𝐕𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐊𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 - 𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭

♛ Night Ninety-Eight

'No, not him. Either help me or stay away.' Hanadagi does remember the woman but not the name. 

She moves behind him. 'I can make it more painless for you. Kaname won't show you any mercy.' She bites his neck and drinks just enough blood. 'I'm doing you a favor because Sara killed the rest of your family before taking your heart.' 

'If that's so... thank you, Lady...?' 

'Ichika,' she tells him his name. 'Ichika Shirabuki.' 

Hanadagi knows there's another presence nearby. 'You are the friendlier and kinder version than Sara. Thank you, Lady Ichika.' 

'It will be over soon, Hanadagi.' She teleports out of his reach when she sees Nagamichi. Right on time. She sees how Hanadagi requests Nagamichi to give him his blood, but the man declines. Seeing the man with Nagamichi, she can see Kaname. 

'Nagamichi.' Kaname starts and kills Hanadagi first. 'You do know what this means, right? You wanted to kill a Pureblood and that is punished with death.' 

Nagamichi knows what he wants to do and what his punishment will be. He bows his head. Ready to accept his fate. 'Thank you for saving me, Lord Kaname. It was him or me, he was starving since someone took his heart.' 

Ichika sees Yuki, Hanabusa, and Kaien appear. 

'Father!' Hanabusa's eyes widen when his father turns into dust. 

Kaname looks at Yuki. 'I want to be with you, Yuki, but there is something I must do first.' He turns to see all three. 'I'm sorry.' He turns into bats and disappears. 

Ichika leaves and goes back to her office. I will visit his wife later. 

*** 

Knowing no one would look for him there, Kaname teleports inside his office. Since I teleported, the receptionist doesn't know either. 

'I see that you didn't destroy Hanadagi's castle. I call that improvement.' Ichika knew he would go somewhere to be alone. 'This is for you.' 

He sees it's a bill. Hiroshi? That's her contact in construction. 'What do I need to do with this?' He wants to give it back. 

'That's the invoice from him. Since you are the one who destroyed Toma's castle it is only fair that you pay for the reconstruction, Kaname. This is not coming from my pocket, so I expect you to pay me back every cent.' She explains without taking it back. 

His eyes widen and looks at the paper in his hand. 'This is from...' 

'Yes, and I will not let you off the hook so easily.' She interrupts him. 'And nice of you to drop by, even when Kaien, Yuki, and Hanabusa want to talk to you. They are trying to find you.' 

'Always aware of what's happening, I see.' He puts it down and hopes to pay it back later. 

'Yes, and unfortunately, I have sent familiars out. Even after you, Kaname, because you left me alone yet again. This is becoming a habit.' She goes back to her office and stays in the doorway. 'Do let me know when you want to leave and tell me something. I'm not asking you to reveal your secrets, but I am your right hand. What am I supposed to do when someone is coming for you, and I have no answer?' 

'You are right, I'm sorry.' He apologizes. I'll send her something tomorrow. But what do you give a woman, who already has everything she wants? He makes up his mind and goes to her. 'Ichika.'

His voice brings her back to her office. 'Yes, Kaname.' She smiles. 

'It's about what I did.' He wants and needs her support because things aren't over yet. 'It's about Nagamichi Aido. I didn't kill him. That was a copy I made and switched the two.'