~Chapter 24: Sinister Bitc*~

Zoey P.O.V.

As my brother and Krystal took their seats, I saw the way Simone looked at them with such jealousy. She was sitting across from me and Krystal sat next to me, while Zero sat in front to her, unfortunately, he was put next to Simone.

I was glad she wore the dress I picked out, it fit her perfectly, plus I was sure that Zero would love it. It was an awkward start of first, but things seem to go well.

For dinner us vampire's had the "special" order of steak and potatoes and Krystal had the regular steak and potatoes. "Special" meant that it was cooked but the sauce was all blood, the chef knew our favorite blood types.

"So Kyrstal how are things going with you lately?" Mom asked.

After swallowing a piece of her potato she replied, "Different as in this Immortal stuff." She chuckled.

I saw how Simone nearly choked on her food as she was shocked at this new information. She played it off well.

Ichiru grunted next to me as he came in and sat down a next to mom. I bumped into him after leaving Krystal's room to find him digging out the bullets. I was never one to question Yagari, our Master, doing so would lead you on a path to hell.

He was not in attendance with us anyway. "Oh yes, we forgot to tell some of you that Krystal will be staying here with us from now on. Her family can come as much as they like. So, Simone be nice." Mom said in stern tone.

Zero seemed annoyed whenever Simone had to open her mouth and say things. He always gave us or Krystal his full attention. I was sure that with Simone being here would cause a bit of chaos.

I would find out soon how right I was.

Simone P.O.V.

Dinner had ended on a good note. Even though the dark green halter top dress I was wearing didn't seem to catch Zero's eye.

I was walking down the hallway to the courtyard when I heard the Queen's voice. I came a bit closer to the entrance, but not too close to be seen as I listened intently.

"Krystal, you and I know how serious this is." She stated as I peeked my head around the corner for a better view. They were almost hidden by a few large vines but I could see the Queen had lifted up Krystal's shirt to look at a large pattern of spirals along her back.

I gasped but they didn't hear me. The spirals were nearly halfway up her back. I wonder what that means.

"I know and hopefully once I get the Power and Courage tattoos they will go away. It sucks that I'm on a time limit, plus theirs other drama going on." She relied letting down her shirt.

"Let's pray they will. Now about the location of the other one called Power. Its high atop a tall mountain, near the clouds. Its location is right infront of us." The Queen pointed to a high mountain that was covered in black smoke. It was a good several hundred feet from us. So I can imagine the journey to get there would be tough.

She then looked back at Krystal and added, "You and you alone must go there to retrieve it, but you are not ready. So therefore we must continue to build on your skills. It will take time before you can succeed that area. There is also a large dragon that you must kill in order to get the gift."

"I see—did you say d-dragon?" Krystal replied in fear. The Queen nodded as she chuckled.

"You can do this. We are all here to help you." She replied placing a hand on Krystal's shoulder. "So my son has drunken from you." She eyed her suspiciously.

I could see the shock on Krystal's face. "Um-uh…yes. But, I let him well it was more like I wanted him too. I had another incident…I will never take a bath again at least in that bathroom." She lowered her eyes and the Mrs. Kiryu wanted to know all about it.

I didn't stick around for that, I had all the info that I needed on the girl. Yes, I have done plenty of research on her myself, but finding out she is supposed to become this immortal one was golden.

Besides, I had already known what has happened because I am working with Damon to bring down the Kiryu's and that girl as well.

Ah, what an adventure this will be. I smiled to myself as I went to look for Zero.

I found him just coming out of his room with a book in hand; I wasn't one for reading at all, unless you count magazines.

"Zero, let's go for a walk." I suggested with a bright smile on my face. He ignored me as he walked passed me heading toward the Garden Area.

I followed him anyway. We ended up by the tall water fountain with a large apple tree nearby. He sat under the tree and I joined him. I could see him starting to get annoyed with my presence.

He closed the book. "What do you want?" You could hear the slight annoyance in his voice.

"I can't sit with you?" I asked. "Then maybe I could—" I brought my face closer to his as I pushed back some of my blonde hair.

He pushed me back gently. "I don't think so, go try someone else." He replied as he got up to leave.

I grabbed him and forced him down, I was now on top of him. I grabbed his chin, "Look here Zero." I stroked his chin with my fingers. I could see in his eyes how he was struggling to regain control of his body. Because I had given him that secret sample of my blood, I could make anyone do anything I wanted like fall in love with me.

He couldn't move, but I could see how pissed off he was. But then his eyes took on a glossy hue of light purple. I was the only one he was thinking about now. All I had to do was look at him. I leaned down until our noses touch.

I was so going to get him today! He looked at me with love, I had wanted that from him for so long. Our lips were a centimeter apart when I was shoved off of him.

"What the HELL!" I looked up to see Zoey standing there with her hands on her hips.

"I DON'T THINK SO!" She yelled at me. She yanked her brother up by his shirt collar. "Zero! What the hell is wrong with you? You'd better be glad I'm not Krystal!"

"Nothing was going on. Now let me go." He replied in a bored tone. She let him go, and came face to face with me. "I'm watching you woman." She glared as she left.

I laughed because she failed to notice that glossy look in his eyes.

Zoey P.O.V.

I was appalled at what I nearly witnessed. Simone knows that I am serious and she better keep her hands off of my brother. What was up with him, he seemed a bit disoriented back there.

He know's how Krystal is and thankgod it wasn't her. It was later that evening when she got back here from visiting her family and collecting her things. She seemed happy and ecstatic as she told me all about her visit.

She even showed me all of the pictures that they took. We also transferred our cell phone numbers.

"I saw Zero and Simone in the garden!" I blurted out of nowhere. Krystal just looked at me.

"What were they doing?" She asked twirling her hair nervously.

"She tried to kiss him, but I got there just in time, but Zero was acting strange, it was almost like he wanted it—not that he did. Just watch out for her Krystal, she is trying to steal your man." I told her. "I think she did something to him, but I'm not sure."

"Thanks for being honest with me. Let's keep a close eye on her. I'm gonna go tell Zero I'm back." She smiled.

Krystal P.O.V.

As I made my way to Zero's side of the castle, I heard what sounded like a seducing laugh. As I got closer I could tell it came from Zero's room.

I knocked but got no reply. I opened the door and gasped in horror at what I saw. Zero was in the bed with Simone. The room was dark and candles were lit.

They weren't completely naked, but she was in her bra and underwear and Zero was undoing the straps.

"What the hell is going on here?" I yelled as I pushed Simone off of the bed.

Simone glared as she pulled me down to her level. "We were in the middle of something!" She hissed.

I got out of her grip, as I looked toward Zero. "Zero, what the hell are you doing? Did you forget that you had a girlfriend?" I asked as I looked him straight in the eyes.

Just like Zoey said, he seemed disoriented and took his time responded, "We were having a grand time until you showed up. Last time I checked our relationship was over."

I was shocked. "What! I—" Simone tried to crawl back in the bed with him but I grabbed her ankle and pulled her out of the bed and shoved her out of the room to have a one on one talk with Zero.

"Zero did she do something to you? You don't seem like yourself." I asked.

He didn't respond and all of a sudden he just glared with full hatred at me. "I said we're through! Now get out!"

I was frightened that he was yelling at me. "You don't mean that. We've been through too much together!" I replied.

"You don't have what I want, Simone does. I was leading you on the whole time, you mean absolutely nothing to me. All you are is a nuisance." He jumped out of bed, and got into my face. Luckily, he still had on his boxers.

"I'm not—"

He didn't let me finish. "All you've done was be in the way. I don't want you here. All the time's I've saved you, all the so-called moments we had together, the things we did didn't mean a damn thing to me!"

I was so angry that I slapped him hard. Tears were falling, "Zero, she is manipulating you! She's trying to tear us apart! I know she's out to get you—" He forced me up against a wall by my shoulders.

"Quiet!" He roared scaring me half to death. "Whatever! I said you better get the hell out now!"

"Or what?" I countered even though my voice shook.

In a blur, Zero and I had been fighting physically as well as arguing. The room was torn up. He wasn't listening to a thing I had to say. Simone had already came inside the room. We were in the closet. Bullets could be heard firing away as I was using my scythe to defend myself.

After wiping some blood from my forehead, I dropped my weapon to the floor. "Zero, please! I know you're in their! You don't mean what you're saying, and I don't want to fight anymore!"

"Krystal…" I heard him say as he dropped his weapon as well.

"Zero!" I started to run to him. But he grabbed me as he slammed me into the ground.

"Yes! Zero, do it, kill her!" Simone's voice piped in.

I was so damn tired of trying anymore as I tried to use my hand to hand combat moves. It all failed as he being brutal and ruthless to me.

I had to get to Zoey. I darted to the left and jumped over his kick, but he grabbed my leg and through me onto the desk which broke. I was too hurt to move anymore.

Simone had left back out of the room. Zero picked me up by my wrist, as he continued to glare at me. "Zero, this isn't you. You and I have something amazing we understand each other on a whole different level. Please tell me you don't want to throw it all away."

I could see something register in his eyes. But through all that he still looked like he hated my guts. "You know something?" he said in his normal tone. A small smile appeared on my face.

"I never loved you." He cracked a sinister smile.

He let me go as he showed me to the door. He opened it and there stood Simone with a scowel on her face. My eyes were hidden by my bangs, those words echoed through my mind a million times.

He said it with such sincerity and he didn't even care. I was hurt, deep so bad that that it felt like being stabbed a thousand times over and over again.

"Hmm, looks like I win this one. He loves me deary." She chuckled darkly as they shut the door behind me.

My hands shook with rage, I didn't want to believe it, I knew I couldn't. I needed someone, I needed my friend Zoey.

My eyes held nothing but sorrow and pain. He hasn't been lying to me this whole time has he. It's not true, it can't be. Zero didn't mean any of those things that he said.

We had a bond like no one else did. I was madly in love with him and yet he…

I shook my head as tears poured endlessly. I ran away that night to the Garden as I cried on a bench. My heart cried endlessly.

A hand was put on my back as rubbed circles. I looked up to see Zoey's worried face.

"I just got back from hunting, what happened?" She asked. I told her everything and she cried with me while giving me a comforting hug.

"Krystal, you know that's not him, that's not my brother. Simone is controlling him, she has to be!" She said with anger.

"I know she is, but I got tired of fighting him, and then he said—anyway, she's going down. I will fight her if I have to." I should've done that in the beginning. I thought to myself. If I wasn't so distraught by those words he threw at me..her head would have been chewed off!

"Right on Krystal, let's get you cleaned up first. He's gonna get it from me when he is back to normal." She said helping me stand to my feet. I wiped the tears from my eyes. Thank goodness I had a friend like her.

"Thanks a lot." I said, as I began to cough violently. It lasted a full ten minutes, but Zoey was by my side the whole time. Once again, I felt a sharp stabbing pain on my back as those spirals increased in number.

"Come on, I've got a plan." She smiled through her tears. Apparently, not one of them knew what was in store for them.

So sad, but don't worry! Zoey has it all planned out, so next chapter, we shall see what her devious idea is.