Author's Note: thanks to all those who reviewed. I greatly appreciate your input on the story. I tend to write quite vaguely and also have a habit of leaving a lot of things up for interpretation, so if I'll be doing too much of that let me know.
Quick Explanation: There are two different kinds of amnesia. The one that Hunter is suffering from is "retrograde amnesia" where a person cannot remember events prior to the onset of amnesia. Also, amnesia doesn't necessarily mean a complete loss of memories. In Hunter's case she developed amnesia from a head injury – if you recall from chapter one she falls through the floor and is covered by debris. To her, what happened at the orphanage was "dream-like" from the very begging so the only thing she doesn't remember is what exactly happened during the fire. She has no idea that Michelle is dead.
[Handguns and Second Chances]
-02 Nightmares-
"So let me take this medicine,
To quench my love for violent things…"
Senses Fail – Bite to Break Skin
The autumn breeze carried the soft scent of the earth and the dying leaves, creating a relaxing aroma. The scent was pleasing to Hunter as she silently walked behind Zero, assuming he was doing what he said he was going to – take her to her dorm. Yet regardless of what she was doing right now and what lay ahead of her, Hunter still felt the unpleasant cloudiness in her mind. It made her numb and confused – unresponsive to the world around her, as if she had an automated personality, but then again that probably didn't matter to begin with.
Zero glanced over his shoulder to double check if the girl was still following him. The shorter girl was indeed following him, with her head down and hands shoved deep into the pockets of her uniform, wisps of her raven hair wildly dancing with the wind. Hunter seemed almost doll-like. She reminded him of a porcelain doll one might find in either someone's prized collection or an antique store. A rare kind of find, he figured. In part, he found it amusing that she was neither like Yuuki who had no regard for his coldness nor was she like all those other girls around who pretty much pissed their panties from fear when they saw him. Yeah, she was neither. She was just a doll – a porcelain one to be exact – indifferent and so fragile that her face might crack and shatter into a thousand pieces from a single touch. He was probably wrong though.
The two continued to walk silently through an immaculate garden, heading towards the girls' dorms, when the Chairman's ash-blond head popped out from a rose bush. Large trimming scissors in hand and a stray piece of foliage stuck in his hair he beamed, "Kiriyuu-kun, Hunter-chan!"
Zero's face automatically contorted into an irritated scowl while Hunter stared blankly at the Chairman. "Are you two taking a romantic stroll in the garden? Oh don't tell me that love can blossom so early! It must be wonderful to be young!" the headmaster raved as if he was in some sort of his own personal wonderland filled with roses, pink hearts, ugly cute aprons and tea parties. An angry tick appeared on Zero's jaw line and his muscles tensed. "Shut up old man, I'm just taking her to the girls' dorms," the silver haired teen said annoyed. Hunter might be beautiful but his eyes were on Yuuki only.
"Ah, if that's the case then I'll take it from here," Kaien said as he climbed over a bush and stepped in between the two teens. "I still have some things to talk about with Hunter-chan so you're free, Kiriyuu-kun." The blonde said and grabbed Hunter's hand, dragging the girl away from Zero. "Whatever, I don't care." Zero said in his usual annoyed tone and walked away the opposite way.
Hunter let the Headmaster drag her through a maze of paths without saying a word. Not like she had anything to say to begin with. Besides, the Headmaster did all the talking anyway. They walked into the main building where the Chairman's office was located and took several flights of stairs where his personal quarters were. "Since your burns still need to be tended to for the time being you'll be staying in the guest bedroom, is that okay, Hunter-chan?" Kaien asked the girl, but figured she didn't really care since she was in a contained state. Besides, it wouldn't be wise to leave her in a dorm full of either humans or vampires and he's never thought he'd be housing that kind, so there wasn't an extra building just for her.
"It's okay," she replied quietly, her voice soft, just like an angel's but the chairman knew she was far from being an angel.
"I had all your stuff already brought here. Since it's getting late how about you go take a nice warm bath then come by my office so we can put fresh bandages on your wounds?"Kaien said in his typical fatherly way. Hunter gave him a small nod and walked into her room.
Once the door closed behind her the room was swallowed up by darkness, the only source of light being the setting sun that came in through the window. Her icy eyes scanned the dark room for her belongings. She really didn't have much to begin with; she was an orphan after all. When her gaze fell upon the duffel bag that contained her things she walked to it and kneeled down to fish out fresh undergarments and pajamas. Grabbing a clean towel that was also placed in her room she headed out to take a bath that was bound to be painful.
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Kiriyuu Zero was exhausted. Undoing his shirt as he walked through the dark hallways he could think only about one thing – Kuran Kaname and Yuuki. Oh how that bastard vampire annoyed him. He wanted nothing more but to blow his fucking brains out with his gun but he knew Yuuki would hate him for it. He also owed that asshole pureblood his life too. It sickened him more than the fact that he was a vampire himself. He drank his blood to prevent himself from falling into a Level E. If it wasn't for Yuuki, he'd rather die than drink Kaname's blood. Love really does make people do crazy things.
Walking into the guest bedroom he considered his own, he kicked off his shoes and shed his clothes down to boxers. Raking a tired hand through his wild silver hair, Zero threw himself onto the bed only to feel another body already there. Shit, it must be Yuuki. She probably fell asleep waiting for him. That girl sacrificed too much of herself for a wretch like him. He didn't deserve it.
Zero lifted the covers and his eyes widened a bit in surprise when he saw it wasn't Yuuki. It was Hunter. What the hell was she doing in his room sleeping? Then it clicked in his head – the chairman had to have put her here. Considering the circumstances it was an understandable move but out of all guest rooms why on earth did that old psycho man have to use his?! He let out a small growl of annoyance and got out of bed. With Hunter in his bed now he had to go look for a different place to sleep. That was just great. Definitely the cherry on top for the night – especially after seeing Kaname and Yuuki being so damn close.
Hunter stirred in her sleep. "No…wait…" she mumbled incoherently, her hand reaching out. At first Zero thought she might be talking to him but when he looked at her he noticed she was still asleep. Buttoning up his shirt he heard her mumble something else but couldn't quite understand her. Curiosity getting the best of him, he leaned in close to the sleeping girl in hopes of understanding what she was trying to say. "Don't leave me…no…it's dark…please don't leave me," she whispered faintly then fell silent.
She was just having a dream. Zero doubted it was a good one but he shrugged it off and resumed getting dressed. He was tired and he wanted to sleep. Glancing around the room he tried to remember where he kicked off his shoes when Hunter started tossing and turning in her sleep, slight moans escaping her lips. Perspiration began to appear on her porcelain skin as her moves became more violent with each passing second.
"No, no, no…NO!" she screamed startling Zero. Hunter continued thrashing in her bed violently and screaming. Not knowing what to do, Zero tried to awake the girl from her nightmare but to no avail. Taking a wild look around the room as his mind scrambled for a solution that didn't involve waking the Chairman his violet eyes fell upon a bottle of pills. He picked up the bottle and realized they were prescription sleeping pills. There was no way she was going to wake up. "No!" Hunter cried out again, sending a strange wave of panic through Zero. He had absolutely no idea what to do and he couldn't bring himself to just leave her to her nightmares.
Hunter's body continued to convulse violently and arm hit the nightstand beside the bed, knocking an empty glass off, causing it to shatter on the wooden floors. In an instant Zero was at the bedside, holding down the girl's wrists to prevent her from hurting herself. The last thing he wanted was for her to bleed. He wouldn't be able to handle it.
The sweat was making her onyx hair stick to her face and her breathing was heavy and uneven. Looking down on her tortured face, Zero realized that this was the most emotion or anything he's seen come from Hunter since she first arrived at Cross Academy. When awake she's always quiet, indifferent and automated. This was completely the opposite. The girl's small body was suddenly raked by a sob as tears began forming at the corners of her eyes before cascading down her cheeks. "Shh…" he tried to coo but her tears weren't stopping. "No…" she barely whispered as more tears slid down her already wet face.
Her violent thrashing stopped and she curled into a fetal position as she continued crying in her sleep. "Shh…" he cooed as he gently brushed her sweat soaked hair away from her face. "Shh…it's okay, it's okay…" he whispered softly though he knew she couldn't hear him. Hunter seemed to be responding to his touch as she leaned into his hand that was brushing the hair away from her face.
Feeling his knees go numb from kneeling beside the bed, Zero groaned and climbed onto the bed, laying his body beside Hunter's, his hand never leaving her face. He continued to gently stroke her face, the simple action seemingly having a calming effect. Her sobs subsided and the tears stopped. She seemed to be sleeping calmly now so he began to slowly take his hand away from her face, but as soon as the touch was lost, Hunter let out a small noise of protest. Sighing, he placed his hand back where it was, but this time Hunter's own hand came up and she placed it atop his in order to keep him from taking it.
Hunter's hand felt unnaturally cold in comparison to Yuuki's. Zero smacked himself mentally. He had to quit comparing Yuuki and Hunter. They were two different people and complete opposites at that. Besides, he loved Yuuki – not Hunter. The tormented raven haired beauty before him was just a stranger, a stranger with a strange air about her. It sent tingles of anxiety and fear down his spine even though she looked as harmless as a fly. Zero knew there was nothing to be afraid of yet his instincts told him otherwise.
An image of Hunter's ice-blue eyes appeared in his mind. Beautiful, fragile, demented. Looking at her now calmly sleeping face he wished for those haunted eyes to open and look at him. He wanted to know why she made him so afraid. Extending his thumb he gently brushed it against her soft lips, their color reminding him of a pink rose. Then he caught his action. What the hell was he doing?
Feeling as if he had betrayed Yuuki, he jerked his hand away from Hunter's face and got off the bed, picking up the remains of his clothes off the floor. With one last glance at the sleeping girl he headed out the door, guilt riding his consciousness.
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