Chapter 2 – Danger to us all

Her body was weightless, floating and twirling. The Vampire could hear some familiar voices, murmured and unclear which sounded rather distant. She was coming back to reality, awaking from the peaceful and painless world she had created in her head. She wanted to drift off back to this sanctuary, never to leave it. Hey Claire! Wake up!

There she was again, Claire! Her sister would often appear in her dreams; sometimes they would both be younger and often confused for being twins even though they were two and a half years different in age, it didn't help that Lightning was a tomboy while Serah appeared more shy. Of course, this all changed after the death of their parents.

"Dammit Lebreau! It fucking stinks in here with all these Humans!" A deep voice could be heard growling at the top of his lungs.

"Watch your tongue Dog, we're doing you a favor here!" an equally pissed off voice would yell back.

"Dog?! You Human piece of sh-"

"Gadot!" and extremely irritated Lebreau glared at the overly large man making him sweat a little. "Give it a rest! Remember Lightning is our priority" she looked across to the Hunters "Even if they are the enemies." An overconfident Fang smirked back at the scolded man. In a fit of frustration the Werewolf turned around and swung his fist into one of the bar tables, snapping it in half. He then proceeded to walk out the room.

Fang stood there, eyebrow arched, completely unimpressed by the Werewolf's lack of control. "Humph, so I see who's the Alpha is of this pack." She met eyes with Lebreau.

"I apologize for my friend there" Lebreau spoke, keeping eye contact with the Hunter "I am also grateful to you both for bringing Lightning here." She moved closer to the pair "but you do well to remember, we are not to be toyed with." Her eyes heated to a bright yellow as well as every other Werewolf in the room, all alerting their power towards the outnumbered Hunters. Fang gritted her teeth, irritated being in this position, Vanille however just shifted behind the taller woman tugging on her winter coat.

"Lebreau… That's enough" it was weak, but powerful enough to stop all the tension in the room. The Vampire lay on the makeshift surgical bed, eyes open, staring up to the ceiling. "I defiantly didn't want to wake up to this."

"Lightning!" an overjoyed Vanille ran over to her side and hugged the Vampire.

"Ouch!" Vanille jumped off at the moment Lightning flinched, being so weak the Vampire's body was not healing at a normal rate.

The red head nervously giggled "Sorry, I'm just so glad to see you're alright."

"She's not out the clear yet" an angry Lebreau walked over them. "Isn't that right Lightning?" the two exchanged a look.

"Lebreau…" The Vampire was cut off; not granted any time to explain herself.

"Don't you Lebreau me!" the Alpha began to slowly lose her composure, crumbling before the eyes of her followers and her enemies. "You have no idea how it feels to watch your best friend slowly killing herself!" Lightning looked up at the girl, somewhat shocked to see she had glassy eyes, ready to overflow at any moment. "Please… If not for me… then do it for Serah, she would have never wanted to see you like this."

The Vampire looked away for a moment, she was too ashamed to look at her best friend who just poured her heart out to her, knowing that nothing would change the way she felt about who… what she is. "I'm Sorry Lebreau… "

The Werewolf knew Lightning all too well, her pride would be the death of her. There was nothing she could do, in the past she even offered Lightning her own blood; it would always result in the Vampire shooting her down then disappearing for a while. Lebreau always assumed she would be out looking for suitable game, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Lebreau closed her eyes for a moment; she took in a deep breath, then regained her composure opening her eyes as she did. She smiled back at the Vampire "I know you Light, you won't listen to me, you never do." She paused for a second "Oh! And…" she lifted her figure to her lips as if she remembered something "I supplemented you while you slept." She winked at Lightning then walked off giggling.

"You… You what!?" The Vampire couldn't help but blush as she yelled back at the fleeting Werewolf.

A voice could be heard laughing from the other side of the room. "Calm down Sunshine, she only drugged you with some kind of blood capsule; it probably extended your life by a day or so." The Hunter finally moved from the back of the room and join Vanille at the end of the surgical table.

Lightning had sat up by this point and stared Fang up and down; it took her a moment to realize who she was again. "The crazy bitch from last night…" Vanille giggled, while Fang arched an eyebrow.

"Charming" she smiled "The name's Fang" she offered her a cheeky grin.

"Why are you here?" Fang looked slightly insulted by the Vampire's manners.

"Not much for small talk eh?" the Vampire just glared back at the Hunter, still waiting for her answer. The brunette closed her eyes and took in a deep breath; she then re-opened them and as she did there was a more serious look to them, sharp, much like when they first met. They were the eyes with the intent to kill. "You're a walking time bomb; I would kill you now but the situation has become more complicated, plus I promised Vanille." They both held a glare at another, refusing to break away first. "She is the only thing keeping you alive right now, mark my words."

"Fang!" Vanille yelled at her companion disagreeing with her choice of words. She then looked back at Lightning, remorse in her eyes. "Lightning, I'm so grateful to you for all you have done, but… we can't leave you like this." The Vampire looked at the girl, confusion written on her face. "You see, Fang and I are Hunters, we are duty bound to apprehend you… you must come with us-"

"Over our dead bodies!" Gadot stood with the rest of his kind in the doorway; it was obvious to the Hunters that you couldn't keep anything from a dog's ears and before they knew it the room that once refuge the lost Human girl became a hostile environment.

Fang gripped her battle staff ready for any rash movements, the short red head stepped up and raised her voice "She's a danger to everyone like this, a Vampire that doesn't feed will eventually lose their mind and Lightning will have lost the Human part of her forever!" The Vampire stared at the girl, her mouth dropped, somebody actually just referred to her having a Human side. She smiled to herself. She really is like you Serah, I'm sure in a different life, you two would have made good friends.

"Lightning is stronger than she looks! How dare you decide her fate!" Gadot became more aggravated and he wasn't the only one, Lebreau was actually fighting her transformation. Knowing that a fight here with Hunters as strong as these would result in a bloodbath, regardless of this fact she couldn't help her rising emotions.

The taller Hunter clearly feeling threatened now spoke the harsh truth. "Either way, she comes with us or we have to forcefully take her." She looked around the room, connecting eyes with each yellow glow as she spoke. "And I'm sure you'd want to avoid all this unnecessary death." She looked back at Lebreau attempting to bargain with her. "We are willing to forget we ever saw this place." Sweat ran down Lebreau's brow, she was torn between her duties of protecting her pack, and her best friend.

"Enough!" The Vampire was standing up with the support of the bed behind her. "I'm leaving with them." She gathered her hooded robe that she wore and tied it around her; she then reached off the peg another robe similar to her own and threw it at Vanille. "Shall we?" she gestured to the Hunters for them to leave.

Gadot was about to step in and stop them when Lebreau put her arm out in front of him. "She's made up her mind Gadot, there's nothing more we can do." The Alpha then pulled her hand back and proceeded to walk over to the Vampire, embracing her. "Stay alive Light" she whispered in her ear. The Vampire muttered something back, and then she smiled warmly at her best friend. Leaving for the exit, she held her right hand in the air as a gesture of farewell.

"… And just like that she's gone again." The tall muscular man had a hint of unhappiness in his voice.

"Lightning, it flashes bright… then fades away." Lebreau muttered it under breath… you said that before you left…Lightning, please don't tell me you've given up.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The three left the Inn and entered into the waking city, the heat from the sun had started to melt the frost from the cold night. Humans would began to go about their daily lives, setting up markets stalls that lined the streets with their trade, Vanille had already wondered off looking at the vast merchandise it offered. The sun irritated Lightning; she pulled her hood over her head to keep as much it off her as possible.

The Brunette Hunter walked over to the Vampire and took out something shiny from her coat pocket; she pulled the Vampire's hands out and handcuffed her. Lightning raised an eyebrow "Cuffs? Is that really necessary? I'm unarmed."

Fang let out a hearty laugh "Oh Sunshine, your kind are never unarmed" she then pushed the Vampire from behind to get her moving.

Lightning grit her teeth, she had become a little frustrated with the nickname she had acquired from the Hunter. "Sunshine? Why do you keep calling me that!? My name is Lightning!"

"It's ironic isn't it, your kind hating the sunlight and all-"

"Stop saying that! Your kind! If anything you really know how to piss my kind off!" Fang stared at her while they walked, she actually felt guilty like she hurt the Vampire's… feelings.

"You're right, I apologize. I've just seen the worse of Vampires along with the damage they can do."

"Yeah? Well you're not the only one who's seen the worse of them, not all Vampires had a choice you know, some of us are just the unlucky ones that survived!" Fang stayed quiet, she was quite shocked by what the Vampire had said, and it took her a moment to find her voice.

She quietly laughed "Vanille was right" the Hunter looked at the Vampire for the first time as an equal. "You are different." Then she looked away slightly embarrassed. "And I kind of respect you in a way… choosing not to feed I mean." The Vampire stared at her dumbfounded, was this really the same crazy bitch that attacked her last night calling her every insulting name under the sun? "… I'd probably do the same as you, if I were in your shoes."

Lightning couldn't take her eyes off of her, the way the wind carried hair, how her green eyes shimmered when the light hit off them and how badly she wanted to touch that smooth skin.

It took the Vampire a moment to comprehend that she was gawking at the taller woman; she flushed after realizing and averted her gaze only to notice the shorter Hunter skipping towards them holding what looked like charms.

"Heey! Look what I got!" she observed the Vampire "Oh… Lightning is the sun affecting you that bad? Your face is all red." The Vampire fidgeted, she was glad Vanille misread the situation.

"Yeah… too…hot" the two Hunters looked at her, it was far too cold to be complaining about any heat.

"Hot?" the Brunette laughed "It must be me eh?" she winked at Lightning. It was only intended as a joke but the brunette got a marvelous reaction from the Vampire as she turned her words into a bumbling pile of mess attempting to defend herself.

"W-what?! N-no! It's the sun!" she blurted.

"Calm down Sunshine, I'm just teasing" the brunette smirked at Lightning's increasingly flustered face.

Vanille giggled watching the pair. "I see you two are getting along nicely." Lightning huffed, clearly in disagreement making Vanille giggle even more at the moody Vampire. She held a pink charm in front of her face. "Here" she gestured for Lightning to take it. She then looked at her companion and handed her a blue one. She then tied the remaining orange one to her belt.

"Erm… not to sound rude but, what is this?" Lightning held the charm unsure what to do with it.

"They're Omamori charms" the red head smiled.

"Omamori? The means to Protect, right?" The Vampire looked confused. "Protect from what?"

"Ermm..." the red head scratched her head "I'm not sure, they just looked pretty" she nervously smiled.

"It says it on the charm if you look closely dear." This voice didn't come from anyone they knew, they all turned to see an elderly woman holding a basket of herbs. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear." She said.

Vanille took her charm from her belt and examined it closely. "Oh yes! Mine says… 'Anzan'…" the old lady moved her hands up and down towards Vanille's direction; at that moment they realized that this woman was blind. The old lady giggled for a brief moment, and then she spoke.

"It appears this charm is not well suited to you my dear." Vanille looked at her in confusion.

"Why is that?" she asked, a little upset.

"The Anzan protection is intended for a pregnant woman." Fang burst out with laughter, even Lightning choked on her own breath.

"Who's the father Vanille?" Fang asked in between laughter. Vanille shot her a look, but then laughed along with the other women seeing the funny side. The old lady eventually gestured towards Fang to read off her charm.

The taller woman calmed herself down and coughed before reading aloud her Omamori. "Kaiun" the elderly woman nodded several times humming as she did.

"Oh my Yes, that's a good one. Open luck and better fortune. That one should not only keep you safe, but those you care about safe too."

"You beauty! Couldn't ask for anything more." Fang smiled and began tying the Omamori to her belt. The old women then turned in the direction Lightning was in, it made the Vampire feel very uneasy, it felt like this blind woman was staring into her core. Lightning stood in what looked like a helpless state, clutching her pink Omamori in her both her hands due to them being bound.

"Well, don't keep us in suspense" Fang said to the Vampire becoming a little impatient. Lightning briefly looked at Fang from the corner of her eye, and then turned her Omamori around to read from it. She looked up and stared at the elderly woman trying her hardest to avoid those judgmental eyes.

"Yaku-yoke" she spoke with a little choke in the middle.

It took a little while for the elderly woman to react, one would think she didn't hear Lightning over the sounds of the lively city. Then her mouth opened "Appropriate, for one such as you, child of the night." Now Lightning wasn't the only one on edge, this woman had got the attention of both Hunters who had come to terms that she was no average old lady, and a blind one for that matter. "Avoidance of Evil" she spoke. "You are fighting your own kind of evil are you not girl?" Lightning just stared back at the woman, lost for words. "I'd keep that one close if I were you."

At that moment a loud crash happened from behind the group, catching their attention. A carriage had smashed into a stand resulting into two men arguing with another. Seeing that the situation was no longer of any interest to the group they turned back to the old woman… that was no longer there.

"Where did she… go?" Vanille spoke, her own voice trailing off a little.

"Who cares" the Vampire stuffed the charm in her pocket, she then turned and walked off, much like a sulking teenager would have done.

"Hey! You don't even know where we're going." The taller Hunter ran after the Vampire, pulling her back.

"Well then, hurry up and lead me." Lightning spat the words in anger, confused by herself for why she was so pissed off.

The Hunter stared at her for a moment; Lightning wasn't the only one getting irritated from her frequent mood swings. "I've never seen someone in such a hurry to die." Her words were said harshly.

"Fang!" Vanille shouted at her companion in protest.

It was silent for a moment; the Vampire's back was still turned so the Hunters could not read off her emotions. Then she spoke "I…" she tried, unable to get the words out. She huffed, "Just do your job."

Vanille looked down; the situation was really beginning to upset her, she liked Lightning and she knew all too well of her fate at the Hunters guild, it would be more merciful if they just killed her here and now.

Flashback sequence

"In here?" Fang raised her eyebrow at the smaller Hunter after reading the sign Hawker's Inn. She had the wounded Vampire on her back.

"Yeah! She has friends on the other side." Vanille chirped, opening the door to the human side of the Inn.

Turns out, that walking into a tavern with a woman passed out on your back would attract attention, who'd have thought it? And before they knew it the two women were surrounded by the curious drunkards from the bar.

"Whoa what happened ere?" a short one spoke with a slur in his speech.

"She looks in bad shape eh?" another spoke up. He looked up at the Hunter carrying the Vampire "you do this, or just a helpful citizen?"

Vanille rummaged through a pouch she kept on the side of her belt. She pulled out a piece of leather and flipped it open to show a badge. "We're Hunters! Now please step aside."

"Hunters eh?" a tall bearded one from the back pushed his way though, he looked at the pink haired women on Fang's back. "She got a bounty or something?-"

"No way! I recognize her!" a voice shouted, he was a short man wearing glasses; he produced a wanted poster from his pocket and began reading from it. "A Class-S Vampire, she goes by the name Lightning. Appearances: Pink hair and judged to be round her early 20s. She is often seen with a large blade." He stopped for a moment and readjusted his glasses. "No doubt about it, that's her." Fang and Vanille exchanged a look. "It seems this Vampire has caught the interest of the Patron himself."

"Class S!? That's gotta be some hefty reward, say? How about we give you a hand turning her in?" the tall bearded one started chuckling.

The two Hunters change their posture to a more offensive one; this made some of the drunkards take a step back. "Are you crazy? They took down a Class-S; I say we get the hell out here!" The shorter one began heading for the door. He was followed by all besides the bearded one, who just grunted and stormed off after them.

"few, that was a close one" Vanille wiped her brow.

"Yeah…" Fang paused, readjusting the Vampire on her back. "To be Class -S though… A rank that high, she must be some monster."

"No way, I don't believe that for a minute! Lightning's different!" It sounded like Vanille was also trying to convince herself, slightly shocked from hearing the news. She slowly breathed in and out before she spoke again "But to have that Rank… we have to bring her back alive, we have no choice." Her voice saddened.

"Heh, and to think I was seconds away from killing her outside. You really saved my ass Vanille, could you imagine the boss if we killed a Class-S that the Patron requested?" Fang shuddered "I might as well have never returned to the guild."

"Yeah…" Vanille was still down by the whole situation, all this because the Vampire chose to help her. It made her feel responsible for the harsh fate that the Vampire would now face. She exhaled slowly and put on a fake smile. "Anyways let's get her all healed up." She said as she pointed towards the door that lead to the Werewolf's den.

End of flashback

Fang huffed "As you wish" she pushed the Vampire from behind "better start moving then, it's about 2 days walk from here to the guild, that's if you will even last that long."

The Vampire said nothing; she just proceeded to walk with each Hunter close behind. It was going to be a long walk to her death, and she had a lot of thinking time.

Author's notes

Whoa, okay that took longer than I hoped, I wanted to get a new chapter out every week or two but everything was getting in the way. Anyways I really hope this chapter doesn't appear rushed, I needed to get the three of them alone and now that I have that… hehe maybe some more bonding? Haha just don't want to make it seem too soon. Again reviews are really appreciated they give me great feedback and fuel me to keep writing. I hope you guys are enjoying the story thus far. Oh I also plan to go back to chapter 1 and to clean up any errors I spot, so if they are still there… shame on me =(