Secrets Held Within

--

The year is 1864, and a traveling youth by the name of Dark finds himself stuck in the small town of Azumano. During his stay he discovers a mysterious mansion, and suddenly finds his destiny intertwined with that of it's enigmatic occupant.

--

Chapter 13

--

Dark leaned foreword hesitantly, gingerly gripping the blonde's arm above the elbow and below it.

Krad made a light whimpering sound, and Dark winced upon hearing it. He bit his teeth for a moment, took a deep breath, and pulled, twisting the arm back into its socket all the while.

Krad's eyes flashed open, and he let out a sort of strangled scream, leaping up slightly.

"Shh!" Dark hissed, pushing him back down, and wiping the pale sheen of sweat from the other's forehead as Krad panted.

Dark swallowed, and reached for a large cloth, wrapping it over Krad's arm even as the blonde bit his lips to the point of drawing blood.

A few seconds passed in silence, Krad's breathing slowly returning to normal, and Dark asked, "You okay?"

The vampire nodded slightly, inwardly cursing his abnormally sharp teeth and managed to mutter, "Damn…that…that really…hurt…"

Dark nodded. "I'm sorry. It had to be done, though…"

Krad shuddered. "I know…"

There was a knock on the door, and it creaked on its hinges to reveal four teenagers in the doorway.

"D-Dark?" Risa asked shakily, and Riku asked, "Is everything okay? We heard a scream and…came to see if you needed any help…"

Dark shook his head, standing up and stepping away from Krad, nearing the younger figures. "It's okay, I think. He…I had to set the bone…that was Krad you heard, I think, so…Uhm…"

The violet haired traveler scratched the back of his head irritably, the blonde wincing still.

"Can we come in?" Daisuke asked as a growing silence began, and Dark raised a brow. "I don't…think that's such a good idea…"

Riku raised a brow. "Why not?"

"Because Krad…needs his rest," Dark said after a brief pause.

"I see…" came the mumbled reply.

"Well…I'm going to make sure he's all right…and then we should all get out of here for a bit. Let him rest…" Dark mused aloud, before shooing the four out.

Upon closing the door with a great sigh, Dark turned to face Krad. The blonde lay on his back, his eyes closed in a feeble attempt to disperse the spinning images that flashed rapidly from his mind.

"Thank you…"

"For what?" Dark asked, walking to the side of the bed and taking a seat.

"Everything…you've really…done too much for me, you know…"

"It was nothing, Krad, really. Now, I'm going to let you rest and see if there's anything I can do around here, all right? Call if you need anything," Dark offered, fully knowing that the blonde would be too proud to call for anything, anyway.

"Wait…Dark, can I ask you something?" Krad asked, his eyes fluttering open slightly.

"Sure—what can I do for you?"

"I…Dark, will you tell them?"

"Tell them what?"

"That…that I'm a vampire," came the hesitant reply.

Dark was silent for a long moment. "Do you want me to?"

Krad took a deep breath before saying, "Yes. They deserve to know, at the very least, what they are housing. I don't think they'll take kindly to that knowledge, though, so you must understand that I will probably be departing soon…"

"Krad—don't say that. Maybe they'll understand…"

"Maybe," Came the quiet reply, "But probably not…"

"I…" Dark was at a loss for anything, and Krad closed his eyes once again. When a moment passed in complete silence, Dark said quietly, "Krad?"

There was no reply. Apparently the blonde's conscious had finally decided to take a rest and ease his suffering for the time being.

Dark smiled lightly and blew out the candle next to the blonde before closing the curtains draped around the window to block out any stray moonlight that might otherwise sneak through. Still, Dark thought, with the ever-growing mask of clouds veiling Azumano…even that wasn't very likely.

--

Closing the door behind him quietly as he exited the room, Dark sighed heavily and walked into the living room.

Four sets of eyes fell on him as he took a seat next to the fire and said, "So. What do you want to know about him?"

"What?" Daisuke asked, raising his gaze to meet violet orbs.

"About Krad. You all have questions, I know, and so he told me to answer them. So…what do you want to know?"

Satoshi adjusted the thin glasses he wore, and looked at Dark for a long moment before saying, "I've got questions. Why was he so mutilated when you came here?"

"Ah…that's a long story…" Dark said, scratching the back of his head.

"But you told us you were going to answer our questions," Satoshi prompted as the others remained silent.

"Fine, fine…I'll tell you…"

"Go on, then…"

"All right. This starts when…about two weeks after I got here. One night I had been…"

--

Dark took a deep breath, finishing, "And when I stabbed Dougan the first thing I did was come here. And…well…you see…"

Four sets of eyes, wide with curiosity and disbelief stared at the older teenager who waited in the awkward silence that had taken hold of the room.

Finally, Daisuke was able to say, "So…wait…you mean…Krad's really a vampire?"

Dark nodded. "Yeah…"

Satoshi snorted. "You must be joking—you expect us to believe that nonsense?"

"Why would I lie to you, Satoshi?"

"I…I…" Satoshi, at a loss for words, merely closed his mouth and looked away. "I don't know. Your story seems a little far fetched to me, though…"

"I second that…" Riku said, her brows furrowing in curiosity.

"Well I," the youngest said, standing up and glaring at the rest of her friends, "believe Mister Dark!"

Daisuke nodded. "I…there are a lot of weird things going on…I agree, but…this may take some time for me to believe. Not that I don't believe or trust Dark—I just—this is all so new!" the red head said quickly, hoping to avoid offending Dark.

The violet haired teen simply brushed it off and said, "You'd feel better if Krad told you, then?"

The room fell silent for what seemed like the hundredth time and Riku's hesitant voice said, "But…Dark…if he is a vampire…"

Dark nodded as the girl continued, "Wouldn't he need…blood?"

"He…like I said, now that his mixture has worn off…yes."

"But that's dangerous," Risa said as she suppressed a shudder.

"Which is why he thinks you are all going to have him leave. Which brings up the question…are you going to kick Krad out?"

"He's a potential hazard Dark, we really have to consider this…" Riku said, closing her eyes in thought.

"I understand, but you need to understand that if he just has some blood or something to sustain him—"

"Dark—where are we going to get blood from?"

"I'll give him some of mine if I have to!"

"I…but…Dark, you can't—"

Dark interrupted Riku, "I can, and I will if I have to! You must not realize how much Krad means to me—he's my best friend and I would do anything in my power to help him…even if it meant putting myself in harm's way!"

--

Krad opened his door quietly, having regained consciousness and a bit of his energy back a little while ago. Creeping out into the hallway and heading towards the sound of voices, the blonde made sure to keep in the shadows for reasons he never quiet understood.

Pausing when he heard Dark yell about something, he inwardly flinched. Dark…would put himself in harm's way just to help him?

That…that stupid boy…didn't he realize it wasn't worth the effort? Krad was a vampire—eternally damned for a sin he never committed, and here Dark was, proclaiming he would help him?

Krad opened his mouth to say something—to yell at Dark and tell him he should never have grown so attached to the vampire in the first place when the violet haired boy continued.

"I don't…I don't care if Krad is different or dangerous…and I don't know if you understand…because you don't know him like I do. You see…I don't care what he is. He could be a damn squirrel for all I care—Krad is my friend, and I plan to stay by him no matter what happens."

Krad froze, and before he could stop himself stepped out of the shadows and asked, "Dark…do you mean that?"

"Every word of it," came the solid reply, and then Dark shook his head. "Krad? How long have you been there?"

"Long enough…"

"You should still be resting!" Dark said quickly, standing up.

"I came…to see how things were going. Not that it was any of my business, but…"

"Krad, are you feeling better?" Daisuke asked, looking up at the older male.

The vampire blinked slowly. "Yes…thank you…"

Turning his gaze to Dark, he asked quietly, "You did tell them…didn't you?"

Dark nodded even as Daisuke continued, "would you like to join us, then? We'd love to have your company…"

Krad's gaze narrowed in suspicion before he said, "I…suppose. If you'll have me, of course…"

"Certainly," Satoshi said, glancing at the blonde curiously. "We'd like to…talk."

"Would you like some tea? I'm going to go get some for everyone, so please have a seat," Risa said as she scurried out of the room and into the kitchen.

"Dark? What's going on? Why are they all acting…different?" Krad said as Dark let him to the chair next to him.

"I'm not sure…it's just sinking in that you really are a vampire, I suppose…"

"Oh…I see…" Krad said, moving slowly to avoid damaging his still injured arm.

"So…Krad," Satoshi asked, "What's it like?"

"It?"

"Being a vampire. How do you feel about it?"

Krad was silent for a long moment before responding coldly, "It's the worst thing in the world…I'd rather be dead…"

--

Okay…I feel like this was really shoddily written, and hope that you can forgive me for not only that but the long update as well. Blah, I could say so much more, but there is so little time. Also, I have a speech and, once again, those who have read my other recently updated stories. All right: Since there has been a change in reviewing policy…I have a message for those of you whom have reviewed. Since it has been decreed that an author shall no longer reply to his or her reviews on the story…I have decided to no longer do the usual routine. No, that doesn't mean no more reviews, it just means no more reviews HERE. Since not everyone has an account on fanfiction dot net, I have decided to reply to all of you in the review section! I know this may be a little confusing, but you must understand that…it will work…I hope. And the good thing is that I'm not breaking any rules in the process! So, every updated chapter I will respond, only you will have to look in the review section. How redundant…I feel like I keep repeating myself. Anyway, those looking for my comments to their replies for chapter 12 will find them in the review section for chapter 12, all right? Sorry to have wasted so much of your time…