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A HARSH AND VICIOUS STRIKE

" You heard me , you two ," Riho said , " Megumi may need your help . "

Shido and Yayoi knew what Riho spoke of . According to the child-like vampire calling herself Pandora ,

Cain was targeting Megumi Otsuka , or more precisely , her baby . A baby born of a nightbreed .

" She 's right , " Yayoi said .

" Go to her home . I ' ll join you as soon as I can . Just . . . be careful , both of you . "

" You too , " Shido replied . Then he said , " Come on , Yayoi . " Guni ,who had been floating around the

whole time , flew up to the vampire girl and said , " If you want , I can keep an eye on them . They may

need me . " Riho 's reply was , "Go ahead, and you be careful too , Guni . "

No sooner had they left than Riho turned her attention to Pandora . The child-like bloodsucker then

said , " You know , it seems a shame that we should fight each other , my dear . "

Riho ' s only reply was , " I can't allow you to go on with this . The fact that you 're going along with

Cain 's scheme just because it amuses you is something I just can 't abide . "

Pandora only smiled .

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As Shido was driving , he said to Yayoi , " I only hope we get to Megumi 's on time . "

When Yayoi didn 't answer him , he then asked , " Is something the matter ?

" Not really , " Yayoi replied , " I was just thinking about what can we do if we do face Cain .

Remember , he 's immune to even silver jacketed bullets . "

" Yeah , " Shido said , " that 's a real problem all right . " He then found himself pondering about Riho .

He did not exactly like the idea of leaving her with the vampire child .

" I know what you 're thinking , pal , " Guni said ,sitting between Yayoi and Shido . " I mean , it doesn 't

take a genius to know you 're worried about Riho . If she can manage it , she 'll be joining us . "

" Guni may have a point , " Yayoi answered . " We ' ve kept tabs on Megumi in case something like

this had happened , so she knows where we 're going . Don 't forget , just because she looks like a

sixteen year old girl doesn 't mean that she is one . After all , she 's survived for over a hundred years

or so . "

" Yeah , there is that . Just the same , I hope Riho 's okay . and I hope Megumi and her baby are okay

too . If that creep Cain ever got to them . . . "

Yayoi realized that Shido still had a grudge towards Cain , but was rather unsure how to deal with this

thing .

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Megumi held her baby in her arms . It was then that she noticed something out of the ordinary outside

her home . As the minutes ticked by , she began to feel uneasy .

" Hello . "

Megumi whirled and was startled to see Cain .

" I have come for your child , " he said .

Megumi could not believe her ears .

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The two female vampires stared at each other silently for several minutes , blood swords drawn . All

of a sudden , Pandora rushed at Riho , who parried the smaller one 's thrust .

" Not bad , my dear ," Pandora said with an omnious smile , " not bad at all . "

The two of them thrust and parried and neither one gained nor gave any ground . Soon Riho was facing

Pandora in a ready stance .

" I must say , you are quite an opponent , my dear , " Pandora said , to which Riho replied , " Am I

supposed to be flattered ? To think , when we were in that well together , I wanted to save you from

that nightbreed . If I had known then that you were a vampire . . . "

" What would you have done ? Would you have acted differently ? "

A rather grim silence sat upon those two .

" The truth is . . . I don 't know . I do know this : whatever Cain is planning , I won 't allow him to

succeed . And I can 't let you stop me . "

With that , Riho dashed off . Pandora then began to pursue her .

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Once Shido and Yayoi had arrived , they wasted no time in entering Megumi 's home . They then saw

Cain looming slowly towards Megumi and her baby .

" Hold it right there ! "

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Riho began to notice Pandora pursuing her . It was then that she made a spear from her blood and

hurled it at Pandora , pinning her by her black dress to a nearby wall .

" We may face each other some other time , " Riho said , " but right now , Shido and Yayoi need me ! "

As Riho sped off , Pandora watched her with interest etched in her face .

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" Well , " Cain said as he turned to Shido and Yayoi , " do the two of you intend to stop me ? "

He then smiled before lunging at them . Guni was flying around but before she could unleash a bolt

at Cain , he swatted her away . Suddenly he sped towards Megumi and snatched her baby from her

arms . Then just before Cain could slash Megumi with his free hand 's nails which he had extended ,

Shido got her out of the way .

" Are you okay ? " Shido asked , to which Megumi replied , " I am , but . . . but , my baby ! "

" The child should be the least of your concerns , " Cain said as he retracted the nails back into his

fingers . Then he produced a spear from his blood which he then threw towards Shido and Megumi .

To the shock of both Shido and Megumi and the irritation of Cain , Yayoi had hurled herself between

her partner and the twisted vampire , resulting in the spear hitting her just below her right shoulder .

" Yayoi ! " Shido screamed as he rushed towards Yayoi who fell down , barely conscious . Cain had

taken his leave with Megumi ' s baby in his arms . Megumi herself began to sob at this turn of events .

" W . . . what . . . what happened ? " Guni asked after recovering . She then was stunned by the scene

which lay before her .

A minute or so later , Riho had just entered Megumi but she was not prepared for what lay before her .

" Shido ! Yayoi ! " She called out . " Where are . . . " She stopped short when she saw a kneeling Shido

who looked rather grim .

" Shido , are you all right ? "

" I am , " Shido replied solemnly , " but I can't say the same for Yayoi , I 'm afraid . "

Riho , needless to say , was stunned . She realized Cain was responsible for what happened to Yayoi

and he suceeded in taking Megumi 's baby as well .Clearly Yayoi needed medical attention but it was

anyone 's guess if she would survive .