A/N:
First off, I'm so sorry for the LONG absence. I went back to finish a semester of school for 3 months, and then World Cup just kinda..sorta…took all my attention away from the desk. loool. So, congrats to Spain! Any Spanish here? Anyway, it's all good now :)
Note#1: big thanks to il0vesunfl0wersfor editing this chapter! I went back to add something more after she edited it, so all the mistakes you'll see below are mine.
Note#2: I only noticed a while back that my scene-change marks had disappeared from ALL my stories. So I apologize for the inconvenience if you happened to read my stories back then. I went back to fix the marks in every chapter now, including 'Whisper from the Forest'. 50+ chapters! Gah! Anyway, feel free to inform me next time you see the marks disappear again :)
CHAPTER 14: God and Monster
'Attention please. AL1 is now ready for boarding at platform 14. All passengers, please proceed to the boarding area immediately.'
Along the brightly lit tunnel, Kuga Natsuki walked among the crowd through the large passageway, looking for number 14 on the yellow signs above her head as she passed. Her left hand was holding an I.D. and a boarding pass. A backpack hanging over her shoulder, she was in a white jacket, a black tank top, and a pair of jeans. Her black boots tapped in their unique, dull sound that was lost among the noisy chatters. At the age of eighteen, Natsuki could pass as an ordinary teenager girl with a pretty face. Although she looked normal, she felt anything but.
Looking over her shoulders in caution, Natsuki trudged through the gate to the designated platform outside, content that she had not been followed. The train was idle along the platform and many passengers started to board.
Natsuki had never traveled alone before. She spent her childhood years in the remote ranch and seldom set foot out of Fuuka Island ever since she could remember. Her father always accompanied her when she was younger, and guards had replaced him as she grew older. Hideaki even sent two guards to watch her at school every day. She never understood his paranoia. In fact, she found it annoying and embarrassing when her classmates started to ask. Many mistook her for a mafia's daughter, and for a while, she even toyed with the idea as well.
Entering her compartment, Natsuki shut the door and flung the backpack onto the wooden bench. She sank down next to her belongings and let out a deep sigh. Rubbing her face tiredly, she reached for the small fridge installed underneath the wooden desk and picked a bottle of beer. The drink might sooth her feverish mind, but the thought of her unusually high resistance to alcohol, or almost everything else, only weighted heavily in her heart. At such a young age with not much experience in drinking, it would require at least two packs of beers for it to begin to have an effect on her. She always wondered why she was stronger than kids her age, and why she was considered 'talented' in sports by her teachers.
Tonight, she didn't think she ever wanted to know.
As soon as the last announcement was made and the train left the platform, Natsuki quickly glanced back at the empty platform, and a sense of hollowness filled her whole. She was going to leave Fuuka for good, leaving all the nightmares behind, but the thought of never seeing her father again suddenly hit her.
"Urgh… Oh, God… No…" Natsuki quickly pressed her hand against her chest. Her attention was drawn from the platform to her clenched, trembling fists. The beer bottle was crushed into pieces, the drink splashed all over her jeans and boots. The pain in her chest was one thing, but the sight of the cuts on her beer-soaked hand was another. The wounds quickly healed themselves, and she no longer felt the pain.
"No!" Natsuki screamed at her flawless palm, her chest heaving fast as fear gripped her.
She used to feel pain. She used to wear a cast when she broke her leg during a jump from the steep hill. She used to feel anxious about not being able to heal fast enough to join her school's next marathon. She used to fear growing older and that her father would not be around anymore.
Tonight, she wished to have all those worries back.
It happened a month ago when she crashed her first motorbike against the gigantic tree in the woods near the ranch. The vehicle was ripped into pieces of metallic junk. With the speed she was going, her back should have been broken along with her neck and the rest of her body. But she only took a few moments to lie on the wet grass to regain her wind, and opened her eyes again to a strange new world. Her wounds healed and the traces disappeared right before her eyes. For a moment, she believed that she was already dead. For a while now, she truly felt dead. Nothing could harm her. Nothing could make her feel vulnerable. Nothing made sense to her anymore.
Even her father was utterly perplexed by the occurrence, and only then he began to reveal who he really was—a product of science, a promise that defied God's universe. He admitted to be almost a hundred and fifty years old, and Natsuki had to laugh at her ignorance to have never noticed his early-forty look all through her life.
'But you are special, Natsuki. You were born this way, a true gift from God,' Hideaki said. There was a hint of awe and hope in his voice. Admiration filled his dark gaze as he held her hands.
She took her hand off his and said, 'God and science. They don't always go together, dad.'
There wasn't much to be said later on, and silence even grew louder when Hideaki decided to tell her that her mother was murdered by another God's gift: a vampire.
Sitting back, Natsuki closed her eyes and wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead. She only chuckled when she realized the beer on her face. The cold drops managed to sooth her mind better than the alcohol in her bloodstream. She knew she had to be more careful—to channel her fear and anger. Whenever her heart got the better of her head, she'd feel the uncontrollable force surging within her. Her body would start to have a life of its own. Once her claws emerged, and only when her father rushed to embrace her that she could take control of her body again. She couldn't risk having the force overtaking her now, not when there were at least a thousand passengers on board with her.
What's that smell?
Natsuki snapped. A cold, strong smell of flesh had hit her nose, and it wasn't human. Ever since her unnatural symptoms emerged, her senses heightened considerably. The scent was so strong that she just couldn't ignore it. Carefully, she got up and opened the door. She looked out at the empty, narrow corridor, but the odor became even stronger.
Instinctively, Natsuki followed the scent and found herself in front of a compartment at the end of the car. Through the murky glass window, she could see four figures sitting inside, chattering with one another. However, the chatter suddenly stopped, and she could see their heads turning towards the door. They saw her.
The door slid open in a swift movement, and it was shut behind her before she knew it. Natsuki had been pulled in by a strong hand, a force inhuman to say the least. She was then thrown onto the bench. Bewildered, she looked up to see three adults looming over her, and a blonde little girl in a black coat on the opposite bench. They all were staring at her, their eyes darkened, giving out sharp contrast to their starkly white skin.
"She's not human. Could she be one of them?" The mother licked her bottom lip.
"One of those wild dogs for sure. I can't believe they're running loose these days. They're very hard to come by," the father said, hunger in his unblinking gaze.
"What—what are you, people!" Natsuki's gaze darted from one to the other in fright.
The son frowned at the question and then pushed her down flat on the bench, his fangs jutting out in an instant.
V—vampire… No!
It was the first time Natsuki encountered the creature of the night, and she had never expected it to be as deadly. Before Natsuki could stop herself, her body took control and acted upon pure instinct. She retched and choked for air as she bent. Her bones broke and lengthened upon regeneration. The pain had barely subsided as her skin thickened, and silky black fur grew and covered her whole. Her thick feet stomped and the claws gnawed into the floorboard.
For the first time, Natsuki fully transformed into her lupine form, and her thirteen-feet-tall stature alone broke the ceiling of the compartment. With a few swings of her arms to lose the grips of the panicking vampires, the whole car buckled, causing the train to derail and crash into the hills along the steep, hilly path. The route was deep into the woods, or else there would have been more casualties.
As helpless screams filled the air, Natsuki leapt from the pile of wrecks. Her excellent vision lent her a view in the midst of the thick smoke, and the sight of dozens of broken, bloodied bodies scattered around the area caused her to stagger. Her unwanted strength had caused so many innocent lives. She was certain that she was babbling out repeated apologies, or even crying at the atrocity in front of her, but all that came out of her throat was powerful, violent howls. Her body ignored all guilt and remorse, living a life of its own.
Instinctively, Natsuki spun around to see the three figures zooming in towards her. The vampires were relentless to put her down. But she could not control herself now. She couldn't force herself to run away from the scene for fear of being seen in her inhuman form. Blood in her eyes, she jumped right at the vampires and tore them apart. One by one, they fell like leaves before dissolving into ashes, leaving no traces behind.
Seeing how the blood soaked her paws, Natsuki couldn't help but feel more powerful than ever. Before long, she spotted a small figure coming through the smoke.
The child vampire still held the doll in her hands as she looked up at the beast, her blue gaze calm.
Natsuki roared in the child's face, but the vampire didn't even flinch. Instead, the girl stared harder into her eyes.
"I've been forced into this life hundreds of years ago. Free me from this useless body. I cannot live like this anymore."
Stop this… Please, go away!
"Please. Please, do it."
Natsuki bellowed even louder, meaning to scare the child vampire away.
"Please!"
Go away! Now!
"Free me!"
But her body had a mind of its own, and it wasn't going to be easily stopped until the last threat was eliminated. With her fierce paw, she punched through the child's chest and ripped her heart out. The vampire dissolved into dust just like the others before her.
Natsuki only then reverted back to her human form, tears welling up her eyes as she fell to her knees, heart pounding in horror as she stared at her bloodied, ashen hand. She had never killed anyone before in her life, and even though the vampires left no bodies but ashes, she felt no better. She could come up with a thousand excuses for her action, but she couldn't quite ignore the fact that her lupine form did enjoy the thirst to kill.
Hugging herself, Natsuki trembled with fear as she looked around in the smoke. Some of the surviving passengers began to climb out of the wrecked cars. Natsuki quickly crawled around and found a luggage lying idly to her left. She opened the suitcase, grabbed some rather oversized clothes and put them on.
"Those are my father's. Are you stealing my father's clothes?"
Natsuki's head shot up. For a second, she thought it was the child vampire, but as the haze began to lift a bit, she saw a five-year-old girl in a white dress sitting on a large, torn luggage. Miraculously, the little girl appeared unharmed from the horrid accident, sporting only minor cuts on her legs.
"I—I… No, I'm not stealing. I'll return them as soon as we get out of here, okay?" Natsuki tried to smile.
"Okay." The little girl nodded.
Natsuki looked around and began to make out the area where they were in the haze. The train derailed and seemed to have fallen forty feet down from the steep hill above. Before relief could set in her mind, a loud screech from above caused everyone to stop what they were doing. The remaining cars began to crumble and slide off the edge of the hill. Only a few passengers were fast and lucid enough to evade the fall of the cars.
And it was the first time Natsuki felt thankful for her inhuman strength, that she was able to pull the little girl from the spot and outran the falling wreck. The two cars fell upon the car where the little girl had been sitting close by. If the girl's parents were still alive after the train derailed, they weren't now.
Holding young Youko in her arm, Natsuki trudged through the smoke and led the girl out to a strange, new world they both weren't prepared for.
That was Youko-san…?
In silence, Shizuru sat still on the narrow, graveled path, staring down at her bare feet. She wiped the blood from her lips with her tremulous hand. The intense, red glow of her eyes slowly dimmed into crimson. The warmth from within her body now subsided as the piece of Natsuki's past flashed before her eyes. For the first time, she was able to read Natsuki's memory. Was it a dying regret that was so strong that Natsuki just couldn't hide it?
Shizuru looked up at the empty path ahead, where Natsuki had run back to the old house. Out of fear. Distrust.
What a fool I am.
Shizuru had always been the one in control of her own urges. She had been fully fed the past few days, and she only fed out of necessity. Letting out a sigh, her head dropped in defeat. Her rash action tonight only reminded her of a deadly mistake long ago, which still haunted her to this day.
At any rate, she was certain that whatever positive stance Natsuki might have held for her was completely destroyed now.
In the corner of her room, Natsuki arched her neck a little as she studied her own reflection on the small mirror. She frowned as she felt sick in the stomach. Biting her lips, she clutched the mirror for a moment before throwing it across the room. Even though the marks on her neck had healed, leaving almost no trace now, she did not see her old, confident self anymore. She felt exactly like that night she boarded the train in an attempt to run away from the lair, scared and tentative. Thirty years had passed, and she found herself lost again. She had been irrational and unusually lenient on vampires ever since she met Shizuru. What upset her was that she had begun to trust Shizuru when she shouldn't have.
But, surely, Shizuru hadn't meant to kill her with the bite, or else she would have been dead by now. Was it out of pleasure? Was it to steal her memories? What did Shizuru really want from her?
Before countless questions could storm her mind further, Natsuki looked up to see two sets of shadows on the shoji door.
"Leave now, or I'll shoot!" Takeda barked.
Natsuki flinched upon remembering that Takeda had offered to guard her room and had taken the sedative gun from her. She rushed to the door and slid it open.
Shizuru and Takeda were standing on the yard in front of her room. The Searrs agent had already drawn his gun, while the vampire stood still with a small interest in her eyes.
Cautiously, Takeda turned to her. "Please go inside, Natsuki-san. I'll take care of this."
"I just want to talk to her," Shizuru said, directing her gaze elsewhere instead of Natsuki.
"Talk? I see, you talk and bite at the same time!" Takeda tightened the grip on the gun, his finger moving to the trigger.
It greatly puzzled Natsuki that the vampire had dared to show up so soon after what happened. She had expected Shizuru to disappear out of shame. But did the vampire know what guilt was? She was a coldblooded creature after all.
"I'll leave if you want me to," Shizuru muttered. She turned slightly at Natsuki, but still would not look at her in the eye.
She does know…
Natsuki briefly closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. She had to remind herself not to be fooled for the second time. Slowly, she pushed the shoji door open wider as a gesture to receive the guest. Her action had Takeda's mouth gape open in protest, but she just nodded at him as a reassurance that she knew what she was doing.
Shizuru once more glanced at the gun in Takeda's hand, cautious as ever, before climbing onto the lifted passageway and entering Natsuki's room. Natsuki slid the door close, and then sat herself on the spread futon.
Silence.
What with the attack earlier tonight, Natsuki should have felt threatened by the vampire's presence, but there was something uncanny about the air around Shizuru that managed to intimidate, yet pacify her at the same time. Strangely, behind the closed door in this square, tatami-floored room, it felt somewhat mellow and serene that it seemed to be another world altogether.
Shizuru stood by the door, keeping her distance. Natsuki didn't have to look to know that the vampire was staring at her flawless neck. The marks were gone now.
"You said you wanted to talk. Now, talk," Natsuki said, breaking the stare.
"I didn't think you'd actually let me in. I don't know what to say."
Natsuki glared up at the vampire. "Are you trying to infuriate me?"
"N—no, absolutely not," Shizuru quickly replied. The hesitation in her voice seemed genuine enough that Natsuki cooled down a little. "I… I must apologize for what I did. I didn't mean to harm you. It was a terrible thing—"
"I didn't die, so save your apology for next time," Natsuki sneered, looking away. She couldn't help but resent that she was always one step behind the vampire. Shizuru had her own secretive ways, and Natsuki always ended up having to chase her around, trying to find an answer.
Shizuru opened her mouth to speak, but let out a sigh instead. "There won't be next time, I promise."
"What were you doing? Were you trying to steal my memories?" Natsuki spoke with an accusing tone.
"No, of course not. I didn't try to steal your memories… but I saw it for the first time," Shizuru admitted grimly.
Natsuki's brows knitted into one furious line. "You what?"
"Just a single thought. An event. It was when you first met Youko-san. I swear it was the only thing I saw," Shizuru said, staring blankly at the shoji wall on the other side of the room. Whatever Shizuru had seen surely wasn't pretty. Was the vampire appalled by it?
Shutting her eyes, Natsuki recalled that night thirty years ago, which still felt so fresh like it happened only yesterday. She never told her father what really happened, and she rarely talked about it in detail even with Youko, avoiding the subject whenever she could. She now felt bitterly exposed to know that Shizuru had learned of her callous thirst. She was, after all, no better than those she accused them of.
"Don't you ever do that again," Natsuki said, clutching the white cloth of her yukata.
To Natsuki's surprise, Shizuru dared to look at her for the first time. "For a minute there, I thought I was able to decipher your memories, Natsuki. But I have come to believe that it was you… You wanted me to see it."
There was a long silence before Natsuki could register the meaning of Shizuru's words in her mind. "You must be joking," she said, scoffing.
"I don't think that you intentionally allowed it, but it happened subconsciously. I'm worried about you, Natsuki. The event must have traumatized you still. You're much too young to understand and cope with what's to come with immortality."
Natsuki's mouth popped into an 'O' shape, her eyes wide in mockery. "Oh, now you're a shrink? Tell me what's wrong with me. Why on earth would I want a vampire to know my secrets, my past?"
Shizuru appeared truly baffled. "Yes. Why did you pick me?"
It must have taken Natsuki a few moments too long to reply to a question she didn't know the answer to. Glowering up at the guest, she clenched her fists. "You haven't told me why you bit me. What got into you? And you were warm."
"It must be a subconscious thing, because I have no idea why I sometimes turn warm," Shizuru said, raising her brows.
"You broke my trust, and still dare to mock me in my face?" Natsuki was exasperated now. Her cheeks felt hot in anger.
Shizuru simply let out another sigh, and walked towards Natsuki.
It took Natsuki every ounce of mental strength to sit still as Shizuru knelt down before her. The proximity between them made her realize that she was still shaken by the recent incident, and Shizuru could feel it right away. Shizuru had reached for Natsuki's hand, but paused before retracting her hand to her own lap.
"I'm so sorry. I wish I have something better to say, but there really isn't. I actually considered that we could be friends. Imagine that," Shizuru said, and chuckled to herself.
The friendly, but distant tone almost prompted Natsuki to reach out for the cold hand in front of her.
"I appreciate all the things you've done for me. You were kind, and you deserved honesty. But there are things that should be left in the past—things that will always keep me lying. I can see the past, Natsuki, but I can't change it. I can't change who I am."
Natsuki gradually looked up at the crimson eyes, and she had to admit that she didn't like the calmness she saw there. It was too calm—too easy—and she had learned that it was Shizuru's way of unabashed pretense. At least, Shizuru wasn't trying to hide it this time.
"My dad always told me that vampires and werewolves are like God and science," Natsuki said. Her gaze was locked with the crimson one, marvel and regret mingled into one. "We're two worlds that would never cross, and we'll always be at odds with each other. I'm not going to presume anything about you anymore. It's futile. And I shouldn't expect you to be something you can't be… I'm sorry, too."
"God and science. I like that," Shizuru said with an honest smile, the kind of bittersweet farewell smile.
And Natsuki grabbed Shizuru's hand before she could stop herself. However, she wasn't troubled by the warmth in her grasp now. Shizuru hadn't moved away from the touch either. The warmth could be a sign of fear, hunger, or temptation. It could be a million things, but Natsuki failed to inquire at the moment. The vampire had her reasons to hide, and Natsuki had decided to respect it.
In silence, they both let the touch lingered.
Behind the closed, thin door that separated them from the rest of the world, neither resigned, nor imposed. Both studied their joined hands, their gazes piqued with childlike interest and harmless determination. Their fingers glided over each other's skin and, eventually, intertwined. They took the time to register the fragile contact as though they had touched each other for the first time, feeling each curve of their slender fingers. Their chests rose and fell as the heat from their bodies grew in unison. They had never felt this foreign from something as simple as a touch.
Shizuru took a sharp intake of a breath before looking up at Natsuki. The long, steady gaze eventually had Natsuki slowly withdraw her hand.
Clasping her hands together on her lap, Natsuki could still feel the lasting warmth from the touch, secretly hoping that it was here to stay. "I'll be going back home tomorrow," she said.
A smile curved up Shizuru's beautiful lips. "It's three o'clock in the morning. I should take my leave before it's too late." With that, she got up and turned towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Natsuki bit her bottom lip as soon as the question slipped out of her mouth.
There was a pause before Shizuru turned around and gave her a playful wink. "I have an unfinished business with a person, who went by the initials M.M. It's going to keep me busy for a while before I'd find a new home."
"M.M.? That's broad." Natsuki frowned.
Shizuru nodded in defeat. "I have no idea where this person is, or if he or she is still alive. I'll just go with the flow, wherever it'll take me."
Natsuki inwardly grimaced at the idea. It was probably how Shizuru had lived through the centuries, roaming the world with no real place to call home—nowhere Natsuki could pinpoint as the safest bet to find her again.
At the grim look, Shizuru seemed to have read Natsuki's mind, uncertainty swimming in her eyes. "The world is small. If we don't die first, we'll certainly run into each other again."
"As friends or enemies?" Natsuki couldn't quite believe what she had just suggested.
"As God and science, my dear, Natsuki." With a grin on her face, Shizuru slid the door open and walked out.
Chortling, Natsuki had to shake her head at the message. Shizuru was hopeful in her own cynical way, and Natsuki knew that she shouldn't lose her optimism either. If one were to live for centuries, an optimistic heart was one key to remain human.
Natsuki only looked up again when Shizuru had remained still by the doorway. Frowning, she looked past the hem of Shizuru's black yukata to see Takeda standing in the yard just outside her room, facing the other way. He, too, seemed to be staggered at what was presented before them.
Carefully, Natsuki moved beside Shizuru and looked out to the front lawn. Senou Aoi, in her black bodysuit, a gun in her right hand, was standing in front of them. Her long, brown hair was flowing with the fierce, chilly wind. She looked healthy with brilliant skin and glimmering eyes, nothing like someone in a comatose state Takeda suggested this morning. Natsuki would have been more than delighted to see her personal guard alive and kicking if not for the blatant logo on Aoi's left sleeve.
My God, she's with Searrs…
Natsuki felt a knot in her chest. Nothing was more painful than a trust betrayed. Her father had trusted Aoi enough to assign her as Natsuki's personal guard. What happened to the shy and caring Aoi? How could she deceive Chie, the love of her life?
"Hello, Natsuki-san. It's good to see you again," Aoi said. Quickly, she glanced over at Shizuru. The presence of the vampire must have struck her. She was unconscious the whole time Shizuru was present in the First District.
"Leave now, if you don't want to get involved," Natsuki whispered into Shizuru's ear. To her frustration, the vampire only stood there, blinking at the sight of another Searrs agent. She had no idea what was going through Shizuru's mind, but the crimson gaze was as cold as the night itself.
"H—how did you find us here?" Takeda stuttered, holding the gun in his hand.
"I don't understand, Masashi-kun. What have you done? You'd always been fiercely loyal to Searrs," Aoi said, disappointment evident in her voice.
"Long story short. I owe Natsuki-san my life. I can't let you get her. I know what they'd do to Lycans like you. Look at you now," Takeda said, raising his sedative gun at his friend.
Takeda had tried to save Natsuki from the pain of knowing, but Aoi showing up here herself just ruined his goodwill. The two agents seemed to have known each other rather well, and Natsuki suspected that Aoi had been an infiltrator for quite some time now.
Natsuki moved onto the passageway with a heavy heart. "How could you do this, Aoi? My father had been nothing but kind to you, taking you in when your family was murdered by Uriah. How could you turn your back on your own kind?"
"Please understand me," Aoi said, looking down to avoid Natsuki's harsh stare. "Searrs has offered me what your father cannot. Master Hideaki only hides in his underground tomb, and all those years were a complete waste! I am thankful for his kindness, but I seek retribution, not a life in hiding. With Searrs, I will get what I want."
"I did wonder how Searrs was so fast to track us down to the First District. Was it you? Did you tell them about our whereabouts?" Natsuki felt her face grow cold at the thought of losing her peers during the fight, and the fact that Haruka was now enslaved by a Searrs vampire as a result, only enraged her.
Aoi took a step forward, her eyes begging for sympathy. "They only wish for your alliance, not to harm you. Your father once betrayed Searrs, and it proved to be a grave mistake. Master Hideaki was misled. Searrs is the ultimate answer to destroy Uriah."
"Traitor! Slavery is never an alliance!" Natsuki snarled.
"It's a power bonding. We'll be much stronger through the bond."
"A bond that lets them control your mind? They're using you, Aoi!"
"It doesn't have to be that way, if you and your master have the same goal," Aoi tried to explain. "Please, come with me, Natsuki-san. We can avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Searrs will leave your father be like it always has, and we can work together against Uriah. Perhaps, you could even convince Master Hideaki to join us."
Natsuki sharply looked away. "Stop calling him that. You should have only one master. Go back and tell Searrs that I'll never sell my soul for vengeance."
Her head dropped, Aoi contemplated in silence for a while before looking up again. "Then I am sorry—" But Aoi was interrupted by a fierce push to the ground.
Shizuru had grabbed Aoi's neck and shoved her down. Before anyone could see it, she buried her fangs into the Lycan's neck.
"Shizuru!" Natsuki hurried to the vampire's side. Although Aoi deserved to be punished for her crime, Natsuki wasn't exactly ready to see her old friend die. Aoi was seriously wounded in the alley behind the First District when she tried to save her peers from Reito and his men.
"Don't kill her, Shizuru!" Natsuki pulled Shizuru's arm, but failed to move the stoic form. Seeing the quickly paling look on Aoi's face, she staggered in her pose. Chill ran down her spine as she imagined herself lying there, dazed under the power of the deadly fangs.
Shizuru released Aoi and wiped the blood from her lips. She stared into the dark, narrow path ahead, the road which led down the hill and into the city. "They're here. Three squads of field agents, five elders and their slaves. They tracked Youko-san down at the hospital and found this place," she informed.
Natsuki's heart raced at the information. "Is Youko all right! Is she still alive!"
"The—the—the elders!" Takeda's eyes bulged in terror.
Shizuru looked grim as she recalled more of Aoi's memories. "They encountered a group of Lycans your father sent after Youko-san. After the fight, your friends seemed to have retreated, and Searrs has taken Youko-san hostage."
Without further thought, Natsuki snatched Aoi's silver-nitrate gun from the ground and ran towards the flight of stony stairs, meaning to go down the hill to find her friend.
Shizuru followed suit, pulling out her own silver-nitrate loaded gun she confiscated from Takeda earlier. "You have to leave now. Go back to the lair," she said, grabbing Natsuki's arm.
"There's no way I'll leave Youko!" Natsuki tried to lose Shizuru's grasp, but to no avail.
"It's out of the question, Natsuki. We can't help her."
Takeda knelt down beside Aoi, worried that his friend had not recovered from the attack.
Both Natsuki and Shizuru were pulling and pushing each other at the top step of the stony staircase. Neither was going to yield easily. Natsuki was astonished to find it increasingly hard to fight the grip on her arm. Lycans were physically stronger than vampires, while vampires were faster, but Shizuru had proved to be an exception when she was fully fed. Taking just one gulp of Aoi's blood could render the victim helpless. Now, Natsuki had begun to understand how naturally strong she truly was when she recovered from Shizuru's bite much quicker than an ordinary Lycan.
"Let go of me! You don't understand! She's my friend!"
"There are too many of them."
"Take your hand off me!"
"We're without weapons, and you can't transform just yet. It'll tear your wounds up again," Shizuru said with her usually calm voice.
Natsuki's face reddened in anger. "What do you care! Let go! Now!"
"Look! They're here!" Takeda yelled and pointed up.
Natsuki and Shizuru snapped at the warning and looked up. Five vampires were zooming down from the dark sky.
Instantly, Natsuki fired up at the vampires, causing them to disperse from their group to avoid the incoming bullets. But the silver-nitrate rounds couldn't hold them back for much too long. To Natsuki's alarm, Shizuru had spread her wings and soared at the five assailants.
"Shizuru…! Damn it!" Natsuki couldn't believe what Shizuru was trying to do, but she wasn't going to run and save herself, while leaving her friends to suffer. Running towards the woods, she continued to fire up at the remaining vampires to keep them away from Shizuru. Deep worry suddenly weighed in her chest. Although Shizuru was a powerful one, going against five elders at the same time was far from reassuring.
Shizuru caught the gray-haired elder off-guard. Her arm around his neck, he choked and struggled to break free. With her other hand, she grabbed his left wing and tore it off his back. His blood splattered all over her face and soaked her yukata. His screech filled the night air as he thrashed in her hold. Bluntly, she stabbed into his back and through his heart with the chunky tip of his own wing. His body shook violently for an excruciatingly long moment before gradually dissolving into ashes in her hold.
Afloat, Shizuru seemed to halt all her motions. She paled at once at the sight of ashes on her palm blown away with the wind. Her lips parted, but no words came out. Her widened eyes glowed into a violent shade of red, as blood furiously pumped through her veins.
"Tanaka-kun!" Yukino, the leader of the squad tonight, called out to her friend in shock. The rogue vampire had closed in on her group out of nowhere, flying at such fast speed that they had not seen her coming.
"It's her, Yukino-san! It's the rogue vampire from the nurse's memory!" Alexie, another vampire elder, had flown to the leader's side.
As the two elders were flabbergasted, little did they notice that Natsuki aimed and fired a head shot at Alexie. The blunt force spun him off his balance.
"Alexie!" Yukino turned and looked down at where her friend had fallen.
All of a sudden, Natsuki felt a fierce gush of wind behind her. She quickly crouched down to the ground as a nine-foot tall Lycan emerged from behind the thick trees behind her. It leapt high into the air over her head and caught Alexie in midair before both falling towards the cliff below.
Breathing heavily, Natsuki lay on her stomach, pain shot through her whole body, but her eyes were wide in anticipation, adrenaline pumping. It was the first time she witnessed the bond; a Lycan slave saving its vampire master. The freefall would have injured the Lycan, if it didn't kill it, but even fear of death couldn't stop the slave from being dictated.
"Rita! Kyle! Get the rogue!" Yukino commanded her fellows, and then zoomed down fast at Natsuki. Order was an order. She must get the prize at all cost.
Instinctively, Natsuki got up and ran further into the woods, using the thick trees to veil herself from an air attack. She was also mindful of the hurried footsteps and gunshots that followed. The field agents must have caught the ruckus and closed in on the area.
"Okay. Do you mind telling me what we're doing here?" Nao, in her black Searrs uniform, idly followed Tomoe along the hilly path. In her hand was a brand new cell phone, the only thing that kept her entertained tonight.
Tomoe had been restless all night ever since Yukino left this evening on a mission. To Nao's dismay, Tomoe insisted to follow Yukino out here. On the other hand, Nao only tagged along to find an opportunity to escape Searrs. Now, at this moment, where they were alone on the serpentine road, could be 'it'.
Nao glanced up at the slender lithe form in front of her, quietly flipping her mobile shut.
You've wasted three centuries for nothing, little brat. It's really too bad that you have to die here, but you sort of deserve it…
"This is the first time Mr. Krawczyk sent us on a mission. It has to be super important. I want to know what it is," Tomoe said, trudging ahead, "I put a tracking device on Yukino's mobile before she left. She can't be too far now."
"They sent out vampire elders, Hinagiku, not you. And it's for a very good reason, too. They didn't send you because you're young and you suck. Okay? Now, let's go."
"I have to know what they're up to," Tomoe said as she continued to walk up the hill.
Nao rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. Why do you always feel the need to be a part of everything? Sending out request to get a slave? Trying to come up with a plan to capture the one and only natural born Lycan? You're asking for trouble."
Tomoe chuckled, briefly turning to the redhead. "I don't want to be an outcast like you. You have to stay informed. You have to fit in and be accepted."
"I'm not an outcast. And I think you're trying a little too hard here. You're making a fool out of yourself," Nao grunted, stuffing her mobile into her pocket.
"Am I? At least I know where to go back to when I'm lost. Do you?" Tomoe's smirk succeeded to stop Nao in her tracks.
The younger vampire slowed her pace down, and then turned around to stare at Nao. "You could have attacked me as soon as we left the headquarters. Why haven't you? Why did you think Searrs would let a newbie like you wandering around outside unchecked? That's because they know you've got nobody, Yuuki. Nobody. You're going to go back to Searrs when the night ends because you have nowhere else to go. That's how alone you really are. You're pathetic."
Tomoe scoffed and turned to walk further uphill.
For the first time, Nao could only stare at the green-haired vampire, failing to retort. Because it was true; she hadn't killed Tomoe because it would be pointless. She couldn't go back to Uriah—to the people who assaulted and shamed her maker. She couldn't go back to the island and pretend to rejoice to Reito's arranged wedding with Mai. She wanted revenge, and unfortunately, Searrs seemed to hold the same aspiration.
Shizuru backed away from the two elders' reach, firing her own gun to keep them at bay. With her natural momentum alone, she could lose Rita and Kyle without much difficulty. They must have been just a little older than a millennium, absolutely no match for her speed.
Flying lower, Shizuru rocketed after Yukino, meaning to slow her down before she could get Natsuki. To her surprise, Yukino suddenly turned and rammed into her, knocking the gun off her grasp. Gripping each other, they both swirled madly in their struggle to take control of the flight, plunging towards the bottom of the cliff.
Rita and Kyle had then soared towards Natsuki instead, leaving the rogue vampire to their leader.
"Who are you!" Yukino grunted, troubled that she couldn't lose Shizuru's hold.
Shizuru mentally grimaced. Yukino was a strong elder, and she had to tighten her grip, trying her best to hold the squad leader back to buy some time for Natsuki to escape Rita and Kyle.
Veering each other in a fierce circle, they eventually lost balance and spiraled downward to the earth.
THUD!
Upon the point of impact, Shizuru had thrown Yukino down, using her as a cushion. The force gored a huge hole into the earth. While Shizuru was quick to take flight again, Yukino struggled just to breathe, crawling on the ground.
Shizuru zoomed down at the Searrs vampire once again. However, a loud growl erupted just behind her. Sensing immediate danger, she spun around to see Haruka in her golden-furred Lycan form stampeding through the woods.
Haruka jumped into the air, her thick claws narrowly missing Shizuru.
Ascending higher, Shizuru inwardly sighed at the sight of the Lycan circling around its master. If she was just a tad slower, her head would have been ripped off by that nasty paw.
Haruka roared, her amber eyes filling with rage. She stomped her front paws a few times, challenging the rogue vampire for further attack.
"Suzushiro Haruka, isn't it?" Shizuru muttered with a small smile. For a moment, she contemplated to kill Yukino to free Haruka from the bond, but the thought of how Haruka attacked her in the First District came into mind. The young Lycan was by far one of the strongest she had ever encountered, and Yukino was keen to have possessed such talent. The slave came in handy, indeed.
"Maybe I should kill you both," Shizuru pondered aloud, eagerness flashed in her eyes.
Yukino shakily pushed herself off the ground. "Get her!"
Upon the order, the golden Lycan leapt at the vampire, but Shizuru whirled in the air, easily evading the strikes. She tackled Haruka from behind, grabbed her hind leg and snapped it.
Haruka howled in pain. She fell and stumbled onto the muddy ground. The wound bled profusely as the broken bone cut through the flesh.
Before Shizuru could deliver another attack on the Lycan, Yukino had flown right at her, seized her by the collar and threw her against a gigantic tree. Shizuru ignored the dizzying effect from the collision and grabbed Yukino's arms, turned her around and thrust her against the tree. The fierce force crushed the trunk in half. Swirling each other around, the two continued to plow through the forest, their powerful blows leaving a long, devastated trail like a herd of bulls had run through a field.
Haruka blindly crawled away from the spot to avoid the falling trunks that were cracked down by the two vampire elders. The constant crashes shook the whole ground. When her body grew weaker, she turned into her human form again, clutching her broken leg.
Gripping each other, the two vampires ascended again with startling speed. Yukino had regained her strength much quicker than Shizuru had anticipated, but she wasn't surprised since Yukino must have used Haruka's power to heal herself, leaving the Lycan weaker to heal her own injury.
"Who do you work for? I'm not going to ask again!" Yukino shouted. When Shizuru didn't answer, she leaned forward, her fangs jutting out.
Startled, Shizuru released Yukino and flew away from her reach. While a bite from another vampire could weaken her considerably, she was more concerned to keep her memories from Yukino. It was the reason she tried to avoid engaging in a combat with other vampires whenever possible. She inwardly cursed at taking such a foolish risk tonight. More often than not, she seemed to lose her rational way whenever Natsuki was involved.
Her mind preoccupied, Shizuru had not seen another vampire elder rocketing towards her. Alexie, who had healed from the head wound, caught Shizuru in midair and pulled her down.
Slammed onto the ground, Shizuru tried to get up, but was thrust down again when the tip of Alexie's left wing stabbed through her left shoulder, pinning her to the ground. Alexie then rapidly straddled Shizuru, and folded his right wing into a thick spear. His eyes glowered in red, his lips curved up into a sinister smile.
Shizuru bit her lips to muffle her scream of pain. She gripped his wing that was still stuck through her shoulder and broke it with both hands. The force sent Alexie rolling off her, crying in agony.
Blood oozed out as Shizuru pulled his broken wing off her shoulder. Focused, her mind momentarily numbed the pain. She threw away the broken wing as she dashed towards him. Her eyes glowing in deep red to match her immense thirst, she fisted his hair and dragged him closer as he desperately tried to lose her grasp. When he was sprawled by her feet, she stabbed through his chest and crushed his heart with her clawed hand.
It's… beating…
For a brief moment, Shizuru staggered at the sensation. She could feel his heart beating in her murderous hand, and the touch felt strangely divine. In that split second, she felt shamefully alive.
Eventually, Alexie's body turned into dust, and Shizuru only realized then that Yukino was standing only a short distance away, watching her every move. Had Yukino tried to intervene, Shizuru would have been in a serious threat. But horror was evident in the Searrs vampire's eyes as she quietly stared at Shizuru's bloody claws.
Her heart beating fast against her chest, Shizuru felt the searing pain on her shoulder wound returned tenfold. Acutely aware of the stare, she instantly retracted her claws. Shame, guilt and fear involuntarily rose in her chest. She had always been different. She was different when she was a child, and she was different when she became a vampire. The thirst to kill would be nearly uncontrollable whenever she started, leaving her friends and enemies alike perished in her callous wake. Blood was all she saw; it was the only thing that made her feel real.
God's creation, Natsuki…? Bullshit.
A monster. She became one long ago, and no matter how hard she tried to conceal it, her true ugly self would slip every now and then.
Clenching her fists, Shizuru coldly glared back at Yukino. But the constant gunshots above the cliff stopped her from delivering further attack on the Searrs vampire. At the thought of Natsuki, Shizuru spread her wings again and took flight.
Yukino watched the rogue vampire flying away, but made no move to follow. She turned to see Alexie's slave, now in her human form, lying naked near the broken tree trunk not too far away. The slave had taken the fall for her master, but Alexie didn't waste a moment to steal her power. Surely, the slave was already dead from the serious wound with no healing power left for herself.
Sighing, Yukino approached Haruka and knelt down beside her.
Clutching her leg wound, Haruka trembled from the pain, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. The Lycan looked unsure, almost intimidated, to be near her master—the one who could take away all her power.
Yukino, too, had ruthlessly stolen Haruka's power to heal herself. While it was an entitlement to the master, she couldn't help but feel guilty over it. She had acquired only a few slaves during her centuries with Searrs, and every occasion was ordered by Kazuya. She had learned of cruelty that came with the bond as power corrupted any mind and robbed one's conscience. She had done it before, leaving her slaves to die in perilous situations to save her own life.
"Go—Go away!" Haruka growled, her lips quivering. She was paling fast at the loss of blood.
Without a word, Yukino took Haruka's hand, and after a few moments, the shiver eventually subsided.
Haruka's eyes widened when her leg wound began to heal itself. She glanced up at her master, her gaze narrowing in both distrust and surprise.
"Nice trick," Haruka sneered, drawing her hand away. She began to move away from her master and got up, her legs still wobbly.
On her knees, Yukino took in a few deep breaths as she felt winded, having spent her power to heal Haruka. She had to wait a little longer to regain her strength, although she doubted she'd be able to return to her full capacity tonight.
Squinting, Yukino looked up at the cliff again. Gunshots still rang through the night, but the rogue vampire was nowhere to be seen from the bottom of the cliff. Unexpectedly, her priority had shifted from getting Kazuya a new slave to her own secret search for a certain vampire. The search had gone on for centuries, and Yukino had long lost her hope to find its end.
However, the event unfolding before her had lit up her hope again, greeting her with surprises. For the first time, she had witnessed a vampire assisting a Lycan, not through their forced bond, but out of their own willingness. But what thrilled her even more was the encounter with the rogue vampire.
Through her times at Searrs, Yukino had exploited the organization's influence to learn about all of the elders and their makers, the results still leaving her desperate. But Shizuru might just be the lead she was looking for. To be able to fight three elders would have required enormous strength of another elder. What with her strange claws and exceptional strength, Shizuru definitely was not an ordinary vampire. The oldest vampires still alive were Kazuya and the Queen of Uriah, yet both were unaware of this strange vampire in hiding.
Could it be her?
Yukino felt her heart pounding in rarest kind of excitement. The final piece of the puzzle had emerged out of nowhere and rewarded her quest at last.
Click! Click!
"Goddamn it!" Natsuki crouched behind a thick tree. Her gun had run out of silver-nitrate ammo. She had carefully spent the limited rounds, securing effective shots and wasting none. At least sixteen men in pursuit had perished by her precise aim. Natsuki's only other option now was the sedative gun she took from Takeda.
Natsuki squinted briefly up at the dark sky, searching for a sign of Shizuru. But she didn't have much time to ponder for her friend. Rita flew past the treetop, the sight prompting Natsuki to bend lower to hide in the shadow. But she knew it wouldn't be long before Kyle would heal from her shots earlier and come to assist his friend.
"There she is!" Rita shouted from above, having spotted her target.
At the signal from the elder, Searrs agents turned towards Natsuki's way and fired up the hill. Instinctively, Natsuki ducked the shower of bullets and ran up the hill as fast as she could. But Rita had flown down to block her path, catching her by the arm. Natsuki then flipped and hauled the vampire away with her massive strength. The Searrs agents had momentarily ceased fire upon seeing Rita rolling down the hill towards them, avoiding friendly fires.
Falling to her knees, Natsuki staggered at the pain that erupted inside, one hand clutching her stomach. The exertion seemed to have torn her wounds open again.
Shakily, Rita got up to her feet and made another leap towards the crawling Natsuki.
"You're coming with us tonight!" Rita yelled in both anger and humiliation. However, a pair of hands gripped her left wing in midair and pulled her off course.
With her back thrown against the tree and her feet high above the ground, Rita glanced up, horror filling her eyes. The rogue vampire had her by the neck with just one hand, the crimson eyes burning into violent red as she hissed into Rita's face.
"No—" Rita struggled to free herself, but her attempt came too little too late. The tip of Shizuru's wing speared through her heart, and her body thrashed until her last breath became cold.
As soon as Rita dissolved into dust, the field agents opened fire even more fiercely. In the shower of bullets, Shizuru leapt at Natsuki and held her up, using her own body as a shield and taking a fast flight into the sky.
"Shi… Shizuru…" Natsuki muttered. Relief washed through her to see Shizuru return. But her heart then skipped a beat as she spotted a bloodied tear on the black yukata around Shizuru's left shoulder. Through the large tear, she caught a glimpse of the vampire's pale skin. Even though the wound had seemed to heal perfectly now, Natsuki couldn't help but feel guilty over it. Shizuru had always been adamant to keep away, but she still risked her life and stuck with Natsuki through tonight.
"Shizuru, are you all right?" Natsuki knitted her brows in worry when she noticed the vampire's faltering speed. Although they seemed to lose the field agents' range now, the thought of other vampire elders still worried her.
At the concern in Natsuki's voice, Shizuru increased her speed, but Natsuki felt the strain from the vampire's arms was even more palpable.
Soon, they flew past the hills, going deeper and deeper into a remote countryside. An abandoned, brick tower emerged in the middle of the forest with a narrow, serpentine road leading to it. Within a few seconds, Natsuki found them both nose-diving towards earth and made an ungraceful landing in front of the tower.
"Ah… Ouch…" Natsuki whimpered as she crawled on all fours. She looked up to see Shizuru staggering on the ground, apparently unable to get up. Alarmed, she edged towards the vampire and held her by the shoulders. "Shizuru? Shizuru! Are you okay?"
Shizuru offered neither refusal nor reassurance. She had turned starkly pale, her body quivering uncontrollably. Fright and confusion were visible in her dull crimson eyes as she stared down at her own rickety hands. Her wings had involuntarily retracted, but the skin on her back failed to heal, leaving the two long tears bleeding.
"You've been hit! Be still! Don't move!" Natsuki noted a small, bruised mark along Shizuru's neck. The sedative had certainly taken its effect now. She pulled the hem of the black yukata down to inspect for more damage, and it startled her to see three more marks on Shizuru's back. It did puzzle her that the vampire was able to withstand several hits; Takeda had claimed that a single hit could immediately knock an immortal out for two to five hours.
Without another word, Natsuki wrapped her arm around Shizuru's waist and helped her up. "It's going to dawn soon. We must hide inside." She ushered Shizuru through the thick, wooden door, although the vampire tried to stall her attempt.
"They want you, not me. You… have to go… now…" Shizuru breathed more heavily each second past, and her legs were losing their strength fast.
"I won't leave you here all by yourself, not with you in this state anyway. So stop talking now, and save your strength." Natsuki led Shizuru further into the building and found a spot behind the row of large, stony pillars, a safe distance away from the high windows. She gently propped Shizuru against the cold wall, and wiped the beads of sweat from the pale face.
Her chest heaving in an agonizingly ragged rhythm, Shizuru's eyes darted in constant paranoia, her trembling fists clenched tightly. If Natsuki hadn't mistaken, she would have interpreted the look as fear, a rare emotion she'd seen from the vampire. Certainly, it was the first time Shizuru had been subjected to the effect of Hypnos creation, and the prospect of their escape seemed diminutive at this instant. It was only natural for a severely reclusive vampire like Shizuru to be frightened of what was to come, but Natsuki still found it hard to acknowledge it.
Mentally chastising herself, Natsuki did exactly what she was cursing herself for; she extended her wrist to Shizuru's lips. "You need to heal."
The vampire slowly shook her head. "It won't work… The sedative won't let me… use my power…"
Retracting her hand, Natsuki had to grumble in frustration. It could take at least a whole day for Shizuru to recover, and it could endanger their lives remaining here.
Shizuru breathed, her eyes narrowed in exhaustion. "Leave now… They'll find us… soon…"
"You didn't have to take the bullets for me. No, in fact, you didn't have to stay to protect me at all." Natsuki couldn't quite believe her accusing tone, and it bit her back with the subtly stunned look in Shizuru's eyes. She bit her lip and then stared back.
"You never wanted to get involved. You were content with your secret life with Ahn for so many years. Why now…? Why…?" Natsuki's question came in a soft, earnest tone. She waited for a reply, and she had partly expected a vague question from the vampire in return. But all she received was a long, contemplative look from Shizuru.
"I… I am—" Shizuru started, but suddenly halted at the sound of grass rustling just outside the entrance.
Natsuki's head snapped at the faint voices approaching. Her senses were on high alert. She had no weapon with her now, but she'd do anything within her power to guard the ailing vampire.
"Are you mad? It'll dawn in an hour. We should get back to rejoin the team now."
Natsuki frowned, recognizing the voice. It had to be the librarian from the First District. But how did Yuuki Nao come to this remote place at this hour on this particular night? As far as she knew, Searrs had captured Nao along with Haruka.
"For your information, the team didn't include us, remember?" Another female voice sneered, followed by the creaky sound from opening the heavy door. "I'm pretty sure I hit him. I'm sure of that."
"That was a long shot, Hinagiku. He was flying so fast, and it was so dark. It could have been one of the elders even. It'll be funny if they found out that you shot one of your own." Nao laughed, following her friend into the building.
"Hey, I said I'm sure it wasn't one of us, all right? That vampire was faster… much faster than them. Imagine that."
Nao seemed to agree with the notion, falling into silence for a moment. "Yeah, imagine what we're getting ourselves into if the vampire you shot was older than Yukino. All the more reason we should head back now. I don't like this fishy business of yours."
With a smile of arrogance on her pretty face, the green-haired vampire in a black bodysuit flicked the sedative gun in her hand. "I'm not afraid. Are you?"
"I'll be delighted to see your butt kicked," Nao said, shrugging.
"Gee. I should have left you to rot in your room—AH!" Tomoe was cut short by the blunt force to her head.
Natsuki had leapt out from behind the pillar and charged at the younger vampire, taking her sedative gun and throwing her across the hall in one fierce move. She then fired one shot right into the sprawling vampire's neck.
"Ah…! Oh, my God! Help me, Yuuki! Help!" Tomoe clutched the base of her neck in panic.
"So you survived the crypt." Natsuki pointed her gun straight at Nao.
Reflexively, Nao jumped back a few steps, keeping distance from the attacker. In the dark hall, her eyes narrowed in recognition. "Whoa, it's you. Jeez, you scared me." She eyed Natsuki from head to toe, noting the bloody patch on Natsuki's white yukata. "Hey, you're wounded. Why don't you sit down? I'm not here to hurt you."
"Don't get so acquainted with me. What are you doing with Searrs?" Natsuki's voice was calm and cold. Judging from their strength, she presumed that Nao was older than Tomoe, thus posing a greater threat to her and Shizuru's well being. Besides, she wasn't sure what to think of a Uriah vampire in a Searrs uniform.
"Kansaki Reito betrayed my master. He'd shamed her and humiliated her. He also left me to die in the First District. Now that Searrs wants to recruit me, here's my chance for revenge."
Kansaki Reito… the man who murdered mother…
Natsuki inwardly scowled. Talk of revenge painfully reminded her of how bitter her life had been, and how Aoi would do anything to fulfill her goal even if it meant betraying their lair.
"Yuuki… You know her…?" Tomoe unsteadily got up to her feet, swaying in her post.
"This is Kuga Natsuki, dumbass," Nao said, "Kazuya's new coveted pet, that is."
At the revelation, Tomoe's eyes widened. She watched the raven-haired woman in awe, her wobbly hand creeping to her chest. "The only natural born Lycan? The one true God's creation… You…?"
Natsuki wasn't sure how to react to the glimpse of greed and ambition in the young vampire's eyes. The look in that pale gaze screamed flesh and blood, fervent for pride and glory.
In a split second, Tomoe reached for the spare gun tucked behind her and fired at Natsuki, catching the Lycan off-guard. Both Natsuki and Nao could only stand still, stunned by Tomoe's remarkably fast speed.
It was only until Natsuki regained her composure again and noted the absence of pain on her body. The bullet didn't hit her, did it? She slightly turned to her left and saw Shizuru by her side. The rogue vampire had caught the bullet with her bare hand.
Intuitively, Natsuki fired a few shots at Tomoe, causing the young vampire to fall onto her back, the gun slipping off her grasp. Natsuki then rushed to hold Shizuru as the taller woman began to drop to her knees. "Shizuru…! Shizuru!"
Nao had taken a step back, watching them with caution. It was only then that a chuckle from Tomoe brought everyone's attention back to the younger vampire.
Her whole body shivering madly, Tomoe tried to get up. Her young age proved to be amazingly tolerant to the sedative. "It seems… It seems that I've got… quite a few traits from you, Shizuru," Tomoe mumbled, faintly smirking.
Natsuki paused at the usage of first name.
"You knew this rogue?" Nao mused aloud, careful to keep her distance. "Wait—no, don't tell me she's your maker."
Tomoe had a condescending smile on her face as her gaze shifted between Natsuki and the vampire in her arms. "God… and monster…"
At the word, Shizuru growled at Tomoe, desperately trying to leave Natsuki's arms. But Natsuki held her back, alarmed by Shizuru's sudden rage towards the younger vampire.
Tomoe dryly laughed at Shizuru's failed attempt. "No matter… I'd always find… you… No matter…" At her last words, her eyes closed with a look of serenity on her face, falling into deep slumber.
To Natsuki's horror, Shizuru let out a muffled scream through her gritted teeth. Her expression of fury was a sharp contrast to Tomoe's calm one. What secrets lay between the two vampires that could provoke such a rare emotion from Shizuru?
It was only then that the heavy door creaked open a little more that both Natsuki and Nao snapped in panic. Natsuki raised her gun at the figure in a black Searrs uniform, but stopped at the familiar face.
"Su… Suzushiro…?" Natsuki's mouth gaped open in puzzlement.
The blonde figure stopped by the doorway, reluctant to come any closer. She let out a heavy sigh and eventually looked up to meet with the genuine, green gaze.
"I'm so sorry, Kuga."