(A/N): Hello everyone! I apologize for the long wait. I started my first year of college this month. And it sucks... but I'm still writing! THANK YOU to all my reviewers out there! I got so much feedback for chapter two and it made me so excited 8D Thanks SO MUCH to Pri-Chan 1410, MargaSey, TwilightAnimeGamer, CoruptionToday, frenchmoon, and Neon Knightly! Your reviews mean the world to me. It's kinda sad how excited I get... but anyway, you guys are here to read chapter three so... ta-da! Enjoy :)
"So, that sword? That's your anti-vampire weapon?"
"Yeah. It was my mom's…" I replied quietly.
"Do you know how to use it?" Yuki asked, skeptically.
What? Of course I know how to use it... I'm not carrying it with me because it looks cool. It hung loosely at my side. It was about a foot long, until you push a button on its hilt that makes it unsheathe to its full size. But I mean, it's just a sword, right? Don't you just have to swing it...? I'm in trouble. "Yeah, my parents made me take lessons when I was younger."
"You mean, you didn't want to?" asked Yuki.
"You would?"
"Well, yeah. Of course I'd want to. It's important to know how to defend yourself," Yuki replied. I looked at her for a moment. There is no way that she understands. There's so much more to being a vampire hunter than people know. Has she ever been forced to duel a Level E by her own mother? My hands trembled. I've always felt uncomfortable about walking around at night.
"You don't have to be so nervous. Not a lot happens during these patrols, but there's no harm in being prepared!" Yuki said. Whatever... we had been patrolling for a couple hours now, and I just wanted the sun to come out above all else. "Hey Karuko, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go talk to one of the night class students. If you want, you can just go back to the headmaster's building. I think Zero and I have everything covered," she said. Huh?!
"Are you sure that it's safe?"
"Hm? Yeah, you shouldn't have any problem getting back to the headmaster's!"
"That's not what I meant," I replied, massaging my temples. "I meant going to talk with the night class students..."
"Of course it's safe! The night class students are good vampires! If it wasn't for Kaname, I wouldn't even be here right now!"
"Okay! Whatever... if you wanna go socialize with the Night Class, be my guest. I'll see you tomorrow," I muttered, turning around. In a way, I'm kind of envious of how calm she is around them.
"I mean, you can come with me if you want. I'm sure that Ichijo-san will be there. You two are kind of friends, right?" I nearly choked on my own spit.
"What?! Of course not! I'm going to bed," I replied, stalking off towards the headmaster's building. Damn it… why did I react like that?! Ichijo… I can't believe I pulled my hand away from him. But when I saw the faint shape of his fangs in his smile, I just couldn't help myself. I recoiled from him, like a frightened little girl. I'll bet he never speaks to me again. I could curse myself a hundred times for acting so childish… My mother would be disgraced if she knew a vampire was causing me to feel so flustered.
I didn't stop walking until I was maybe about halfway to the building. I froze when I heard noises coming over from the boundary wall. And my heart stopped when I smelt blood. Really? Tonight?!
"I told you this was a bad idea!"
"Damn it... are you okay?"
"Do you not see the gash in my leg?!"
What did I want to do? I wanted to keep walking and pretend I didn't hear anything. With Zero and Yuki out here, one of them is bound to show up. Right?! But then, in the back if my head, I heard her voice.
"Mother, I don't want to kill vampires..." I used to whine.
"Karuko, we don't do this for sport. This isn't about killing vampires. It's about saving humans."
I cursed my mother's words, and then ran to the wall. I climbed up the closest tree I could find until I had reached the top of the wall. I stood on top of it and then spotted them easily. Two day class girls.
"What happened?" I asked suddenly. They jolted at my presence, and then glared at me.
"Well, here she is now. Miss Disciplinary Committee. If you must know, we were on our way to see the Headmaster and demand that we be allowed to join. But then, Hizaki fell off of the wall."
"It's not like I did it on purpose, Kuru..." said Hizaki, holding her wounded leg. But it wasn't enough. If it kept bleeding at this rate, one of the night class students was bound to show up. On the other side of the wall they had climbed over, I saw the ladder they had used. I hurried over to it and brought it over to the other side. I went down it and to the girls.
"Look, I need to get you back over to the day dorm. It's not safe for you to be outside school limits, and especially bleeding."
"What are you talking about? Say what you want, but we're still going to see the Headmaster. It's not fair that some random transfer student can join but we can't!" said Kuru. She was starting to get on my nerves, and I was starting to feel uneasy. Where's Zero when you need him?
"I don't care what you do, but before you do anything, you're going back to the dorm," I replied sternly. It's hard for me to sense if a vampire is coming. Because they're all around this school, my senses have been going haywire lately. But one was definitely getting closer. I took off my jacket and then my undershirt. I tied it around Hizaki's leg and then put my jacket back on.
"You can't make us do anything!" said Kuru defiantly.
"Hizaki-san, do you think you can make it up the ladder by yourself?"
"I don't think so..." she replied, wincing as she tried to put pressure on her leg.
"Then Kuru-san, help h—"
"Heh heh... heh heh..."
"What was that?!"
My heart stopped. I twisted my body around so I was looking out into the woods.
"Kuru-san, help her up the ladder. Now."
I squinted into the woods, but it was so dark. Then, I saw it. No, I didn't see it… just its two blood red eyes, glowing in the darkness, slowly stalking closer and closer. I gasped, and found myself frozen in place.
"Asai, protect your sister!"
"But dad—!"
"Go!"
"Daddy!"
I closed my eyes tight, trying to push away the memories of the worst night of my life. All I desired to do right now is runaway. I could probably do it, long enough to attract the attention of Zero or the Headmaster... but, it's about saving humans.
I grabbed the hilt of my mother's sword, which was at my side. I pressed the button on its base and it unsheathed. I trembled, remembering that the last person to use this sword was probably my mother.
"Holy shit! A sword?!"
"Heh heh... heh heh!"
It's laugh was inhuman and sent chills down my spine. Still, it got continually closer and within a minute, it was standing before me. A level E. What is a level E doing so close to the Academy?! In front of me it stood, like it was taunting its prey before killing it. Then its eyes passed over me, and to Hizaki. It smiled, revealing a mouth full of large fangs. That's when I raised my sword and swung.
The vampire cried out as its arm fell to the ground. I did it. I actually hurt it. It screamed at me and then lunged. I stuck my sword out in front of me, but with his other arm he yanked it from my hands and grabbed me by my hair, twisting me around.
"GAHHH!" I cried, as I felt its fangs pierce my skin. I could hear so many things. The girls screaming, the sound of my blood being sucked from my body, my struggling heart beat... I remained conscious enough to see a silhouette appear above the wall, and a bright light be shot in my direction. It surrounded me, and the next thing I knew, I fell to the ground in a pile of dust.
"Shizuki?!"
"What in the hell was that?! It just attacked her!"
"Is she dead?!"
"Miss Shizuki?"
"Everything's gonna be okay, Karu. Daddy just got hurt. I'll be okay..."
"Dad..."
"Shizuki-san?! Can you hear me?!"
That was the last I heard before my world went black.
I don't have many memories of my father, but that's not what bothers me. What bothers me is that the most vivid memory I have of him is from that night.
"Dad? What's wrong?"
"Do you sense that, son?" he asked. Asai sat still for a moment, as he concentrated hard on something. Then he gasped and took to his feet.
"Vampire! Are we gonna go kill it, dad?!" Asai asked, excitedly.
"No. We only kill the ones on the list. And with any luck, it'll probably pass. And we won't do anything. You are gonna stay inside and keep your sister safe."
"Daddy, is a vampire gonna get us?" I asked, timidly.
"Not while I'm here, Karu-chan," my dad said with a smile, picking me up off the ground.
"Hey! I won't let a vampire get Karuko either!" said Asai. My father chuckled.
"I know you won't, but keep your voice down. Come on, let's go the bedroom," he said, carrying me while Asai followed close behind. We entered the bedroom, which was lit by the moonlight. It showed so brightly that night. Asai climbed up onto the bed, and my father sat me down next to him.
"Alright... I'm gonna take a look around outside real quick. You two hide under the covers, and don't come out until I come get you, okay?"
"Fine..." Asai grumbled. "But soon, Karu-chan is gonna be able to take care of herself, and then I can hunt vampires with you, right?!"
While my father replied to Asai, I gazed out the window at the moon as it was covered by a cloud, making the room considerably darker. But then, something else caught my eye. The next thing I saw were two red, glowing orbs, floating among the trees. And then, as the clouds passed, something gleamed in the moonlight...
"Daddy!"
Almost immediately, the sound of a gunshot reverberated through my ears. The bullet flew through the window and into my father, who yelled in pain as he clutched his left shoulder.
"Dad!"
"Daddy!" I cried.
"It's just my shoulder… it's okay. Asai, Karuko, go to the basement. Asai, protect your sister!"
"But dad—!"
"Go!"
"Daddy!"
"I'll only be a minute. I'm counting on you, Asai," my father said. Asai closed his eyes tight for a moment, and then opened them again, grabbing my hand.
"He's right. Let's go, Karuko. We'll be safe down there." Asai and I jumped off the bed, our father covering us until we reached the basement door.
"Don't come out until I say so, got it?"
"Yes, sir."
"But daddy, you're hurt!"
"I'm fine, Karu-chan. I'll be back in a few minutes," he said with a smile as he shut the door to the basement. The next time I would see my father, it would be on his deathbed.
I opened my eyes, slowly. It had been a long time since I dreamed of the night my father was killed. My shoulder was throbbing in pain. I looked over and saw it completely bandaged and blood stained. Great first night, Karuko... I heard voices, though, they weren't in the room. They were right outside the door. And one of the voices made me go very still.
"Yuki, if you don't mind, might you let me speak to Shizuki-san for a moment," said Kaname. And even though it sounded like a question, it wasn't.
"I'm sorry, but I think she's still sleeping."
The door opened and Yuki walked in while Kaname stood in the doorframe. "Karuko-kun, you're awake! I'm so sorry I left you last night! It was so stupid of me!"
"Please keep your voice down..." I mumbled. My head was pounding.
"Yuki," said Kaname. Yuki turned to him and blushed.
"Oh. Right," she said, turning around to leave.
"No, wait—!" But she had already left, and my voice was scratchy and barely audible. Why? Why did she have to leave me alone with a vampire?! Especially after last night... and it only makes it worse that she left me with Kaname-sama. I feel like he could kill me just by looking at me… what if he can?! I quickly broke eye contact with him.
"I don't wish to cause you any harm, Shizuki-san, so please relax," he said. Easier said than done. "I wanted to thank you for your efforts last night. You saved the lives of those students. They've had their memories erased and have been returned to their dorms in perfect health," he said. Those damn brats... if it wasn't for them, I could've woken up in my bed this morning, instead of in the hospital wing.
"However..." he began. My fingernails were digging into my palms. I wanted to scream. I don't like being alone with him. "It was exceedingly foolish of you to go after that level E on your own," he said. He made me feel like such a child. "To keep this kind of incident from repeating, you shall no longer participate in night patrol. Instead, you will immediately start training under Yagari-sensei at night, until you are able to better defend yourself, like Yuki and Kiryu. Although, you will remain on the committee, under the President's orders. The Headmaster has your mother's sword and you can reclaim it once I see that you are fit to continue patrolling," he said, turning to leave. "I'll be checking in on your progress. It's very important that you can protect yourself, before trying to protect others. I am not your enemy, Shizuki-san," he said, leaving the room.
I gasped for air. I had stopped breathing. I couldn't figure out if I was thankful or not. Which is worse? Night patrol or night training with Toga Yagari? I sighed, and looked over at the bedside table. I was shocked to see a couple of books sitting upon it. Manga? Volumes twelve and thirteen. No way...
I reached over, with some difficultly, and picked up the books. They were the ones I had ordered that day, though I had never picked them up. Tucked inside volume twelve was a note.
"Shizuki-san, I hope you enjoy these volumes. I have quite a manga collection, so consider what you'd be interested in reading next. I wish you the quickest recovery. Your's truly, Takuma-kun."
I felt my cheeks get warm as I read the note over a second time. And he has such beautiful penmanship… I skimmed over the volumes he had given me. They didn't even look like they had been read. I opened volume twelve and eagerly began reading, until an hour later when I found myself drifting in and out of sleep. I marked my page with Ichijo-san's note and slowly fell asleep, holding the mangas close to my chest.
(A/N): Poor Karuko... HaHa! If any of you have read my Fruits Basket story, you know how I like to make my characters suffer. lol. Does that make me a sadist O.o ? . . . I hope you liked it! With any luck, it shouldn't take me as long to post chapter four, because it's already partially written. Thank you all for reading, and please leave a review!
stacyTHEemo :)