The Stone Wards

 

Miyu stood outside the school building. She had searched through the early hours but could find no trace of Shinma. She had arrived at school and as the day had passed had kept her eyes open for any strangeness among the students. There was a call and then a patter of shoes as Chisato hurried up to join her.

 

“Hey,” she smiled enthusiastically. In contrast to Miyu, Chisato was the most lively and bubbly person in the school. She was one of the few humans Miyu could relate to, despite having such different personalities. However Miyu felt she could never confide her thoughts in Chisato so the high school student knew nothing of Miyu’s vampire heritage. “Wanna get a bite to eat?”

 

Miyu smiled at the ironic question and nodded, then followed Chisato down the long drive through the front lawns where other students were talking amongst themselves and out of the grounds. Two girls Miyu was also acquainted with named Hisae and Yukari waved from across the lawns but did not wander across to join them, the librarian was giving them both a piece of his mind. As they wandered through the busy streets Chisato decided to start a small conversation.

 

“Have you heard?” she asked in a dramatic tone. “It was horrible… on TV news this morning. A woman was found dead with wounds on her neck. They identified her as a pensioner called Motomu Hasegawa. She was also found holding a silver stone. The stone has been taken into the city police department for examination. Isn’t it all scary?”

 

The first attack, Miyu thought triumphantly. I have found a stray Shinma due to be sent. Ideas for a phase of action clouded her mind and she forgot to reply in caring human tones she often used to make her seem more human.

 

“Miyu?” Chisato was watching her face.

 

“I am sorry. I was just thinking. It is terrible.” She said the word ‘terrible’ without any expression. Miyu did not hunt Shinma for the humans and now as a vampire, she found a little harder to feel sympathy for a human she’d never met after fighting so many of the shape-shifting demons.

 

Chisato nodded and pulled her into a bistro. It was noisy and packed with students getting a break from their studies and in the background Miyu could hear the speakers pumping out music, which had been turned down a little seeing as the staff was watching a small television nailed to the restaurant walls. As they sat and ate they listened to the report on the television as the reporter gave news about Motomu Hasegawa’s murder.

 

“It is a mystery to why 57 year-old Motomu Hasegawa was found dead on Tuesday the 21 of August. It seemed she had two wounds on her neck that have not been identified and she had suffered severe blood loss despite the scene of the crime was completely clean apart from some spilt tea. She was found holding this stone.” Miyu leant forwards as the reporter held a small, oval, silver stone up to the camera. “It seems to be unrelated to the murder of Hasegawa. It has also been noted that eight more stones identical to this have been discovered over the city.” The news lines continued onto a new topic.

 

“Hmm,” Chisato said sounding relatively thoughtful. “I wonder who is leaving all these stones?”

 

“I don’t know,” Miyu replied softly.

 

*   *   *

 

On the roof of a skyscraper Miyu sat in the moonlight watching the population of the humans swarming down below her. Larva, her devoted servant stood behind her dressed in a hooded black robe with a white mask over his face. The night was quiet and peaceful with a waxy moon overhead, a perfect time for thinking. Shiina, who was perched at Miyu’s side, shook her head in frustration sending her ears flapping. Miyu caught glances of her swollen eye with a slight look of irritation. 

 

“I can’t work it out,” she said furiously. “What kind of a Shinma just leaves purposeless stones? They have no effect on humans!” She leapt from Miyu’s shoulder and peered over the edge of the building, expecting to spy the answer with her almost unnaturally superb sight.

 

“Can you figure it out, Larva?” Miyu said listening to the angry horns below as humans lost their tempers in the traffic jams and Shiina’s disgruntled mutterings. She turned for a moment to face her servant. Larva had been oddly distant the past few days.

 

“It makes little sense to me,” Larva replied placidly from behind his mask.

 

“Maybe the stones suck the life out of humans!” Shiina suggested.

 

“But there has only been one death reported,” Miyu replied darkly. “It makes no sense. We need another clue.”

 

“You have a lot of time to concentrate on this Shinma, Miyu,” Larva said. “The other Shinma seem to be keeping a low profile.”

 

Miyu rose from her spot and scanned the city. She smiled absentmindedly for a moment, watching the humans getting more and more infuriated at the standstill and she laughed to herself, thinking amusing humans could be to watch. Larva was right; she hadn’t seen any traces of Shinma when she had been searching for them. A notion came to her mind. She decided it would be a first step.

 

“I’m going to visit all those who have found stones.” She would confront them personally tonight and then continue once school had finished.

 

*   *   *

 

The classroom was stuffy so Miyu sat on the balcony with Chisato. They were enjoying the quiet breeze on their faces when Chisato suddenly grinned and began fishing in her bag.

 

“Look, Miyu,” she said happily pulling out the contents of her bag and eventually holding up what she’d found. “I found this in the park. Pretty, heh?”

 

Miyu stared at the silver stone in Chisato’s palm like a cat watching a mouse chewing a stick of dynamite.

 

“Careful, Chisato,” she murmured observantly. “You don’t know what those stones are. Remember Motomu Hasegawa?”

 

“Oh, it seems perfectly harmless,” Chisato replied airily tossing it from one hand to the other. “Hey, catch!” she giggled suddenly lobbing the stone in Miyu’s direction.

 

Miyu caught it with ease but as the stone touched her skin she felt a white hot current of energy surge through her body.

 

“Ow!” she dropped it in alarm. Miyu looked down at her hand but there wasn’t a mark.

 

“Miyu?” Chisato cried and ran to her side, picking up the stone on the way. “What’s up?” Miyu only shook her head in response. She looked cautiously at the stone and carefully flicked it with one fingernail. The same pain flickered through her. Chisato hurriedly stuffed the stone in her bag and helped Miyu to her feet. “Maybe I should return this to the park,” Chisato suggested weakly. Miyu nodded again.

 

“Chisato, those stones are trouble.” Why do they only affect me? She thought angrily.

 

*   *   *

 

Aya was wrapped in a warm coat with a matching hat and playfully kicked at the autumn leaves in the park. The sun flickered through the tree branches and she leapt through each patch of sunlight mischievously landing in puddles and soaking her legs and coat. She giggled at the thought of doing something naughty. At home, Aya’s mother was strict and her father was constantly drunk and unemployed. The thought of home was painful, so that was why she often came to the park, to get away from it all. She ran through the mud knowing this frolic would cost her a beating later through her mother.

 

She turned to leap into another puddle to find a girl taller and older than her wearing a long navy coat with the hood pulled down to her eyes and a knitted black scarf wrapped over her mouth and nose. Aya took a step backwards; this girl’s sudden appearance unnerved her. The girl bent down to Aya’s level and her eyes seemed to smile.

 

“Hello,” she said in a soft enchanting voice. “What’s your name, pretty girl?”

 

“Uh… uh…” Aya stuttered. She had been told not to talk to strangers. “My mama forbids me to talk to people I don’t know.”

 

“Your mother also told you not to leap in puddles but you don’t seem to have listened.” The girl’s hands were gloved and she waggled a scolding finger at Aya. Aya gawped.

 

“How did you know?” she asked incredulously.

 

“I can see,” the girl replied delicately. Aya did not understand the response. “Your mama isn’t nice to you.”

 

“She is just a bit strict, that’s all,” Aya said protectively. She knew her mother was cruel but she never said or heard it aloud so boldly.

 

“Never mind,” the girl sighed. She placed a hand in her pocket and pulled out a stone. “Here, I want you to have this as a present.” She placed the smooth silver stone in Aya’s hand. “I found it in the park. Put it in the garden and it will bring you good fortune.”

 

Aya watched the stone cautiously. “Really? A woman who killed was found with a stone like this.”

 

“I know,” she replied airily. “But it’s so pretty and so lucky.” She took a step nearer. “That was a lucky woman to have a silver stone, don’t you think?” Her voice sounded almost menacing and her words confused Aya.

 

“I need to go home,” Aya whimpered nervously, now frightened. She was alone with a strange girl who was now advancing step by step. Her heart pounded in her chest. The girl reached out and then stopped dead. She sniffed and her head flicked round down the path. Her eyes narrowed as she recognised one scent she feared. The girl turned back to Aya, eyes sparkling.

 

“Keep the stone,” she hissed. “Goodbye, Aya.” She turned and began to sprint away sending up leaves and then suddenly vanished. Aya blinked, still trembling. She hadn’t told the girl her name. She turned now to see another girl dressed in a white kimono approaching.

 

Miyu saw the silver stone clutched in the Aya’s hand and walked lightly up to her. Aya recoiled slightly, lines of terror running across her face. Miyu bent to peer at the girl’s face and considered how pretty she was and how young and strong the blood was that flowed through her veins. Now was not the time, however to consider her appetite.

 

“Hello,” Miyu greeted her. “That stone you are holding, where did you find it?”

 

“I-I-I didn’t!” Aya said quickly. “A funny girl came up to me and gave it as a gift. I thought she was going to attack me but when you came she ran away.” She breathed hard after saying this so quickly.

 

Miyu looked and peered down the path leading into the park. “Shinma,” she muttered quietly. She turned back to Aya. “Thank you, Aya,” she smiled and started to pursue the Shinma.

 

“Hey!” Aya yelled after her. “Why does everyone know my name?”

 

*   *   *

 

Miyu sprinted through the park, off the path and into the trees. The Shinma was quite far ahead but suddenly she stopped at a clump of trees and turned, her eyes glowing. Miyu felt Larva materialise behind her, ready to fight. The Shinma girl lifted a gloved hand to her head and pulled back the hood with one sweep. A wave of straight black hair fell down to her shoulders. The ends of her hair had been trimmed evenly giving it an almost unrealistic look. She tugged away the scarf so the vampire princess and her protector could see her face. Her skin was tanned but Miyu could instantly tell that she was not Japanese even though she spoke the language fluently. The Shinma’s gold eyes flickered and in one movement she discarded the coat revealing a top of gold material and a folded piece of cloth of matching colour tied round her waist. Bangles jangled noisily at her wrists and feet and she smiled at Miyu.

 

“Is a fight what you wish for?” she asked mildly.

 

“I do not enjoy sending Shinma for the chase,” Miyu replied coldly. “It is my duty to send you back to the darkness.”

 

“But I like it here,” the Shinma girl laughed turning her head slightly to the side. “So I don’t think I’ll leave just yet.”

 

Miyu was tired of discussing this. She held her hand before her and a flame flickered into life in her palm. “Back to the darkness,” she said fiercely as the flame spiralled towards the girl, “Shinma!” She dropped her hand but the girl was gone. Miyu cursed realising she would have to track the Shinma down all over again. She turned to see Larva removing the mask from his face and revealing the handsome features. His expression was vaguely puzzled.

 

“This is an intelligent Shinma, Miyu,” Larva said from behind. “She is more subtle in her ways.”

 

“I know. Larva,” Miyu suddenly remembered. “Chisato brought in one of those stones and to humans they seem perfectly harmless. But then I touched one and it repelled me.”

 

Larva suddenly went distant for a moment. “This I must investigate.”

 

Miyu nodded. “I’m going to find her,” she said between clenched teeth.

 

Right on cue, Shiina bounded onto her shoulder in a cheery manner and said, “Oh that’s good. I’ve just spotted a girl Shinma running through the South side of the park.”

 

“Let’s go,” Miyu snapped excitedly and they vanished.

 

*   *   *

 

To be continued…