A month has passed since the incident, and no repercussions have come out of the duel I had with James. It's 10am on a crisp fall Saturday, and I'm waking up to the screaming of six women throwing items about the penthouse. I'm bolted right up by the sound of explosion magic. That's it, I think, and get right out of bed, boxers and all, and head straight for the living room.

I'm greeted to the sight of a standoff. All of the girls are standing around in their nightgowns and have their auras raised with weapons pointed at each other.

“What the hell is going on here?” I ask. “Did your periods synchronize or something?”

“Just a friendly rivalry, love.” Rebecca says.

“A rivalry doesn't destroy the fucking house.” I reply.

“We were trying to decide who should wake you up and ask you on a date first.” Jesi says.

“One thing led to another...” Jeni started.

“...And then we got into an argument.” concluded Hanneke.

“This is petty, girls, you shouldn't.....” and before I could finish, Aaboli's spear whooshes past my head. It nearly hits Shizumi, who barely dodges out of the way.

“I want dibs.” Aaboli says.

“Iye, I want to be first.” Shizumi retorts.

“That's it. Knock. It. The fuck. Off!” I raise my aura so quickly, that it sends out a shockwave and knocks all of the girls on their backs and stuns them out of their auras. I drop my aura just as quickly as I had raised it. “Now, we are getting to the bottom of this. Y'all want a date, we're drawing a lottery for this. The order is final. No arguments. Got it?”

The girls all stand up, woozy from the onslaught. “Yes,” they all say.

“Good.” I say. I go into my bedroom and grab some scraps of paper, a pen, and then into the kitchen for a bowl. I write down numbers one through six on the papers and place them in the bowl. “Now, draw.”

All of the girls reach into the bowl and grab for numbers. By the excited look on Hanneke's face, I can tell she drew number one.

“Yay, I'm first.” She exclaims as she jumps up and down excitedly.

“Okay, then. Go get dressed and I'll do the same. I'll meet you downstairs.”

I go into the bedroom to get dressed. I put on a pair of black dress slacks, white button-down shirt, and blue tie. I head downstairs to wait on Hanneke.

Ten minutes pass, and Hanneke finally comes out of the door with her outfit on. She is wearing a blue dress where the skirt portion falls just past her knees. The material hugs her curves in just the right spots. Her hair is pulled back with a matching ribbon with purple striping. Her perfume has a slight smell of summer rose to it. I close my eyes and take in a deep breath. Her scent is intoxicating. I open my eyes and reach out my hand to hers.

“Shall we go, my dear?” I ask.

“Yes, let's.” she responds.

I decide to surprise her by taking her to a Dutch restaurant. There, she orders her favorite meal, stamppot. Since I had never tried Dutch cuisine before, I have decided to order it as well. While we wait for our food, I ask her about life back in The Netherlands.

“Well, my dad is in IT for a small construction company and my mom is an office manager for a property rental company. My older brother is going to university for his law degree. He's actually close to graduating in a couple years. You won't believe this, but before coming here, I used to be quite shy. I only had one close friend, but we kind of lost touch after my second year of university.”

“Really, you? Shy? I admit that when we first met, you were pretty timid. But you sure didn't seem anywhere near shy back at the penthouse earlier.”

“You're not my first boyfriend. I had one in high school. We were. Close. Even though I was shy, I also had issues with other girls being around him. I knew they were just friends platonically, but that still didn't make things easier for me. Being in a relationship with you has been a huge learning curve for me. I still have to learn that the other girls are equals. I'm also still learning that your love for us is equal and that you will never favor one above the other.”

Our meal arrives as we continue the conversation. “If you don't mind me asking, how close were you to your boyfriend in high school?”

“I'm still a virgin if that's what you're wondering.” Hanneke says blushingly.

I lower my voice to a whisper. “You didn't have to go that far.”

“You said no secrets.”

“Touche.”

We finish our meal and start walking back to the university campus. Out of nowhere, a small chilly breeze picks up. Hanneke cuddles up close to me, pushing her breasts into my arm. I decide to wrap my arm around her and draw her closer to me so that our body heat can keep each other warm. We make it back to the penthouse entrance, where Rebecca is waiting for us. Underneath her warm blue jacket, she is wearing a long green dress. Her long red hair is pulled back into a ponytail with a matching ribbon with red striping. I kiss Hanneke on the lips and thank her for the wonderful date. Rebecca hands me my thick leather bomber jacket and curls her arm around mine.

“I'm ready when you are, love.”

We head off down the street to a British-style pub. There, we order a couple pints of Guiness and strike up a pretty decent conversation.

“So, Rebecca, did you actually enjoy living life with a silver spoon in your mouth?” I ask sarcastically.

“To be honest, it's at times too lonely for me. It's nice being rich, but growing up, I had wished for friends. But the only people that congregated around me were only there because we were all wealthy. Nobody cared about meaningful relationships. All we talked about was property and what we would do to obtain more wealth. So, that's how I developed socially. I have to admit, being with you has really changed me. My heart feels empty when I'm not near you. You give me strength and purpose. I feel joy and unconditional love from you and for you. That night when we made love, I knew I could surrender my body and soul to you and that you wouldn't do anything to hurt me.”

We both order a plate of bangers and mash, and as the meal comes out, I look deeply into her eyes.

“I'm sorry you grew up like that. But I'm here now. And I love you. I love you so very much. You're a strong, beautiful woman. I couldn't ask for anyone like you by my side. I hope you know that.”

Tears start to stream down Rebecca's face. I hand her a couple of tissues to wipe them away.

“Why do you cry when I say that I love you? You used to be such a tsundere. You didn't want anyone close to you.”

Rebecca carefully blew her nose, then wiped her tears with a fresh tissue. “You see, like I said, I never had any meaningful relationships. That also means no boyfriends and no romantic interludes. You truly were my first for everything. Nobody ever told me they loved me, not even my parents. Sure, they expressed gratitude when I did well in my studies. But not once was I told that I was loved. So to hear 'I love you' from someone means the world to me. And you know what? I love you, too.”

We finish our meal and leave the pub arm-in-arm. We make it back to the penthouse entrance where Jesi is waiting for us. She is dressed in a pink blouse with a black miniskirt that barely reaches past her mid thigh. She has on a warm red jacket with a hood. Her silver hair is tied up in twin tails with red ribbons. She teases me by flipping up her miniskirt to reveal a pair of pink thong panties.

“Ready for me, perv?”

I blush deeply, and then turn to kiss Rebecca, officially ending our date. I take Jesi by the hand.

“Who's the perv, flashing their panties in public?” I ask.

Jesi blushes, then kisses me. “I guess we both are.” she quips.

“Oh, by the way, I like your hair. You haven't done that since high school. It makes you look so much cuter. Jeni, too.”

“Uh, uh, uh, no bringing up my sister in front of me while we're on a date. It's just you. And. Me. Nobody else. I want you all to myself.” Jesi lets out a cute giggle while wagging her finger at me.

“Well, technically, we are polygamist, so you can't.........” I start to say, but Jesi presses her finger to my lips.

“Shut it. Right now you are all mine. No one else can have you. And this is mine, too.” She grabs my crotch. I jump with both surprise and excitement. I start to get hard in her firm grasp.

“Glad to see he agrees with me. Shall we start our date?” Jesi asks.

“Y-yeah. Let's go.” I stammer.

We walk to the bus station. From there, we hitch a ride to the movie theater. We get two tickets, a bucket of popcorn, and a large pop and head for one of the dark screening rooms. For a Saturday afternoon, there is almost nobody in here. We opt for a couple of seats near the back.

During the movie, I feel Jesi's head lean on my shoulder. Her hand starts to creep up my thigh. I wrap my arm around her shoulder. She whispers devilishly into my ear. “ Ya know, I'd like to sit on your lap.”

I whisper into her ear. “You're crazy.”

Jesi smiles evilly. “I just want to sit on your lap.”

I let out a groan. “Fine.”

Jesi gets out her seat next to me and straddles on top of me. She leans her back into my chest and lets out a comfortable moan. Her head nestles into my shoulder and she kisses my cheek. Suddenly, I feel my zipper open, and our hips start moving in tandem. I reach my arms around her and start rubbing her breasts under her blouse. Jesi moans softly in my ear as she edges closer towards climax. I feel her tighten around me and we both climax together. Nobody is the wiser to the indecency of what we have just committed.

“MMM, thank you, lover, I've always wanted to try this with you. Kinda kinky. Been a while since we've made love to each other, hasn't it?”

I'm relaxed, excited, and embarrassed about what we just did. I can't believe we just did it in a movie theater!

“Jesi, what were you thinking? We could have been caught!”

Jesi gives me a kiss as she sits back down next to me. “But we weren't, and that was what was so exciting about it!”

We finish watching the movie and head further down the mall to the food court. Jesi orders a cheeseburger with all of the fixings and I get a couple slices of pizza.

“You know, Chris, all-in-all, I'm having a good time.”

“So, then, why argue about who's first about going on a date with me?”

“Because nobody wants to always be the last on a date. It's kind of soul-crushing. The agony of having to wait around. Our alone time with you is precious. We don't like waiting.”

“What about all of us at the same time? We could do something as a group.”

Jesi scowls at me. “Pig. It's not the same. I like having you to myself. It feels more intimate. I couldn't be able to do things like what we did in the movie theater. I wouldn't have the guts. Not with the other girls around anyways. That's not something they need to see.”

“But I bet you'll tell them.” I interject.

“It's true that we gossip about how we want to make love to you, but to actually do those acts in front of each other. Honestly, I don't know if we could.”

“Just a few months ago, you said you were willing to experiment. What happened to that curiosity?”

Jesi blushes for a moment then tries to lie behind a mouthful of cheeseburger. “I don't know know what you're talking about.”

I decide to let sleeping dogs lie. “Okay, then.”

We finish our food and ride the bus back to campus. We get back to the penthouse entrance where Aaboli is waiting patiently. She is wearing a white denim miniskirt that extends down to her knees and a yellow blouse. She is wearing a blue headscarf and red flannel jacket. I kiss Jesi goodbye and take Aaboli in the crook of my arm.

“Ready?” I ask.

“Uh-huh.” she says quietly.

“You look lovely.” I compliment.

“Thank you.”

I take Aaboli to a local carnival where we go on some of the rides and play some of the attractions. I get her a big spool of pink cotton candy that we share as we walk through area. As we're walking, I feel the mood change a little bit, so I ask her what's wrong.

“I have a friend who's got a dark past. Something she doesn't ever want brought back into the light of day. But you told us that there should never be secrets between us. But I also promised her that I wouldn't say anything. I don't know what to do.”

I stop dead in my tracks. “Who is it? What is this secret? Is this friend really you? You can tell me. I won't be angry. Please tell me. I want to know.”

Aaboli breaks down into tears. “I can't tell you. If she wants to tell you, she'll tell you herself. All I can say is that she is so ashamed, she's afraid that you won't love her anymore. You'll know who it is when you see her.”

I take Aaboli in my arms to comfort her. “Aaboli, I love you. Please don't cry. If you're honor-bound not to tell, I'll respect that. If it's not your place to say, then don't say it. But if there is someone in our family in pain, I want to know. I need to know. I can't have someone I love suffering. All of you girls are precious to me. I can't lose any of you.”

These words seem to have an impact, because Aaboli stops crying and looks up at me. “Do you really mean that?”

I take her chin in the palm of my hand. “Of course I do.” I pull her face close to mine and kiss her. “Of course I mean it. Every. Single. One. Of you.”

My words and kiss comfort her as she throws her arms around me. “Thank you, Chris. I love you, too.”

We walk back to campus and I see a familiar figure with a familiar outfit on. It's the same twin tails, but I know it's a different girl.

“You can't fool me, Jeni.” I snark.

“One can try, lover.” Jeni quips.

I kiss Aaboli goodbye and I take Jeni by the hand. She takes my hand and shoves it between her legs where I feel the warmth of her crotch.

“Does it get your motor runnin'?” she asks.

I blush deeply and pull my hand away quickly. “Hey, now, not in public!”

Jeni leans into my ear and whispers, “I know what you did with my sister. But I'm gonna do better.”

I get quite flustered and blush again. “Can we not discuss that here?”

Jeni lets out a slight cackle. “Oh you're dirty, and I like dirty.”

I take Jeni to a well-known southern restaurant that's famous for it's fried chicken. We order a large plate full with some potato salad, baked beans and corn on the cob and we begin to pig out.

“Chris, since we grew up together, you know me all to well. My favorite food. My deepest desires. My passions. We're almost like brother and sister.”

“We may have been raised in the same house by the same parents. But I'm glad we're not, Jeni. Otherwise, I couldn't do this.” I lean over and kiss her full on the lips.

We get done with our meal and decide to walk through the park. Midway through, I stop and sit down on a bench. I pat the spot next to me to get Jeni to sit next to me. Instead, she straddles my lap and leans in close to me, pushing her breasts into my chest and leaning her head on my shoulder.

“Comfortable?” I ask.

“Mm-hm.” she responds.

I push Jeni back a little bit. I get serious. I take in a deep breath and let it out.

“Something Aaboli told me earlier is weighing heavily on my mind. Maybe you can tell me about it?”

“Sorry.” Jeni says.

“Sorry you don't know, or sorry you can't say.”

“I can't tell you. But I can tell you this....” she begins to grind her hips slowly and she leans down and starts nuzzling at my neck. This starts driving me nuts and I start to lose my train of thought. “.....You worry too much. Let me take care of you.”

I feel the familiar sensation as my zipper opens and our bodies become one. Jeni's grinding becomes more rhythmic as she softly moans in ecstasy.

Jeni tightens around me and her back arches. I kiss her as we both climax and press my head into her soft bosom. I look up into her rich golden eyes.

“Why do you these things for me, Jeni? What have I done for you lately to deserve such tenderness? God, do I love you all.”

“You've been under a lot of stress lately. You're not just our leader anymore, but our lover. We want to take care of you just like you want to take care of us. We love you, too. That night you made love to Rebecca? That was a gift from all of us. You talk about being equal partners. Well, being equal partners means recognizing each other's needs, right? You put yourself on the line without hesitation. It's both selfish and selfless. Don't throw yourself away just to protect us. Lean on us from time to time so that we can protect you. You tell us that we're precious to you. Well, damn it, you're precious to us! We're nothing without you! Don't fucking leave us! Don't fucking die for us! Live for us goddamn it!”

I look into Jeni's crying eyes and I see her pain. Is she the one suffering? I wrap my arms around her.

“Babe, I don't know where this is coming from. But I promise you, I won't die. I have every intention on living. I fight to live with every fiber of my being. I train harder every day so that I can come home to all of you. I want children with all of you. I want us to grow old together. I don't know how long my lifespan is, so I might outlive all of you. Maybe even our grandchildren.”

My words seem to reassure Jeni, because she begins to calm down and wipes the tears from her eyes. “You promise? You'll always come home?”

I gaze strongly into her eyes. “Promise. Cross my heart.”

“I thought crosses were detrimental to vampires.”

“Not this one.”

Jeni gets up off of me and I quickly fix myself. We walk back to campus where Shizumi is standing and waiting for us. I kiss Jeni goodbye and look over Shizumi's outfit. It's a blue miniskirt that comes down to her mid thigh and black blouse. She has a red ribbon tied in her hair.

“Shizumi, you look....” and before I can finish, she bolts back inside.

I look back at Jeni for a minute, who is still standing there.

“Now you know who it is.” Jeni says.

We go into the penthouse and I go to Shizumi's bedroom door. I knock on it twice.

“Shizumi-chan, it's Chris. Can I come in?”

“Hai. Dozo.”

I open the door to see Shizumi in tears on the bed. I find this really out of character for her because normally she is so strong in spirit.

“Can I sit down? I'd really like to talk to you.”

“Hai.”

I sit down on the bed and reach out for Shizumi, but she cowers away from me and continues to sob.

“Shizumi-chan, I can't talk to you if you keep running away from me. What's wrong? Talk to me, you can trust me.”

Shizumi sits up and looks at me. Her eyes are filled with fear and she's visibly shaking. This is really out of character. I've never seen her this scared. Come to think of it, I've never seen her scared.

“Chris-kun, do you remember the night you and I shared a bed with Aaboli? I know we didn't make love, but I really wanted to. But something in my past crippled me from wanting to. I love you, and I wanted to tell you sooner, but I'm so broken, and I don't think you'll want me anymore.” She begins to sob again.

I try to reach out for her, to take her in my arms and comfort her, but she screams, “Don't touch me! I'm impure!”

Her scream takes me aback. I feel my heart sink. “What do you mean by impure? You're not a virgin? That doesn't bother me. You didn't seem bothered the night we were together with Aaboli. And you didn't seem scared of me when we were alone in the Japanese Gardens.”

“That was different. When I'm in a group with someone, I feel safe. When someone showers affection on me around other people, I'm fine. When we were in the gardens, I didn't feel threatened because we were just friends. There were no romantic feelings. What I'm about to tell you now is why I say I'm impure. Please bear with me.”

“Of course. Take your time.”

Shizumi takes a deep breath, then exhales. “When I was fifteen, I was going home late from school. On my way home, I had dropped my my purse. I bent over to pick it up when all of a sudden I was knocked unconscious. When I came to....I was......in an alleyway........with........him.......on top.......” Shizumi starts sobbing again. “.............Violating me. I tried to fight back. Tried to scream. He held his hand over my mouth. When he finished with me, he just left me there, like a used doll. I felt disgusting. I wanted to die. I wished he would've killed me.”

I slowly slide my hand across Shizumi's bed toward her hand. “Shizumi-chan, what happened to you is tragic.” I grip my hand in hers tightly. “It pains me to see you like this. I would never force anything on you that you wouldn't want to do. Aishiteiru. Zutto.”

Shizumi looks up into my eyes. “Honto ka?”

I pull her petite body close to mine. “Hai. Zutto.”

A smile broadens across her tear-stained face as she whispers, “Yokata.”