YAY thanks for coming back everyone. This and the next chapter might get a little intense, but you can handle intense right? Good. Whelps enjoy the chapter.

Illusions of Life and Death

Chapter 4
A Vampire's Past

……………Mommy?

The night was quiet…no motions, no sounds, just silence.

……………Mommy?

Young 6 year old Tidus wondered through the Macalania forest all alone. The rain continued to fall, long and hard. His heart raced, feeling something or someone watching him. Tidus was nervous, running as fast as he was able to without tripping.

"Where are you?"

He then saw a bright light up ahead. Tidus continued to run towards it to see the nearby village on fire. A battle between humans and vampires. Tidus hid behind the bushes, watching his father rip the flesh off of humans. Biting they're necks hard until they died from loss of blood. Using his long sharp nails to cut and rip through they're worthless bodies.

"That's enough vampire!" A young man shouted.

Jecht turned around to see the man hold a woman, a knife to her throat.

"We all know you value this human's life. If you wish for her to live then stop this hunt and give up the life of you and the rest of your colony of blood sucking zombies!" The man threatened.

Jecht didn't know which to choose. If he chose the woman, all vampires including him and his only son would perish from Spira forever. But if he would let her die, his life, as he knew it would have no meaning for she meant everything to him.

"No stop!" Young Tidus shouted, running out of the bushes and towards the man. "That' my mom!"

"Tidus! No!" Jecht shouted. He ran over and grabbed Tidus, stopping him. He looked up to see the man slit the woman's throat. "Too late!" The man laughed.

"No!" Jecht growled.

"Kill the vampires! Leave none alive!" The man shouted to his fellow villagers.

Jecht picked up Tidus and fled into the woods, along with all the other vampires of his colony.

"No! Dad, go back! We can't leave mom!" Tidus shouted. "………………Mom!"

Tidus then woke up panting. Sweat dripping down the side of his face. His eyes red with anger and his fangs egger to kill. He placed his hand on his forehead.

Another dream about mom…Tidus thought. He then got up out of bed and left his room, walking through a long dark tunnel to the main chamber where most of the vampires were still sleeping. After all it was morning.

It was a week later since the arrival of the 'new hunter.' Tidus had gone to see Yuna a few times during the night and Seymour was getting suspicious day by day. Yuna had even changed some of her patrolling times to the night shift. She and Tidus would talk, getting to know one another and learned how each other lived.

Tidus then walked into Bickson's chamber. Or his room if you wish to call it that.

"Hey you're up early." Bickson told Tidus the moment he entered. "Thought you would still be sleeping."

"Just because I'm a vampire, that doesn't mean I sleep all day." Replied Tidus.

"Oh right, you go and see you're new mortal friend, right?"

Tidus crossed his arms. "Sometimes."

"What do you see in the human girl anyways? Just do what any of us would do and just bite her already." Bickson told him.

"No! I like talking with her. She's different from all those hunters! She has no intention of shooting me."

"Right, unless you bite or kill her." Bickson began. "And besides, I heard she's getting married to some mortal guy named Baralai."

Tidus made a fist. "I've seen him."

Bickson shrugged his shoulders. "And you can't kill him for she'll get suspicious. So just bite Yuna and make her you're mate for all eternity."

If Tidus were to bite her, he could be with her forever. But on the other hand, she'd just be a bloodsucking vampire with no emotions or feelings. Her smile, which he loved so much about her, would be no more. He couldn't take that risk.

"No thanks." Tidus told Bickson.

Yuna walked downstairs and met with everyone for breakfast.

"Mornin' Yunie!" Rikku began as she sat in between her and Baralai. "Great Saturday morning isn't it?"

"It sure is." Yuna replied.

"So how are the wedding plans coming together my young couple?" Mika, the village elder asked.

"We're hoping for mid next month." Baralai began. "Right Yuna?"

Yuna looked at Baralai and smiled. "Yes."

"That's great news to hear. I'm sure the entire village is overjoyed." Mika finished.

Shuyin then finished up breakfast and stood up. "Time for my patrolling. Yuna would you like to come?"

"Uh, sure." Yuna replied standing up.

"But you haven't eaten yet." Baralai told her.

"That's alright. I'm not that hungry anyways." Yuna then left with Shuyin.

"Hmm, Yunie seems different somehow. I wonder what it could be…?" Rikku asked herself.

Baralai shrugged his shoulders and resumed eating.

"Shuyin, if it's okay, I would like to ask you a few questions." Yuna began as they walked through the village.

"Of course." Shuyin replied.

"Is it possible for a vampire to kill one of its kind?" Yuna asked.

"Not that I heard of. Unless they're fighting over another vampire to mate with." Shuyin replied.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense." Yuna said. "What about saving a humans life?"

"Vampires and Humans have been enemies for centuries Yuna. I highly doubt that a vampire of all creatures would save a human."

"Hmm…" Yuna replied deep in thought.

"Unless maybe it was a half breed, but there aren't many of those kinds. Usually the vampires would kill them instantly." Shuyin told Yuna.

"A…half breed?" Yuna asked.

"Half vampire, half human. It happens when a vampire mates with a human. But that happens very RARELY in our world today." Shuyin explained.

"I see, that makes sense too…"

"So why the sudden interest with these questions?" Shuyin asked.

"No reason, just curious I guess." Yuna replied.

"Help…!" Came a voice within the forest.

Both Shuyin and Yuna grabbed they're guns and ran in, searching, following the cry of the girl.

Finally they found her, surrounded by three vampires.

"Get away from her!" Yuna screamed.

But Shuyin on the other hand had no intention of making conversation with them. He immediately began firing at them. Missing the vampires, they then fled the scene growling.

Yuna and Shuyin rushed over to the girl.

"Are you okay?" Yuna asked. Her body was filled with cuts all over, bleeding.

"W-Who…are you…?" She asked. The lady had long brown hair with blue eyes.

Shuyin checked her neck. "She hasn't been bitten thank god. Lets get her back to treat her wounds."

Yuna agreed of course. Shuyin picked her up and carried her in his arms.

"Thank god the hunters have come…" She mumbled softly, resting her head on Shuyin's shoulder, falling asleep. Shuyin smiled. They then returned to the mansion.

An hour had passed. Shuyin sat on the front steps of the mansion outside waiting patiently if the girl was going to be alright for if she was going to turn into a vampire. He had found her to be very beautiful, although at the time covered in blood.

Yuna then walked outside and sat down beside Shuyin smiling at him.

"She going to be okay?" He asked Yuna.

Yuna nodded her head. "She was lucky. We stopped the bleeding and wrapped her wounds. All Lenne needs is some rest."

"So Lenne's her name? Hmm." Shuyin said. "Well I'm gonna head in for a shower then some dinner. Don't stay out too late. Tomorrow we should start looking for the vampire's hideout." He then headed in.

As for Yuna, she stayed out for a bit. The sun was just beginning to set. The villagers seemed a lot happier now since there hasn't been any recent vampire attacks on the village. Yuna smiled.

Better get ready to start my patrols… Yuna thought as she stood up and went inside.

Tidus sat in the main chamber of they're Besaid hideout with Jecht, his father, when he was 9.

Tidus squinted his eyes as they changed to red for the first time. "Hey did I get it this time?"

Jecht laughed. "Yeah you did. Congrats boy. You're well on your way to becoming a great vampire like your old man. But you still have to wait a while for you to get your fangs. Maybe another year."

Tidus sat there quietly beginning to think. "……Dad?"

"Yeah?" He replied softly.

"You say that vampires would never kill another vampire, right?" Tidus asked.

"That's right."

"Then…why to humans kill other humans? Like that man with mom……" Tidus asked but couldn't finish.

"Tidus…" Jecht began. "You're still too young to understand. Vampires and humans…we've been enemies for centuries going way back. They were never meant to be mixed."

"Mixed?" Tidus asked.

"I'll tell you when you're a little older……"

Tidus tossed and turned on his bed trying to get some rest but it was useless. He sat up and stared at the floor thinking about what he just dreamt of but decided it was better to shake it off his mind and go outside for some air.

He left his room and walked in the main chamber. Most of everyone were awake and were most likely going to go out and hunt. Tidus sarcastically chuckled.

Yuna walked around the village, keeping it safe and quiet. She then walked to the village entrance, looking out at the forest path. Going through that path after dark was a suicide path to death. She knew well that the vampires were out there, everywhere, well depending how many there were on the island.

"Psssst!" Came a whisper from the bushes.

Yuna looked over in the direction. "Huh? Tidus is that you?"

"Is it safe to come out?" Tidus asked.

"Yup."

Tidus then popped out. "I'm surprised you're out patrolling by yourself. What if a gang of nasty vampires came and hunted you down?"

Yuna placed her hands on her hips. "Oh really? You wouldn't come to my rescue again?" She teased.

"Are you crazy? If my brothers saw me picking your side rather then theirs, they'd kill me. Literally." Tidus explained.

Yuna giggled. "I was just joking."

Tidus crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm sure you were."

"Hey, lighten up a bit. I know deep down inside you can manage a smile. Try." Yuna told him.

"Psh! I've never smiled in my life." He simply told her.

Yuna smiled. "You're so funny." She said walking around him.

"What's so funny?"

"I've only known you just over a week. I don't even see that many qualities of a vampire in you."

"No?" Tidus asked.

Yuna shook her head. "You resemble a human in so many ways too, you know. It's strange as I see it. I'm sure that if I showed you to all the others, they'd see it too."

Tidus look a step back. "T-The other hunters you mean?"

"Yeah."

"They'd kill me for sure." Tidus told her.

"Maybe. No one trusts vampires these days. But…I trust you."

Tidus looked at her. "You…do?"

"A vampire has never saved my life from another vampire. I have never been up close to a vampire as I am with you. How do you feel about me?"

"I don't know. I trust you too except for the fact that you're a hunter." Tidus replied.

Yuna looked down. "I have to protect my home."

"I know you have your reasons. But you protecting your home involves killing my brother's and sister's." Tidus told her. He then paused for a moment. "I want you to come with me tomorrow. In the morning. I want to show you where I live."

Yuna looked back up at him. "What? I couldn't do that! Surrounded by all those vampires, are you trying to send me to my death? Or are you planning of feasting on me?"

"We sleep during the day, everyone will be asleep. I promise you that nothing will happen. You trust me right?"

"……I'll think about it, ok?"

"Okay."

In the far distance, Rikku had opened the front door to get Yuna from her patrolling when she saw her talking to someone. He then left and entered the forest. What was going on? Yuna couldn't have been talking to a…vampire, right? She then closed the door.

"Are you telling me the truth Bickson?" Seymour asked.

"Yes. He's been spending time with a mortal from the village." Bickson replied.

"I knew something was up with that damn half breed!" Seymour replied making a fist.

"Half breed?"

"Never mind. I'll kill that girl myself." Seymour said.

"Actually, the mortal has a weakness. A man named Baralai."

"Baralai? Hmm, okay then. Tomorrow night, we attack the village and feast on all the flesh and blood we desire. I'll teach Tidus the true meaning of being a vampire. And within time, he'll do the same." Seymour said evilly.

And that's the chapter for now. Now stick around, you wouldn't want to miss the next chapter! I'm telling ya! You better stay tuned and don't forget to review. Thanks a lot everyone! See you in chapter 5, A Painful Cry.