Tsurugi ch. 3: The Vampire Ranma.

	He stood in the cool night breeze and smiled cruelly as he gazed
over his city. He was now it's master, he felt the power within him and
knew that nothing in the whole of Japan could possibly oppose him now.
Even his own kind could not over come him now.  He was immortal, strong,
powerful, almost a God. "No I am a God. A god of death," he told himself
as he jumped down from the rooftop he had been perched on into the night.
It was time to finally claim what was rightfully his, the prize he wanted
most would have to wait. In a few nights he would have everything he
needed for an eternity of pure bliss and death. 
	He stopped as a familiar memory faded into his mind. "Ryoga." he
said between his teeth. The lost boy had felt his kiss and escaped last
night. Ranma smiled, "I wouldn't want to get too comfortable, a vampire
rival like him could be fun," he told himself. He tried to ignore the
burning in the pit of his stomach that told him it was time to feed. His
instincts won out, it wasn't like he had ever ignored the urge for long.
A rat to sate him until the real hunt began. Perhaps this night he would
revisit old friends, ones not so close to him.

	Two nights pass...

	Yuka sat at her desk and sighed as she closed her book. She had
been studying late into the night and was growing very tired. "I suppose
that is all I'll learn tonight," she muttered sleepily. Then came a tap
on her window. She stood and frowned as she was familiar with it. It was
the tapping her, so called, 'boyfriend' Daisuke used. One of these days
he would break a window and gain some sense. She hurriedly stood up and
opened the window, only to be hit in the head by a small pebble. "What do
you want?" she whispered hoarsely. "It's the middle of the night fool!"
Sure enough the boy was standing in her yard. He looked worried, almost
pale.
	"I...I need to talk to you! It's important," said the boy
excitedly, he seemed very nervous.
	"What is it?!" grumbled the girl in annoyance.
	"Just come down here!" he cried in a loud whisper.
	"This had better be good!" she grumbled as she placed her coat on
and climbed out the window. 
	Daisuke looked around and licked his lips as she landed on the
ground after climbing down the side of her home. "We have to get out of
here he might come by tonight," he said as he now looked completely
terrified.
	"Daisuke?" said the girl worriedly as she grabbed him and pulled
him to her chest. He smiled slightly. "Are you all right? You look
terrible," she said, ignoring his sudden stillness. She stroked his head
and brushed her hand down his neck.
	"You haven't been at school for a few days. I was worried." said
the boy as he sat enjoying the warmth of her body.
	"I was with Akane, Ranma still hasn't come back yet. My god your
freezing!" she pulled him closer and lead him towards the front door.
	"Yuka we have to leave! Now! It isn't safe here," said the boy as
he started to shake again. Yuka realized that the warmth of her body was
giving way to the freezing winds outside in the yard.
	"What are you talking about?" she said looking at him with a pure
innocence. Daisuke looked in her eyes and almost fell to tears. "I'm
fine," she reassured with a tight lipped smile.
	"Ranma might come here, he knows you!" said the boy looking
terrified.
	"Ranma? What do you mean?" said Yuka as she felt a slight thrill
at the sound of the boy's name. She had always been a little jealous of
Akane because of him.
	"He isn't human any more Yuka! He came to my house last night, I
wouldn't let him in. He was floating outside my window!" said the boy as
tears threatened to poor down his face.
	"What?! What the hell are you talking about?" said the girl.
	"I saw him there, we have to get away, now!" said the boy almost
hysterically.
	"I think your just bothering me in the middle of the night about
your stupid nightmares," said Yuka as her grip became almost iron and her
voice grew to the same temperature as the wind. "Good night," she huffed
and shoved him to the ground. Daisuke looked at her in complete terror as
she stood over him and was about to say something. She rose into the air
and started clutching at her neck.
	"I warned you!" said Daisuke as he watched. Ranma stood clutching
the girl into the air from behind one handed with a cruel smile on his
lips.
	Daisuke curled into a ball and started sobbing as he watched
Ranma squeeze her neck and puncture a hole in it with his thumb. He then
let her head fall limp and put his mouth over the gushing hole and gulped
loudly as the fluid was pumped into his mouth by the still beating muscle
in her chest. Daisuke watched as she glanced at him with pleading eyes
and reached her hand out. He shrieked and clutched his head tighter, he
could not tear his eyes away from her face even after the final moments
when her hand dropped. Ranma chucked her to the ground and smiled at him.
	"You've done well," he said to the boy as he rocked back and
forth on his hands and knees and sobbed. "I don't think I could have
coaxed her out nearly as fast as you did,"
	"What have I done?" sobbed the boy.
	"You have proven yourself worthy. If you continue to do so I will
make you like me one day," said Ranma coldly. "We will be as one for
eternity. You and I will rule this town in a matter of years, no one will
be able to stop us, think of it!" said Ranma forcefully as he stood the
pathetic looking boy to his feet.
	"But, she will..." said the boy as he gazed at his girlfriend's
body.
	Ranma laughed slightly. "No, those die in my arms will remain
dead if that's what you mean. Only those who survive will become...like
me," said the demonic boy as he flashed a fanged grin at Daisuke. 
	"no...NOOOO!" cried the boy as he fell to his knees and held the
girl to his chest. "Oh, god what have I done! NOOO!"
	Ranma frowned slightly and lifted him up by his collar. "You
could join her if you preferred?" he asked seriously.
	Daisuke fell silent. 
	"I thought as much," said the pigtailed demon.
	Daisuke looked closely at Ranma. "You...sound different," he
gasped.
	"I know more, that is all," said Ranma reassuringly.
	"We can't leave her here can we?" said the boy with a hopeful
look in his eyes.
	"No, of course not, we have to burn her," said Ranma sounding
indignant.
	Daisuke froze in terror once again and said nothing.
	"You don't have to be there," said Ranma as he stopped and lifted
her over his shoulder.
	"No, I do," said Daisuke as he calmed slightly. He staggered and
followed his master.

	A few moments later Daisuke stood watching the body burn in a
large and rusted out refrigerator in a large pile of garbage. Ranma would
bury it when the flames died down. As it was, he stood well away from the
flames. Daisuke let a single tear roll down his cheek and stared into the
flames numbly. He knew that there was no returning for him now.
	He felt a cold hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw Ranma
standing next to him and smiling darkly. "The flames, the smell, it is
beautiful. You will understand one day," he said as he brushed Daisuke's
face with his hand gently. 
	Daisuke shuddered and backed away instinctively. Ranma smiled and
pulled him close to his face. He pulled him close and pressed his lips
against the frightened boy's lips. 
	Daisuke felt Ranma's tongue inside his mouth and almost gagged.
He tasted the sweet and sour taste of rotting flesh and smelled it from
the demon's breath. He felt his last meal rush up his chest and stop just
below his throat. He felt an almost petrified calm take him over and
Ranma pulled away. The smile was still on his lips. There was no passion
in that kiss. Ranma was tasting him. Daisuke shuddered as he realized
this and shrank back. He fell to his knees and threw up into the dying
embers that were once his girlfriend. He looked at them in fascinated
horror as the vomit sizzled in the ashes.
	"Go home, get some sleep. We have an eternity of time, don't
worry," said Ranma.
	Daisuke nodded and started for his home, he only hoped that he
would sleep dreamlessly that night.

	Nabiki looked at the small clock beside her bed. It was getting
late and Ranma would return soon. It was still a few hours before sunrise
though. She smiled as she heard the rustling of the curtains behind her.
	"Your back early," she said with a sultry tone.
	"I ate sooner than I expected," replied the boy quietly.
	"Well, care to eat again?" she said to him as she offered her
neck teasingly.
	"You know it's too soon. No one can go missing from here yet. It
isn't safe for either of us," said Ranma coolly.
	Nabiki smiled even wider as her grin took a different and hungry
quality. "Care to tame any other appetites?" she asked as she allowed her
bed clothes to fall to the ground leaving her exposed to the cold night
air.
	Ranma pulled her into a passionate kiss and his eyes took a feral
quality that frightened Nabiki. She felt the goose bumps run down her
body from the cold and the fear. She probed his teeth carefully with her
tongue and laughed as she pulled away. She found the sweet and sour
quality of his breath almost intoxicating. She had no idea what it was
from of course, but that didn't bother Ranma.

	Nabiki frowned as she looked at the clock. They had spent two
tiresome hours together, soon the morning would come and Ranma would once
again disappear into the floor beneath her room, an old secret
compartment for some of her more...incriminating documents. 
	He had come to her on only the second night since he had become
like he was. That was almost two weeks ago now. She had been terrified of
course. Then he made her an offer she couldn't refuse. Immortality for
protection, what had just occurred was just an added bonus.
	"I suppose it's to make sure I'm...loyal?" she wondered to
herself. At first Ranma had behaved as he did before, the same naive boy
she had always known him to be. Then he started to change, only little
slips at first. It was obvious he was hiding behind his old personality.
Three days ago he had abandoned it completely.
 	"You seem different from before," she said as she caressed his
naked and cold chest. 
	"When a vampire makes a new one, all their knowledge is imparted
into the new...member," said Ranma with a small smile.
	"So who was her first kiss?" said Nabiki playfully.
	"Knowledge, not memories," said Ranma with a small snorting
laugh. "She must have been pretty old."
	"So if you  make me I'll become some super martial artist?" said
Nabiki with a sort of disgusted look.
	"No only knowledge, not skills. You'll know how to become like
me, but you already know that now, pretty much," said Ranma wistfully.
	"Again?" asked Ranma as he licked the side of her face and sucked
lightly on her ear.
	"I'll drink to immortality," said Nabiki as she slid slowly down
his torso under the sheets.
	Ranma only smiled and closed his eyes in pleasure. "To
immortality."
	Ranma smiled as he thought to himself as Nabiki kept
herself...occupied. "Perhaps it is time to open the box. I cannot hide
here forever. I must find a new place to sleep, my safety here is not
guaranteed. This one is fun, but hardly trustworthy."
	
	Ryoga walked with Mousse towards the Tendo Dojo late the next
day. His meeting with Cologne had gone well, but not nearly as well as he
had hoped. He was becoming desperate for a cure to the maddening hunger
that consumed him in the night. He glanced at the horizon, and frowned.
They had only a few hours of daylight left. Akane would not wait forever,
sooner or later Ranma would strike her. Just from information from Mousse
it was becoming clearer that Ranma had not yet taken her, or he was just
taking his time. Ryoga was not sure how long something like that would
take. He had read a few books in his travels. Many times the rules were
different in Vampire novels, some rules remained the same. Making a
vampire seemed to be one of the area's where every book was different.
Ranma could be feeding off anyone of his former fiancees for nights
before it finally occurred for all he knew. He had to hurry, Mousse was
obviously taking his time and Ryoga was growing angry with him. He did
realize that if Mousse didn't lead him there he would not make it in
time. For the first time in a very long time he had an idea.
	"Mousse, you do realize what we are facing here?" 
	"What of it pig boy?" muttered the Chinese boy.
	"These things come out at night and hunt people for food. We
don't know how many more Ranma has made. If most of the books I've read
are correct then every time he eats a new vampire is made. That's at
least fourteen new vampires. Do you really want to be walking around when
they come out?"
	"I can handle a few stupid vampires," muttered the boy
indignantly. Ryoga smiled as he sped up.

	"Are you sure you know what to say?" said Mousse as they entered
the gates.
	"No," answered Ryoga. With that he opened the door to the home
and stepped inside.
	"Oh, Ryoga!" said Akane cheerfully as she stood to greet her
friend from her spot at the table. Ryoga smiled as she rushed up to him.
She stopped cold and looked at Mousse. "Where is Ranma?" she said
quietly.
	"He isn't with us," said Ryoga with a sad gaze.
	"But I thought you left to fight some one, or maybe train,
or...You always do!" she cried desperately.
	Ryoga froze, he saw the hopeful look in her eyes. He knew how she
felt for Ranma, even if it was just as a friend as he had so desperately
hoped. His heart shattered. "I...I'm sorry Akane. Ranma never left
Nerima," said the lost boy quietly.
	Akane froze. Still a faint glimmer of hope formed in her eyes.
	"Akane...I...I..." stammered Ryoga desperately as she gazed at
him. 
	Soun and Genma sat looking at him with Kasumi and Nabiki watching
him quietly from the table. 
	Nabiki just sat, she said nothing and looked at Ryoga in
amazement. She glanced outside and looked at the sky, the sun was slowly
disappearing over the horizon. Ryoga had been bitten, Ranma told her he
had, how could he still be out?
	Mousse gently pushed Ryoga aside and nodded to him respectfully.
"Ranma is dead," he said simply.
	Akane froze as did the other Tendo's. Genma stood and looked at
Mousse and Ryoga coolly. "How?" he asked in disbelief. Either it had not
yet sunk in or he refused to believe it.
	"He is still here, I can feel him," said Ryoga as he looked
around and ignored all else.
	"What?" said Mousse in shock.
	"Ranma is here!" cried Ryoga as he looked around and started to
search actively.
	"What?!" said Akane looking relieved and uncertain. Nabiki froze
as Ryoga burst into her room and stood in the doorway. Ranma was still
sleeping, if he was found now...
	Ryoga growled in frustration and rushed out of her room followed
by a confused Mousse and Akane. 
	"Ryoga what's the matter with you?" said Akane looking at him
strangely.
	"Quiet Akane, If Ranma is here we need to find him and finish the
job.," said Mousse from between his teeth.
	"What?" said Akane in surprise. She still did not understand why
the two boys were tearing around her home.
	Ryoga stormed into the living room and stood out on the porch.
"Now, see here young man..." started Soun.
	"Boy, if you know where my son went..." said Genma in a
threatening tone.
	Ryoga stood as the sun set and turned to face them just as the
last rays disappeared behind the horizon. His eyes glowed red and he
turned towards them and looked past them into the home. 
	"Ranma! come face what you have created! Now, because of you...I
really have seen hell!" he roared angrily. He jumped up the stairs in a
single bound and burst into Nabiki's room once again. Nothing was there,
only silence. He calmed and the glow in his eyes died down. "Damn it! I
lost him!" he roared.
	Mousse just stared calmly. "He gets stronger at night? Maybe he
was just going easy in the restaurant," he said to himself as he watched.
	Akane and her family were terrified. "R-Ryoga? What's happened to
you?" asked the girl.
	"Ranma is a vampire Akane," said Mousse.
	"What?" said Akane in shock. She turned and looked at Ryoga his
normally prominent fangs hung much farther over his lips that usual. She
backed away and screamed, not only because deep in her heart she knew
that they were telling the truth. It was then that a horrible relization
took over her heart. A few students had disappeared over the last few
days, She had hoped that Ranma was out with Ryoga trying to save them or
something. Now she realized no matter what her heart told her, Ranma was
the reason for all those missing students. She screamed until she finally
passed out...

	TBC.....
	

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