Shape

Quickly, the wound on Rio’s chest began to seal itself. The blood evaporated without a trace, as if it had never left her veins. Akashi's breathing became heavy, as if he had forgotten to take a breath while sucking the blood from Rio.

I stood there, in the room, watching, my mouth agape. In a way, I was amazed.

After a few seconds, her blood had completely disappeared. The black stain of coagulated blood turned blue, back to the natural color of the sweatshirt she was wearing.

There was no sound, no fanfare, no special lighting. There was no ceremony, nor would there be one at any point. There was nothing special about the vampiric transformation.

At a certain moment, Rio began to react. A timid moan escaped her lips, and she writhed slightly. At that moment, she had started breathing again.

Soon the wound had closed up completely. Her clothes, however, remained torn, the hole turning into a kind of improvised decolletage. I finally exhaled when I saw she was, once again, breathing.

I couldn't say, however, that she had regained her color. After all, earlier she was pale due to the extensive bleeding that the wound had caused her. Now, even without the wound, she was pale simply because she had become a vampire. Her eyes, once brown, had lost their color and become a bright shade of blue. They looked like the eyes of a doll, and matched her sweatshirt beautifully.

For a moment, I had the impression that she was even more beautiful as a vampire. Her body had also changed slightly; it was more defined, stronger, more slender. Not that it wasn't all of the above before.

I assumed it had something to do with the vampires' metabolism. Akashi, for example, had a bear's back, and I doubted he was a regular at the gym. The vampires' shape was truly fascinating.

Then Akashi let go of Rio's jugular and remained kneeling, his eyes closed, for just a moment. He took a deep breath.

“Thanks for the meal", he said.

“Huh!?", I was indignant.

“You wouldn't understand, my protégé...", he muttered, waving his hands. “The act of creating a vampire descendant... It's feeding, but it's also reproduction, from the vampires' perspective", he explained.

“You... You pervert", I teased him.

“Be grateful, you brat!", he stood up, irritated. “As if it's not bad enough that you kept staring...”

I solemnly ignored Akashi's comment and approached Rio, kneeling beside her, taking the place where the vampire had been sitting earlier. I held one of her hands, anxiously waiting for her to wake up.

“... Did it work?", I asked Akashi quietly.

“I hope so", he replied uncertainly. “We just need to see if she has enough resilience to wake up", he explained.

I didn't understand exactly what he meant by the word resilience, but I was too afraid of the answer to ask him to clarify.

“How long will it take?", I asked, fearful.

“She should have woken up already", he replied, further justifying my fear.

Akashi began walking out, reaching to the bedroom door, and indicated that he was leaving.

“Where are you going?", I asked.

“Smoke break...", he replied.

“Oh, sure... Go ahead", I let him go.

I turned my gaze back to Rio, who remained motionless. Her expression was so solemn, and she was breathing lightly, as if she were asleep. However, it was an uncertain sleep, with no guarantee that she would wake up.

“Damn it, Rio... Don't leave me... Not like this...", I whispered, letting a tear fall on her face.

I couldn't hold back the tears, not even for a moment longer.

I brought one of my hands to her cheek to wipe away the tear that had fallen.

Suddenly, one of her hands moved. She grabbed my own hand, which had been resting on her cheek. Her fingers slid down the back of my hand, moving to my forearm, which she held. Tightly, surprisingly so. She pulled on my arm, and I let myself be pulled. Her other hand rested on my cheek, and she pulled my face toward hers. I leaned my weight on the bed, supported by my remaining hands. Rio opened her eyes and breathed out. I could feel the air she exhaled brush against my neck.

Suddenly, she grabbed my shirt.

At that moment, I was pretty sure she was going to pull me in for a kiss.

However, her face passed mine and reached my neck.

Pain. A bite. Sharp fangs. Warm breath.

“A-ah...", I whispered, the pain quickly passing.

She hugged my body, keeping me close to her. I, in turn, hugged her back with my other arm. I rested one of my legs on the bed to help with the angle of her bite.

Time passed extraordinarily slowly. The curtains stopped moving, and the world outside fell silent. Vaguely, I could smell a subtle hint of Akashi's cigarette smoke, but it didn't bother me. It was distant. The whole world, at that moment, could be summed up as just the two of us.

Rio's hands held me tenderly, but also firmly. Probably the supernatural touch of her new strength, which she would have to learn to control. For a moment, I might have wanted to become a vampire myself.

However, I recalled the cruel fate to which I had condemned her. If it weren't for me, the endless supply of blood, she would still be forced to feed off mortal humans.

I let those thoughts go as I distracted myself with the myriad of sensations that ran through my body at that moment. I lacked strength, and I let the weight of my body drop a little, and my torso touched Rio's.

Finally, she released her mouth from my neck. However, she continued to hold me.

“Akito...", she whispered.

I lifted myself up a little, brought back to my senses by her voice.

“...Yes?", I said, embarrassed, while she smiled slightly with the corner of her lips.

“Did you save me...?", she asked, still whispering.

“Well... Not exactly, it was Akashi who turned you, and...", I began to stammer, being so close to her face.

She put a finger over my mouth.

“Shhhh", she silenced me. “Now is when you’re supposed to play the hero and say you saved me", she said, winking playfully.

I blinked slowly, trying to get the words out of my heart.

“Yes. You're okay, Dee. Everything's fine now", I replied.

Then she pulled my face toward hers again.

And her lips met mine.

If it were possible to make a single moment in a lifetime eternal... It would be this one. Without a doubt.

I let my whole weight rest on the bed, while resting one hand on Rio's cheek again.

The moment didn't last long, I confess. However, the happiness would last forever. Soon we moved our faces and mouths apart.

“Thank you", she said, simply but affectionately.

“You're welcome", I replied, smiling warmly.

I got up, then, and sat down next to her. She, in turn, got up too, and sat down next to me, her legs dangling in the air, off the bed.

“So, how do you feel?", I asked.

“It's... fantastic", she replied.

“The kiss, or becoming a vampire?", I asked, letting out a small laugh.

“Both. Silly", she allowed the joke.

“I'm so relieved... that you woke up...", Feelings mixed in my heart.

There was relief. There was also happiness. There was still a hint of guilt, but it was quickly overwhelmed by euphoria.

“Honestly... Me too", she admitted.

“So... Would you say I made the right choice?", I asked.

“You made the choice you made. Try not to think about it too much, Aki", she replied, kind of sidestepping the question. “But...", she added. “I couldn't be happier about it”.

“Thank goodness...", I sighed, as if the weight of the world had finally stopped pressing down on my shoulders.

She subtly placed one of her hands on my back and caressed it, z

“Are you two done?", Akashi's voice suddenly invaded our privacy, startling us both. “Good morning, miss”, he greeted her.

“Good morning, Mr. Vampire", she said, politely standing up to respond.

“Oh, stop it. Akashi or Asami, whatever, but call me by my name. It would be very strange for you to refer to me as ‘My Master’, or in the other typical ways that vampires refer to their creators", he explained. “However... I suppose that if it's going to be like that, I can't refer to you as 'my servant' either...”

“If you agree to call me by my name, Mr. Asami... I'm Rio. Rio Igarashi", she introduced herself formally. “I apologize for not introducing myself earlier.”

“Don't worry about it, don't worry about it... Welcome to the family", he joked.

“Family?", she asked.

"Well... It's a vampire custom to pass on part of their name to their family members. If you want to, of course", he explained.

“Rio Asami... That wouldn't be bad", she said.

“Oh, but of course, you don't have to use it while you have a normal life at this present time. It's just that, later on, seeing other people with the same name as you starts to feel strange, because you stop seeing them as family...", he tried to explain.

“That makes sense... I'll remember that", Rio replied, accurately.

“And, Akito...", the vampire, or, in this case, one of them, turned to me. “Thank you. Really. You saved me. If you hadn't saved me, I wouldn't have been able to transform the young lady. So... We owe you", he said.

“... Huh? Come on. That's not like you, Akashi", I replied, half sarcastically and half confused. “No need to thank me. I'm in this because I want to be", I replied.

“Think about it, Akito. Your reason for killing Cubas was to protect Rio and the photograph... And now... Well, I'm sorry I couldn't protect her", he apologized.

“It wasn't your obligation, Akashi", I replied, without any weight in my words. They were pure and true.

“It's true, Akashi!", Rio agreed. “I came here because... Well, even now I don't know exactly why. I wanted to help, and... Now, I think I have the power to do that", she added.

“...What?", Akashi and I said at the same time.

“Yeah, duh. Three immortal heads are better than two", she said without batting an eye.

“Wait a minute. You barely transformed and you’re already thinking about fighting Cubas?", I asked indignantly.

“Akito…", Akashi interrupted. “You're not that different. You went to face Cubas on your second day as an apparition", he reminded me.

“That's true, but...", I tried to think of an argument. “But in my case, it was personal! Braz Cubas decapitated me!”

“He killed me, Akito!”, Rio replied curtly. “Now it's personal for me too", she added.

“That's true...", I took a deep breath and let her win this one.

For a moment, I found it hard to believe that somehow everything had worked out.

“Akashi... Cubas really ran away, didn't he? He's really not here anymore?", I asked, seeking certainty.

“Yes, my protégé. Rest assured. We apparitions are able to sense each other's energy, and...", he explained.

“Okay, okay. I just wanted to be sure", I interrupted him. “But, Rio... Where did you keep the photograph? How did you keep Cubas from finding it?", she asked.

“Oh, that's true. Well...", she said.

Suddenly, I saw something sliding out of Rio's sweatshirt, escaping from under the improvised decolletage torn in it.

“Oh", I let slip, and as soon as I could, I looked away, so as not to risk seeing the photograph by accident.

Akashi, in turn, widened his eyes.

“Too close...", he whispered. “My protégé, you are so lucky...”

“Yeah, I really am", I agreed, and turned my eyes to Rio, smiling. She smiled back at me as she picked up the photograph from the floor.

Soon, Rio lovingly put the photograph in her wallet.

“This is still mine. Is everyone okay with that?", she asked.

“Of course", I agreed, turning my gaze to Akashi.

“... I suppose it's okay", he gave in, realizing that it would be even more difficult to argue with Rio now that she was one of us.

So we decided to stay there a little longer, to make sure we were all okay and that we didn't need anything.

“By the way, Akito...”, Akashi began. “Could you go out and buy some sunglasses and black umbrellas?", he asked. “Two of each", he added.

“That's right! We need them if we want to leave here without waiting all day, don't we?”, Rio quickly understood what it was about.

“That's right, that's right", he added.

“Frankly... Now I've become a servant to you both”, I grumbled.

“Come on, go! You're the only one here who can go out in the sun!”, Rio insisted, and I couldn't resist her smile.

“Okay, okay, I'll go, I'll go...", I complained, but I went.

Before leaving, however, I took a deep breath. My emotions were still a little complicated, but I couldn't be happier. After all, Rio was still alive, and on top of that, she kissed me as she woke up.

So, like a lovesick fool, I headed to the nearest stores to get two pairs of sunglasses and two black umbrellas. Frankly, I was embarrassed just thinking about seeing the two of them walking down the street dressed like that, and wielding umbrellas on a sunny spring day.

I felt detached from reality, as if my world revolved around those two, and without them, time passed quickly. I bought the items and brought a bottle of cold water with me as well. It was a hot day, the sun was shining brightly, even so early in the morning. Its light gave the world colors I'd never seen before.

Before I knew it, I was back at the temple. Akash and Rio were doing their best to tidy up the interior, which had been messed up by the battles against Toshiki and Cubas, all while not exposing themselves to the sunlight. As I handed them the sunglasses and umbrellas, I must admit that there was an interesting aesthetic there.

“So, young lady, as I was saying...", Akashi said. “You will hardly have the adaptability that I have right away. I am a century-old vampire, I can go weeks without feeding, and I can also extract vital energy from apparitions, even if they have no blood", he explained.

“Right... And as for me, a mere vampire fledgling...", Rio tried to add.

“You’ll need to feed often, and only on human blood. In other circumstances, I’d be teaching you how to hunt humans, but...", he said.

“But Akito exists", she finished.

“Exactly", Akashi agreed. “As long as he exists and consents, he is a form of ethical nourishment for us vampires", he added.

“How convenient…", Rio commented.

“Ain't it really?", I replied sarcastically. “No one thinks about poor Akito's feelings, they just want to use my body…”

Rio, despite her vampiric pallor, blushed at my comment. Akashi just laughed. At that moment, I felt as if we were a big, happy family. Then, I remembered: I had a sister, whom I needed to take care of in the mornings, otherwise she would leave the house with a hairbrush stuck in her hair and toothpaste all over her face.

“You two... I need to go back home. My sister...", I said.

“Speaking of which...", Rio commented. “What about me, where am I going now?", she continued with her question.

“... What do you mean?", I asked.

“I mean, it's going to be a little weird to show up at my parents' house pale, with light eyes, and a huge rip in my sweatshirt...", she pointed out.

“Hmmm, that's true...", I admitted. “Come with me, then! I'm sure my sister will have some clothes to lend you", I suggested.

“Perfect! I did say I would come to your house someday, after our first date...", she agreed.

“Interestingly, you're not the same Rio from back then", I commented.

“And your house is probably not the same house either", she replied.

“That's true. A comment worthy of Sisyphus himself", I pointed out.

“That's right. He-he", she laughed.

“If you don't mind, Akito... I'd like to go too", Akashi interrupted.

“Hm? Why?", I asked, curious.

“Well, to be honest... There's still a lot you don't know about the magical, the supernatural and the occult", he explained.

“That's true... Speaking of which, how did Toshiki manage those explosions?", I asked.

“Let's just say... Vampires have a few more abilities than what I've shown you so far", he said. “And some extraordinarily talented humans can learn to use those abilities", he explained.

“I see...", I replied, fascinated.

“That's why I need to go to your house, Akito. It's time for you to know the truth behind vampires, Braz Cubas, and this world", he intoned, making it sound like he had some kind of epic tale to tell.

“Come on over then, it won't be a problem", I said simply.

“Thank you, my protégé...", he thanked me, bowing slightly.

“No, no. No need for all that", I gestured for him to raise his head.

“Well, shall we go then?", Rio proposed, clasping her hands together.

“Yeah. Let's go", Akashi agreed, spreading his black umbrella and putting on his new sunglasses. Rio did the same.

As Rio and I walked out the door, Akashi left through the huge hole in the first floor caused by the first fight. We couldn't help but giggle at his expense.

Accompanied by the two creatures of the night, both wearing their sunglasses and carrying their pitch-black umbrellas — as ridiculous as it could be — we calmly walked to my house.

Halfway there, Rio began trying to stick her fingertips out of the umbrella's shadow, which immediately set her hand on fire. She put her index finger in her mouth, trying to extinguish the flame with her saliva.

“Ouch...", she whispered.

“Come on, Dee...", I sighed.

“What!? I need to know my weaknesses!", she retorted.

“Ha-ha-ha-ha... That's true, that's true...", I admitted, and Akashi laughed along with me.

“Ah, it's so good to see the fledglings experiment...", the vampire commented.

“Has it been long since you made your last descendant, Akashi?", Rio asked.

“... Yes, it has. Quite a long time", he evaded.

“Is this another one of your traumatic stories as a century-old vampire?", I said ironically.

“... You could say that. My last descendant was an irresponsible act from my early years as a vampire", he commented. “After her, I swore I would never do it again", he added.

“Those oaths are worthless... You're not the same vampire, and the world is no longer the same", I commented.

“I suppose you may be right, my protégé", he admitted.

“Technically, that version of you didn't make any more descendants. A hundred years is a long time for you to mature", I added.

“... Why do I feel like you two act like you know much more than I do?", he raged, directing the comment at both me and Rio.

“He-he", she and I laughed, staring at each other.

“These modern kids...", Akashi grumbled.

“Rio, speaking of which...", I began.

“Yes?", she promptly paid attention.

“You... Are you really not interested in restoring your humanity? Because... I had been seriously thinking about destroying the photograph after defeating Cubas", I said.

“Who knows? I don't even know if that's possible. I wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for that, so... I'm grateful, in a way", she replied.

“Is it possible, Akashi?", I asked the vampire.

“... Technically, yes", he replied.

“Even so, I'll have to think about it...", Rio concluded.

“Maybe immortality isn't so bad, if shared with you", I commented.

“How sweet!", Rio blurted out, much to my embarrassment, laughing foolishly.

It was impossible to avoid some strangers' stares at Akashi and Rio's odd behavior, but I avoided glancing around too much, honestly. I relegated myself to the realm of thought. What could Cubas be plotting? I couldn't understand the reason behind his escape during our confrontation. Was he surprised by my ability to hurt him? I left it to think about later, when I could discuss the matter with Akashi and Rio in private.

Without delay, we soon arrived at my house, still early in the morning, and Yukina was waiting for me in the kitchen with breakfast almost ready.