Chapter 14

Perse wasn't a dreamer by any means. Her nights were calm with no nonsense such as dreams to fill them. The closest things she had to dreams were moments where she accidentally Astral Project, though she got that under control now.

She just floated on the ocean water. Land was nowhere to be seen and the water was calm, clear, and kind. She didn't need to move, didn't need to think, to touch, to feel . It was pure Magic as she floated. Her body, mind, and spirit completely numb to the touch. She could have just stayed there forever.

The water enveloped her, pushing her within its depths without a care. She started treading water as soon as it hit her nose. The waters around her mocked her as she tried to keep her head above the water, kicking her legs as fast and as steadily as she could. It was to no avail as the water consumed her.

The icy temperatures stung her nose and eyes. Once again, her head reached the surface and she took in a deep breath, settling the air into her stomach before she was dunked back under the water. Something held her down as she struggled to reach the surface, barely getting another breath before plunging back in.

Why was there ice?

It wasn't there before.

Why…

Why was the water so red?

Why was the water so thick and red?

Why was the water so staining, thick and red?

Why was the water now blood?

Blood was life.

Blood was Magic.

She was Magic.

Perse was Magic.

The redness appeared around her as she hit the surface of the blood, a thin layer of frozen blood, almost invisible with the dark sky above, covered the surface but she couldn't break it. She banged her fists against the layer, wanting to get out and see the sky.

See the stars.

It did nothing as she curled up against it, trying to use her knees, and elbows, and hands, and head, and nails, to get out.

Perse tried to scream, finding her voice muffled by the blood around her. She tried to grasp the thousands of tiny air bubbles that reached the stained ice and phased through.

With the scream, her breath was gone. Tainted blood filled her mouth but she was quick to spit it out.

She paused, her energy depleted for the moment. She was dragged down, her limbs too heavy to move anymore.

As she went further and further away from the surface, the bloodied waters darkened dangerously. Her will to fight just made her be dragged down further but she couldn't move. She didn't want to. Why was she becoming tired? Her eyelids wanted to drop and there was a strong desire to just stop moving and let go .

Her breath was now gone.

Perse…

The tainted blood waters had their icy grip on her limbs and she just sank.

Perse…

There was no need to think as her mind became numb with the cold.

Perse…

She just wanted to stay in the red water forever, not leaving its stiff condiments on her limbs as her eyelids closed for the final time.

"Perse, wake up!"

She sprung up in the bed, her shoulder hitting Ichiru's as she gasped for air. Her lungs burned with it, finally getting the needed oxygen.

"Careful," He muttered as she clutched her heaving chest. "You were having a nightmare I think."

She touched her cheeks, finding her fingers wet. Why was she crying? She didn't feel like she was crying, but the tears were enough evidence. She was numb , detached even. Her emotions were bundled tightly into her chest.

Perse took a calming breath, trying to get oxygen back into her system as it seemed that Yuki's blood tried to take over.

In only a thong and a loose shirt, she bolted from the bed and straight to the bathroom, collapsing over the toilet bowl and hurling whatever that was in her system up and into it. Blood splattered the basin, dripping down as she coughed the rest of it out. It was not the simple red as it should have been, no, it was dark and tainted.

The colour was foul as she coughed every last drop of whatever Yuki's blood touched, leaving her even more tired than before.

How did a single drop of her blood cause so many problems?

After Perse was finished coughing and flushed the blood down the toilet, she washed her mouth out to make sure she got the rest of it.

Ichiru looked concerned but she waved it off.

"It's only noon," She said, slowly walking back to her room after grabbing the robe from the bathroom. "Go back to bed, Ichiru. I'll be fine."

"You just had a nightmare and you stopped breathing! How is that fine?"

Perse leaned a hand onto the wall as a sudden dizziness overcame her and she couldn't stand straight. Ichiru saw this, stabilizing her by the shoulders before guiding her back to the bed

"I'm getting Cera. she should know what to do."

"Don't!" Perse snapped. "She doesn't know. She can't help, nor can Bereket or Usher. They don't know about my Blood Magic."

"What are we supposed to do then?" Ichiru asked. "You had a nightmare and stopped breathing, and just now you vomited up blood. Blood of all things means internal damage!"

"It was Yuki's blood, Ichiru," Perse settled on the edge of her bed. "Yuki isn't fully Human and I wanted to test her blood. Her Magic was trying to take over mine. She's powerful, at least, her blood is."

"So you'll be fine now since you've coughed it up?"

She nodded. "Yes. I just need to regain whatever blood got tainted and needed to be discarded, which was actually a lot."

"How much?"

Silence.

"Perse, how much blood did you lose?"

"Liter and a half, maybe a little more in total."

"That's like thirty percent of your blood! You're saying Yuki's blood tainted that much and you had to expel it all out?"

Her stomach turned a little but settled quickly. "Yep. I'm going to be purging blood and Magic for a few hours to make sure I get all of it out of my system. I'd suggest keeping away from me."

"Why would I keep away when you're sick?" Ichiru asked. "You're ill and need help."

"I'm not ill," She said. "My Magic rejected Yuki's and caused damage."

"Can the damages be fixed?"

"Yeah,"

"Please, if you need me, have Tsar come get me," Ichiru suggested. "Will you be going to class?"

"No." She stopped at that.

)(LB)(LB)(LB)(

Kaname was ready and dressed for class, as was everyone else. The only one he didn't see was the royal Witch. He ventured down the stairs, scenting the sweet spice of electral blood that she had in the open area. He stopped at the bottom and saw Perse curled up on one of the couches.

"Perse, are you not attending class today?" He asked calmly, unsure of why she wasn't dressed yet.

"Can't attend."

He strode over until he stood next to the couch where she sat. He looked over her form, trying to see if she was injured or just being lazy today. "Why can't you?"

"Sick."

He stiffened, a slight air of concern coming over him without his permission but he acknowledged this. "Have you come down with something?"

"Nope, just purging my body and Magic," She curled up onto one cushion as Kaname sat down next to her. "Yuki's blood did damage to me and I need to heal it all."

"Are you staying here alone?"

"It's best I stay away from anyone with Magic until I'm healed,"

"Your body is trying to heal but it will try to take Magic from anyone near you while you heal, is that correct?"

"Yeah," She nodded stiffly. "I'll be fine by tomorrow night but it's best if I stay alone for a bit. I don't want to drain anyone of their Magic. If you focus on your Magic now, you'd feel it being pulled, Kaname."

He paused, focusing on what she said and it was true, something inside him wanted out but it wasn't his Magic. His Magic didn't want to part from him, instead wanting to wrap around her and just stay there instead of go with him.

Kaname didn't comment on it, instead he changed the topic.

"There will be an event hosted by the Aido family," He said. "The whole Night Class is invited, of course, and I was wondering if you and the Sallow triplets would attend too. A Vampire soree, but I can assure you that your safety and the safety of your cousins will be taken care of."

She laughed, suddenly turning to the right to cough as her throat was dry. When she stopped, she looked at her hand and sighed, wiping the blood off onto a tissue.

A glass of water appeared in front of her. She took it from Kaname, nodding her thanks and sipping it to stop the dryness in her throat.

"Thank you," She muttered. "I guess hurling up blood caused some damage to my throat. When's the week off?"

"This saturday," Kaname said, leaning back into the couch. "Hanabusa's father has arranged transport for everyone but I wanted to confirm if you would also attend."

She thought for a second before nodding. "We'll attend. The triplets hate society events but I doubt they'll let me go alone. What's the dress code?"

"formal will do,"

"Good. I have a couple dresses in mind then. Aren't you going to class?" She said, gesturing to the door. "I think the rest have left."

"Yes," He just realised he was going to be late. He didn't realise how much time had passed since he sat down to speak to her. "Will you be fine alone?"

"Yes," She said, gesturing to her chest where a small bundle of fox was under her shirt. "Tsar will get Ichiru if anything is amiss but I'll be fine."

"Good."

)(LB)(LB)(LB)(

Someone was at the Moon Dorms' front door. Perse got up, dressed in dark lounging trousers and a tank top with a cashmere sweater loosely over her shoulders, she answered the door to find a male Vampire there.

"Are you Persephone Greylight?" The newcomer asked.

"I am,"

"For the murder of Pureblood Shizuka Hio, and by the command of the Supreme instuation of Vampires, the Senior Council, you are sentenced to death,"

Perse tried to stay serious but she couldn't, a laugh escaped her. "Am I? Am I really?"

"We take pride in our duty to protect the Pureblood nobles of the Council of Ancients, but you managed to escape our eyes and get your hands on Shizuka Hio," He said. "As far as we are concerned, Pureblooded Vampires are a sacred existence. Anyone who inflicts as much as a small cut on any one of them should expect to be executed."

He tried to jump forward, his muscles twitching as his eyes glowed red. He kept twitching but he couldn't move, frozen in place as Perse's eyes glowed silver.

"Watch who you're talking to," Perse placed her hand on his cheek, absorbing some of his Magic to replenish hers as she spoke. "By Global Arcane Laws, I am exempt from all sentences that another organisation sets forwards."

"Any organisation but ours," He snapped, dropping to his knees as Perse stepped forward and took more of his Magic. His skin started to ash, flaking in areas.

"Even your organisation has no power over me." Perse stepped back as he finally turned to ash, disappearing completely as she took all of his Magic and thus killed him.

She sensed that there were far more Vampires than normal, and quite a few close to the dorms. After a few broke the treeline and were coming towards her again, she knew they were going to try and kill her.

Electricity gathered on her skin and the air, trying to get as much Magic as needed to generate lightning without a storm. She got electric shots from her clothes but she knew it was working.

The lightning struck where she stood, covering her like a warm and tight hug as she was transported by electricity to just outside the main building.

Perse dropped to her knees where she landed, breathing hard and heavy as her Magic was now drained. Teleporting by lightning was something she was good at but she could do it if needed, something her grandparents had shown her in case she needed it. It was another smaller family gift but it left her Magically drained.

Her lightning scar burned, bright white with pain as she had to lean forward to cluck her shoulder.

The opposing Vampires were quick to find her but the most she could do was keep them at a distance. She didn't know how long the barrier would last but she had already sent Tsar to get Ichiru.

Luckily, she wasn't far from one of the windows of the Night Class lesson rooms.

The barrier she had up only lasted a couple seconds but that was enough.

"The Council has consented for us to attend this school," Kaname said as the members of the Night Class surrounded him as he stood next to Perse. Ichiru kneeled down to her, helping her stand as he held a hand to her hip to steady her.

"Magic's been depleted," She muttered lowly. "It'll take even longer to replenish now."

Kaname took notice and nodded for Senri to stop his gift over the other Vampires.

"Lord Kuran!" All of the new Vampires dropped to their knees.

One of them spoke up. "If a Pureblood noble such as yourself stands in our way, we would be unable to fulfill our duties. We would like for you to leave with your honourable school friends."

"Are you saying that Princess Persephone Greylight is not worthy of the title of honourable school friend?" Kaname said, uncaring as the other Vampire seemed to become worried.

"Princess? She's just a Witch," He said. "We have orders to exterminate the vermin that killed Shizuka Hio. She should— Argh!"

The henchmen's shoulder jolted with a bang, exploding to ash as Kaname clenched his hand shut.

Perse felt chills go down her back. The power he portrayed was dangerous and plentiful, he had enough to completely kill the Vampire with a tiny movement like a flick of his finger.

"Who gave you the orders to kill me?" Perse spoke up. "I have a right to know who ordered my death."

"The Vampire Council ordered it by majority vote,"

"Cera," Perse turned her head back to look at her. "Call the other Crowns."

"Miss Sallow," Kaname looked at Cera and shook his head. "Perse, there isn't a need. We will sort this out ourselves."

Cera looked between them but slinked back when Perse shook her head. She didn't call.

"Tell the Council that their order has been overridden by Global Arcane Law," Kaname said coldly. "Disappear. Everyone else, back to class."

He turned his back to them as he turned to Perse who was still clinging to Ichiru's side to stay standing. The other Vampires disappeared rather quickly, taking his order as a command that couldn't be disobeyed. His classmates went back inside, the three Witches hesitated but one look from him sent them walking.

"Are you alright?" He asked Perse. "I felt the upspike of Magic."

"I'm good, just drained," She said. "Need food and plenty of sleep is all."

"What did you do to drain your Magic?"

"Used it to make lightning to teleport." She tried to shrug but couldn't. "One of them tried to attack me and so I drained him of Magic and killed him before the rest could get to me."

Kaname didn't look happy but there was a small side of pride to the fact that she could protect herself. "Let's get you settled back into your dorm. I rather you be at your full strength before a group of strange Vampires. There will be Hunters there but I don't trust them to keep you safe… Or your cousins, safe." He added.

She nodded as they began their slow walk back to the dorms. She was able to walk by herself now but she was slow. Ichiru and Kaname stood on either side of her as they walked at a leisurely pace.