Author note: I know, I'm sorry, I didn't update this as soon as I hoped! (prepares self for the attack of flames) (insert cringe here) I'll try to update the next chapter sooner, I swear! (Note that I said TRY.) Thank you all for your patience!

3. Suspicion

"I can't believe he just ran off like that. I knew he was dead weight!" Kai muttered. He, Monica and the other four people had made themselves a fire to cook some food (not including the boar they killed only half an hour ago). They huddled around the fire in an attempt to keep themselves warm.

"Yeah, it is kind of strange..." The ponytailed blond responded. His name was Shachioko, and two of the other three with him went by the names of Azuma, a boy with a pink hairband, and Kawachi, a boy with short blond hair. Shachioko, Kawachi and Azuma were knights, dedicated to protecting their princess Tsukino, who was the third of the other three people. They had to run away from their kingdom to avoid getting destroyed by a demon by the name of Snowza.

"Hold on a moment!" Kawachi spoke up. "I heard that regular demons usually crave blood, don't they?"

"And your point is?" Kai asked.

"What if he's a demon?" Tsukino asked, immediately catching on to what Kawachi meant.

"Just because he runs away from a dead boar doesn't mean he's a demon!" Monica responded ."That doesn't make sense. A demon would have just started devouring the blood without hesitation, right?"

"Huh, that makes sense." Azuma replied, nodding in agreement in Monica. "It's true that demons would devour blood without hesitation."

"Hmm..." Kai paused before speaking. "True. But the way he reacted was a bit dramatic. I've seen people throw up in front of corpses or scream in fear, but not run away as if he was trying to restrain himself from doing anything more drastic. There's something about that guy that I can't shake off."

Everyone else definitely had to agree. Whatever was going on with Sylvan, it was definitely something to be noted.

"Too close...too close!" The blond-haired man smashed his fist against a nearby tree. "If I had...If I hadn't restrained myself...I would have..." He muttered before taking a deep breath and pausing, leaning against the tree.

That was too close. Had he not restrained himself and ran, the others would have figured out his true identity. That would not have been good, and he had a feeling they would not hesitate to kill him like the boar earlier. He had to think up a new tactic. And he needed blood, fast.

I'm bloody hungry...or thirsty, whatever I'm feeling. But I need blood. NOW! I guess I can't wait that long...

That is unfortunate. I wanted to try that bandanna-wearing boy's blood first; he seemed interesting enough...

He caught a scent. A scent of human, to be more exact. He turned, to see a boy with light pink hair enter the clearing. He had a bow and a pack of arrows slung over his back.

"Hey...are you alright? You seem kind of pale-" The boy started, but Sylvan grabbed his mouth, silencing him.

"Sorry." Was all Sylvan whispered before striking.

There was blood.