HELLO to anyone who didn't read the first version of this, and hello to anyone who's re-reading the re-written version, i.e. this one. FYI, I didn't change anything about the plot, I just changed a bit of the phrasing, and added a bit more explanation.

Oh and I disclaim…yeah.

Well, lets get started.

'Mental thoughts'

Journey of the heart

Prologue

"Sasuke-kun! Where are you! We have to leave, quickly, their coming!" A pink haired girl shouted, desperately looking for her friend.

"What, already? Their to early! Sasuke-teme, hurry up, or you'll be sucked dry by a vamp! We have to get the fuck outta here!" Naruto shouted desperately, not noticing that his friend was already standing next to Sakura at the edge of the forest.

"If you would stop shouting you would have noticed that I'm already there dobe. Now lets go."

Leaving the hastily cleared camp behind the three teens ran into the woods. Moments later the sound of galloping hooves and the shouting of voices could be heard behind them. Sasuke looked over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of the captured humans trudging down the road in a single file line. 'That was a close one.' They would have to be more careful, the vampires seemed to have taken some kind of short cut instead of their normal route along the main raod, not good. A shiver ran down his spine, he didn't want to think about what would happen to them if they were caught. If they were lucky, a nice vampire would buy them as a companion or lover, if they weren't they would be some Lord's snack.

The vampires had taken over the rule of the continent 50 years ago after the Great War. For the most part they weren't that different from humans, some were kind-hearted, some cruel, it didn't really make that much of a difference who ruled, the vampires or someone else. Of course being vamps, they had an affinity for causing pain, and of course, they drank blood. Though their rule wasn't friendly or peaceful, neither was it cruel, the world had become one where Darwin's Law 'Survival of the fittest' took hold.

Of course Sasuke and his friends didn't believe this, they hated vampires with a passion, to them they were all the same, evil, blood sucking, creatures. At the top of their hate list were the High Lord Orochimaru, and his heir Lord Itachi, the rulers of the continent. Their word was law, and neither of them was known for their kindness. Although they were the ultimate power within the hierarchy, they ruled together with a council, made up of representatives of each region of the continent, unbeknownst to Sasuke and his friends, this council was not made up only by vampires, but humans too. At the very bottom of the food chain were the run-aways like Sasuke, who lived in hiding and refused to acknowledge the vampire's rule.

Sasuke had been a run-away all his life, his parents had been as well and he had been born in a small cave in the mountains somewhere. But they had been killed by the royal guard that hunted down the run-aways. They had left the 8 year old Sasuke with Sakura's family who had also adopted Naruto, but they were caught 5 years ago, on Sakura's 11th birthday. The three had survived on their own ever since.

Sasuke's stomach growled, the stupid guard was making it harder and harder to find food, and they kept appearing in places and at times they weren't supposed to.

"Sakura, how long till the next village?" Sasuke asked, when his stomach growled again.

"Another hour or so-Sasuke! Be careful, your hood is slipping! We'll have to get you a new one soon, if anyone sees you, you'll be on the slave marked before you can say gotcha!

"…"

"She's right you know, I'm sorry to say this but you are bloody gorgeous…that was not meant as a compliment."

"It wasn't taken as one, firstly I would rather have Lord Itachi call me good looking than you, secondly I'd rather be ugly and fat, I don't like being called pretty."

"Sasuke-teme, you were cute with six, with 12 you were pretty, and now you're, just damn hot! There is no other word for it, you'll have to accept it. If they catch you, you can kiss your innocence good bye! They'll pounce on you like dogs in a heat, no amount of dirt and rags can hide it Sasuke-teme, live with it."

"Dobe, shut up, you're rambling. There's the village, don't shout out our whole life story for anyone who happens to be passing by, we don't want attention."

"Oh, you already have that."

The three spun around and stared right into the faces of the guard from before.

"Now what are three little humans like you, doing alone in these woods?

You stink so bad I could smell you 5km down the road, metaphorically and literally."

"Oh fuck." Was all Sasuke brought out.

"That about sums it up, but I hope you didn't mean that literally, because I don't think I want to fuck any of you filthy run-aways." The vampire sneered, exposing 2 sharp white fangs. Sasuke clenched his fists, he had to make sure Naruto and Sakura got away. They were the only family he had and he damn hell wouldn't let them be enslaved by some bad ass vampire!

"Sakura, Naruto, when I say so, run." Sasuke hissed to them.

"What? No way, we're not leaving you here! You can't beat them alone!" Naruto nearly screamed.

"We cant, together either, and even if we did, then we would be wanted criminals, no, run when I tell you to, I don't intend to fight these guys."

"You don't? … oh no, Sasuke you cant! Didn't you listen to what Naruto just said!"

Tears welled up in her eyes, she knew they had no other choice, he had made up his mind.

"We'll come and save you. I promise." Naruto's voice was desperate but didn't quaver.

"Look after Sakura."

"I will." Naruto nodded, his eyes determind.

Sasuke reached for his hood. The head of the guard watched ready for anything the human would do. That exchange had been rather strange, he wasn't taking any chances.

"Be careful what you do human, I'm warning you."

"What are you warning me about?" Sasuke asked innocently.

"Naruto grabbed Sakura's hand and the two snuck right past the vampires without anyone noticing, Sasuke really was sneeky. As soon as they had disappeared out of sight Sasuke turned and ran into the other direction. Despite what he had said to the others, he was going to fight, he knew he didn't have a chance, but it was the only way to give the others time to get away. He wasn't going to give up without trying! The vampires blinked, startled by his sudden disappearance, but then with angry cries rode after him, on their big black stallions. (Ooh I just couldn't resist the cliché!)

It didn't take them long to catch up to him, but Sasuke had learned al his life how to fight against vampires, no one survived long here if you didn't. And adding that they were try to harm him as little as possible, so he was still worth something on the market…

By the time he'd been shackled and tied to a horse, there were a lot of broken bones and bloody noses. Not to mention the unconscious bodies lying randomly around on the ground. They might not die easily, but that didn't mean they couldn't be knocked out.

"Get that hood of him, I want to see what we're selling! Those other humans seemed rather panicked about you taking it of. Had us nicely distracted didn't you." The vampire was sneering again, but this time a nice black eye decorated his face, rather destroying the scare factor.

"I don't think you want to see my face. It's deformed."

The vampire grimaced in disgust. "Oh, thought we'd all be so revolted by your face we'd faint? Very clever. Well if your so ugly, make sure you keep that thing on and maybe I'll still get a decent price, your strong enough."

( AN: I just wanted to say that in this fic. Vamps really are very sensitive to looks, they might actually really faint if they see a human that is too ugly, at least, the weaker ones, such as this one obviously is…)

Sasuke watched the village they had been previously heading for draw closer and hoped that once there, he'd find a chance to escape. But all his hopes were dashed when, instead of turning left into the village the slave caravan stayed on the main road. Sasuke's eyes widened in disbelief at his bad luck, this was the one road no run-away ever ventured down.

"That's the road to the capital! That's where the palace is! You can't take me there!" He screamed in despair.

"Why not? You're going to the yearly slave auction, and till we get there, you aren't getting anything to eat as a punishment for being such a bad boy."

Sasuke's eyes widened, the capital was very far away, they'd always made sure of that. He could only hope he'd make it till then. He scowled, this just proved what assholes vampires were.

"Think about that, next time you disobey a vampire, because of you half my troops' disabled."

Three days later another group of run-aways was added to the merry round of travellers. The chains around Sasuke's wrists and ankles were heavy and left dark bruises and bloody patches of skin underneath them, making it painful to move, so when they made camp for the evening Sasuke didn't even attempt to get of the horse, even though he was no longer shackled to it. Everything hurt, pain and thirst over riding anything else. He was about to fall back into the half unconsciousness he'd been in since the 2nd day, when a voice pierced through the pain induced fog.

"Hey, you, why are you the only one who gets to ride? Are you something special or what? Don't look it."

"…"

"Hey, you dead? Answer."

"…"

"…Is that blood?… It is! Fuck! What did they do to you? No wonder you aren't moving, I wouldn't be in your position either! Oh, and by the way, I'm Neji…If you can hear me…"

Ok, I'll end it here. Would this be considered a cliffy? I'm not sure, but I'm ending it here anyways so…yeah. What d'you think? Ii hope I didn't disappoint you, it'll get better, but I sorta had to introduce the basic background stuff first! Please just bare with me here!

See ya next time…if you like it please tell me and I'll hurry up typing the next chapter…