Chapter Nineteen - Hunted
"Death? That's all she said?" Monk-san questioned as he watched Ayako fuss over Masako's unconscious form. Checking her pulse, opening a window, turning on the fan, and generally worrying. Ayako nodded distractedly in response while John's brow furrowed in troubled thought. He had felt a similar thing in his hunting days, even around Ichijou, who was quite close to human in his everyday actions and mannerisms. It could be that Masako is more sensitive to it due to her abilities…
"Mai had a similar reaction when she first went to the Moon Dorm." Ayako added, John looking up in surprise. "You didn't know?" She added to John, who shook his head with a look of regret. If I'd realised back then about this feeling then I would definitely have checked up sooner…
"Did you look at the student records yet?" John asked as he turned to Monk-san, who shrugged in defeat as he leaned back on his hands looking up at the ceiling.
"I thought I was onto something at first, but the only unique thing in those records was the wealth of the families. It's almost like the rich kids are secluded in one dorm with the common folk in the other." Monk-san replied, John holding back a sigh. He was sure that if he had had the chance to look at those records he may have recognised a name or two. Vampire families, the pure and nobles, were all extremely wealthy since most common vampires had been killed off years ago by hunters. It was only the rich who could buy enough defences to block hunters, even a few hundred years ago.
"How about Mai and Naru, have they come up with anything?" Ayako asked, the others shrugging in response. They hadn't heard from Mai or Naru directly since they'd started, except for Monk-san when he ran into Mai a few weeks ago. "Someone should go and tell Lin about this." The redhead added finally, looking at John expectantly. John hopped down from his place on the empty bed beside Monk-san and made for the door.
"Lin will be starting classes soon, is it really a good idea for John to be seen?" Monk-san asked, Ayako looking outside at the darkening sky.
"Class won't be in for another ten minutes. That's plenty of time for John to get there and back." Ayako decided, John joining her in looking out of the window. The crowd of girls was gathering around the Moon Dorm gates as usual. It would be at least ten minutes before he had to even think about worrying. By the time they got through the crowd and into the school twenty minutes would have passed.
John hurried out the door and headed towards Lin's room, which he only knew about because he had class in the same room every Wednesday morning. Lin's writing was hard to mistake for anyone else's. There was a distinct curve to it. Lin looked across at the door as he entered, pulling off his glasses, which John hadn't even been aware the older man required.
"John, what can I do for you?" He asked in his usual deep rumble. John stepped further into the room, noting the physics work already written up ready for the students to copy down. John almost felt bad for interrupting the older man, who had a text book open on the table, reading up for that evening's lecture.
"It's Masako, she passed out." John began, Lin getting to his feet immediately, already knowing what was needed of him. The pair walked down the hall together in silence, their steps hurried as class time approached. Lin loosened his shirt collar as he approached the bed, where Masako was sleeping soundly.
"How is she?" He directed at Ayako, the older woman at his side in an instant relating her physical state as well as recounting what had happened. He nodded in response to each comment as he made his own examination. It was a more severe reaction to whatever was lurking around here. He leaned forward and touched Masako's forehead, placing the guards around her subconscious. "She'll be awake in a few hours." Lin stated as he drew back.
"I think something's happening over there…" Monk-san reported from his place by the window, where he'd been watching the group of human girls with some interest. It seemed that not all of the Night Class had exited the building on time. The girls were in an uproar. "I'd better get over there." The monk decided as he pushed himself away from the window, John stating that he would join him shortly.
"I'll stay with Masako, you go ahead." Ayako decided, Lin nodding his agreement as he headed out to join Monk-san as the light haired man made his way over to the Moon Dorm at a fast walking pace. As they approached the girls didn't even seem to notice them. They were too busy shouting at the defenceless Night Class students, the ones who had come out anyway. A lot of them were missing, and Lin could pick out exactly who.
"What is going on here?" Monk-san shouted angrily, sounding more like a teacher than Lin had ever imagined he could. Taken aback the Chinese man said nothing and let Monk-san do the talking. At his harsh shout the girls turned to him looking sheepish, while the Night Class members looked up at him gratefully.
"Night Class students, please head to class immediately." Lin ordered, giving them the excuse they needed to escape the girls' clutches. Monk-san continued to look at the girls sternly as the white clad students made their way to the school.
"Well? Is someone going to explain all of this? And where are the prefects?" He added impatiently as he looked around. Every night, without fail, the prefects organised the girls to prevent things like this from happening. The girls quickly broke out into excuses and replies, Monk-san screwing up his face before demanding silence. He finally got his answer. The prefects were missing, along with the most popular members of the Night Class. "In that case head back to your dormitories." Monk-san ordered, watching the dejected girls head off forlornly. What is with these kids? I swear they weren't like that in my day!
Monk-san's head jerked up at the scream of a familiar voice, his legs pumping automatically as he headed towards the fields. He'd heard that scream too often on a case not to know it straight off. Mai!
"I know you're in there Zero! Open the door!" Yuuki's voice called as her small fist pounded the old wooden surface, which she could have knocked off its hinges if she chose. Zero hesitated a moment before obeying. Yuuki had never let him down in the past, and he didn't think she would do so now. "About time! Everyone is looking for you, and you came here? You're lucky Kaname trusted me enough to let me search this area!" She scolded as she stepped inside and shut the door, barely acknowledging Mai as she looked up at Zero.
"It was the first place that came to mind!" Zero excused lamely, the brunette sighing in response as she looked out of the stable window into the open fields. She quickly rounded on Mai and pulled her to her feet, the human girl looking so frail and vulnerable now. "What are you going to do?" The violet eyed boy asked, slowly reaching into his jacket for the Bloody Rose gun.
"We have to move her. They'll be coming any minute." Yuuki replied as she hurried towards the door, pausing as she felt Zero's arms wrap around her in a grateful hug, one that felt so very familiar. It seemed like an age since she'd been human with those conflicting emotions concerning Zero. She was glad that they could be so close now. "Don't thank me until we manage to get her out of here." Yuuki replied, the silver haired boy nodding his agreement.
"You'll have to head towards the forest and outer gate." A new voice chimed in, Ichijou stepping around the side of the stable, his blue eyes tinted red as he tapped into his vampiric senses to feel out the area. "They've found us." Ichijou reported as he swept Mai into his arms, Zero growling low in his throat at that while Yuuki laid a hand on Zero's arm.
"He's on Mai's side. You and I can fight, Ichijou is the best choice as runner." She reasoned. Zero nodded reluctantly as he released the safety catch on his gun. Yuuki frowned slightly in disapproval. Zero had been a hunter once, but since he'd become a vampire that had been conflicted. She wasn't sure whether he would shoot her family or not. Our family…
"Non-lethal only, right?" He added, his violet eyes fixed on the school and dorms, knowing that Kaname and the others were coming from that direction. Yuuki nodded her agreement with a soft smile as they waited, Ichijou's steps fading from their hearing as they focused on the battle ahead. Yuuki released her scythe and waited anxiously. By now Kaname would know that she'd betrayed him. But will he understand?
"Zero! I should have known you'd betray us!" Aido accused as he dropped out of nowhere, Zero not responding to the jibe as he jumped back, avoiding the flames that the redhead sent his way. Unfortunately he hadn't counted on Kain and his ice attack waiting behind. He barely dodged. Yuuki focused as Seiren and Kaname came into view. Yuuki paused worriedly, unsure whether she could attack Kaname, even to defend an innocent. He signalled to Seiren to stand down as she prepared to throw herself at Yuuki. As Kaname's personal bodyguard she had no such qualms about attacking Yuuki if it were to defend him.
"Yuuki…I expected this of Zero, and even Ichijou, but you?" Kaname said softly, not a note of accusation in his voice, just slight hurt. Yuuki wavered slightly, her brown eyes shifting to the ground. She wasn't ashamed, but she did feel guilty for letting Kaname down.
"It's not…I just…She's innocent! I can't just let you kill someone…That's not who you are!" Yuuki replied in an almost pleading tone, surprised as she felt tears sliding down her cheeks. She was even more surprised to find Kaname standing before her with his hand on her cheek, his thumb wiping away the tears. She leaned into his touch, her small hand reaching up to grip his tightly. "Don't do it…Please!" She begged, gasping as Rima, Ruka and Shiki darted overhead.
"Yuuki! This has to be done! I thought you understood..." Kaname replied in an almost disappointed tone, holding Yuuki tightly as she struggled to break free, her cries almost drowned out by the ferocious battle going on their right. Zero was slowly wearing down since he wasn't using lethal force. His violet eyes shifted after the other three. Ichijou can't take them on alone! But I can't get away from here, and even if I could Kain and Aido would just follow me! "Kain. Aido. He is family." Kaname reminded in warning, knowing that Aido was so heated up he was likely to go in for the kill.
"Zero!" Yuuki cried, finally breaking free of Kaname as Kain gained the advantage. A firm slice to the back of the neck took down the silver haired boy, who crumpled onto the scorched and frozen ground. Yuuki threw herself down beside him, cradling him in her arms like a child, her dark eyes looking up at Kaname accusingly.
"We will discuss this later." Kaname decided, slightly hurt by Yuuki's glare. She is still so young…She doesn't understand the burden of protecting our secret…He thought as he turned to continue onwards, pausing as he heard a blood curdling scream come from the forest ahead.
"Mai!" Yuuki cried as she got to her feet, Zero stirring at the absence of her touch. His mind was still groggy as he looked around, but Aido and Kain had already gone ahead. Yuuki returned to him as he tried to push himself to his feet, his head pounding. The warm trickle on his cheek told him his head had been hit, though he had no idea whether the blood was from a cracked skull or just a deep gash. "I'll go on ahead." Yuuki said quietly, Zero nodding that he would be alright without her as he slumped to his knees.
"Seiren, stay with Kiriyu." Kaname ordered, the silver haired girl nodding her understanding as Kaname took off after Yuuki. Zero reluctantly accepted the shoulder he was offered. Injured or not he wasn't about to sit down and do nothing.
"They're coming!" Ichijou cursed as he ran through the trees, Mai barely able to see where they were going at Ichijou's speed. The trees flew by in a blur of green and brown, a feeling that was familiar somehow, though she couldn't quite place it. Looking over his shoulder she could see three figures rapidly gaining on them. "I can't outrun them." Ichijou replied, as if he could read her mind. They jerked to a halt and Ichijou placed her on her feet, looking behind them warily.
"Where's the fence?" Mai asked quickly, knowing that they were heading for the edge of the grounds. She didn't know what she would do when she got there, but she had to keep going somehow. Ichijou pointed diagonally through the trees, his hand on her shoulder urging her in that direction.
"That way, dead ahead, now hurry! I won't be able to fight off all three for long." He added, Mai pausing as she turned back to him. His blonde hair had been tossed slightly in the wind, his black shirt had snagged on the trees in his rush to get through, and he was panting slightly from all the running.
"What about you?" Mai asked worriedly.
"Don't worry about me and the others, they won't hurt us…much…Your life is the one in danger, now go!" He added quickly, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her forehead before turning away, looking over his shoulder with an assuring smile. Mai nodded and ran into the trees, hearing a grunt and thud in the leaves as the first vampire reached them. Mai wasn't running long before she paused at a tree with low branches. They're expecting me to be on the ground…If I can get up into this tree and travel that way then maybe that'll buy me more time…
Mai grunted as she heaved herself up into the branches, trying to be careful of her bare legs as she climbed up. She was giving off enough of a scent already. If she cut herself they'd find her straight away. Once she was up in the tree it wasn't hard to make her way across to the next one. The forest was thick with branches overlapping branches. The edge! I can see it!
"Her trail ends here…" Shiki's voice announced, Rima humming her agreement as Ruka cursed quietly. Mai paused as she looked below, watching the trio and holding her breath, sure that they would hear her breathing. "I don't know how she's done it, but this is where it ends…" He added sheepishly as the girls looked around for clues.
"She can't have gone far. We'll split up." Ruka announced, Mai almost sighing in relief that her ruse had worked as she continued onwards, her eyes on the iron railings. They were sharp on the top, crosses lining the metal all the way around the grounds. Whether for decoration or to keep the Night Class in, Mai wasn't sure. She continued her way, grabbing and stepping across the branches, always making sure her hands went before her feet so that she didn't fall.
"What the? The trees! She's up in the trees!" Rima announced from somewhere behind, Mai cursing as she looked over her shoulder to see the slim gothic girl a few trees behind her. No! I'll never make it! Mai thought as she tried to hurry her progress along, taking reckless risks like jumping across branches without looking, barely making it most of the time. Behind her Rima was taking her time. She's playing with me?
"Got you!" Ruka cried triumphantly. Mai gasped as a hand clutched her foot. Looking down she realised she had made it to the railings. She was right above them, and much higher up in the tree than she had realised. In her panic Mai kicked out, feeling Ruka lose her grip. Time almost slowed as the beautiful girl with red eyes fell back, mouth open to scream as she tumbled towards the railings. Oh hell!
Mai lunged down after the girl, her chest slamming one of the branches below as she reached out to grab her. Ruka's mouth closed in surprise as she felt Mai's warm human hand grip her wrist. Mai screamed in agony as Ruka's weight pulled her down against the branch, a small sharp stump ramming straight into her shoulder. She closed her eyes and gripped harder, knowing that if she let go Ruka would be impaled on the spiked crosses below.
"Ruka! I've got you." Shiki assured gently. Mai eased an eye open, just able to make out Shiki standing on the railings, his arms around Ruka's waist as he hopped to the ground lightly. Mai barely noticed the weight was gone through the pain in her shoulder. She let out a strangled cry as soft hands eased her up, the branch slipping through her joint agonisingly, with a sickening slick sound.
"Easy…easy." Rima muttered softly, as if cooing a child. Mai barely focused as the blonde gathered her up and hopped down to the ground. "Looks bad…" She sighed as she tore Mai's top to get a look at the deep bleeding wound, her eyes bright red as she tried to resist the urge to taste some. It was so tempting…
"What are you waiting for?" Aido's voice questioned. Mai hadn't even realised he and Kain had arrived, nor had she noticed Ichijou's unconscious form lying on the grass a few feet away. Aido stepped forward, his teeth ready to sink into Mai's throat and end it all. Everyone was surprised as Ruka stepped in between them.
"She saved my life, so I owe her." The strawberry blonde announced, Aido frowning in response. Both of them growled low in their throats as they began to circle each other. Kain stepped between them, his hands soft on Ruka's shoulders as he looked at her with his warm amber eyes.
"Kaname's orders?" He questioned, Ruka clearly torn as she ground her teeth and looked at the ground. She had never denied Kaname anything. There was a time she would have given herself to him completely. There was a time that I did…
"Mai!" A new voice cried, Naru darting through the trees to Mai's side. The vampires watched, unsure what to do as the human boy cupped Mai's cheeks in his hands and shook her slightly. The girl's hazel eyes opened to greet him warmly. She thought she was dreaming until she realised the throbbing pain was still there.
"Naru." She breathed as she tried to sit up a little against the tree, Naru nodding as he took off his jacket and ripped it, tying a long strip tightly around her shoulder. "Look out!" Mai cried, pushing Naru back as Aido lunged. Her eyes were wide as the redhead looked right at her, his eyes cold and menacing as he leaned forward, his breath warm on her throat.
"Get. Away. From. Her." Naru ordered with unbridled rage, Mai gasping as she looked over Aido's shoulder at the ebony haired boy. He was surrounded by a green glowing aura, the breeze picking up his hair and a swirl of leaves. Aido drew back from Mai and turned his attention to Naru, enjoying the challenge as he lunged. It took one swing for Naru to knock him back into a tree, an inhuman crunch sounding at the impact. Aido didn't even scream at the sensation. Kain ran to his cousin's side worriedly, knowing that his spine had been cracked, maybe even broken, upon impact. He's lucky to be alive…
"I knew there was something about you…" Kaname's voice announced as he stepped into view, Yuuki's eyes wide at the sight. Kaname's eyes glowed red as he stepped forward and attacked Naru, Yuuki screaming at him to stop as she made her way around to Mai. They both watched in horror as the battle ensued between Kaname and Naru. Kaname didn't use his teeth, just nails and kicks, but he was taking everything Naru threw at him. Green waves that almost looked like lightning whipped through the air, slapping the ground Kaname had been standing only an instant before.
"Naru!" Mai cried as he and Kaname met in one last attacked, the green light throwing Kaname back to the ground. Mai watched as Naru clutched his heart and fell to his knees. The honey haired girl clawed her way across the ground to his side. His blue eyes looked up at her apologetically before closing. "Naru! Don't!" Mai cried, shaking his shoulders urgently, knowing that he wouldn't make it if she didn't get him to Ayako or Lin.
"I am sorry for this Mai." Kaname's voice said dully as he appeared behind her. Mai had no idea what happened, one minute she was waiting for Kaname's blow to fall and then…
