The Mansion

Chapter 3. Vampires at Home

Breakfast was as usual the following morning. Mr. Black had decided not to mention anything about his niece's attack. And no one knew except for those who had found her and himself.

"Nelli, I heard some noises coming from your room last night, did something happen?" Shanon asked the raven haired as she walked by her table.

Her companions look at her interested. The girl blushed.

"It's nothing, don't worry" Nelli replied.

"Hey, Ryoma, what happened, to you?" Toshiro asked him.

"I fell on the bushes yesterday" he lied.

"But you didn't go to the rehearsal" continued Toshiro.

"I-I was late." He answered glancing quickly at his girlfriend.

"Yeah, he was." The girl supported him.

"By the way," Gaara said "what did you have to do yesterday? I didn't see you after that"

The couple looked nervously at each other. As the girl's parents walked into the restaurant, followed by Luna's white haired friend. They sat together at a nearby table.

"I need to speak to you" Near told L in a barely audible whisper.

"Is this about your missing friend?" The private eye answered.

"Not really" Near added.

"Then?"

"I'm not sure yet, but..." The white haired sighed "I think I saw Ryoma sneaking into Nelli's room yesterday. It might be nothing, I thought you might want to know."

"Wait, what?" said Nana, who apparently, had heard it all. She stood up, and approached him, anger seeping around her in a murderous aura. "I'm going to ask one question, and I need the truth. What were you doing at my daughter's room yesterday, when I forbade you from going near her?"

"M-mom!" Nelli said, both she and her boyfriend shook in fear "I-it's not what you think!"

"Oh, really?" Nana responded sarcastically "Then, what was he doing there?" She spotted the mark on the young man's neck. "What is that?"

"I fell in the gardens" Ryoma explained, covering the wound.

"Let me see" Nana glared at him, and pulled him up from his chair, checking the mark thoroughly. Her eyes narrowed even more as she convinced herself of what the wound was caused by. "Nelli, Ryoma. I need to speak to both of you. Now." She said leading them apart from the others.

Everybody else quieted down as they watched the three of them leave the restaurant.

***

Earlier that morning, Ulquiorra and Near had stayed the whole night in Luna's room, neither of the able to sleep, as they waited for the girl to finally wake up. As she finally did, at dawn. Her golden eyes, had turned light green in colour. Near sighed in relief, and a hint of a smile appeared on the black haired's otherwise unmoving face.

"Wha' are you doing here?" The brunette asked drowsily, as she sat up.

"You fainted on the bar's floor" explained her white haired friend. "We carried you here, luckily, you still keep your keys in your pocket."

Ulquiorra nodded, confirming what Near just said.

"Thanks, tae both of you" the girl offered them a weary smile.

"Good thing you woke up" Near continued. "Ulquiorra, I'll leave her to you while I bring her something to eat." He leaned in and kissed his friend's forehead lightly. "You should rest a bit more, I'll be back, I promise."