Finding Peace

Cain Warlock stretched getting up from his big comfy chair that sat in his rather expansive office at the Marine Bank. He loved his job, but hated the chaos of his life. Jiro was here still. A thorn in his side since he had little faith that the young boy could handle the job of Silver Blade and the fact Jiro was a hothead didn’t help.

The one thing that Cain could be certain of was that he could always expect an argument when he came in contact with Jiro Mochizuki since the boy preferred to cause more trouble than allow others to assist him. Some battles were not meant to fight alone and besides that the Silver Blade as far as Cain was concerned was just a time bomb waiting to explode.

Cain had a difficult time with the fact the Lord Dragon had accepted young Jiro into his coven. Cain had served Lord Sei for years, but this was the first time that the Lord Dragon had agreed with Zelman Clock.

Zelman to Cain was another problem child he did not wish to tolerate. Just because Zelman was 800 years old did not mean that Zelman was doing anything except causing more problems than good by being involved in the council. Zelman was too crafty to be trusted. Cain had seen his kind before and nothing good would come out of any idea that Zelman Clock thought up even if he had been an asset for a time getting Cassa and her lot out of the Special Zone. That didn’t stop her from causing chaos. Zelman should have destroyed her. He had the power to.

Cain knew that having the Sage amongst them and within the Lord Dragon’s house was the wisest choice since the vampires agreed outside of the human councilors that for their benefit the Sage should be protected by the most powerful of the houses. Kotaro was welcomed and a pleasant addition. It was Jiro that was the problem.

Looking at the blood pack containing his blood Cain knew there was no way he would trust Jiro to drink from him although Zelman probably practically threw himself at the young man. Zelman wasn’t one to hesitate on anything. Cain also carried the Lord Dragon’s blood in another pack. He would kill Jiro himself if he tried to drink from Lord Sei. There were just some things that even to some vampires were considered sacrilege. Drinking from Lord Sei to Cain Warlock was one of those things.

This was such a foolish plan, but one that would keep from causing a war. He carried the blood packs of every vampire house in the Special Zone. The only thing they could all agree to was that humans would never understand why they didn’t involve them especially Zhang Lei Kao.

Blood was to be given to Jiro and this way the Sage’s blood was not being drunk from any house. It was still untouched to a point since Jiro was not the bloodline’s purest source. Jiro was just a companion to the first Sage and all the powerful blood still resided within Kotaro who was the source blood.

Kotaro would eventually figure things out although Cain doubted Jiro would ever understand bloodlines. Giving a bloodline back to the source? That was idiotic when the source had the bloodline in their veins and just chose not to listen to their blood. Kotaro had the memories of Alice Eve. He just was too damn young and poorly trained. Sei would assist with the training and then Kotaro would be able to fulfill his destiny.

After the Lord Dragon found out about Jiro’s fool idea from Mimiko’s rather open ended friend Hibari through Zelman it was evident what had to be done. Jiro didn’t have a home so they would make sure he did and that he was controlled even if he didn’t like it. Lord Sei also would not allow Zelman to have the Silver Blade. Jiro and Kotaro as far as they knew were still responsible to the Company. That was the best way to keep the peace.

Putting on his jacket, Cain walked out of the office heading in the direction of where Jiro and Zelman were supposed to meet him. He was not paying much attention when he knocked into a young red haired woman carrying a bunch of papers that went flying. He really had no time for this.

“I am sorry Miss.”

The woman took his hand and hadn’t looked at his face as they gathered her papers after he helped her up. The wind had made her long hair fall a bit from her haphazard bun and after gathering the rest of the papers Cain was surprised since the woman was quite attractive. Nice and curvy too, which was a plus in his book although he tried to maintain a semblance of looking as though he wasn’t looking at such things.

“Thank you, I appreciate you stopping to help rather than just running off like most guys. Guess chivalry isn’t dead.”

Cain noticed no ring on her finger. Still that didn’t mean much.

“I certainly hope not. Good day Mam.”

Cain stated firmly as he walked away hearing from her lips as she whispered ‘tall dark handsome drink of water can run into me any day’. At that Cain couldn’t help swallowing a bit since it had been ages since he had been ogled and smirked as he watched the curvaceous red haired beauty walk away. Perhaps he would see her again. He hoped so and then realized his own thoughts. Cain Warlock didn’t have time for this nonsense. He had things to do and he was busy. Social lives were for people who were not him even if she did smell good like the fresh flowers that sat on his secretary’s desk.

“Damn.”

Cain stated as he tried to get his mind back to the problem at hand wishing he did have time to relax and just do business as usual which would give him time to have somewhat of a life. However, it was better to be in a foul mood when seeing Jiro than to have any kind of enjoyable feeling that would be crushed as soon as he came in contact with his two worst nightmares.

Zelman was waiting for Cain, but Jiro was not there yet. Giving the usual greeting with a slight bow, Cain and Zelman spoke as usual. Cain was old enough that he could consider Zelman to be nothing more than another pain in the ass kid, but tried his best to show respect to the Crimson Eyed Prince that did indeed hold more power than he did.

“What is going on Zelman? Where is the Silver Blade?”

Cain stated since there was no way in hell he was giving over the blood packs to Zelman Clock.

“Jiro will be here soon enough. He is currently double checking on Mimiko and Hibari to make sure that Hibari doesn’t leave the room. She is ill.”

Cain snorted.

“Don’t give me that Zelman. I know you and I know you drained her. I doubt Lord Sei will wish for you to be in the Special Zone for long if you continue to defy orders. It wasn’t much to ask to let her be for two weeks knowing she was a donor and not a compromiser for you. It was a gift from the Company that they did not have to offer.’
“You have the freedom we all do to feed on donors so why are you insisting as an 800 year old vampire who should know better to feed upon a young girl to the point of making her ill? I do not understand the Company ever giving you such a child. It is like handing you a new toy you can break.”

Zelman shrugged.

“Well if you know me so well, than you would know how hard it is to resist a virgin. Not that I will allow her to be one forever. That would indeed be too cruel of me.”

Cain looked completely disgusted.

“As an old blood I assumed toying with virgins was below you. You are too old for such business Zelman. Let her choose and find a young man her own age.”

Zelman lit up a smoke.

“Her own age, they know nothing and besides it really isn’t your business Cain what I do with my donors. Perhaps if you got out more often old man, you might enjoy life a bit too.’
“What, are you going to tell Jiro that he can’t be with Mimiko when the time comes? I am not blind you know. Children grow up like it or not it will happen someday.”

Cain huffed at that comment. It was about the dumbest thing he had ever heard.

“The young human women are my business Zelman and you are not a young man even if you wish to be. Hibari Kusunogi is still part of the Company and although you may not like it she can be taken from you if you abuse your privileges.’
“Jiro is a young idiot, but he is not as young as Ms. Katsuragi and so I am hoping he knows better than to act like a fool although I highly doubt my hope will be of any use.”

Zelman smoked his cigarette without a care as he blew smoke in Cain’s direction not giving a damn about the old wolf. He was an ass and Zelman could care less about Cain’s opinion on things except when it came to the Lord Dragon. If Cain was not in tight with Lord Sei than Zelman would have loved to pick a fight with him to see what he was made of. Cain was fun to mess with and a decent conversationalist. Other than that Zelman had really no interest in being around the old fart for too much longer.

“I am here Lord……I mean Zelman and Lord Cain Warlock.”

Cain watched as Jiro fumbled a bit and than did the usual formal greeting as required. Zelman smirked at Cain’s definite disapproval of Jiro gaining the privilege of a first name basis with the Crimson Eyed Prince. That was just asking for more trouble and Cain didn’t need that here.

“I don’t know what is going on between you two, but you will continue to use the proper greeting and terminology with Lord Zelman Jiro Mochizuki especially in front of the council while here in the Special Zone. This is a privilege young man not something that we are just handing to you without consequences.”

Zelman looked at Jiro and shrugged.

“He is right about that much Jiro. When it is just you and me that is different unless you come to my coven. Then of course you can call me by my first name around anyone.”

Cain growled. This was not good letting Jiro hang out with Zelman and he could see from Zelman’s neck that Jiro already had a connection to the jerk.

“Jiro, you will come with me. We will speak later Lord Zelman Clock.”

Cain ground out Zelman’s name as Zelman smirked and took off for a while.

“Jiro, do not get too comfortable with Lord Zelman. You are only asking for more trouble. Forget Hibari and the humans. You have to think about Cassa, the Sage’s life, and stop going about like a young idiot who has time to get into trouble. You are already on a thin line with the houses and what I am about to do is taboo. It is not something that we do for just anyone and if you mess this up I swear I will kill you myself.”

Cain gave over the blood packs.

“What are these? Mimiko gives me enough of them from the Company so I really am ok Cain.”

Cain than realized that Zelman didn’t tell him everything or did Jiro really think that he was going to let him drink from his body? He had to test this theory.

“Jiro, what did Zelman tell you about what is going on?”

Jiro then looked at the blood packs and turned bright red. Cain almost busts up laughing.

“Well, I just thought…….”

Cain sighed and shook his head.

“Zelman may not give a damn, but I am not going to let a snot nosed kid like you drink from me. I know the effects and you are not going to….well it doesn’t matter. What you did with Zelman is not my business. I would not have expected that from you though.’
“If you honestly thought I would allow you to drink from the Lord Dragon know I would throttle the life from you. You are a problem to me and to this Zone. You bring problems to us, but nothing we can’t control. So here take these and drink all of them now.”

Jiro sat on the bench and Cain watched as Jiro tried to drink them without feeling like he was doing something wrong since Cain kept looking at him like he was committing a sin.

“I don’t agree with this, but it will stop a war. Lord Zhang Lei Kao made it quite clear that the Sage’s blood cannot be touched. You are not the Sage. Now you have the bloodline of gods, Kings, and it is a big responsibility Jiro.”

When Jiro finished he was still blushing. Did Cain really think he was like that?

“I didn’t do anything with Lord Zelman other than drink his blood.”

Cain waved it off as he took the packs from Jiro placing them in the briefcase he brought with him. They would be properly disposed of so that this power Jiro had would not be passed onto others.

“I don’t care what you did Jiro. Just know I am disappointed in you and I believe this is a bad idea. You do not have time to cater to two young women. You should be with the Lord Dragon watching over the Sage as is your position.'
"Associating yourself with Lord Zelman is dangerous and foolish. He is not to be trusted. Right now we are watching him through his donor. We are also watching you. Jiro you must be twice as observant to your actions due to who you are. As the Silver Blade you are in danger of being the threat rather than being the one to quell it.'
"I know you don’t much care for me or my advice. I know I don’t like you because of your past, but I know you can change it so I will attempt to advise you as I see fit. It is in your best interest that you listen. Do not be fooled, you will fall if you keep going on as you are and you will lose the Sage again if you do not pay attention to what is most important. Nothing else matters not even the Special Zone if you cannot do what it is you are here to do.”

With that Cain left and Jiro felt rather pissed. He knew what his life was about and he knew even if he hated knowing it that he would sacrifice even Mimiko for Kotaro. Even Mimiko knew that much.

“Hey, sorry to reprimand you like that in front of Cain, but sometimes he is right. Other times he is an asshole so don’t let him get to you.”

Jiro felt like he should be shocked that Zelman was there, but he wasn’t.

“I understand, but he is right. You know they don’t trust you and I don’t either.”

Zelman smiled as he lit another smoke.

“Ya, well that is my reputation. I know that I am not to be trusted, but hell I live. I enjoy each moment. Tell me Jiro, do you ever listen to your blood? You should right now since you have a lot of power running through you. It would be interesting to find out what it knows.”

Jiro shrugged.

“Why, so it can tell me like Cain does how I failed Alice? So I can live with my memories forever and have to sit to wait for Cassa to show up so I can finally get my vengeance, justice, whatever it is anymore.”

Zelman sat seriously thinking about what Jiro was stating.

“So everyone blames you for the Sage’s death. Yet he was reborn so in truth Alice never died. See you can’t be blamed for someone dying if they are reborn since that is like blaming the moon for changing its light patterns.'
"You see to be one thing, than be another doesn’t change what it is. It is still the moon just as Alice was the Sage so is Kotaro. It changes nothing except the form for a time. Kotaro however will not become Alice since he will always be a male and she was your lover.'
"Kotaro is like your child, although you call him brother. This is all pretty simple if you ask me. Perhaps it is elders like the Sage, Lord Sei, and others that must be reborn after so many years. Maybe even I will have that phenomenon occur in my lifetime.”

Jiro looked at Zelman and Zelman smiled as he laughed at himself inside since he doubted that he would allow himself to be reborn.

“I am evil Jiro, but I accept it. I do not expect you to be like me, but I do expect most black bloods to be vampires not ninnies who whimper about things they cannot change.’
“Eventually I will probably be driven from the Special Zone, but if that is because I choose to live as I see fit than is that is hypocritical. Is that not against what this place is about? The Special Zone is about freedom Jiro. The freedom to do as you please amongst humans and be who you are without some bastard vampire hunter after your ass. As long as I play my cards right I get what I want, but I do not intend to completely change.’
“You have more responsibility for now. However, you are not alone Jiro. You are amongst friends and assholes like Cain who will help you when the time comes. You have a compromiser who is also a donor…..”

Jiro frowned and retorted to that remark.

“Mimiko is not my donor. I only took blood……”

Zelman waved a hand up shooing that comment away.

“You could have taken from anyone around you Jiro. You had control and she offered. Like it or not Mimiko is a donor of sorts. She offered it and you took it as is part of what you are. It is part of this evil that we are Jiro.’
“I just do not choose to hide my life behind blinders. You wish to pretend to be a Hero and you have been. However, when Mimiko’s apartment was destroyed and you were teaching those bastards a lesson did you not think destroying them was not evil? Many vampires may not have shared your point of view. Killing our own kind, well except for those Kowloon bastards, is not looked well upon.”

Jiro wondered if Cain was right, but at the same time he knew Zelman wasn’t lying either. It was so damn confusing and frustrating.

“You are right Zelman, but I don’t have the freedom to just be what I want. I have responsibilities to the Sage and I can’t fail again. I just can’t live with it.”

Zelman could see the fight within Jiro. He wanted to be free to do what he wanted to just like any man, but deep down he had a fear that Zelman might be able to twist to make him come to his side. Jiro needed a friend after all.

“Well, you don’t have to. There are many of us who will stand by you here Jiro. Just don’t expect them to be Cain Warlock as far as words go. The man is cold and only lives to serve Lord Sei making him a bore.'
"You aren’t allowed to go visit Kotaro are you? So how is this ability to not protect him right now your fault? What are you supposed to stand guard or watch for hours when we all know that Lord Sei can destroy Cassa in seconds if she comes near Kotaro? I think that you need to get over your guilt trip and come have some fun. You haven’t really got to know this place and we were having fun before Wolf jerk showed up.”

Jiro smirked a bit still blushing.

“You know Cain knows I drank from you.”

Zelman smiled wide.

“What did he think of that?”

Jiro wanted to whack Zelman who looked rather pleased with himself.

“He thinks the worst…..that you an I…….”

Zelman laughed.

“Good, it is about time that there was a rumor about me that was not about how I take advantage of people or manipulate them. That should make the office blush, well except for that fellow Rinsuke Akai. He probably has a thing for you Jiro and is crying as we speak.”

Jiro wanted to scream. It was bad enough with the council and everyone seeing him as a problem just being the Silver Blade. It was another to see him as a homosexual.

“I am not gay Zelman. We didn’t do anything like that.”

Zelman fluttered his eyelashes.

“What am I not pretty enough for you? Are my Crimson Eyes not beguiling enough?”

Jiro backed away as Zelman stalked him.

“No….they aren’t...well not like that to me anyway. Just because you are pretty because Kotaro said so doesn’t mean I don’t know what is under……hey ya know we got to get back to spying on Mimiko and Hibari…..”

Jiro took off as Zelman cracked up laughing at the poor man. Zelman indeed had lived long enough to see, experience, and do about everything. Still, he wouldn’t fix Jiro’s problem. It was too much fun having a rumor about him going around that was not about Zelman being evil. It was also good for Jiro and the rumor about his lack of ability to protect the Sage.