Sophie
I glance between the sleeping Leia who's slumped awkwardly forwards, and Kenji who's focused on stitching Leia's wound.
„She's OK, right?" I ask nervously, kneeling down to check if my anxious friend is sleeping soundly or not.
Leia's chest rises and falls in perfect rhythm and there's even a serene smile playing on her chapped lips, like she's dreaming something pleasant. Her sleeping form always seems to make her look much younger, almost to the age when we first met. Before all this chaos, when we were just stupid junior high schoolers. Despite not wanting anything to do with my past, I must admit that I do miss those times.
„She's fine," says Kenji, snapping me out of my reverie. „You were the one who told me to charm her," he adds defensively.
My brows furrow in worry nonetheless. „I know," I sigh, brushing my hair behind my ears. „But she's not gonna be happy when she finds out."
„So don't tell her then," Kenji straightens up, rubbing his shoulder before leaning forwards again to take a look at his handiwork. I peek at it too and am genuinely impressed. The stitches are big but they're so close together it manages to draw the skin tighter to make it appear like there's no gap at all.
„That should do it for the time being," Kenji says, rising up and picking up the bloody gauzes from the sofa table. He gives me a stern look before walking towards the kitchen. „She can't use that arm much, though. If possible, it would be best to take her to the hospital for proper check up and perhaps just consider leaving her there."
I shake my head. „No can do," I reply stubbornly, returning his steely glare. „She goes wherever I go,"
„Amd why is that, if you don't mind me asking?" Kenji inquires, his glass of bourbon in his hand, eyebrow raised. „Why drag a human in your mess? We've all heard of your screw-up and I'm pretty sure they're out there looking for you. By coming here, you're involving me into your fuck-up and I'm not particularly happy about that." His voice is calm but I can sense his anger rumbling underneath. „So tell me, why should I keep you here and not throw you to the hungry, hungry wolves?"
„You wouldn't do that," I say at once, although my blood runs cold in my veins that has nothing to do with my undead situation.
Kenji's lips curve into a sneer, which is so uncharacteristic of him that he looks downright menacing. „What makes you think otherwise?"
I clench my fists at my sides and will myself to speak calmly, although I want nothing more than to scream and argue. „Because despite the current fuck up and the way we left things, I know deep down that I can always count on you and your protection. In a way, you're my guardian," I add the last thing very quietly, avoiding his gaze.
There's a long, painstaking silence, except for the crackle of flames in the fireplace. I dare to glance up and find myself annoyed that I can't read Kenji's expression. He just stares at me with that hard, blazing look in his eyes.
Finally he says in an almost inaudible voice. „I'm not your guardian, Sophie. Grigori is."
I scoff nastily. „You did way more for me than he ever did," I retort, glaring at the floor as bitter memories from two years ago threaten to resurface. I don't want to dwell on them, so I push them back.
„That's beside the point," Kenji continues with an exaspirated sigh. „If you're looking for a way out of this, then I can't help you. But Grigori might."
„I'm not too hopeful though," I admit and throw myself on the sofa. „Do you even think that he will allow me to see him?"
Kenji gives me a sad smile as he takes a seat opposite me. He rolls the glass between his hands, looking thoughtful. „Whether he allows you or not, he's obligated to see you because he's your guardian." He's about to take a sip before he reconsiders and then hands me the glass. „Here, considering everything, you need this more than I do."
Scowling, I accept it and down the drink in one gulp. I only feel a small taste of bitter oak and malt flavour but the liquid still burns my throat. It's raw and not my preferred alcohol at all but Kenji likes to keep a few bottles of Japanese whiskies around the house. It probably reminds him of home. I look around and I linger on the swords up on the mantelpiece. Old Japanese ones that used to belong to Kenji's guardian. They're most likely stained with blood.
„You want to tell me how this all happened?" he asks. It's not an order but a request, the kind a worried friend might inquire. I look up and am relieved to see that the scorn in his eyes has partly left, to be replaced with genuine concern.
I take a deep, shuddering breath and recount everything that has happened so far. I have to fill in the blanks when Leia was taking care of things as I slept. Kenji's expression becomes grimmer and grimmer the more I tell him.
„ . . . and a couple of hours ago we were just attacked by a fucking hunter!" I finish with a huff, feeling flushed. Especially after telling him how that bastard Tyler had nearly raped me. I take another sip of whisky that Kenji had refilled in my glass. „How did he know about us?" I ask, more to myself than to my friend.
„There are hunters everywhere, just like there are a bunch of our kind everywhere," Kenji answers in a wise, matter-of-fact tone. He then groans, his big frame settled comfortably in the sofa with one arm stretched on the back while his other hand pinches the bridge of his nose. „I'm not going to lie, Sophie. You're pretty fucked."
I expected it to be so but hearing it from him makes my stomach squirm in disappointment. „I know," I say in a low voice but Kenji either ignores it or doesn't hear me because he continues:
„I mean, Tyler's guardian has the right to ask for vengeance, even though you'll argue it was self-defence. The rules are there for you to follow. Especially that particular rule."
„I know!" I snap at him and in my frustration and anger, I throw the glass into the open fireplace. It shatters in small pieces and the fire rises and snarls with the added fuel of the alcohol. I'm already on my feet, pacing around, feeling the familiar panic I had felt in Leia's place boiling within me, spilling around like acid. I won't let that happen. Panicking is something Leia does, not me. I need to be the clear headed one. I brush the sideswept bangs out of my eyes and take a deep, measured breath. All of a sudden, I get this craving for blood, even though I just fed a couple of hours ago.
Kenji watches me silently, hunched over, his elbows perched on his knees like he's in deep contemplation.
„I'm sorry," I mutter, gesturing to the fireplace. „About all of this," I add weakly. It's the only thing I can offer and yet I feel so pathetic doing so. Powerless. It makes my heart, my spirit shrivel like a raisin and I fucking hate raisins! I hate all of this!
„It's alright," Kenji sighs, getting to his feet. He beckons me to follow him to his personal bar which I reluctantly oblige. It beats standing around fuming all by myself. He goes behind the beautifully carved mahogany bar and kneels down, disappearing from sight. Eyebrows raised in curiosity, I jump onto the railing and peek down. He's fiddling with the digits of what I assume to be a safe but when it opens, cold air escapes from it, forming into a damp mist. I realize it's a locked mini-fridge when he pulls out a chilled blood bag.
He winks at my bemused expression. „I think it's time we tackle the hard stuff," he says as he rips it open and pours the thick, crimson liquid into martini glasses.
I can't help myself grinning widely, feeling the Hunger growl appreciately within me. I'm not hungry per sé but I can never say no to a drink like that. I lift the glass to my lips and carefully take a sip. The blood is sweeter than any fruit, than any candy. I roll it around my tongue, relishing the taste before I swallow. A small moan of pleasure escapes my lips before I can stop myself.
Kenji chuckles. „I knew you'd like it," he says before he takes a drink as well.
„It's heavenly," I sigh in contentment. „Far better than the blood of that hunter. Is it AB?" I add as I sniff the blood.
Kenji nods, grinning. „Your favourite."
I return it with a smirk of my own. The big teddy bear shouldn't have. AB blood type is hard to come by, seeing that not many humans carry it. Due to the rarity of it and the tangible sweetness it offers to vampires, the council has asked us not to hunt AB carriers down to extinction. I guess you could say it's our equivalent of old, sought after wine that has been kept in the wine cellar for decades.
„You're quite the big spender," I remark, swiveling the chair and my undead heart takes gleeful leaps with every sip of the precious blood.
„I'm allowed to, now that I can afford it," Kenji shrugs. „Besides, I've always kept a bag for you, in case you ever came back."
His voice is quiet, perhaps not meant to be heard but I heard it nonetheless. I stop swiveling and I find to my annoyance that a stone of guilt has formed in the pit of my stomach. Way to ruin the mood, asshole, I can't help thinking as I turn to meet his gaze.
„So I guess you always knew I'd screw up?" I ask, an edge to my voice.
Kenji shakes his head. „No, I always hoped that you'd realize the errors of your ways of becoming a rogue and come back to us, to the faction."
I snort into my glass. „I was doing perfectly fine as a rogue," I retort and down the rest of the blood in one, angry swig.
„Really?" He raises an eyebrow in mild amusement. „Look where it got you,"
I'm about to open my mouth and argue when there's a soft thump behind us. I whip around on instinct, almost snapping my neck at the sudden speed and see that Leia, in her sleep, has fallen sideways on the sofa. For a brief moment with my breath stuck somewhere in my throat, I wait to see if she's waking up. She doesn't, thankfully, and I release my breath.
„Do you have a spare bedroom for her?" I ask and without realizing, I'm suddenly kneeling by her side, stroking the hair from her face.
Kenji stands still for a minute behind the bar, his expression inscrutable, before he moves forward and with surprising gentleness, scoops Leia in his arms. Her head rests to the side on his chest her glasses askew, but the deep, slow breaths indicate that she's still knocked out. We march together to the second floor of his house and walk through the hallway towards an oak door at the far end of it. Without a word, I open it and we both go in. The room has similar warm, pastel colors on the walls, a desk and wardrobe both made of soft oak. The bed is right in front of the door and I'm relieved the linen is dark blue instead of white. If Leia's wound opens up, it would stain the hell out of it. Normally I wouldn't give a crap about this but Kenji would have to answer to a lot of questions from his housekeeper if she saw it. I do wonder, though, if he even has a housekeeper. Kenji's the kind of man who likes to keep everything in order and likes to do everything himself, so maybe he's doing all the housework as well.
Kenji gently puts Leia on the bed and I make sure she's properly tugged in. I take off her glasses and put them on the nightstand and I'm glad that the drug is helping her sustain her night terrors. I feel a tab on my shoulder and turning around, I see Kenji indicating with a nod of his head that I should follow him back to the living room. Once we're both seated, he speaks:
„I hope it won't turn into a stupid argument but you still haven't answered my previous question."
I know I haven't and I want to keep it that way so I act all innocent and clueless. I even turn away and stare stubbornly at the crackling flames that dance lazily in the fireplace. I wish I was a flame, without a care in the world.
Kenji narrows his eyes to a point they're almost slits, which is quite the feature since his eyes are slanted enough. „Don't give me that crap and answer me!"
This time it's an order and I try to ignore it but when he cracks his knuckles menacingly, I reluctantly give in. I'm not in the mood for another fight. Literally.
„I had to, alright!" I blurt out angrily, feeling the fury that is always present within me, clawing its way out, wanting to be released. „I had no other choice than to bring her with me,"
„Why?" Kenji presses on. „Why did you have to bring an innocent human into your fucking mess?"
I'm on my feet again, my hands gripping the mantelpiece. The cold marble that touches my forehead isn't enough to cool down the heat within me nor around me. „Because they would have killed her if I hadn't," I reply, my voice straining to maintain my composure. A losing battle if I know myself right. I refuse to turn around and look at his bewildered expression.
„What do you mean?"
I hear confusion in his voice but also a desire to understand. I grit my teeth. Should I tell him? He must be suspecting something, I'm sure of it. But can I trust him enough that I can confide in him such important information? I felt betrayed by him last time but it wasn't entirely his fault. It was Gregory, after all. It's his fault our relationship is so strained and broken. Will telling him mend it?
„There's a reason behind it," I say quietly and slowly turn towards my friend. Probably my only friend of my kind. I can't be a stubborn, stupid brat any longer. Not if I'm going to need his help and understanding. Before everything goes to hell, I want to know that I've got my Asian brother back.
I sit next to him, even though my legs both feel like lead and jelly at the same time. I lean forwards and whisper into his ear, the whole reason why Leia is with me. I watch his expression change from confusion to incredulity. Once I'm finished, I make him swear not to tell anyone.
„Will you tell her?" he asks after a few minutes of stunned silence.
I contemplate it, looking out the sole tinted window in the living room and seeing nothing but darkness. Much like how my future looks like.
„Maybe," I answer and I find my lips curving into a sad smile. „When I'll have to abandon all hope, I'll tell her,"
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That's it for chapter 29!
It felt nice writing in Sophie's point of view again.
What do you think Sophie told Kenji? How are you liking Kenji so far?
We'll be back to Leia in the next chapter and I'll be introducing another new character!
Stay tuned! Until the next chapter!