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Jemmea

I had been called to the project; they said they had a cure. I was trying so hard not to get my hopes up as I rushed there. I quickly found the head researcher. "Is it true? Do you know it works?" I demanded as soon as I reached him.

"Mrs. Kaiba, hello. Urm, yes. You see over there on that wall? That's the cure." I turned to see the wall with numerous vials of purple liquid. "Those all contain more than a person needs, but we're going to divide them up soon. Then over there," he gestured through some windows to a small medical room where I could see some people being examined, "those are the ones we have tried it out on so far, and all have been successfully turned back. They no longer have extended canines and their body temperature is holding at a constant 98.6˚ Fahrenheit instead of at room temperature. When presented with a person bleeding and offering their blood, they are quite opposed to it. Some have actually thrown up at the suggestion. Their blood has also been analyzed and is now reading to be that of humans. So far, the only side effects seem to be nausea and lightheadedness; and, though it needs to be looked into, we're hypothesizing that it is due to the diet they have been on. I wanted to be certain beyond a reasonable doubt before I told you. We are not completely done testing, but I know you would want to know as soon as possible because Mr. Kiryu is so close."

I almost cried, but I was so excited. "Yes, thank you, thank you so much. I'm going to tell him right now."

He nodded and went back to work. I turned to the door I had come through by the wall with the vials. But I was intercepted by none other than, "... Hanabusa Aido?" What the hell? He leaned in the doorway with his arms crossed. "Look, I don't know why you're here, but I don't have time for it now."

He closed his eyes and bowed his head a little. "I'm here to tell you that you have all the time in the world." He seemed to have a smugness in his voice that I vaguely remembered from before. He opened his eyes to look at me. "Zero has just fallen to Level E, and it is my job to make sure you don't interfere."

My heart dropped, but I refused to believe him. "Kaname has sent you to try and deceive me, I see-"

"No," he interjected. "It is not my lord, but my lady. She has had underlings watching him. She made a promise that once this happened, she would kill him. She intends to keep that promise—and you won't get in the way. She is on her way now."

"No," I breathed. I had to get to him before she did. I stood up straight and asked darkly, "Where is he?"

Then he asked me, "Are you trying to seduce me?" I realized that he had misinterpreted my tone and posture, but it gave me an idea.

"Seduce you? Why would I try to seduce you?" I asked, rather seductively. "You have girls offer themselves to you all the time. No, I have something you desire much more." I put my hand under the end of a nearby metal table and pricked my finger on a sharp edge, then I held the it up. He was suddenly very attuned to it. "Tell me, when was the last time you drank human blood?" I moved my finger back and forth to test him, much like how a doctor does. His eyes followed my finger and began to glow red, his arms slowly uncrossing and he came completely to his feet. I steadily crossed the distance between us, saying, "Warm, fresh, human blood. Tell me, how does it feel-" And then I was close enough.

I grabbed his head and smashed it into the door frame. He crumpled to the floor in pain, holding his bleeding face. I put my heel up to his throat. "Let's try this again," I pressed with my heel a little harder and leaned down. I was not going to lose Zero. "Where is he?"

"By 23rd and Hemlock," he cried.

I bent down and smeared the drop of blood on his lip. "Good boy." I straightened up, grabbed one of the vials, and ran.

My heels were slowing me down and I ripped them off, leaving them where they fell. I was only three floors away from the ground floor, so I took the stairs, not risking the elevator. I knew where 23rd and Hemlock was. It wasn't too far away, but I had to dodge through traffic.

The cement was not too harsh on my feet, though they barely touched it. I can't be too late. I just can't be, I thought to myself.

It took me about ten minutes to get there. Once at the corner of the intersection, I looked around, trying to see where they might be. Then I heard her voice from an alley just around the corner from me. "This is it Zero, I'm sorry."

I ran into it and saw them. She was over a hundred feet away from me, and he was dead between us. Her Artemis rod was already open. She saw me and called out, "Jemmea, I'm sorry, but you're too late. I'm glad he had an ally like you, but turn and run before he kills you," she instructed. She shook the Artemis rod again and it turned into a scythe.

"I'm not his ally," I shouted through heaving breaths. "I'm his friend, you bitch."

Zero turned at my voice. But he wasn't Zero. His body faced her, his feet wide apart and clawed hands out, his bright red eyes on me. His teeth were bared and he had a look on his face that I had never seen before, a look with a hunger to kill. But it soon became blurry as tears came to my eyes. "No..." I whispered.

But I hadn't given up yet. "I made a promise that I would save him, that I would never turn my back on him. Unlike you, I actually intend to keep it. It's interesting, the one promise you chose to keep. But while you are over there ready to kill him-" I took the vial and opened it. The doctor had said there was more in here than was needed to cure a person, which was good, because there was only one way I could give this to him now. I didn't know how it would affect me, but I didn't care. This had to work. I'm so sorry Seto, but I have to do this. I'm not losing anyone else. If Zero dies, I will no longer be the person you love. If I don't make it you are strong enough to carry on, but I won't survive losing another. Just know I love you, Seto. I love you with all my heart.

I drank the whole vial, then threw it, smashing it to the ground. I shook my head and coughed. It tasted awful, but doing all those shots when I was young had helped me now. I looked back at her and finished, "-I'm over here determined to save his life." I quickly braided my hair to the side, then bit my finger, reopening the scab, and smeared the drop of blood on my neck. I held my arms out, wide open to his attack. "Come and get me."

He charged me as soon as he smelled the blood and quickly had me in his grasp. I closed my eyes and let him take me. My heart was still racing and I hadn't eaten anything yet today, so hopefully the cure was potent enough to work. It had to be. His teeth sank deep into me and he began to drink hastily. I gently put my arms around him, one on the back of his head to stroke his hair. He dropped to his knees to enjoy it more, and I sank with him. This is it, this is what it all comes down to...

But then, there were no teeth in my neck, even though his mouth hadn't moved.

He pulled back, coughing and spitting blood. "Zero," I fretted desperately, hopefully. He was now on his hands and knees. I rose up on mine and placed my hands on his shoulders. "Zero?" I asked again.

He caught his breath. "Jemmea," he cried. He sat up and I slid back. I noticed Yuuki as this happened. She was smiling. Then Zero took hold of me again, pressing his cheek to the top of my head. "Jemmea," he repeated. "You saved me," he whispered, then said strongly, "What the hell were you thinking?"

I pulled back and took his face in my hands. "Zero?" I asked. "Did it really work? Can you hear my heart beat?"

He shook his head. "No," he said in disbelief. Then he said again, "Mea, you saved me. You risked your life... for me..." His voice shook.

"I did," I replied. "You shouldn't be surprised—I told you I would. How do you feel?"

"I feel like I'm going to throw up," he remarked illy.

"Well, you did just drink a lot of my blood. I'm feeling woozy myself," I divulged. He placed his hands over mine, looking down at me.

"Will you stop being so self-destructive now?" he pleaded.

I smiled. "Yes. And Zero?"

"What?"

"If possible, let's not tell Seto exactly how this went down. We'll say I shot you with a dart or something, should he ask."

"Yeah, ok," he replied. "Why didn't you do that instead?"

"No time." I shrugged. "And I only thought of it just now." I smiled at him, and tears came to my eyes as I shook my head. "You feel warm," I remarked, my voice starting to break. "Is it really over?"

"I hope so," he answered.

I took a breath. "Let's get back to B3, they'll be able to take care of us," I said as I let go of him and pulled my phone out of my pocket, calling for the driver to come get us. We were both covered in blood, and now that people knew who I was in this town, I didn't think Seto would appreciate that image, not to mention neither of us were in any condition to be walking across town. I looked up while I was on the phone. Yuuki had vanished.

After I called the driver, I called Avery, asking him to meet us at B3 with clean clothes.

The limo was quick to show up. As we climbed in, Zero asked, "How the hell did you find me? And where are your shoes?"

Once we reached Kaiba Corp., we dashed in and went straight for the elevator, hoping we had remained somewhat invisible and not even paying attention to anyone else. On the ride down I just held onto Zero—the same way Mokuba used to hug me. I couldn't let go. I was too happy. Zero held his hand out, turning it over and looking at it as if he was seeing it in a new light. He brought it to his mouth and felt his teeth, his very normal, dull teeth. He was too bewildered to hug me back. I let go of him when the door opened, finding my shoes were still on the ground and put them on. I took his hand and held onto him, pulling him along. When we stepped into the lab, one of the researchers came running up to us, seeing the bloodshed. Aido was nowhere to be found.

We were quickly taken care of, receiving water and food, and were able to clean up. We were both examined, but they took longer with Zero. As they checked him out, I explained what had happened, about how he had already become a Level E. They became more interested in me as well when they found out that I had consumed the cure. But Zero was cured now, and I was finally able to move on to other concerns.

Soon Avery arrived with the clothes and I was quick to change into them. I had been waiting for this. When I came back out, I announced, "Now if you all would excuse me, there is someone I need to thank."

Next Chapter: Starstruck

"Ok, I'm sorry, this will be the only time I do this."