low opinion of humans in general it seemed. The purplette held back a sigh as she wondered what had happened to convince the Lolita that humans were… well, if Kyouko really thought about it, Celes wasn’t wrong, but not all humans did things for their own means all the time. Breaking from her train of thought and stifling the next sigh attempting to escape her, Kyouko glanced up to find that they had arrived at her apartment building.

“I believe this is your stop.” Celes giggled. Kyouko nodded and turned to her with a head nod.

“Thank you for indulging me tonight.” she murmured. “It was a very informative talk we had. I feel more at ease knowing a bit more about your nature.”

Celes cocked her head, her hands folded under her chin. “It was my pleasure, Kyouko. It’s been quite some time since I was able to tell a mortal about myself.”

The purplette nodded and turned to the building. “Good night, Celestia.”

Celes pouted as Kyouko made her way inside, the vampire’s red eyes illuminated in the darkness outside of the apartment building and out of range of the streetlights. Turning to continue her way home, the vampire pondered over this mortal that had so easily become accustomed to her.

Kyouko sighed as she tried to take notes in class. It was hard with the gazes of most of her other classmates burning holes into her skull. She could practically feel the questions Sayaka wanted so desperately to ask moving about in her head. Continuing her attempt to ignore her classmates, Kyouko let her mind wander to Celes once more. She had been lucky that they had all been called back in when she had finished speaking with the Lolita, but that didn’t stop some of her more persistent classmates from asking about the kiss.

It wasn’t necessarily a kiss. Kyouko rationalized in her mind. She was most likely simply claiming me as her property as she now practically owns me thanks to the deal we made. This sent a shiver down the detective’s spine, but she was unsure if it was a good feeling or a bad one.

I’ll be meeting with her tonight, so I will just ask her then. Nodding her resolve, Kyouko turned her focus back to the lesson in progress, effectively blocking out the curious gazes of her friends.

The day ended without much more event and Kyouko hurried to pack her bag before her friends closed in on her. Swinging the pack over her back, the purplette made a beeline for the door. Before she could, however, Mondo stepped in front of her, a smirk playing on his lips. Kyouko stepped back to put space between them and backed into a soft mass. Turning, she found Hifumi grinning at her gently.

“Where ya off to so quick, detective?” Mondo asked calmly.

“I have work and homework.” Kyouko replied calmly, her expression not faltering. “I’m going to be late if you keep me.”

“But Kyouko!” Sayaka pleaded. “It’s only a few questions!”

“That I am not going to answer at this point in time.” the purplette added.

The blunette sank with a disgruntled sigh and snapped her fingers. Mondo stepped from in front of the door and Hifumi backed away as well. “Tomorrow then?” the pop idol asked excitedly.

Kyouko gave no answer as she strode from the room, heading down the corridors to the front entrance of the Academy. inwardly rolling her eyes fondly at the eagerness of her friends, Kyouko sighed as she mapped out her schedule. I need to head home, change for work, get off at five and head to the park to talk with Celes. Then it’s back home for dinner and homework and then bed. Kyouko sighed at the monotony of her life, but shrugged it off. Monotony meant that things weren’t going to be as unpredictable as the previous night.

Making her way through the streets, Kyouko arrived at headquarters fairly quickly. Using the keycard issued to her, the purplette made her way into the building, allowing security to check her belongings before letting her pass. Making her way to the collection of cubicles assigned to her team, Kyouko nodded to her teammates and glanced to her supervisor, waiting for her daily report.

“No new cases right now, Kirigiri.” her supervisor told her with a small smile. “Just paperwork.”

Kyouko nodded and sat at her computer, logging in and beginning to write up the report on her latest case, which was still on-going since, as far as anyone knew, she still hadn’t caught Celes. The paperwork for her other cases might as well have been taken care that day too. Putting off the one for Celes, Kyouko tackled the others instead. 

The work moved slowly, Kyouko slowly making her way through the paperwork with her teammates. A few of the others groaned every now and then as they wrote up their reports, the purplette understanding how they felt, but keeping herself tamed so as not to let her boredom show through. At last, the paperwork was all taken care of. Everything excluding her case for Celes had been written up and was ready to be turned in the next morning. 

Kyouko glanced to the clock and moved to clock out, knowing she had a schedule to follow. However, her chief stopped her just as she was raising her card to swipe. “Hang on, Kirigiri.” he called. “I need you to work one more case before you head home.”

Turning to him, Kyouko took a deep breath. “Sir, with all due respect, I should really be getting home. My father will begin to worry if I continue staying out so late.”

“Then I will explain the situation to him personally.” the chief replied. “This case requires expertise that most of my other detectives don’t have. It shouldn’t take too long.”

Kyouko nodded, accepting the file given to her to determine the amount of time this case would take. Memorizing the file, the purplette looked over the details of the file, taking careful note of the places the man was seen to frequent and what he was being investigated for. Apparently, he was the suspect of recent murders of young women around the city. He needed to be brought in for questioning. 

Nodding to herself, Kyouko made her way to one of the more obscure places the man had been sighted. This is most likely where he would show up several times. she rationalized. People on the run normally like places without a lot of people so it’s harder to get caught. If I can spot him here, it should be that much easier to track and incapacitate him.

The detective settled into a shadow, waiting patiently to see if her prey would arrive. If he didn’t, then she could try finding him on the way to another of his frequent sighting locations. If he did, the sooner she could get to Celes, lest the vampire get angry at not meeting with her. Minutes passed as the moon moved sluggishly across the sky and Kyouko was beginning to get impatient. Glancing around the street once more, the purplette noticed a few men moving swiftly along the sidewalk. 

This must be it. the detective thought, surveying the group quickly.

Finally spotting who she was looking for, Kyouko slowly began trailing behind him, wondering just how she was going to get evidence that he was the right person. She was fairly certain that this man was the correct one, but she had to be absolutely sure if she was going to activate her tracking device. The group began breaking off, all of the men heading off toward their own buildings to turn in for the night. Moving quickly so as to keep up with her suspect, Kyouko’s heart lifted in relief when the man passed under a streetlight and glanced around warily; she was happy to know that it was the right person. 

Kyouko continued tracking the man, activating her tracking device as she did. It was better to be safe than sorry, in case the man decided to interact. Or in case Kyouko herself decided to pursue the target from a closer range than before. As she began closing the distance between them, the detective’s senses heightened; she knew the situation was dangerous and she remembered a promise between Makoto and herself a few years ago. She had pinky-promised him that she wouldn’t do anything too dangerous and would always get backup before doing so.

Not this time, Makoto. Kyouko sighed. I’ve something more important than this to worry about. 

Trailing her target into an alley, Kyouko kept on the alert for trouble from behind, since that’s normally how people were cornered, but her threat came from the front. How ironic. she thought as she found herself pressed to a wall by her neck, a switchblade at her throat. 

“Why are you following me?” the man demanded in a low, raspy voice, bloodshot green eyes glaring at her. 

“Because you’re a murderer.” Kyouko replied calmly, her pounding heart screaming at her to fight or run. She did neither as neither would be beneficial just yet. 

“You don’t have proof of that.” the man growled. 

“The proof is right here.” the purplette told him. “You have a knife to my throat, do you not? Thus proving that you are a murderer.” 

“What are you going to do about it, Girly?” the man snickered, holding the knife to her throat. Kyouko knew she was very well-equipped to get out of the situation, but before she could execute her training, the man disappeared and someone else, someone more unpredictable, was holding her neck instead. 

“Hello, Celestia.” Kyouko sighed, watching her target disappear. “May I ask about your presence here?” 

“You didn’t come like you were supposed to.” Celes breathed, her voice bordering on a growl. “I grew… concerned.” She emphasized the last word with a slight tightening of her hand. “Not backing out of our deal, are you, Kyouko?”

“I was given a last minute case.” Kyouko replied, her voice not allowing her fear through. “I would have been fired or suspended had I not taken it. I was trying to hurry, but the man you caught me with was the perpetrator. Now I have to track him down all over again.”

Red eyes narrowed in a pout and Celes leaned closer, sniffing at her throat for a moment. Nodding, the vampire was gone in the next second. Kyouko glanced around, realizing that Celes must have run. Is she going after him herself? she wondered, worrying slightly. He’s not me! I don’t know how strong she is. What if he overpowers her?

Taking a slow breath, Kyouko let it out and glanced around. Celestia is a vampire, of what age, I’m not sure, but she did manage to take me unawares twice. I’m certain she can take care of herself.

Kyouko began walking in the direction her suspected man had run, deciding that she may as well give chase as well. She turned a corner and began walking down the street the perp had run down. She was making her way to the first corner when Celes turned down her street from a block or two ahead. Kyouko stared at her in shock to find her dragging the unconscious man.

Celes stopped in front of the detective and held out her cargo with a satisfied smile. “Here’s your criminal, Kyouko.” she purred calmly.

“Thank you.” Kyouko murmured, kneeling to inspect the man. He seemed to be fine, but that was a warning sign in the detective’s experience. Feeling along his head, she found that he didn’t have any bumps to be found, so he hadn’t been hit on the head. Standing, she turned to the Lolita. “How did he get like this?”

At this, Celes’ nose wrinkled in disgust. “I bit him.” she replied with disdain. “His scent gave the indication, but I wasn’t expecting his taste to be on that level of horrid.”

As she was speaking, Kyouko looked to the man’s neck while taking out her cell phone. She spotted the slight bruise Celes’ bite had left and nodded as the chief picked up on the other end. “Hello, sir?” Kyouko called.

“Yes, Kirigiri. You find something?”

“I have the perpetrator in front of me. He’s unconscious. It looks like he’s been drugged, but pulse isn’t thready, so I’m not sure.” The purplette listened as the chief dispatched a team to the location on her tracker.

“Alright, Kirigiri, we’ve got your location. You can turn off your tracker. But don’t be hesitant to subdue the guy if he wakes up. I don’t want you getting hurt out on the field.”

“Yes sir.” Kyouko responded.

The chief’s voice took on a gentler tone as the tension left him. “Good work today, detective. Just wait until the team gets there and then you’re free to go for the day.”

“Thank you, sir. I’ll be reporting in tomorrow at the usual time.”

“Wonderful. Good night, Detective Kirigiri.” The line clicked off and Kyouko let out a breath as she turned to Celes. The vampire was smirking at her and the purplette wondered what she was thinking.

“Detective Kirigiri.” Celes said, circling–stalking–around the detective. “I like that. It has a beautiful ring to it and rolls right off the tongue. Don’t you agree, detective?”

“I prefer for friends and strangers to call me Kyouko.” said woman replied. “Only coworkers and business associates call be by my surname.”

“And which am I?” Celes inquired, red eyes surveying her prey curiously.

“An acquaintance.” Kyouko told her simply. “We are not familiar, but you aren’t a stranger since I know you’re name.”

“Hm.” Celes tapped her chin, musing on this for a moment. Kyouko felt her ears twitch and immediately ducked, not knowing what the danger was coming from. It seemed her instincts were spot-on this time as Celes’ hand passed through where her throat would have been.

The vampire stared down at her in shock. “There are very few I’ve ever encountered who could do that.” she breathed. “Only two of them were human.”

“I have honed instincts.” Kyouko explained as she stood. “My body is slowly getting used to the warning signals that yours gives off. Forgive me, but why were you attempting to strangle me?”

“I simply wanted to talk.” Celes shrugged.

“A spoken statement would have worked just fine.” the purplette sighed. “I’m not going to run away from you, you know. Not only do we have a deal, but I have to stay with this man until the team gets here to take him away. What do you want to talk about?”

Celes moved forward and stared at her, eyes narrowed as she concentrated. Kyouko felt her skin begin to crawl at the intense examination, but she didn’t back down, gazing into the brunette’s eyes levelly. Finally, Celes stepped back with her signature smile back in place. “You’re a strange human.” she chirped, folding her hands under her chin. “Only four other humans that I’ve encountered before reacted the way you have. It’s actually quite rare among your species.”

“I’m… not easily disturbed.” Kyouko replied, gazing down at her gloved hands, a reminder of what happened at a time when she was still easily disturbed.

Celes huffed and crossed her hands in front of her. “I suppose I’m glad for that. Your scent is quite delicious.” Kyouko huffed in return and knelt to check the condition of her charge. He was still breathing, which was good and his pulse was normal, if a little quick.

As she stood, Kyouko felt her breath leave her as she found herself pressed against a wall. Red eyes gazed at her hungrily and the detective felt her heart speed up. Celes leaned forward and nuzzled the spot she intended upon biting. “Speaking of delicious…” she purred, tongue flicking over the spot in anticipation. “I think I need something to wash the taste of this disgusting imbecile from my tongue.”

“If that’s what suits you.” Kyouko told her calmly, mentally preparing for the bite.

“Itadakimasu.” Celes chuckled, latching her mouth onto the purplette’s throat.

Kyouko expected for Celes to bite down immediately, so she was surprised when she felt the vampire’s lips kneading the skin of her neck. Remaining still, Kyouko felt as Celes’ front teeth began massaging her throat right before the fangs penetrated her skin. Gritting her teeth, Kyouko waited as Celes drank her fill, knowing better than to pull away from the vampire. Celes purred as she drank from the detective, the taste sweet and soothing on her tongue. 

A throat cleared nearby and Kyouko glanced over to find a team from work shifting uncomfortably and avoiding looking in her direction. It was then that the detective realized her hands had migrated; one clutched the back of Celes’ head to her throat as the other stroked along the vampire’s back. At that moment, Celes withdrew and licked over the wound, smiling as she pecked the mark. The vampire glanced back and winked at the other officers as she stepped away from Kyouko. 

“Uh, this the guy?” one of the team members asked, attempting to remain professional. 

“Yes.” Kyouko replied, regaining her composure and concentrating on not staggering. Celes had taken quite a bit of blood, though thankfully not as much as last time. “I checked his vitals and he seems to be fine. I found him like this after giving chase. I’m not sure what could have caused it.”

“And this woman here?” another officer inquired, eyeing Celes. 

“I was walking in the area.” Celes replied. “I live nearby and recognized Kyouko when she was running after this man. I decided to see what was going on.” 

The other detectives glanced at each other skeptically, wondering how the pair had gone from seeing what was going on to necking. Shrugging it off as none of their business, the team continued examining the man as Kyouko sighed and turned. Celes followed after and cast a sideways glance to the detective. 

“Are you alright, Kyouko?” the Lolita inquired. 

“I’m fine.” the purplette replied immediately. 

“Where are you heading?” Celes continued. 

“Home.” Kyouko told her. “I have homework to do. Our talk will have to wait until tomorrow night.” 

Celes tapped her chin and nodded, eyes directed at the sky as they walked. “Alright then.” she agreed, ever-present smile widening. “Six o clock tomorrow night then?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Kyouko sighed. Fatigue was beginning to catch up with her. Between the extra traveling she’d had to do tonight and Celes taking her blood again, the detective was feeling more drained than usual. 

Stopping in front of the apartment building, Celes turned to Kyouko. “I suppose this is where I bid you good night.” she chirped. 

“I suppose it is.” Kyouko agreed, nodding to her before turning to head inside. “Good night, Celestia.” 

As the detective strode into the apartment building, Celes watched her go, bright red eyes glowing in the darkness of the night. Cocking her head, the vampire began making her way down the street. As she walked home at a pace most humans would find uncomfortable, a small genuine smile came to her lips as she touched them, recalling the blood that had filled her mouth several minutes ago.