Chapter 4

An Unfortunate Discovery

"Class, I am sorry to inform you this but…one of the students in our school…was murdered." said the teacher grimly.

"Dead?" "I can't believe it!" "How?" Those were the words being expressed throughout the class.

"The cause of death was…almost unexplainable blood loss. He was found almost out of blood. However, there seems to be no sign whatsoever of a struggle and this is what confuses the detectives more. More so, no one can figure out who was the murderer and why he was killed." he said shaking his head.

Slam!

"I'm sorry I'm late sir! I apologize, really…" she said while panting and gasping for breath.

"Oh Ms. Kinomoto…" replied the teacher. " I thought you were not feeling well. Ms. Daidouji and Mr. Li told me you won't make it."

"Not…to worry. I'm better now, sir…"

"Well then…take a seat…and let me finish my announcement…"

She laid her bag down. Tomoyo, who was at her side, leaned.

"Sakura, I thought you were sick?" asked Tomoyo quietly.

"Well…I just get better that's all…" she said cheerfully.

"Yeah…and you got your skin color back." spoke Syaoran behind her. He seated at the back of her.

"I'm better now…" she said with a smile.

"Yeah…tsk. Tsk. Somebody died…" said Tomoyo grimly.

"Somebody died! How?"

"Blood loss. Nobody knows, how and why…"

Sakura went white. She started to sweat.

"What's wrong Sakura? It's like you've seen a ghost!"

Sakura got even more nervous. She tried to calm herself down.

"Umm…nothing really…I just had a scary thought all of a sudden…"

Syaoran eyed her suspiciously. I knew it…I knew it…but I can't believe it's true…Sakura…damn it! Syaoran made eye contact to Tomoyo and nodded his head.

Tomoyo did the same thing to him though she didn't really know what he meant.

"Mr. Li, Ms. Daidouji and Ms. Kinimoto." said a voice firmly. "Is there any problem?"

It was their teacher.

"None sir!"

"Err…none at all."

"Everything's fine!"

He stared at them with piercing eyes.

"Then please…pay attention and stop talking to each other!"

At the canteen, lunchtime…

"You're positive?"

Tomoyo couldn't believe her ears. Did Syaoran really say that?

"Yup…there's no other explanation. What else is their explain it?" replied Syaoran unhappily.

"Maybe…you're just jumping to conclusions…you know?"

"Tomoyo…consider what happened yesterday...Sakura comes to school a bit whiter than usual. She doesn't look good all day and replies she's very hungry and thirsty. She wolfs her food down. She bites her finger and sucks her blood. And also when I accompanied her to the door she was gasping and very pale."

Tomoyo was stunned. Indeed it seemed to make sense. Everything fits perfectly.

"And also to top it off, she suddenly regains her strength. Coincidentally, one of the students is found dead…due to blood loss. And she went nervous once you said the news."

I can't believe it. Sakura…wouldn't hurt a fly…she wouldn't…A few tears fell down from her blue eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Syaoran, trying to comfort her.

"I didn't want to say this yesterday since it would shock you…but…when I wrapped her finger…I noticed that there were two scars on it…like two sharp teeth pierced it. I thought it was my imagination…my paranoia or something…but after this morning…I think it was real."

"But what will we do now?"

"I think we should go ask her about this later this afternoon. If she goes berserk though, I'll handle it." He pulled a small object out of his bag: a tiny sword.

"You're not planning to kill her!" she said worriedly.

"Of course not." He took again from one of his pockets some cards with Chinese characters on it: magic cards of some sort. "I'll use the sword and the cards to trap her."

"Oh." She looked down on the floor. She let out a sigh. "Okay." She let a few tears fall down again.

"Tomoyo…" he said with concern. He then gave a smile. "She's the card captor. I have a few tricks of my own and we got a few quick friends. So…there's no problem. We'll solve this and get back the Sakura we know soon after a few...mm…inconveniences."

She gave out a sigh of relief and smiled wiping her tears with her handkerchief.

"Thanks, Syaoran. I'm so glad that I have you as a friend and Sakura…as your sweetheart."

Syaoran blushed a bit.

"Ah…ehehe…thanks."

"Mm…food! I'm so hungry yet again!" It was Sakura smiling and making her way to the table with a tray of food.

Syaoran whispered to Tomoyo.

"Okay Tomoyo…just act natural. Let's not get her on our trail or things might get ugly."

"Okay." she replied quietly.

Syaoran then stared at one of the most lethal things he saw on the tray of Sakura: a red grapes drink in a pack. The line read "THE REDDEST GRAPES ON EARTH"

"Crap…This'll be a pretty looong day." he mused.

Another day was done. But for Syaoran and Tomoyo it won't end just yet. In fact, they're just starting. Sakura was playfully walking and talking how their day was again. Tomoyo was the one that was mostly talking to her. Syaoran, on the other hand, was behind them and kept looking around to see if there were people near.

"Syaoran, what're you doing?" asked Sakura.

"Nothing, nothing at all." he said looking calmly at her.

After a few moments and making sure that the area was clear, he motioned to Tomoyo. She started moving back until she was next to Syaoran.

"Be gentle, okay?" whispered Tomoyo.

"Sure." he said his piercing eyes focused on Sakura's.

"Hey!" said Sakura noticing where Tomoyo was already; behind Syaoran. They both had stopped also. "What are you guys talking and doing?"

"Sakura…" he said grimly, "…you're a vampire, aren't you?"

Sakura stopped walking. She spun around and looked at Syaoran with a confused look.

"Say what!" she said with her hands on her hips and her eyebrow raised.

Syaoran spoke firmly and put his hand inside his pocket holding on to the tiny sword in it. "You're a vampire. You were sick yesterday because you were still in your state of change and because you were hungry. Finally, you transformed and, last night, you killed the student."

Silence. She didn't say anything. Tomoyo was ready to do anything to help. Syaoran didn't get his weapon yet. He was waiting for any suspicious actions Sakura would do. Sakura was obviously stunned. Though her face remained blank, she was slightly trembling. But nothing happened. The evening breeze just swept through all of them.

Finally, a sigh was heard a smile curved on Sakura's face. A most sinister smile. Syaoran, seeing her reaction, was about to grab and transform the tiny object into a large sword but all of a sudden…he froze. He just stopped.

"What the hell!" He turned around to look at Tomoyo. She was also frozen. Oh shoot! I forgot vampires have the ability to stop guys in their tracks! Damn it I forgot!

"I'm impressed, Li. You're very quick and observant." she said walking closer to him. He looked at her eyes. It was red. "That's what I like about you."

"Shut up! Where is Sakura, you hell damned freak!" he said in rage.

She laughed menacingly.

"Am I not Sakura?"

"Hell no!"

"Well you're partly right there…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh c'mon. Isn't it obvious?" she asked. "I am the evil within your precious flower. I am her little dark side with a hungry appetite. All it needed was a spark." She took a step closer and stroked his neck. "Or should I say…bite."

"Well then…the Sakura I love is her gentler side. The mortal side…unlike you bastard!"

She shrugged playfully.

"Aww…isn't that romantic? You know…I really like you. You're tough. Too bad you won't join me hands down in my future rampage. I'll just have to force you." She said rather annoyed.

She looked at Tomoyo this time. "Since you're my best friend, you too. Then Meiling…" She started counting through her fingers calmly. "…then my other buds…" She stopped and thought of something. "But Touya? Oh shit. I'll just kill that bastard. He's damn annoying anyway. In fact, I'll let you guys have him. The taste of his blood will be vomit."

She looked around the area. "Tsk. Tsk. Damn it. I can't kill you here. It'll be messy." She faced Syaoran again. "And I want to enjoy myself with you, before finally turning you into one." She grinned maliciously revealing her fangs.

"Heh. Try me…and you'll be dead."

"Will see about that, dear. For now, I'll send you home." She raised her hand and looked at their eyes. "You guys…are gonna go home. And you'll think of this as a dream. Nothing more…"

Both Syaoran's and Tomoyo's eyes turned lifeless. Their minds blank. However, just before they started going their ways, Sakura motioned them to stop. "I'll give you a parting gift, Syaoran."

She slowly kissed him.

She then drew back and licked her lips. "Mm…that was sweet. You'll be sweet when I finally come for you, I just know it."

She waved her hand in the air. "Have a nice dream."