Kiyah flipped the hunter over, affirming that he was the one that had been following them earlier. She had already checked his head injury and decided that Rin couldn't possibly have done it; the girl's scent was nowhere near the man. There was, however, a different scent. Someone else had been there, and that person must have helped Rin—that or abducted her. Neither prospect thrilled Kiyah.

Having already been to Mireille for help, she was on her own. The sun was up, so her mentor would be no more help finding Rin than a blind person inspecting a painting. This made it slightly more difficult to find the girl.

"She had to go down an alleyway," Kiyah said in frustration, rolling her eyes contemptuously, "and he had to follow her and not me…" she brushed some bangs from before her eyes heatedly, "and she didn't even have the decency to leave me some kind of trail!"

She exited the alley and walked on down the sidewalk, hoping desperately to run into Rin, but knowing it wasn't likely. The only idea she had was that Rin had continued on to the mall, where they had been headed. It wasn't exactly likely, but what did she have to lose by going?

Kiyah sent a silent prayer to the vampire gods, begging them to let her find Rin in one piece. She didn't know how soon it would be answered. As she passed a small cluster of outlets, she spotted someone in one of the restaurants that looked vaguely familiar.

It was Rin!

"What the hell is she doing there!" Kiyah screamed inside her head, "Why-"

She stopped and stared dazedly at the scene before her. Rin was sitting in the restaurant at a booth by the front window—across from some guy! Bitter resentment pumped through Kiyah's veins as she watched them. Rin touched his arm and laughed. He smiled slightly back.

"I've been looking for her all this time and she's been on a date?" Kiyah's eyes narrowed and she stepped closer to the restaurant, "Right after an attack by a hunter, she's on a date!"

Furious beyond words, she stalked off, deciding to let Rin get on with her date. Obviously it wasn't on her priorities list to check-in with them and let her friends know she was okay.

Rin got up slowly, stretching out her legs, and put her coat back on. It was cold outside, so she didn't want to freeze for the next three to four blocks or so. Steve donned his cloak also, and stuck his gloves on quickly. Ushering her through the small isles, he held the door again. She expected less from such a 'fierce hunter'—not that he knew that she knew…

"I, uh, think I'll go home after all…" she mumbled, catching Kiyah's scent. It was distinct, the smell of her blood, "I wouldn't want my grandmother to worry, and…I think my sister might be looking for me."

"Should I walk you back?" Steve asked her casually, "or are you going to pretend to be tough?"

"Er, tough, I think," she replied with a grin, "Just because you said it, though."

"You think you can pretend to be tougher than me?" He asked her jokingly.

"Of course not," she said cutely, "everybody knows you're all talk, though, anways."

"I won't tell if you won't," he replied smoothly, leaning close to her ear to speak so she'd be able to hear him over the noise on the streets.

She blushed at having him so close and yelled, almost directly in his face, "Er, gotta go! Bye! See you tomorrow at the mall!" as she ran off down the street, following Kiyah's trail as well as she could.

Steve chuckled to himself as he watched her go, then turned and went his own way, mumbling something about how weird girls were.

Rin darted down every shortcut she knew, finally finding herself in front of the hotel. The lights were on in their room and she could faintly make out the slim form of Kiyah watching television. The small brunette opened the door slowly, a timid look on her face. Kiyah growled as she entered and kept her gaze determinedly on the TV screen.

"Hey, Kiyah, sorry I took so long…" she said awkwardly, setting her coat on the bed, "I stopped for breakfast and-"

"Who was he?" Kiyah interrupted, practically spitting the words at her.

Rin's face flushed and the room felt hotter, somehow, "Oh, er, you mean Steve? Well, that vampire hunter attacked me and Steve saved me! He knocked him out and it seemed rude to just leave…after he saved my life…"

Kiyah was on her feet in a fury, "So you decide to take-up with a guy that can take out a vampire hunter!" she exclaimed, pupils shrunk to tiny dots, "That makes so much more sense, Rin! You're a freaking genius!"

Rin felt her insides tie in knots. What would Kiyah think if she knew Steve was a hunter? The situation was rapidly becoming worse. Staring at her feet, Rin shifted uncomfortably, letting Kiyah go on, as she wanted. The best way to deal with her fits was to let them fizzle out.

"So, what was it he said that made you want to date him, huh? Huh!" Kiyah's fists were shaking, and Rin was nervous now, but knew her friend wouldn't strike her. Kiyah had her faults, but abusing people wasn't one of them, "I saw the way you were looking at him! I saw the way he was looking at you! Y'all looked pretty freaking happy!"

Unable to hold her tongue any longer, Rin finally spoke up, barely believing that she was doing so, "Kiyah, what's wrong with it? He saved my life!" she pleaded, trying to get the white-haired girl to understand, "He's not a bad guy! I actually like him, and you know I always freeze up when I try to talk to guys!"

Kiyah let out a stream of curses that made Rin's jaw drop, when they were interrupted.

Mireille appeared in the doorway, eyes flashing angrily, "Charna's guts! What is going on in here!" she called loudly to be heard over Kiyah's profanities.

Kiyah spoke first, taking a deep breath before launching into an attack on Rin's activities of the day, "There was a hunter after us that followed Rin, but some guy saved her and the she went on a date with him! Who is dumb enough to date a guy that can take on a hunter? Rin, that's who!"

"Oh, shut up, Kiyah!" Rin cried, shoving her across the bed, "You don't even know him!"

Kiyah dove back across the bed and pinned Rin to the floor, pulling at her hair, "Don't you dare hit me! I'll hit you back ten times harder! I'll-"

Rin never found out what Kiyah would've done after that, because Mireille physically pulled them apart and put them on opposite sides of the room. She slapped Kiyah roughly across the face, then brought her hand back across for a backhanded slap.

"Control yourself, girl!" She roared.

Kiyah didn't even flinch, just took what came to her, sat on the edge of the bed and pouted. She rubbed her cheek sketchily, then smoothed-out her hair as she watched Mireille approach Rin for her lecture.

"Honestly, I know it's harsh to say, but Kiyah brings up a point, dear Rin," Mira sighed and shook her head, "what on earth were you thinking? He could've been dangerous. Wasn't one attack enough for a day?"

Rin kneaded the shoulder she'd landed on when Kiyah had tackled her, "He was really nice, Mira…" she whispered softly, hearing his voice as he whispered in her ear, "I swear, he wouldn't have hurt me…"

"Sounds like she's in love," Kiyah said with bitter sarcasm, rolling her eyes and sticking her tongue out at Rin, "maybe we should just let her stay with the jerk."

Mireille massaged her temples and sighed again—she seemed to be doing that a lot lately, "Kiyah, you will not speak unless spoken to. Rin, you will stay away from this boy. Do you both understand?"

"Oh, but I promised to meet him at the mall! He'll know something's going on if I don't show up," Rin remembered conveniently.

Mireille gave Kiyah a rancid look before the girl could say anything and responded tersely, "You will go, and you will tell him you are leaving early, since I assume you've told him you are staying longer than we had planned. You will return here, afterwards."

Rin smirked and said, "But I can hang with him, right?"

"If you promise not to put me in this position ever again, then yes," Mira said shortly, just to shut her up, "but once you return we will have to resume our search for the Vampaneze, just to be sure that he is beyond our reach."

Rin nodded eagerly, "Of course, Mira!"

"I hate you," Kiyah scoffed, sprawling herself on the bad and staring blankly at the ceiling.

Rin plopped down in front of the TV where Kiyah had been sitting earlier and said apologetically, "I'm not replacing you with anyone, Kiyah. You're my best friend. I would never do that."

She didn't get a reply, but she knew Kiyah had heard her. The girl just needed a few hours to simmer down.

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Once it was dark, Mireille rejoined them and suggested they resume their hunt.

"The least we can do is find the bastard and make sure that he doesn't harm these people anymore," She said gently, when questioned about why it was so important.

Rin dressed herself in a tight-fitting tank top and a pair of biking shorts. The fabric felt itchy against her skin, at first, because she was so used to having complete freedom of movement. After a while, though, she got used to the feeling and found it was easy to get around in such clothes.

Kiyah had followed her example and was wearing an outfit to match, but of a different color. Instead of pure black, she'd had to settle for a navy blue, which would still let her camouflage herself as well as she needed. Stealth was a key part in the mission, and both of them had to be able to hide if necessary.

"Now," Mireille told them, after they were all ready, "Tonight we'll try and track him down. If we don't get him tonight or catch his trail tomorrow, then I'm afraid we'll just have to leave. I feel like paying a visit to an old friend and I know you girls are longing for company your own age."

Kiyah's face brightened, but Rin found herself saddened. She wouldn't see Steve ever again, as she saw it. He would stay in the city or go back to his hometown and forget he'd even met her.

"Who's the friend you're going to meet? And where are we going?" Kiyah asked excitedly, always keen for an adventure or some sort.

"Larten Crepsley at the Cirque Du Freak, if you must know," Mireille said with a slight smile, "I'm not exactly sure if he'll be there at the time, but if he is I need to talk to him. And there will be, if not children your age, then people who you'll be able to tell about your being half-vampires."

"Really?" Rin looked up at her in surprise, "we can tell people there what we are? They won't be afraid?"

"No, child, they're used to oddities in the Cirque. A long time ago, Larten mentioned something about it and I figure that if there's any place I'll find him, it's there. Now, if we're done talking about future plans, then let's head out and find this mad Vampaneze."

The three of them left the hotel room, Rin locking the door because she was the last one out. They walked for a long time before Mireille finally motioned them to follow her into an alley. She shimmied up to the emergency stairway and helped both the girls up after her. Once up, they all got onto the roof and went to the edge carefully, peeking over and watching for anything unusual.

Kiyah perched in the opposite side as Mireille, knowing exactly what they were looking for, and Rin watched with her, hoping that she'd be at least some help. They stayed there for hours, until Rin thought she was going to fall asleep. She kept nodding-off, but Kiyah would poke her to wake her. Mireille would have her head if she found that Rin was napping on the job. This was how Rin figured Kiyah was making it up to her for earlier.

"Mireille!" Kiyah whispered suddenly, her eyes widening, "over here! That man!"

Mireille was by their side in a heartbeat, looking to where Kiyah indicated. There was a man walking by—he was fairly large, with a round face and a jolly look to him—and once she looked close enough, Rin saw what was so significant about him. On his face, the side facing them, there were three small scars that she would never have noticed if she hadn't been looking for them specifically.

Kiyah had mentioned signs of a Vampaneze target in the past, but Rin had never given them much thought before now. This man was definitely the target. Mireille whispered for Kiyah to watch the man while she, herself, scanned the rooftops for the Vampaneze. He would either be very near, or he would be waiting somewhere farther on in the man's routine. If he was smart, he would have the man's schedule memorized and be waiting.

"Are you girls ready?" Mireille asked uncertainly, "Are you prepared for this?"

Rin and Kiyah both nodded.

"Alright, then. Let's go. I've found the Vampaneze," Mireille said quietly.

This was a shock. It was pure luck if they were able to take him out right then and there, especially because Vampaneze were difficult to track even when they had gone mad. This one was still very good at covering his tracks, so it was a full-blown miracle to have this chance. It might never come again.

Mireille leapt off the roof, landing gracefully, and waited while the girls hopped nimbly down the fire escape. She then led them across the street to a large building that looked pretty much abandoned. It was a warehouse, Kiyah told Rin as they walked, and that was where the Vampaneze had gone. Rin's heartbeat sped up and she warmed her fingers as well as she could, rubbing them gently. The cold was getting to her, and she could tell Mira and Kiyah were feeling it also.

They entered the warehouse through a side door, finding themselves in the back somewhere. As stealthily as they could, the three hid behind a large box. Mireille okayed the location and motioned the girls to stay there as she went on ahead to a different box. It was almost dead silent, aside from their own steady breathing and the footsteps of the fat man.

Then someone else entered. The fat man didn't look surprised, but Mireille certainly was. She hadn't anticipated his meeting anyone. Rin could tell she was swearing in her head by the look on her face. This was bad. Worse.

Rin recognized the latest entry as Steve! He was wearing his long trench coat and carrying a large arrow gun. This was the most horrible thing that could've possibly happened! Kiyah's gaze shot immediately to Rin and she gave her a look that clearly said 'I told you he was bad news.'

Rin felt her face flush but couldn't turn away from the scene before her. Steve handed something to the man, and the man nodded, walking over to a large crate.

"These what yer lookin' fer?" the fat man asked him, pulling something out and showing it to Steve.

"Yeah, looks about right," Steve replied, taking the object and turning it over in his hands, "How many have you got? Are they all in this condition?"

Kiyah looked sort of unsure as to what was going on, but Rin knew—Steve was getting ammo. That arrow gun was most likely his weapon of choice, and she suspected he was a lot smarter than the other hunters they'd encountered. He already knew that more than stakes could kill vampires.

Up in the rafters, she could faintly make out the form of the mad vampaneze. She hoped it was waiting until the fat man was alone. If she had to, she'd go out; in the dark, maybe, Steve wouldn't recognize her.

"They're all mint, if'n you want 'em," the fat man grinned.

Steve gave a slight shrug, "Sounds great, I'll bring the money by tomorrow night."

"What 'bout tomorrow mornin'? Early?" The fat man suggested, "My night's a little busy…"

Steve blushed and said, looking flustered, "I, uh, can't…I have a, uh, date, sort of…"

The fat man laughed and Rin felt her own flush grow in magnitude, "A strappin' young, dangerous lad like you, eh? Well, alright, I can do evening, then," he nudged Steve and winked.

A gooey drop of liquid hit the floor next to them and Steve and the fat man stared at it for a moment, before looking up to the ceiling. Another drop fell from the hungering jaws of the vampaneze and he decided to strike.

The fat man let out a girlish shriek as the creature came down upon him and Steve jumped back, startled. Mireille chose that time to jump out and tackle the vampaneze off of the fat man, who was bleeding heavily from a wound in his neck.

Steve regained his senses and pulled an arrow gun—as Rin had suspected—from the crate, loading it expertly, and firing off a well-aimed shot at the vampaneze, "Vampire scum! Take that!"

The vampaneze caught the move just in time to roll Mireille into the arrow's path. She let out a yell of agony as it pierced her right shoulder and stuck deep within. Kiyah decided enough was enough and threw herself into Steve's unprotected back.

The wind was knocked out of him and he crumpled to the floor, stunned. Kiyah quickly got up, while Steve let out a low groan, and ran to Mira's aid. Rin went to follow her, but paused at Steve's trembling form. His eyes were squeezed shut and his teeth were grit; Kiyah obviously didn't know her own strength or had taken her anger at Rin out on Steve.

"Are you alright?" Rin tentatively knelt beside him—he was sprawled on the cold floor, face-down, with his head facing sideways—and placed a tender hand on his cheek. His eyelids fluttered, but his eyes didn't open, "Who…?"

"Shhh," she moved her hand up and brushed a few tendrils of hair from his eyes, "we'll take care of the vampaneze…"

She got up hesitantly, turning at the sound of a loud crash. Mireille was leaning heavily against a large crate, her shoulder oozing blood, and Kiyah had been thrown directly into a pile of smaller crates by the vampaneze. She was now laying in a pile of splintered boxes while the vampaneze advanced on the injured Mireille.

Rin ran at him as fast as she could, angrily heaving her fist at his face. He dodged to the side, but Rin swung herself around on one foot and landed a sideways kick in his torso. He staggered back a few feet, struggling to keep his balance, and Rin dodged over to where Kiyah lay amidst the broken crates.

"Kiyah, are you alright?" Rin offered the white-haired girl a hand, and she took it.

"Fine, thanks," Kiyah swayed as she got to her feet, "Mireille?"

"Not looking good," Rin said hurriedly, looking over to their mentor, who was now more pallid than was healthy, "come on, we've got to finish this guy off!"

The two girls prepared themselves for a nasty bit of combat, but were startled as two thick arrows flew by them and buried their points in the vampaneze' chest and neck.

Spinning around, Rin found Steve crouching on the ground where she'd left him, holding up his big arrow gun.

Kiyah, seeing her opportunity, dove onto the vampaneze and stuck her nails into his neck with a sickening sound. He writhed for a few moments, and then lay still. Rin scurried over to Mireille and put the old woman's arm about her neck, lifting her easily.

Before Steve had time to react, Kiyah had pulled herself to her feet and run out, herding Rin and Mira along. They could hear him calling, "Wait!" behind them, but wouldn't have dared to even if he'd been dying. There had been enough trouble already.