Chapter Text
Her skin was pale as snow.
Hair, dark like the night sky.
And eyes, dazzling blue, like sapphires.
Hiiragi Tenri held her in his arms when she opened those eyes for the first time, looking up at him before giggling. Her cheeks were round and squishy, like the depictions of angels in old renaissance paintings.
"She looked at me!" the boy exclaimed.
His mother smiled. She looked tired, like usual, but even more so after such a difficult birth, one the father didn't care to show up to. Aside from the doctors, only Tenri was present, fearing for his mother's safety.
A vulnerable moment like this would be a perfect opportunity to assassinate her… The other women of his father were known to eliminate each other, or send their children to do their bidding.
"Tenri," his mother spoke softly.
He raised his head, looking into her restless eyes. There was something different about them. Something serious.
"Promise me you will protect her with your life," she paused, eyes shifting to the newly born. "This child is special."
"Huh?" the boy tilted his head. "What do you mean, mother?"
The woman closed her eyes.
"It's what the angel told me…"
The boy's eyes widened.
"The angel with eyes as blue as hers…"
*
Outside the moon demon headquarters, a figure could be seen running at an extraordinary speed, drops of rain whipping his face as he hurried to the door.
Yuu rushed inside the building, door slamming shut behind him while he brushed off the tiny drops of water on his uniform jacket. The sudden drizzle had caught the seventeen-year-old off guard, and he sighed out in relief seeing the documents dry and perfectly intact inside the folder. He was still late to hand them in, though. So, he rushed up the fancy staircase, running into a familiar face.
"Five minutes before the deadline? You've got some nerve, Yuu," said the colonel, Ichinose Guren, standing halfway up the staircase. His arms were crossed, yet he worse a slightly amused look on his face, like he was enjoying the display. "You know Kureto's not happy with slowpokes."
"I'm doing you all a favour to begin with," Yuu huffed, but smiled back at the older man. Even now, their relationship hadn't changed at all, and he sure hoped it never would. "And Kureto's never happy about anything regarding this… topic."
Guren chuckled, placing his large hand on the top of Yuuichirou's head, gently jerking him back and forth, until the young adult almost stumbled backwards from dizziness. He wore a barely visible smirk on his lips when he let go.
"I will guide you to his office," he said, although Yuu knew the location.
They got to the end of the hallway, standing in front of the door leading to Hiiragi Kureto's office. Guren knocked twice before pulling down the handle, allowing Yuu to enter first, but following close behind.
"Welcome."
Kureto sat by his desk, ink pen in hand, filling in reports, or so Yuu guessed. The man was dressed in his special military uniform, showing his status as the heir of his family.
A title stolen, of course, as his sister would have been the heir if only she hadn't passed away.
By his side was Sangu Aoi, standing by the window behind him, stiff as a statue. It was hard to tell if she was even breathing, and it was honestly a bit freaky. Yuu knew she was Mitsuba's sister, but… He didn't really see the resemblance.
Either way, he was here for a reason. Yuu stepped forward, and placed the documents on Kureto's desk, then cleared his throat.
"The list of human villages under our control, and the ones under vampire control."
The man took the documents out of the folder, eyes skimming through each of them.
"These are… decent," was all he responded.
'Wow, thanks asshole, I actually worked hard on those…' Yuu mentally grumbled. "You could at least have the decency to properly read them."
"Filling in paperwork isn't exactly Yuu's highest priority at the moment," Guren pointed out, patting his foster son on the shoulder.
"I am well aware," Kureto replied, and gently placed the pen on the table, next to the papers. Then, he leaned back in his chair, dark eyes meeting Yuu's for the first time since he entered. "I want to talk to you about that matter as well."
"About… what?" Yuu felt the corners of his lips twist into a nervous smile.
Had he done something he didn't remember? No, that couldn't be it. Had he just gotten so used to messing up, he automatically expected scolding and punishment when asked to talk? Probably.
"How is it going between you and the prince?"
The question left the raven blinking in surprise. For some reason, perhaps an obvious one, he had never expected to be asked something so personal by his military superior. What was he even supposed to respond to that?
"Um… It's going great, I guess?" he replied. "That's kind of a private question, though—"
"It's far from a private matter!" Kureto sharply interrupted. "We humans are currently at the mercy of vampires, the truce being the only thing stopping them from eradicating us!"
"No, really, it's a lot more complicated than that," Yuu pushed back. "It goes back to the vampire laws written by the two oldest vampires, and, erm…"
The current state of Japan. A ceasefire between the human army, and vampire army. A peace treaty through a political marriage between the vampire prince, and a human soldier.
It was something the vampires had wanted, because as Mika explained, the vampire laws written by the founders of vampire society specified just how important preserving human lives was. Vampires should, in fact, be encouraged to protect and save the lives of human civilians should they be in danger.
Learning that from Mika had been shocking, as he remembered clearly just how many vampires killed without mercy. Turns out, the vampires who were murdering, or simply drinking blood directly from a human, were all breaking vampire law, and would likely face imprisonment, or even execution had they been caught in the act by the founder.
"Why Krul was so eager for the truce? Hm, yes, I wonder… From what I remember, she was in trouble with the founder. There were rumours that he was planning to put her on trial for crimes against humanity, but offered her a pardon as a reward for ending the war in Japan."
That's what Mika had told him some time after their wedding.
The founder, Urd being his name, sounded like one scary guy if even Krul was afraid of him. But at the same time, he also sounded… surprisingly nice?
"Fact of the matter is, there is still tension between our species, and we don't want to risk a war breaking out if something happens between you and the prince," Kureto continued, eyes boring into Yuu's.
Yuu's eyes narrowed a little at the other man's words. He straightened his posture, and didn't move his gaze from Kureto's.
"Vampire or not, I have known Mika since I was a child. He isn't going to ask the queen to wage war on the humans over some marital dispute. And it's not like I am the sole reason why this truce worked out, Mika cares deeply for humanity," Yuu's voice was firm with each word. "I can't say the same for the fearmongers within the army."
The 'statue' suddenly made a sharp movement.
"You side with the vampires!?" Aoi, who was in fact not a mannequin, snapped. "How traitorous can you get, boy!?"
"Aoi, calm yourself," Kureto ordered, and although the blonde woman looked like she wanted to protest, she obeyed her boss. "It is true that some see you as a traitor for being involved with a vampire, but most civilians consider you a hero, a saviour of humanity. It's up to you to prove which is correct."
"Well, that's easy. Neither," Yuu felt prideful at how easily his determined words came to him. It didn't matter who he was speaking to, he was going to stand up for his partner, and their relationship. "I am no traitor, but also not a hero. I am just someone who happened to have my precious person turned into a vampire. That's all."
His green eyes shifted to Aoi, as if addressing her specifically next.
"I was kidnapped as a child, and held in a cold, depressing underground city, monitored by even colder beings. I am the last person who'd want to be ruled by vampires. But I am willing to work with them, should it save the lives of thousands of innocent people."
The room was quiet. Yuu wondered if he had said too much, but it wasn't like Guren had made an effort to stop him.
In the end, Kureto sighed.
"He is your kid, for sure," he said, briefly locking eyes with Guren, before returning his attention to Yuu. "Be it as it may, your relationship has still become a political tool. It is you who keep the public's morality high, and restores their faith in the moon demon company."
Of course, that's where his priorities lied. Keeping the people's loyalty. Yuu understood that the powerful sometimes needed to prioritize differently than the average human, but that still didn't mean he'd ever understand that mentality.
"So, is that all?" Guren broke the silence, eyes moving to the digital watch on the wristband around his left arm. "I need to catch up on some sleep."
"No one asked you to tag along," Yuu mumbled, but turned back to Kureto. "And, you know, if you are worried about the state of the truce, you could just ask Mika yourself. Considering he is, you know, your cousin."
Kureto's face remained unchanged. However… his eyes hardened. It was almost impressive how eyes alone could express such levels of anger and disgust.
"Hyakuya Yuuichirou," it was Aoi who spoke. "Do not equate him to a bloodsucker."
"I would never!" Yuu's lips curled into a smirk. "He doesn't hold a candle to my Mika."
"You insolent—"
KA-BOOM!
The explosion was so powerful, the entire building shook. With the force that felt like an earthquake, Yuu fell to the floor, the glass windows shattering around them. His ears were ringing, making it almost impossible to hear the alarm going off, the flashing red lights being the only indicator.
When the shaking stopped, Yuu managed to push himself up on wobbly feet. Kureto was standing by his desk, holding the reports he'd been filling out, with a displeased look on his face. Aoi had rushed to his side, probably the first time he'd seen her move position all day.
"The ink spilled all over it. I must redo it."
The raven, ignoring the lead Hiiragi heir, moved himself to the now empty windows, which took up more space than the actual wall. Now it was just a hole, wind hitting his face when he stuck his head out, looking out from above.
He noticed a thick, dark smoke. It came from the residential area, where the new recruits and students of the army were living. And, from the smoke, a large body emerged, not resembling any creature meant to wander the earth.
"A horseman? How the hell did it get all the way here?" Yuu asked out loud, stunned by the sight. It was much larger than the normal ones too. Wasn't the magical barrier supposed to keep them away?
"They have become more aggressive and rampant as of late, as well as increased in numbers," Guren detailed. "That one has evolved. It managed to sneak its way through the barrier it seems…"
"And no one's concerned about where it's headed!?" Yuu waved his finger in front of himself. "The recruits are unarmed, and vulnerable!"
"And you're too?"
"I left my weapon at home…" he grumbled regretfully. Why couldn't he learn to always have it by his side?
Guren shrugged, and casually yanked a katana from the wall of Kureto's office, one that was simply for display. It was completely regular, with no demonic power infused into the steel, but he threw it to Yuu nevertheless, who caught it.
"I will replace it if it's expensive," he turned to Kureto.
"Are you trying to be funny?" the other man shook his head.
Yuu, however, didn't waste any time before jumping right out of the window. It wasn't raining anymore, but the smell of moisture and smoke assaulted his senses as his body fell through the air.
He unsheathed the blade, plunging it into the side of the building, sliding down until he was able to land with a half roll. Then, he sprinted as fast as he could, towards the large beast he could see in the distance.
Even with a regular katana, with his current power… One slice should be enough—
Yuu's eyes widened when something collided with the monster, toppling it over.
It happened so fast, like it had been hit with a bullet.
There were screams. Soldiers had already gathered, surrounding the area, but many of them were just as lost as himself.
He got closer, and could now finally see the horseman in detail. Its monstrous 'head', its thick limbs able to pierce through steel, and most noticeable of all; the fresh, red blood spilling out of it. It tried standing back up, but didn't get far before one of its legs flew off, crashing to the ground, which cracked underneath its weight.
"Don't get closer!" a soldier suddenly shouted at him, but was promptly pushed to the side.
"Let me pass, I demand it!" he hissed, rushing past the soldier.
Because… because this had to be…
The laughter.
Childish. Cheerful. But so wrong.
A tiny person was sitting on top of the half-dead horseman, casually tearing off another leg, like a child tearing the limbs off spiders. If only the spider was a massive, apocalyptic monstrosity, and the child in question was not so much human…
His eyes were glowing red, and a similar colour could be seen oozing from his mouth. But it wasn't enough, he kept biting into the soft flesh beneath the cracked armour shell, sucking out more, drunk on the horseman's disgusting blood.
"What… is even going on…?" onlookers were whispering.
"Not even vampires act with such brutality…" they muttered fearfully. "I can't even tell which one is the monster…"
The comments filled Yuu with anger, and an urge to snap at them. Because how dare they say such a thing about… about…
"Get off the horseman! Move away from the body!" one soldier, who had been standing closer to what had now become a small battlefield, ordered the child.
"No!" the child yelled back, tearing off another large chunk of the creature's body, and throwing it at the soldier. It landed right in front of him, almost crushing the man. "I want more! I want to kill another one!"
The child's wide, crimson eyes scanned the area, as if looking for another enemy to slay. They shifted between the humans surrounding the horseman's body, thin pupils expanding slightly after noticing the weapons in some of their hands, as if they had become valid targets for those reasons.
That was until his gaze finally fell on the raven, standing in the middle of the crowd. Their eyes locked, green and red.
The child's expression changed in an instant. A huge smile stretched across his face.
"Father!" he called out.
Yuu's face turned a shade of pink. Several of the soldiers turned their heads, all staring at him.
Yeah, sure, perhaps it was weird to hear someone as young as himself being referred to that way. But… It was true.
"L-Luciel—!" he shouted back. "What the heck are you doing!? Get down from there!"
"Father! Did you see me just now?" his son beamed at him, way too cutely for a child covered in blood from head to toe.
"I… I did, but I also saw you attack that soldier! What were you thinking!?"
"No, I attacked the ground in front of him, actually," the little brunet argued.
"Oh dear god…" Yuu massaged the bridge of his nose.
Even in this situation? That child was on top of a monster, and still acted without a care in the world.
"Just… Come down, please!"
"But I want to kill another one!" Luciel practically demanded at this point.
"I hear you, bud. But this is the only one here," Yuu waved his arm around, as if showcasing the very horseman-less surroundings. "Unless you want me to magically teleport one next to you, there's nothing I can do about it."
Perhaps he realized how impossible his demand was. Or, more likely, Yuu had managed to stall out the bloodlust for long enough to allow his son to regain his senses. Whichever was the truth, Luciel had, at some point, been forced to accept that he wouldn't get to slay another horseman.
But that didn't mean he'd take it well.
Luciel sat down, and crossed his arms, with a very displeased, pouty expression on his face. It was actually really cute, or would have been if not for all the blood. Blood, which made the surface of the horseman a bit slippery…
His tiny body started sliding off, and down towards the ground beneath. Yuu's heart jumped to his throat for a moment, but Luciel gracefully landed in the exact same sitting position, arms crossed, and pouting.
If not for the context, it might have been hilarious.
*
"So, it is you again."
"Yup, it's me again," Luciel replied sourly.
He was sitting on a small chair in Kureto's office, with large mittens covering his hands in order to prevent any more violence from the little half-demon. He was calm about that fact, having grown accustomed to the demon army's safety procedures.
"You have caused trouble," the eldest Hiiragi heir spoke slowly, yet his voice was firm. His dark eyes were piercing through the demon, but it gave him no reaction other than a bored yawn.
"Apparently. Why else would I be here?" the child shrugged. "Who'd ever volunteer to see your face willingly?"
"You act like this is all a joke."
"Duh. It kinda is to me!" Luciel retorted, crimson eyes narrowing. "See, I defeated that monster all on my own. And I am only a year old. I should get praise, and a shiny gold thing. The youngest horseman slayer in history!"
Yuu, who had been standing behind the child's chair, started massaging his temple.
Luciel was indeed chronologically young. But he had already reached the biological age of what he and Mika had determined to be around eight years old. Still quite young, but not exactly a baby either.
"You are allowed on moon demon grounds on the condition that you behave," Kureto's voice was sharp. "If you cause any future disturbances we will ban you."
Luciel did not like that. He crossed his arms over his chest, something he did every time he was displeased.
"You know, my grandfather owns this place," the child asserted confidently. "I will tell him about how badly you treat me, and you will get fired."
Yuu could see the very neatly groomed eyebrow of the Hiiragi heir twitch.
"N-now, now Luce—! Don't act like a spoiled, little child," Yuu quickly interjected. Better to not let it escalate further.
But, thinking about it, had Yuu known about Shika Madu being the founder and true leader of the demon army back when he first joined, he would have totally taken advantage of it himself. The entire system was built upon nepotism anyways, so who could fault him?
"There are words about your relation to our patron god, and it's apparently not going… great at the moment," Kureto challenged.
"When has it ever…?" Yuu looked to the side.
The revelation that Mika's long-lost father was in fact the demon army's patron deity had come as a shock to everyone, despite their efforts to play it cool. Even Yuu, who had been too preoccupied with different emotions around that time, had come to realize how strange the entire situation was after the fact.
The first vampire, Shika Madu, founding his own cult, the Hiiragi, leaders of the demon army, being worshipped by them as their god, and eventually wedding one of them, resulting in the birth of Mikaela? It did sound completely insane.
Though, despite being his flesh and blood, Mika didn't like Shika Madu, even if he tolerated his existence. That's what happens when an entire relationship is built on lies, manipulation, and memory tampering.
"Oh, and—" Luciel suddenly opened his mouth again, turning to the woman standing behind Kureto's chair. "If you want to become aunt one day, you should try to look a little friendlier. At this rate, Guren has higher odds."
Aoi's face turned just slightly redder. The look in her eyes told the raven that she wanted to pick that child up, and throw him right out the now empty window frame.
"Higher odds…?" Kureto questioned.
"At getting with yo—"
Yuu slapped his hand over his son's mouth, muffling out the end of the sentence no one in this room wanted to hear uttered.
"Sorry. I will take him back home."
"I wonder why you even brought him in the first place," the Hiiragi heir pointed out the obvious.
"Both Mika and I have duties. Can't just leave the kids alone," Yuu reasoned.
"And! I wanted to see Shinoa!" Luciel's eyes lit up. "That's why I wanted to come!"
"Ah," Kureto murmured. "Well, she is not here."
"Huh…?" the child blinked in confusion.
"She is currently in vampire territory with the prince."
At these news, Luciel turned to Yuu with an angry glare, arms crossed yet again.
"Don't look at me like that, I didn't know," he gave his son a light slap against the back of his head.
With no reasons left to stay, Yuu was able to take his son home without any further protests.
*
Clothes…
Toys…
Fresh food…
Mikaela listed off every single thing loaded by the entrance of the vampire city. Large, wooden boxes was carried inside, deep underground, where the human children were kept, safe from monsters, and now safe from bad-intentioned vampires as well.
Because Mikaela was in charge of it now. The entire section of the vampire city where humans were living had been gifted to him as a wedding gift from his adopted mother, Krul.
Had his 'gift' ended up being just a way for her to dump even more labour on him? Maybe. But he didn't mind if it was for a good cause. And, it wasn't like his vampiric body had any trouble with the physical labour. Not that he wasn't receiving help.
He walked down the tunnel, leading to the underground city. Common vampires greeted him with respect, his white, royal uniform, adorned with more golden accessories than he thought necessary, proof of his status. Now that his true lineage had been revealed to some of the higher-standing vampires, his rank had increased even further, though simultaneously becoming more controversial.
Whatever people were thinking, he didn't let it bother him. He wasn't doing this for approval, after all. Only one priority was on his mind.
Children's smiles and laughter.
They were running around in the same city the vampire prince had grown up in. Once cold, carrying a scent of terror every corner, had been transformed into a safe haven for orphans, no vampire allowed to bother or mistreat them any longer.
The children's eyes moved to him, and they all gasped in excitement.
"The big brother prince is here!"
More children approached, circling the prince with joyful expressions on their faces. Mika smiled gently at them, raising his hand to pet their heads. Just like he used to, back when he and Yuu were taking care of the younger orphans…
And, also similar to back then, Mikaela couldn't properly hear what each child was trying to tell him, as they all eagerly spoke at the same time, their words becoming an amalgamation of unrecognizable sounds.
"Give him some space, now," a voice broke through the sounds of the children.
She stepped towards them, just barely taller than the older children. Despite nearing adulthood, her stature remained the same as when she had stopped growing already in her early teen years. But her choice of clothing, a buttoned-up white shirt, and a knee-long, blue skirt helped her stand out as more mature than them. Her heels also gained her a few inches.
"You are done already, Shinoa?" the prince asked, receiving a short nod from the young woman.
"Everything they need for their education has been distributed to every household," she confirmed with a smile. "Those who study hard, and show potential in the arts of mage craft might be recruited into the demon army one day!"
"…I think society should prioritize different talents to rebuild humanity," Mikaela murmured.
He patted the children on their shoulders, subtly telling them to be on their way. They returned to their groups, possibly wanting to return home as quickly as possible to check out the new packages they'd received, like eager children flocking to the tree on Christmas morning.
Shinoa watched them as they ran away, so cheerful and carefree, nothing like one would imagine from the previously oppressive city under the ground.
"They like you a lot," she commented.
"It wasn't always like this," the prince gave her a half-way smile. "Before, the kids who used to live here would run away in fear at the sight of me."
After all, he was a predator. A monster, who relied on humans for food. And that, despite everything, hadn't changed one bit since back then. The only difference now was, frankly, that he was viewed more like a shepherd than a wolf, despite both ultimately feeding on the sheep.
"Hey," Shinoa's hand pat him on the lower back. "You're making an expression like you're having some self-deprecating thoughts."
"Truly?" the vampire blinked, more surprised by her ability to notice.
"Your eyes tend to get all weird when you do, like they are staring off into the distance," she explained.
"Ah…"
Shinoa's lips formed into a tiny smile, as she leaned against him, head resting against his shoulder, at least as much as the difference in height between the two would allow. And even if he didn't reciprocate any physical affection of his own, the way he welcomed it was enough for her.
They stayed like that for a while, watching as some more kids ran past. White flashed in Mikaela's eyes, making him blink, as he saw a group of cheerful children pass them by, their leader a boy with raven hair and rich, green eyes, followed by a blond, blue-eyed boy, who could easily have been mistaken for a girl. Behind them were the younger children, chasing after their pack elders with smiles on their faces.
Mikaela blinked again, and they were gone. The ghosts of his past, of all their pasts, disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. Yuu-chan, himself, the orphans they had looked after, they were now just a memory.
Yet, green eyes looked up at him, blond hair framing an angelic face.
"Daddy…?"
Mikaela's eyes widened a little, finally snapping out of it. He glanced down, spotting the child who had silently walked up to him. He was small, with fair skin, and a cherubic face. The near spitting image of Mikaela back when he'd been around the child's age, only a little more doll-like, a little more feminine, golden hair longer, and reaching just below his shoulders, with pointy ears poking out from underneath the locks.
Michael. The smaller one of the homunculus twins, born from his flesh, and Yuu's blood. He was dressed in white, making him appear even more like an angel, not so different from himself back when he used to live in this very place. Though, his white attire had nothing to do with the old livestock uniforms the children were required to wear before Mika took over the place, it was rather a well-designed outfit given to him by his grandmother, the vampire queen herself.
Even though they weren't related by blood, Krul sure loved playing grandma for the twins. Mikaela never figured out if she was personally interested in it, or if she was simply doing it to spite Shika Madu, wanting him to feel like a deadbeat in comparison.
As for Michael, and the way he was now referring to Mikaela… It had to happen at some point.
After his political marriage to Yuu, Mika had officially become the twins' stepfather. However, if he was going to be their parents either way, they decided it was for the best to admit the truth to them. That Mika was, in fact, their biological dad.
The children had taken the reveal differently. Luciel had merely shrugged, as though he already figured it out a long time ago. On the other hand there was Michael, that boy had been a lot more expressive, eyes going wide and sparkling like the universe's deepest secrets had just been exposed to him. Finally, the physical similarities between himself and "mister vampire" all made sense.
They had refrained from telling them about the nature of their birth. The lab, the cult, and everything surrounding it. Even now, after time had passed, no one had managed to figure out the truth about that cult, or what they really wanted.
The only things they knew for sure; they were connected to Mikaela's biological mother, Shika Madu's deceased wife, and they wanted Mikaela for something involving the artificial children.
Questions still emerged from the depths of his mind at times, the worry and paranoia after being kidnapped never truly leaving him. Not even after a year of peace, without a trace of the cult, nor another attempt to take him away.
The peaceful days meant that Mikaela could focus on what was important, at least. Be a good parent, but also a caring prince. Truth to be told, he did spend most of his time doing charity work for human orphans. As a parent? He…
Mikaela picked the young Michael up with gentle hands. Though it was strained, he offered a smile.
"I see you are tired. Let's go home," he spoke softly.
Michael rested his head against Mikaela's shoulder, closing his emerald eyes shut.
"Cute," Shinoa commented, a smile creeping up her cheeks.
Mika let out a light huff, but returned her smile. After telling the children goodbye for now, the two followed the path towards the outside of the underground city, climbing up the long stairs until they could smell the wet air after rain.
Shinoa kept looking the vampire prince up and down the whole time, as well as the child in his arms, occasionally letting out a few sighs.
"I want one too," she finally whined softly.
"A what?" Mikaela blinked.
"A child," the ashen-haired girl clarified, pointing at the young blond. "A tiny one I can love and cherish."
She moved her arms in hugging motions, like she too wanted to carry one around.
"You are tiny enough yourself, aren't you?" the vampire countered.
"Hey," Shinoa puffed up her cheeks, eyes narrowing at the taller teen, who chuckled.
"Shinoa, I didn't expect you of all people to fall victim to baby-fever," Mikaela said. "Have you even considered a father?"
The young woman hummed, index finger pressed against her bottom lip.
"Well, if I somehow manage to get pregnant by a vampire…"
"Vampire? You want a vampire father?" Mika's eyes widened a bit.
"Come on, look how adorable Michael is with his little fangs, and pointy ears!" she made a light squealing noise. "Of course I want one like that too! Humans and vampires are at peace now, so I don't see why it'd be a problem to do a little mixing!"
"If… that is even possible," the prince murmured. It was commonly believed that humans and vampires were incompatible as breeding partners, but then again, Shika Madu had managed to produce an offspring by laying with a human woman, so it wasn't unheard of.
"So, if you know some vampires who are hot and single, hit me up," she gave him a wink.
"I… don't think I would want to recommend any of them to you…" Mika responded honestly.
Truce or not, he was not going to help a sheep court a wolf.
*
They arrived at Yuu and Mika's residence later. It was a traditional, Japanese house, fairly large, with a second floor and garden, surrounded by a few trees that had grown freely since after the apocalypse that destroyed most of the world almost a decade ago. The house originally belonged to Guren's family, the Ichinose clan, but had now become Yuu's official home, Guren having no use for it.
When they entered the building, a delicious scent fount its way to their noses. The small blond in Mikaela's arms sniffed the air, raising his head from his previous sleeping position, looking around as if to find the source of the smell, before realizing he was home.
Mikaela helped him take his shoes of, so the child could run into the living room area, which would lead him to the kitchen, where he'd be able to greet the person currently in the process of cooking up something tasty.
"Papa!" his voice echoed through the house.
"To be greeted like that every day," Shinoa sighed, placing her own shoes next to all the other pairs lined up by the wall.
They walked inside, following the sounds of giggles. Shinoa had a point, such sounds, the sound of a happy family, had to be the dream of many. A dream most had long let go of, seeming impossible to fulfil it after the apocalyptic event. But now, after nearly ten years, it had become reality.
"Ah, Mika!" a voice called out to him.
Someone carefully stepped through the open archway leading to the kitchen, holding a spoon in one hand, while using the other to balance the little Michael against his hip, the child's arms wrapped around his neck in a hug.
"Yuu-chan, I am back," the vampire greeted.
"Yes, welcome home Mika," Yuu smiled, eyes darting to the shorter person by his side. "Oh, and Shinoa is here too. Long time no see!"
"It's only been two weeks," Shinoa reminded him. "A Hiiragi doesn't have much free time, you know. And the little I have, I prefer spending with Mikaela anyways."
"Sorry, I know you are overworked," the raven replied, tapping his fingers against Michael's thigh, signalling him to let go, so he could place him back down on the floor. "Stay for dinner, at least."
Mikaela nudged her side.
"Sit down and relax," he told her, before following his partner into the kitchen. "Yuu-chan, I will help."
"Papa, Michael too!" Michael said, quickly disappearing after his parents.
Shinoa let out another sigh, but did as she was told. After a long day of fulfilling her duties, the soft couch did look very appealing. She sat down, stretching her arms above her head, a few cracking sounds heard from her joints.
Peace wasn't effortless. It required a lot of travelling, and the writing of many reports. Distributing food, medicine, building new homes, and moving people into safe areas was all serious business one couldn't be careless about. However, it was still better than having to fight for their lives every day, so it wasn't like she wanted to complain.
Lost in her thoughts about the previous weeks, and the tasks still at hand, she didn't notice something, or rather someone, sneaking like a predator around the couch. Not until it pounced.
"Shinoa!"
A body, much heavier than before, having grown bigger and stronger in no time, landed on top of her thighs, and partly her stomach, knocking the wind out of her.
Crimson red eyes, a boyish grin with glistening fangs, and a pair of horns sticking out from beneath chocolate brown locks.
"L-Luciel…" she couched, hand instinctively finding its way to the top of his head, pushing it away just slightly.
"You came to see me!" he stated matter-of-factly, wrapping his arms around her slim waist, despite her hand on his head attempting to keep some distance between them. "I went with Father to work today to see you, but you weren't there. I had to see Kureto instead. Ew."
Luciel grimaced.
"I hope he wasn't mean to you, then," she replied, though worrying a little about what Luciel could have probably gotten involved with to have her eldest brother speak to him. Usually, he avoided everything involving Mikaela, and therefore also his children.
He still had a hard time accepting the reality of the truce, and the secrets about the Hiiragi clan that had been uncovered in the process. Mikaela, the vampire prince they had grown to despise, being revealed as a fellow Hiiragi had been quite the blow.
Despite the legal documents hidden away in the Hiiragi estate proving Mikaela's true identity as 'Hiiragi Mikaela' on his birth certificate, he had refused to change his name back, though, insisting to continue as Hyakuya.
Well, considering the political marriage, he would have ended up as a Hyakuya, with Hiiragi as his maiden name anyways…
Once the food was finished, and table set, everyone gathered to share the meal. Yuu and Mika were seated on opposing sides, Michael insisting on sitting next to Yuu, while Luciel wanted the spot next to Shinoa, resulting in her being seated between Mika and Luciel, as Shinoa herself desired the spot next to her milk sibling.
The atmosphere around the table was lively, nothing like Shinoa's own family. If anything, it reminded her of the meals she had shared with Mikaela, Shika Madu, and his wife, all the way back in her youth.
Mikaela still struggled with being a parent to the twins, she could tell, they all could. But he was trying, he treated them warmer, truly wanting to do better, and that alone was more than anything Shinoa's father had ever done for her.
"How was today?" she suddenly asked, after swallowing another spoon of the chicken soup Yuu had made from scratch. She had to admit, he was getting really good at cooking. "I heard Luciel had a run-in with my brother."
"Ah," Yuu awkwardly glanced to the side. "Yeah, there was an incident of sorts. Horseman broke through the protective barrier unexpectedly, and it was Luciel who killed it."
Luciel puffed his chest out with pride, his smirk practically screaming "look how big and strong I am Shinoa!"
But Shinoa's eyes narrowed in alarm.
"Again? It hasn't even been three weeks since last time a horseman was able to breach a barrier. And this time, so close to the headquarters?"
"A coincidence, or is this becoming a more frequent problem?" Mikaela followed up.
"I am not sure," Yuu admitted. "Guren didn't say much about it."
"Which can mean anything from him having it under control, or keeping some really important secret," Shinoa pointed out. "With that man, it's impossible to tell."
"Erm, I suppose you are right about that…" Yuu scratched the back of his head.
"But this is a massive problem, isn't it? You have spoken with the vampires about it already, haven't you?" Shinoa turned to Mikaela, who gave her a nod.
"We have mobilized more vampires to patrol the areas outside the safe zones, tasked with eliminating horsemen, after observing an increase in activity," the vampire prince clarified. "And, they all report similar things. That horsemen suddenly started increasing in numbers not too long ago, they are becoming more aggressive, and might be adapting to human technology."
It was a recent phenomenon, that's why there wasn't a lot of data on it. But the problem seemed to be escalating at a drastic rate if another one actually broke through the protective barrier once more.
"I have been in charge of maintaining, as well as setting up protective barriers to expand our safe zones. My new squad is efficient and thorough, and we haven't noticed any flaws in our system," Shinoa recounted, before her voice lowered into mumbling. "If horsemen truly are adapting, then… What should we…? And why so suddenly…?"
A gentle hand was placed on top of her shoulder.
"Shinoa, calm down about it for now," Mika spoke gently, his voice alone like a comforting caress. "The demon army will inform us about their findings in due time, or else I will bring it up to them personally. We have to find a cause and solution before we panic."
The tension in Shinoa's body slowly disappeared, and the tight grip she didn't even realize she had around the spoon loosened.
"You… are right," she replied. "I might be overthinking it…"
She looked to the two children, who had been staring at the teens with more confusion than anything, too young to understand what they were discussing. She gave them a smile, reminding herself that she shouldn't sour the mood with her worries.
They continued eating, sky slowly turning dark outside the windows.
Michael turned his head, staring through the glass, at the vast blue and purple firmament above, a single evening star reflected in his emerald eyes.
*
"Are you sure?"
The being of indescribable beauty nodded his head, silver strands swaying gently behind him as he moved towards the glass walls of the tall building, golden eyes staring towards the horizon, in the direction of something, far, far away, out of his field of vision, yet in his mind's eye he saw it clearly now.
"This unusual activity is caused by something. Something that has finally turned unstable," his smooth voice carried through the room like a gentle breeze. "At long last, another one has revealed itself to me."
Shika Madu raised his arm, finger pointed at the specific location, the source to the instability. Threads of chaos, moving across the sky, and gathering in a single area.
"One of Michaela's sinful keys."