Chapter 9~ Moments after Aya's last chapter

"Zelman, please change me." The words were hard to get out but Zelman simply stared at me with surprise. I felt vulnerable; beaten inside and out. I turned my gaze from Zelman and stared at the ground. I felt hopeless. Zelman watched me, impassively.

"I am so weak. I can't even defend myself." I held my knees close to my body. "I am just a burden to you and everyone else." As I held my head down, Zelman lurched over me and evened his face to mine. His face drew closer to mine. He reached out his hand and brushed some stray hair out of my face. His palm grazed my check and ran down my neck. His touch was hot like fire. His hand grasped my shoulder. He leaned close, approaching my neck. His eyes glowed. A sharp pain seared in my neck. A constant heat radiated from my neck across my entire body. I calmed myself. I didn't want him to drink from me. I wanted him to stop. I couldn't force myself to move. Zelman held me close. I could feel crimson blood run down my neck and across my arms. My mind was connected with Zelman's. I could see what he saw. He released me, gently shoving me to the side. I held my neck, trying to stop the bleeding. I couldn't stop shaking. He wiped his mouth and stared at me, intently.

"You may be a burden now, but you're alive, aren't you?" He grinned. His deep crimson eyes entranced me, like they were peering into my very soul. "Aya, I will protect you. Silver Blade and the others will too."

"No, I want to protect myself! I'm sorry but I need to. I can't always rely on other people to help me." I tried to calm down.

Zelman laughed. "Talk about rude. Here I come to get you and no thank you."

I bowed my head. "Thank you, Mr. Zelman." I whispered.

"Quite formal." Zelman grinned, evilly. "Aya, there is something I have to tell you. I didn't want to inconvenience you before but now I see it's mandatory that you know." His face turned serious. "Aya, you're one of the guardians of this world. Your sister, Isabella is the other."

"Isabella…?" I questioned.

"Isabella is Kashu's birth name….her real name."

I was so confused and distressed.

"I apologize for not telling you sooner." Zelman didn't look considerate but I ignored it.

"Is that why we were sent here?" I asked nervously.

"There are dark secrets hidden in the Special Zone. You two are our only hope, as it is said." Zelman muttered.

"What problem is that?"

"It's time to leave." Zelman turned towards the door. I struggled to my feet, grasping hold of the crate beside me. I started forward then remembered. I grabbed hold of the crate beside me and hoisted it over my head to peer into it. To my surprise, there was a boy's body crumbled inside. He was in the box with me. The boy was in his late teens with short spiky black hair to his ears. He was tied up and gagged just like me but he was asleep. For a second, I thought he was dead but then I noticed him breathing.

"Mr. Zelman, why is there a "prepared human" in here?" Zelman turned towards me with a stern expression. He walked over to me to look in the box.

"This human was prepared for me." I looked back at the boy. Zelman faced the many ash piles around the room. He glared at them. "These low-class vampires attempted to win my favor with this human with Black Snake's interference. Their lack of respect irritates me." Zelman smirked. He pulled out his phone from his front pocket. "I'll have the Company take care of this. This human will be alright so don't worry Aya." Zelman phoned the Company and informed them. I suddenly realized we were in an abandoned warehouse. Zelman started for the open door. It appeared he didn't want to be here when the Suppression Team showed up. They would probably be the ones sent. I followed him. The thought of Kashu and I as guardians kept popping up in my head. It worried me but it was also interesting. I wondered if Kashu knew she was a guardian yet. Light gleamed through the open door. The light didn't hurt Zelman but it did give him a headache.

"Why didn't you change me?" I asked, puzzled.

"I won't. I shouldn't be the one to do it." Zelman glanced at me, seriously. His look sent a chill down my spine.

"You don't know the real truth, Aya." Zelman said coldly.

"What don't I know, Lord Zelman?" I asked, in a panic. "Please tell me!" I demanded. He kept silent. I wished Zelman would tell me the truth. Did he know secrets about Mother and Father's deaths? I wanted to know but I left it be for now. Zelman asked about Kotaro. He chuckled when he heard about Kotaro running off.

"Do you think he's okay?" I asked Zelman.

"Yes, his blood will guide him." Zelman answered. "A vampire must trust his blood or he will die. Kotaro is quite a unique vampire but it is probably because he is the Sage. Nonetheless, he is strong." Zelman had a straight face. Zelman wasn't at all concerned with Jiro. I knew he hoped that Jiro would kill August. Zelman knew, as well as I, that Jiro would succeed.

Zelman and I stopped in front of a ramen shop while we were walking down the street. I recognized it. It was the same ramen shop where Zelman and Kotaro had once eaten. My stomach was growling. I hadn't eaten anything all day.

"I went here with Kotaro once. I figure I'll treat you." Zelman smiled.

"Thank you."

My ramen came out while Zelman and I were talking. I started to eat my ramen while Zelman watched me. He had bought a Coke from a vending machine down the street on our way here and he was sipping a little at a time.

"You owe me one now." He said, grinning.

"Okay." I said, smiling.

Zelman seemed surprised by my smile. "Good." He continued to drink his Coke.

"Miss Aya, who were you…before all of this?"

Zelman's questions startled me.

"I am still the same as I have always been, a pathetic scared girl. My family's dead and all I have is Kashu. I would be nothing without her." I whispered.

Zelman looked at me, curiously. "You are not nothing, Miss Aya. You are the guardian of this world. Remember that. Every person, human or vampire has to create their own path. Yours, Miss Aya is a difficult one but it is one that will change this world." Zelman's words comforted me but I was not so sure. "What are your strengths?" He asked softly.

"I like to create characters and write stories for them." I explained quietly. "I also play the violin like my sister, Kashu."

Zelman listened. I doubted he actually cared but I didn't care. Zelman pulled out his wallet and paid the chef.

"Zelman?"

"Yeah." Zelman faced me.

"May I learn about you too?"

Zelman's eyes widened and didn't wander from me for the longest time. He turned from me. The chef left and disappeared from behind the door. Zelman leaned back on his chair.

"I don't have a particular interest in talking about myself." He said in a low normal tone.

"I should go back to the apartment." I said in a low normal tone.

"I'll come with you. I would like to see Mimiko and Kotaro again." Zelman slid out at his chair and walked out of the shop. I trailed behind him. Zelman pulled out a pack of cigarettes, slipping one out with his teeth, and snapped his fingers quickly. A spark of hot orange-red flame appeared, lighting the crisp tip of the cigarette. The smoke made me cough a little.

"You shouldn't smoke, Zelman. Smoking can give you health problems that can be fatal."

Zelman snickered. "Us, vampires are not subject to human sickness. You should know this yourself."

"I'm sorry." I felt embarrassed.

"There's no need to apologize. Let's go."

Zelman strutted past me, leaving me there. I hoped I would learn more about Zelman sometime. It was like he was a façade and he was hiding his true personality. He wasn't easy to read.

"Aya." I released myself from my thoughts, and my mind went back to Zelman.

"Are you coming?" Zelman said. He gazed at me with interest.

"Yep." I followed him as we searched for the apartment.

*AN HOUR LATER

"Maybe we should go to the Company instead?" I suggested to Zelman.

"Miss Compromiser may be upset though." Zelman smiled.

"Zelman, I think something's wrong." I said, softly. Zelman looked at me, strangely. "I sense something."

"Very well, Miss Aya. We shall go to the Company." Zelman shook his head, smiling with a sense of appreciation.

"Thank you, Zelman!" I loudly but happily said. His face lit up and he tipped the cigarette in his mouth with his teeth. I didn't know where the Company was so I let Zelman lead the way. He was quiet the whole walk, except when he abruptly stopped, because he could have sworn he sensed Black Snake. He shrugged it off and continued walking beside me. Suddenly Zelman's phone rang. He slipped it out to answer it. When he answered the call, his expression turned worried. After a few minutes of urgent questions from Zelman to the caller, Zelman hung up. He began quickly walking ahead of me, leaving me behind.

"Zelman, what's going on?" I asked, anxiously.

"The Kowloon Children…..have infected my home." He said angrily.