Finding Peace

Mimiko waited with Jiro right next to her since he didn’t want her to be standing alone at the shoe store. Mimi didn’t want to be accused of loitering so they pretended they were looking for shoes and actually found a nice pair of tennis shoes for Jiro. Bright white ones that matched Hibari’s skin tone when she arrived. Mimi couldn’t believe how pale her friend and co worker had become. This was the reward for her promotion? It definitely wasn’t worth it.

Jiro looked at the bite marks and frowned a bit at Zelman who exited the taxi as if nothing unusual was going on.

“Hibari I shall take Jiro here and we will leave you two to do whatever it is you plan on doing. Remember what I said before………”

Zelman warned as he frowned and Jiro nodded his goodbye to Mimiko. Jiro was afraid of opening his mouth to embarrass the young woman further. He knew that it wasn’t unusual for a black blood to feed off of a donor like this, but a Company compromiser was a different story.

“You didn’t tell me he was going to turn you into a zombie Hibari! You look like you are going to faint dead away on me. How often…..I mean what is going on……I mean well…look at you! I mean you look pretty….but you are so………white……”

Mimi ground out.

“I know I am, please don’t rub it in. For some reason the Company allows this since the black bloods do not have enough……well Zelman has a lot of donors…..but you know that letch thing you talk about Jiro doing. Make that triple time with Lord Zelman. Problem is he disappears so damn fast before I can say anything about it to him. At least you get to beat up Jiro.”

Mimiko sighed and held a hand to her head since she should call the whole vacation off. Looking at her friend though Hibari needed this time away from Zelman. It was time to get away from everything abnormal for a while and pretend that humans still existed in the world.

“Look, you know you can say no. Lord Zelman cannot keep doing this to you or you will wither to nothing. That will not help your position as a compromiser since you cannot compromise anything between humans and vampires if you look like one of the living dead. I mean you don’t look like that……..Hibari……I am just worried ok? You need to be careful damn it. Why hasn’t the Company sent anyone in on your behalf?”

Hibari turned a bit red.

“Well…….I guess….because I haven’t complained……”

Mimiko ranted at her friend.

“Of course you can’t complain…..he has you……….well how can you when you are always being treated like a fountain drink? You are not the next new soda coming out. You need to put your foot down and……oh forget it. I will call and take care of this. You can’t just let him push you around. You need to stand up for yourself.’
“You do have a say so you know and just because the guy is a hottie doesn’t mean you just allow him to do whatever he feels like. If I let Jiro walk all over me I would be a pint less every damn day eventually having to take medication for an iron deficiency. In fact we are going to a GMC immediately. You need like major vitamins if you are going to go on like this.”

Hibari was so embarrassed. Mimiko was always so blunt.

“He treats me pretty nice, but I know that you are right Mimi. Next time I swear I am going to hit him if I can catch him that is………you know he is pretty fast. I thought I had him, but he must have me all messed up since my aim is not that bad.”

Mimi pulled her friend along almost forgetting their luggage.

“Oh……..”

Mimi stated as the driver waited trying not to laugh. He had been paid.

“Don’t worry girls, Mr. Clock has me on tab to take your stuff to the hotel after you were done shopping and take you anywhere in town you want to go. Want me to take you to the store?”

Mimi looked at the cabbie.

“Are you insane? Look at her, she needs sun and exercise. Just meet us at the hotel…….which hotel by the way since obviously we have no damn choices around this place. He really has this place wrapped around his little finger. I told you we should go outside of the Special Zone, but no….Jiro the genius reminded me how dangerous that was so we are stuck here in the place we were born seeing the same damn stuff we saw before. Come on Hibari.”

Hibari was pulled along as the two girls took off. Jiro watched them and followed from a distance as did Zelman.

“Does Hibari know you are following her?”

Zelman shook his head no as he lit up a smoke smirking at the man who was stressed about causing attention to himself as he already started billowing smoke a bit even with the large black umbrella.

“Here is some sunscreen. Let’s let Mimi baby Hibari for a moment and see if this crap will work for you. It is SPF 50 so it should help. It was all I could find. I would have given you Hibari’s but that stuff stinks plus it makes you orange.”

Jiro wanted to speak to Zelman about Hibari, but fact was it wasn’t his business. Mimiko was, but Hibari other than being Mimi’s friend was not his problem. What Zelman did to her though he didn’t agree with and to leave his mark like a badge of honor was just…….he couldn’t do that to anyone even if his blood wanted Mimiko’s pure virginal corpuscles on his tongue. It was embarrassing because he fantasized about it all the time. Maybe Mimi was right and he was a blood letch.

Taking the cream he went into the bathroom stripping to put it everywhere. Even a long sleeve t shirt still made him melt in the sun. It would be nice if this slippery stuff worked.

Coming outside the damn cream just melted right off making his shirt a bit wet and he still smoked a bit. Zelman tried to hide his mirth out of respect since he did want Jiro to come to his side. Such power was to be respected and welcomed.

“Well we can wait a bit. You can hear Mimi as I can hear Hibari no?”

Jiro frowned.

“I don’t feed off of Mimiko Lord Zelman. I use the blood packs. I only did that when I had no other choice.”

Zelman shrugged it off.

“If we are going to be friends please disperse with the pleasantries. I do have your company for a time so just call me by my given name, Zelman. It will do Jiro. See it isn’t difficult.”

Jiro wondered what they were talking about. It would be interesting to know what Mimi thought about him other than what she said to him out loud.

“You can read all of Hibari’s thoughts? Is that why you do what you do?”

Zelman almost laughed at the slight disgust in Jiro’s voice.

“No, I enjoy the blood itself. It is what we are, what we do. You deny your urges for too long Jiro Mochizuki and you will find yourself no better than the Kowloon children we fight. You become feral and eventually the blood takes over. You do not listen to it enough. The Sage knows this advice so now I share it with you. It is up to you, but as I stated before the blood never lies. I will enjoy Hibari for as long as allowed. I have even contemplated on adding her to my coven.”

Jiro frowned and looked at Zelman as though he lost his marbles.

“The Company will not let you.”

Zelman sat back.

“A Company mainly filled with humans. I highly doubt they could stop me. Sei, The Lord Dragon, maybe, but humans do not stand a chance. I am one of the greatest powers here and one of the eldest of my bloodline. Another rare house and a ruler even if my tactics are questionable I do have honorable intentions. I of course would give my compromiser a choice, but she was given to me by the Company so therefore since they know I have no real need of a compromiser I really do not need her more than for…….entertainment.’
“A bored vampire does become a problem amongst the peace we try to keep here in the Special Zone. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made. Hibari talks too much and is a problem because of it for the Company. I in my generosity have taken her in and I have given her a purpose in my long life.’
“I could care less what the Company or the houses think of me as long as I get my freedom as well as my own slice of heaven. I too want peace so therefore I fight the good fight as we all do to keep the Special Zone clear of problems. I am an asset, my power is an asset, and your dear Mimiko’s friend is not. It is that simple as crass as that may sound. She couldn’t even keep silent that you fed off of a compromiser Jiro. Do you know that used to be punishable by such horrors to a vampire…….can you imagine? I have seen them. You do not want to know how that would feel.’
“Hibari had indeed compromised not only your position, but her dear best friend and her supervisor’s. She damn near caused a riot in that so called controlled environment that the Company uses as a shield to hide the chaos that is simply human error over something we might consider miniscule. In turn they gave her not only a promotion, but gave the little twit to me. I am not a fool of course I took her in. Sayuka was becoming a bore.’
“I needed fresh blood and might I add Hibari is an attractive naïve little thing. I enjoy her company just as you must enjoy that of the young Sage. So innocent it is absolutely adorable and sad since it never can last….. Isn’t that why you are here? You cannot say to me it is only for protection of Mimiko’s well being, but also her virtue could be at stake. Wouldn’t that damper your mood? Having her find another male to satisfy and fill those days of hers in ways you will not. Unless of course you two are………”

Jiro turned bright red. He was insulted and at the same time hated to admit that Zelman was right. Jiro didn’t want to be cast out again, he didn’t want to lose his friend, and deep down he knew it was selfish to hope Mimiko didn’t find a male human to fill her days with. He wanted to be at least one of the first thoughts that passed through her mind even if it was only friendship he wanted. He knew that was a bit of bullshit too. Jiro had tasted her blood and knew that once tainted by finding that special someone Mimi would no longer be the same innocent person that beat the hell out of him for mentioning such things. A sadistic part of him almost enjoyed being tormented by her.

“No we are not. Mimiko was just the first to accept us here in the Special Zone. She has lost everything because of us so the least we can do is help her and protect her until the battle with the Kowloon children is over. Until Cassa is no longer a threat I will remain and protect both her and the Sage as promised.”

Zelman knew better, but he wasn’t going to push. He had embarrassed the Silver Blade enough. If he was going to spend two weeks spying on Hibari and Mimiko with Jiro the least he could do is let him in on what was going on.

“Mimiko is currently forcing Hibari to buy iron supplements. Enough for an army I gather. I have left a credit card for Hibari to use. I assume after 800 years I have enough funds to buy the whole town if not several so it won’t make a dent. Hibari is having a fit over it though and they are arguing with one another in front of the cashier as the cab driver followed them as I ordered placing the many bags of vitamins in the car.’
“Hibari is getting worn out and doesn’t want to walk any more. Mimi is forcing her to and claiming it is good for her health. I believe that I shall be a subject for a while on that matter so it is rather boring except for the choice few words that Mimi has about me. Amusing, she really is a little upstart isn’t she? No wonder you keep her around.”

Ordering coffee Zelman sat with Jiro going over all the things that the two girls were doing throughout the day without leaving the coffee shop throwing a book at Jiro so they could pretend to be scholars. At least this way Jiro wouldn’t be walking about drawing unnecessary attention to himself and at the same time he could keep track of where they were without seeming like a lurking nightmare as Mimiko put it so eloquently.

“So she thinks you are a blood letch or letch in general?”

Zelman finally asked since the conversation had finally stopped being about him and now was focused on how Jiro could be so damn polite except when he talked about Mimiko’s blood. Also it was mentioned that she wanted to kill him several times in very interesting ways. None of which of course would kill a vampire.

“A letch in general no matter how hard I try to be polite, I am just used to living with her and in such a small area things are seen even if it is not intended. Believe me I would prefer not to be noticed some days.”

Jiro stated frowning. This was much more fun when it had been all about Zelman being a closet pervert to being a full blown pervert to being a evil demonic blood rapist.

“Oh now Hibari asked how many times you raped blood from Mimiko. Mimiko stated you didn’t that she volunteered and now Hibari is upset since now I am indeed a demonic evil being except now Mimiko is being accused of being a blood slut by just giving it away. Oh, never mind that you have been vindicated of all wrong doing, it is only me. I am the evil one.”

Zelman was trying hard not to bust up laughing. His book was not even slightly as entertaining as hearing how he was destroying Hibari’s whole existence along with the warnings that just because vampires were good looking didn’t mean that they could just get away with murder and stuff like that. Indeed as the sun started to settle down past the mountains they would have to leave soon to actually follow the two young women to see what they were doing next and to hear what other crimes that the vampires committed since that conversation would definitely last two weeks. Zelman knew women well enough to know that was true and that he would never be able to look at Hibari without the words evil blood rapist popping up in his head. He never thought of himself that way, but it was much better than overbearing leach.