Chapter 10 –

A knock came on the door when I was just about finished packing my bags. A giant suit of armor, who I assumed was Alphonse Elric, stepped in with Edward in suit. I sighed and continued to finish packing my bag with my weapons, food, clothes, herbs and first aid, and other materials.

"Are you going?" Al asked. I nodded.

"I do not belong here anymore."

"What will you do now?" Ed asked now. I turned to face him, and sat on my bed.

"I don't know. Probably go find that Philosopher's Stone that is out there. I could use it to kill Murder, and then myself along with it." I heard Al gasp behind me. I tried to smile, but a true fake one fell on my face. "Strange, that I cannot die by a blade, only get injured by it."

"How is that possible?" Al asked. "I don't get it." I looked at the door and waved my hand. The door closed, and I smiled, glad I haven't lost my touch with that simple spell. Al turned to Ed. "Is that why she didn't die when you punched her in the chest during your battle?" I nodded, and he turned back to me. "How? You're just as human as Ed."

"No, I am not," I growled. Another tear fell down my face, and I wiped it away with the back of my hand. "Ed, you know how the nurse called me a vampire earlier today," his face turned serious and he nodded. He was taking all of this in. "well, she was telling the truth. I am one."

Al took a step back, and so did Edward, who placed his hand on his neck where I licked him on the day of our battle. I couldn't help to not sustain a laugh. They seemed to calm down after that. "It isn't like that, you two," I chuckled. "I won't attack you on a regular day, like today, but, on the night and day of a Full Moon, my vampire blood inside of me will overpower everything else, and I lose control."

"Blood," Ed whispered. I nodded. "So that is what your name means." When I growled at him with a deep, low growl, he quickly corrected himself. "Crimson."

"Yes. My mother, well, my mother was the vampire part in me, and my father was human. My mother left when I was young, leaving my father to take care of a human girl and two vampires."

"There are two of you?!" Al asked, taking yet another step back. He tripped over my trunk and fell with a clashing sound. I sighed and helped him up. "How?"

"I just said! My mother was vampire, and she was murdered by, hey, guess who? Murder," I said sarcastically. "So, it is just me and my sister."

"We are going to search for the stone; do you wish to come with us?"

"I'd take it," said a voice. I turned and saw Hughes in the doorway. "Word about this is going to get out soon, and you won't be able to stay here. These two boys are strong, and have been searching for the jewel for a while; you'll enjoy their company too."

"I was alone for nearly 300 years, Maes, I think I can handle the last couple centuries of my life alone," I said. It was true, but I wasn't trying to be rude. "Sorry."

"No, it is Ok. You seem to do better alone, at times, but, this is one of those times where you'll need someone else to travel with you, especially now that Murder is after you, along with Envy." I sighed, seeing the truth in what he was saying. Murder was after me; since I have lost my touch with the magic, and Envy was after me, well, because he thought I betrayed him. I guess I never knew the true Envy within him. "You should join them."

Ed and Al looked at me and I sighed gently enough so that they didn't hear me. Do it, Hughes' mind ordered. A smile pulled at my lips, and I closed my bag. "Sure," was the word that came out of my mouth. Ed smiled, along with Hughes, who also sighed, and it looked as if Al smiled in that suit of armor. "I would do it any day!"