I am back with this new chapter! I hope everyone likes it, I hope it answers some questions and I hope that if you are still wondering about your comments and questions that you read the letter that I posted in my profile. Hope you guys enjoy it!
The sound had dulled her hearing, everything was muffled except the ringing in her ears. She stumbled to her feet and tried to make her way through the rubble. She tripped and fell to the ground, the broken glass around her cut her hands. She grimaced in pain and then lifted herself onto her elbows. She looked up and through her messed bangs she saw a bloodied body laying in front of her.
The face had been scorched and the front of the body was a torn and bloodied mess. She pushed herself to her feet despite the pain to her hands. She almost fell getting up, her legs were weak, but she was able to steady herself as she began to walk towards the steps. People were running around her, screaming, calling out, but she couldn't hear anything right.
She had reached the bottom step of the staircase when suddenly something grabbed her from behind. She felt sharp talons puncture her skin and tear her back from left to right. She let out a scream that she couldn't hear and fell forward. The marks began to burn as if someone had poured corrosive acid onto the wounds. She didn't hold back the tears, it was too painful. She felt another blow across her back and she screamed again. She felt blood seeping down her back, she turned around to look at her attacker.
The creature stood above her, it's cream colored dress and long white hair drenched in red blood, glowing red eyes staring holes into her chest, her hands were elongated into sharp talons, and her skin was a sick grayish blue. The creature opened its mouth and let out a blood curdling scream then it thrust it's hand forward and pierced her chest. She gasped as the creature opened it's mouth showing it's long sharpened teeth. She looked up into the eyes and then felt the creature's cold hand in her chest. The creature let out another scream and she felt it's claws close and crush her heart.
Hermione gasped and threw herself back from the table, the stool she was sitting on tipped backwards, trying to stop herself she reached out and attempted to grab the end of a shelf to steady her. But she was too late, gravity had taken effect and she felt with a loud crash to the ground taking the shelf with her. She was able to cover her head with her arms before she hit the ground, she closed her eyes as the shelf crashed down upon her.
Silence surrounded her and the she heard footsteps above her. She lay still amongst the mess that had been called her lab, attempting to catch her breath. The vision she had just had, there was no other way to describe it other than terrifying. She had been analyzing a new sample group when she had suddenly felt a chill and a loud bang. She hadn't realized she was in a vision until it had ended.
She closed her eyes and tried to block what she had seen from her mind. She heard the door to the basement open and footsteps thunder down the stairs. She sighed once, "I'm all right!" she called to whoever it was. She felt the self lift from her, she looked up to her savior but the person was blocked be the light shining behind them.
"I'm fine I just had a scare, it's not serious," she said. A firm hand grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. She brushed herself off and looked up at her savior.
"What happened?" asked Lita.
Hermione blinked twice trying to find her voice before speaking. "I….I got scared."
Lita's eyes scanned the room looking for the thing that had spooked Hermione. "By what?" she looked back at Hermione, and Hermione noticed how her sister's eyes were a deeper green than she had remembered.
"Nothing," Hermione said brushing it off. She turned away from Lita and looked around the room. Several empty glass containers had shattered, a few scalpels and cylindrical vials and beakers had skidded around the floor and a metal microscope lay in pieces. "Damn it," she muttered.
"Hermione what really happened?" Lita asked.
As Hermione surveyed the damage she forgot who she was talking to. "I had a vision, a pretty intense one." She turned around when she heard footsteps on the stairs. A young blond girl came down the stairs, she had previously been working in the laboratory with Hermione, but like all the other Vampire scientists, she had finally gotten annoyed with having a human superior and abandoned the project. She looked around the room with disgust and then her eyes landed on Hermione. Her eyes flashed, she was pissed, a human had invaded her territory, became her boss, and had destroyed her laboratory.
"Tell the servants that they should be careful, there could be some harmful chemicals that got spilled," Hermione said. The woman glared at Hermione but didn't move, Lita glanced between Hermione and the girl. Realizing that the woman was not happy about taking orders from a human she opened her mouth.
"If you don't get someone down here to clean this up there's only going to be more damage done," Hermione snapped before Lita could say anything. The woman glared then turned and went back upstairs. Hermione scoffed, "They all think that they're better scientists just because they're immortal." Hermione looked back around the room, "They're insulted that I would even be allowed down here with them. Even though they've been alive for centuries they're still acting like petulant children."
"It takes time Hermione," Lita said.
Hermione looked at all the equipment around the room, "I don't care how much they hate me, all I give a damn about is finding a solution to this problem. They can shun me all they like cause in the end it doesn't matter, I'm still going to be smarter than them."
Lita let out a laugh, she covered her mouth and tried to hide her smile, but she wasn't able to stifle her laugh. Hermione lifted her head, she hadn't heard Leah's laugh in years, it warmed her. She closed her eyes and let the sound encircle her. Then she felt tears seep from her eyes, "Why?" Lita stopped laughing and stared at Hermione's back, "Why did you leave?" Lita stared at her sister's back, "I needed you and you just…..you just left." Hermione didn't turn around. "You walked away from me, from mom, from dad, from everyone."
Lita turned her head and stared at the shattered glass on the floor. "I was in love….in love with someone I wasn't supposed to be in love with. It's not like you and Daniel, but it's strong, a pull that I never felt with anyone else." Lita sat down on the stool that hadn't been turned over. "I knew that if I just left then it would raise suspicions, so I faked my death and then… he bite me and…"
"You let your husband turn you into a Vampire!" Hermione spun around and faced her sister. "You let him turn you into one of them!"
"Is that so wrong Hermione, to make me his equal, to ensure that we would live together for as long as possible without time teaNiag us apart?" Lita
Hermione stared her eyes showing no emotion, "Tell me Leah how did it feel when you drank from your first human?" Lita's eyes widened, "Did it feel good? Did their fear entice you? Did it make you want more? All that power, did it make you feel stronger?" Lita stared down at the floor and didn't answer her, "Did they scream when you grabbed them from the night?"
"Being a Vampire isn't just….."
"I know it's not just about that, but tell me Leah after living with humans so long was it easy for you to get used to the idea of them being your food?"
There was a silence between them, then Lita stood and turned away from her. "Hermione I left my human life long ago, my name isn't Leah anymore, it's Lita. If you wish to address me use that name." She started back up the stairs when Hermione's voice stopped her cold.
"Yeah my sister died years ago." Lita closed her eyes and then continued up the stairs without another word.
Hermione sat down on the stool that Lita had been sitting, she looked at the damage and sighed. "You seem to have upset Lita very much," said a deep male voice. Hermione turned and saw Darien slowly walking down the steps.
"She and I don't see eye to eye on anything," Hermione said.
Darien's eyes scanned the room, "A vision?" Hermione nodded. "Care to talk about it?"
Hermione looked at Darien blankly. "Really?"
Darien searched around the room again and looked back at her. He leaned against the wall opposite her and crossed his arms over his chest. He was silent for several moments and then nodded, Hermione blinked once. "I never thought of you as a personal psychiatrist," she muttered.
"If you prefer I can get Serena or Daniel," he pushed away from the wall.
"No….it's fine….I just….well we've never spoken alone before…."
Darien leaned back against the wall, "Yes, I'm sorry for that, you are someone precious to my brother and to Serena…" Darien inhaled deeply, trying to find the right words to say. Hermione raised an eyebrow. "I…I want us to have a relationship."
Hermione felt her eyebrows touch her hairline, "A relationship?"
Darien looked up to the ceiling and scratched the back of his neck. "Like I said you are important to my brother and Serena, and you are important to this coven...each member of our coven is like a member of our family...and...and I want to have a relationship...a friendship with you for both of these reasons."
Hermione sighed, "Yeah I guess that makes sense."
"But more importantly you being distressed upsets Serena and I don't want that, so if you feel like you need to speak with someone I'm here."
Hermione smiled, "Serena's right, outside you give the impression of a cold hearted bastard and yet inside you're just as caring as the rest of us saps." Darien's eyes narrowed, he opened his mouth but Hermione cut him off. "I know I know, don't let anyone know you're a softy, you need to protect your reputation as the Heir to the Ambrose Throne. Don't worry I won't tell anyone about our therapy sessions." Hermione quieted and then looked back at the broken vials and the toppled shelf, it reminded her of her vision, all the destruction. She didn't speak for a while and Darien didn't either.
"I wasn't able to hear right...but I could see...there was smoke and dust blurring my vision. It smelled like burning, I could smell something harsh, like a chemical but I don't know what it was." The entire time Hermione described what she had seen Darien was silent, he didn't move, nor make a sound. He just listened to her and took it all in, when she was done they sat in silence for several minutes. Hermione digesting everything she had relived and Darien analyzing every detail she had told him.
"Did the place seem familiar?"
Hermione shook her head, "I wasn't able to see that well, it was all rough and destroyed, and if the smoke didn't block enough the vision was blurry, like I was watching it through water."
"Did you recognize anything? The thing that attacked you?"
Hermione shook her head again, "I recognized that it was an infected vampire but other than that nothing."
Darien nodded, "Hermione are your visions always this unclear?"
Hermione looked up at him, "Yeah they're always vague, kind of hidden in shadows and lights, but I think that's mostly because they are uncertainties, you can't predict the future completely, there are too many factorials too many things that can change suddenly and alter a vision."
"Hermione have you ever taken the spice?"
Hermione's body stiffened she took a deep breath, "No…I don't want to."
"Why?"
"You've seen what it did to your brother and to your sister and really have to ask me that?"
"Not all who take the Spice become addicted, there are Seer's like Lenobia and Van who use it with respect and care, they don't suffer from the addiction. Hermione you are powerful, Serena tells me all the time that out of the three of you you're the strongest. And she also tells me that you're scared of your power, scared of the spice."
Hermione looked down at her hands, "Taking the spice…taking the spice is like playing God." Darien stiffed but didn't say a word. "You're trying to see something that you're not supposed to see. If I was supposed to see the future, the exact future with no factorials then I would, but I can't which, to me means, that I'm not supposed to." She put her hands down on her lap and stared at the tabletop. "Only the gods know what's going to come, what will happen and what won't happen. Trying to see into their realm is like trying to put ourselves on the same level," she turned around to look at him.
"Power corrupts and the spice changes you. Even if you use it sparingly or with respect, you're still messing with a force that is uncontrollable, you're trying to take a position that you cannot understand or control. That's why the space changes people's minds. It's like bottling a tornado's strength, you have this immense power at the tips of your fingers, you deceive yourself into thinking that you're in control but in reality you never will be. It's a wild force of nature, you'll never be able to control no matter what you do."
Darien chuckled, "I understand now why Serena says you're the strongest. You have the ability to be a powerful Seer, probably one of the most powerful ever to walk in this world and yet you have the sensibility to refuse such power."
Hermione smiled, "There's and old alchemist tale of a man who wanted to fly with the Gods, so he made himself wings of wax and flew towards the sun. But when he got to close his wings melted and he came crashing back down to earth." Hermione stood, "We can't be gods and no matter how many times we try we'll only fail. I have no desire to be lumped alongside failures." She said nothing else as she disappeared upstairs leaving Darien alone.
After he heard the door close he remained in the destroyed laboratory, after several silent minutes he smiled. "Remarkable woman, Van's right about you."
Yoshiki hated using public transportation, he especially hated planes, being locked up with a group of strangers wasn't his idea of safe or smart. Anyone could be on the plane with them, anyone trying to track them, anyone trying to hunt them, anyone Sophia had sent to watch them. He wasn't stupid he knew that more than likely his wife had sent her spies to watch over them and ensure that they were on the plane. Though he was annoyed by her games he knew that it was important, Sophia wanted him to see whatever was in Hong Kong, it was important. And he wasn't worried about what was going to happen during their absence, Momiji wasn't ready to fulfill their plans yet and all that Sophia could do is train her and strengthen her in the few days that he was gone.
"Sir," Saya's voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up at her, "They're boarding the plane now, our row was just called." Yoshiki nodded and picked up his carry-on bag, he hated being in public venues, it meant that he had to wear modern clothes, and since most of their weapons were forbidden they were going minimally armed. He looked around at the other passengers who would be boarding the flight. There weren't that many, especially for such a commercial flight, he memorized every single persons face before getting in line next to Saya.
"Why do you think Lady Sophia wants' us both to go Sir?"
"I believe that it is because there is something that she wants' us to see, and more than likely to get you away from her nephew and to get me away from Momiji." He glanced over at Saya, "Don't worry so much, think of it as a welcome break." He clasped his hand on her shoulder, "It's like the old days, when it was just you and I traveling."
Saya looked up at her father and gave a small smile, "Yes it'll be good to be away for a while." Her mind wandered back to Fei and how his presence had affected her the last several days. "
"Nothing is prepared anyways, Sophia can't make a move without us," he said. "We have nothing to worry about."
Momiji sat on the floor of her room her back resting against the end of her bed. She pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her face into them. She could feel Kusanagi's pain, she could sense his anger, and his sorrow. Whatever they were doing to him, was hurting him, he was a mess. His emotions were fluctuating back and forth and he was starving, she could feel it and it was just as painful to him as it was to her.
She looked up and stared at the picture on the wall in front of her, it was a picture of a large garden, it looked serene and calming. She tried to focus on it, tried to block out her desire to help him, tried to block out the pain that was tearing her into pieces, and the unsatisfying hunger that she felt in her soul.
Suddenly the door to her room was thrown open and Nia ran in, she quickly closed the door behind her and leaned her ear against it listening. Momiji looked up at her confused and then grew angry. "Get out I don't want to see anyone!" she yelled.
"Will you be quiet!" Nia said in a harsh whisper.
Momiji blinked, Nia had never shown any emotion nor had she ever spoken to her in such a way. "What!" Momiji said.
"I said be quiet!" Nia pressed her ear against the door and listened for footsteps. When she was satisfied what no one had followed her she spoke again, "Alright it looks like no one is coming."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Momiji asked.
Nia turned to Momiji and crossed the space between them, she sat down on her knees in front of Momiji. "Look, I don't have a lot of time so you're just going to have to trust me."
"What?"
Nia glared at Momiji and snapped her fingers in her face to catch her attention, "Momiji listen, we don't have time for this. I'm going to explain this really quick so try to pay attention. Aunt Sophia has lost her mind, she's going crazy! She has this crazy idea that we need to eliminate Vampires, not just the ones who disobey the laws, but every single one of them, and everyone associated with them as well. She's planning to kill of the rest of the Hunters Association and to hunt down every hybrid hunter, including Uncle Yoshiki."
"What? That's not the plan, where's father?"
"She sent him off to Hong Kong to distract him, now listen to these words very carefully, and don't freak out, if you freak out we don't have a chance." Nia took a deep breath before she spoke again, "Aunt Sophia is planning to kill Kusanagi, tonight."
"What!" Momiji got to her feet and started towards the door. Nia stood and was able to restrain her before she was able to storm out.
"Look I know that you have an attachment to this Vampire and I know that whatever is going on between you two is important, so we have to save him, but we have to be smart about this. Even with Yoshiki and Saya gone, Fei and Rin are still here, thankfully Aunt isn't right now but she'll be back sometime soon." Nia stared into Momiji's eyes, "we have to be careful about this, he is still a Vampire."
"Fine fine, but Kusanagi's not going to hurt us, he's….he's different," Momiji said her voice wavering at her own words.
They stood silent for several moments and then Nia nodded, they quietly made their way into the hallway and towards the basement door. They moved silently and didn't turn on any lights, they were about halfway there when Momiji spoke. "Nia why are you doing this?"
Momiji saw Nia stop and stiffen in her steps, after a few seconds she spoke. "My parents were killed by a Vampire, murdered, all I have is my sister, my brother and you and Aunt." She looked over her shoulder and in the faint light from outside Momiji saw her smile. "If you haven't guessed it yet Momiji we're cousins, your mom is my father's sister." She turned away from her and they carefully continued their mission, walking as silently as they could. "Like I said my parents were killed by a Vampire, I know that they are evil, I'd been trained my entire life to kill them, told that they were the enemy, and I never questioned anything I did. Until one night when I was out hunting a shape shifter and I met a Vampire who wasn't like the others. It was my first time out alone and I made rookie, stupid mistake. He had me pinned down and was getting ready to cut out my heart."
She stopped at the end of the hallway and waited a few seconds, Momiji felt Fei and Rin's presences, her jailers were close and they had to be careful. "Anyways I thought I was going to die, and then suddenly this Vampire came out of nowhere and saved me, killed the shifter and helped me. I was so ready to kill him but…but he wouldn't fight me…it wasn't cause he was scared of me, the guy was old, hundreds of years old, and strong. He just...didn't want to fight me. I tried to provoke him but nothing that I did worked. Finally I tired myself out and collapsed…."
She let out a small laugh, "He picked me up and carried me to a park, set me down and got me something to drink. I didn't understand it at all and was naturally defensive, when I finally asked him why he had helped me, why he didn't fight me, and why he wasn't killing me, he chuckled. He sat down next to me and said 'Because we're not all that different…' I didn't understand and he could tell, so he explained. He said, 'Vampires and humans are both survivors, we do what is necessary to protect ourselves and to ensure that we live happy lives, we love, we lose, we cry, we feel pain, we mourn, and eventually we die.' I refuted him by reminding him that he was immortal, he laughed at me and said, 'We may be immortal but in the end we too wish for death, we too wish to rest and see our loved ones."
Nia stopped in front of the basement door, which now had an electronic lock on it. She pressed in her code and the newly installed lock clicked open. It made a loud noise and both she and Momiji held their breaths for a few moments before finally opening the door and quickly going inside. Nia shut the door behind them as quietly as possible. They made their way down the steps, and hurried to the large vault door.
Nia put her hand on the lock, "I know that I shouldn't care about them, and I know that they killed my parents, but I can't hate them, I can't hate all of them. Tell me Momiji should we hate all humans because one serial murderer kills a child? That Vampire…my Vampire…he was kind, and he didn't want to hurt anyone, he showed me that not all Vampires are bad and that if we try Humans and Vampires can work together, that's why I believe that you and Kusanagi can help each other. I'm sorry for everything before Momiji."
Momiji nodded, Nia's story was much like her own her cousin too had found one Vampire who wasn't like the other, one Vampire who had given her hope, "It's alright we'll get him out and we'll get him help, and then…well then we'll see what happens."
Nia nodded and then used all her strength to turn the heavy lock. There was a loud clunk as it unlocked, Nia was about to pull open the door when Momiji spoke, "Your Vampire…what happened to him?"
Nia froze, her entire body stiffened and her breath hitched. It took a few seconds but finally she muttered her answer, "He died."
Momiji looked away, she knew that sound in Nia's, the sound of a wound not yet healed. He had been killed, taken from her before she had had the time she wanted with him, "I'm sorry."
Nia shook her head then looked over her shoulder at Momiji, her face was a smile once more. "It's alright, he taught me that we have to cherish the time we have, no matter who we are, only the gods are truly immortal, Vampires just get to cheat the system a little longer."
Momiji noticed the drying tears that had formed on Nia's cheeks despite her smile. "Now come on we have to save him." Nia pulled the door open enough for Momiji to step in.
As soon as Momiji stepped into the darkness she was assaulted with Kusanagi's emotions. His hunger was the strongest one of them all, through their bond she felt him become aware of her presence. "Mamoru?" she called out into the darkness. She couldn't see any further into the room, the open door provided a stream of light, but not that much.
There was no answer, no movement, nothing but the darkness that surrounded them. "Momiji hurry I think they know where here!" Nia called from outside.
Momiji nodded, even though Nia couldn't see her. "Mamoru? I know you're here, we've come to get you out…..it's Momiji." He didn't respond to her but she could feel him. Suddenly there was movement next to her and something hard brushed her arm. She jumped to the side and hit the wall, she touched her hand to it and gasped. There was something wet coating the wall where her hand was, something that her nose and her brain recognized somehow. She took her hand away from the wall and wiped it on her pants.
"Mamoru?" she called out again, she couldn't see anything at all and her body was reacting to whatever was going on around her. Her hair was standing on edge, her shoulders were tense, and her body was telling her that there was danger. "Mamoru?"
"Momiji!" Nia yelled. Momiji looked over her shoulder, she could see people coming down the steps. Starting to panic she needed more time, looking around she still couldn't see him anywhere. Thinking quickly she ran over to the door grabbed the inside handles and pulled the door closed. "Momiji no you…" yelled Nia, but she was cut off with the door closing.
Silence and darkness enveloped Momiji, all she could hear in the small room was her own heavy breathing. She closed her eyes and tried to sense Kusanagi but all she could feel was his hunger. She turned around and put her back to the door. She closed her eyes and concentrated thinking of the light switch far away in the room upstairs, she visualized it, and she visualized it turning on.
Suddenly the lights went on, it took her eyes a few moments to adjust to the lights, when she did she took in the room. The chair that Mamoru had been tied to was now in pieces all over the floor, there was a dark substance smeared into strange symbols on the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. Momiji covered her mouth realizing that it was Kusanagi's blood, instantly tears fell from her eyes and she felt her blood run cold. She closed her eyes, she didn't want to see anymore.
She slid down to the ground and buried her face into her knees, "God please, please, please no." He had to be dead, all that blood, there wasn't any other way that he could be alive. That's why he hadn't answered her, he wasnt able to. She rocked herself back and forth trying to calm down, trying to convince herslef that he was alive. Finally after a few seconds she looked up and into the corner and she exhaled a weighted breath. She saw him sitting opposite her, leaning against the wall casually, one leg extended in front of him the other pulled up to his chest. His head was tilted to the side, his shirt was open and she saw that three buttons were gone, he had no shoes and his feet were cut. There were bruises, cuts, and burns on his chest and arms. She looked at his face, he had lost a lot of weight and his face was gaunt and worn. His eyes however were a bright blazing green and unfocused.
"Mamoru?" she called out to him.
His eyes flitted around the room and then finally settled on her. She saw his eyes widen a fraction and she knew he recognized her. He threw his head back and inhaled deeply. Through their bond she felt his hunger hit him, he could smell her blood.
"Mamoru?" she said her voice shaking. He looked at her again and grinned.
"Smell….you smell…." He blinked twice and his grin widened, "Smell….delicious."
Momiji felt her heart stop for a second, "Mamoru…what's wrong with you?"
"Eaten…in so long…I haven't…eaten," he pitched himself forward onto his hands. He crouched in the corner on all fours and licked his lips making his wicked smiled look demonic. "You…smell…..perfect…."
Momiji held up her hand, "Don't try it." He laughed, a high pitched maniacal laugh and then lunged at her. She instantly created a telekinetic force field around herself keeping him away. He put his hand against the field and began beating against it with his fist, the entire time he continued to laugh. "Stop it! Mamoru! Stop!" she yelled trying to break him out of his trance.
Knowing that she couldn't get through to him this way she decided that she would try to telepathically try to get through to him. She thrust out her other hand at him, she threw him back against the far wall and held him there. He struggled fiercely against her power but it didn't work, she was able to hold him.
"Mamoru it's me….it's Momiji," she said. She crouched down in front of him as he struggled to break her barrier. "Mamoru….don't you recognize me?" she asked.
"Delicious blood….I know you're smell," his voice was high pitched and distorted as if someone had synthesized the sound.
"I'll get through to you," she said then she closed her eyes and touched his mind with her own. At first all she could sense and understand was his hunger, the burning desire inside of him that wanted her blood more then he wanted life. She pushed deeper into his mind like Sophia had been teacher her to do, once more it was all hunger, pain, anger, desire, craving….all of it for her blood.
Finally she reached the edge of his surface emotions, knowing that underneath all of this she would find him she pushed through. For a moment everything was silent, numbed, dark, nothing was there but in an instant she was assaulted by memories.
Screaming memories flying from his mind to hers, streaming memories that had no chronological order. Flashes of things from long ago mixed with memories from recent years. A constant screaming a woman, a man's, a child's voice, pleading for their lives. Fire burning all around her, blood, thick and warm, sickeningly addictive, torn bodies, ripped flesh. Pain, anger, destruction, memories of darkness, memories of passion, memories of misery, hate, loathing, lusting. All of it poured into her mind.
She put her hands to her head trying to block out every voice, every plead, every scream, every sound that resonated from him to her. "Stop! Stop! Stop!" she screamed trying to stop the voices in her mind. Somewhere, from what seemed like far away she heard a roar and then a loud clang. She heard someone calling her name distantly amongst the voices and the taunts and the curses in Mamoru's voice.
Screaming resonated in her ears, voices both near and far away, finally she felt hands grab her and she opened her eyes. The pain made her vision blurry but she saw her mother's form standing in front of her, hand outstretched. Past her mother she saw something lying on the ground squirming and thrashing, it was screaming making her head hurt even more.
"Momiji!" someone was yelled her name far in the distance. She was pulled from the room and into a cold darkened basement, there was another loud clang and then she looked up into two faces she knew. Fei's white hair was illuminated by the lights above him, and Rin's eyes were bright and wide. Momiji blinked and closed her eyes, she heard one last memory, a phrase that chilled her entire being. 'Please Mamoru…..I am your wife,' the words echoed in her thoughts and then she dropped into a silence and darkness.
Van's entire body shook violently, he thrashed back and forth on the bed, primal screams broke from his mouth telling the entire house that something had happened. His eyes rolled into his head and his entire body burned from the inside. Far away he heard people talking around him, panicked voices, cursing voices, yelling, crying and then…..Serena's voice broke through.
"Van!" she yelled. She pushed his maid from him and held his arms against his body. He continued to thrash but she didn't let go, for the first time in her life she was greatful for her new found strength. "Van let it come, let it come, don't fight against it," she said her voice soothing, trying to calm him.
Finally the thrashing stopped and the shaking slowed, his screaming stopped and his breath began to steady. Then he was still, exhausted from his attack. Serena touched his forehead, he had a fever a high one. She turned to the maid that she had pushed out of the way, "Get me a bowl with ice water and some rags, make sure it's as cold as possible."
The brown headed girl stood and stared at Van's form, mouth open, eyes wide and full of fear. Serena realized that it must have been her fist time watching something like this, she understood the panic but at the moment she needed the girl to do her job. "Hey!" she yelled breaking the girl from her stupor, "Now!" The girl stumbled from the room and tore past the group of people who had gathered around the open door.
Serena turned back to Van and pressed her cold hands against his face, she whispered to him like she had done to Hermione when they were young. Soft encouraging whispers, telling him that it was all going to be alright, everything was fine, and that he was safe. She continued pressing her hands against his hot face, it was all she could do until the girl came back. A shadow passed across the doorway and blocked the light. Serena didn't turn around to look, it didn't matter who it was all that matter was calming Van and keeping him calm.
Darien's voice didn't surprise her, "It was a vision?"
"Yes, a strong one too, and a violent one," Serena mumbled.
"Will he be alright?"
"Yes, this is normal, sort of…."
"What do you mean?"
"This used to happen to Hermione all the time when she was young, I thought that Van was advanced past this stage but I guess because he is still so young he still get's these attacks," she told him. She closed her eyes and adjusted her hands. "Come on little brother…" she mumbled.
"Why are do they have these attacks?" Darien asked as he watched her.
"Seeing the future is taxing, like I told you before Prince, it's not something that mortals are supposed to be able to do." Darien turned and saw Hermione standing next to him, a large basin of ice water in her hands, hand towels slung of her shoulder. She looked at him and their eyes met, "Trying to touch the sun burns you, everywhere." She broke their eyes contact and stepped into the room, she went to the other side of the bed and sat the bowl down next to Van. She wetted the towels and then she and Serena began placing them on his head, neck, and chest.
"Should I call Lenobia?" he asked.
"No, just send them away and close the door," Hermione said.
Darien turned around to the group standing at the door, they were all watching the two women attend to Van with sharp calculating eyes. Darien narrowed his eyes and then stepped into the doorway blocking the scene. "Find something to occupy your time!" his voice was loud and commanding, the entire doorway and hallway was clear in a matter of seconds. He closed the door then turned back to watch Hermione and Serena.
Serena had climbed behind Van and was now propping him up against her, his back to her chest. Hermione's fingertips were touching his forehead and her eyes were closed. "What is she doing?"
"Making sure that there isn't any permenant damage," Serena said. She looked over at him, "Thank you for making them go away, he wouldn't want to be seen like this."
Darien nodded and then appeared at the bedside. He looked down at Serena and reached out, his fingertips grazing her cheek. "You are a good mother, mio amore."
Serena let out a laugh, "I learned it all from TV, I didn't have a live action model." She looked up at him her eyes full of worry, Van had suffered a violent episode, one she hadn't seen in a long time. His screams most of all had shaken her, frightened her.
Darien brushed her bangs back from her forehead and ran his hand through her hair. He opened his mouth to say something but was stopped when the door behind him banged open. He looked over his shoulder and saw Daniel standing in the light, on hand on the doorframe, bent over panting.
"What happened? I ….felt Her…..mione's….. panic….. down….town," he said completely out of breath.
"Nothing happened to her it was Van," Darien said.
"Van had a vision," Hermione opened her eyes and withdrew her hand, she dipped another rag into the ice water, rung it out and then placed it on his forehead. She looked at Serena, "There isn't any damage, he should be fine soon…." Hermione stood and rubbed her temples.
"Did you see anything?" Serena asked. Hermione stilled and nodded slowly; after several moments of silence Serena rolled her eyes, "Well?"
Hermione inhaled and deep breath, then exhaled it before answering, "I saw Kusanagi."
"What! Where," Darien demanded.
Hermione was silent for several more seconds, "Not where….but when…..he was standing amongst rubble and fire….his body was marred….and his eyes….his eyes were bright glowing green….I've never seen anything like them before."
"We have," said Daniel, he shared a glance with his brother. "If Kusanagi is how you have described him then…"
"Then he's taking the spice again," said Rei. Darien looked over Daniels shoulder, Rei stood in the hallway her eyes widen and her mouth open. "He needs help, if he's taking it again then….then we need to find him!"
"Don't you think we know that Rei," snapped Darien.
"Why are you all acting weird?" asked Serena.
The three siblings were silent then Daniel spoke, "Because when Kusanagi took the spice the last time he killed his entire family, his wife, and his children."
"What!" Serena looked up at Darien. "You have to find him if he's taking that stuff and running around the city then people are in danger!"
Darien and Daniel exchanged glances, "Give the order to raid every undocumented spice dealer and we'll inform the scroungers and the intercessors to search the city and a fifty mile radius around the boarders." Daniel nodded, glanced at Hermione once more and disappeared.
"Darien you have to warn them, tell them that he wont be in the right state of mind," Rei said.
"Rei they've dealt with things like this before, they know what they're doing," Darien said.
"Darien…." Rei and Darien looked at Hermione, she had spoken but she had not turned around to face them. "Darien I….recognized where Kusanagi was standing was…" she turned around and looked at him. "It was the same place that I saw in my vision, but this I recognized it…." she swallowed glanced at Van's sleeping form and then looked back at him. "It was the entrance hall….of this house."