A/N: Thanks to nuggi for editing this chapter :)
CHAPTER 4: The Invalid Dormitory
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'I'm home.'
Just as the sun rose, Shizuru found her way back to the five-hundred-year-old monastery about a hundred mile west of downtown Fuuka. A monk sold it many years ago to a new resident in town. The small village had a population of less than three thousand residents. The sea ran from its west coast to the south, and a deep forest covered its north and northeast area, separating it from the rest of the Island. Although it was as remote as Shizuru wanted, she always took extreme precaution along the route home. Fujino Shizuru's existence as a vampire was known to only Kansaki Reito, and she preferred to keep it that way.
'Welcome home.'
Shizuru remembered well of the voice ever softly greeting her. But the voice was so distant now however she wished it to last.
Entering the two-story home, she made her way into the modest living room and headed towards a wooden door in the far corner. She slipped inside and walked deeper down the dark, narrow passageway. The sound of her of footsteps was light and nearly inaudible to human ear, but she knew it couldn't escape the one person waiting for her beyond the darkness of this tunnel.
Another door eventually emerged in front of her. Once she entered, she took a quick look around the confined space. A stove and a small fridge took the area in the left corner. A few pots and pans, cups and jars, dishes and pairs of silverware were neatly arranged on the ledges just above the stove. The tiny, murky window on the brick wall to her right let in narrow rays of morning radiance. Warmed by the pool of light was the square, dinning table in the middle of the room. On the table, a plate of sandwich and a glass of wine were left cold since last night.
Shizuru's attention then came to stop at the gray-haired, tall and slightly plump woman by the doorway opposite to where she was. There was no greeting as Shizuru had wished for, but it was to be expected as there hadn't been one for a while now.
Her gaze followed the old woman's and spotted the marks her male victim's blood had left on her white jacket. Shizuru quickly rubbed over the dry stain, displeased at her ineptness. She had planned to take off the jacket beforehand, but forgot as dawn was pressing.
"You look beautiful… as beautiful as I've always remembered."
Shizuru paused at those whispering words, her hand stopping over the dark spots on her chest. Slowly, she looked up to meet the delicate, violet gaze.
Ahn Lu was in a thin, white dress, a gray sweater hung over her hunched shoulders. Beneath the white scarf around her neck was a black rosary, an old gift from Shizuru. Her hair was neatly pulled back into a bun, a sign of a sleepless night. Her freckled face showed little joy even as her full lips curved up into a smile. She shakily pulled the hem of the sweater closer as she moved to sit at the table.
Shizuru remained still as Ahn shifted in the chair, studying the cold food and wine in front of her.
"I was waiting for you, but you were gone all night… I thought I'd never see you again," Ahn said, staring down at her own reflection on the spoon next to her right hand. But she had to look away only a short moment later, her eyes narrowed almost in contempt.
Ahn was supposed to celebrate her seventieth birthday last night, but Shizuru planned on failing to attend. She succeeded. Reito's casual invitation came abrupt but served her purpose just fine.
"Silly. Where else should I go?" Shizuru listened to herself as she did a stranger. She forced out a smile but knew how awkward it must have looked. The seemingly easy tasks suddenly seemed so hard. There were few exceptions in what Shizuru would or could not do, and Ahn was unfortunately on the list.
Shizuru grabbed the backrest of the chair and pulled it from the table. She sat down opposite to Ahn, keeping her hands to herself, cautious to stay out of the pool of sunlight. When it was clear that Ahn would spend as much time down in the basement as Shizuru did, the vampire insisted not to seal the window. She said humans needed some sunlight in their home.
"You preyed." Ahn bit her lips lightly.
"I did."
The bloodstain on the jacket was a confirmation Ahn didn't need. After spending more than four decades together, the woman could tell by just looking at how vibrant those crimson eyes were now, and how dull they were when the vampire started to occasionally refuse her blood during the past two years. The habit had grown into an absolute rejection in the past weeks.
"I'm still strong enough for you."
"You need some sleep. I'll get your medication." Shizuru stood up, but Ahn rapidly shook her head.
"I'll take them later. Sit down with me."
Shizuru reached out for the plate on the table. "Are you hungry? I'll warm it up—"
Ahn gripped Shizuru's wrist, leaving only narrow space between the pale arm and the pool of light.
Shizuru didn't pull back. She stared into the old woman's eyes and couldn't help but question what had led her to this point in time. Her past was her future. Her friends were her enemies. And when time ceased to exist, Ahn happened and upset the cycle she was in, adding something more to ponder—something to look forward to.
But now the cycle was about to return.
Shizuru let the old woman hold her arm for as long as she wanted. She wasn't afraid of the burning pain that might follow, being too close to the light. She trusted Ahn more than she had ever intended, and now the trust was slowly taking everything from her—the love was going to make her stay and watch Ahn die.
Against her resolve, Shizuru brought the wrinkled hand to her face and gently kissed it. It was difficult for her to come to term with her feelings for a human. It took her many years to consider the options for their future, and it took her even longer to prepare herself for the consequence of refusing Ahn the eternal life. The path which she was forced upon, Ahn was better not to follow.
"You're my home. I'm not going anywhere… I won't…" Shizuru buried her face in the woman's hand, and Ahn pushed herself up and embraced her lithe waist. She had tried to prepare herself for the inevitability of mortality, but it only resulted in her spending more and more time away from home. It wasn't expected to be this hard since Ahn wouldn't be the first loss Shizuru had suffered. Nonetheless, the woman had become the only pleasant memory Shizuru would like to keep.
Eventually, Shizuru broke away from the embrace and smiled. "Happy birthday, Ahn," she said, her face beaming with sincere joy. She realized that even if it was a little late to celebrate, it was still better than never.
But when her smile would usually bring out Ahn's, the old woman could only now offer a small one in return. Shizuru was caught off-guard by the frail, defeated look in those eyes that she had never witnessed before, not even when Ahn was denied a life with her.
The woman warily sat back down. Dark circles were visible around her eyes, and the sleepless night had taken much of her energy. She grabbed the edge of the table, visibly shaken in her deep thought, her other hand resting on her lap.
Kneeling before Ahn, Shizuru looked up at her, softly holding the hand on the lap. "What is it? Are you feeling all right? Are you tired? Would you like some water?"
Ahn let out a sigh and said, "You ought to be careful. I have a bad, very bad feeling about this. I never trust that friend of yours. I fear for you, Shizuru."
"You mean Reito?" Shizuru chortled lightly. "He's a mere acquaintance, not a friend by any chance. Don't you worry about me. I can take care of myself." She then got up and took the plate of sandwich from the table. Taking it to the oven in the corner, she set the time and waited. "He's useful at times. He knows Uriah. The upside is that he doesn't have anybody, and it only makes him trust me even more."
"I can tell you're taking a liking in him. Didn't you say he's a fierce one? A competent fighter. In the least, he's one of you… Just like you," Ahn said, looking away.
"There're no others. It's always been only me, and no one else," Shizuru muttered as she stood, facing the wall.
When a human lifespan was just a blink of an eye, Shizuru now felt those forty years would leave a deep imprint in her heart. She thought that she had found someone to share her life with, but then it wasn't enough to wash all her fears away. A life that wasn't entirely hers could not be shared with others. Maybe Reito felt the same way with the traitor. That thin line that kept them from giving it all.
"You have me. Haven't you noticed?"
The statement pulled Shizuru out of her thought. She hurriedly turned around, her face screwed up in guilt. "Of course. Of course, I've got you, you know that."
Ahn's gaze dropped to the cement floor and, after a long moment of silence, she gradually smiled. This time, her smile was wider and livelier, her face beaming. "I know," she said.
Shizuru felt a pang of relief. Smiling, she took the warmed sandwich out of the oven and brought it to the table. While Ahn started her meal, the chestnut-haired vampire sat herself on the floor, resting her head against the old woman's thigh.
Hugging her knees, Shizuru tilted her head back and looked up. "Do you still remember that scientist, Kuga Saeko?"
Ahn paused, and then glanced down at Shizuru. "It's been many years. What made you mention her all of a sudden?"
Looking down on the floor, Shizuru shrugged.
Doubt clouding her face, Ahn eventually put the sandwich down. "Shizuru?"
Shizuru didn't respond until a few seconds later. "Yes?"
"What about Saeko?"
There was a long pause before Shizuru replied, "Nothing…"
Ahn's brows furrowed in worry.
"She… She just popped up in my head out of the blue…" Shizuru muttered.
Ahn looked grim all of a sudden. "Yes, her death anniversary is near… Ah, I still remember how lively and pretty she was. It was a shame she married him. I would have thought that she'd still be alive today if she didn't choose him."
Shizuru giggled and sprung up to her feet. She playfully pulled the woman's hands, and said, "All right, enough of recollections. It's my fault for bringing it up. Now, I'm going to take you to bed, and I'm going to make sure that you'll get a decent sleep. Come, Ahn. It's too cold down here. You're tired."
Nodding slightly, Ahn stood up and followed the vampire's lead. "Yes… Yes, you're right. I need a nap."
Leading Ahn out of the basement, Shizuru helped the old woman walk up the stairs to the second floor. Ahn's bedroom was comfortable in size, and it smelled of soft lavender. A wooden closet and two drawers stood in the left corner. The right side of the room was occupied by a bed, a writing desk on its left and a lamp table on the right.
As soon as they entered, Ahn instantly let go off Shizuru's arm and went to the windows to draw the blue curtains close. Shizuru usually would not come up here during daytime, and she had to smile at Ahn's thoughtfulness.
"I didn't even think about it," Shizuru said. And it was the truth. She could be so negligent sometimes as she felt so at ease here.
"I'm not surprised. I had to teach you how to use computer!" Ahn laughed. She then proceeded to change into a creamy nightgown. But when she noted the watching crimson gaze, she awkwardly bent and turned the other way, looking down at the wooden floor as she pretended to be busied with her hair.
Leaning against the drawer, Shizuru stopped in her pose. She hated to see even the slightest hint of embarrassment in those confident eyes. She walked up behind the woman and slipped her arms around her. Planting a kiss on Ahn's cheek, she took in the faint scent of Ahn's perfume.
Ahn remained silent for a while before she held the cold hands back.
Natsuki opened her eyes to the strong light that came through the gaps between the blinds. On the 64th floor of Forest Dr. condominium, her privacy was fiercely guarded by a set of double, bulletproof doors, and the row of large windows lined up from east to west of her bedroom.
Groaning, she turned left and right before sitting up and stretching. She rubbed her face, trying to shake off from sleep. Last night wasn't one of the finest sleeps she had had.
After a long discussion with Yuuichi during dinner, Natsuki finally gave in to his plea, but she left the restaurant with an even more frustrated mindset. They'd need a vampire alive, and if they were lucky, the said hostage would lead them to Uriah. However, vampires rarely showed themselves in public and were never alone. Given Yuuichi's superficial strength, Natsuki wasn't sure how to proceed without asking for help. The only one responding to Yuuichi was, sadly, Suzushiro Haruka.
Although she was granted permission to pursue the rescue plan, her father wasn't entirely willing to join the matter. Risking safety of the pack members for a vampire wasn't a sentiment shared by many, granted that they didn't know the possibility of Mai exposing the location their lair.
To take her mind off the matter, Natsuki made good use of her spacious bathroom and took a long, cold shower. Sprinkles falling against her body, she felt a bit of energy and clearer mind returning. And the memory of what she encountered last night after she went separate way from Yuuichi became vivid as well.
The phone suddenly rang, causing Natsuki to flinch. Her slippery hand dropped the shampoo bottle onto her toe.
"Shi…! Aww… Aww," she yelped.
Hopping out of the shower stall, Natsuki had wrapped herself with a white towel. The wet strands of her hair spread out and plastered along her shoulder blades and back. She stalked towards the desk next to her bed and grabbed her cell phone.
"Yep?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you so early in the morning, Natsuki-san. But your father has just called. He requires your presence at the mansion as soon as possible."
Natsuki made a face, scratching her head. "Is it about last night?"
"Uh… I'm afraid so, sir."
Natsuki mentally growled. She had stressed Chie and Aoi not to report her father of the event, but it was almost an encouragement whenever the subject was forbidden.
"Yeah, sure. I'll be ready in fifteen," Natsuki said and hung up. She sprinted into the bathroom again to finish her morning business.
A dead body washed up at the beach was in itself a big headline in Fuuka, but what Natsuki found odd was the gruesome wound around the victim's neck, an act inhuman to say the least. Autopsy would be done, but the police wouldn't be able to conclude the motive behind it. Natsuki realized just what it was, and the awareness disturbed her.
It was safe to assume that a vampire was hunting at large and was trying to destroy the evidence. The deed would be considered shocking since most vampires would feed from more discreet sources like donated bloods, or even feeding on animals when necessary. In the age of computers, cable TV and Ducati, the immortals had learned to lead a subtler life. At the crime scene, Natsuki called upon her personal guards to take care of the body before a morning jogger would find it at dawn.
Clad in a pair of black jeans and a white t-shirt, Natsuki walked to the desk to get her watch and purse. Books, stacks of papers, an iPod and two laptops occupied most of the space of her workstation. As she put the watch around her wrist, she caught sight of a thick, green-leathered, palm-size journal beneath the stacks of papers. It was her mother's, the only remaining souvenir of the old days. Although Natsuki had stopped deciphering every word in those entries to death, it took her more than a few moments before she could look away.
Stuffing her car key into her coat's pocket, Natsuki exited the condo and trudged down the corridor. She was armed with loaded, twin guns in the shoulder holster. Extra UV ammunition on the belt holster added to the feeling of safety whenever she left home.
"This is outrageous! This is a slap in our face!"
Haruka's voice was the first thing Natsuki heard as she entered the central hall underground of the mansion. Her brows knitted in annoyance even before she saw the blonde in the middle of the hall, the distinct frame surrounded by thousands of werewolves.
Natsuki moved to the nearest table and found an available bench to occupy. She looked around for a sign of her father, but he was nowhere to be seen. Chie and Aoi entered the hall moments later and moved to stand behind her.
"They're enraged, Natsuki-san. They believe the vampires are challenging them," Chie whispered.
Slightly turning, Natsuki raised an eyebrow at her guard. "But you don't think that they are challenging you?"
Chie was taken aback at the statement, but then nodded with determination. "My sole duty is to protect you, Natsuki-san… Only if you'd like to join Haruka on the crusade. Isn't she the only one who volunteered to help you and Yuuichi?"
Natsuki detected the mischief in Chie's tone, and made a grim face. She hadn't made a decision with the rescue plan, but Haruka already set the pack in motion towards war over a bloody corpse.
The loud blonde turned around and spotted Natsuki in the far back. "Ah! She's here now, the body collector! Have you slept well last night?"
"Soundly," Natsuki said, and then briefly glanced back at Chie.
Haruka marched towards Natsuki, and the crowd dispersed to make way for her. If there was one likely to succeed her father, it probably would be Haruka, the temple wolf. For better or worse, she was always battle-ready and seemed to be able to charge the pack with fire and thirst to crush all foes. Only Haruka was never quite equipped with an exit strategy to fall back on. Looking at it as a pessimist, the werewolf clan was still an infant when compared to the ancient vampires of Uriah. The thought of not having Hideaki around was horrifying to many.
When the crowd was out of the way, Natsuki peered over Haruka's shoulder and saw the female corpse stuffed in a body bag on the floor. Furious, she turned and glowered at Chie.
"We had to bring it back here, Natsuki-san. The abandoned warehouse we used to frequent was recently sold to an air-conditioner company. It's already under massive reconstruction. I couldn't possibly get rid of the body there without being seen."
Chie looked down, and Natsuki felt as if she was going to burst. She should have sailed out and drowned the body in the middle of the sea herself.
"Stop whispering like cowards. I've already figured out everything," Haruka interrupted, hands on her hip as she stood face to face with Natsuki.
"Yeah, I'm dying to know what you've come up this time," Natsuki said.
Haruka ticked her finger against the chin and paced back and forth. "They're going for a backstabbing method now because they're afraid of us. But I'm not surprised since we are so strong and talented. Look at the body. It's obviously their attempt to make it look like our doing. The nasty wound around the neck was made to look like an attack from a wild animal. With a crime like this in the middle of the city, there'll be doubts and endless speculations! The secret government, or Searrs, will dig up our master's project, and our existence will be exposed to the world!" Haruka stopped pacing and spun around to face the crowd. "And they will hunt us down!"
The crowd roared in anger.
"But we will strike them first!" Haruka pounded her fist against her chest.
"Kill them! Kill! Kill!" the crowd rumbled in an enthusiastic response.
Natsuki pinched the bridge of her nose, thinking. On the bright side, it surprised her that Haruka could come up with such elaborate assumption for once.
Haruka turned to her master's daughter, the strongest of them all. "What say you, Kuga Natsuki? Will you join us, or will you hide in your hefty condominium and play with the bullets that will never be shot!"
There were times when Haruka really got on her nerve, and this was one of them. Natsuki could totally imagine the imaginary boos the crowd was making against her. Their eyes were giving it away. Subtlety wasn't a virtue the wolves cared to cherish.
"What about Tokiha Mai?" Natsuki stared intently into Haruka's eyes.
At the question, the crowd actually hissed at her, but Natsuki ignored them. Undoubtedly, this turn of event was perhaps why Yuuichi was absent from the meeting.
"Unbelievable! Don't you get it now that she's a tap to lure us out, and this dead woman is another crack to put the blame on us! If we don't act fast, we'll become the scapegoat. I can't believe you're getting soft on them now, Kuga. What happened to you? What happened to the determination to exterminate them all!"
Haruka did look genuinely baffled, and Chie promptly moved to stand between her master and the blonde.
"I just don't think Tokiha was a trap, and I disagree that the woman was killed to expose us. If we act rashly, we're only getting ourselves exposed more," Natsuki said.
Haruka pressed in closer with Chie fully between them now. "One less vampire will make the world a better place, remember?"
Their gazes locked, Natsuki wondered if the hatred in Haruka's eyes was once her own. The mirroring picture did scare her that reasons alone were not enough to weight out anger.
"Natsuki." Hideaki's voice broke the tension in the hall, and everyone turned to see him by the entrance. Yuuichi came in behind the master.
The air in the room seemed to grow lighter at Hideaki's presence, and the crowd backed away a few steps.
"Haruka has already shared her ideas. I wonder if you could share yours with us." With a smile on his face, Hideaki moved besides Natsuki, his hand gently patting her shoulder.
Natsuki bowed to greet him, knowing her privilege was envied by many. Even though she was nervous, she wasn't about to sit back and let others humiliate his trust in her.
"Well, umm… Considering how I found the body… I doubt it was Uriah. They never left their traces within human territories. It could be just a rogue vampire on its hunt."
Murmurs erupted at her words. Rogue vampires were rather uncommon as most would likely seek comfort and protection under the Uriah queen.
Hideaki nodded lightly. "This woman's death probably has nothing to do with us, but it did pose threats to us unintentionally. Both you and Haruka have offered both sides of the argument. Surely, the body will get Searrs' attention, and anything that goes wrong might lead them to me… They'll try to find me again."
A wave of anxiety washed over Natsuki. "What do you want me to do?"
Hideaki stood in front of the crowd and looked into their eyes. His facial expression was calm, but Natsuki could sense his hidden distress. It was the troubled look in his gaze, the same look whenever he talked about her mother—the danger he saw no prevention.
"We've encountered strange occurrences recently. Tokiha Mai disappeared without a trace, and we have yet to know her true motive. Then, the murder of this woman. If this is Uriah's doing, we will respond. But until we have proofs…" Hideaki slowly turned to Natsuki and Haruka.
"While I'll prepare for any incoming attacks, vampires and Searrs alike, I want you both to track down the rogue vampire. Lure it out. Do whatever you need to catch it. I want to know what's behind his action, why he refuses to join Uriah, and most importantly, if he knows where it is. He could be just another lead to nowhere, but we won't take chances."
"But, master, I can take care of this alone! I am ready. My men are ready!" Haruka protested.
Arms across her chest, Natsuki glanced at the blonde. "When was the last time you actually left this place? Scared to death, aren't you?"
"What—what about Tokiha Mai, master?" Yuuichi stepped up to Hideaki's side. "Natsuki was going to—"
"This is more urgent, and it concerns the safety of our clan." Hideaki gave the young werewolf a long, scrutinizing look. "Trust your own kind, Yuuichi. Tokiha might just turn out to be the murderer of this victim."
"Master, please hear me out! Kuga Natsuki is incapable of working with anybody, let alone living with us, and you know it!" Haruka clenched her fists. Her ordeal in this jointed assignment was deeply shared with Natsuki herself.
"For once, dad, I agree with her," Natsuki said, rolling her eyes. "I prefer to work al—"
"Silence!"
At Hideaki's snarl, everyone in the hall stood unmoving, their eyes unblinking and their breaths quickening. Some immediately looked down, hands clasped together. Their master seldom showed his temper, and the public display of discontent only suggested how serious the matter at hand was.
"This is not how Uriah survives in the darkness for millenniums. This is not how humans survive for hundreds and thousands of years. If we want to equal them, we must discipline ourselves! We must stick together, not turning against each other when danger is near! This is a time to put all your personal feelings aside, and this applies to everyone." Hideaki turned to stare at both Natsuki and Haruka. "Everyone."
Haruka instantly saluted her master. "Yes, sir!"
Natsuki quietly looked down. "Yes, sir."
"Good. You will lead the assignment, Natsuki."
"But, master—"
"Dad—"
Hideaki gave both youngsters a cold look, prompting them to shut up. "You must learn how to work with others, Natsuki. Lead them and protect them. Given your strength, you owe them to be their shield. And, Haruka, until you can accept others and channel your judgment, you can never lead. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" Both Natsuki and Haruka responded in unison.
To Natsuki's surprise, the werewolves howled and cheered for them, shouting well wishes for their mission. Natsuki mentally winced when the blonde waved her hand high in the air, flashing her self-assured smile like a politician running her campaign.
Haruka spent hours on end lecturing her small pack, three males and two females, and preparing their gears and medical supplies. At the same time, their vehicles underwent routine checks and refueled in the garage.
Impatiently, Natsuki stuck around, waiting for her on ground level. To kill time, she went into the woods near the lair and tried out several shooting games with Chie and Aoi. She won every match, but not by far since her guards were among the better shooters. Her father always picked the best for her.
After hours of strolling in the wild, the dark-haired werewolf returned to the mansion and sat at the black, grand piano in the music room. Chie occupied the sofa, relaxing with a glass of wine and a weekly PC magazine. Natsuki played a few pieces by Chopin, her mother's favorite composer, trying to soothe her mind. But all she saw in her head was the bloated body washed up at the shore.
Even if Searrs had been somewhat inactive since Hideaki's fake death 150 years ago, the organization still existed and watched over for any sign of the immortals. It only panicked her that the vampires risked to expose their existence now. Given Mai's treachery, the murder of the woman might be another attempt to upset Uriah. Quite possibly, things were not going smoothly inside the vampire coven.
"Natsu… Natsuki-san! Natsuki-san…!"
The sound of Chopin ceased. Natsuki turned to see Aoi at the doorway, while Chie shot up from the couch, bewildered to see her partner in such fright.
"What is it, Aoi?" Chie had moved fast to Aoi's side, her brows furrowing in worry.
"It's… It's Yuuichi-kun…!" Hands on her knees, Aoi stopped to take some air in.
"Yuuichi?" Natsuki echoed. She'd avoided him since the meeting this morning. A part of her was glad that she was freed from the rescue mission. But, deep in her heart, she regretted for she knew that it must have hurt him. When he was upset, she was, too. It had always been this way for both of them.
"He took the motorbike from the garage, along with a sniper rifle, two handguns and a dozen packs of ammo. He told the guards that he'd be back before dusk. But when they didn't allow him, he just took off. I think he'll go after Tokiha by himself," Aoi said.
"How on earth would he do that!" Chie pondered aloud.
Natsuki rubbed her temples and paced around the room for a few moments before slamming her hand on the keyboard. "Damn you, Yuuichi." Murmuring, she grabbed her coat and ran out to the garage.
The guards promptly handed her the weapons and backpack, giving way as Natsuki raced a red Ducati out into the driveway. Chie and Aoi both hopped onto their silver motorbikes, noting that the Ducati had already passed the front gate and was nearly out of sight.
Tracking Yuuichi along the hilly terrain, webbed with the stoutest and tallest trees throughout the area, made the task even more difficult. Natsuki could still follow his scent even though it was fading fast. Cursing under her breath, she swore to lock him up in the cell herself. As hard as she tried to be sentimental, she couldn't fathom how love had made him into such a fool.
Natsuki glanced up through the patchy gaps among the heavy leaves above. The sky had reddened, and her heart raced at the dying sign of sunlight. The sun gradually slipped below the horizontal line, the time most suitable for vampires to start their day.
"What the—" Natsuki swiftly ducked to avoid a large, object zooming past her head by a few inches. Eyes widened in anticipation, she straightened up and looked over her shoulder. It was gone, but she knew just what it was. Only aged and strong vampires possessed wings, and what had just flown past her was one of them.
Natsuki grumbled. She hadn't expected an attack within 60 square miles of the lair. Had Mai already spilled out their location? Even so, the vampires were so daring to have moved in so closely.
Glancing over her shoulders, Natsuki looked for any sign of a backup. But Chie and Aoi proved not as good a rider as she was. She eventually slowed her vehicle down and looked around. Amid the cold, damp air, she found herself alone in the maze of thousand-year-old trees.
"He… Help… Somebody… help…"
The weak call came from her right, and Natsuki readily pulled the pistols from her shoulder holster. She firmly held them to her eye level, pointing them up at the darkening sky. She did not even blink as she stared into the dizzying tree lines in the direction the voice came from. Being a natural born werewolf, her night vision was superior to her peers and the vampires, and it was one advantage she treasured. She had yet to know of their numbers, and being out in the open like this only made her a sitting duck.
A hot air lingered approximately twenty-five feet above her. A vampire's breath. A careless one, at that. Perhaps, they had underestimated her senses to have come this close.
Natsuki shot herself from the bike and fired up as she flipped herself in the air. She landed on her feet, two vampires falling from the treetop ten feet behind her. They cried out as the blue light gnawed and burned at the bullet wounds on their chests. Soon their bodies idled in the shrubs, and dissolved into dust.
Falling to her knees, Natsuki stretched her arms out in both directions, firing two more shots. When cries of pain erupted from behind the bushes, she ran headfirst and threw herself behind the gigantic tree in front of her, avoiding the shower of bullets coming from behind.
Breathing as quietly as possible, Natsuki stayed low and held the guns up, ready for more attacks. She glanced at the bullet paths on the trunk she was leaning against.
Silver nitrate… Just what I need…
Science had granted these new inventions for them, and both sides must learn to live with it. A silver nitrate bullet would have the same effect on a werewolf as a normal bullet would on a human. While it was supposed to kill fast, slow and painful death was not at all foreign, and fortunately for Natsuki, the same went for UV bullets on a vampire.
Taking in a deep breath, Natsuki jumped out from the cover and fired several shots before rolling fast to find another trunk to hide behind. Counter gunshots kept echoing in the dark, and she meticulously collected the directions the noises came from. From one tree to another, she continued to lure them out. Every shot made her tracing their hiding spots faster.
Without looking, Natsuki bent low on the ground just as bullets whizzed past her head. Aiming her gun over her left shoulder, she fired and took down the two vampires fifteen feet behind her. While one of them was killed instantly, the other groaned as he tried to get up from the large boulder he had fallen upon. Natsuki peered over her shoulder and sent a bullet through the back of his head, effectively silencing him.
"Help… Na… tsuki… Help…"
Crawling on the ground, Natsuki followed Yuuichi's voice like a predator its prey. Her wild gaze searched in the dark. Her senses heightened to try and locate him. But then a strong presence abruptly emerged in the dark, sending chills down her spine. Natsuki knew that she had edged very close to the leader of the squadron.
All of a sudden, two pointy tips of gray wings whizzed towards her. Natsuki backed away, and the sharp tips missed her nose by an inch, causing her to tumble backwards and rolling down the steep hill.
"Ah… Ah… Goddamn it…!" Guns still in her grip, Natsuki ignored the pain on the nasty cut on her right arm. She quickly bounced to her feet, incessantly firing up the hill.
The dark-haired vampire snarled at her before he swooshed up to avoid the bullets, disappearing behind the thick roof of leaves along the treetops. Natsuki kept firing as she ran to the opposite direction, where Yuuichi's voice came from.
Dashing further down the slope, Natsuki eventually reached a long, narrow plateau and spotted a figure hanging by the tree fifty feet ahead of her. Yuuichi was tied up by a rope, bruises and bloody gashes all over his body. He twisted and turned, kicking feebly in the air.
She bit her lips as she dove hard onto the ground. Her body sliding through the mud, she bent backwards and fired up at the vampires coming down the hill, narrowly escaping the silver nitrate bullets herself. From what she gathered, the vampires had come in a modest-sized unit, and there were roughly 15 vampires left, including the dark-haired leader.
Without a second to waste, Natsuki continued to shoot at the relentless vampires with one gun, keeping them at bay. Turning a little, she lifted her other gun up and fired a single shot to slice the rope.
"Ahhhhh!" Yuuichi fell to earth and his body rolled nonstop down the slippery mound, disappearing from Natsuki's range of vision.
Seeing that Yuuichi was freed to defend himself for the time being, Natsuki bounded onto a tree trunk nearby, camouflaging in the shadow as she positioned herself on the thick branch. Her precise shots managed to take four more vampires down.
"Ah… great…" Natsuki grumbled at the empty pull of the trigger. However, before she could reload the weapons, a sharp, heavy pain singed through her left shoulder. Howling in pain, she tried to aim the guns at the attacker. But he veered and shoved her against the tree hard, causing the guns to slip from her grasp.
The black-haired vampire had rocketed down the treetop and tackled her off the branch. The razor-sharp end of his wing managed to get her but missed her heart just when she turned to obtain extra ammos. He then lifted her whole body up with his strong wing, soaring into the air.
"I didn't think it'll be this easy to get you." He laughed hysterically.
Both hands weakly gripping his wing, Natsuki struggled to lose his hold, her warm blood trickling down her arms and dripping off the elbows. Even through the dark, she could clearly see the raging appetite in his hazel eyes. If she didn't know better, it looked almost as if he couldn't endure the scent of it.
Natsuki realized that the higher above the ground, the more vulnerable she was. And the gravity only tore her wound wider. Biting her lips, she fumbled for the folding switchblade tucked inside her coat. As soon as her fingers felt the grip panel, she pulled the knife out, arched her arm and stabbed him. The blade pierced into the base of his neck, missing his heart by far.
The vampire screeched, and the wing released her from its hook. Natsuki plummeted onto the ground and rolled down the hill, too pained to stop the fall. Then the hum of a large vehicle and a few other motorcycles approached the site. Lying on the ground, Natsuki could hear faint growls from Haruka and her pack. Gunshots erupted again between the newly arrived werewolves and the remaining vampires.
"Natsuki-san…!"
"Natsuki-san…! Where are you…!"
The two voices belonged to Chie and Aoi, but they seemed so far away. Her head groggy and heavy, Natsuki coughed furiously instead of responding to the call. Her body began to tremble at the loss of blood. Although the immortals could heal themselves in given time, severe ones could kill them.
Wheezing, Natsuki tried to sit up and shakily reached for the gun in her right ankle holster. But her movement came to a sudden halt when she detected a quiet presence around her. Glancing up, her eyes widened and her lips quivered at the sight of a young woman standing only twenty feet in front of her. It startled her that she had failed to catch the aura earlier.
A… a vampire…?
The woman appeared very different from the black leather-clad agents from Uriah. She could pass as a wandering teenager in the pair of khaki shorts and leather sandals. Her fists hid in the front pockets of the white, hooded sweatshirt. Her long, chestnut tresses hang comfortably around her slim shoulders as she tilted her head slightly to the side.
The questioning gaze from the crimson eyes looked Natsuki up and down, but cold and lifeless. If it were not for the understated cruelty in the gaze and the pale skin, Natsuki would have failed to identify her as a vampire.
Grunting, Natsuki yanked the secondary weapon from the holster and aimed. She fired without any hesitation, and in such a close range, she never missed.
But to Natsuki's blow, the vampire ducked so fast that her eyes almost missed the act. Leaping into the air, the woman lunged towards Natsuki and kneed her in the chest. The violent force sent Natsuki flying and crashing against the huge tree many feet behind.
The werewolf dropped to the ground, leaves falling around and upon her from the nasty impact. Natsuki would have expected the tree to fall with her even. Lying on her stomach, she slowly looked up as she tried to suppress her bloody coughs, her fists clenching tighter.
The vampire leisurely glided towards her again. All the while, she never took her hands off the pockets as though she was afraid to let go of the hidden candies. The vampire's identity wasn't of Natsuki's concern at the moment as she'd need a miracle to get away from this stranger alive.
Pain quickly eating up her insides, Natsuki realized that her body was giving in to the injuries. She glanced around, trying to find the spare gun she had dropped. To make matters worse, she looked up again to see the vampire stopping just a few feet from her and then bending to pick up the weapon she was looking for.
The vampire raised the UV-loaded gun up close to her face and scrutinized it for a few moments before peering down at Natsuki. The gaze was indifferent, and stories and tales of how a hunter was killed by his own weapon suddenly poured into Natsuki's mind like a wrecked dam. Even if UV bullets did not have the same effect on werewolves as they did on vampires, any more injury would have made her death imminent.
When the vampire sharply raised the gun, Natsuki squeezed her eyes shut.
Bang!
A long, dark moment passed before the green eyes opened again, and the grass in front of her was as green as ever. Natsuki shivered, unable to believe that she was still alive.
Thud.
At the falling sound, Natsuki looked over her shoulder and saw a vampire in black falling to the ground, eventually turning into dust. It'd take one of a kind to kill one of their own, and the vampire in front of her had just proved to be it.
This… This is crazy…
Wheezing, Natsuki grabbed a rock nearest to her, but the vampire readily kicked it off her frail grasp. Her breathing became maliciously difficult, and she could only watch the rock rolling away from her reach. Too weak to even lift her arm now, she slowly rolled onto her back and looked straight up to meet the crimson eyes and the dark blue sky in the backdrop.
"Do you want to die…? Do you?"
Natsuki didn't reply. She didn't trust that her voice was still there, or that her body still functioned. Her chest heaved slower, and she felt the air around her getting colder and colder. Then, a pair of large, black wings spread above her, and all she saw was darkness.
