hey everyone! i'm so sorry for all the cliffy's! . it's just how the chapter turns out! oh well, here's 24. and don't hate me for the end of it, ok?

Chapter 24 -- One Bullet, one promise.

-3rd person POV-

As Tenma and Seirei readied their attacks, the hunter unexpectedly shot a round towards Ichijo and the others. "Let's see if your friends are as strong as you."

"Kilo! Look out!" Tenma shouted, but Ichijo stood in front of Kilo in moments, his sword knocking away the bullet.

"Nice..." Seirei said, charging the hunter.

"Not on your life, vermin," the hunter said, knocking seirei to the side, the barrel of his gun connecting with her head.

"Now I'll finish ya!" the hunter shouted as he aimed the gun at Seirei's heart.

The gun fired, and several hearts skipped, who'd been shot? Had he missed? What if...?

"What the...?"

All of the onlookers gazed at the scene before them; Seirei was crouched down, hands on her head; the hunter staring wide eyed. And in the middle, Tenma stood, her hand on the gun, her right shoulder bleeding.

"Let go!" The hunter shouted, trying to pry his gun from the vampire's hand. But Tenma didn't move.

"I will not."

Seirei looked up. "Why the hell? Get out of the way!" she shouted standing up.

"I will not," Tenma repeated, eyes completely focused on the hunter.

"I said move you bitch!" Seirei shouted, pulling Tenma back, but also exposing her shoulder more. Seirei took a sharp breath.

"Does it really look that bad from the front?" Tenma asked jokingly, now sitting on the ground, her focus still not moved from the hunter.

"I'd hate to interrupt, but say good-bye!" The hunter shouted, his hand on the trigger. But he suddenly stopped, and the gun fell from his hands, soon followed by the hunter himself.

"Drop dead," Tenma said quietly, her voice laced with poison

"What happened?" Kilo asked no one in particular.

Seirei walked over to him, and looked him over. "He didn't just die, he was killed, his heart's shattered," she said matter-of-factly.

"Who did it?" Ichijo asked, walking over to them. But then he stopped, Tenma's words drifting into his mind -- "Onii-chan can control spirits, and I control a person's body."

Kilo sat down next to Tenma. "Tenma, who did it?"

"I did," was all she said, staring up at the sky.

"Why'd you save me?" Seirei asked suddenly, standing in front of Tenma.

"That's a stupid question," Tenma said flatly.

"Just tell me!" Seirei shouted, grabbing the collar of Tenma's clothes. Frustration and confusion clouded her eyes.

"Because I'm just like that," Tenma said, removing Seirei's hand, but not getting up. "and I'm not about o let anything happen to the people close to me."

"Tenma, we should get your shoulder taken care of," Ichijo said, moving down to help up the young vampire.

"Why the hell is he helping you?" Seirei asked, glaring at Ichijo, distaste evident in her expression.

"What are you talking about?" Tenma asked quietly.

"Isn't that the kid that would always sit there as you were beaten to a pulp?" Seirei asked, anger boiling.

Ichijo looked down, and away form the others.

"He couldn't do anything about that. No one could, and you know that." Tenma said, standing on her feet, her hand on her shoulder.

"So what? Now it's all better? Pathetic." Seirei said, walking back to the dorm.

"Geez...still as stiff...what am I gonna do with her...?" Tenma said, leaning on Kilo's shoulder.

"Let's go back, " Kilo said, helping her friend walk back.

-Moon Dorm (Tenma's Room)-

"Alright, let's get that taken care of," Kilo said, getting out some bandages.

"Whatever..." Tenma said, removing her outer shirt, fully exposing the wound.

"This is horrible..." Kilo said, taking a warm wash cloth, and cleaning the blood. 'She's lost quite a bit, I hop she's alright,' Kilo thought, finishing up the cleaning, and beginning to bandage her friend's wound.

'Knock knock'

"Come in," Tenma said, not bothering to look at the door.

As Ichijo and Aido walked in, both dropped their jaws at the sight of the exposed bone and muscle.

"'The bullet was poisonous,' will answer your question," Tenma said quietly, still not meeting their gaze.

"How come you just act so calm?!" Aido shouted. "And what about Seirei-san, why was she acting like that?"

"The answer to both your questions from me is -- I don't know." Tenma said, shrugging her shoulders.

But then, a sharp pain shot through her shoulder, causing her to nearly double over form the pain. "Figures, the injury's never the problem..."

"Then what is?" Kilo asked, applying pressure to the wound, to prevent any fresh blood from seeping out. 'She needs all she's got right now,' Kilo thought.

"The pain is what's worst." Tenma said, her breathing deep and uneven.

"You should rest, let that shoulder heal," Ichijo said, leaning against the bed.

Aido sat down next to Kilo, "or you won't be able to go to the dance with everyone!" he said cheerfully.

"I can't go anyways." Tenma said flatly.

"What?! Why?!" Kilo shouted.

"I don't have any formal clothes, duh." Tenma said, an 'I thought it was obvious' look on her face.

"Neither of you have formal clothes?! We're going to have to fix that!" Aido shouted, a determined look on his features.

"Why am I lumped into this?" Tenma asked, pointing to herself.

"'Cause you're going!" Kilo said, standing up.

"And if I say no?"

"Then I'll...um...I'll dye all you stuff pink!" She shouted, ducking behind Aido.

"I'm not wearing a dress," Tenma said flatly. "And absolutely no pink, or I will put you six feet under, is that understood?"

"Thank you!!" Kilo shouted, jumping on her friend. "Oh! Sorry!" she said, letting go of her. "I forgot."

"...that's my line, Kilo." Tenma said, sighing.

"Let's go find Rima, she should be able to help get some clothes for the dance!" Aido said suddenly, grabbing Kilo and running out the door.

Tenma and Ichijo blinked. "That was weird," Tenma said, laying back on her bed.

"I still don't see why you don't want to go Tenma, I think you'd have fun." Ichijo said, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"And see all the day class girls jumping on the others, I can go to school for that," Tenma said, staring up at the ceiling. "Besides, Kilo's going to be busy with Aido all night, I don't see why she wants me there."

"She wants you to have fun, that's why," Ichijo said, staring out at the window.

"How would you know?" Tenma asked, scowling at the ceiling.

"Because...it's natural to think about a friend like that?" Ichijo said quietly.

Tenma sat up, sighing. "I'm bored..."

"Then take a nap," Ichijo said jokingly, looking over to the young vampire.

-Ichijo's POV-

When I looked over at her, I felt my jaw fall a few inches -- she was beautiful. Her shoulder-length black-violet hair, her violet eyes seemed tired, but still held their piercing gaze. The moonlight dancing on her pale skin, giving her a ghostly glow.

"Is something wrong?" Tenma asked, snapping me from my thoughts.

I blinked, "nothing's wrong, just got lost in thought is all."

She smiled slightly. "Ok,"

"You should do that more often," I said absent mindedly.

"Do what?" she asked, curiosity laced her tone.

"You should smile more,"

"Why?" she asked, "no one cares if I do or not."

I leaned on the post of her bed, "I do."

She looked taken aback, her pale cheeks a light pink, and it made me stifle a laugh.

"What's so funny?" she pouted, crossing her arms.

"You," I answered, only be hit in the face with a...pillow?

"I dare you to laugh again!" Tenma said, another pillow in her left hand.

I burst out laughing at the sight.

But when nothing happened, I stopped, wasn't she going to hit me? I looked up, she was about a foot away, her hand inches from the tip of my nose.

She pulled back quickly, her arm and hand shaking and twitching. "Yamete..."

"Tenma!"

She gasped and looked up at me.

"Tenma, what's wrong?" I asked, sitting up.

Her hands went up and grasped the sides of her head. "Itai...itai...itai."

I put my hands on both her shoulders. "Tell me, what' wrong?" Tenma's words repeated to me. -- "The bullet was poisoned."

"I'll go find Kilo, she might be able to-"

She grabbed my hand, "Iie!" her hand shook violently.

I quickly wrapped my arms around her, she was ice cold, needless to say, I was worried sick. "Hold on," I said, sitting her on my lap, and grabbing all the blankets form the bed, wrapping them around us.

She buried herself between the blankets and me, her head over my heart, but the shaking still would not subside.

Suddenly, a new presence was felt in the room, but I could see no one.

"The poison's chilled her blood, she's not going to stop shaking," came a voice.

I looked over to the window, and saw Kotoru sitting on the sill. "What do you mean?" I asked him.

"The bullet was not meant to kill her, it was only a vessel for the poison that's spreading through her. It's traveling through her blood, chilling it and the vital organs on it's way to her heart," he said quietly.

"And then what?" I asked.

"She dies."

i'm so sorry! i've done it again! -hiding in corner- please don't kill me! i promise i'll update soon...

if you're not too pissed, could you review? please? -chibi face- ...