Vampire Gemini - Amy Blankenship 7 стр.

Kyoko paused with the drink half way to her lips. “Amni… stop flirting with me. It’s a bit disturbing.” She looked up still playing but as she held his eyes a second too long, her breath stilled within her chest. If only he wasn’t a vampire. Closing her eyes, she took a very, very long drink from the glass.

“I’m being serious,” Amni continued as they locked gazes in a silent battle of wills. “If you can’t tell me what is going on, then who can you tell?”

“I need another drink first.” Kyoko batted her lashes at him sparring for more time and courage to tell her dirty little secret.

Amni slowly made her another drink. He cringed at the urge to jerk her upstairs and lock her in her room for the night. By the time he glanced back up and handed her the drink… her first one was empty. He started to press her but someone at the other end of the bar called out. With an agitated growl, he took off.

Kyoko watched him as he worked. Amni was right though… if she couldn’t tell him, then who could she tell? In the entire city, he was the only one she could freely talk to… the only one she would call a friend. She felt her eyes water and wondered if she would be what they called a crying drunk.

“No!” She scolded herself and lifted the drink in a self-toast. “Here’s to losing one’s virginity.” She turned it up and didn’t stop until the glass was once again empty.

Being a vampire had many perks and really good hearing was one of them. Amni pushed the mixed drinks in front of the noisy crowd but his wide eyes were on Kyoko as he watched her down her drink like it would save her. “Lose what!” He practically flew to her end of the bar and was staring her down when she opened her eyes.

Kyoko flinched seeing Amni so close so suddenly, then her lips parted as she realized… “You heard me?” She gulped trying to get over the burning sensation left over from the alcohol going so quickly down her throat. By the time she caught her breath, Kyoko could feel the drink start to work its magic.

“Another, please.” She pushed the glass back at him ignoring the giant elephant in the room that was now sitting between them.

The sudden anger that shot through Amni was tempered with pain. His blue eyes became a shade darker. His hands shook while he fixed ANOTHER drink for her. It didn’t have the calming effect he was hoping for.

“Yes I heard you… this is not the place for you to be getting drunk and horny. Keep drinking those iced teas tonight and you will be in the alley singing off key while a faceless male...”

Kyoko’s emerald eyes glowed defiantly, “Sounds like fun… keep ‘em coming.”

Amni made a face. “Oh that’s low.”

Kyoko grinned at Amni over the rim of her glass and the vampire couldn’t help but return it. He had decided how he would solve this problem. He would let her get drunk… but he would not let her leave the bar… not in a million years. For now, he would play her little game of lets lose my virginity.

Kyoko sighed when Amni went back to the other end of the bar again. She reached across the counter and grabbed a straw this time. Why does it have to be something like virginity giving her away to the demons? It’s not like she can ever fall in love with anyone. If she did love a guy… then she could never be with him because she would only put him in danger.

A face flashed in her mind’s eye and she closed her eyes wanting to savor the picture… Tasuki. If she didn’t love Tasuki then he would be her choice. It’s because she did love him that she couldn’t call him up and… let him help her solve her little problem. Slipping the straw between her lips, Kyoko started drinking faster, trying to get up enough nerve to turn around and play ‘Eeny meeny miny moe’.

“You’re really looking to get laid then?” Amni questioned as he made her another drink.

“Of course I am,” Kyoko stated. “But I don’t want to look like a slut by turning around.”

“Then use the mirror,” Amni offered and breathed a sigh of relief when Kyoko brightened at the prospect. He didn’t want her turning around and spotting the vampire lord sitting in the corner. The ancient had been watching her since she came downstairs… and in her current state, Kyoko was in no shape to protect herself and Amni wasn’t strong enough to fight him off.

“What about that red head?” Amni asked deliberately picking the worst looking guy in the room. If she were going to dream, then he would make it hard on her.

Kyoko squinted at the mirror before shaking her head. “He’s got no ass.”

Amni rolled his eyes, “Who the hell cares if he’s got an ass?”

“I care,” Kyoko slurred. “I need something to grab onto.” For a moment, she remembered the imaginary guy she had described to Yohji a couple hours ago.

“Okay,” Amni conceded. “How about the one with the spiked hair?”

“Can we just put an ‘L’ on his forehead and cross him off the list?” Kyoko asked as she wrinkled up her nose then added, “And you happen to have crappy taste so far.”

“That blonde over there is cute.” He grinned knowing that guy only dated other guys… she didn’t stand a chance.

Kyoko shook her head and nearly fell over with the motion. “What are you trying to do Amni? He’s about as unattractive as Yohji.”

“You don’t think the king of the third floor is cute?” Amni faked a look of horror then laughed at her deadpan expression.

The next twenty minutes were spent looking at the different guys in the club. One was a player, one was too thug, another was too old, too young, too fat, too skinny, too nerdy, too preppy and so on. Amni finally threw his hands in the air in surrender.

“That’s almost every man in the club Kyoko,” He informed her. “You’re too drunk to really tell a good looking man and wouldn’t know one if he bit you on the ass right now.” He silently added, ‘thank god!’

Kyoko smiled drunkenly, “If he bit me on the ass, I wouldn’t care what he looked like.”

Amni’s eyes widened knowing Kyoko was only trying to talk tough because he could smell her innocence.

“Big talk coming from a virgin who has never even been kissed properly,” He grinned hoping he was right.

Kyoko coughed when the drink went down the wrong way. “What did you say?” She demanded then blinked refusing to bring Tasuki into the conversation.

Amni smiled, “Don’t be worried. I won’t tell a soul unless you piss me off.”

“What would you do if I pissed you off?” Kyoko demanded starting to really enjoy the high.

“Well, I’d probably stand up on the bar and announce very loudly that we have a virgin in house tonight and the bidding starts at five thousand dollars. Of course, you would only get twenty percent of it and the rest would go to me.” He gripped the edge of the bar knowing he would outbid everyone.

“Why would I only get twenty?” she asked. “It’s my virginity… I should be the one getting paid for it.”

“Damn you’re expensive,” Amni grumbled.

“I heard that,” Kyoko exclaimed and stood up on the foot bars of her stool. “I’ll have you know I’m a very cheap date,” she nodded.

“Cola and moon pies at my place after work,” Amni said with a bright smile.

“I’m not going on a date with youuuu,” Kyoko managed and caught herself before she fell over, then pointed a finger in Amni’s face, touching the tip of his nose with it. “I’m going on a date with the first man that doesn’t come onto me and treats me like a lady.”

Amni arched an eyebrow, “This coming from the woman that’s looking for someone to take her virginity? Do you even want to know what this guy looks like in the morning?”

“No,” Kyoko hissed and plopped back down on the stool but still didn’t lower her finger. “I don’t want to know anything about him because…” she paused searching for the words. “…I have my morality.”

Amni chuckled, “Kyoko, do you even know what morality means right now?”

Kyoko’s face went blank, “No,” She said in a deadpan voice. She suddenly looked down at her lap and back up at Amni. “I’m not wearing underwear.”

Amni, with all his grace, fell over behind the bar while Kyoko continued to sit there with an expression of wonderment on her face over not wearing undergarments.

“Damn it!” A disembodied voice muttered from behind the bar.

Amni stood up and looked at Kyoko’s face before he started laughing. He truly couldn’t help it. He’d never seen the woman drunk and had to admit she was quite entertaining in this state. “You never did tell me why you are so dead set on doing this.”

Kyoko bit her bottom lip then told him the truth, “IT is making me a target and IT is going to get me killed if I don’t get rid of IT.” She chanced a glance up at him then quickly looked away. “IT seems to be attracting more… dangers than I can fight.”

Suddenly Amni knew exactly what she was babbling about and swallowed. “Would you like another drink?” he managed.

He had never thought of it like that but what she said was true. If he were to decide to drink from a human again… even he would pick her. It was a rare treat to find a virgin her age… it’s like flavored blood.

“Another drink?” Kyoko asked then looked down at her glass. She held it up to eye level and turned it around as though searching for something. “It’s empty.”

“No, really?” Amni asked mockingly before taking the glass away from her. “No more drinks for you tonight.”

“Hey!” Kyoko said a bit loudly. “I need that.”

“For what?” Amni inquired.

“So I can lose my virginity,” Kyoko answered. “I can’t have sex without that glass.”

Amni placed the glass back on the bar and Kyoko glared at it.

“What’s wrong now?” He knew it wouldn’t be much longer before he helped her up the stairs and safely to her room.

Kyoko turned her glare on him. “Who drank it?”

“You did,” He informed her.

“I did not. It was full when you took it away. Who did you give a free drink to… and where’s mine?” she accused.

“That was four drinks ago,” Amni pointed out trying to confuse her.

“Noooo,” Kyoko pouted. “I didn’t even get a chance to enjoy it.” She pushed the glass back at Amni. “Give me another drink and make sure I enjoy it this time.”

“You enjoyed the last one,” Amni stated. “I’m cutting you off tonight.”

Kyoko smiled sexily at him. “What are you cutting off of me?”

“Don’t tempt me, Kyoko,” Amni answered then felt a silent threat. His blue eyes rose to meet the ebony ones across the room.

Hyakuhei sat watching the scene between the woman and the bartender, his eyes and his mood growing darker by the minute. He had silently observed as her gaze traveled around the room using the mirror to look at all the men in the bar. For reasons that eluded him, he was tempted to shut the place down just so everyone would leave. He did not want her looking at others.

This behavior… this sensation he was feeling… disturbed him.

The bartender was a vampire and the girl seemed very friendly with him. Hyakuhei looked the boy up and down while the girl conversed with him. He was young; still a baby in the vampire sense but something about the young man separated him from the other vampires Hyakuhei had encountered since coming to the city. The ancient shook it off… he would figure it out when the time came.

The bartender suddenly looked him straight in the eyes. He smirked and the man froze in place before visibly shivering and looking away. Now he knew what was so different about this one. He didn't possess the uncontrollable bloodlust of most new vampires. Perhaps he wasn’t as young as Hyakuhei thought.

He latched on to the connection in the bloodline and peered into Amni’s past… feeling his brother there. He closed his eyes as Amni’s memories floated through him… so Amni had been Tadamichi's first… the one that had cured his loneliness. His eyes slowly opened now knowing why the vampire had been visually stalking him… he thought he was his sire.

For the underling not to feel the difference told of his relationship with Tadamichi… or was it evidence that he and his brother were truly the same? His amusement hit an all-time high when the young vampire placed another drink in front of the girl and she took a sip of it. The following scene made him want to laugh outright.

Amni took Kyoko’s glass away from her and wanted to grin at the frown she gave him. He moved about grabbing the different bottles of rum to pour her another drink. Luckily, she looked away and he grabbed the non-alcoholic bottled mixture of Kyoko’s drink of choice… Virgin Long Island Iced Tea.

Pouring the liquid over the fresh ice he’d just scooped into her glass, Amni decided to be cute and added a cherry and tiny umbrella to the drink before placing it back in front of her.

Kyoko turned back to Amni then looked down at the bar. Her face lit up when she saw her drink had been refilled. Instead of taking the first taste, she picked up the cherry by the long stem and placed it in her mouth. Amni swallowed as Kyoko’s mouth moved around a bit before the cherry stem peeked out from between her lips. She removed the stem and placed it on the bar.

“What do you think?” Kyoko asked after studying the cherry stem with intense scrutiny.

“I think you would be a lousy kisser,” Amni said in a deadpan voice after seeing the cherry stem had not been knotted with her tongue.

“What do you know?” Kyoko grumbled and took out the umbrella before swallowing her first taste. She froze with her head still tilted back before very slowly lowering her face until she was looking Amni directly in the eye. She swallowed the concoction and picked up the tiny umbrella. Without warning, she slammed the pointed end of the umbrella down less than an inch from Amni’s hand.

Amni, for once, was thankful for his quick reflexes as he jerked his hand away. “I told you that you were cut off for the night.”

“That tastes like crap,” Kyoko fumed. “If you’re gonna fix me something without booze in it then give me a ginger ale next time. And if you plan on cutting me off then you’re going to be paying my bar tab because I will be a very unhappy customer.”

“My god Kyoko!” Amni exclaimed dramatically, hoping the spark in her eyes would stay for a while. “You’re going to leave me broke. I won’t have a way to pay the rent.”