Coping. (Post Prophecy)

"I'm new to the clan," Shiraku murmured. "Raven sent me here..." She added, hoping that Bart would understand who she was talking about.

"Raven," Bart repeated. I remember her. She's the one that was escorting Shadow the first time I met her. It was also that person Shadow hated, I think.
"Do you know why she sent you here?" Bart asked, leaning slightly on the door's side.

"Vrael... just... well, bit me." Shiraku said quietly, looking at the ground. "Raven said that Shadow could help me control the hunger and give me some blood..."

Vrael. That's totally him, now.
Bart looked at Shiraku with concerned eyes. He then crouched slightly near her to be at her height. "Yeah, well Shadow's not here. And I don't know if I would let you take my blood," Bart continued, with a slight smile. "So, you're a vampire. I guess I'll get used to it sooner or later."

"Vampire and Demon," Shiraku said quietly. "Raven said that Shadow keeps blood here for Vrael, in case there's a shortage or he can't take living blood."

Bart blinked multiple times. Ah, so that's where Wraith got the blood. Well, I guess it can't be bad to get some of that. "Ah, ok," Bart answered, leaving the entrance open, as he went in, for Shiraku to follow, "I'll get some of that, then."
Bart went over to Wraith. "Can you get me some of that blood you got earlier for... Dominique?" he asked, very quietly, so that Shiraku wouldn't hear.
Yeah, right, Shiraku probably heard. Vampires have great senses.

Shiraku heard, but she dismissed it. Wraith bounded off, returning a few moments later with another bag of blood. Shiraku looked at it with hungry eyes, the grip on her bag tightening as she tried to control her hunger.

"Chow down," Bart said, smiling slightly. Behind his smile was a worried look. He didn't really like the idea of feeding off one else's blood. He shivered slightly, and walked quietly to Shadow's room, opening the door ever so slightly, only to catch a glimpse of Dominique still sleeping. he closed the door, and looked back at Shiraku.

Shiraku had pierced the bag with her slightly prominent fangs, taking long draughts. She paid attention only to her 'food'. Even Wraith looked a bit disgusted, but she sat still, determindly looking at the floor.

The sight of Shiraku drinking blood reminded him of Dominique and Shadow. Shadow, when he first met her, had already gained a mortal wound to her heart, and Bart tried to heal her once. Here, Dominique had been shot multiple times, only handling to life by a string. He had healed her too, but if it wasn't for Shadow in the first place, Dominique would've been dead by now. Bart's face darkened.

Shiraku finished the pack, looking up at Bart.
"Thank you," She said quietly, looking like an eight year old again, happy and carefree.

"No problem," Bart answered, taking the bag, thinking about Shadow. He shouldn't be thinking about her. She had reassured him that everything would be fine. Everything shall be fine. Just. Stop. Worrying.
Bart put away the bag, and sat onto a chair, his head leaning against his palm. "Anything else?" he asked.

Shiraku shook her head slowly.
"Raven just said that Shadow could help me."

"Mmh," Bart answered back simply, pulling his head to look at the table. His palm was flattened out onto his forehead, and he was thinking. Maybe not of the best of things. Bart's face darkened.

Wraith, sensing Bart's emotions, licked his hand gently again. Shiraku looked like she felt that she was out of place, not knowing how to act.

Bart looked down at Wraith, patting the wolf on its head, scruffling the fur slightly. Bart smiled again, then sighed, leaning on the back of his chair slightly. He put his hands into his pockets, and closed his eyes slightly.

Wraith sighed, standing up and wandering around in aimless, drifting circles. A single pigeon fluttered in through the window, looking at Bart.

Bart raised one eyebrow at the pigeon, forgetting what a pigeon meant in Shadow's house, as he was used to mouth-to-ear contacts or to virtual contacting. He closed his eyes, smiling slightly, balancing on the far feet of his chair.

Wraith crouched, belly low to the ground before pouncing on the pigeon, grabbing it gently in her jaws before carrying it to Bart. The bird struggled, but Wraith held it tightly enough, but not to hurt it.

Bart then remembered, and he checked the pigeon for any messages. He found one, and grabbed the pigeon firmly in one large hand. He took the message off, opened it, an old crackling noise filling the room as he did so, and started reading it, his eyes frowning slightly as he did so.

Help was the only word there, written in Shadow's italic calligraphy. Wraith whined quietly, smelling Shadow's scent on the paper and on the pigeon.

I knew that she would need it sooner or later...
As Bart thought that, Dominique slowly opened the door, peeking out. She then walked out, stretching. She looked at Bart. "Thanks," she said, quietly.
"You should still be recovering from the last events, Dominique," Bart answered.
"Nah, I feel fine," she retorted, looking at the letter Bart was holding in his hand, "Wuzzat?"
Damnit, doesn't she notice Shiraku is here?!
"Nothing important," he said, looking back at Dominique in a certain way, hoping she'd get the message. Dominique looked around after a few seconds. She then turned to Bart again, and nodded. Bart nodded back.

Shiraku looked at the two, wondering what was going on. She longed for her twin again, but she had resolved not to go near him until she was certain that he would be safe from her vampiric side.

"Hey, Shiraku," Bart said, "Looks like I'm going to have to tell it to you honestly earlier than I thought." Bart looked at Shiraku, and Dominique just looked at the ground.
"To be honest, I lied to you at the door back there. Shadow's been kidnapped, or demonnapped, or whatever you want, by the militia," Bart explained, slowly standing up, "And we're trying to get her back. Sorry."

Shiraku thought for a moment.
"Was it the milita?" She asked quietly.