"We've got something." A voice sounded in the mind of all the werewolves except Alina, because the guy didn't knock in her door hard enough.
Linda visibly stiffened at the dining table, where they were having dinner. Alina raised an eyebrow at her curiously and cracked open her mental door to peek out.
"We've managed to capture a rogue that might have a connection with those murderers." It was the voice of the Alpha of Night Stalker.
"We'll be there in a few days." Cayne told him, not looking up from his food. All the werewolves were listening intently while the dragon, two witches and a wizard watched on, out of the loop.
"Days?" The voice asked incredulously. "Where are you now?"
"Japan." Alina answered nonchalantly. She was met by a stunned silence.
"I'm not going to ask why you're even on Earth," before he cut the mindlink. Back in the inner world, the Alpha sighed heavily and wondered what sort of mess he had got himself and his pack caught in.
"Why days?" Hikari questioned out loud, before spooning some food into her mouth.
"And I wouldn't be surprised if something weird popped up." Alina chuckled darkly.
"Huh?" Shōhei asked, confused.
Alina was slightly amused at the confused faces of the other supernaturals. "Alpha of Night Stalker thinks he has a lead. We need to go back."
"Not exactly a quick trip back, considering how long it even took us to get here." Linda pointed out. She was still traumatised from their numerous road trips.
"And we need to stop by Bloodmoon to collect our stuff and Cole and Liam." Alina added as she mentally went through the places that they had been to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything on the ever-growing to-do list.
"You can go directly to the airport. I'll fly Korū and someone else back for the stuff," Shōhei offered.
Alina frowned. "Then what do we do while waiting? And you'll be going to the inner world with us?"
"I'm part of this already," Shōhei pointed out. "You aren't leaving me behind."
"You can... wander around the airport?" Hikari suggested, imagining how it would be for the lot of them to roam around the airport like normal tourists.
"Wandering is boring." Alina muttered, thinking. "But I guess driving, we might actually be slower than you." She could imagine Richard sighing and shaking his head at how messy their plans were.
"Is Kumori going to come with us?" Cayne asked.
"I don't know. Maybe. We'll ask."
"Okay." Cayne replied, confusion sweeping through him as he watched Korū stiffen in his seat out of the corner of his eye, before he blinked twice and relaxed again, reminding himself that Cayne, unlike him, was gay.
"When are you leaving?" Shizuna asked.
"Do you want to get some sleep or you wanna leave now?" Hikari asked the others.
"Sleep," Shōhei voted.
"Do I look like I'm gonna get much sleep?" Korū questioned. "It doesn't matter."
"Sleep." Alina agreed. Linda and Cayne gave grunts of affirmation.
"Thank God," Shōhei said. "I'm gonna go." He left for his room.
Korū blinked at the clock on the wall. "It's only eight, what the hell?"
"I'm tired," Shōhei responded from the doorway. "I was woken up way too early."
"Thought you were sleeping in Korū's bed just now?" Shizuna asked.
Alina gave her a sideway glance, "How did you know?"
Izanami shrugged. "Why wouldn't I? I was there."
Alina nodded slowly, before shoving a spoonful of food into her mouth.
"It's kinda my fault," Hikari mused, somewhat apologetically. "I did displace him from his bed."
"I'm glad you know," Shōhei said tiredly.
"So what time will you leave tomorrow?" Rihito inquired.
"Eight, maybe." Shōhei finally walked away. If it took him this long just to make his way out of the dining room, who knew how long it would take them to get to the inner world. "Any earlier and I'll seriously commit murder."
***
"Oi, wake up," Korū muttered, poking Cayne's shoulder repeatedly. "Wake the fuck up, it's seven-thirty."
Cayne groaned, before sitting up. "Eager to get back, huh?" he mumbled sleepily.
"Mh." He turned to walk away. "Hurry up."
Cayne grunted again and dragged himself out of bed.
Korū flopped onto Cayne's bed, his things already stuffed into his bag, the katana lying beside him.
"Are you guys alive? Oh, you guys are alive." Alina said, bursting into the room. "We leave in an hour, latest."
Korū was lying on Cayne's bed, Kaguya snuggled at his chin. They both blinked up at Alina.
"Bye." and she pulled the door shut.
"Cayne." Korū ran his fingers through Kaguya's fur. "You wanna come back to Bloodmoon with me?"
"Sure." Cayne replied, emerging from the toilet.
"We have an hour before Shōhei drags us out." He stood up, leaving Kaguya on the bed, gave Cayne a quick peck on the lips, and went into the bathroom.
Cayne just stood there, blinking for a few seconds, before a full blown grin spread across his face.
Kaguya blinked up at Korū, then purred loudly, leaping off the bed to paw at him.
"Yes, Kaguya, I know he's fucking happy," Korū called from inside the bathroom. "That was the entire damn point."
Cayne chuckled, making his way out of the room. "I'm going to get some drinks."
"Get me a coffee," Korū called, "Or I swear I'll fall off Shōhei."
"'Drinks' is plural, so yes."
"I should kiss you more," Korū remarked. Cayne's laughter came from outside the door. Korū was entertaining when he wasn't reserved.
Hikari just popped out from the shadows along the corridor. "What happened? My brother's in a good mood today, huh?"
"You've been standing there listening the whole time, huh?" Cayne said, not particularly surprised or offended.
"Not really, I just got here. Twin radar, mostly," Hikari responded. "I heard him say something about kissing you more...?" A grin spread across her face. You might think she was just kissed by Cole.
Cayne rolled his eyes and flicked her forehead. "You want some coffee too?"
"Sure." She followed him down the hallway. "You know, if you wanna get Korū to not be so grumpy all the time, days like today are the best times to start. Also," she turned on him, a handgun appearing in her hand. "Hurt him once and your brains will be blown out of your head."
Cayne shrugged. "Sure." A few weeks ago he would have launched himself at her and attempted to tear her apart for threatening him.
They entered the kitchen, only to see that Alina had beat them to it.
"I hear that something interesting has developed." She deadpanned, though her eyes were twinkling with unheard laughter.
"Mhm," Hikari laughed. "My brother kissed him." She looked—and sounded—like a proud mom. Or big sister, in this case.
Alina laughed. "Nice! That's pretty fast, in my opinion."
Cayne glared at her. "Don't most mates like, start making out the moment they see each other?"
"Maybe." Alina shrugged. "But that's most. I'm pretty sure Cayne Dylan and Korū Hitagaki, or whatever Korū goes by, are the minority."
She got a blank, unimpressed look from him. "That reasoning makes no sense."
"You gotta problem?" Korū growled at Alina, turning up behind the two people who were blocking the doorway.
"When was that implied?" She asked breezily, sipping the iced coffee in her hands.
"It's one of his most used phrases, just ignore that," Hikari said.
Korū just glared at the girls.
"Anyway, coffee." Cayne said, making his way to the coffee machine, beside where Alina was sitting on the counter.
"Meow." Kaguya leaped up onto the counter and sniffed at Alina's coffee, before looking up at her with pleasing eyes.
"No." She said firmly.
"Mrrr..." He gave her the most disappointed look any cat had ever managed to make.
"That cat's like a person sometimes." Korū scooped Kaguya off the counter and placed him on the floor. The cat huffed and stalked away. "Great."
"Where's Shōhei?" Linda asked as she entered the kitchen.
"Here." Shōhei was behind Linda. "Are you ready?"
"Mh. Cayne's coming," Korū responded.
"We can bring Greta along with us to Bloodlust." Alina said. "I just realised."
"If she's anything like me, she'd still be sleeping," Hikari said.
"Why would she be like you?" Cayne asked.
"What are you trying to imply?" she growled.
"You're trash," Korū chipped in unhelpfully.
"I'm just saying you could be different. Like if I said you and Linda are different, doesn't mean that one of you are below the other." Cayne reasoned, getting some coffee and passing a cup to Korū. Did one twin get more insecure when the other became more comfortable?
Korū took the cup with a muttered "thanks". "We'll leave after we're done," he said decisively. "Want some?" he asked Shōhei, who stole a sip.
Cayne passed another cup to Hikari, and grabbed one for himself.
"Ichika—" came a very random voice from outside, startling Hikari and causing her to choke on her coffee.