Author's Note: Hi! Here it is again, another chapter. Except this chapter isn't new, but it has new parts below that makes this a complete chapter. It's super long and I think it's interesting. Thanks for the review: )

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~The Last Blue Eyed Vampire ~

Chapter 10

Angry clouds poured rain heavily on the forest grounds as figures dressed in white hooded capes fastened on the front flipped over trees, uncaring of the water pouring on them.

They had lost it. The figure ahead leading the rest stood on a branch and looked around as if lost.

"Lost? "Asked a female voice among the figures. Her hair covered by the hood kept the water out but her pink bangs were dripping water on her clothes. She looked around like the first figure, her senses trying to find what they had been chasing for four days now.

The last one in the group descended to the ground as if ignoring her two companions.

The first one looked at the girl, "completely, "he said, his handsome face cold, the silver bangs dripping water on his face. Completely soaked and their trail lost he was not in a good mood.

The girl's face was also dark with worry, "what should we do, Lance? "She asked.

Lance wished he had some idea. They had finally picked up Naruto's trail after almost losing it at Mizu. The bastards who kidnapped the king were very good at covering their trail. They managed to keep even Lance who prided himself for his ability to track people running around in circles. Although now, he thought losing the trail was due to the weather conditions rather than skill.

He shook his head at the girl and watched as her face crumbled. She was still very young as a vampire, she didn't know how to hide her emotions and Lance could see it all on her face. All that he was feeling. He turned away, fist clenched and teeth gritted. How could he have been so foolish. He never should have left his Highness alone, he should have stayed by his side as he had sworn to do so long ago. Why was he running around in circles when he should already have his king at the palace where he was safe? Safe but never happy. It seemed to Lance that the king was always sad even though he put on a brave face. Lance wanted to look for ways to make him happy, wanted to keep him safe and happy. How did hunters get into the palace?

The anger blossomed inside him and he swore as he tried to find the trail again he would never forgive anyone who brought harm to his king.

"A battle happened here, "said the last figure looking at a patch of grass pressed down not by rain or footsteps but by a body. She also found drops of blood trailing from the grass to a small piece of fabric. She picked up the fabric, held it to her nose and her blue eyes turned grave with anger.

Lance landed next to his companion and looked at the ground and blood. The rain had watched away all the smell, he would have to bring his nose very close to the ground but there was no chance he could follow the trail.

"What is it, Nishiki? "Asked Sakura as she too descended and walked towards the woman who stiffened at her closeness and thrust the piece of fabric to her. She took off to the branches and seemed to disappear.

Lance and Sakura shared a look. Nishiki was the most enigmatic of all the Nines. No one really understood her and she also kept the world, including her own clan, at arms length. The only one she talked with was his Highness, the very one who complained to Lance more than once that she was boring and that he didn't like talking to her.

After the brief contemplation at Nishiki's behaviour, Sakura brought the piece of fabric to her nose and her blue eyes went wide. "This is, "she looked at the fabric, a gray tattered little thing that was no wear near fit for a king to wear.

Lance turned away from where he crouched studying the battle ground to look up at Sakura. Seeing the look on her face he got to his feet and hurried to her side. Sakura was the kings favourite and though Lance thought she was too emotional he had never seen her look this stricken. "Sakura? "

"This belongs to his Highness, "she said, tears pooled in her eyes. "He's been hurt. "

Lance hastily grabbed the fabric and when he brought it to his nose he could distinctively smell Naruto's blood. Sharp and coppery, it sparked anger and hatred his heart and Lance declared he was not going to let anyone who hurt his king live. The scorch marks on the fabric told him that this had been caused by a hunter's weapon. Every hunter alive, every one of them will leave to fear his name after this, Lance swore.

"Let's go, Sakura. If the king is hurt he wouldn't be too far, "Lance said and jumped to the trees without waiting for her. Just hold on your Highness, Lance thought, I'm coming for you.

~The Last Blue Eyed Vampire ~

The king dropped him rather ungracefully on the ground. The hard wet ground. Itachi did not groan but he turned around to hold up his pistol at the king with a glare that could melt iron.

"What —"before he could finish his question the hunched over king started to fall, his blue eyes rolling up and eyes closing. Itachi didn't have enough time to respond before the king fell on top of him sending his gun flying to the side and out of his hand. The kings weight threatened to send Itachi to his back but despite his surprise he held still and didn't fall.

The kings warm breath ghost his neck and for one dark moment Itachi feared he was about to be bitten but that fear vanished almost immediately when he realized how limp and cold the king was in his arms. He pushed the king carelessly from his body and the king fell on his side, a groan escaped his mouth and his face contorted in pain.

Itachi frowned. The king had not taken so serious a hit that he would be this down. Or was the king this weak after all. The body shivered but the eyes did not open. Itachi took a good look at the king. Sweat pooled in droplets around the king's forehead, his bronze skin turned pale and sickly. Frowning, Itachi did not know what to make of this.

He sat there for a long while looking at the king and expecting for the king to heal and wake up soon but this did not happen for almost half an hour.

Itachi abandoned his post next to the king and decided to explore the place which looked to be a cave, dark and wet with the smell of the ocean. He walked out of the cave and found that the cave was actually in the middle of the ocean, not even surrounded my land. The wetness of the cave must mean that when rain falls a lot this cave would probably be swallowed up by water. Itachi could not go back to land on his own.

He looked at the king who remained on his side shivering and sometimes muttering things. Itachi knew he was still unconscious. He walked over and crouched next to the king, then he studied the body of the king. There was no hit to his body like he had thought. The gray overall was torn on some part but whatever injury inflicted had long healed. The only seriously wounded place was the king's leg which had been twisted up by a sharp vampire hunting whip. Had it injured the king so much?

Itachi touched the injured leg and received a groan from the king. He gently tried to hold up the leg so he could get a look at the wound. The leg looked as if a burning rope had been tied to it and drawn tight that it created deep lines into the kings flesh. But that was not the worst of it, this wound was festering, the blood bobbled as if boiling gently. Itachi's eyes widen as he realized what this was. This was not just any hunter's weapon, it was a high ranking weapon. A Red star weapon. This kind of weapon was a curse to any vampire. When Normal weapons like Itachi's pistols injured a vampire on anywhere besides the head or heart, which simply kills them, the wound heals after a short time on any vampire. But the red star hunter's weapon would leave a wound that could fester like poison and continue to torture the vampire for days. It didn't kill the vampire, however, but it would leave him in great pain. Whenever a vampire escapes after being injured by a red star weapon it is usually found quite easily by the hunter and killed.

So that's why they had escaped so easily. And why the king brought them here.

Itachi did not have a cure for this injury and they did not have the days it would take for it to heal on it's own. Itachi sat with his back pressed to the cave wall with nothing to do but wait or come up with a solution.

When nighttime came, Itachi was woken up by a dreadful cold. He looked around unsure of where he was until his eyes settled and he looked at the sleeping figure of the king. He moved over to check on the wound and found that it had worsen. The boiling had gone even deeper and it was as though acid had been poured into the wound slowly melting the skin around the wound. Itachi frowned. Had he been wrong? This was definitely the effect of that weapon. He couldn't have been wrong.

He reached out a hand and touched the king's head and started a little when blue eyes opened and looked at him.

"So you are awake, "he said.

Instead of a reply, the king let out a groan that sounded like the whine of a wounded wolf. His face was so pale, eyes that were once so blue were now hollowed and lost all their colors.

"What is wrong with you? "Itachi asked, his brows furrowed.

Minutes passed with the blue eyes closed and Itachi thought the king must have fallen back into a coma.

"...dying, "the words were hardly above a whisper but besides the slapping of waves against the rock everything was still and Itachi could hear it.

He blinked. The king was... dying? Impossible. Itachi had shot the king on the head, if he could die he would have died then.

"What do you mean? "He asked, wanting to be certain.

No reply came forth. The king remained still even when Itachi touched him. The only sign he was alive was the little air that passed through his nose when Itachi held his hand to it. His chest did not even rise, his body remained completely still like he was really dying.

Itachi wanted to feel joy. If the king was really dying then he had completed his mission, he had avenged his clan, his father, his little brother. But why did he feel so... underwhelmed. Is this it? He kept thinking.

All those years he spent plotting to kill the king, this was how it ended. He remembered how he stalked that Akatsuki palace for four years, waiting for the right time. The right time to put a bullet in the king's heart and after all that this was how it ended.

The second day, Itachi looked at the depth of the water and the distance from the sea to land. He could make it there, he thought. If he swam all day he could.

He looked at the king who lay lifeless on the ground. It was over. The little breathing was all but gone, the king was dead. If the king had thought bringing Itachi here would ensure that he saved his life now he'd realize that he had been mistaken. Itachi had come to kill him and every friendly actions the king had shown him since they met was wasted. Itachi remembered the hands that wrapped around his neck when he won that Teddy bear, the carefree smile, the pouting cheeks and blue eyes that rival the sky. All of it was meaningless.

Turning away Itachi made to climb down from the cave and enter the water but he paused, remembering the last time in the boat when the king had shown him how strong he was. Strong enough to overpower Itachi.

Can the king really fall to hunters whom Itachi could defeat single-handedly?

Itachi turned around and marched towards the king prepared to check one more time for life. Somehow there was a part of him that hoped, even though he tried to bury it, there was a part that prayed the king was still alive, but the rest of him hoped he was dead and the world was free at last.

Itachi held a finger to the king's nose and waited for even a shift of air, a quiver of the nose, anything that could give him a sign that king was alive. And nothing. Itachi pulled back his hand, feeling as though a door had been shut in his mind and he couldn't understand why it made him feel so confused.

This was what he wanted. The king dead, the clan of the blue eyed vampires gone for good. He never expected to survive his quest and now that he had there would be a lot to think about such as what he was going to do next, and if the king's death had not killed the Nines along with the other vampires that occupied Elfim then he still had a tough battle ahead of him. The king was dead, though not the way he had imagined it; Itachi had imagined a fierce battle with himself left at the brink of death before he could see the very scene splayed out in front of him.

Despite the resounding sound of the door shutting, Itachi still felt a foreboding sense. His skin itched as if being pinched and he couldn't shake the feeling that this was too easy. What was he missing? What?

His eyes scanned the lifeless body of the king, laying on his side. His clothes torn and tattered, his skin deathly pale and when he got to the skinny legs that he had wondered before how it could belong to the rich king of Elfim, his eyes settled on the bare feet of the king, clean now after days being unused. He started to feel a tickle, like he should be seeing something but that something was not there. What was he missing?

His eyes reverted to the king's face and he saw the hole he had created on the king's forehead, barely the fatal injury it once was and now nothing more than tiny bloodless spots on the king's head. Something clicked. That was it.

Itachi lowered his eyes to the king's leg again finding what he was looking for. Actually, what was missing. The wound around the king's leg, the one made by that hunter whip, was gone. Completely erased. No, healed.

Not so long ago this wound had, like the ones he had given the king on the head, started to fester and turn a deep ugly purple. It had also been caused by a kind of hunter weapon that stings a vampire long after the weapon has been removed. Naturally, Itachi had expected the king to heal from that after some time but that did not happen and the king fell into a coma for three days. Itachi neglected to check that wound, only noticing the high fever on the king's body and how close the king was to death. But the king had been healing.

Itachi stared. The king had been healing even though he looked practically dead. Normals died from a shot to the head no matter how strong, even if it was an alpha. Nothing survived a shot from a hunters weapon to the head or the heart. Yet the king survived. Still his wounds did not heal quickly as they should have. They slowly festered like human wounds and now they were completely healed, along with the wounds on the king's leg.

Now Itachi had to decide, since the king still remained lifeless, whether the healing of that wound meant anything and what he was to do from there.

He sat down next to the king watching him lay there. Maybe he was playing dead, hoping Itachi would leave and he would get up and go on his merry way leaving the hunter to believe he had accomplished his mission.

Anger bubbled inside Itachi, he clenched his fist. He had almost been made a fool. If he had not taken a moment to check on the king thoroughly, it was very likely he would have stepped out of the cave without his hostage and be killed by the Nines coming after the king. But there was another thing to think about. He had spent close to a week sitting here waiting for the king to die. His food supply was next to nothing. While Itachi could go a long time without food he was nearing his limit. How much longer would he have to wait before the king woke up. If the king decides he would rather feign unconsciousness for anymore longer Itachi would be at a disadvantage. He could trick the king into waking up, but if the king was really,— Itachi skeptically looked at his reasoning, he didn't want to make any excuses for the king. It was very likely the king was really just playing with him —but if the king was truly unconscious, the situation did not really change. He'd still have to wait and that was no longer an option for him. But he had to decide whether he should risk leaving the cave to get food, at the very least he would carry the unconscious king along and even though that may not help him against the Nines presently out there waiting for him to come out of the cave, he'd have a chance at survival.

Night came again, meeting him there in his indecision. As he rest against the cold wall of the cave, he remembered the king offering him a chance at answers only he could give. He should have taken it, Itachi thought with bitter clarity as sleep started to pick up on him. He needed the information, maybe if he had that information he'd not have wasted so much time waiting for a king, who told him he could not be killed, to die. He had hoped too much for an easy way out but as he had thought this was likely to end in his death and he was okay with that. He just wasn't okay with creating any sort of connection with the king. That reasoning seemed ridiculous now because for four years he had had no problem remaining detach from people. He had neighbors, coworkers at the place he worked back in Elfim while he waited for a chance to kidnap the king. Many had come and gone through his life and he had never felt any need or fear that he could connect with them.

If he was going to connect with anyone it should have been Hakku, the young man who saved his life, but instead he had repaid that kindness by trying to kill Hakku's lover. He had not felt any connection to him, so why did he fear having one with the king. Was there a special reason, something unique about the king that could have caused it. Whatever it was has made Itachi act very irrationally and come morning when Itachi had to make a decision whether to leave the cave or stay he would surrender all such fear. He would get every information about the king there is.

The sound of the ocean was not what woke him up. Already that steady sloshing and splashing sound was in sync with his senses. Nothing had changed about it but —movement to his left. Itachi opened his eyes and used his legs to swipe the person off their feet, twisted on top of them bringing his guns on their head.

Blue eyes stared wide at him. Itachi blinked.

"You are awake!" the king laughed, all surprise or even discomfort at his current position hidden. Itachi had him on his back and two humming hunter pistols pressed to his skull, but the king showed no fear. The king was still staring at him, a smile stretched on his lips, he looked healthy. His pale cheek rosy, the gunshot wounds gone.

"How are you feeling ? "Itachi asked before he could process the words. He supposed they were just as good as any he could have asked. The king had been in a death like coma for four days.

"Hungry! So so hungry! "Said the king, his voice carrying so much... brightness. Itachi couldn't think of anything else to describe the cheer on his face and in his voice. It was like the sound of a person who just woke up from a long sleep and was feeling very excited about the day.

"Itachi, let's go to town and eat lots of meat! "

Itachi had been about to lower his guns but he brought them up again, pressing them hard into the king's face and ignoring his sound of pain, "if you think I'm going to let you eat anyone you are very sadly mistaken, "he whispered, letting the king feel the burn of his threat and of the hunter's weapon sizzling his skin.

Healed or not, Itachi was not about to allow the king to eat or drink blood from anyone. He'd just have to manage like that. The week he'd promised was almost done.

"Ow, stop Itachi. That Burns, "complained the king before pouting, "I'm not going to eat people, I like people. I want to eat cow meat! Barbecue! "

Itachi lowered his weapons. That seemed reasonable enough, he had almost forgotten the king was a strange vampire that can eat human food. Itachi looked at him silently. After healing so much, the king should be in dire need of blood and possibly human flesh. Vampires were known to eat human flesh even though it was more likely for them to drink blood. Injured like this, only human flesh would do for some. Itachi knew all about it having taken an almost scholarly interest in learning about vampires and hunters. Back then he had been more interested in stories and facts about vampires than being a hunter. He had been good at it, praised by many in his clan as a true heir and a genius. But now, looking at this king who was nothing like he had ever read or heard of Itachi felt an uncharacteristic feeling that if he had to guess would be described as flabbergasted. His brows furrowed,

"So you are not hungry for something else? Like blood? "

His answer was an instant colouring of blue eyes. Those glassy but clear blue eyes turned red, a usual transformation for an alpha but Nines never coloured their eyes. Not the way the king's was at that moment. Itachi's gun went back up. The king's blue eyes were very deep red but alpha eyes were more pink than red like this. This was like blood. Slowly the red began to fade,

"Of course I'm hungry for it, "said the king his voice strangely serious, "I'm a vampire Itachi, and this body has gone through more healing than it has ever had to for a long time. It has stopped healing actually, "a worried frown touched the king's lips.

"What do you mean? "Itachi hated not knowing what the king was talking about. There were so many things he did not know and they were starting to become troublesome.

"I mean, "the king stretched the word, looking at him with annoyance that made Itachi rear back a little, "it will die. If I stay like this. "

That made even less sense. Itachi pressed the gun harder. "Explain yourself, "he said barely keeping from growling. Maintaining emotional distance was the key, he didn't want the king to sense any thing wrong. Such as his resolution to gain as much knowledge as necessary. The king doesn't know he had waited for him to die, Itachi was pretty sure he wouldn't be so generous with his knowledge when he found out how much time had passed.

But the king wasn't interested in answering his question. Itachi found the air shift and the king's hand on his chest before he was almost wrestled to the ground. Itachi was not about to let that happen. He linked his legs with the king's and as his back touched the ground he pushed up with his leverage and had the king on his back again.

The king panted below him, looking winded out. That had felt easy. The last time they had done this Itachi had been unable to so much as tilt the king when he sat on his chest. Now the king was so weak he could pick him up with one hand.

"I'm so hungry, "the king moaned.

Itachi decided and returned his gun into his overcoat. They would find food for the king and himself. If he was honest, he would admit that he was very close to starving even though presently his body felt strangely alive and was practically bubbling. Was it because he had managed to overpower the king? He looked at the king silently for a moment,

"We will go, but the Nines are probably very close by, "he said.

"So are those hunters, "the king added. Itachi hadn't sensed them but with how desperate they had been he highly doubted they had abandoned their mission and gone home. Knowing them though, they would have sent word back to their clan and the hunters organization about a rouge hunter. They would rouge hunters executioner with them by now. Their situation was even worse than he had predicted.

"We can escape, "said the king, looking up at him. Itachi realized he still had the king's leg locked with his thighs and stood.

"How?"he asked moving towards the entrance of the cave.

"Under water, "said the king a small smile on his lips, he sat there with his oversized clothes slipping from his shoulder. Itachi stared at him,

"Are you suggesting we swim? It would be pretty obvious if we do that and they only have to watch us to know where we are heading and go there themselves. "

"Hmm, Itachi- kun, you don't know much about vampires do you? "That probably wasn't meant to be insulting but Itachi felt ire,

"I know everything about normal vampires, your kind are different. No not your kind, you, "he snapped out. "Are you even a vampire? "

The king blinked and laughed a ringing sound that echoed in cave, "of course I'm a vampire. Itachi- kun, you are so funny. "

"Stop adding that to my name, "Itachi snap through gritted teeth and caught himself. Why was he getting so worked up about this. So what if the king insulted his intelligence, he had never let things like this get to him before.

"I will swim under the water like a fish, "said the king, not even bothering to take correction. "I will drag you with me. "

Vampires did not need air, Itachi remembered. Swimming under water would be easy. But this particular vampire was more human than any he had ever seen. He breath, he ate , he bled.

"You don't need air? "Itachi asked.

"Hm, I do. "He replied pressing his lips together as if he didn't want to say anymore. Why wouldn't he, not long ago he had offered to tell Itachi about himself now he was withholding back? Itachi kept quiet and waited.

"But I can use my powers to separate the air from the water. I don't know how to explain it!"the king flared his hands about and looked as if he would cry.

"Are you sure it would work? "Itachi asked. The king nodded. Putting his life in the hands of the king was not very smart but Itachi couldn't let him go on his own, he'd die either way. He had no choice but to go with the king's ridiculous plan. What kind of power could separate air from water? Not form an air bubble but separated air from the water around? Dissolved air. And the king didn't even know how it works enough to explain. It seemed risky but there was no other way.

"So you will drag me along while feeding me the air? "Itachi asked.

"Hm. Exactly. "That single pause was unsatisfactory. Itachi narrowed his eyes,

"You will not under any circumstances leave me behind? "He asked.

The king blinked as though he could not understand the words, or as if they were a foreign language. "Why would I leave you behind? "

Itachi had to remind himself that the king did not know he had waited for him to die, other wise he would have left him by now. But giving how weak the king was just now Itachi was pretty sure he could hold his own against him, and if he was dying somehow as he had admitted maybe a few more wounds would do the trick. Itachi felt his pistols in his overcoat. Felt them call to him to test the theory but he didn't.

"What about the Nines? "He asked, "they would know that you can do this, don't they? "

"Hmmm, "the king rose to his feet, "I don't sense them around the ocean, and besides, "he walked over a bit unsteadily to stand next to Itachi and looked out at the blue sea and the forest that lied beyond it. "They wouldn't think I would do it for you, after all you kidnapped me remember? " He smile was childlike and innocent.

Itachi shook his head, "we still can't do it during the day. They would see us emerge. "

The king shook his head, "the day is better, they are not expecting us, "he looked at Itachi with bright eyes, "and I'm pretty sure I don't have long. "

...TO BE CONTINUED

Author's note: did you like it? Hate it? Tell me all about it. Please review and don't forget to follow : )till next time.