Vampire Knight
Convicted
A VK Fanfiction
Preface
"Can I can a milkshake over here?"
"Just a minute!"
The little café was bustling with the noise of patrons and customers as the waiters and waitresses scurried from place to place delivering food and collecting dishes. Mona stood behind the main counter, writing a report on the café's progress. She was glad that it had increased since hiring more people but seeing it was the only café that stayed open so late, her little shop was the town's favourite.
The little bell rang in the distance, announcing a new customer. She looked up and smiled, "Welcome to Late Night Café! Shall I get you a table?"
"Good evening," the new patron greeted with a small smile. She pointed to the table at the back, "I'd like to sit there please. I'm sorry if it's a strange request. I just like watching the people."
Mona's dark eyes went to the table at the back and she gathered up a menu, "Of course, right this way," she took the new patron to the table at the back right in the corner where anyone could see the whole café. The patron sat down and Mona was about to present a menu––
"I know what I'm having, thank you," the kind patron held up her hand. "I would like a steak please. Rare with some potatoes if it's at all possible."
"One rare steak coming up! Would you like something to drink?" the patron shook her head as Mona jotted down the order. She gathered up the menu and the new patron grabbed her wrist.
"Um, one more thing. I want the steak to be really, really rare. As if it was just cut from the cow," the woman smiled widely.
Mona raised an eyebrow, "You want your steak raw?"
The woman giggled, "Sorry. Pregnancy cravings!"
Mona smiled, "Oh, of course! I understand completely," she smiled widely. "One rare steak coming right up!"
Mona went back to the counter to place her order. It wasn't so strange to get such a strange request. It seemed that the later they went into the night, the stranger the request. And Mona's sister had strange cravings as well with her first child. While Mona waited for her order, she scanned the café that with every passing moment seemed to take her patrons away––
Ding!
She turned, "Welcome to the Late Night Café!" she stopped but still smiled, "Oh hello Mr. Mysterious. No shadow today?"
"Not today, no. He's at home," her usual guest replied. His dark eyes met hers and he gave her a heart-breaking beautiful smile, "Quite busy tonight, aren't we?"
"Just a usual Friday night," Mona replied. She glanced at her watch, "If we aren't too busy, Baby Doll can leave her usual time."
"We can wait. We're not exactly in a rush to get home," he knocked her counter with his knuckles, "But I'll be waiting in my usual booth."
"Oh, sorry, dear. Your booth has been taken by another customer," Mona gestured to the woman sitting at the back. "A pregnant mommy that needs to satisfy her cravings," there was a ding behind her. She whirled around and there her bloody steak sat in the plate, "And here it is! A really, really rare steak. Sit by the bar, dear. We'll hopefully be done soon."
He nodded and moved to the bar, keeping his eyes not on Mona, on the pregnant woman at the back of the café. Mona gathered up the utensils and stopped, "Baby Doll, your escort is here."
Her eyes immediately darted to the table at the back but she searched the café until she found him. She smiled at Mona, "Oh, thanks Mona. I'll say hi to him when I'm done."
"Good girl," Mona grinned and continued on her path, placing the raw steak in front of her patron. "Will there be anything else?"
"This is perfect, thank you," the woman replied.
Mona left her customer and marched back to the counter so continue her report. As time dragged on slowly, her guests left until it was Mr. Mysterious and the strange woman only. One by one her employees left as well, and Baby Doll was the last.
She stood in front of Mona, "We can wait for you, if you want Mona," she smiled just as Mr. Mysterious came up beside her.
"Thank you but I'll be fine on my own," Mona replied. She brushed her hair behind her ear, "And I stay just across the road. I will be fine."
"I'd rather stay with you, Mona," Baby Doll suggested.
"I'll be fine, Baby Doll," Mona pinched her best waitress's cheek and smiled, "Go along with Mr. Mysterious, now. I will see you tomorrow."
Baby Doll glanced over nervously at the woman and then at her friend. She gave up with a single nod and then turned to the door and the couple left. Leaving Mona and her guest alone. Mona watched her guest, who wasn't eating the steak. Instead, she just watched it. Mona decided to close up the rest of her shop while her guest finished. She double checked all the doors and came back to the front of her shop, only to see that her guest had left.
She marched to the table and saw that her guest hadn't touched the food but she had left money beside the plate. Mona sighed and gathered the money and the food and walked to the kitchen. She put the money in the till and decided to throw the food away. As she discarded the potatoes and was surprised to see that they weren't drenched in blood like they'd normally be. She cut the steak and saw that it was completely dry. There was no blood anywhere. How strange.
Mona shook her head and discarded the food, cleaned up and locked the kitchen. She put on her coat and left her little café, locking the doors behind her––
"Excuse me," Mona jumped and turned to face who frightened her. It was her last customer. She covered her mouth, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you!"
"Oh, no, sorry," Mona chuckled. "I'm usually not disturbed when I lock up," she wiped her brow and smiled at the woman, "Did you enjoy your steak? You barely touched it."
"It was good," the woman nodded and fiddled with her hands. "But I'm afraid, it wasn't what I was craving for. And I don't think I can stand it much longer…"
"Oh, I'm sorry," Mona touched her shoulder. "Perhaps you'll want something else tomorrow?"
"I don't think I have that long," the woman began trembling underneath Mona's palm. To Mona's surprise the woman grabbed Mona's wrist and pulled her forward, "I need more blood!"
The woman screeched and locked her jaw down onto Mona's neck. Mona screamed and fought the woman off, freeing her from her grasp. Mona held her neck where the woman had bitten her and stared at her. She changed now. She looked too skinny and her eyes glowed a strange red. But fangs grew from her mouth as Mona's blood dripped down her lip onto her very dirty white jacket.
The woman stumbled forward and reached out her hand, licking her bloody lips, "I need more! I'm sorry! I need more!"
The woman jumped forward but Mona began running away, far down the street and into an alley. There was a dead end and when Mona turned around, the woman was standing there, staring at her with glowing red eyes.
"Please, please don't hurt me!" Mona begged as she sank down to her knees.
The woman ran forward and Mona covered her head, shut her eyes and screamed. She waited for the impact but none ever came. In the darkness, she could hear a loud and piercing gunshot echo into the night. She didn't feel pain, and she didn't feel any attack. Mona opened one eye and saw that the alley was empty. She searched for the woman that had attacked her but there was no one.
She stumbled to her feet and waited for the woman to appear and attack again but the attack never came. She carefully left the alley, and searched relentlessly for the woman. But she only saw a couple walking towards her.
"Miss Mona," her Baby Doll called out. "What are you doing in the alley?"
Mona searched for the woman, "A woman…she attacked me…but," she searched for and walked to the couple and grabbed the young girl's shoulders, "I was attacked by some woman!"
The girl cocked her head to the side, "I don't see anyone," she reached out and touched Mona's collar, "I do see a small scratch on your neck though. It's a good thing it's not deep!"
"But the woman bit me," Mona said frantically. She touched her neck, expecting to find a flood of blood but they was just a little dab, "She bit me!"
"All I see is a tiny scratch, Miss Mona," Baby Doll replied. She smiled, "I think you've had a hard working day. You must be tired. I will walk you to your building. Does that sound good?"
Mona was about to respond when she felt someone behind her. She whirled around and saw that a tall man was standing behind her wearing a leatherjacket and a knitted beanie. His violet eyes peered down at her curiously. He greeted with a small nod.
"Oh, Zero! You're here already!" Baby Doll grabbed Mona's arm. "I was just about to take Miss Mona back to her apartment. She's had a very stressful day!"
Mona allowed herself to be dragged back to her building just across the road from her little café. Baby Doll was the only one speaking while Mr. Mysterious and Zero hung back. She was escorted up the stairs and unlocked the door. She turned to face the young adults before her.
Kira smiled at her, "Don't worry about me, Miss Mona! Zero and Kaito will take good care of me," she smiled brightly, "And you'll rest safely tonight!"
Mona nodded quietly and slowly closed the door. She quickly ran up the stairs to her apartment and quickly ran inside, discarding her bag and keys on the floor. She ran to her window and ripped the curtain aside and looked downstairs. Her new waitress, the one she dubbed Baby Doll was walking beside Mr. Mysterious and his shadow.
Kira seemed to be the lively one as she probably told the two tall men (who acted like body guards) about her day. She seemed happy to see them, and they looked happy to see her, too. There was no sign of the mysterious woman who'd attacked her anywhere. Or a shooter. Mona felt the colour drain from her skin as Zero, the boy with silver hair and violet eyes looked up at her window – directly at her – and just stare. Mona closed the curtain and just stood in front of the window, watching the trio walk off to where ever they lived, but even though they looked carefree, their eyes wandered around all the dark corners and shadows, like they were waiting to be attacked…