"How can you not buy anything other than a bracelet?" The tall, pretty girl whined loudly as she walked alongside her friend, shaking her head. "And I had to almost pay for it just to get you to buy it!"

Kari sighed, smiling at Rima's dramatics. "You know I just like to window shop and try things on for fun. Besides" -- she eyed the shopping bags Rima carried in each hand — "most of my time was spent helping you pick all of that stuff!"

"You're hopeless," Rima rolled her eyes, her tone softening. "You should treat yourself to something nice once in a while."

Her best friend had a point, Kari thought. It was just that she didn't need anything at the moment. 'My first paycheck arrives next week.' She mused. 'Should I buy a new dress?'

It was mid-afternoon when the two girls had wrapped up their shopping. Osaka City's commercial district was as busy as ever, with the ongoing celebrations for Golden Week reaching its height. At right about this time a massive float parade coursed along the main streets of the city, and much of the traffic had been diverted to the side roads as a result. The loud cacophony of blaring horns and drums filled the air.

Finally, they arrived at Rima's stop, with the bus pulling in just in time.

"Be sure to wear the bracelet to school next week!" The tall girl reminded her with a smile before stepping into the bus.

"Of course!" Kari waved.

Kari headed to her bus stop four blocks away, having to make a slight detour when she found the intersection she normally took was closed off for the parade. Thankfully, the alley she chose wasn't crowded, with only a few shops on either side.

Upon reaching the end of the alley, the girl waited on the crosswalk of the intersection for the traffic to stop.

Something caught her attention as she looked past the rushing cars. A blurry shadow of a man stood at the end of the crossing, his form fading in and out like a glitchy screen.

'My eyes must be playing tricks on me.'  Kari squinted under the afternoon sun, trying to make out the odd figure. She glanced around, but everyone else appeared normal in her eyes.

The stranger's arm moved slightly and a long, black, tapered object flickered in his hand.

'Is that... a knife?'  The girl tensed as the shadowy form locked his gaze on her.

Someone grabbed her arm from behind.

Without thought, Kari raised her arm, twisting in and out as her upper body moved sideways, breaking free of the stranger's grasp. She stepped forward, hand curling into a fist toward the man's jaw.

The man's hand deftly blocked her fist, inches from his face, his grey eyes wide with surprise.

"Miss Kari -- it's me, Evan Collins."

Kari quickly pulled her hand back. "Mr. Collins?"

She recalled the young man walking out the school doors with Taren a few days ago, but this was the first time she'd seen him up close.

Standing just under 6 feet tall, his short, dark brown hair, steel-grey eyes, and serious expression matched perfectly with the dark, designer business suit he wore— In short, he was intimidating as hell!

'Why is he here?'

Remembering her manners, she quickly bowed her head, "Er— Collins-sama."

'Oh—my—god!'  She cried inwardly, her face turning red with embarrassment. 'Did I just take a swing at my employer?'

* * * * * * * * * *

Evan glanced grimly at the Hunter standing on the other side of the street. The man's cold, black eyes stared at them across the rushing traffic.

He had promised the kid that he would watch over the girl, and his security team had kept tabs on Kari and her friend throughout the day. But he wasn't fully expecting the Hunter Society to try something at the height of the city's festivities, risking exposure.

He felt Kari stiffen beside him as she followed his gaze.

'She can see them.' Evan eyed the girl, hiding his amazement. Hunters are virtually invisible to ordinary humans. 'And she almost socked me in the eye with that defensive move. What other surprises does she have up her sleeve?'

"I'm on my way back to the mansion. Let me drive you home," he offered in a mild, reassuring tone.

With a relieved expression on her face, Kari agreed.

They quickly turned around as the traffic light flashed red and cars slowed to a stop.

But to the Hunter's eyes, they would appear to have vanished into thin air.

Evan had just reinforced the Shadow Ward around Kari, and she should be safely hidden from their eyes, for now until he can find a more permanent solution to guarantee her safety. Nevertheless, he couldn't shake the nagging worry that filled his mind.

'I'm starting to sound like Taren.'  He bit back a grimace.

Evan led the girl to a side street full of pedestrians. It was slow going, as every one else was heading the opposite direction to revel in the festivities.

"Mr. Collins, did you see that weird-looking guy across the street?" Kari raised her voice against the clamor.

Evan nodded, his thoughts conflicted. How can he tell her that those monsters, disguised as men, are out to hunt her down? Even if she believed him, her life would never be the same.

"I'm glad I got to you just in time. Don't worry, I have some of my men tracking him down as we speak."

The girl thanked him gratefully, slightly surprised that he had men at his disposal so quickly.

They emerged from the crowded street and walked a block to where a silver BMW was parked along the curb. Holding the door open for her, she slid into the passenger side.

Evan drove the car on the side roads to skirt the traffic jam on the main streets, while Kari provided directions. Within a few minutes they entered the freeway that led to the suburbs and Kari's town.

As the car skimmed the mile-long bridge over Yodogawa river, a screech of brakes and a loud crash of metal against metal assailed their ears as a car several meters ahead collided into another vehicle.

Evan's augmented sight spotted brief flares of a thin blue light, touching several vehicles in succession. It only took a fraction of a second, but wherever it touched, cars careened out of control as their engines failed, crashing into the vehicle in front.

Kari gasped in surprise as he stepped on the brakes, stopping the car inches from the stalled vehicle ahead.

He cursed under his breath, realizing that his worst fear had just come to pass.

'It can't be. A Clanless--here?'

Evan had not had time to collect his thoughts when a large brown van suddenly veered from the opposite lane, its speed accelerating toward them—toward the passenger side.

"Get down!" Evan warned. 

With a stifled scream, Kari dropped low into her seat, arms over her head.

The Guardian's eyes narrowed at the speeding vehicle, at the malevolence of the Hunter behind the wheel. He raised his hand to form a shield of air around the car. A few more seconds and the barrier would have repelled any projectile, however strong. But as he gauged the distance and the van's speed, he knew he wouldn't be able to fortify the shield in time.

He shifted the barrier around to reinforce the car's passenger side, enclosing the girl in an invisible, indestructible shield.

They would take some damage from this attack, but he swore to himself that it wouldn't be her.

* * * * * * * * * *

The large van suddenly swerved off the silver BMW, narrowly missing its passenger side, as if a great hand had tossed it aside contemptuously. Sparks flew from the van's sides as it smashed headlong into the bridge's steel guardrails.

The silence that followed was as deafening as the crash that preceded it.

Dropping the barrier around them, Evan slowly released the breath he had been holding, while Kari gingerly raised her head, visibly in shock that she was still alive.

The door on the passenger side swung open.

"Are you guys alright?" A familiar voice inquired breathlessly.

They both stared incredulously at the silver-haired boy, his blue eyes wide with concern.

"Ta—" Kari's voice croaked and she tried again. "Taren? Why—How are you here?"

"My thoughts exactly." Evan glanced sharply at the boy.

His mind-speech dripped with anger and exasperation. ': What are you doing? You're in no condition to use your powers-- let alone be here! :'

Taren gave him a mental shrug. ': I just saved your ass, man. :'  Aloud, he explained, "I was on my way to see the festival in the city when I spotted your car. The entire bridge is jammed and closed on either side from the accidents."

In other words, the kid had escaped Eduard and the staff's watchful eyes, again--and literally flew to get here.

Evan sighed. He had other, immediate problems to take care of. 'I'll deal with this later.'

"By the looks of it, it'll be hours before the bridge is cleared." He told the two. "Kari, go with Taren. He'll see to it you get home safely."

To Taren, he mind-spoke, ': I'll take care of things here, and make sure that you're not followed. Be careful out there. My wards are in place and she should be hidden in their eyes, but-- I suspect they have a Clanless aiding them. He disabled several electric powered cars in the vicinity and caused the crash. And, given that they found her so soon, he's powerful enough to see through my wards. :'

Taren nodded slightly, giving no outward sign that he was concerned. ': I felt his presence briefly, but he won't be able to travel far in his true form if he wants to avoid discovery. And in human form, just like any other Kindred, his powers are limited. As long as we keep moving, we should be okay. :'

Turning to the girl, Taren held out his hand.

"Kari, shall we go?"  

* * * * * * * * * *

Stepping out of the car, Kari's legs felt unsteady, grateful for the boy's firm grip on her hand.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Taren asked in a worried tone.

"My— my legs don't seem to work right." Kari laughed weakly, still shaky from the fact that just a few minutes ago, she had almost died! "But I'll be fine in a bit," she added hastily.

"I'm sorry, that must have been quite scary." Taren gently placed an arm around her shoulder to steady her.

Kari glanced back at the crash site. "I hope to God no one's seriously hurt."

They reached the end of the bridge as police cars, fire trucks and ambulances drove by, their sirens filling the air.

"We're close to the center of town, about a half mile from here. From the town square it's just a few blocks to my house." Kari said.

Taren nodded, seemingly distracted as his eyes swept through the surrounding buildings and streets.

Kari's thoughts whirled at the recent events. 'Something doesn't add up, but I just can't place it. The strange man on the street, and that van—I saw it clearly, it was about to mow us down and the next thing I knew it had crashed into the guardrails. Not that I'm complaining I'm alive! And Mr. Collins and Taren showed up at just the right moment too—

'I may just be over-thinking it, but why do I feel like they're not telling me everything?'

She looked up at the boy next to her—really looked. There were dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn't slept a week, and his face was pale.

His eyes—they seemed to burn like fiery blue suns, like a fire that can't be contained. 'I've never seen anything quite like it, except perhaps—

'Ryu --'

"A penny for your thoughts?" The boy cleared his throat self-consciously.

Kari gasped; she had been staring at Taren so intently! She quickly looked away, cheeks heating up. There's no way she would share that last thought!

"I heard that you had called in sick the other day. How are you feeling?"

"I feel fine, thanks for asking." Taren shrugged with a slight smile.

Kari turned to face him, unable to stop herself from saying what was on her mind.

"Taren-kun, I know it's only been a few weeks since we've met, but at the same time I feel like I've known you for longer. It's just—really strange.

"Have we ... met before?"

"I—" Taren opened his mouth, his eyes wary, clearly caught off guard.

He had always seemed so sure of himself, but her careless words had made him uncomfortable!

"Oh god, what was I thinking? Please forget I said that!" Kari forced a laugh, turning her flushed face away.

Her gaze fell on a shadowy form of a man standing on the sidewalk across the street, about twenty feet away. He faded in and out of her vision, like his counterpart in the city. The man exuded danger and a palpable malevolence that made her gasp. He seemed to be searching for something—or someone.

"Taren—!" Kari whispered, "That man—"

The boy followed her gaze, and bit back a curse.