A/N: Chapter 3 is up and running. I tried to not confuse people but any questions please ask! thankx

Chapter 3 The Angel

Two weeks have passed since Vans secret became known to Hitomi. He still was rude to her at school but by the end of the second week she had come to figure out that he was just putting up a face to show he was still mean. He had made a habit of sneaking in her now always unlocked window at night when her parents were asleep and we would talk for hours about anything and everything. Mainly about vampires.

Hitomi was nervous that Friday afternoon while she waited for Van to come. She was going to ask him about the feather tonight and wasn't sure what he would say. She had really gotten to know him and even learned to read his many expressions that passed over his scarred face. His scars…yes that was another topic she was planning on bringing up. No new fresh scars could be seen since those she'd seen two weeks ago but he always wore a jacket and jeans which made her suspicious.

She had decided to wear another of her vampire shirts that read, "Bite me" across the front. She hadn't worn it at all but she wanted to see if Van paid attention to what she wore. She had drawn a dozen more pictures that all focused around Van and he had analyzed every one of them before praising it or pointing out a flaw. He seemed to really like them. Which brought up another thought to mind. She'd read that vampires couldn't see their reflections.

Her thoughts were cut off by the window opening slowly and Van climbing through. His back was to her and she could tell something was different. He shut the window and he turned towards me. It was a little dark so I couldn't see what was wrong until he steps into my lamps light and I bolt to me feet and race over to him. His face had a huge gash across his right cheek that was bleeding profusely. The blood trailed down his neck staining his shirt. That was the other thing she noticed. He didn't have a jacket on. His shirt was ripped and blood stains showed three more equally sever gashes. One across his belly, one on his chest and the other on his side.

"Hitomi…" He whispers . Pain evident in his voice and his eyes. He's never called me by my name before. He usually says girl or women. "Van! What happened?" I cry as he collapses onto my floor from lose of blood. Thankfully her parents were out tonight. Hitomi rushes into their bathroom and brings back their huge first aid kit. Hitomi remembered giving her mom a hard time about it thinking what could happen? Now she was grateful.

Hitomi turns the unconscious Van over onto his back and uses scissors to rip his shredded shirt off. Knowing it would sting like hell but having no other choice, Hitomi pours alcohol on a clothe and slowly rubs the chest wound. Van gasps and sits up fully awake and angry. "What the hell are you doing woman!" He shouts before the pain comes back making him wince and fall back with a groan. Hitomi, who was used to his yelling, just says in a soothing voice, "Calm down Van. I have to clean your wounds so they don't get infected." She wanted to know what happened but decided to wait until later to ask.

Van stares at her before staring up at the ceiling and trying to hide his winces of pain as Hitomi rubs each of the wounds gently before wrapping them up with gauze. He was asleep by the time she finished. After finally finishing with dressing his wounds she gets a good look at him while he sleeps. His chest and arms were muscled well but what caught her attention were all the small scars all over him. She reached out and touched one without thinking.

Vans body flinches and he wakes to grab her hand that had touched him and squeezed it painfully. She fights back a cry of pain as the pressure doesn't loosen. He had a hurt look in his eyes that she'd never seen before. "Van…you're hurting me." She says softly and he immediately lets her hand go. She rubbed her knuckles and stared at his face that was now unreadable.

"I wish you didn't have to see me like this Hitomi." He used her name again! He was struggling with something in his head. She knew he was figuring whether or not to tell her what had happened. "It's ok Van. You don't have to tell me anything." Hitomi says softly. He would tell her when he was ready. He seemed relieved and relaxed his body.

She sighed turned the lamp off and climbed into bed. Just as she was drifting to sleep she faintly heard the words, "thank you" being whispered from Van. Hitomi smiled and snuggled into her pillow.

In the morning Hitomi wakes to the window being opened. She hastily spins on her side to catch a glimpse of Van climbing through the window. "Van!" Hitomi cries and leaps out of bed. He was outside the window but stops. His face turned away from her. His fists were clenched and his body looked tense. "Where are you going? Are your wounds ok?" She asks concerned.

He turns the good side of his face towards her slightly and nods before a look of hatred enters his eye. She was shocked at such a look. "They will pay for this. I'll see you on Monday." He sprints towards the woods but then turns and heads up the road. Hitomi wondered what he meant and got worried that he'd irritate his wounds but she mustn't interfere.

On Monday in art Van came in late as usual and sat behind Hitomi. The gash was still on his face and Hitomi fought the urge to ask how he was. It was getting harder and harder to hide her interest in him from the rest of the school. She wished she could talk to him during school but she knew he would just call her some obscene name and be rude. Today was different though. A piece of paper gets slipped under her arm and she stares at it in surprise not daring to look back at Van in fear of giving him away. She slowly unfolds the note and reads:

Hitomi, I need to talk to you about something. Meet me in the woods by my house right after school.

Hitomi wonders what could be so important he couldn't wait until the night to talk to her but she responds saying:

Ok Van.

Folding the note back up, she drops her arm nonchalantly to her side and moves it back casually. Van takes the note and his gloved hand brushes hers. She could hear him unfold the note and then crumple it up and throw it in the trash. The rest of the day seemed to drag by slowly until finally gym ended and Hitomi raced home in her shorts and tank top. She tossed her backpack on the front step and immediately headed into the woods.

Thinking that she'd get there before him, she was surprised to see him already standing there waiting. Then she remembered he had the speed trait. "You cheated." Hitomi said panting. He smirked but then frowned as a serious look entered his face. It was hard looking at the ugly gash that tore up his right cheek and she felt like crying.

"Hitomi…"He pauses before continuing with new strength. "I'm sorry I came to your house last night in that bad state. I was attacked you see…and…they caught me off guard. My thoughts had clouded my senses allowing my attackers to gang up on me." He growls at himself for being so foolish. "Who were they?" Hitomi asks. Van looks at her before adverting his gaze. "Some football jockeys from school. They've been attempting to get me back for…something that happened awhile ago." Van said slowly.

He's really changed in these two weeks we've been hanging out together. Hitomi thought to herself. He actually thinks before speaking and tells me stuff. "What happened?" Hitomi asks curiously. Van's face darkens as a long forgotten pain enters his eyes before he shakes his head and growls low in his throat. "Something that I did a long time ago that I regret doing. Just leave it at that." Hitomi knew when to let up and she didn't question him further.

He shifts on his two feet. She notices he's fiddling with something in his jacket pocket and she guessed he was debating with himself again. In the end his hands come out empty and his eyes meet hers. The stare wasn't as cold anymore and they didn't narrow as much as they used to. Did she do that? Has she changed him that much?

"Van, do you see yourself in the mirror?" Hitomi asks suddenly to break the silence. Van looked surprised by the sudden question but answered promptly. "No I don't. I guess that's why I like seeing your drawings so much. I get to see myself." He says. Another question pops into her mind randomly. "What kind of food do you like?" She had never seen him eat anything at school. A small red tinge colors his cheeks before he answers. "Well besides blood, the only thing I consume is raw meat." Hitomi considers this before replying, "Why don't you ever eat at school?" He again seems embarrassed and Hitomi finds herself enjoying it.

"My brother and I don't really have the money to buy the meat so we just wait for our week of blooding to feed." Hitomi smiles softly at being shared such an important thing. "Ok." Was all she said.

Two more months passed by and the talk at school, though nobody said it aloud was how much Van Fanel has changed. He didn't glare at anyone anymore and the cold presence that used to surround him was gone. People didn't know what had happened but the main guess was the new girl Hitomi. Hitomi and Van sat outside during lunch and Hitomi would bring a raw steak for Van. Though nobody saw this. They had their own secret place to eat. The roof.

The day after Van had confessed his lack of finances, Hitomi had taken Van to the roof of the school and took out a wrapped bloody steak from her lunch bag. Van actually smiled at her for the first time. Taking the steak gratefully and biting into the cold meat hungrily. When he ate, his fangs would grow making it easier for him to tear the meat. Hitomi would either watch amused or she'd have her sketch book out sketching a quick picture of him.

The weeks that he wasn't at school, Hitomi knew he was blooding and she would take the time to write in her growing story. She hadn't shown the story to anyone yet but it was growing larger every day.

Then on one day, it was snowing and it was the day before Christmas break. Hitomi and her family were driving down south tomorrow to visit family and Hitomi didn't want to go. She and Van sat up on the roof and even with the snow she felt warm as Van sat close to her unfazed by the cold weather. Heat constantly radiated off of him and she had nicknamed him her electric blanket. He was amused by that the day she told him this. She glances at the long scar on his face before looking at him fully.

He was licking the freezing blood of the steak and didn't notice Hitomi take out a large wrapped box from her backpack. "Van?" She asks softly and he looks up. She giggled and wiped the blood that dripped down his face. He smiled and his fangs stuck out making him look menacing yet sexy. He notices the present and a blush rises to his cheeks. She watches him carefully, making sure he knew what it was before handing it to him.

Van looks at the neatly wrapped bow and then at the wrapping paper that had reindeer on it. Christmas. He'd never paid much attention to the holiday but he knew about the presents. "Open it silly." Hitomi says with a laugh as he just continues to stare at it. He numbly undoes the bow and then tears off the paper in his excitement. A plain white box is left and he rips the lid off to something that made his heart clench. He gently pulls out the framed picture that had him and Hitomi in it. We were smiling and she had her head leaning against Vans shoulder and Van had his smirk on while his long fangs showed up. It was colored beautifully and he thought it was her best work ever.

"Read what it says at the bottom." Hitomi says quietly and Van looks down at the cursive that was beautifully handwritten. It said:

To: Van

You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. Don't ever leave me.

Love, Hitomi

Love? Did she really mean to put love on there? Van looks up startled at Hitomi and from her crimson face he new she meant it and was waiting for his reply. He gulps and looks down at it again. She loved him? Van heart feels warm and his shoulders relax with the thought. He looks up to respond but a noise startles them both out of their paradise.

The roof door opens and the group of jockeys files out looking like trouble. Van tucks the picture back into the box gently and stands in front of Hitomi shielding her. "So this is where the freak comes to hang out." The main jock sneers before catching sight of Hitomi. "Oh and look he even has a bitch with him too." The other guys laugh at that.

Vans body starts to shake as rage flows through his veins. Hitomi notices the change but the jocks are oblivious and keep up their ranting. "Is she your lap dog or something Van or are you her lap dog?" They howl with laughter as a low snarl emits from Vans throat. "Van don't do anything please." Hitomi whispers softly. The jocks hear her. "Oh what's the freak going to do? Grind us up and make a soup?" The laugh again and start circling Van. One comes up behind him and then they all lunge at once.

Van fights them with all his strength but even being a vampire didn't help when one is outnumbered greatly. They held him up on all sides and a scream from Hitomi snaps his attention to the edge of the roof where one of the jocks held a struggling Hitomi. She was scared but still trying to fight. "Let her go you asshole!" Van yells as he struggles against the jocks.

The jock holding Hitomi laughs and steps back slightly making a big mistake. A large ice patch had formed from the snow and the jock slips with Hitomi over the school roof. A piercing scream is heard that fueled Vans blood red hot. He yells as new strength bursts from him sending the jocks backwards. Van leaps to the side and sees Hitomis feather floating through the snowy air.

A warmth fills Van as he leaps over the edge and huge, snowy-white wings burst from his back ripping through his shirt and jacket. Hitomis screams stop as she feels strong arms wrap around her. A powerful sweep the giant wings send them both sailing high into the air away from the school. Hitomi huddles close to Vans chest as the wind threatens to knock them out of the air.

Hitomis house comes into view and Van sighs in relief as he descends and his feet gently land on the ground. She was shivering violently and he almost rips her bedroom window off in his haste to open it and get her inside. A burst of warm air is felt inside the house and with Hitomi safely through the window and yells that he'll be right back and lunges into the air. His angelic wings taking him back to the roof top to retrieve Hitomis backpack and his picture. The jocks were still in shock when he landed and scooped up the belonging before heading back to Hitomis house.

'What had happened?' Hitomi thinks as she sits up and looks at the open window. How did she get her? She remembered Van and large wings and then flying. No that couldn't be true. She automatically searches for her lucky feather and tears spring in her eyes as she notices it's gone. She starts to sob as she realizes her feather and Van were gone when a whoosh of cold air hits her and several large white feathers fly through her window before Van climbs through shirtless. He sets down the back pack and white box before closing the window and turning to her.

"Van…what happened?" Hitomi whispers unable to believe what she'd seen. Van blushes crimson before walking over and sitting next to her so their shoulders touched. "I'm not really sure. It's only happened once before." He stares at her for a long time before deciding on something.

"Let me try to explain. You know that feather you found by the shed? That was my feather. When I first met you, I noticed the feather and I knew you'd been to my house. Me and my brother are what people would call two-faced beings. Meaning we have two sides. The vampire side and another side. Everyone only knows the blood thirsty side because that's what we are 95 of the time. The other side is…well…what you saw. The lighter side I guess. That side only comes out when something dramatic happens to someone close to that person. So you falling off the roof was what triggered it." Van takes a breath and looks at Hitomi. She seemed to be reminiscing on something.

"Van the first night I moved here I had a dream I was in a clearing and there were white feathers whirling around me. It makes since now. It was like a sign or something." She smiles softly and hesitantly brings her hand up to his scarred cheek to run a finger down the drawn skin. His hand catches hers and he blinks, obviously confused on what to do.

Hitomi laughs and crawls over to the box and takes out the picture that was still intact. She had worked so hard on this picture. "That picture…I think it's your best work." Van stats as she turns and hands it to him. He handled it gently which surprised her. He coughs and stands up momentarily fidgeting. Hitomi stares at him curiously. He gulps before bringing out a small box. "Merry Christmas Hitomi." He says and shoves the box into Hitomis hands before turning around and looking at her wall. Hitomi opens the box and gasps.

Inside was a beautifully engraved silver feather pendent. It was about 1 ½ inches long and a slim silver chain looped through the top. On the back of the feather Hitomi blushes as she reads:

Your guardian angel is watching over you.

Even though it didn't say love, she knew he was saying it in his own way. Tears stream down her face as she takes the necklace and pendent out of the box and call to Van, "hey Van, would you put this on for me?" Hitomi holds it up for him. His face was a sweating tomato as he kneels behind her and tries to clasp the necklace without touching her delicate skin. Her smell was so intoxicating. It was driving him mad! Finally getting the clasp on he sighs in relief and makes to stand but Hitomi stops him. She was still staring straight ahead as she bent her head sideways exposing her neck.

"Van…what would happen if you bit me?" She asks calmly. Van gulps as he feels his fangs grow long. "W-Well you'd b-become a v-vampire." He stutters trying to gain control. "What if you didn't suck the blood and just sank those sexy fangs into my neck?" Did he hear her right? "What are you saying?" He says slowly. "Answer me." She commands and he snaps up. "It would be almost impossible to bite you and not drink your blood." He answers honestly.

She turns slightly towards him and notices how he was sweating and his fangs protruded from his mouth. His eyes were turning deeper red as she smiled and turned away. "I guess you'll have to try harder." She murmurs and that was all the encouragement he needed.

A/N: Well that's the end of Chapter 3. Sorry I only briefly mentioned the wings but there will be a cute part in chapter 4 about them. Do you want me to skip the lime scene coming up or detail it at the beginning of chappie 4? They wont have sex. Just playing as Van as to control himself. Review! thanks