Chapter 6

There was chatter and a few laughs coming from the cooking club room, a lot of the girls were making sweets or drinks, following their recipes but all for one girl was making something different.

Chikaru crushed various garlic cloves and threw them in a blender with some water to liquefy it.

Soon enough another girl entered, -"Ohayo Nagisa-chan!"- one of the girls greeted her cheerfully.

-"Ohayo Kizune-chan!"- Nagisa hugged the younger girls and before she could ask where Chikaru was, she saw her standing by a counter crushing more garlic cloves.

-"Ohayo Chikaru-chan,"- She looked over what she was doing, -"Making something?"-

-"Ohayo Nagisa-chan,"- She gave off her warm smile, -"I'm actually making something Mari-chan asked me to do."-

Nagisa looked at the blender and the cutting board, -"What needs so much garlic?"-

Chikaru looked around then at Nagisa, -"She asked me to make a pepper spray of sorts, but for vampires and instead of pepper, she told me to make it with garlic."-

Nagisa scratched her head, -"Would that even work? Should we really do that to her?"-

Chikaru sighed, -"I honestly don't want to hurt her, but she kept insisting I make this."- She tossed the crushed cloves in the blender and pushed the button.

After a moment, the concoction was done, -"Nagisa, can you help me?"-

-"Of course Chikaru-chan,"- Chikaru handed her the canister along with the small tool that would be used to fill it. After getting it ready, Chikaru began to pour the liquid carefully and slowly, filling the canister which would be inserted into the spray that Marinel had gotten for her.

-"There, all done. Arigato Nagisa-chan."- Chikaru smiled at her, though her smile turned into a frown when she looked at the mace spray that would be used on Marinel, she really didn't want to hurt her.

-"Now what?"-

-"We go look for Mari-chan."-

After an hour, they found her and told her that the spray was ready to be tested to which she only nodded silently. They gathered everyone and ventured deep into the forest away from everyone to avoid any unwanted attention.

Marinel stood in the center of her friends, -"Okay, let's see if it works."-

-"But wont it hurt you Mari-chan?"- Tamao asked, concern was etched all over her face.

-"Maybe."-

-"How do you know this would even work on you? Didn't you say you're a half vampire?"- Yaya asked.

-"I don't… I only know that the usual vampire weaknesses aren't that effective on me to some extent."-

-"Even holy symbols?" Momomi chuckled.

-"Don't believe everything you see in the movies sugar."- She shot back, -"Now come on."- She looked at Chikaru who looked hesitant to do it.

Shizuma stood at the ready, with a bottle of water to help Marinel should she need it.

Chikaru stepped closer to her, and Marinel waited nervously for the worst. She lifted her hand up with the spray and after a few moments, Marinel was already inching away from it nervously, then, she pushed the spray down, watching it spray its contents in a thick mist which hit Marinel's face.

After a few brief seconds, Marinel began to gag, then choke, tears were coming down her face. The spray was a success; it acted like a legitimate pepper spray to her as she fell to her knees and coughed. The girls all quickly ran to her, Shizuma knelt down and opened the bottle, pouring the water on her face, eyes and mouth.

-"Well…it works!"- Was all Marinel managed to say as she resumed coughing.

Shizuma poured more water and it seemed to be working, as her coughing fit was calming down but the look on Chikaru's face destroyed everyone else. She truly did not want to hurt Marinel.

-"So what the hell was the point of this Mari?"- Momomi asked.

After finally calming down, Marinel sat up with her hands on her knees and took a breath, -"I want all of you to make more of these, and use it on me if I ever go feral on you girls… the last thing I want is to hurt any of you."-

-"You can't be serious?"- Shizuma was surprised to hear Marinel say something like that.

-"Would you prefer I bite you?"- Marinel casted her gaze away from her, -"That's the last thing I want…"- Marinel reached into her bag, and pulled out more sprayers, -"here, I already emptied it out."- She gave them to each of her friends, -"Just fill them with garlic and keep them on you."-

The girls each gave one another a look of confusion, wondering if they should even fill the sprays, wasn't one spray enough?

-"Please don't argue with me."- Marinel quickly said after reading their faces, -"I would rather be in pain then watching you girls suffer because of me."-

Even though they didn't want too, they all agreed and followed Chikaru back to the cooking room to prepare more. Marinel tagged along with them and they continued to have a conversation, a much happier conversation which made them have a better time in preparing the garlic sprays.

After a while, Marinel wandered off from the group and out of Lulim, walking around the serene forest and enjoying the sights but mostly staying in the shade and safety of the trees. However, she heard the sounds of girls giggling and with a smirk appearing on her face, she followed it.

She looked ahead, seeing the lake that she had seen before but what caught her eye were the few girls swimming in it.

"Well now, what do we have here," She chuckled as she leaned on the tree and looked out ahead, her eyes taking it all in, the girls in their swimsuits, their wet skin, which made her feel excited. No doubt these girls were here in secret, after all this school had a pool but perhaps these girls wanted to be alone and away from everyone.

She quietly observed them for a moment, till she heard the sounds of footsteps behind her, -"Mari-chan?"-

Marinel turned around, -"Ah, Tamao, what can I do for you sugar." she replied with a grin.

-"I was looking for you, when you left and didn't come back, you worried us."-

Marinel crossed her arms, -"Sorry 'bout that love,"- She looked at her, -"Wasn't so sure if you all wanted me there."-

-"Of course we do, you're our friend. You mean a lot to me—aah! I mean to us."- She looked away to hide her flushed face for letting that slip.

-"Well anit that sweet of ya sugar," she smiled and stepped closer to her.

-"I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

-"I'm flattered you care about me so much."-

Tamao nodded her head, -"Mari-chan, can I ask you for a favor."-

-"Of course sugar."-

-"Can I take your measurements?"-

Marinel blinked, -"... My what?"-

Tamao pulled out a measuring tape from her pocket, -"Can you take your jacket off?"-

-"...Uh, Not what I was expecting..."

Tamao then procedded to take all of Marinel's measurements, to her height, to her bust and hips

-"There all done!"- She began to scribble it down in a pocketbook she was carrying, -"Arigato Mari-chan!"-

-"Sure thing sugar..."- Marinel began to scratch her head, -"What was the point of that?"-

Tamao giggled, -"For my own personal collection."-

-"Collection?"-

-"Ah... well—"-

-"I don't want to know."- Marinel quickly shot back.

-"Mari-chan, shall we go back to the dorms?"-

-"Sure."-

As the two walked along, there was still something in Tamao's head that she wanted to ask and looked at Marinel, -"Mari-chan, you said before that you couldn't fall in love?"-

-"Yeah."-

-"What if... what if you met someone that was worth being with?"- she asked.

-"I still have to watch them pass away..."-

-"But wouldn't you want to be with someone regardless, to have someone close to you and enjoy every moment they spend with you? I think it's worth it."-

Marinel sighed, -"You don't understand, I've lived for so long sugar and I've endured it along with my lovers, they pass away and leave me then I'm back to how it was before, lonely and miserable. As much as it's worth to be with someone, I don't want to go through with it."-

Tamao looked at her then ahead of her, in thought.

-"However,"- Marinel smirked, -"If you wanted to fool around, all you had to do was ask love."- she got closer to Tamao, however Tamao gently pushed her away.

-"I don't want to fool around,"- Her cheeks flushed, -"I want to be with..."- she said ever so softly but stopped mid sentence, -"Anyway!"- Tamao seemed to give her smile again, -"We should keep going, they must be worried about us."-

-"Very well sugar."- Marinel smiled at her and the two kept on walking towards the dorms.

Before any of the girls knew it, night had fallen over Astraea Hill as the bright stars filled the dark skies and all the girls returned to their room for some rest.

Marinel sat in her room, reading an interesting book lent to her by Nagisa, a book she had a hard time reading but guessed Marinel would like it, and like it she did as it was quite the page turner for her.

Tamao kept running in her thoughts, she could tell that she wanted to be with Marinel but she wasn't so sure if she wanted a real relationship and if she would... maybe Tamao would be someone she could be with, but she wasn't so sure herself, more so that she did not want to watch anyone pass away in front of her eyes.

However, the moment she put her book down she began to feel an incredible urge for blood and how she hated it so. She gripped her seat, trying her best to suppress this feeling but it was proving to be overwhelming once again and felt her mind going blank.

She opened her door and stepped outside, she wondered around till she spotted a door, she approached it as her fangs extended down. As she gripped the door knob, she stopped, her grip intensified as she began to pant softly.

"No more." She thought, she didn't want to keep doing this anymore and it took everything she had to let go of the door knob and leave the area, she left the dorms and decided to go to the small café place where they would sell various snacks and drinks during the day.

On her way there, she failed to notice someone following her.

She opened the doors and wandered inside, she had to find something else to calm her bloodlust and maybe this place had just what she needed. She hopped over the counter to the fridge in the back and opened it.

-"Mari? What the hell are you doing?"-

Marinel turned around seeing Momomi, in her nightgown which was incredibly short, looking at her with a concerned look in her eye. Marinel almost rushed her, feeling herself losing control again and the moment she got near, Momomi sprayed her with the garlic spray on instinct.

She watched Marinel quickly step back, coughing and gagging as she did so, she fell to her knees then on all fours as she coughed.

-"Thank—"- She coughed, -"Thank you…-" She finally managed to say, Momomi could see she returned to normal and knelt down by her and helped her up.

-"Come on, let's get you something to get this off you."- Momomi walked over to a sink and filled a cup with water then handed it to Marinel.

She began to pour it all over her face, -"Well at least this actually snaps me out of it."-

Momomi looked at the spray then to Marinel, -"There's got to be another way to snap you out of it, I mean… this is just cruel."-

-"Well, didn't think you cared that much about me love, besides the usual, oh what did you call it, booty call?"- She gave Momomi a smirk.

-"Don't be stupid!"- She shot back with a slight flush on her face, -"Of course I… care about you."- She sat across from her, -"Which is why I don't like using this thing."-

-"Aye, well unless we find a better thing to use we'll have to make do with this."-

Momomi placed it on the table, stood up then straddled herself on top of Marinel.

Marinel roamed her hands all over Momomi's body, while Momomi's own hands caressed Marinel's body.

Though Marinel had to get something off her chest, something that's been in her mind since her conversation with Tamao -"Momomi… I hope you are not falling in love with me…"-

-"Nani?! Why not?!"- She leaned back to look at her.

-"Because of what I am… I don't want to watch you grow old then leave me… I can't do that again."-

-"So its all about you,"- She shot back, -"What about me Mari! How do you think I would feel to watch you leave and never come back! That I can't live as long as you can! You think I'd be okay to love you for just one moment then have you gone in the next, to never see you again!"-

Marinel turned her gaze away, -"I can't do this… but you—"-

-"Am not a vampire I know, but I don't care in the least, I want to share what long life I do have with you. Besides you can just forget me after I die and you can move on."-

Marinel snapped her gaze to her, -"Shut up! Don't you dare say something like that, like I can move on with my life so easily! It's not so easy! I'm not a heartless person as you think I am!"-

Momomi got off her, -"Gomen, but you make it sound as you don't want to be with anyone just because you live forever! Any girl would be lucky to be with you even if its just for their lifetime, but you know what Mari, it's worth it."-

Marinel leaned back against the chair with a small smile, -"You don't even know me all that well love… how can you say you love me?"-

-"I don't need too,"-

Marinel looked away then sighed, -"I can offer you a small gift, I can slow your aging…"-

Momomi was taken aback, -"Really?"-

-"Yeah, and I know it works because I've only ever given that gift to one person."-

-"But you said no one has ever accepted it?"-

Marinel exhaled softly, -"I lied… because those are painful memories. She was the last girl I loved and she lived a long time with me but then... her final years, was the most painful moments of my life."-

Momomi knelt down in front of her, -"Then I want that too, I want to be with you."-

-"You don't know what you're asking… do you have any idea what you have to do in order to slow your aging?"-

-"I assume it involves you biting me."-

She nodded, -"Then you drink from my blood and it will slow your aging down."-

-"hmm, that simple."-

-"Momomi, it's not that simple, living for so long can drive someone mad. You think I enjoy living for as long as I have?"-

-"You've had loved ones, aren't they worth living for?"-

Marinel thought for a moment then looked at her, -"Yes they are…"-

-"Then please,"- Momomi turned her head to gaze into her green eyes, -"Make me live for a long time, I want to be with you."-

-"Before I do, I want you to really think about it. it's not easy."-

Momomi nodded, then placed both hands on Marinel's face then the two kissed passionately and it got intense to the point that Marinel lifted Momomi up and rushed back to their room, locking the door behind them.

She laid her down on the bed, kissing every part of Momomi's body as they began to undress and as they kissed, Momomi felt Marinel place something in her hand.

She looked at it, seeing the garlic spray, -"Just in case."- She said.

Momomi scoffed, then tossed it on the floor, -"Baka."- She replied and the two resumed their night of passion, and before long the two began to make love.

During their time together, Marinel never once hungered for blood and instead felt nothing but bliss and ecstasy as she made love.

But the more she thought about it, the more she wondered, can Marinel actually go through with having a girlfriend or would it be better to leave things as it is.

However, outside Marinel's room one more person was standing by the door, her fist clenched, -"Momomi... you're not taking her from me."- She flicked her silver hair behind her and walked away, hoping to think of something to win over Marinel.

Tamao rolled around in bed, the happiest expression on her cute face.

-"Tamao-chan?"- Naigsa giggled at the sight of her best friend, -"Are you okay? Did something happen?"-

She shook her head, but Nagisa could see through it.

-"Tamao-chan, something did happen I can see it!"- She jumped on her and pretend wrestled with her to get her to spill the beans.

The two kept laughing as they played with each other, -"It's really nothing Nagisa-chan!" she said.

Nagisa gasped, -"Tamao-chan! are you in love?"- she took a guess and when Tamao didn't answer, it was all Nagisa needed to figure it out, -"You are!"- she grabbed her hands and jumped in place, happy for her friend, -"Who is it Tamao-chan?!"-

Tamao took a breath, -"Mari-chan."-

-"Eeeh,"- Nagisa was surprised, she didn't expect for her to fall in love with her, not that it was a bad thing, -"Well i'm happy for you Tamao-chan, but are you sure she's the girl you want to be with?"-

Tamao nodded, -"Just as sure as you are with Shizuma."-

-"B-b-but she's a vampire."-

Tamao relaxed, -"It doesn't matter Nagisa-chan, I want to be with her."-

Though it drove fear into Nagisa, she did want Tamao to find love, -"I hope you can reach her heart Tamao-chan."-

-"As I wish the same for you Nagisa-chan."- Tamao then yawned, -"Let's go to bed."-

Nagisa nodded and turned off the lights then snuggled up in their beds and before long, the two fell asleep and hope to have pleasant dreams.