My Nocturnal Serenade

Kuai stared at it from his position on the garden wall. He was used to breaking and entering large buildings, but that was usually temples and halls. Not a large home built atop a hill in the middle of nowhere. He had no idea why the client wanted this particular artefact, but it wasn’t his place to question the orders given to him by The Guild.

There was a window open on the second floor, and he knew that was going to be his best bet of getting inside without being spotted. It was late at night, he highly doubted the occupants would be awake, but he still needed to be careful.

He hauled himself over the wall, keeping low to the floor as he dashed through the garden towards the building. There was a trellis against the wall, with no plant life growing on it. He tested to see if it would hold his weight by gripping it and yanking on it. Satisfied it would, he hauled himself up. One rung at a time he made his way up the wall until he was finally at the second floor. He reached out to a nearby windowsill, pulling himself up onto it and standing against the glass. He shimmied across to the open window, before squeezing through until his feet hit the floor inside.

Kuai took a quick look at his surroundings. He appeared to be in a library or study, or at least that is what it looked like in the dark. He wasn’t sure he’d find what he needed in here but it wouldn’t hurt to look. He quickly checked the paper he’d been given, a drawing of an ornate dagger on it. He had to make sure what he took was the right dagger, otherwise he wouldn’t get paid.

He tiptoed through the room, trying to see if there was anywhere the dagger could be. There was a desk that had a drawer. It wasn’t a usual place to keep a dagger, but Kuai had found many items in unintuitive places.

He reached the desk and slowly opened the drawer. Inside was just pens and ink. He tutted, why is nothing ever just laying around in the first place I try? He closed the drawer, not realising he’d knocked over a candle holder on the desk until it crashed down on the floor.

He winced at the loud bang, and stayed silent in the hopes whoever lived here was a heavy sleeper.

That was until he heard a feminine voice call “is someone there?”

“Shit,” he whispered under his breath. He glanced around the room. There was a bookshelf and if he hid behind one end, he shouldn’t be visible from the door, especially in the dark. He rushed over to it and ducked behind.

As he did, he heard light footsteps enter the room, and the same voice calling “hello?”

He chanced poking his head around to see if he could see the house's occupant. What he saw was a woman staring down at the candle holder. Her head tilted before she began to peer around the room.

Her eyes glowed red in the darkness.

Kuai drew back into cover, holding his hand over his mouth in shock at what he’d just seen. What in the holy name of the Elder Gods is she? He tried to stop panicking. He was sure there had to be some kind of logical explanation for what he’d seen. A light reflecting in her eyes. From where though? Gods he didn’t know, he just needed there to be some rational reason for what he saw.

He suddenly realised he hadn’t heard her move in a while. He removed his hand, chancing peering around the bookshelf again.

He was met with those same glowing eyes right in front of his face, paired with a manic grin.

“Hello there~”

Kuai threw himself backward, finding himself hitting something soft but solid. He opened his mouth to scream, only to find a hand clamp over it. Another hand reached for his dagger, and threw it across the floor. Kuai struggled against the hand over his mouth, only for the other to wrap around his torso and keep him still. He shouted into the palm, but his pleas were unintelligible.

“Shh, calm now,” a masculine voice whispered into his ear, and Kuai shuddered at the hot breath hitting his face. Still he stopped struggling, it would just be a waste of energy. “There we go, good boy.”

He squeaked, and tried to ignore how smoothly the last two words came out. He could feel his face heating up under the hand. The woman in front of him looked at him with a fascinated look.

“It is nice to meet you,” she said to him, as if she were greeting someone at her doorstep rather than someone who’d broken into her home. “My name is Lady Harumi Hasashi, and that is my husband, Lord Hanzo Hasashi.” Kuai couldn’t help but frown at how casual this all was. “But that does leave the question of who you are?”

“A thief, clearly,” Hanzo growled, his fingers digging into Kuai’s skin. Clearly Hanzo was a lot less patient regarding their unplanned house guest.

“But a cute one,” Harumi said in a teasing tone. Kuai’s face went even hotter.

The hand across his mouth moved to grip his chin instead, tilting his head to one side slightly. Like this he could finally just about see Hanzo, the other man having matching red and glowing eyes like Harumi’s. He looked at Kuai like he was contemplating something before angling Kuai’s face back towards his wife again.

“That may be so,” Hanzo agreed in a low rumble, “but he’s still after something.”

“How about we make a deal, Pretty Boy?” Harumi offered, her voice coming out as a purr. Kuai swallowed, biting his lip and looking at her with desperation. “Why don’t you tell us what you’re looking for, and maybe if it isn’t anything too important, we can let you have it? Hm?”

Hanzo gave a disapproving snort, but that sounded like an alright deal to Kuai. After all, how much could a dagger be worth?

He reached into his pocket, grabbing the paper and holding it out to Harumi. The second she lay eyes on the drawing, her face dropped. Oh no. He’d clearly misjudged this so very badly. She stared silently at the paper for a few seconds, before slowly holding it up to show Hanzo.

The noise Hanzo made was not human. He hauled Kuai off the floor, and before he could even comprehend what was happening he felt himself being slammed down onto the desk. Hanzo was leaning over him, his face the picture of fury with his teeth bared. Fangs looking sharp and threatening. This was how Kuai was going to die, wasn’t it?

“What do you want with the Kamidogu?” Hanzo snarled, pulling Kuai up and slamming him back against the desk.

“The what?” Kuai asked, but it was clear that wasn’t what Hanzo wanted to hear at all. He was slammed against the desk a second time. The Kamidogu? That has to be the dagger, right? “I- I don’t know why the client wants it, I was just hired to take it!”

“Who is your client?” Hanzo repeated the action, and Kuai went to grasp Hanzo’s wrists. The back of his head was blossoming with pain.

“Please! I don’t know, The Guild doesn't tell us the who’s or why’s!”

Hanzo looked like he was about to just murder Kuai right then and there, until a soft voice called “Hanzo.” Hanzo blinked, and looked to his wife. “Let me do this.”

Hanzo begrudgingly agreed, pulling Kuai until he was sitting before letting go and stepping away. Harumi took his place, gently putting both of her hands to either side of his head. She turned his face until he was looking directly at her, and her eyes began to glow stronger. A strange feeling came over Kuai, like a seed was being planted in his brain and the roots were quickly taking hold. He wanted to pull away, but he just couldn’t move for some reason.

“Okay, sweetheart, let’s start easy.” Harumi’s voice was as gentle as ever, and there was something compelling about it. “What is your name?”

“My name is Kuai Liang.” He hadn’t wanted to say that, but it came out and he wasn’t able to stop himself. He was supposed to use his codename, so why did he say his real name?

“Who is your client?” She asked next.

“I don’t know, The Guild does not tell us.” He watched as Harumi’s face briefly scrunched up in frustration.

“What guild are you with?” She asked next, and Kuai could now just about see Hanzo leaning over her shoulder, watching what was happening.

“I am with The Lin Kuei,” he admitted calmly, despite internally being horrified. He was never supposed to refer to The Lin Kuei by name, only ever referring to it as The Guild. Hanzo’s mouth twitched and he scowled, he appeared to be familiar with The Lin Kuei then. That was bad, the only people who would know that name would either be a past client or an enemy.

“Why doesn't The Lin Kuei tell you who you are working for?” She asked.

“So that the client’s information can’t be compromised in an interrogation.”

Harumi released his head and looked away and immediately Kuai felt his own agency return to him. He gripped his hair and yanked on it, what had just happened? What had she done to him? He felt her hands on him again and he went rigid, but instead she wrapped her one arm around his back while the other stroked his hair.

“I’m sorry, I know that was unpleasant, but it’s over now, you can relax.” Somehow that did nothing to comfort him but Kuai didn’t try to fight her.

“W-What are you?” Kuai asked, not actually sure he wanted to know.

“We are vampires,” Hanzo replied, and Harumi made a short disapproving shushing sound, but the damage had already been done.

Kuai felt his heart race as he tried to wriggle free of Harumi’s hug. She just held on tighter, whispering as if to try and reassure him but Kuai wasn’t really listening. After some twisting, he managed to loosen himself, and ducked under her arms. Once on the floor he darted off towards the window, not caring how long it’d take to get down. Before he could reach it, he felt a strong hand grasp his wrist and pull him back. Hanzo’s other hand clamped around his throat and he cried out.

“No, no, please I’m sorry, I didn’t know.” He tried to struggle but Hanzo’s hand squeezed his throat threateningly. “Please, I’ll leave, I’ll never come back or tell anyone, please just let me go.”

“We aren’t going to hurt you, dear,” Harumi said calmly and Kuai almost laughed maniacally. Really? Then why is your husband trying to fucking choke me?

“Please,” Kuai begged instead, trying to pry at Hanzo’s hand. He could hear the larger man growl.

“Harumi,” Hanzo said as if he was requesting something. Harumi understood what he needed, and nodded.

She walked over, reaching to place her hands on Kuai’s head like she had previously.

“No, No!” Kuai tried to pull away, but her eyes began to glow again.

“It’s okay, you’re just going to fall asleep for a while, that’s all,” she said softly, and Kuai tried to shake his head, and to resist but he could feel her worming into his mind. “Shh, it’ll be worse if you keep resisting.”

Kuai didn’t want to give in, but he could slowly feel himself shutting down. His limbs went limp and his eyes drooped. Kuai felt himself slowly drifting away. He could hear Harumi still talking to him, kind assurances that he would be okay, but he couldn’t tell what she was actually saying beyond that. His eyes finally closed, darkness enveloped him and he drifted away.

It wasn’t like being asleep, because he knew he wasn’t awake. It just felt like he was endlessly floating in an abyss. He tried to will himself to wake up, but there was a part of him that was terrified by what he’d be waking up to.

He had no idea how long it had been when his eyes finally started to flutter open. He groaned, his head overtaken by a splitting headache. His vision was blurry, but he could see he seemed to be in a lounge of some kind. He was laying on his side, he assumed he must have been on a sofa chair of some kind. There seemed to be a cushion under his head. Someone was sitting on a chair opposite him, and even with his eyesight unclear, he could tell it was Hanzo.

“Ah, you are awake,” Hanzo said as Kuai’s vision cleared enough to see him properly. He was holding a cup, which he quickly placed on a coffee table in front of him before standing up. Kuai held his breath and tried to push himself up, but he went dizzy just trying and gave up quickly. “Don’t try to sit up, the sleep spell Harumi used on you is very intense, it will take a while for you to recover.”

“W-Why?” Kuai whimpered as Hanzo made his way over to Kuai’s side. He wasn’t sure exactly what he was asking. Why were they doing this? Why was Kuai still alive? Why had Harumi used such powerful magic on him?

“We can’t let you have the Kamidogu,” Hanzo stated, kneeling down as he reached Kuai. He pushed a hand to Kuai’s forehead, as if checking for a fever.

“Then just let me leave,” Kuai whispered, trying to ignore the way his brain was throbbing. “I’ll go and never come back.”

“We also can’t, with good conscience, let you do that either.” With good conscience? What does that mean? Kuai hoped the look he was giving would prompt Hanzo to explain himself. “I am unfortunately very familiar with your guild. I know what they do to those who fail. I can not knowingly send you back to that.”

“It… wouldn’t be the first time I failed,” Kuai argued, wishing he had more energy to do so more fiercely. Yes, The Lin Kuei’s discipline was harsh, but he was used to it. He could take it.

Hanzo frowned at Kuai’s answer, before reaching down to his shirt. Kuai didn’t try to stop him. He knew what Hanzo was looking for. If the man was truly aware of The Lin Kuei’s methods, he’d know that most of the evidence of Kuai Liang’s failure was painted on his back. As the shirt was lifted, Hanzo’s face morphed to a horrified expression.

“By the Elder Gods,” Hanzo whispered in disbelief, as he looked at the healing wounds and scars on Kuai’s back.

Kuai knew he had a lot, but he’d never really thought they were that bad until now. If a vampire was looking at your wounds and wearing a troubled look, it had to be pretty bad. If it was the amount of scars he had or that fact he had been disciplined so recently he still hadn’t healed yet, he didn’t know. But Hanzo solemnly put Kuai’s shirt back down, looking into his eyes.

“It would be best for my wife to not see this,” Hanzo muttered, mouth tight while he rubbed his chin. “She is quite enamoured of you, if she knows it is that bad, there is nothing that will stop her from taking on The Lin Kuei herself.”

“Is that why I am still alive?” Kuai asked, once more trying to push himself up but failing dismally. “Because your wife has taken a liking to me?”

“We wouldn’t have killed you regardless,” Hanzo countered, sounding rather offended that Kuai thought they would. “Harumi said we didn’t want to hurt you.”

“You slammed my head against a desk,” Kuai countered.

“I apologise for that, I admit I overreacted when I thought you were after the Kamidogu,” he explained, actually reaching for Kuai’s arm and helping to sit him up. “I should have realised that if you knew what it was, you likely wouldn’t have given us the drawing.”

“You also tried to choke me,” Kuai pointed out, given that happened after the truth of how much he knew was revealed. He was sitting up now, giving Hanzo as good a glare as he could manage at the time.

Hanzo stared at him puzzled for a second, before it seemed a lightbulb went off and he muttered “oh, humans need to breathe.”

Kuai began to laugh.

He didn’t know why. It was just such an absurd situation. A vampire apparently so far removed from humanity he forgot something as basic as humans need oxygen. It was absolutely ridiculous.

“Is everything alright?” Harumi questioned. Kuai hadn’t noticed her coming into the room. She was holding a tray with a steaming bowl and a glass with a strange bubbling blue liquid.

“Yes, we just… Established why my actions may have given the wrong impression on our intentions,” Hanzo admitted guiltily before standing and moving aside so his wife could place the tray on the table in front of Kuai. Up close, Kuai could see the bowl was full of noodles, with what looked like some chicken and some assorted vegetables.

“Drink this first,” Harumi softly said, picking up the glass. Kuai wasn’t sure how much he trusted it. Harumi seemed to sense the hesitation and added “no doubt the sleeping spell has left you with a headache? This will help.”

He supposed by this point they were likely telling the truth about not wanting to hurt him. He’d be dead by now if they really wanted that. He took the glass, and brought it to his lips. The liquid was sickly sweet and Kuai almost gagged on it. Still he drank it all without complaint, and once it was gone, he passed the glass back to Harumi. She put the glass down and picked up the bowl instead. Kuai had to admit he wasn’t really sure what this dish was, but it smelt good.

“I do apologise for using the spell on you,” she said as she passed him a pair of chopsticks. “But you were panicking and I worried you would hurt yourself if we let you continue.”

Kuai just nodded as he picked up a piece of chicken and placed it in his mouth. He’s never tasted something so nice before. He guessed that wasn’t hard though, food in The Lin Kuei was usually just unseasoned meats and rice. Still Kuai tried not to let it show that this was the first time he’d eaten in days, and just how unusual food that tasted good was to him.

“I wish we could have just given you the Kamidogu and let you go on your way, but unfortunately we can not allow that item to go into the wrong hands,” Harumi explained, watching Kuai with a renewed curiosity for him. “And given what Hanzo has said, letting you return without it would go… badly for you.”

“If I go back without it, I would be punished and they’d send someone else in my place.” Kuai took another bite of noodles, trying to limit his intake. It was only now he realised how hungry he’d actually been. “If I do not return, they will assume I am dead, and send someone else anyway.” Kuai looked between the two for a few seconds, trying to gauge their reaction. “Either way, they will keep sending people until they retrieve it.”

Hanzo shifted on the spot, looking uncomfortable as he stated to his wife “that could be a problem.”

“Then ideally we need to find out who exactly this mysterious client is,” Harumi stated, before turning to Kuai. “I know they do not give you any information, but surely someone must know.”

“Only the higher level members and the elders have access to that information.” Kuai stared down at the food. A thought came to his mind, but it was devious, and if anyone ever found out he was complicit in such betrayal, he would be executed. Still, it might be the only way out. “I… may have an idea.”

“What is it?” Hanzo asked, his head eagerly snapping over to Kuai.

“I have a brother,” Kuai explained softly. Hanzo raised an eyebrow as if to ask how that was relevant. “He is of a much higher rank than me, and has the privilege of access to that sort of information.” Suddenly both of them no longer looked confused, just staring and listening intently for more information. “If you were to send a ransom note to him, my release for the information on the client, he would be likely to reply even if it went against the elders orders. And he’s high enough in the chain that he’d likely get away with it without much discipline.”

Hanzo and Harumi shared a look of doubt, or maybe it was one of concern. Kuai supposed he couldn’t blame them.

“If you did go that route, The Lin Kuei can never know I was involved,” he warned although it came out more like a plea. “I can take whatever they throw at me for failure, but the consequences for betrayal involve execution.”

Harumi took a deep breath. She did not look happy about that prospect. She turned to her husband, “any thoughts.”

“It sounds reckless, puts you in far too much danger,” Hanzo claimed. “Maybe we should give it some thought, we can come up with a plan with less risks to you.”

“The Lin Kuei expects me back in 2 days time,” Kuai told them, finishing off the last of his noodles. “After that they’ll send the next person.”

“We will think about it and discuss it later,” Harumi said, shooting her husband a look that Kuai couldn’t decipher. “But does this at least mean you would be willing to stay until we have come up with a plan.”

“I… suppose I should,” Kuai said. For some reason, he was suddenly aware that his headache had gone. Whatever that liquid was had helped. His trust in the vampires was still shaky, but it seemed after the rough start they didn’t want to intentionally hurt him. Working with them seemed to be in his best interest for now.

Harumi seemed elated at this news, her face absolutely lit up. It was strangely endearing, if Kuai was honest. Hanzo looked at her with a tired but fond smile.

“Well then, I had better go and prepare a guest room,” she announced, while clapping her hands. “You look exhausted, I’ll come and get you once I’m done!”

And with that she was off again. It almost felt like if he’d blinked she’d have just disappeared. Kuai looked over to Hanzo, and the two of them just stared at each other for a long minute.

“I do hope we don’t have to resort to your plan,” Hanzo admitted.

Kuai didn’t know what to say to that. He just nodded in agreement, and continued to finish his meal off.

He had a feeling that despite both Hasashi’s hesitance, they would find there wouldn’t be any other choice.

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