The spiralling darkness, the crumbling earth beneath my weakened body, the mud crammed in between my fingertips began to sting like some stove flame. The deadly forest trees that stood high in my surroundings began to loom down towards me, almost as if they were alive and on the brink of dragging me into the depths of Hell.
My vision is playing tricks on me, I thought. Perhaps I really have lost a lot of blood from Yuki's vile abuse. As for Zero, I swore that I could see love in his eyes, that love that he had fostered for me ever since the day we first met and all those times I swore to be there for him until death did us part...Could those feelings be redeemed? Is it possible for him to feel something again? If it was some kind of spell, could I be the one to break it?
Does love really conquer all?
My trembling hands grasped the twigs that stuck sharply out from a flock of thorn bushes; slicing cut after cut into my shaking skin, blood streaming from those jagged pieces. Barely on my grazed knees, I began to steady my ragged breathing, sucking in each gasping breath with painful sobs.
"I can't...stay...here...I need to go..." Choking on my own words, I finally stood on my own two throbbing feet, limping with each bruising movement to higher ground.
That inner strength within me, where has it all gone? It couldn't have extinguished into thin air, that fiery flame of unforeseen power that had burned in me the very day I was born. Such a power was what Rido desired, but there was no way I would surrender it to him. I can't keep burying my face in my hands and allowing others to dominate me. I needed to stand up and fight.
"Rido Kuran. You are the birth and death of my inner grief," reaching into my pockets, I grasped my blade. "prepare to rest for all eternity."
My legs moved until my body could no longer. The strength in my muscles were weakening just as much as my sanity was starting to fall. However, despite the pain I was determined to battle.
My eyes stung at the corroding sight before me: The Kuran mansion looked like it had been smashed to pieces, crumbling plaster and shattered glass lying on the rotten ground. Every single piece of my fragile memory had been destroyed.
Instead of a golden paradise, it was now a figment of hell.
"That freak." I cursed amid the smoke, the taste of scorching fumes against my tongue. Fire burned in almost slow motion in front of my darkened irises, raging with almost a mind of its own. Tears began to spill down my face, but I quickly wiped them away.
No, no more crying. No more yielding, no more running away.
A jet black shadow loomed in the distance, it's eyes crimson and it's aura foreboding. Fear pricked every nerve in my body, but it was suddenly no longer a chill: it was ecstasy. I wanted to fight, to let out my hate and unleash it on the enemy, but I did not know how. What possible damage could one single dagger do?
"Greetings, fair flower." Rido Kuran snickered, extending out his hand to gesture me to come to him. He seemed more intimidating than before, but that didn't alter my mindset. I knew what I wanted to do.
"Why destroy the mansion?" I demanded, backing away a few steps.
"It had no purpose. It was nothing but a prison to me and-"
"No," I cut in. "You had no purpose. You were locked up in that forsaken basement because you had caused nothing but terror in the past."
Rido's eyes flashed almost orange in anger, baring in fangs in an attempt to intimidate me.
"You understand nothing of the past, Valeria." Vanishing into the humid air, my heart almost stopped as strong arms had wrapped mercilessly around my bare neck. His strength was indescribable, making my entire body tense up with a rush of heat.
Biting into his wrist, a forceful hand was pushed onto my lips, warm blood oozing into my dry mouth. It was the sweetest blood I had ever tasted, sweeter than Kaname', more electrifying than anything I could have imagined. A sudden rush of images began to spiral inside my head, images that I wanted to stop, but couldn't. Images that could have made me want to shatter into a thousand pieces, but I was frozen in place.
The night was frosty and covered in snow.
I heard my mother's gentle, beautiful chime, my fathers strong husky voice, and saw Rido's menacing snarl.
"Rido, you defiant fool! Why are you doing this!?" My mother was in tears, screaming with fear.
Blood dripped, the blood of innocent humans scattered in the cold snow by the monster who had devoured them. Decapitated heads, torn limbs, flesh and bone.
"They are just human beings, brother!"
Rido did nothing but cackle.
"Yes, they are only human. Mortal beings who are incapable of such greatness. Why not get rid of them from the face of the earth? We could populate this planet with something much more worthy of existence. Immortal beings." Licking his fingertips, he smiled again.
"Stop this bloody mess." My father had his arms wrapped around mother, comforting her.
"Mess? I am trying to create a better world. Isn't that what you want for us as a family?" Rido challenged, rising to his bare feet.
"No, we do not. Coexistence is our primary goal, not the filth you desire. Leave this mansion now, or we shall dispose of you."
"You are not my master." Rido laughed, a blizzard forming, growing stronger and wilder below the starless night.
"Then so be it." A sword clashed, cutting deep, piercing the Rido's bitter heart.
Breaking free, I fell face first onto the dirty ground.
"I was never the bad guy."
I laughed a humourless cry, baffled and close to breaking into regretful tears.
"Yes you were! You were a destructive, selfish, manipulative bastard!" I snapped, holding up my weapon without remorse.
"I wanted peace, I wanted a happy world for us as a family, but no one gave me the chance to do so! Instead I was placed in a bloody coffin!" His rage was rising, seeming much like a predator ready to pounce.
A surge of fury jolted through my veins, my grip on my weapon tightening with anticipation.
"You destroyed their lives," I proceeded. "You destroyed Zero's," my voice was sharp and lips curling into a viscous snarl, "And you ruined mine." Within a matter of seconds, I bolted, jumped and slashed the bloodthirsty vampire within my peripheral vision.
"Heh, you'll need to do more than that to faze me." Red hair obscured his bloody face, his fingernails morphing into claws-the claws of a beast in human form-scarlet liquid dripping from the cut diagonally slashed across his heart.
He was right. What could I do? I may have hidden abilities, but do I really have the strength and capability to use them? Can I move on from the past and embrace my true power as a Kuran?
Ba-thump. Ba-thump. Ba-thump.
Screaming in agony, I dropped to the ground once again, clutching my heart. Shit, I thought. Why is my heart failing me now? Didn't my vampire upgrade erase that weakness? With my heart beat quickening, I struggled to breath, my oxygen intakes falling rapidly.
"Everyone has their limits." Rido said with amusement. "And you have obviously reached your end."
"W-What are you talking about?" I gasped in sick agony. I felt like I was sucking in poison every time I opened my mouth.
"Your fate from birth has not changed. Upon exceeding your vampire strength, that beast that was once part of you is now killing you from the inside out."
Fear crept back into the remnants of my soul, squeezing every ounce of hope I had had only a few minutes ago.
"Impossible..." I choked.
"Think about it. You were born a human with half a heart, those vampire abilities slowly consuming you from day one. Then you began to use those abilities to the point where you felt too weak to do anything else. You became physically, emotionally and mentally drained. A being such as you should never have allowed yourself to live on. You could have died without having to endure this, but you chose otherwise." His speech made my body quiver.
I chose this path because I knew I had something to live for, someone to live for.
Zero, the boy who did not have anyone to rely on in his life, had me. I gave him my blood when I knew he needed it, even if doing so would risk my own safety. In turn, he protected me when I needed support, and so I vowed to myself to keep loving him, to keep living on no matter what, just as he had promised himself the same.
Why wouldn't I have chosen to live?
Even now, in this darkness that may kill me, I choose to live, I choose to keep fighting because I want to ignite that happiness within Zero again, and within myself. And I don't intend on giving up on that goal of joy.
"Since I am a kind Uncle, I will do you some good. I'll kill you myself." Sauntering towards me with a vile snicker, he held me up by the throat with one arm, the other with his fingernails outstretched like the claws of an animal.
"P-Put me d-down...P-Please..." I begged for life, I begged for another breath of precious air. I begged to see Zero's beautiful face again, to see him smile from the heart.
"Heh, you'll thank me in death. Death is so much more peaceful than living a cruel eternal life on this wretched planet."
Closing my eyes and preparing for the pain, I was in awe to hear a gun fire. Rido moaned, releasing me.
"Don't touch her, you filthy dog." A voice like knives both cut me and felt as soft as satin.
"Z-Zero!" I cried out his name as loud as my vocal chords could allow.
Rido had been shot in the heart by an anti-vampire weapon, one that can kill a Pureblood. I smiled with relief and joy but cringed in seeping agony. In an instant, Zero had dropped his weapon and began cradling me like a baby.
"Val, are you ok? I am so sorry for what happened. Yuki had been controlling me the entire time and no matter what I attempted I was trapped inside my own mind! I'm sorry, so sorry..." Zero hugged me tighter than ever before, continually apologising, continually sobbing and praying that I would be ok.
"H-How..." I whispered, too tired and weak and fed up. I just wanted to escape with Zero, to hold him and tell him everything. But I couldn't speak, and my eyelids began to flutter as the world faded to black.
Hey, I am so sorry for the late update! It's been so difficult writing with all the exams and clashes of homework I've had recently!
I didn't really know what to write about in this chapter but I hope it satisfies you all! Yes, Zero is back with Valeria again, so you don't have to worry. ^-^
I will try to write as much as I can when possible. I'm aware of a couple of plot holes so I am hoping to seal them up and create a few plot twists for a few characters. Until next time,
Saphizcool.