Zero, get away from her! She is a vampire!
Mum? Dad?
The hunters' child quivered in fear when he saw his parents body laid lifeless on the floor. Zero watched in horror as the ugly scene of his past playing before him. He felt so weak and helpless before his most hated enemy, Hiou Shizuka; the pureblood who had murdered his parents and was responsible for turning him into one of her kind.
The fearsome pair of purplish eyes met his before the mad woman sunk her teeth into Zero's neck, claiming her humanity. The poor boy couldn't help it but screamed in agony as fresh blood poured out his veins into the intruder's bloodthirsty mouth. The sheer of pain that Zero felt was suddenly replaced with another scene. The ex hunter found himself standing at the heart of the Central Market. The street of the market was crowded with people who were all busy with their own things. As Zero waded through the sea of people, he tried to recall the incident which has happened to him there. The shouting of one of the slave traders caught Zero's attention.
A huge crowd was now formed in front of the stall. Chain of human slaves was ushered by two slave traders for display. The slaves consisted of humans and servant vampires, both young and old. And among them stood a silver-haired boy, with his clothes still drenched in dried blood. That image struck Zero hard. He remembered very well how broken he has felt after his parents' death. He even thought of ending his life but the curse Hiou Shizuka cast on him by killing himself, slashing both wrists over and over again. However, the curse was too powerful to overcome, even death. He watched his zombie-like self being dragged in front of public and auctioned by the slave traders. Being the highest bidder, Zero was then later sold off to Aristocrat Albert de Gaulle.
Following that, Zero was transported to another scene. He now landed in the slave quarters at Albert's mansion where he used to be. The place was crammed with de Gaulle's servants who were under the watchful eyes of the prison guards. Zero took a few steps and sat beside his own self. His eyes reflected nothing but the lost of will to live. The young boy's body was decorated with lash marks and burn bruises, marks of disobedience and torture by Albert's men.
Out of a sudden, the cell door swung open. He watched as two prison guards entered the cell with a young girl about Zero's age. Zero was taken aback by the amount of resistance the girl showed with her small and fragile looking body. After shoving the girl back to her cell, the prison door was slammed shut. Not knowing what to do, the girl retreated to a corner of the cell, hugging her knees close to her chest. It took the girl sometime before she realized that there was another inmate inside the cell.
"Are you new here?" she asked meekly.
The boy remained silent and turned away. Annoyed, the girl took a few steps and sat beside him. Both of them sat quietly for few hours before the girl spoke again.
"How do you ended up here?" the girl asked again.
"It's none of your business, girl. Go away. Leave me alone." Zero bluntly replied.
He turned away from her, hoping that she would understand that he needed his privacy. But the girl was just too stubborn to budge even though Zero has given her his death stare. Annoyed, the boy yelled back at her in frustration and reverted to another corner of the prison cell. His attempt seemed futile when his cellmate followed soon after he has changed his place. However, this time the girl did not mutter a sound and quietly sat beside Zero. Both remained silent again.
Zero suddenly felt another surge of attack hit him. The side of his neck throbbed painfully as his bloodlust built within him. His eyes turned crimson as his hunger grew. His senses became sharper than usual; he could sense the inviting scent of his cellmate blood flowing in her veins. Damn it, not now. I need to get her out of here, Zero told himself.
"Get away from me. I will hurt you badly if you don't" the boy growled.
Panting heavily, Zero staggered away from his cellmate; trying to restraint himself from devouring a human in front of him. He prayed hard that he will able to sustain his control over his own monster self until the surge was over. Zero cannot bear to live with guilt of killing an innocent again after what he had done in one of the villages when he went on rampage a few years ago.
What Zero experienced for the next second was one he had never expected. The petite little girl held him in a tight hug from behind, attempt to restraint the agitated young man. Her hold was strong and firm, to the point where it has given him the strength to fight with his evil side. Zero has no strength to oppose her actions. He simply absorbed her warmth and focused fully on fighting the beast within him. After a few minutes of struggle, the surge was finally over.
"Thank you…"
That was the last words Zero muttered before he collapsed in exhaustion. He felt a warm touch grazing through his forehead a second before he lost his consciousness. The Zero who was watching the scene too felt the same effect and felt prey to slumber.