Enid sat on her balcony with her feet up on the railing. The sun was getting low on the horizon. She was drinking a beer and had one of her schoolbooks in her lap. She had a pair of cut off shorts and a tank top on. The school year was well underway. She was doing much better with her math. The fact she had decided to join a private tutoring school and attended for Math an hour a day didn’t hurt. She drank the last of the beer from her bottle and put it down on the concrete balcony and reached down into her cooler and pulled out another. She popped the lid off and flicked it backwards into her apartment and took another swig. With the sun set, she put her schoolbook inside and finished her beer and started pulling down her laundry which she had hung up to dry. She’d just folded the last of it when her phone rang.

“Melanie speaking.”

“Melanie-chan, please come to the club. There are guests here to see you.”

“I will be there as soon as possible.”

She hung up the phone. And pulled on real clothes. Being seen in her current get up would get her in trouble with the school morality officer should he hear about it. She went with black jeans and a black t-shirt. She slung her ever present pack over her shoulder and headed to Nobuyuki’s club. Things had been quiet on the Yakuza front for the first part of the semester, but she hadn’t been a stranger to her adoptive family. She went for meals often and spent her Sundays with the family. She went in the back door of the club. Being seen in a Pachinko parlor was also a good way to get a lecture from the police and the school. She greeted the rear doorman with a smile. She was full on Yakuza now and tattooed and that afforded her a margin of respect even for a gaijin.

“He’s in the office.”

Enid nodded and made her way into the club and knocked on Nobuyuki’s door. She heard him tell her to come in. She opened the door and was greeted by Nobuyuki, and five very pale Japanese people. Two women, three men. The man at the front of the group had a metal case with him. They bowed immediately upon seeing her enter. She pulled her pack off and leaned it against the wall.

Pugmentia. Could smell them from the entrance.

“Stuart-san, these people wanted a meeting with you to discuss terms.”

Enid quirked an eyebrow and looked the group of well-dressed vampires up and down.

“Speak.”

The one at the front. Enid predicted he was the eldest, or at least held the most territory folded his hands and bowed low.

“Haha Ketsueki Megami we beg your forgiveness for the transgressions of the rabble of this island. We offer you this as proof that we are penitent and beg you show mercy.”

He placed the case down and opened it. There were four heads in it, one of the was the Dodomeki, the others she didn’t recognize.

“We have brought the offender and his cohorts to justice and wish only to hold on to our meager territories. The island is now your territory, and none will set foot here on pain of death. Please accept our most humble apologies.”

Oh boy. That got a bit out of hand. I meant to make them scared not paranoid.

“I accept your terms. But I require further tribute. For I hunger for justice over all else. If any of your number break your laws and they forfeit their life I demand you deliver them to me for justice. I warn you I can see the truth of a man’s heart and I will not abide the sacrifice of innocents.”

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The discussed amongst themselves. Then the leader bowed low again.

“We will provide this tribute to you, Haha Ketsueki Megami”

Enid bowed. And watched the Pugmentia leave the room with a bemused expression. Nobuyuki leaned back in his chair looking at Enid.

“You probably could have gotten more out of them; They are really scared of you.”

“I am sad that it came to that. I was trying my best to let them live in peace.”

“Why did they call you mother blood goddess?”

“Apparently, they think I’m the first vampire, their progenitor come back to punish them for their transgressions. I am not a vampire.”

“But you drink blood.”

“No, I use it.”

Nobuyuki nodded.

“If I were a vampire, school during the day would be a serious problem. The sun would kill me, and vampires can’t stay awake once the sun rises.”

“Well as long as they keep believing you’re a vampire.”

Enid nodded.

“Yes, father, you are right.”

“It is a dangerous game to play Melanie-chan.”

“Yes father, you are also right with that point.”

“Those are the most fun to play.”

Enid sat down in the chair opposite Nobuyuki.

“So, what am I supposed to do with four vampire heads?”

“Mount them like those American hunters.”

Enid laughed.

“That is pretty dark, we should probably burn them. Vampires are very flammable.”

“I’ll have it taken care of. How is school?”

“There have been some challenges. As a gaijin the teachers give me a hard time. But I have had worse.”

“I could have them talked to.”

“Oh no, I think they would probably be pretty upset if they found out I had any association with the Yakuza.”

“Speaking of which. Apparently Taichi reached out. He has some information you requested. Will only tell you in person.”

Enid wrinkled her nose.

“I needed to burn my clothes last time.”

“Well, your summer vacation starts Friday; It might be a good time to go to Tokyo.”

“Miko’s parents did invite me to spend a week at the hot springs with them. I suppose I could go to Tokyo early. I hadn’t decided if I would say yes or not yet.”

“You should say yes. For them to invite a gaijin on their vacation is a big thing. Miko must like you quite a lot.”

“They need your permission for me to go with them.”

“I will speak to them.”

“Are you sure you can’t just say no? I’m not a fan being close to volcanos.”

“Why do you fear volcanos?”

“Well there was an eruption, it killed a bunch of people. Also, the thought of being buried alive in an ash cloud that can’t kill me is pretty terrifying.”

“You will not be buried in a volcanic eruption.”

Nobuyuki came around and patted Enid on the shoulder.

“You will be fine. I will talk to Miko’s parents and give them some money for you. I know you don’t need it, but it is expected I do so.”

Enid nodded.

“You should go to the beach isn’t there a multi-school bonfire?”

“Yes.”

“You should put in an appearance. The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.”

“You are right again father. Thank you.”

Enid gave Nobuyuki a hug as was expected of a daughter and picked up her bag and rushed to the beach. Miko almost tackled her when she appeared.

“I didn’t think you were coming.”

“I was asking my father about the hot springs trip.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he would speak to your parents and that I could go.”

Miko cheered, in her cutesy way.

“Now I don’t have to spend it with my brother! Melanie-chan we’re going to have so much fun!”

“I’m leaving for Tokyo on Friday; will your parents be okay with me joining you there?”

“Why? I thought we could travel together.”

“I have… family business.”

“Do you think I could come with you?”

“Would your parents be alright with you spending a week in Tokyo alone?”

Miko bit her lip tapping her chin.

“If you’re visiting family yes.”

“I’m staying in a hotel, alone.”

“In Tokyo?”

“Yes, it’s what I did last time.”

“And your father let you?”

“Yes, he trusts me to behave. I live in my own apartment now.”

“That is because it is closer to the school.”

“Yes, sort of. Look if you want to come along that’s fine, but some of the stuff I need to do, I need to do alone. Not that I don’t want you to come, it’s just, well not pleasant.”

“Please, please, please!”

“As long as your parents are okay with it. I can pay for the plane tickets and the hotel.”

“I will ask tomorrow. Let’s go see if we can find the girls.”

Enid nodded and let Miko drag her into the throng of other high school students.