Now, I just need to wait for Shou-san to die, and then the war will end. No one will get hurt…and no one will be sacrificed anymore… I can see Kyou again, and I can go home, if Shou-san stops breathing…

After a moment, surrounded by silence and sitting there next to Shou-san, watching him slowly die, I stood on shaking legs and looked around. I knew he would keep a katana close by, just in case Kyou were to send his men to ambush him here while he was weak. Spotting the katana, I reached for it without a single thought and unsheathed it as I knelt back down by Shou-san. I held the blade high above his throat, but instead of bringing it down like I knew I should for Kyou, I held it there.

I am unable to choose this man, but even though I know that very well, I can't abandon him. Is it cowardice? Weakness? Wavering? Whatever the reason, I can't abandon this man in front of me.

I swiftly brought down the deadly blade, but not on Shou-san's throat. Wincing from the pain, I dropped the blade to the floor and brought my bleeding wrist over his mouth. Tears began to slide down my cheeks as crows began sounding around the place, ending the silence. I am aware that Kyou's men are surrounding the primacies, of course he would send them to get me back after I disappeared, but I didn't worry about it… at least not yet.

A deathly cold hand suddenly grabbed my wrist, catching my off guard, and pulled in down onto Shou-san's mouth. I whimpered as he bit down into my wound and began sucking my healing blood out with hunger.

Of course he knew I would do this, that I would save him. I also knew that by saying, "there are things I still need to do," that he must be planning to fight Kyou. Kyou… Sorry! I'm sorry Kyou! I've betrayed Kyou…

The crows surrounding us took flight as Shou-san sat up, drinking from me more and more before finally sealing the wound. I feel numbness throughout my body and I've become so light headed. As Shou-san let go of my healed wrist, the world begun to spin and I felt a falling sensation.

"Anemia? It's probably because I drank too much blood," Shou said, catching me so I wouldn't fall to the floor.

I feel so weak, I can't even move… I understand what I did. if I had brought the blade down on him, or even just sat there and done nothing, Shou would be dead. But I betrayed Kyou by healing Shou, a man who has threatened my life before as well as his. I know why I did it…

Tears cascaded down the sides of my face as I thought about my action and how this will change many things to come. Holding me to him tightly but gently, Shou flexed his hand and smiled to himself.

"How effective!" he said to me with that smile as he looked down at me, "Even in the ends of my hair. I can feel the vitality. This is… enough for me to cause a huge commotion. I have to thank you, Misao."

Silence soon fell around us, the crows now gone, and he hugged me to him as he thought of what he would soon do. He paid no attention as I continued to let out my grief. He knew what I would be thinking right now and how much this is hurting me, but he kept quiet and thought out his plans while I drowned more in my pain.

I'm the one who gave him this strength. The next thing Shou will do is battle Kyou. Shou will be a difficult enemy to deal with. Kyou will definitely get hurt badly. I knew what would happen, and yet I still gave my blood to Shou. What I did…was a betrayal!

My thoughts were interrupted as I heard the cawing of crows again. There were more than earlier now, some even sitting on the railing in front of us, watching us with their unblinking, pitch black eyes.

"How noisy," Shou said as he rose to his feet, leaving me where I knelt, to look at the ground down below where Kyou's men would be waiting.

Would he attack them? After drinking my blood, he's stronger than he was before his body began to die; he's sure to kill them all without a problem. But I don't want anyone else to die!

"Did you send those men…?" he muttered to himself. "Whatever, it's impossible for them t break through anyway."

Turning around to face me, Shou reached for my arm and pulled me to my feet. Before I could say anything, he brought a hand to me head and the world went dark.

Hmmm, does this seem familiar to some of you? Can you guess what Shou is going to do? If not, you'll have to wait for the next chapter! I'm sorry about how short it is and if this was too much like a written version of the manga (it pretty much is but it's necessary I promise!) but in the next chapter it won't be like that. Please R&R!