A Reason to Protect
By: Facing the Storm
Yuuki and Zero were making great time on their evening patrol when Zero stopped. Yuuki had been silent this whole time. So unlike her. He gazed up at the sky, as if it would answer him. The answer came in small rounded flakes. Snow. He glanced at her and sighed. She always seemed to 'go away' during winter. That's why he hated it so much. No matter how much she smiled to conceal her real feelings about the season, he could always see through the decepive lipservice. He stepped closer to her and placed a gentle arm around her.
Yuuki knew it was snowing without even having to look up. The small rounded flakes floated silently to the ground and the world seemed to stop for an instant. The snow would have been facinating to watch except for the fact that it reminded her of the incident almost a decade ago, the one that had changed her life forever....
"Snow... pure white snow..." The little girl laughed and played in the swirling white flakes. A dark figure just out of her eyesight smirked. Yes, easy prey. He licked his lips. "You must be lost... little girl..." His voice was low and husky. "May I... drink your blood...?" He asked, not really giving her a chance to answer. She gasped at the transformation from human to vampire. His eyes glowed red and his curved fangs protruded from his mouth. He lunged down at her, fangs driving for her throat. She shut her eyes tight and held her breath. A sick, wet gasp made her look up, her eyes widening in terror. Another vampire had come to her aide and he turned to her with a small smirk on his lips. "You disgrace the name 'Vampire'..." He muttered with disdain. Then he turned to her. "Are you alright?" He asked, a spark of concern in his voice. She nodded and stared at him with fear. He leaned down her level and she flinched away slightly. "No, do not be afraid, I will not hurt you..." His voice was calm and gentle, yet his eyes still glowed a blood red. She shook with fear, but knew that he would not harm her. He extended a hand and she grasped it as if it were her lifeline. "I am Kaname... Kaname Kuran..." He told her with a smile.
Yuuki felt Zero's warm arm surround her and she broke from her memories. Vampires... Creatures of the night, beasts that take on human form. She looked up at Zero, whom she trusted fully, even though he too, was a vampire. "Zero..." She began. He looked down at her. "Yes, Yuuki?" The ring of her name sent chills down her spine. She hesitated. "You remember when you handed me that gun?" Zero nodded. "Well, I don't think I could ever use it..." She said, her voice wavering slightly. "But if I sink to Level E, then what?" He asked, unmistakeable disdain in his voice. He hated what he had become. She suddenly turned to him, eyes wide with genuine fear. "Please, tell me you will resist...promise me that you will hang on to your humanity..." She grasped the front of his uniform. "Promise me...." She whispered, burying her face into his chest, stifling sobs. He wrapped his arms around her and sighed. "I promise you, Yuuki, I will resist the fall as long as I can... because I now have a reason to protect...I have you..." He told her, a sad smile spreading over his face, lighting it up like it always did. And even though she was in the arms of a vampire, she felt safer than she had in a long time.