(A/n: Believe it or not this fic is actually coming to an end soon, and when it does I plan on adding some 'What if?" chapters. It's huge a probably...Please enjoy)


Chapter 44: The True Villain

"We must talk."

A short pause followed.

"Meet me in my room."

After the brief telepathic exchange, two men soon wound up standing directly in front of each other inside of Vincent's unilluminated room. There weren't any windows around for the moon to shine it's light through, however there was a lamp sat on a small round table right next to his elegantly adorned bed. A square shaped ceiling light was in the very center of the room. A single Japanese painting was planted on the wall above his bed, the lack of light making it a bit difficult to see what it really showed. Two small fluffy white pillows were on corresponding sides of a white chabudai in the middle of the floor.

"I'm very aware that I've come at a bad time," the hooded male spoke, his glowing red eyes dimming into the darkness of his hood. "But there's something I wanna ask you."

Vincent crossed his arms impatiently. "Hmph, fine and make it quick, it's cutting into my much needed hours of sleep right now."

The dark man chuckled at his grouchy tone. "Yes yes I'll do just that," he paused for a moment. "May I accompany you on your second trip back to the academy?"

First Rosa and now this guy...Vincent suddenly acquired an idea, but masked it by raising a quizzical eyebrow. "Why?"

"I know your real purpose for returning there, and I would like to join in on the action. I especially wanna surprise my new underling with my unforeseen appearance in the real world." He nearly laughed at the thought of seeing the easily spooked boy awestruck upon being face to face not in the snowy landscape they usually met in.

Vincent lowered his brow, looking indifferent about the man revealing his honest intentions. He already knew of this newly obtained lackey of his. "I suppose so, but on one condition."

"Oh?" The enigmatic figure titled his head to the side slightly, curious.

Vincent's eyelids slid open halfway, their reddish-purple color seemingly lambent in the dark as he smirked minaciously. "Help Rosa carry out her revenge on her pitiful brother, Craig Tucker." He couldn't see it, but could definitely sense a similar grin emerging on the man's lips.

"Will do."


"Well Chris, looks like today might be the very last day for you."

Pouring rain and a deep vibration of thunder overlaps the silence that comes next.

Micheal shakes his head with a sigh and crosses his arms, frowning at another failed attempt to scare the vampire hunter. He paid this guy a visit yesterday evening, provoked him about this very day however he didn't receive the expected snappy remark from the man like before. After being left alone with Vincent, not one word has come out of the hunter's mouth since then. Perhaps Vincent did more than just use hypnotism on him, and it actually makes Micheal wonder what he did or said to Chris that left him lifeless like a doll.

Pushing the vampire hunter matter aside now that Vincent has been brought up, Micheal recalls the platinum haired vampire calling earlier to briefly tell him that he is going to be here sometime in the late afternoon. Micheal deemed that an acceptable time, even though it wasn't very precise.

The noirette walks out of the rancid smelling chamber, closing the door behind him. Just as there's only a beam of light left in the room, miniature cracks silently start creeping around Chris' face and hands, continuing even when it goes completely dark. In the center of the door, the silver cross pushes forth from the brownish-red wood like it's going through thick liquid, securely locking the door once it's entirely in place.

As he makes his way back to his office, Micheal becomes inquisitive about what Vincent has planned for this afternoon. When Vincent called the next day after his visit, he said he was going to come by again with a final decision in three days. Micheal wanted to know what he had in mind, but was teased that it was left up to his imagination. He should've anticipated as much.

Entering his office, Micheal seals off the secret passageway then heads towards his desk. He stops in front of it, staring across at the big window that's being bombarded with rain. He manages to see a bright flicker of light in the dark grey clouds, then comes a resonant rumble afterwards. Micheal feels the corner of his lips curling upwards slightly, finding it fitting yet also peculiar that it still persists to storm outside. He mostly prefers when it just rains, it's far more soothing that way to enjoy them falling without any disturbances. But at least the halls are quiet, both students, teachers, and other staff members are preoccupied within the rooms/classrooms. Micheal doubts the hallways are completely barren though, some sneaky students like to skip class - which he's sure they're doing right now and the few teachers that don't have a period to teach at this time would always spot and either give them a warning, detention or send them straight to the Principal, depending on their record.

After watching the millions of raindrops beating against the glass for another minute longer, Micheal rounds his desk to sit down in his chair. The instant he glimpses at the papers on the surface of his desk, he frowns, not at how messily scattered they are but at one sheet in particular that's sticking out underneath the others on a clipboard. He pushes the unimportant documents out of the way to grab the clipboard, holding it up to his face and gazing straight into a pair of overwrought blue-green eyes. He shakes his head woefully.

"Poor kid."

He had a strange gut feeling that at least one of the humans were going to be turned into a vampire, it's one of the main reasons why none have been to this school from the start.

"Vincent's never once thought about having humans here before," Micheal mulls, setting the clipboard back down on his desk with a concentrated face. "If he wanted to see how the vampires and humans would fair against each other, then he would've thought of this the day he made this building into a school. So why now all of a sudden?"

If Tweek hadn't have been turned, him and his five friends would've been able to return home with their memories of this place manipulated or thoroughly erased. But neither option can be done, because if they went back to their little town - sans Tweek - that would surely rouse the citizens' suspicions, and concerns from Tweek's parents. And that must not happen. Their existence should not be known to any more human beings.

"Once we take care of the hunter, I'll bring this up to him."

Two knocks at the door pulls Micheal out of his thoughts. He quickly grabs a random paper and sticks it over Tweek's document before telling the person to come in.

The door opens revealing Henrietta, followed by another person behind her, which turns out to be Luther once he steps into view. He closes the door and they both approach the Principal's desk.

"What brings you two here?" Micheal wonders calmly.

They stop, Henrietta boring a neutral yet serious expression on her face. "We need a plan."

Thunder sounds overhead, neither adult flinches. Micheal blinks, somewhat shocked by her terse declaration. "For the vampire hunter?"

The female noirette folds her arms underneath her breasts. "No for Mr. Valentine." Micheal's face morphs into a puzzled frown. "Me and Luther heard from Kurai that he's up to something."

Disbelief overtakes Micheal's features. "And you guys believe him?"

Henrietta tightens her lips into a line, looking a bit conflicted. "Not entirely. I can't imagine Mr. Valentine plotting behind our backs, but Kurai's premonitions have hardly ever been wrong before."

"And I think it's no coincidence that a thunderstorm appeared after he left," Luther chips in, engrossed at the rain hammering against the only window in the office. "It wasn't even this bad before the vampire hunter attacked, in fact the rain stopped completely when he showed up."

Only the hefty rainfall with occasional flashes of lightning and thunderclaps take over the void of silence. Henrietta and Luther await their Principal's response, observing said man's facial expression attentively. They wait patiently for another two minutes, then with a sigh Micheal turns away from them and faces the window. Crossing a leg over the other, he finally replies. "I think you two..are thinking way too much into this."

Henrietta and Luther try to distinguish the current emotion/s going through Micheal since they can no longer see his face, however doing so becomes challenging since the man isn't deliberately making it known for them. Henrietta glares at the back of his chair. "Or you could be blind to the fact that Kurai might be right." She loses the look with a small sigh when Micheal doesn't say anything. "Look, I know you and Mr. Valentine have been friends for a long time, but you told us after the conference meeting regarding the vampire hunter that you think he's working for someone-"

"Wait," Micheal spins back around to look solely at Henrietta, his mint-green eyes narrowing into a skeptical scowl. "Are you saying that Mr. Valentine is Chris' boss? Him of all people?"

Pressing her lips together, the vampiress gives him a hesitant nod. "I know it sounds very hard to believe considering he's just as childish as you are, but you said so yourself that he's full of mysteries so think about it. He-"

Micheal shakes his head, rejecting the idea. "There's nothing to think about, except for a plan for the actual bad guy which is the vampire hunter. Why would Mr. Valentine be involved with him?"

"Micheal just listen-"

"It was merely a hunch anyway Henrietta, we didn't have any solid evidence that made it seem like Chris was actually working under someone or not at the time. For all we know he could've really been doing things solo, and has been doing a damn good job of it." He returns his attention back to the window. "But since the three of you seem certain that Mr. Valentine is up to no good, then you guys can cook up a plan for him by yourselves. I will warn him about this."

Feeling heat in the form of anger rising within her, Henrietta opens her mouth to argue but a sudden presence of a hand touching her shoulder causes her to hold off on her retort and meet Luther's green apple colored eyes, his lips curled downward in a frown. "Let's go, there's nothing else we can say that will change his mind."

Henrietta looks away, gritting her teeth and narrowing her eyes. "Tch, you're right. We're just gonna be wasting our breath at this point."

Unfolding her arms and clenching her hands into fists at her sides, she and Luther make their way out of the office. Henrietta flings the door back, being mindful not to use too much strength as not to rip it off it's hinges, then stomps out into the hallway. Luther stops suddenly, still standing in the room with one hand on the doorknob.

"..There's still time Principal Brimestone, to think about who's really the villain in all of this."

Once he hears the door close behind him, Micheal shuts his eyes with a sigh and keeps them closed for some moments longer. He's no fool, it really pains him to admit it but...he knows that Vincent is indeed scheming something. And it doubtlessly involves the vampire hunter. Vincent's hypnotism ability has done more harm than good in the past, he thought Micheal was unaware of his actions though in reality Micheal did know and was simply feigning ignorance. However that one power alone isn't what makes Vincent so strong, and that's why the mere thought of him becoming an enemy daunts Micheal. He opens his eyes, staring through the small gaps of his eyelids at the window. Lightning flashes in the sky again, then a weak strike of thunder comes after.

"First you randomly bring humans here, and now you're somehow acquaintances with a vampire hunter. I've let all your other bullshit slide in the past, but not this one. You created this school with intentions of helping younger vampires learn about the world and their history, and also provide those who no longer had a home a place to stay. So I don't get why you sent a hunter around killing our kind for, nor how you even knew one existed." A small sad smile spreads across Micheal's lips. "Makes me wonder if we've actually been friends for twenty years, you definitely are filled with mysteries." His lips going into a hurtful line, he glances down at the left arm he's slightly raising, and rolls his sleeve back to reveal a black wristwatch. Sometimes he forgets he's wearing it. He frowns uncertainly at the current time, rolls his sleeve back down, then gets up from his chair. There's still quite a while until Vincent shows up.

"There's still time Principal Brimestone, to think about who's really the villain in all of this."

Micheal closes his eyes again, his lips curling into a faint grin. He feels kind of bad for playing dumb in this situation, he's certainly going to have to prepare himself for Henrietta's wrath after this ordeal is done and over with. But since it's concerning Vincent, he feels that he should be the one to handle him on his own. Thus the reason he kept some information to himself. His smile undeterred, Micheal opens his eyes again.

He's ready to confront Vincent and get some answers, hoping it doesn't escalate into violence. If it somehow comes down to that, he may not be able to win in that aspect against him...


For some inexplicable reason, lunch seems extremely tense. Perhaps it's due to the storm that eating and conversing within the cafeteria feels so awkward, every sound of thunder always cut into peoples' conversations, making it impossible to start it back up again since it's happened more than once. Today's colors even match the dreary atmosphere and has stayed this way throughout the day, they are dark blue, black, and grey.

Stan feels uncomfortable altogether as he bores into his food, which is a plain salad he hasn't even consumed yet, the lid still over it being proof enough. Thanks to Kenny, he's finally started going back to his classes. He made sure to apologize to both Gary and Vice for how he had behaved the last couple of days, Gary accepting without any hesitation like Stan figured he would while Vice seemed a little unsure. But before they left for their first period class, Vice accepted his apology in the end, warning him that if he ever moped like that again without providing a reason then he wouldn't ever be worried about him again. But Tweek was his top priority, Stan must apologize to him. He only managed to get at least half an hour of sleep last night because of the constant reminder nagging at him in his head, making sure he absolutely didn't forget. And also some other thoughts parading around. Even though he felt a heavy weight wallowing in his stomach, Stan thought it was best to talk to Tweek in first period, fortunate that they share an early class together.

However the moment he stepped foot into the classroom, Mr. DeLorne called him out to talk in the hallway, ruining his chance. He wasn't scolded too harshly since he wasn't a bad student, despite his poor excuse for being absent for so long, and was also informed about the quiz he already knew about. Stan vowed to never miss a day in this man's class ever again unless he's truly feeling unwell. Throughout the process of jotting down as much notes as he could from the textbook before the bell rang, Kenny asked where he was during breakfast time via telepathy. With guilty realization, Stan apologized that he had forgotten. Kenny wasn't at all upset and forgave him, then notified him of Tweek's absence however not the reason behind it. Stan was dumbstruck, he didn't even notice that Tweek wasn't here when he came in. Knowing this made him feel empty all of a sudden.

When it's time to head to their next period, Stan, Gary, Kenny, and Pip walked to their class together. There was an obvious gloomy aura surrounding Stan, Pip tried to cheer him up by expressing his relief for his return, however he put minimal feeling into it. Such an attempt did nothing to alleviate the noirette's mood.

"Stan." Steadily snapping out of his musing with a blink, Stan looks up from his food and over towards his left, meeting a pair of concerned hazel eyes. "You gonna eat?"

Stan looks back at his lunch, unable to muster up an appetite. He shakes his head. "I'm not hungry." Instead he reaches for his bottle of water, and takes baby sips from it. He's not thirsty either.

Kenny's frown deepens. "You're getting like Tweek now you know?" He watches Stan scrunch up his face, fastening the bottle cap over his drink then setting it back down on the table next to his salad. But he doesn't say anything. Kenny heaves a sigh. Already done with his lunch, which was only a bowl of strangely red colored noodles, he props an elbow on top of the table still facing Stan and puts his cheek against his palm. "What's wrong this time?"

Fidgeting slightly under the blonde's scrutinizing gaze, Stan lightly nips his bottom lip and clenches his fists on his lap. "I-"

A loud and abrupt screech not only interrupts and startles him, but also puts a stop to some peoples' chitchat and the cafeteria becomes semi-quiet. Soon after a voice speaks through an announcement speaker placed right above one of the double sets of doors in the cafeteria.

"Good afternoon everyone and sorry to disrupt your lunch break, well it's the last one for today and it's about to end anyway in about five more minutes. I have news to tell you all so listen carefully." The teachers shush the remaining students still talking, just in time too because Micheal resumes his announcement. "Today the vampire hunter will receive his punishment from Mr. Valentine, who will be arriving here shortly. Fourth block has been cancelled so everyone, teachers and staff included, are to stay in their rooms until further notice." The intercom clicks off, and only the downpour and the infrequent soft rumbles are heard.

Voices hesitantly start to fill the silence in the cafeteria, now discussing about the possible punishment that will befall the vampire hunter.

"Why don't they just cut his head off?" States a teen with plum colored hair and midnight blue eyes. "It's that simple."

A brown haired boy with peach colored eyes sitting beside him shrugs. "Maybe they wanna make him suffer again before killing him."

"Stan."

"Where's the hunter being kept anyway?" A different boy with golden-brown hair questions, sounding curious. After a short pondering, he blinks then widens his blue eyes in realization. Glancing at both his left and right, he leans forward a bit, holding eye contact with the two boys sitting across from him as he hovers his hands over both sides of his mouth. He asks, "What if he's been in Mr. Akuma's storage house all this time?" in a low voice.

"Stan?"

The two boys blink also, shocked as they think over the possibility. But before either one of them can say anything, a new voice interjects. "Did I just hear somethin' about Mr. Demon's not-so-very secret playhouse?"

The three boys gawk at the newcomer, who is standing behind the sandy blonde haired student. "When the hell did you get here Clyde?!" Clamping his hands over his mouth, the blue eyed teen glances around for the brunette's scary boyfriend.

Clyde laughs at his panicked expression. "Relaaax, I'm by myself. This is my free period."

The boy with dark purple hair rolls his eyes playfully. "Every period is a free period to you."

"Except gym," Clyde grins.

"Stan!"

Once again being brought back to his senses by the sharp call of his name from Kenny, Stan flinches and tunes out of the conversation he'd unconsciously eavesdropped on, but keeps his gaze on his lap. Kenny sighs once again, facing away from Stan shaking his head. He hopes Clyde doesn't spot him, he's still annoyed at him from yesterday. "You shouldn't have forced yourself if you weren't really ready to start back going to your classes. Your health comes first over anything else dude." Then he blames himself for bringing up the test to the noirette, his lips tightening into a hard frown.

Stan clenches his jaw. Kenny is right. Perhaps after two or three more days Stan would've been willing to reattend his classes. That is, if Kenny hadn't of pointed out how cruel and selfish he treated Tweek ever since he became a vampire. No, before he became a vampire. Last night was the very first night he almost couldn't sleep in, unlike the few nights previously when he and his friends first came here where he managed to get some shut-eye knowing he wasn't in the room alone. He genuinely wonders how he's been able to sleep so peacefully at night prior to yesterday, knowing deep down his escape plan was unfair. "I need to apologize to Tweek."

The bell ending lunch and commencing fourth period rings, everyone starts rising from their seats with their empty dishes and bottles in hand to throw them into one of the rows of trash cans. There are five. A conversation sparks from recalling a teen with wild blonde locks suddenly dumping his plate full of food into the trash.

Kenny grabs his bowl. "Since there's no fourth block, you can do it now." He stands up.

Stan visibly tenses, although he's rather relieved. He gets up only grabbing his bottle of water, then he and Kenny exit the cafeteria side by side, the blonde dumping his bowl into the trash can they amble by. The intercom cuts on again to remind the whole school about what Micheal said in his earlier announcement, then shuts off.

"Is Tweek sick?" Stan asks.

Kenny shakes his head. "No," he then furrows his eyebrows. "But I can't describe it."

Stan's lips form into a questionable frown, but he says no more. Knowing that Tweek isn't ill is good enough.

An uncomfortable silence settles around them even though the halls are bustling with chatter. Kenny starts leading the way to his shared room. Almost instantly, thoughts as to how Tweek will react upon seeing Stan makes him feel increasingly nervous. What if he immediately shoos him away? It would sting, but also be an understandable reaction. He has every right to be angry at Stan though Gary, Gregory, Pip, and Ike are just as in the wrong since neither of them told Tweek about the plan either. But Stan now realizes what a stupid mistake formulating that plan was, and wants to make amends for it. But what if Tweek refuses to hear it? He'd already shunned himself away from the people he once thought were his friends so getting an apology now would probably mean jack shit to him.

"Dude," both his mind and body stop when a hand gently clasps his shoulder. Blinking his unfocused sapphire eyes, Stan looks up meeting a pair of hazel ones a bit too close to his face for a second time. "Relax alright? You're too tense." The hand retracts.

Stan blinks again, he was so immersed within his thoughts that he didn't notice they were standing in front of a door. He shakes his head to clear away the lingering discouraging thoughts.

Releasing a soft breath, Kenny opens the door, flicking on the light switch before stepping inside the room. However he halts mid-step.

Stan raises an eyebrow. "What-"

Kenny quickly turns his head to the side silently shushing him with a finger over his lips. Stan's confusion grows. Looking back into the room to hide his surfacing frown, Kenny walks forward, waiting for Stan to do the same before quietly closing the door.

Stan pauses and immediately sees the reason why Kenny shushed him, his eyes widening at the unexpected scene. Laying in the isolated bed and curled snugly up under the sheets are Tweek and Kyle, both sound asleep with Tweek's head pressed against Kyle's chest, the redhead holding him a light embrace. Stan did have his suspicions when he didn't see Kyle at gym today, to think he was here cuddling with Tweek this whole time. Who would've thought?

While he continues to gape at them, Kenny saunters over towards his bed and sits down near the edge facing Kyle and Tweek, catching Stan's attention with a "Psst." Jolting out of his stunned state, Stan takes his eyes off of the pair to join and sit next to Kenny, placing his water bottle down on the floor in between their feet. They both stare at the sleeping duo. Stan is glad that it's raining out otherwise it would be unbearably silent in here.

"They chose the worst time to take a nap," Kenny says directly in Stan's head, the noirette unsure how to depict his tone. Looking over at the blonde's posture helps puts his uncertainty at ease, his arms are crossed and he's glaring at his roommates with a jaundiced eye. Is Kenny...jealous?

Stan becomes curious. "Are..they dating?"

Kenny deepens his pout and clenches his arms at the question. "Yeah, they are. But don't tell anyone."

Now Stan is baffled, though he manages to nod his head confirming he won't tell anybody about this unexpected discovery. How and why the hell did Tweek fall for the very person that not only caused him to get bitten by a vampire, but to become one also? Tweek hated his guts after that- despite knowing who the real culprit that turned him was, so Stan can't even begin to fathom how his feelings changed from that to love. He now understands Kenny's jealousy, his best friend just suddenly started dating someone they only met for like a few weeks and might start devoting most his time with Tweek.

Pity replaces shock. "So what now?" Stan asks, looking at the carpeted floor.

Kenny shrugs. "Guess we just wait for them to wake up." Stan grimaces, he came here to apologize to Tweek, not watch him sleep with his boyfriend like some creep. Though Kenny's presence is oddly comforting in this unforeseen situation.

All of a sudden the intercom turns back on once again just as thunder rolls in, the simultaneous sounds stirring the couple from their peaceful sleep.

"Or not."

*A Few Minutes Ago*

Micheal stood waiting for Vincent down at the ground floor, all by himself. He's bored and felt awkward being alone, usually Henrietta would be here keeping him company, but after what happened this morning he knew she wouldn't want to see him again for quite some time. Plus the last set was still in the process of leaving the lunchroom, aware of some of the students' eyes on his figure as they walked, their conversations moderately loud yet difficult to discern thanks to the numerous voices speaking all at once. A few were talking about him though, negatively or not he wasn't so sure but couldn't care less.

Shaking his head with a sigh, Micheal stuffs his hands into his pants pockets. It's around two or three minutes later when faint movement from one of the front doors caught his attention, the area around him semi-quiet from the rain and lingering yet distancing voices. Soon both doors slowly began to push forward, Micheal assuming Vincent brought the siblings again, much to his bewilderment. However once the doors were opened thoroughly, he instead saw two people walking inside alongside Vincent, the long haired man holding a white wagasa (Oil-paper umbrella) decorated with pink flower vines big enough to protect the trio from the storm outside. Micheal couldn't understand how Vincent wore such flashy clothes amid this depressing weather, he'd probably even wear that to someones funeral. The wind outside pulled the doors to a leisure close.

"Oh, did you and Henrietta have a lovers spat?" Were Vincent's greeting words, an insouciant grin on his pale beautiful face as he lowered and closed the drenched parasol. It disappeared in the shape of black smoke.

Micheal strained a smile. "Nope, she had to escort the rowdy teenagers to their rooms just now since lunch ended."

"To their rooms? Don't they have one more class?" Vincent asked.

"I told them you were coming over to give the vampire hunter his punishment, didn't want there being any distractions."

Vincent hummed, though Micheal didn't know what to make of that. He then looked warily at the man wearing nothing but dark clothing, his hood practically resembling an endless cave. "I don't mean to be rude, but who's that guy and why'd you only bring Rosa?"

"Hey to you too uncle," Rosa deadpanned. Micheal gave her sheepish chuckle.

"Because she wanted to come. Yuna and Edward weren't so interested in seeing the vampire hunter's demise like she was," Vincent answered, Micheal believing his lie without a seconds thought since he knew Rosa was more tough-minded than her younger brother and sister. Vincent glanced over at his left. "Introduce yourself will you?"

The male two inches taller than Vincent bowed at Micheal. "My name is Ingrum, it's a pleasure to meet you." He straightened back up.

Micheal's uneasiness didn't subside not one bit, just who was he to Vincent? Although he wanted to know, he forced away the expression on his face into a vague friendly smile. "Nice to meet you too, but can you remove the hood? The fact that I can't see even your eyes under it is freakin' me out."

"Oh don't worry about that," Vincent waved his request off. He advanced toward the left side staircase, Rosa and Ingrum following. "Come, before we deal with the hunter there's something I want you to do first Micheal." They walked past the noirette, who looked at Vincent's back in confusion before trailing behind.

"What will that be exactly?" Micheal asked curiously.

"When we get to your office, I'll tell you," Vincent replied, not sparing him a glance.

No more words were spoken during the rest of the walk, only the sounds of their footsteps and faint mumbling inside of the rooms they passed by occupied the silence. They reached the Principal's office, Micheal unlocking and opening the door, allowing his guests to go in first. He closed the door behind him, then joined the three standing near his desk.

Vincent pointed at the intercom microphone sitting by the corner on the noirette's desk. "Make an announcement for everyone to be present in the auditorium."

Micheal frowned. "But I told them all to wait in their rooms."

"I know, change it," Vincent ordered, folding his arms over his chest.

Greatly perplexed though he had nothing else to say to oppose him, Micheal inched closer to the microphone and pressed a button on it to turn it on. He leaned down a bit.

"Attention, there's been a change of plans. Instead everyone must come down to the auditorium, per Mr. Valentine's orders."

Pushing the other button to switch off the device, Micheal turns to give Vincent a skeptical glare. "What are you planning by having the entire school be in the auditorium?" The halls slowly begin to fill with students, teachers, and other staff, all confusedly wondering why Mr. Valentine summoned them to a new location out of the blue.

Chuckling, Vincent develops an eerie smile on his face, one Micheal knows a little bit too well. "Something I think the hunter will very well much deserve." His arms still crossed, he approaches the bookshelf. "I hope you don't mind if Ingrum retrieves and brings the hunter down to the auditorium." He squats down to pull the red book back, moving away once the shelf starts creaking open. Ingrum and Rosa walk over to the opening bookshelf.

"Umm I do actually," Micheal says, his eyes narrowing some more. "And where do you think you're going Rosa?"

"I wanna see what the hunter looks like," the redhead says, not looking the least bit eager at her statement.

"You can see him when we get to the auditorium," Micheal argues. "There's no need for you to-Hey wait!"

Vincent grabs Micheal's hand, and ushers him towards the door. "We'll see you two there." He opens it and they hurry out.

"Make sure to close it back when you guys leave," Micheal calls back over his shoulder before the door shuts.

Rosa and Ingrum descend the steps. Micheal berates Vincent who continues to drag him to their destination, brushing off his friend's annoyance with a laugh and a fake innocent smile.

"So how are we gonna get Craig?" Rosa asks, eager to start torturing her brother.

"We'll get to that once I confirm Chris' state to Lord Vincent," Ingrum answers, an unseen smile on his face.

The two are the first to reach their objective, standing before the door with a silver cross in it's middle. Ingrum tries the doorknob, but it doesn't even budge as it starts burning his gloved palm.

Rosa winces in his stead. "He could've told us it was locked," she shakes her head. "Since the doorknob hurt you I guess we can't teleport in huh?"

Ingrum shakes his head, his palm beginning to heal itself. "This cross acts like a barrier, no one can enter or leave without removing it first. But don't worry, Lord Vincent informed me on how to get rid of it." The girl watches him with a raised eyebrow, unable to see his eyes glowing in a bright red within in his hood. She squints her eyes when the cross dazzles in a blinding bright light. As soon as it's gone the door gradually starts to open. Instantly after only widening an inch, a powerful stench greets their nose from the thin gap.

"Ugh, it reeks!" Rosa retches, making a face as she covers her nose with both hands.

"Indeed it does," Ingrum agrees, sauntering in. Rosa does the same tentatively.

Their eyes adjusting to the dark, Rosa is quick to notice something. "He's not here." They both stop in front of where the hunter's body is supposed to be.

Ingrum looks down. "Lord Vincent, the body is nothing but a pile of ashes."

He waits a few seconds for a response. "Excellent. I'll handle things from here, you make sure Rosa gets her satisfactory revenge. By using any means."

The red in Ingrum's eyes gleam dangerously. "Of course."

(A/n: I hope you enjoyed and the next chapter will be up soonish)