“If you need something, please do not hesitate to let me or Asao know,” Haruka says, standing beside the table. “I am grateful that you have decided to join me in this antiquated endeavor. So I truly wish for you to feel at ease while staying here.”
“You don’t need to say thank you… I should be apologizing to you. It’s something I should help with anyway. I’m sorry I initially refused. That was selfish of me.”
“Tabula rasa.” Haruka bends to pick up the oversized manuscript. “The slate is clean. This reference guide will help prepare you for the ceremony.”
After quickly placing his coffee cup on the table, Nino takes the reference from Haruka’s grasp. It’s heavy and stuffed to the brim with yellowed pages. Nino moves around the low table to plop himself down on the soft couch. Once settled, he runs his fingers across the embossed leather. The material is cool and smooth underneath his fingertips.
Lore and Lust
Hirano Hatakemori | Hirano Hayato | Hirano Haruka
Evidence and analysis of vampiric bonding.
Cases collected starting Kennin 1201, March 22 to Shōwa 1973, December 23.
“Lore and Lust?” Nino reads. He looks up at Haruka from the couch. The purebred is seated back at his desk. “A little tongue in cheek for an ancient vampiric reference book, no?”
Haruka shuffles papers atop his desk. “Not so ancient. I finished compiling it in the 1980s. And the title is my father’s doing. He was… indisputably coquettish.”
“Wait—you wrote this?”
“With research primarily compiled by my grandfather and father, yes. I simply summarized, typed and organized the material.”
“Incredible.” Nino blinks. “So… it sounds like your dad was fairly good humored and playful. Like father like son?”
“Not particularly,” says Haruka, keeping his eyes on his papers as he begins writing.
“Don’t let him fool you.”
Nino whips his head toward the doorway and Asao is standing there. He walks into the library carrying a bamboo tray with a black lacquer tea set on top. He moves closer and Nino can see that the inside of each cup is coated in bright gold. Intricate pink cherry blossoms are painted on the outsides.
“Haruka definitely has his mother’s calmer, more patient demeanor,” Asao goes on, setting the tray down on the small table directly in front of Nino. “But his eyes and that sultry, ‘come-hither’ nature of his are all Hayato, if he’d ever let it out—”
“Asao—urusai. Damatte kudasai. Sonna no iranai.” Haruka’s frown is focused on his manservant as he switches to his native tongue. But his gaze isn’t angry, more like pleading.
Please stop talking. Nobody needs that. Nino’s smile broadens as he translates Haruka’s admonition in his mind. He’s wildly intrigued by this sudden, candid turn in their conversation.
“So Haruka’s aura is like his father’s?” Nino asks, keeping in English. “My mother’s vampiric essence was dominant in my parents’ coupling, although my brother and I physically favor our father.”
“Right.” Asao nods. “Your mother was Japanese. Do you speak and read it fluently?”
“I can speak it fluently, but reading is hard.” Nino sighs. He probably should have practiced more growing up. He probably should have done a lot of things in his life.
Asao raises his eyebrow, coyly looking toward the desk. He switches to Japanese. “Maybe Haruka could give you some tips while you’re with us? Have some tutoring sessions?”
Haruka instantly lifts his head, frowning yet again at his manservant but speaking in English this time. “He is not here to take Japanese lessons from me. He needs to review the reference—and I have to finish this arduous contract to finalize the confirmation. If we need something, I’ll call you.”
Nino bites his lip to hide his smile. Clearly, this is Haruka’s euphemism for “get the hell out.” Asao winks at Nino in a knowing way as he turns and moves toward the door.
“I hear you, your grace,” Asao says, openly grinning. “Nino, would you like me to bring a pot of coffee in lieu of tea?”
“No, this is perfect. Thank you very much.”
“Of course. Such a polite young purebred you are… Maybe you should be the one giving lessons.”
Haruka’s nose is upturned as he watches the older vampire leave the room. Once he disappears through the doorframe, Haruka drops his expression, studiously focusing on the papers in front of him as if nothing happened. Nino stifles a laugh. What an interesting guy…
Opening the leather manuscript cover, Nino skims over the table of contents and other technical notes. He starts reading the first major section.
Article I. Blood
The foundation of all vampiric bonds is consensual, mutual blood exchange through feeding. Both beings must feed intimately from each other, i.e., direct consumption of blood from flesh. Location of consumption is inconsequential. Blood cannot be consumed indirectly or without consent, e.g. violence, force, medical extraction, etc.
Cases of empirical data collected: 11,203
Compilation summary: Shōwa 1973, December 23
Section 1. Ashikaga Tomoyoshi, Matsunaga Chiyo | Purebred | Nagoya, Japan: Successful bond activation after two months of mutual, consensual feeding as confirmed by Hirano Hatakemori, Chosokabe Morihiro, et. al. Genkyū 1205, February 27.
Nino curiously reads through each account. It’s interesting, but many of the entries are similar. His eyes start glazing over from reading so many archaic Japanese names. He shakes his head to rouse himself.
The library is silent. Bright sunlight warms the space, quietly marking the subtle shift from morning to afternoon. With his hot cup of tea in hand, Nino feels surprisingly peaceful, occasionally stealing a quick glance across the room at Haruka. The enigmatic purebred is focused on writing the confirmation contract at his desk. Aside from the occasional shuffle of papers, he doesn’t make a sound.
Section 5,495. Tanaka Miya, Aisha Patel | First-Generation, Purebred | Tokyo, Japan | Successful bond activation after six months of mutual, consensual feeding as confirmed by Devya Khatri, Nakagawa Rei, et. al. Taishō 1912, October 1.
“Hm.” Nino tilts his head, hesitantly breaking the long-established silence of the room. “Based on this reference book, you get a firm sense of when Japan started integrating with vampires from other countries. That’s pretty neat.”
“All of my grandfather’s entries through the year 1523 are from those vampires of Japanese descent,” Haruka says, his eyes cast down as he writes. “My father’s entries are much more diverse. He also traveled abroad for a short time and collected accounts from various mated couples internationally. He seemed to have a genuine passion for this research.”
Despite himself, Nino chuckles. “Or maybe he just liked watching?”
Haruka abruptly stops writing and looks up at him, his brown eyes flat. “May I emphasize that not all accounts in the book are first-hand.”
“I’m sorry, I honestly just meant that as a joke—not funny. Sorry.” Nino scratches his head and returns his gaze to the book, flipping further along in the section. Stupid, Nino. Nice job, you ass.
“No apology is necessary,” Haruka assures him, offering a little smile. “Later, the research becomes undeniably… detailed? Even I questioned my father’s motives at times. It is valuable information—though inelegant.”
Grateful for the reassurance, a subtle warmth slowly fills Nino’s chest. “Do you have first-hand accounts written in here?” he asks.
Haruka sighs and sits back in his chair. He stares vacantly across the room. “Only one. Afterward, I discontinued the practice of formal confirmations under my realm. I firmly believe that vampires should bond privately and at their own discretion. Not in a fishbowl.”
“Couldn’t agree more,” Nino says, scanning another entry. “I wonder what that was like back then? Even though our culture is non-discriminate about race and gender, humans during that time definitely were—still are. How did those vampires manage? Especially couplings of the same gender.”
Haruka folds his arms, his brow furrowed. “I imagine it was extremely difficult. Our presence as creatures genetically contrasted with humans was a myth until the 1800s—something only expressed among humans as folklore or through the hysterics of an escaped victim. Our existence was still hidden at that time, let alone the added, complex layers of race and sexuality.”
“Sounds like hell. I’m grateful to be born in this era where we can be free.”
“I echo your sentiments,” Haruka says. “But many humans still face these challenges in certain geographic areas, although they have made undeniable progress as a race overall.”
