While Sparky distracts Oran by introducing him to people, I find time to get to Kiyoshi.

“Yosh, can I talk to you about something? Upstairs?” I say holding up the paper bag.

“Mm!” He nods with a smile.

We go up stairs and into a room. I pull the bottle out of the bag and hand it to him.

“It’s powerful, Nemy sama said it will make you stronger so use it wisely.” I say handing the bottle over to him.

“Got it!” He smiles, “Just leave it in here, we can do the ritual in here while he sleeps.”

“In here? But this room is empty and cold, and weird. He seems like a cautious person, there’s no way he’ll come in here and sleep..” I panic.

“Nemy said we could stay here tonight, she has futons that we can set up in here. Plus you guys have no where to go, the buses and trains wont be running much longer. You can use what little power you have to persuade him, right?” Kiyoshi smiles. 

“Yeah… I guess.” I sigh.

We head back down to the party and Kiyoshi disappears into the crowd. I sit down at a corner table and play on my phone. Not long and Zekuu’s band starts playing. They play 4 songs, then play ‘happy birthday’ for Kiyoshi as he blows out his candles. Afterwards he opens his presents and thanks everyone. Some people come and go and the party continues.

Oran comes over, “can I sit with you?”

I nod and he takes a seat across from me. His hands are trembling and he looks sort of sickly.

“Your hands, are you okay?” I ask.

“Ah,” he hides his hands under the table, “I’m just not used to this sort of environment… Just sort of anxious.”

I nod, “You want me to get you something to drink? Food?”

“Huh? No! I don’t drink…I’m not old enough…” He mumbles.

“Not that kind of drink…Water? Juice? Soda?” I laugh slightly. Though that would help the persuasion part, I’d feel wrong making someone like him get drunk.

“Water…” He gulps, his face flushing red.

I get up and get him a bottle of water and some cake for the both of us. I hand him the water, “Here.”

“T-Thanks.” He smiles.

I can’t usually stomach most human foods, but a little bit of cake won’t hurt me.

Not long and Sparky comes bouncing over and slides into an empty chair “Kiyoshi told me we are staying upstairs?”

“Yeah. Oran is that okay? The owner of this place is a family friend, she has an empty room upstairs and futons.” I ask.

“Yeah, that’s fine.” His voice shaking.

Some hours pass of chit chat and such and finally the party is over. As part of the deal I help Kiyoshi clean up while Sparky and Oran set up the futons. Everyone has left besides…That guy.

“Why is Zekuu still here?” I ask while sweeping.

“Because he’s my boyfriend..” Kiyoshi pouts, “I wish you two would get along, he’s really not so bad.”

“He’s the worst.” I roll my eyes, “Why isn’t he helping?”

“He performed today so he’s tired…and maybe a little drunk.” Kiyoshi laughs.

“Did you drink too?” I ask.

“Ehehe, maybe a little.” He smiles, “relax, I can still do the ritual like this.”

“Is Zekuu staying here tonight?” I ask.

“Mmm, probably.” He shrugs.

“In the same room?” I question.

“Yeah, where else?” he answers.

“Make sure to control him, or I wont hesitate to start a fight.” I grumble.

“He won’t do anything! I swear! He’s so sleepy right now he can barely go up the stairs.” Kiysohi laughs.

We finish cleaning up and I help Kiyoshi bring Zekuu upstairs. In the room Oran and Sparky are sharing a futon together all ready for bed. We plop Zekuu down on a futon by himself with a thud. Kiyoshi and I share a futon next to Oran and Sparky’s. Sparky is fast asleep, but Oran appears to be wide awake, anxious. Kiyoshi reaches over and sips the drink I got him earlier.

~“Ick, it’s bitter.” He says wiping his mouth.

He downs half the bottle quickly and seals it. He flops back down onto the futon and waits a few minutes.

~“I’ll be ready in about 5 minutes” he says to me.

I look over and see Oran is still scrolling on his phone, I wonder if he is still researching vampires.

~”I’m ready, put him to sleep.” Kiyoshi sighs.

I nod and put my hand over Oran’s eyes, “Sleep.”

“Wh--“ Oran mumbles but in a matter of seconds he sleeps.

I do the same to Sparky because I know he will be too rowdy and mess up the ritual.

Kiyoshi sighs, “Let’s get this over with”

He climbs on top of Oran and straddles his hips. He places his hands under his shirt and presses his chest. This is the pressure you feel on you when you encounter a incubus. He closes his eyes tightly and breathes calmly.

“I can see his mother and sister, but there’s much more.” He mumbles, “I’m going to kiss him, my salvia can open him up more.”

I clench my teeth, how gross.

He leans in and kisses him for some time. Before coming up gasping. He lets go of him and gets up.

“What is it?” I ask shocked, grabbing his shoulders.

“He’s special, and dangerous. He thinks his dad died from an illness, but that isn’t the case…” Kiyoshi explains.

“Then what is the case? Did you find out who he is…what he is?” I question.

“He’s a mix, the infamous family of mixes that were supposed to be eliminated years ago…” Kiyoshi gasps. “His great grandparents and the ones before them and so on, were all mixes.”

“Mix of what?” I question, “Is it a bad thing?”

“Angel and demon. Demon and human, Angel and human. His grandparents were a vampire and an angel, his mother a human. It isn’t bad for us, unless we get caught in the middle of it.” He sighs, “Mixes aren’t supposed to survive or exist, so they’re usually exterminated by soldiers of the demonic army since Angels do not kill.”

“Is that why he is sick all the time?” I question.

Kiyoshi nods, “It’s also why it took so much power to break through, he’s part angel. Nose bleeds are a common warning mechanism for angels to know when demons are nearby.”

“Then what do we do with him now?” I ask.

“I do not know.” Kiyoshi sighs.