DISCLAIMER: I own NONE of the original characters of the Manga/Anime series Naruto – they belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I only hold ownership of this plot and characters unfamiliar to the original Naruto series.

Summary: Long ago, humans had to be cautious of their own being, but now, not only would they have to beware of their own, but the other forms lurking in the dark and even walking amongst us. Fighting against these supernatural beings are the members of the Dark Coven. What will happen when Sakura Haruno, one who greatly despises the supernatural, encounters Sasuke Uchiha, one of the Blood Demons? Pairings: Sasuke/Sakura with an equal amount of Neji/Tenten. Other pairings are included. Enjoy!

WARNING: Vampire Fiction! Please discontinue reading if mild violence, sexual content and aggressive language seem inappropriate to you or is not to your liking!

NOTE: 'Azami'

'Thoughts' Flashbacks

Narrator's POV

~ The Dark Coven ~

Chapter Thirteen: The Blade of Kusanagi – Chidori Chokuto

Her eyes were shut as the never-ending waves of electrifying pain gushed through her inner body. Behind closed eyelids, her vision immediately became a blinding white. She found no physical strength to force her lids open, as though they had been sealed with a magnetic force of some sort.

She was sure that her skin had begun to blister on her body's surface from the burning sensation which she could now feel.

She was screaming in immense agony from the top of her lungs. Or at least she thought she was. Sakura was not sure how much time had gone by, but it was probable that by now her screams had become hoarse and inaudible.

'Help me! Sasuke!' was whatshe wanted to shout out so desperately, but her mouth refused form any words.

Suddenly her ears had become filled with an unremitting ringing, shutting off her access to other sounds, even her throaty screams.

She could not make the pain stop. She did not have control of her body. She could not let go of this dangerous weapon no matter how much she encouraged herself to. And all of this left her at one conclusion – she was going to die.

Just like that...

"So pathetic..."

The pain was maddening – she was beginning to hear things now.

"Your way of thinking is just like your former self..."

The voice was faint...like a raspy whisper. A sinister whisper. And it sounded like a male's.

"Like a foolish human..."

Sakura imagined the man whisper again, followed by a quiet chuckle.

"This isn't your imagination, lowly newborn," the whisper said to her again.

'Not imagination?' she thought, bemused.

He laughed again, cynically this time and a bit more audible.

"You're so weak that even your thoughts have become fragmented. Pathetic indeed."

'Who...?'

"What's that? Who am I? Why I thought you'd figure that out by now. What a shame. To think that I even expected that of you. Then let me tell you. To the world, I am 'Kusanagi No Tsurugi', however, when in the hands of my master I am known as 'Chidori Chokuto'..."

'Ku-Kus-nagi?' she asked the being in her thoughts, which she had found to be becoming rather difficult.

He scoffed.

"I must comment on your level of idiocy. Did you honestly belief you'd be able to touch me, let alone wield me?"

He let out another ominous chuckle that almost broke out into a cackle.

"Idiotic newborn," he began flatly in the middle of his laugh...like a maniac, "this is not the way you shall wield me!"

The last of his words were uttered with a growl filled with an immeasurable amount of exasperation that Sakura felt as though it had manifested itself in the power of the current. The parts of her that had not been in too much pain were now affected.

The intensity of it was so extreme, that out of the lunacy she had been driven to, Sakura found herself wishing for her end.

And then slowly, the brightness in her head began to disappear behind shades of gray...

Sasuke felt an awkward twist in his heart at the sounds of Sakura's blood-curdling cries as he held her distressed form. And though the electrocution had no effect on him, Sasuke was able to measure the extremity of the pain it had inflicted upon Sakura through the intense throbbing in his abdomen that came from the bond mark. It acted as an indicator to alert him that his mate had been in harms way, just has he had expected of it.

Once again, with her upper body writhing in his arms, Sasuke attempted to pry his sword out of her tight grip. And this time, after much more effort than previously, he succeeded.

He felt an invisible heaviness lift off of him, but did not relish too much in his relief and quickly moved her body to the sheltered stands.

"Sakura? Sakura, can you hear me?" he asked with a tinge of panic evident in his voice, only revealing a fraction of how immensely worried and shaken he was. And he did nothing to fight the feeling.

From the looks of things, it appeared that she had fallen unconscious immediately after becoming separated from Kusanagi.

He rested her body on the concrete floor at the foot of the stands, and removed her shoes before placing both feet atop the bench. Keeping her legs elevated was a good way to assist in regaining her proper circulation.

Fishing out a penknife from his pants pocket, he shredded the fabric of her t-shirt down the middle and freed her from her jeans afterward, leaving her in just her undergarments. He tossed the burnt clothing aside and exhaled, rekindling his mind as quickly as he could. He needed to stay focused...or Sakura would surely die.

Once he had fully contained himself, Sasuke placed his index finger under Sakura's nose, at the entrance of her nostrils. Not a trace of air emitted from them.

Placing his palms at the center of her chest, he began to administer CPR. Beads of sweat left moist trails as they ran down his forehead and the sides of his head: the effects of battling with himself to keep calm as well as fear for the worst case scenario. He continued the chest compressions and blowing until she coughed softly and the slightest breath of air had escaped her parted lips and nostrils.

He checked her breathing twice and her heart rate thoroughly before sprinting off to the small first-aid room to find what was needed to treat Sakura's condition. Her heartbeat was weak and there was a possibility that it could decrease if he did not act with haste. Rushing her to the hospital had been entirely out of the question – it would take too long.

After rummaging through the cabinets frantically, with Godspeed, he returned to her limp form with a cooler full of ice packs and another kit containing heat packs. He needed to stimulate her heart action, and figured the best way to do so would be through alternating cold and hot applications to her heart.

First, he applied a heat pack to her chest which had only been covered by her pale, skin-colored, lace bra that he did not seem to notice until now. It also occurred to him that the pain at his stomach had subsided and a feathery ripple of relief flowed through him like the soothing, light wind.

Sasuke removed the heat pack and replaced it with a cold one.

Sakura's condition had been his fault. What had he been thinking, ordering Sakura to touch his sword when he had been aware completely of the consequences? He should have put some more thought into the Prophecy's verse before jumping to such dangerous conclusions. Sakura had nearly lost her life because of his mistake.

He checked her heart rate once more. It was regaining it's usual pace. Still, he continued to apply the hot and cold packs.

Taking a seat beside her still form, Sasuke wiped his sweat-bathed forehead with the back of his palm.

Sakura was fine now. He repeated that, like a mantra in his head as though he needed to convince himself...because it definitely was a close call.

He leaned forward, resting his each of his elbows on his lap, and buried his face in his palms.

"If you can't hold Kusanagi, then how exactly are you going to slay Madara?" he asked the unconscious girl without looking at her...

"You little thief, come back here!"

Azami whipped her head around at the boisterous sound of the butcher's voice, booming from the front of the shed. Then her eyes found the skinny little boy ducking under the table and dashing out of the meat shed with a piece of blood-covered meat tightly held in his arms, enough to feed only one person.

She became startled when the butcher grabbed hold of a wooden chisel hammer and proceeded after the boy. Afraid that the child would get injured by the butcher's hand, she hurried after them. They had not gotten very far and even until the time she had caught up with them, no one had intervened.

"Stop it!" she yelled at the older man who now had the boy in his grasp.

The butcher paid no heed to her shouts, but it certainly raised the attention of the people around her.

As the butcher was about to flog the child, Azami pulled him away from the stronger man's grasp and shielded his fragile body with hers, waiting to feel the agonizing smack of the thick wood against her small back.

But it never came.

She opened her eyes that had been tightly shut and slowly turned around.

She was met with fabric and the pleasant, earthy smell of forest and rain.

It took a moment to realize that someone else had taken the blow in her stead.

"Are you alright?" the person asked. No sign of agony or strain was hinted in his deep, masculine voice.

"Y-Yes," she answered before asking him the same question.

Instead of responding to her, he turned to the butcher who was now wearing an astonished look on his face. And looking directly into the butcher's eyes he said, "You're a fool for using this method to punish the child for his wrong doing. Your actions would have resulted in his death which is punishable also by death."

The older man said nothing.

Azami's eyes moved from the tall, young man with long dark hair that reached a small length past his shoulders, to the butcher. The latter looked pale with fright and was wide-eyed. At some point he had dropped the hammer.

"Forgive me," the butcher said to the younger male, bowing his head in shame and his body shaking with terror.

"I'm not the one you should be begging for forgiveness," the man replied and faced Azami and the little boy who was still in her embrace, "They are."

Quickly the man turned to her and the boy and dropped to his knees and bowed his head to their feet before pledging his apology and pleading for forgiveness.

"If you had harmed the child, I would have not accepted your apology nor would I have forgiven you," Azami told the butcher. She said nothing else. She could not bring herself to understand how the man who had saved her and the boy could have possibly triggered such fear from the butcher who was by far, bigger in body size than he was.

"Are you alright?" she asked the child who nodded in reply. The meat was still in his arms, staining his clothes.

Azami got to the child's level, kneeling down on one knee and placed a hand on each of his shoulders.

"What's your name?" she asked the child.

"Nakamura Akihito," the boy answered.

"Akihito-chan, it's wrong to steal. Why did you do it?" she asked gently.

"It's for Obaa-san [Grandmother]. She's sick and there's hardly anything for her to eat."

"Hmm…well, why don't you come over to my house and I'll make something delicious for you to take to her," Azami suggested and Akihito agreed.

Azami smiled at Akihito and stood up to face their savior who had been watching the two as they conversed, in silence.

"Thank you for helping us…?"

"Itachi," he supplied.

"Thank you very much, Itachi-san," Azami expressed once again, bowing respectfully. "You must have taken a rather hard hit there. Please don't act so irrational next time, Itachi-san."

"Your actions were also imprudent. You could've gotten seriously injured, Lady."

"My name is Azami," she provided and added, "If my actions saved this boy, my injury would have been worth it. Do take care, Itachi-san."

Azami had never seen Itachi around the district before, but did not press him with any questions. She knew nothing of him and decided it was best to leave it that way. Any lesser woman would do exactly the opposite and be trapped by the charm secluded in his stern demeanor, his deep voice and other well-defined masculine features, but she was one with a sense of pride and decency.

Her eyes remained closed as her dream became overpowered by darkness and reality had begun to surface her thoughts. Slowly Sakura began to recollect the events that had occurred prior to her slumber. The tenderness on the surface of her skin reminded her that she had previously been exposed to physical torment. The parts of her body that were most tender – her hands, arms and legs – were marred with faint blisters of pink and purple. And then she remembered it all happened prior to picking up Sasuke's sword.

When her mind registered the awkward position she felt her body was in, her eyes fluttered open and the ceiling of the spectator shed came into view. Her eyes widened when they traveled down to her naked legs, and when the wind blew in, she realized that she could feel its invisible, soft texture against her skin more than usual, finally drawing her attention to the fact that she had been almost completely naked. And naturally, she gasped at the sudden realization.

"So you're finally awake," she heard a bored voice say beside her, "You talk in your sleep. It's annoying."

Both startled and embarrassed, Sakura swiftly threw her legs off the seat, almost tumbling over in the process. And once she had caught control of body's motion, Sakura scampered backwards, distancing her naked form away from Sasuke who looked on with a raised brow as she defensively brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them in a poor attempt to cover the exposed areas of her body.

He opened his mouth to comment on her behavior; however Sakura kept him silent with a string of irritating questions.

"Why am I like this! What did you do to me! Where are my clothes!"

And finally she added just as his lips had parted once again to utter words, "Stop looking at me! Turn around!"

She hugged herself tighter and he saw her throat move when she gulped.

"Why? There's nothing eye catching about you. In fact, you possess a keen resemblance to a stick figure."

Sakura stared at the pale skinned man, her eyes beginning to bulge out of their lids. She was conflicted in choosing to laugh off the Uchiha's aberrant and stale joke, or castrate him for paying attention to her body even for a moment.

Instead, Sakura chose to deal with the more important matters.

"Where are my clothes?"

"In the corner...and unusable," he answered with the same tone of monotony as before.

She looked to where he had directed, silently questioning what he had meant by 'unusable' and found that he meant exactly what the word was used to describe: something that could no longer serve the purpose for which it had been made.

From a distance she noticed the cut down the middle of her t-shirt and the ones down both legs of her denim pants.

She whipped her head around in fury and glared at the stoic male.

"Sasuke! What did you do to my clothes!"

"Again with the questions," he complained and gave a straightforward explanation – which consisted of solely one sentence – of what had happened.

"How long was I out?" she asked when he had finished.

"About three hours," he responded, removing his jacket before getting to her level and ungracefully shoved it to her face. Sakura wrapped her fingers around the stiff fabric.

He kept his eyes away from her partially nude figure and when he felt Sakura's hold on the material, he released it.

She noticed how he seemed to be giving her some privacy, unlike before, as she stood up to clothe herself with the small article.

Firmly grabbing the railings near the bench, Sakura pulled herself onto her feet which felt tingly against the concrete ground, like a sensation of pins and needles. She still had not gained full recovery from the electrocution, and thinking back at the pain, she wondered how she even managed to survive the ordeal at all.

Sakura slowly released the railing in a cautious manner, aware of her body's condition, but despite her wariness, as she attempted to throw the fabric over her shoulders, her knees bucked together and suddenly she no longer felt even the slightest bit of support from them.

Upon instinct, Sakura reached for the railing again despite her hazy vision, but before her hand could even brush against the cold metal, she felt a familiar hold on her waist and was temporarily taken back to the memory of nearly stumbling over flat on her face at the funeral. Only this time, Sasuke's bare skin was pressed firmly against hers as he tightened his grip around her naked stomach.

Her mind had every determination to break away, but it seemed as though at that moment its connection with her body had somehow become nonexistent. Every fiber of her being seemed to be frozen. Except her mind which, on the other hand had been racing with unfathomable nonsense.

Through the thin fabric of his shirt, Sakura felt the precise curves of the muscles that created Sasuke's chest and abdomen, against her bare back. And she could feel the rise and fall of his well-sculpted chest which emitted the warm breath of air down her neck. And it seemed to grow heavier, his breathing. His temperature seemed to rise with every breath, but not enough to melt the invisible ice that held her rooted to the ground.

Her body was not her own. Or was this a test?

Sakura had been told that Purebloods were seductively irresistible. So much that simply one glance at them would have a female of any race enchanted until their last breath. Because of their impeccable attributes, Purebloods were certain to have a constant supply of nourishment.

This was definitely a test, one which she was uncertain of the outcome since her actions had proven to contradict her scarcely sensible thoughts.

When her mind had urged her to break Sasuke's hold she only desired to lean into him more; to feel the sparse warmth that came from him; to permit his hands to explore every inch of her body in the most sinful manner.

When she thought of asking him to release her, Sakura found that she was only able to meet his gaze, and nothing else. No words came from her already parted and moist lips. And she gave no reaction other than attraction towards the sinister sea of red that replaced the depthless onyx of his eyes.

Sakura remained in that position – looking up into his spellbinding eyes, feeling the inexplicable physical lure towards Sasuke, the queer longing that almost made her tremble and forget pride and strength altogether.

Even when he spoke, she remained enchanted.

"Why aren't you moving away?"

The words escaped his amply thin lips, sounding more like a strained demand rather than a question, but his voice less harsh than usual.

When she failed to respond in time, he added, "What is it you...want?"

'You,' she thought immediately, unaware that her judgment was becoming swayed.

"Don't even bother to answer that," he whispered with an angered growl, violently spinning her around to face him directly. "This was a test. And seeing as how you made no attempt to free yourself from me, you've certainly failed it!"

The way his voice suddenly raised at the last sentence triggered a fright within her which seemed to pull her out of the depths of the trance and acknowledge the death grip Sasuke had on her arms.

"What are you doing?" she managed when her mind became a little more stabled.

"So you've finally come back to your senses," he derided and Sakura continued to stare at him with wide, perplexed eyes.

"I hope you've realized, Sakura, that you can't escape this feeling even though you've already become aware of it. The mating time is drawing nearer and you are too weak to resist your selfish, uncontrollable desires. You've shown me that much."

What in the world was he saying?

Sasuke questioned himself. Although he had been mindful that even his power of will had been almost completely putrefied, Sasuke landed all of the blame on Sakura. At some point, he was uncertain whether his words were even correctly stringed together or if they only haphazardly left his lips, failing to properly convey his thoughts.

Fear.

He was hesitant to admit it, but coming to terms with himself, Sasuke acknowledged the feeling that caused the slight shivers and the hollow pit within his system, to be sheer trepidation.

But what exactly had he been so terrified about? What in the world could possibly reduce a powerful, intrepid and collected Uchiha to the likes of a mere human child?

A being of greater or equal caliber, of course. And that being was none other than himself.

Under an impassive mask, Sasuke Uchiha was afraid that he had almost made the biggest mistake of his entire length of existence thus far. Without knowing, he had allowed his body to respond to Sakura's reactions. He had been on the verge of ripping away the small fragments of clothing that covered the more desirable places of her body. But before his mind had could wholly given in to the insanity, Sasuke thought about his brother and Azami. He let the few memories of chance glances of them he would have caught in the past, flash in his mind – especially the ones where Azami would have that radiant smile plastered across her face, looking at his brother.

With a violent tug Sasuke took his jacket out of Sakura's clutches and with haste, helped her into it.

"I'll warn you one last time: until we are certain that the mating period is over, keep away from me," he murmured to her as he fastened a few of the buttons on the jacket so that her alluring attributes became fully hidden from his shamefully lustful eyes.

She remained wordless and unmoved as Sasuke's hand gently flattened the disheveled areas of the fabric at her shoulders.

"Do you think you can walk properly now?" he asked her with a minute fraction of concern sounding in his voice.

She nodded and followed him when he began to walk.

His pace was slow like a stroll. It gave Sakura the impression that he was being considerate of her injuries and the numbness she still felt in her legs. His unusual gestures made her curious. Was this his way of apologizing for the electrocution? Or maybe he was simply showing the sensible side of him. Sakura would expect that living a long life such as his would provide more than sufficient time to learn and mature, so Sasuke could never always be as conceited as she thought he was, a few weeks ago.

But what about her?

Sakura shifted her attention to herself – her behavior not too long ago. She cringed at the memory of her disgraceful conduct.

"The mating time is drawing nearer and you are too weak to resist your selfish, uncontrollable desires. You've shown me that much..."

She pondered at Sasuke's words long enough to realize that he had been nothing but absolutely right. Yesterday he was not simply taunting her by telling her that she would be no match to resist the mating period. Now she had seen his point. He had only been logical and she had refused to look at it in that way until now.

Just now she had unquestionably no control over her actions – as though her mind had been driven solely by irrepressible lust.

"Why should you feel the need to test me, if you're so strong enough to stop my actions?" she found herself suddenly asking, thoughtlessly.

She regretted her words as soon as they left her lips, because immediately after she uttered them, Sasuke came to an abrupt stop. She expected him to turn to face her, wearing a lethal glare, but instead he kept in place.

"I have no desire to make any mistakes, Sakura Haruno. Betraying my brother is something that has never existed in my thoughts and never will. Therefore I'll do everything in my power to keep my control during the mating season; and I trust that you will do as I ask."

She could hear the frustrating tension in his voice. He sounded pained...and almost fearful. She wondered why she had not caught onto it earlier.

"What are you talking about? Your brother? What does Itachi have to do with this?" Sakura found the courage to ask. It was his fault for being so vague. Somehow she felt that she would get no response out of him this time. And she had been right.

"It's not my place to discuss this with you."

The drive to the mansion had been fairly unproductive. Sasuke maintained an awkward silence during the entire trip, leaving Sakura to her own thoughts. Her eyes never left her reflection in the car window. For most of the time, she inwardly berated herself for allowing her body to mindlessly react to Sasuke's mere presence in such a lewd manner.

Disgusted by herself, she huffed almost inaudibly and tore her gaze from her mirrored image; missing Sasuke's observant eyes in the rear view mirror.

Attempting to shove the embarrassing memory somewhere where it would soon become forgotten, Sakura decided to focus her thoughts on Sasuke's sword. She was unsure if it was a part of a dream during her sleep or madness brought about by the excruciating pain of the current.

Whatever it had been – reality or imagination – the sword had spoken to her!

"Idiotic newborn, this is not the way you shall wield me!"

She remembered its words distinctly.

Wondering if it was the right time to discuss what she had heard – or thought she had heard – Sakura let her gaze fall upon Sasuke who was seated in front of her on the driver's side. But then the look of concentration he had been wearing reminded her of the emotions his tone held in the last words he spoke to her at the training grounds.

Since then he said nothing to her. Not even at the hospital when he carried her for a quick examination and treatment for her minor wounds.

With nothing else to think about, her thoughts unconsciously fell upon the dream she had of Azami and Itachi. There was nothing much to decipher from it; only that it illustrated how the two most likely had met. The bond between them must have grown resilient – so strong that only death was able to separate them.

'A bond called love,' she thought, wondering what the experience was like.

But what if their bond had never been severed? After all, Azami's soul resided within her.

Sakura's train of thought came to a rushed halt when the keys clicked, turning off the ignition. They had arrived home, finally.

Sasuke exited the vehicle first, grabbing the bag of meds which Tsunade had prescribed for Sakura. By the time he had gotten over to Sakura's side, she had already exited the vehicle.

"Do you think you can manage? The medicine Tsunade injected into your system should have begun to take effect by now," he suggested as she proceeded to walk.

As if on cue, just as Sasuke had finished speaking, Sakura saw the driveway swirl, causing her to lose her footing when she approached the short flight of stairs. But like her knight in shining armor, Sasuke had caught her just in time.

Strangely, the thought got a smile out of her. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Though this time, instead of merely helping her regain her traction Sasuke swept her into his arms in a bridal style. His actions earn a surprised gasp from her, followed by a questioning glare. But Sasuke remained unspoken, regarding her intently as he expertly paced up the four steps.

Sakura was not sure why she even cared to remember, but once before, their gazes had been locked like this. She knew not what thoughts lurked within his mind as he held her gaze, but she had been aware of hers.

Most had been questions: questions which only he could provide the answers to. For once she wanted to talk to him with the absence of sourness, hate and distrust in her mind.

Gradually, as her eyes began to feel heavy, the vision of his captivating, charcoal eyes started to narrow until they disappeared behind the darkness of her lids. She had not been totally inebriated by sleep, but as her head became lighter, she allowed it to comfortably rest just above Sasuke's chest.

And the faint beating of a heart slowly lulled her off to a sea of nonsensical thoughts.

A heart beat.

Somewhere in the far-off place her mind had now drifted, Sakura was unsure of whether it turned out to be a conjured thought or escaped words...

"You have a heartbeat..."

"You have a heartbeat..."

At the sound of Sakura's mumbling, Sasuke looked down to see the female fast asleep against his chest. The medicine had finally taken full effect.

He was not certain of what to make of her words. Was it a question or a statement of realization? Though her speech had been slurred, it appeared to him to sound more like the latter.

Did she always think that vampires were literally heartless?

Sasuke smirked at Sakura's unreasonable thought as he ascended the stairs that led to the large wooden door that was mansion's entrance. How childish of her. Could she not feel her own heartbeat?

Or perhaps she had only been referring to him? He dismissed the thought as quickly as it had appeared in his mind. He knew he had always been harsh towards her, but that was the way he wanted their relationship to be.

In order to keep in check; to keep him in his place; in order to keep him on a tight leash, it had to be that way...so that she would remain bitter towards him.

He had never allowed himself to think about it again, but earlier, when he had first encountered Sakura his mind and body had some sort of invisible attraction to her. He immediately became overwhelmed with an inexplicable thirst for her blood. Little by little his mind became overtaken by masses of unruly, corrupted thoughts.

And the most intolerable part was that he was unable to oppress those thoughts and feelings despite seeing and knowing that she was the exact embodiment of his brother's fiancée.

It had taken a copious amount of his willpower to control himself, but in the end it was worth the effort – now he did not require that amount of self-control, however some of it was indeed needed.

Unlike he had thought Sasuke was able to open the door to the mansion effortlessly although his hands had been very much occupied. Fortunately for him, the electronic access had been a little below where his right hand had been positioned as he held Sakura, and he was easily able to enter the password which permitted him to enter the building.

Immediately as he stepped into the foyer, he ran into Itachi who seemed to be heading out.

"What happened?" Itachi spoke first, with a great amount of concern. Sasuke also did not fail to notice the worry in his older brother's eyes as they scanned the lifeless female vampire in his arms.

The very same look he would bear for Azami whenever she had experienced nausea from her pregnancy.

"We'll talk after you take her to her room," Itachi added before stepping aside to allow Sasuke to proceed to the living room and up the stairs.

She did not stir as he carefully placed her at the center of her queen sized bed. The air conditioning was off so he decided not to cover her with the quills; and without a sound, he retreated out into the hallway.

For the first time, Sasuke felt reluctant to meet his brother.

Perhaps it had been his imagination; however he felt a thick tension, loitering in the air as he entered Itachi's study. When his eyes found said male, he had been sitting at his desk, appearing untailored as ever with a book in hand.

It was only when the older Uchiha's eyes rose to meet his, had Sasuke confirmed the opposite.

Looking at the onyx gaze that had been aged with experience, Sasuke caught the icy seriousness they held, questioning him.

And without delay, he explained the chain of events.

For the entire time, Itachi continuously regarded him. And when he had concluded, he said to him, irritated, "That was rather careless of you."

"Why did you not discuss your idea with me before acting on it? Sakura is a very important asset to this war. Losing her before the battle even starts will be a major crisis, Sasuke."

Itachi may not have realized, but the fear in his voice as he reprimanded him had not been hidden too well; and Sasuke wondered miserably why those obvious and trivial emotions that hinted his brother's feelings bothered him for even a moment.

"I asked you a question Sasuke."

The reminder seemed colder than his words before and Sasuke assumed that he must have appeared oblivious since Itachi repeated the question.

"Did anything you had expected, happen?"

"No. You're right. I should have been more careful. It won't happen again," Sasuke swore to his older sibling with much sincerity, hoping that it was enough for him to be forgiven. Although Itachi had denied it earlier, Sasuke had seen the evidence that his brother harbored feelings for Sakura.

And that mere fact had been powerful enough to give life to the most unfathomable, aggravating sensation that seemed to callously slash at his insides.

"Is something the matter, Sasuke?" he heard Itachi say, pulling him out of his swirl of thoughts.

"There seems to be something on your mind," his brother added more precisely.

"That's right," Sasuke said, seating himself near Itachi's desk. "The note Dan gave me at the cemetery – have you made anything of it yet?"

Although the matter had not currently been on his mind, it seemed of more importance that what was, and decided that now would be best to discuss it.

"'The child must not be born otherwise the one to whom you've sworn fidelity must be unaware,'" Itachi recited before adding, "I'm not certain of what it really means. 'The one to whom you've sworn fidelity' can be anyone."

"Do you think Dan is worth paying attention to?" Sasuke asked. After all the man did betray the organization, therefore his rights for giving such a warning were questionable.

"We shouldn't completely ignore it; only keep it at the back of our minds," the older Uchiha suggested. "There is something I'd like to ask you, though."

The latter of Itachi's words sounded suspecting, gaining Sasuke's full attention. However his eyes showed no sign of distrust, only neutralism.

"Is Karin pregnant?"

To say that Sasuke had been taken aback at the question would be an understatement. And he was certain that his regular, expressionless façade had become completely shattered. It was never in Itachi's nature to ask such a question although the brothers had comfortably discussed women in the past.

"No. I'm certain she isn't," Sasuke responded after clearing his throat, earning an amused, low chuckle from his brother. Karin's pregnancy by him had been entirely impossible since they had never indulged in sexual activity while he had been in his True Form.

"Why did you ask?" Sasuke managed, awkwardly.

"Because Dan's note speaks of a child and might I remind, he handed it to you," Itachi explained.

Satisfied with explanation, Sasuke left his brother's study with the intention of having a solo training session he believed was greatly needed to relieve his mind off the burdensome emotions and events from before.

Moving down the corridor, Sasuke could see the door to Sakura's room. He eyed it fixedly as he drew nearer. It had been closed – just as he had left it before.

Sasuke tore his eyes away from the entrance to where the female resided as he swept past it, but found himself slowing once he did. Soon he stopped in his tracks, contemplating. Or was it temptation?

He cursed at the idea that he could not bring himself to trust his own thoughts. No one had ever had that effect on a being of his competence.

Nonetheless he turned around, and without further hesitation he entered Sakura's chambers.

Contrasting to what Sasuke had expected, the sight of the female vampire brought his mind to peace. In fact it appeared that the entire room was calming – perhaps an influence of her mere presence?

He looked on at her from a distance, afraid that if he had gone any closer he would give in to the immoral temptations that would whisper to his thoughts so suddenly. Like a silently forceful command.

Even from afar he could see the manifestation of serenity on every contour that constructed her face.

In his eyes, Sakura was the definition of beauty.

The darker shade of pink on her lips complimented the lighter color of her hair. And against the apple green bedding, her scattered locks painted a sense of spring – his mother's favorite season.

But this beauty was not for him. She was the re-embodiment of Azami – the woman his brother found first.

And a woman Sasuke initially felt no attraction to.

Then why? What difference did Sakura have from Azami that compelled him to be so drawn to her?

When dawn came the next day, Tsunade paid a visit to the organization's mansion to check on Sakura. The child had still been asleep, just as she had expected. In order to fully recover from her ordeal, Sakura would require much rest. And knowing Sakura's level of obduracy, the essential amount of rest would never be attained unless Tsunade had given her the injection.

After a brief examination, Tsunade met with the other members who had gathered in the living room.

"How is she?" Ino asked, at the sight of Tsunade.

"Perfect. She should awaken by this evening," the older woman assured with a warm smile.

"There's something I came to tell you additionally," Tsunade continued to address them all, "As most of you here are aware, Danzo usually holds a gala to annually commemorate the founding of the organization. This year the gala will be held at his mansion on his private island, one day from now. Everyone in this household is welcomed to attend and he'd greatly appreciate if Sakura would as well. I know she doesn't associate too well with vampires, so I'd like to ask that you try your utmost to convince her."

"What's the theme!" Ino exclaimed with excitement.

"Oh sorry...I forgot to mention that it's a "Black and White Gala'," Tsunade answered.

"Tenten, Temari!" Ino called, "We need to start shopping for dresses!"

An audible sigh was heard from Shikamaru.

"I swear...no one has energy that can match up to Ino's," he remarked in a dull tone.

"Nope, I believe you're wrong, bro," Kiba replied, eyeing the blonde girl as she literally bounced on spot, "Ino is only second when you compare her to Naruto."

"Ino, I'm sorry," Tenten interjected, silencing the overjoyed blonde, prying her arm out of the girl's hold, "Shopping isn't my thing. And I'd like to arrange for my dress on my own."

"Okay..." Ino answered, deflated, shooting a puzzled glance at Temari who shrugged in response.

"Excuse me," Tenten said solidly and exited the room.

With eyes sweeping across the empty foyer, Tenten ensured that she had been out of earshot before making the call.

At the third ring, the call was answered.

"Matsuri, I need you to get me a white dress – one that's easy to move in," Tenten spoke into her mobile phone. The younger vampire on the other line did not question her, although Tenten had been certain of the child's curious mind.

"How soon do you need it, nee-chan?" she asked instead.

"I want it by tomorrow. It seems that I've landed in the right place. Very soon my life-long goal will be completed. I'll pick up the dress tomorrow."

When the call ended, Tenten placed her phone in the depths of her pants pocket and turned to return into the living room, only to become faced with a masculine chest, then the brooding, pupil-less eyes of Neji Hyuuga.

Trying to mask her surprise, Tenten decided to act casual but silently wondered if he had heard anything.

"Is there something you need?" she asked, her tone constant and calm.

"No. I was just leaving," was all he said.

But there was something about his voice that hinted to her that he knew more than he had let on. Even if he had not heard anything, she was certain that he suspected her. After her near-death encounter with a Hyuuga many years ago, Tenten became well aware of how observant they were; as well as their formidability and lethal fighting skills.

Placing a hand over her chest, she silently hoped that the Hyuuga, who had inflicted such a dreadful wound upon her, was still alive.

So that she could return the favor...

Tenten gazed through the large open space between the ceiling and the sculptured banisters that enclosed the balcony, offering a perfect view over the compound's labyrinth-like garden. She watched as the continuous droplets made puddles of water on the bed of soil below as she leaned against the wall and concrete railing.

She hated Seattle because of this. It rained here more than she could handle, rekindling the feelings in which she wished to drown, that would usually only happen on her birthday. That overwhelming sadness and loneliness she became ill-fated with ever since the day she had been born.

Only on days like this when she had been granted solitude, Tenten would allow her mask to fade, and freely wear her feelings in her eyes. Though Neji had already sensed her suspicious intentions, Tenten did not want to ruin her opportunities by revealing her true self to anyone else in the organization. So she would wait until she was away from the eyes of the Dark Coven members before letting her tears escape...

1317, Japan.

Tenten's eyes lingered at that spot where the moonlight peeped through the trees that framed the walkway. She looked on at how the moon's light made the drizzling rain appear like falling snow. It always rained on this day, so she never felt alone when mourning.

The shogi door slid open behind her.

"I think you should come inside, Tenten," her Aunt Aoshika said to her. Her voice was soft and more dispirited than usual. The sadness it held was heavy.

"Oba (Aunt)...I think I want to stay out here until the rain stops," Tenten told the woman, not removing her eyes from rain in the moon's glow. She heard footsteps come toward her.

"You know it won't stop until dawn," Aoshika tried to reason with her, but Tenten did not provide any form of response.

"I see," Aoshika continued when the girl said nothing, "You mean to stay here until the time for your mourning passes."

Then without another word, Aoshika turned to return into the small house.

"Don't go."

She stopped moving at the thirteen year's old request.

"I want a clear picture of the day I was born. I want to know what my parents were like," the child stated when she was aware that Aoshika did not leave.

A gush of cold wind blew in their direction, carrying droplets of water with it, splattering against their faces.

When Aoshika remained silent, Tenten added, "All these years, you've been telling me that on this day, thirteen years ago, my parents and their clans were massacred. But that's all I know. You've never spoken about them. Yet I feel this...indescribable sadness that I'm unable to explain each year of my birthday..."

It was strange indeed. But Tenten always leaned on the fact that she longed for her parents' love because Aoshika did nothing to fill that empty space. And Tenten understood her aunt's feelings. Aoshika considered that to be the role solely of her mother and father and by taking up their duties, she would be disrespecting their souls.

However, she needed some sort of excuse to pry any form of information about her parents from her grieving aunt.

Aoshika took a seat on the wooden floor, opposite to Tenten and stared at the moistened earth on the small pathway that led to the exit of their secluded, small compound.

"As you know it, the night of the massacre was the night you were born. It all happened so suddenly and I don't know what took place on the outside because during the entire time, I was with your mother, Ji-sama..."

*.*.*

Thirteen Years Ago, Japan.

Upon entering the corridor which led to the heiress' room, Aoshika heard the sounds of faint whimpering that had been muffled by the wooden walls. At even intervals along the wide hall, pairs of female guards – each of which consisted of one member from the Shimizu Clan and one from the Fujikage Clan – were aligned to secure the area. Under the dim light produced by the torches along the walls, their faces were visibly expressionless, but she knew that they were all not in the least bit unaware of their surroundings.

Upon arriving at the room, Aoshika slid open the wooden framed shogi door, with much quietness and care as she steadily held the bamboo crafted bowl of warm water. Her eyes traveled to the female Noble Vampire, resting her very pregnant body on the thick futon mattress.

"Izumi-san told me that the seal has been complete, Ji-sama. Would you like to begin moving to the tunnels now?" Aoshika asked the heiress of the Shimizu Clan.

"Iie...I'm not quite ready yet. We'll move when the time draws nearer."

Aoshika nodded and placed the bowl of water on a nearby stool at the foot of the futon.

Suddenly there was a thunderous echo that sent vigorous tremors through the earth, causing the bowl to topple over, splashing its contents all over the polished floor.

Not taking too long to register that the sound had belonged to an explosion, Aoshika rushed to Ji who had already begun to stand up.

"Something's wrong," Ji said to her as she helped her, "Where's Chojiro?"

Before Aoshika could begin to respond, said male rushed through the entrance, bearing a worried look.

Without hesitation, he commanded, "Aoshika-san, take Ji the tunnels. The compound is being attacked."

The male, clad in a black hakama and matching haori coat assisted in quickly helping the pregnant female into the hallway.

"Who's responsible for the infiltration and the attacks? And what's their motive?" Ji asked her mate. Another explosion shook the grounds and the sounds of various battle cries were heard from outside. The scent of smoke was now slowly beginning to waft its way into the main building.

"We have no clue as to who is leading this attack, but there is a high possibility that they're either here to assassinate you or to retrieve scrolls," he said to her when they stopped at the middle of the hallway.

After a minute of deep thought, Aoshika was able to reason with Chojiro's speculation. Shimizu Ji was the Shimizu Clan's feared Ketsueki No Shikaku – a vampire born thirty years after the death of his predecessor, with the ability to arrange the particles contained in pure or impure water to form its three states: solid, liquid and gas. Therefore, she possessed the skill to control the flow of blood in any container since it contained many water particles. To the clan and many others, she and the Ketsueki No Shikaku before her, were considered an incredibly formidable weapon.

However, the moment a female Ketsueki No Shikaku is at its weakest point is during childbirth and with that taken into consideration, Chojiro's first theory seemed legit. And seeing that the Uchiha had given the duty of keeping record and the protection of Komagata Yumi's predictions – most of which were of utmost importance – it was highly probable that Chojiro's second theory had been true as well.

Though, as soon as she had rationalized the last theory, she easily debunked it, recalling the fact that no one outside of the two clans had been aware of Ji's pregnancy. Both side had taken careful decisions that this event had been rather risky and felt that it was wise to be discreet about it – even from the Uchiha Clan.

Chojiro turned to his pregnant mate and resting his hands on her two shoulders, he leaned closer to her face and whispered, "Reach the designated spot safely. Once I've taken control of the situation and successfully defeated the enemy, I shall meet you and our child in the tunnels."

"You're not coming with me?"

"Ji...I can't leave your father and the other clan members to face this on their own. I am the leader of the Fujikage Clan which has sworn alliance with your clan and therefore in order to uphold that alliance, I must join them."

"I understand," she replied in that signature soft and graceful tone of hers. And then she watched as the male Pureblood Vampire swept down the hall and turned the corner, heading for the exit.

Not long after, Aoshika and Ji began to journey down another corridor, accompanied by six of the guards. Once they had reached the far end of the hall, one of the guards lifted the end of the carpet that adorned the floor, revealing a trap door. Raising the door, they were met with a dimly lit staircase which led further beneath the building.

Two of the guards entered first, cautiously to lead the way and ward off any possible enemy that could have obstructed the way and endanger the heiress and her unborn child. Another pair of guards followed behind Aoshika and Ji while the other two remained above to prevent any unauthorized vampires from discovering and entering the tunnels.

Very few had known about their destination; however it did not pay to be more prepared than sorry.

Their destination was a secret chamber – an open, circular space supported by seven thick, tall stone pillars. The area was known to the Shimizu Clan as the Birthing Chamber where the previous female Ketsueki No Shikaku had given birth to their offspring. The place was only known to a few trusted guards of the clan as well as the clan's leader – Shimizu-sama, his consort and the clan's advisors.

However at the moment, Shimizu-sama was above ground, orchestrating defense forces and protecting his people along with the Scared Scrolls the Shimizu Clan had taken full responsibility over for eons.

The moment they arrived at the chamber, Ji began to experience more severe pains. The time for the child's birth had finally come.

At the center of a heptagonal shaped seal constructed with ancient symbols, Ji laid on a futon dressed in a loose-fitted white cotton kimono with her legs apart. At each point on the outside of the heptagon Aoshika sat cross-legged along with the four guards who had provided protection along the way and two of the clan's advisors. Each of them maintained a steady flow of chakra throughout the seal so that the unconscious energy that had been emitting from Ji would become canceled and the child would safely be brought into the world of the living.

The labour went on for about an hour, after which a healthy female baby noble vampire had been born. In between the sounds of the vampires screaming out in pain, fear and victory; the faint echoes of metal clashing against metal and the roaring explosions, the baby's crying seemed to break some of the tension that smothered the peace in the atmosphere.

Aoshika watched with a softened gaze as the new mother held her newborn daughter in her arms.

"Have you thought of a name, Ji-sama?" Advisor Kiyoshi asked the heiress.

"Hai. She will be called Tenten Shimizu."

Not long after, Ji handed little Tenten to Aoshika who shot her superior a confused look.

"Hand me my sword," Ji said to one of the guards.

"Where do you think you're going, child? You know that for all vampires, regeneration takes a more lengthy time after giving birth. If you go out there a single wound from the enemy can be fatal to you and you don't have enough chakra to use the power as the Ketsueki No Shikaku." Advisor Kiyoshi demanded.

"I know...but Otou-sama, Kaa-sama and Chojiro are out there along with the other clan members. I won't just sit here and wait," Ji stated firmly before turning back to Aoshika.

"Cousin, for now I'll place Tenten in your care. You cannot remain here...it's too risky, so I suggest you all start moving. Travel west until you've crossed the Western Border. There should be a small cave somewhere near a shrine – wait inside for me to return. If I don't return by dawn, it will mean that the enemy has claimed my life and you must continue journeying until you are as far away as possible from the danger..."

Averting her dark eyes back to her baby daughter seeing that no one had anything to ask or add, she gently ran her thumb across the child's full cheek and whispered, "Little Tenten...if I fail to return, please forgive okaa-san..."

*.*.*

"And as you know it...your mother never returned," Aoshika said softly, however Tenten caught the slight tremble in her voice.

A gush of cold wind caused the trees to dance and curtsey to each other.

"While escaping our enemies, Advisor Kiyoshi and Advisor Chie sacrificed their lives to prevent us from meeting our deaths. When I reached the shrine with you hidden in my arms I placed you in the care of a priestess and returned to the Shimizu Compound out of curiosity and a little bit of hope that...my cousin had survived. There I encountered my coward brother who told me that he had seen the heartless massacre's conductor, but when I questioned him about the assassin, he refused to tell me and fled. I searched for your mother and father's bodies and was unsuccessful. So instead, I picked up your mother's beloved Koto and some of her clothes and scented powders...thinking that you had the right to remember her through her important items. I found nothing of your father's, unfortunately."

Tenten wrestled with the sob that fought to escape her throat. But she could not prevent the tears. As soon as one escaped from each eye, another was born in her moist depths. And when the droplets began to fall from her pale cheeks to the wooden floor, the downpour increased, the uproar heightening as the raindrops fell upon the roof. The heavens were mourning with her. The loss she suffered was immeasurable like the capacity of water that came from the skies.

'Give them back,' she pleaded to the moon, glowing in all its silver glory. 'How can you take them away from me when I've never gotten the chance to even meet them? Give them back!'

The Dark Coven Mansion, Present.

Neji carefully lifted the large suitcase out of the car's trunk and then, with his free hand, gently slammed the trunk shut. He handed the luggage carrier to the female standing beside him, casting a reserved look in her direction as he did.

"I've gotten permission from father, brother," Hinata answered her cousin's silent question with firm assurance. Neji was never one to verbally question the Hyuuga Heiress or the remaining main members of the Hyuuga Household, however he would usually resound the questions in his head. And when he did, Hinata would see them in his eyes.

"I'm only staying for one week until exams are over," she added, elongating the bag's handles. Ino had missed school a few times since she had been required on a few missions, so Hinata had agreed to help her study.

"Hn..."

Neji waited until Hinata had made it inside the building before walking around to the exterior of the driver's side of his black Audi sedan. Before opening the door, he ran a quick scan with his gifted eyes around the compound like would usually do to ensure that there had been nothing out of the ordinary.

When his eyes landed upon the balcony, his brows became knitted in a frown of interest – deep interest.

She was leaning on the banisters wearing a far-flung expression as she gazed out at the moon? Or perhaps the rain? He did not care. What had caught his attention the most was the profound forlorn look he could see so clearly in her dark depths.

He stood there, not caring about the drizzle that had begun to make his silken locks damp and cling to the sides of his face. His eyes softened at the sight of her.

Because now, he was certain of who she was, the girl who called herself 'Tenten'.

At present she was the precise replica of the woman in the portrait, bearing the most beautiful look of sadness he had ever seen. Sadness with a speck merged with a desperate yearning, which made her eyes glisten beautifully in the silvery ribbons of moonlight.

But then the spell she had cast upon him faded when he remembered how suspicious he had become of her upon accidentally hearing her phone conversation. Here he had been searching for anything that would make the mansion unsafe, and found Tenten. He almost laughed at the irony.

Neji did not let go of his suspicions. His instincts were never incorrect – Tenten had an ulterior motive in joining the Dark Coven.

As much as he wanted to disbelieve it, there could have been a high possibility that Tenten was working for Madara Uchiha. She had not done anything that could have been considered a threat to Sakura...yet. However, maybe she had been waiting for the right time to strike.

Neji frowned again.

He did not care by what means, but he was determined that he would unmask her true intentions...

Azami wrapped the bowl of soup in the cloth carefully so that it would be perfectly balanced when being held. Then she handed the sack of vegetables, meat and rice to Akihito.

"I'll accompany you to your house and make a nice supper for your Obaa-san while she has this soup, alright?" she said to the boy before informing her father about her departure and destination.

Akihito's grandmother showed her gratefulness to Azami with warm smiles, despite her poor health. And Azami had taken a liking to the old woman. She was quite the chatterbox and Azami enjoyed hearing her stories about when she had been a young woman.

"Would you like me to help you with that, dear?" she offered, eyeing the vegetables on the table.

"It is fine, Baa-san. You need your rest at this time. Besides, I can manage," Azami answered with a reassuring smile.

"Alright, dear. But it's getting quite late and I'd hate for you to be travelling at this hour."

"I'm almost done," Azami informed and continued with her voluntary task.

After she had prepared supper for Akihito and his grandmother, Azami joined them before packing her things to travel back home. She left after short goodbyes, well wishes and the promise to return the next day.

The journey back home involved a few moment's stroll in the forest which was by now, enveloped in the harpooning darkness of the night. The only light source was provided by the moon which barely streamed through the few parted leaves from the canopies made by the towering trees.

Now Azami wished she had walked with something that could be of some use in self-defense.

Suddenly her mind began playing tricks on her. At every turn, there seemed to be shadows, lurking behind trees, whispers heard in every breath of wind, footsteps hidden in the rustle of the leaves. Now, the unexpected hooting of an owl was enough to make her heart skip a beat.

The cold wind whistled again and Azami hugged her chest in attempt to keep warm.

When she was met by an eerie silence, Azami missed the hooting, the rustling, the howling of the wind and all the other sounds of the night in the forest. The sudden quietness was as though the creatures of the woods had sensed another presence and had decided to go in hiding; an existence other than herself and a grave one at that.

Then the sound of cracking sticks echoed into the vast darkness ahead of her. Her breath had gotten caught in her throat only for a moment until she had no control over her heavy breathing that she had to place her hand over her mouth to quiet down.

'I should head back to Akihito's house,' Azami thought, slowly stepping back.

A bead of sweat trickled down the side of her head.

No, she could not. She was too far ahead to turn back now. And besides, the snakes and other animals would have already picked up on her scent, so the chances of encountering a dangerous, wild animal back there were rather broad.

Then, mustering up some courage, Azami picked up a thick piece of broken branch she had spotted in the moonlight and proceeded.

As she walked further and further ahead, she became welcomed by the unpleasant smell of rust and as she delved deeper, the scent grew even more pungent and upsetting.

With every step, she was met with something new, like the faint heaving noise that became heavier as she drew nearer. Then it occurred to her that the creature could very well be human. Perhaps someone was lost or wounded.

Further on, something finally came into view. The image was not clear in the dim moonlight, but with careful observation for a moment, Azami distinguished a human on his knees, crouching over, and his back facing her.

From his position, Azami inferred that he had been injured, so from a distance, she enquired, "Are you alright?"

When the person ceased breathing heavy breaths and lift his head up a little, she knew that she had gotten his attention.

Everyone had been warned at some point in their life that there was a fine between bravery and folly. Inwardly, she cursed herself, thinking that she certainly had confused courage with stupidity. But there was no turning back now.

Silently, she called onto the Shinto Gods for guidance.

"Get away," the husky voice of the man before her on the forest's floor said. "Get away before you get hurt."

Now all of her fright seemed to have vanquished. She had been right. The man was wounded and helpless. He needed assistance and she was willing to give it.

"Don't be silly," she said to him, walking closer.

"Stop!" he ordered brusquely, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"But you're wounded! You need help!" she protested from where she stood.

"Just get…out of here! I'm weak and cannot control myself," he warned again.

"What are you saying?" Azami asked, getting closer, "What do you mean you can't 'control yourself'?"

She placed her hand on his shoulder and turned him around to see his face, with much force as he had been restraining his body's movement. And when his face came into view, she became appalled. It was shocking that his face belonged to none other than the man who had saved her and Akihito earlier in the day; and that it was different from before.

He was much paler, as though he was the body of a deceased man. But his eyes – they were what frightened her the most, for they were gleaming red like the blood that covered his hands. She must have been staring at him wide-eyed for a rather long time since she had not even realized when his crimson orbs shifted into gaze with her emerald ones; and she did not even know when he had grabbed a hold of her wrist.

Her heart was now racing; pounding within her chest, beating harder with every few seconds that went by.

"Foolish woman," he said to her when she finally attempted to break free, but he held on effortlessly. "You didn't heed my warning and now I cannot let you go. You've seen too much."

His voice no longer held that alluring deepness, but rather a sinister tone that blatantly defined danger. She was now a fawn trapped in the death-promising hold of ferocious tiger.

"So you're just going to kill me…Itachi-san?" she questioned calmly, using his name for the first time since they had encountered each other again.

"It's my only option," he stated casually, "If I don't, you'll inform the villagers of my unusual characteristics."

"Don't act as if you know me. Maybe if you had decided to remove yourself from the forest's main path, I would not have come across you, offering to help you," she said to him in a composed manner, eyeing the iron rod sticking out of his leg and then his bloodied hands.

"Allow me to treat your wound, and I promise that I won't tell anyone about you," Azami then said when Itachi uttered nothing.

To Azami's surprise, Itachi chuckled. It was not threatening like his tone before, but seemingly amused. Then with a small smirk, he said to her, "You are in no position to lay down conditions for me, your captor, and yet here you are boldly stating them, ignoring your current circumstance."

He then released her wrist, the action surprising her further, but she kept the feeling hidden.

"Very well," Itachi continued, "But you must keep to your word."

Without saying anything, Azami got to Itachi's level and set aside her belongings before examining his wound further. During that time, she could feel his unwavering gaze on her.

"Could you stop staring?" she requested when the feeling got overbearing. He did not take his eyes off her right away, but he respected her plea without question.

"How could this have happened?" she asked about the wound.

"I accidentally ran into an animal trap," Itachi explained the reason for the iron rod's presence in his left thigh.

Honestly, to Azami, Itachi did not appear as the careless type who would clumsily walk straight into an animal trap. From their very first encounter, Azami knew that he was much mature and much cautious. She was intelligent enough to pick up on that. So right away, she assumed he was lying, admitted nothing.

"You don't believe me, but it's the truth," Itachi suddenly said, as though he had read her mind. Or had he?

She let the idea slide and drew her concentration back to his injury. Judging by the amount of blood that stained his kukuri-bakama [Japanese pants], Itachi seemed to be in this state for some time. But having lost so much blood how was he still alive?

"I'll need to pull this out," she told him, referring to the rod. She sounded her questions only in her mind since somehow, she had the gut feeling that the less she knew was better.

He allowed her to pull out the rod, and when its presence became absent from his thigh, the bleeding, as expected, began seeping through the cut immediately. His face, which was supposed to show some sign of pain, remained emotionless. To her it was strange and she wondered if there was the possibility that he was just so good at containing his outward expression, or if he felt absolutely no pain at all.

When she proceeded to tear off a considerable portion of her shibiradatsu-mono [skirt-wrap], he placed his bloodied hand on hers and said, "There's no need. The bleeding will stop very soon, now that the rod has been removed. Arigato gozaimasu."

"Are you insane? No wound as big as that can possibly heal if you just leave it like that!" she argued in disbelief.

"Hasn't it occurred to you by now that I'm not-" he began in a harsh tone, but discontinued.

"Not human?" she supplied when he remained silent, "In fact it has. But that's none of my business."

She felt his eyes on her as though they had invisibly brushed against her cheek.

"You can leave now. After the cut heals, I can manage on my own," Itachi assured, but to Azami it sounded more like a command.

She gathered her things and hesitantly stood up.

"Are you sure, Itachi-san?" she asked once more, but only got a glare in response.

So she left, wordlessly, trotting down the path and forcefully trying to fight the urge to turn around...

"I'm dreaming," Sakura muttered softly, through the limited amount of awareness present in her mind. And slowly she willed herself to complete consciousness, managing to capture almost her entire dream within her memory. It was like a story, smoothly flowing from the previous one.

The dreams seemed relaxing, although she experienced them as 'Azami'; however they proved to be rather informative at the same time. Perhaps she may catch on to something important from them in the future. Or at least, she hoped.

Sitting up on the mattress, she wondered about the time. How much had gone by since she had last been awake?

She rubbed her eyes and lazily threw her legs off the bed.

'Come to think of it...how did I get here?' Sakura thought, looking around her dark room.

Once again, Sakura recalled the prior series of events in her head.

'Did...did Sasuke bring me here?' she wondered.

Sakura toggled her memory for some time but could get no recollection of how she ended up in her room.

Not bothering to fuss about such trivial things, Sakura reminded herself that she needed to talk to someone about the sword. Sasuke's sword played a vital role in the war against Madara. The Prophecy even stated that she must wield the sword in order to bring the enemy to his demise.

"Idiotic newborn, this is not the way you shall wield me!"

Perhaps she had been holding the sword incorrectly, Sakura thought. Maybe there was a way to avoid being repelled by the sword.

'I need to see Sasuke,' Sakura decided.

But, upon becoming aware of her appearance – she had still been dressed in Sasuke's jacket and a hospital robe –, Sakura thought that a refreshing bath and more suitable clothes were much needed...

A/N: Hello everyone! It's been a while, hasn't it? I kind of gave up editing this chapter so if you find any errors, please excuse them. I'm never writing a chapter THIS long again. The longest you'll ever get is 8,000 words from now on. I'll re-edit this chapter some time soon, so bare with the errors for now.

On my new Live Journal page, I post up previews and updates on upcoming chapters, so feel free to check in for those. The link is available on my profile page.

-IzWinchesterDevil