Epilogue

"What!" she thundered, bursting out of her mansion's door as she wears her furred coat.
"We're really sorry!" the servants said, bowing at her in apology. "She was so fast we couldn't catch her!"
"Yeah," she muttered. "I'd look for her...I think I know where she went." and get got inside her car and started the engine then left.
"There's no other way, Yako," said, as he lets go of Rinko's wrist. "She barely have a pulse."
"But we couldn't let her die!" Sayako stood up, slamming her palms on the table.
"Yeah...that's why you must bite her..." Rui said, his hands covering his face. "Do it and she might live."
"You think that would save her?" she said, trembling in anger. "Even if she does survive the bite, she won't be the same."
"Just give it a try!" Rui shouted, glaring at her. For the lifetime that she knows him, this is the first time she saw him like that. "Who knows...maybe if you still have your demon luck, she'll become...like me and Yukio-dono."
Thinking things right now, everything went well.
"It's been two days," Akira said, worried. He and Fuyumi came over to Sayako's manor where they keep Rinko sleeping after the vampire lord has bitten her. "Is she going to be alright?"
"Stop it," Fuyumi said, putting two packs of salmon sashimi on the table and uncovering one. "She won't last two days if it didn't succeed."
"Whether it's successful or not," Sayako grumbled. "Don't think she'll be the same." And she stood up to go back to her room but halted, seeing the raven standing at the stairs, blankly staring at them.
"Fuyumi, Akira…you should go now," Rui said, leading them to the front door. But before they left, Rinko bolted in their direction, causing everyone – except Sayako - to panic.
"Don't move a muscle," Sayako ordered the raven at the moment she landed a foot before the center table. "Go back to your room."
She was thinking at that time that Rinko would obey without any argument because she has changed but to her - and everybody's – surprise-
"What? There's salmon right before my eyes and you think you can just order me around, obaa-san?" and she started gobbling the fish up, completely ignoring the people, who were in state of shock, around her.
"The hell…" Sayako cursed. She was reminiscing what happened a month ago. She never thought Rinko would remain the same. Heck, she's even worse now, running around like a street cat in that newly-granted speed. She thought she'd take full responsibility for her. That she'd use her new 'doll' instinct to control her and prevent her from going wild but, as Fuyumi said, the raven's gluttony is much greater than her thirst
- if she had ever really felt it – so now, it's like she was just raised from the dead. Like what Sayako did was just a Lazarus ritual. And to think I was troubled in deciding whether to bite her or not, she thought as she softly banged her head on the steering wheel. Well, I did saw her eyes turn red when she first knew of her ability…maybe she's a new breed of vampire? Is that even possible?
Minutes later, she arrived at the cemetery and pulled a stop there then got off her car. She strolled on the cemented path and took a few turns until she saw the area where the girl's relatives were buried. She went there and found Rinko sleeping beside the gravestones of her family. A slight smile crept on her lips as she bent down and shook the other.
"What are doing, sleeping here of all places?" she said as the raven sat up, yawning and rubbing her eyes. "It's winter, you know."
"But I can't wait any longer," she said with a frown. "You told me the other day that we'll come here once it stops snowing but it's still snowing today so I already went here."
"Whatever…" she grumbled. "Did you remember something?"
"Nope," she shook her head softly. "It's still like before…all I can remember are my parents and sister…I can't feel any ties towards the others…"
"Is that so…why were so persistent, anyway?" she said as she helped the other stand up. Then they made their way towards her car and they left the place. "If you were just verifying your memories, even if it's snowing all winter, we can come in spring."
"I couldn't wait," the raven said. "I didn't visit them last November because of our mission in your university."
"So you felt urgent to do it now?" she glanced at her and Rinko nodded. She chuckled. "It's cold…don't tell me you didn't feel that?"
"I adjusted the temperature around me," she said with a wide smile. "Want me warm the air here too?" her eyes went crimson.
"Sure…" she replied. "Just don't make me sweat." The temperature did rise up a bit like it was autumn again.
"Hey…can I look for a job?" Rinko asked, hesitatingly. "It's boring…not having anything to do…I mean, I understand we've left 'the silvers' and I definitely don't want to go back there but I hate being unproductive."
"You hate your current state now?" Sayako muttered and was by Rinko answered with a steadfast no. "How do you feel then?"
"…I feel like…sorta happy…I can certainly protect you - and everyone else – now. Unlike before…" she said, suddenly remembering the incident when she got bitten by the brunette's uncle. "That was me being lousy and reckless…and weak…"
"You don't have to do anything you know," Sayako said, trying to soothe the other. "Just behave." And she earned a throaty laughter.
"How about I help out in the kitchen tonight?" Rinko suggested. "Christmas eve is always busy. You have guests who'll come too, right?"
"Yeah." she answered. "I also have to say some announcements."
"Announcements?" the raven repeated.
"Agnes and Zen went missing," she said. "I heard Zen has replaced Vince in the council. I want them found…especially Agnes…"

"I saw Zen and the woman called Agnes running as if to escape so I went after them," Lawrence said, explaining his report to Kevin. "But I got lost. I went to where they came from but only saw ashes and blood. I had them in the lab. The blood was confirmed to be Zero squad's hacker, Harume Rinko."
"Based on that report, I believe the vampire lord has taken her, considering the disappearance of Rui, Fuyumi and Akira, who are her acquaintances," Kevin said, elbows on his table and his face in his palms. "I'm assigning you to a secret mission. Find her."
"Yes sir," the redhead said and headed for the door. He twisted the knob and opened the it.
"Lawrence…" Kevin said, standing up, facing him straight, worry written all over him. "Please…no matter what…no matter how long, find her…not only is she important to this organization…she's also important to me…"
"Yes, I understand," he said and left, not forgetting to close the door.

[sunset ~ beginning of the ending]