Angelica's POV:

Well, that wasn't my brightest idea.

„You saved me," Azuna exhaled.

„What I wouldn't do for a friend," I smiled weakly.

„We need to get out of here to a safe place," Lindo said clearly distressed about the situation.

I stood up and nodded, hunched a bit over holding the wound.

„You aren't really thinking about walking there, right?" Lindo asked almost horrified. Azuna and Ritsuka gave me basically the similar look.

„Well neither the girls can carry me and I don't wanna put you through this," I told him honestly. I knew he would struggle because of the bleeding.

„I don't wanna hear any of it. Now grab on," he shushed me and was ready to give me a piggyback ride.

I knew I stood no ground in any argument and I could feel I was just getting weaker so I crawled onto his back and grabbed on.

„Thank you," I just said resting my chin on one of his shoulders.

„What I wouldn't do for a friend," he smiled, throwing my own line back at me.

„I do owe you a new jacket after this," I laughed a little bit, causing me some pain.

They walked for some while, I was kinda slipping from conciseness. But I was still awake enough to recognize where we were going. To the exorcist society, knowing that I relaxed. I closed my eyes trying to ignore the pain.

„My dear, what happened?" I recognized that voice.

„We were ambushed by a group of vampires," Lindo explained.

„That is really unfortunate, please come inside, we will take care of you all," father Noel told us. My eyes fluttered open to look at him.

„We do thank you for helping us," I told to him weakly.

„I thought you were sleeping or passed out," Lindo said, surprised.

„If I did that I would fall into a deep sleep, something like a coma for a few hours just to heal all the damage," I explained.

„You will be able to soon, we're safe now. Just let us patch you up," Azuna said looking at me with a still worried expression.

„Yeah, that would be better so I wouldn't bleed on everything," I slightly laughed.

Lindo carried me to one of the rooms, then he went to set some things up, meanwhile, Azuna went for the first aid, so I was left there with Ritsuka. I looked at her for a while zoning to recount the events again.

„Ritsuka?" I called for her attention wanting to ask about the dance.

„Yes, what do you need?" she immediately answered.

„Oh, never mind. It's nothing," I said, deciding to rather not talk about it.

„I got it," Azuna came back.

„Well, then let's get started," Ritsuka said.

I took off my top and let them do their thing. The toughest part of it was cleaning the wound, I had an iron grip on the sheats for that part. Thankfully after that, they just wrapped the wound in bandages and I could finally lay down.

„Rest well," Ritsuka said before leaving.

„Hey, Azuna, could you do something for me?" I spoke out catching her attention.

„Yeah, what is it?" she asked.

„Could you put some holy water on the doorstep?" I asked her.

„Is that necessary at a place like this?" she asked with a slight smile.

„Please," I added.

„Alright," she said and as she was leaving she spilled some of it at my doorstep.

„Have a good rest," she said with a slight smile before closing the door. I finally closed my eyes to try going to sleep.

An hour flew by and I was still awake, in almost a favor state. Everything was spinning, I was burning up and the pain was revibrating throughout my body. Just pull through this. That was the worst stage of recovery, it happens sparingly, but with a wound of that magnitude, it was expected. Usually, it reaches a certain unbearable point so we pass out, horrible to say at least, the worst when you realize we have to allow this to happen. I was already slipping from consciousness and then the shattering of glass outside of my room snapped me out of it. OH COME ON! I got out of bed, the pain manageable now to my dismay, meaning I had to do that whole thing again. I shambled out of the room onto the hallway.

And what I saw there, just seared into my memory, another image that's gonna hunt me for the rest of eternity.

„Get away from her you fiends!" I dashed towards five figures cutting down four of them and catching the last one.

„Hey, hey stay with me okay?" I hold the fragile figure in my arms, bite marks spilling blood all over her.

„Take care of Ritsuka and Lindo for me, okay?" a weak voice spoke to me as those blue eyes were losing their shine.

„Hold on just a little!" I called in a shaking voice, raising one of my hands in which laid bright white light.

This would save her but a slender pale hand stopped me. I looked up at them, and I saw a tall figure looming behind us. Tall, slender almost skeletal appearance cloaked in black hooded robes, with ebony wings and silvering scythe at hand. The figure shakes its head. I realized that there wasn't anything that I could do. I laid her on the ground, closed her eyes, and then closed mine. The movement of the scythe could be heard clearly enough, I flinched and tears came down my cheeks, then I opened them again.

„I wish I would never win against you but our lives aren't that fortunate," a sorrowful yet calming voice with the emptiness of a howling wind came from the figure.

„Please do me a favor Azrael, grant her a peaceful journey," I asked the figure.

„That's the least I can do for you," the figure answered.

„See you in heaven my good friend and don't worry I will protect them," I spoke as they were leaving, whipping away my tears and giving them a slight smile. Goodbye Azuna.

I quickly got my head straight, now I only focused on one thing finding those two. The pain took a back seat after that incident. How did vampires get onto holy grounds? A thought crossed my mind. I did keep running, slaying any bloodsuckers that crossed my path. I sliced through one of them who tried to get to Ritsuka, then I pulled her to a secluded area.

„Angelica?!" she exclaimed happily but also surprised.

„Where's Lindo?" I asked, letting out a sigh of relief that she is okay.

„Well last time I saw him he said something about some kind of cleansing ritual. And where is Azuna?" she asked me. I got terrified by that.

„I'm truly sorry, I couldn't s-" I dreaded telling her but I knew hiding it wouldn't do anyone any good, but still I couldn't even get out the whole sentence as again my eyes were filled with tears.

She gasped, covered her mouth and tears streamed down her face.

„But we can't let it stop us now, we need to find Lindo and get out. I'm sure she wants us to live on," I spoke after giving her a moment.

She was still stunned but she gave me an understanding nod.

We were running through the hallways trying to find Lindo. The pain started to become a hindrance again but I knew I had to endure it for the sake of others. Then suddenly someone pulled us into some room. I looked at who that was, and it was father Noel.

„I came to get you out," he answered our unspoken questions, seeing the puzzled looks on our faces.

„What about Lindo?" Ritsuka asked worriedly.

„You need not worry. I was with him when they appeared so I already helped him get out," he explained, which pretty much suited Ritsuka.

This helping hand out of nowhere really eased my heart, I was getting to my limits with the wound.

„There is a hidden passage here, you will get quickly outside with it," he continued and walked to the back of the room where he really uncovered a passage.

Since there wasn't much of a choice we followed him into the darkened passage.

We walked for a while through the passage. I was thinking things over and then something just fell into place.

„Say, father Noel, how did the vampires get inside?" I stopped dead in my tracks, speaking in a tough voice looking at him with a stone-cold gaze.

„That I wish I knew," he answered.

„As far as I know there are only two explanations for it. Either the ground was never holy, which is not the case here or someone of higher power allowed them to enter," I laid my case, looking at his back. He stood silently, evidently choosing his words.

„Say this path leads outside but not to safety but to the vampire castle," I continued, taking a position to shield Ritsuka if needed.

He was silent at first then he chuckled.

„As expected of someone of your experience," he said calmly turning to us, his dark eyes now engulfed in a crimson hue.

„Ah, I see. So that's why. You are one of the rare breeds who managed to get rid of the curse," I finally understood.

„You catch on quickly. But not enough to stop your fate," he said with a confident smirk.

„Oh, is that so? And from what point is that the truth?" I mocked him, staling for time.

He tried to reply but then something rushed past us and leaped on him. Knew it.

„Good job Lindo," I smiled a little, I knew that he would try to find us also, and the scent of the dhampir form is easy to spot.

„You truly think a dhampir could defeat me!" he bragged as both tried to overpower the other.

„No, but he can hold you long enough for me to do this," I said and I extended my hand light blue rune circle appeared around him.

„I'm stripping away your powers and bestowing you with sinners mark," I laid his fate on the table, and then I snapped my fingers the circle ignited with pure flames.

„We shouldn't linger longer," I said to the others, Ritsuka was in shock and Lindo wasn't that happy with just that punishment. He growled something like a traitor.

„That's enough Lindo. Let's go... His punishment is suitable enough," I spoke to him, telling the last part almost whispering.

He calmed down enough to think clearly but he kept his dhampir form, knowing well that the way out won't be easy.

„Ritsuka, stay close to us, we will get out," Lindo told her.

„What was he talking about you being a dhampir. And what is going to happen to him now," she was worried.

„I only made him human again and the mark will ensure that he will be avoiding sin from now on. Nothing too terrible," I told her, it wasn't a complete lie more like leaving out some details. The mark will send shocks to him every time he commits any kind of sin combined with an ensured place in hell once he dies.

„I will tell you about that later," Lindo said and took her hand. I did notice Lindo wasn't in his best shape either. Hope we can make it.

We were tearing our path through hordes of vampires, and somehow miraculously we got outside. We kept Ritsuka safe, we were in worse shape but neither of us wanted to admit that. Of course, the vampires followed us outside.

„Go ahead, I will slow them down," I stopped and told them.

„You can't be serious," Lindo also stopped.

„I said what I said. Just run. I will be okay, I promise," I turned to them and smiled.

They were reluctant but they ran away. I took a deep breath, sprouted my wings, and gripped the sword tighter.

„Show me what you got," I successfully taunted them.

I was switching between fighting on the ground and in the air to lessen the strain on that injury. It helped a little bit but I miscalculated the number of vampires that were present. I was getting tired but I knew I couldn't lose.

„We must catch her," one of the vampires shouted. I wanted to rebuttal that but something cut me off.

„I would never let you scumbags touch her. Wouldn't want your filth to rub off my girl," a voice reacted. Oh no not them too!

„Are you delusional? Well, I hate to burst your bubble but she is mine," another voice reacted at that.

„Stop arguing honestly you're acting like a couple of sore losers. Oh wait that's because you are," a third voice mocked them both.

„No one asked for your opinion!" both of them barked back.

At that moment I was red in the face contemplating if it wouldn't be better to be captured by vampires than this humiliation.

„Did you just really show up to make fools of yourselves?" I barked at the three demons just levitating, they definitely had some remarks to it but they didn't happen.

„They're demons destroy them!" one of the vampires shouted.

„My don't they know it's rude to interrupt someone's conversation, especially with a lady," Urie sighed.

„I can't believe those poor fools think they actually stand a chance against us," Shiki deviously smiled.

„That's rather presumptuous of them. They need an etiquette lesson," Urie did too.

„Agreed. Let's teach them some manners," Mage cracked his knuckles.

And that was my cue to silently slip away. To my dismay, they finished them frighteningly fast. I ran and ran and then something just felt wrong. The pain and the tiredness were suddenly gone. I looked at my hands and figured out what happened, I was astral projecting meaning that I must have somehow fallen unconscious, beginning the recovery process, meaning I couldn't do anything but watch and wait until I fully recovered. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I quickly returned to my body, trying to figure out how it possibly happened.

„You couldn't fucked up even more, could you?" Shiki asked in a kinda pissed but also mocking tone.

„You wanted her to escape?" Urie asked with arms crossed on his chest.

„Well, now she will be like this for several hours because of this little thing. Good job genius," Shiki sassily replied and pointed out my injury.

„Let's just take her to the mansion and sort it there," Mage sighed, being the voice of reason for once.

I was fuming at that point, but I couldn't do anything about it. Let's just hope nothing happens. Well, at least I can check on Lindo and Ritsuka if they are okay.

No one's POV:

Meanwhile, while that was happening Ritsuka and Lindo found themselves in an abandoned temple to hide in.

„Do you think she will be okay?" Ritsuka asked tearing through the silence.

„I do hope so," Lindo sighed feeling guilty about leaving Angelica to deal with the threat.

„So what is dhampir anyway?" Ritsuka asked curiously.

„It's a vampire-human hybrid or halfbreed. My father was a vampire so that's why," Lindo explained to her, ashamed of his own being.

„Oh, wow that's something - does that mean I'm one too?" Ritsuka asked a bit frightened.

„No, you're not. The truth is Ritsuka we aren't really brother and sister, " he started.

Unannounced to any of them someone else came into the room and sat before them.

„Hey, I'm here," Angelica spoke out in a soft yet saddened voice, fully knowing not one of them would hear her or see her.

„So that means aunt Martha was -" Ritsuka thought out loud.

„Yes, she was my actual mother. But when she discovered what she was birthing, a vampires child. She fell apart," Lindo continued.

„How sad," Ritsuka noted, remorseful.

„I was but I was never alone I had mom, grandpa, and you Ritsuka. You all kept me strong. I wanted to protect you Ritsuka but keeping all these secrets has caused you pain. I'm sorry," Lindo sweetly smiled at her.

„No, there is no need to apologize just knowing you did all that for me makes it better. So what if you are my cousin who cares you're a dhampir. None of that matters to me. You're still my precious family. I mean it, no matter what that won't change, " Ritsuka wholeheartedly told him, and then hugged him.

Lindo returned that embrace.

That beautiful moment of family love was cut by the door of the shrine opening. In the doorway stood Rem. Lindo shot up hiding Ritsuka behind him.

Angelica gets on her feet looking at both of them.

„Rem Kaginuki, have you come to try to take the blood gem. I won't let you have her," Lindo shot at him sharply.

„Not exactly," Rem replied with almost chilling calmness.

„Then why?" Ritsuka got curious.

„Don't listen to anything he has to say. He and the others did nothing then manipulate you," Lindo warned her.

„Well, that is true for the three but not for him," Angelica sighed and shook her head, then followed them outside.

„Let's settle this once and for all. After this Ritsuka will be finally safe," Lindo was again engulfed in rage showing his dhampir side.

„Very well then," Rem replied coldly, really determined.

Angelica stood nearby anxiously awaiting the fight to unfold. She would love to slap some sense into both of them, Lindo for again ignoring the bigger picture, and Rem for going with it. But she knew she couldn't do anything, that was the worst feeling for her, helplessness. So the fight started, Lindo was throwing one incantation after another but Rem took a rather defensive approach to it, it almost seemed like he didn't want to fight at all. But once he got stunned, Lindo used that opportunity to put a nasty scratch on him.

„Pathetic. You're holding back or just playing weak," Lindo taunted him, which wasn't the best decision.

„Say what you will, but you're hardly a match for the Arlond heir. Prepare yourself!" Rem got serious and it showed.

He brought fire to the claws and incantations fight and it really tipped the scales in his favor. Lindo was no match at that point, he was already weakened from the cleansing ritual and the escape from the exorcist society.

„Give it up you can not protect her in this state," Rem stopped seeing that his opponent wasn't able to fight.

„I would rather die than give her to you," Lindo breathed heavily.

„If that's what you want consider it done," Rem put up his hand.

„Rem no! Are you so desperate to have the blood gem that you take someone's life? I was wrong you are a demon a horrible cold-hearted demon!" Ritsuka put herself between them, her words shocked Rem.

„Why don't you say something? What are you thinking right now? I just don't know anymore," Ritsuka continued.

„Ritsuka-" Rem's expiration softened.

„It's too late Rem. I'm done letting you hurt everyone that I care about. It's all your fault! I wish we never met! I-I hate you!" Ritsuka exclaimed crying in the process. Rem's face now harbored pain, the pain of heartbreak.

„I'm not done yet demon!" Lindo sprung back for one last finishing blow sending Rem flying into a pillar.

„Get out of here Rem and leave me alone," Ritsuka just exhaled. And he disappeared with pain unmatched by anything he went through before. Angelica just stood there speechless, feeling both disappointment and sympathy, mostly for Rem.

„Lindo, you're hurt," Ritsuka was worried once Lindo collapsed.

„It's nothing, just a scratch," Lindo weakly replied.

„I'll call an ambulance," Ritsuka reacted. „No, no hospitals. If they discover that I'm not a normal man things would get complicated," he stopped her.

At that point, Angelica already left for the nearby cliff where Rem was now contemplating the past few moments.

„Love can hurt sometimes but that doesn't mean we should stop loving. Even we can't escape such emotions," she said in a sorrowful voice and reached to stroke Rem's hair.

„What are you doing here?" Rem turned to her.

„Huh, so you can see me even if I'm like this, couldn't expect less from the Arlond heir. I guess kill time and keep an eye out for those two. It seems I'm their voice of reason and once I'm out of the picture they do something like this. I must apologize for their actions, that was kinda uncalled for," she answered him slight smile in the process.

„That wasn't what I meant. What are you doing here with me? And why in this form?" he asked again.

„Sympathizing, perhaps. And this, well someone here does not have a fair grip on the leashes of their dogs," she kinda laughed. Rem gave her a kinda apologizing look.

„Oh, chill. I fought with them a week in a row and always escaped, I will pull something off this time," she smiled.

„Why are you doing this?" Rem asked curiously.

„Well, I can see you're just doing only what was asked of you. I can't really blame you for that, after all, all of my actions were made to abide by someone else's will," she sat on the edge of the cliff looking into the distance.

„The reason I lash out is the way those tasks are carried. Because people get hurt in the process," she said, resting her head on one of her knees while hugging it.

„Shouldn't you be going with the others?" Rem asked taking a seat next to her.

„They are going to school, it will take them some time. So let's just talk if you don't mind," she looked at him but then her glance fell back on the moon.

„What do you want to know?" Rem asked her sighing.

„How are you feeling?" she asked simply.

„Why are you asking that?" he said.

„Because I truly want to know. I'm curious," she replied calmly not glancing back from the moon.

„I don't really know. Torn in so many ways I guess," Rem sighed.

„You will be able to piece yourself together soon. But having someone help you isn't bad either," she smiled a bit.

„She won't even look at me now," Rem said his gaze focused on the scene below.

„She just needs time. I'm sure once you tell her what's in your heart, everything will be just fine," she spoke out but after that, both of them fell into silence.

She was looking at the moon reminiscing about the times of old.

„And say how are you feeling?" Rem tore through the silence, looking at her. She flinched then ever so slightly smiled but it was a pained smile.

„The same way. I no longer know what's right and wrong, what should I really do. What am I even thinking and feeling. I just feel lost, going after that one light that's giving me purpose," she said ever so calmly yet sorrowfully at the same time.

Then another silence fell on them. After a while, Angelica got up.

„Good rest of the night, it was a pleasant talk," she slightly smiled and left.


Happy New Year! Well, another chapter is out. Hope you enjoyed this one and a lot of luck for this upcoming year.