The following day was another gray day but this time there wasn't fog but it was snowing softly. The snowflakes were too small and weak and they could barely powder the houses with some fresh snow. The cold was milder now and the morning was calm in the Carpathian Mountains. However even if the morning was calm, no one was calm there. Everyone was talking about the last night's screaming. Someone had been screaming in the dead of night and no one could tell who or why. It had kept them awake all night. Even if the screaming lasted too little, no one in the village was in the mood to sleep anymore…especially Anna, the innkeeper. Even if she was known for her heavy sleep, Anna had jolted up from her sleep and she had been scared to death when she thought that the screaming was coming from her own inn! However when she found the courage to check she heard nothing! Nothing but the sounds of night and the voices of the villagers that were wondering what was going on! Had someone died? Was anybody hurt? Was it even human being the one screaming?

"It was a monster!"

"It was a ghost!"

"It was a demon!"

Some people were saying. Even Anna was now holding a cross with her both hands shaking in fear and terror and she was saying to Mai in her living room a bit later.

"I am telling you! It was awful! It kept me awake only to remember it! My inn seems to be haunted! Something must be happening!"

Mai was listening to her with patience…that had started to run out!

"Hon! Try to calm down okay? It probably was some man that fell from the narrow path! I will send people to search! I highly doubt it was some strange demon in the inn or in the village. The only demon we have is the one in that castle who is killing us for centuries now!"

Anna took a sip from the brandy, Mai had offered her, feeling a bit calmer already.

"However it was awful! I thought that one of my guests was screaming because he had seen something terrifying but…when I checked the rooms it was nothing unusual! They were all sleeping normally! I thought it was just my imagination the scream!"

Mai narrowed her eyes.

"It is completely impossible for all of us to have imagined the same thing! Don't worry though! Like I said I will check it out myself if I have to!"

Yami was walking around the village. He found it pointless to stay in the inn. After all if the vampires attacked any moment now, he had to be prepared. Joey was back in the inn trying to translate that mysterious book and he needed silence, Yami guessed. Therefore he decided to walk around a little, not for some other reason but because he needed exercise as well. So there he was now. He walked to a narrow, small street when something caught his eye. He turned his head and saw that it was nothing else but Kisara's white hair. She was standing there, looking at him with her blue eyes. Her purely white, like snow, face was slightly flushed from the cold and the snow. Some small snowflakes were trapped in her hair making her indeed look like some small fairy of the snow. Yami had to admit that she was a cute girl. Indeed she looked innocent like Tea had told him.

"Oh. It's you" Yami said

Kisara nodded with a small melancholic in a way smile.

"Good morning" she told him in a small voice.

"How are you feeling?" Yami asked her.

"I am much better. Thank you."

She seemed to be hesitating for something. Seeing her next to Yami would make someone think that they were the exact opposites! If Yami was darkness, Kisara was the light! Yami drew his flask out to have a sip from it.

"Emm…" she hesitated, "I wanted to thank you…for…saving my life…"

Yami was slightly taken aback from that.

"You? Are thanking me for saving your life? I wasn't the one putting my body over your as a shield back then!"

"I…I know that but still… Still if it weren't you…they would have given me to the vampire. You came there just in time! That gave Tea the chance and the courage to protect me."

Yami cracked a small smile at her sweetness for a mare moment.

"I was just passing by but…you're welcome."

She smiled and nodded her white-haired head to him with gratitude. Yami was rather touched inside. Very few people ever thanked him for…what he was doing. Most of the time he was facing the disgust, the fear or the hatred of people or the lust from women from time to time. However gratitude was something like a rare treat to him. Kisara smiled again sweetly…with innocence.

"Emm…may I… I mean… Would you like to come over my house so I can…offer you something…to thank you…? A cup of tea maybe…?" she slightly blushed, "Or do you prefer something with alcohol?"

Yami unintentionally looked at the flask he was holding. The invitation was so kind that he couldn't refuse.

"No. Tea is fine…" he said in a low voice.

Another smile appeared on Kisara's lips. Some minutes later they were both in Kisara's small house. It didn't have many things, just the absolutely necessary ones. It had a small bed in the corner and a wooden table in the middle where Yami was sitting. A small stove in the corner was providing enough heat in the room. On the stove it was an old, tin pot where the tea was boiling. When it was ready she poured two cups and brought them to the table. She offered the one to Yami and she held the other herself.

"Here you go"

"Thank you"

She sat to the other side of the table before him. Yami took the teacup and raised it to his lips. The tea was warm and welcome in the winter cold, indeed. The pot was old and it had left a slight taste of metal to the tea.

"Well? Is it good?" Kisara asked with slight worry as if she was afraid that he wouldn't like it.

Yami shrugged a little.

"I am not sure. I never was a heavy tea-drinker."

She smiled. That was enough for her. She drank some of her tea too.

"Where are your parents?" Yami asked.

"They are dead. Years now. I live here alone. Sometimes Tea comes here and keeps me company. But in general I live alone."

Yami looked in his cup his face reflected on the tea surface.

"Why aren't you leaving this place?" he asked her again.

The question seemed to surprise Kisara who blinked in confusion.

"Leave this place?" she repeated the question, "Why would I do that?"

Yami shrugged.

"Those people stuffed you in drug and were about to give you away to a vampire, meaning to certain doom. I believe that it is a reason"

Kisara lowered her eyes a little.

"I know these people my whole life. Also this is where I was born…where I grew up. This is where I live. This is the only place I can be. I guess it is because I have nowhere else to go… At least here I have a home…out there…what would I have?"

Yami smiled a fake, with no humor smile.

"I see…no hard feelings then?"

Kisara smiled as well and nodded.

"Yes. No hard feelings."

"Well that is something you don't see every day…" Yami mumbled more to himself than to her.

He held the warm cup in his hands.

"They are afraid of your hair color…of your eyes and skin…" he told her.

"I know…" she said calmly, "I know they do. They always did. However what difference would it be if I ran away from here? Other people out there wouldn't they be afraid as well?"

Yami had to admit that she was right. Even if people in cities didn't have so many superstitions, he knew that fear for the unknown still existed in people's hearts. This poor, innocent girl would suffer that no matter where she went to find peace.

"Now…may I ask you a question…?" Kisara spoke in a small voice.

"Sure…" Yami replied in a low voice as well.

"I…I don't understand… They call you a monster… I had heard of you too…they say that you are a monster…a murderer…but…you are so…gentle and…"

Her words hit Yami's heart deeply. This girl was totally innocent…totally naïve perhaps… However no one had ever…

"Listen, Kisara…" he placed the cup on the table, "You don't know me and I don't know you and you have no idea…what I've done… So, we better not run on conclusions for each other and we better leave it this way…"

Kisara lowered her eyes with a small smile in understanding.

"Of course" she said, "I understand."

"Thank you"

Yami stood up from his chair.

"Thank you for the tea. It was really kind of you. I must be going now…"

Kisara nodded. She escorted him to the door and in a minute Yami was back in the cold streets walking while the snowflakes were sitting on his coat and hair like small stars that immediately melted when they stayed in contact with his coat or face. He looked upwards, feeling the snow falling softly on his face and drew a deep breath. He took his small flask out again and took another swing of it. That little girl in her innocence…in her purity…in her naivety had shaken him for good! She was definitely a special creature. No wonder that everyone was afraid of her deep inside! He decided to walk a little so he could ease his mind a little…

His steps leaded him to the forest again. He had no idea why he was there again but he couldn't help himself… This time that the fog wasn't hiding his path, he could clearly see around and the gray beauty of the snowy morning was giving the place an entirely different look. Now he could crystal-clearly see a small church far away in the forest, probably for the travelers that were passing by the place, so they would have a chance to pray for a better trip… The snow was still falling weakly so his eyesight wasn't blocked. Maybe barely blur by the alcohol he had been consuming. Some small crystals of ice were hanging form the big branches. The usual whisper of the wind was the only thing he could hear… Suddenly an arrow sliced the air and almost stabbed him! He barely moved his body backwards to avoid it and the arrow whistled a few inches away from his face.

"Hey!"

He heard a female voice. He turned around to see Tea holding a crossbow over her shoulder. She also had a quiver with some spare arrows on her back.

"Oh, sorry" she said with a smile as if she was apologizing for stepping over his foot

Her blue eyes were perfectly toned by the snow around.

"Did I hurt you?"

"Barely not…" Yami said with no interest

He looked at the tree where some arrows were stabbed.

"What are you doing?" he asked her even if he knew the answer. His voice was flat

"Obviously. I am practicing" she said

"In killing people? Innocent passing by ones that is" Yami said sarcastically

"Ha! As if you can aim better in this drunkenness!" she mocked him back.

He smirked a little and walked to her.

"I am drunk...not blind!"

He had to say that she wasn't bad though. The arrows where pretty close one to the other…she wasn't bad at all…

"And is there a genuine difference between the two?" Tea mocked him again

Yami's lips pouted a little pretending that he was thinking of the answer.

"No. I guess no" he said

"Hm!" she smirked.

She raised her crossbow again and armed it with another arrow. She aimed again.

"No! No! You're doing it wrong!" Yami scolded her as if he was her instructor or something, "Keep both of your eyes open when you aim. You see better!"

"Ha!" she smiled playfully, "Well do it better!"

She offered him the crossbow provokingly

"Go ahead!" she dared him

Yami shrugged and took the crossbow. He aimed and he shot. The arrow crossed the air and…cut one of hers in two! Tea's eyes widened and her jaw dropped to the floor. Yami put the crossbow on his shoulder having his lips pouted as if he was saying "I believe that I did it, don't you think?". She remained in a shock for a little and when she found her voice she said.

"Well that…" her arm extended pointing at the arrow he had just threw, "…that was a lucky shot!"

"Really?" Yami asked playfully

"Absolutely! Try doing it again!"

Yami rolled his eyes. He armed another arrow to the crossbow, he aimed and released another arrow. The arrow now cut in half the arrow he had thrown previously! Now Tea was definitely left speechless. It took her some more time to find her words again.

"Alright!" she said, "Alright! You wanted my attention! You got it!" she placed her hands on her hips.

"Lucky me…" Yami mumbled sarcastically.

Tea looked at him from top to bottom. He was around one and a half head taller than her and he looked always ready for battle, no matter how drunk he was.

"So you will try to kill him after all…" she said

"Yes." Yami replied flatly, "I have proved that it is not impossible for a vampire to be killed"

"With Heather? Heather was tough but believe me she is nothing comparing to Seto Kaiba!"

"What about the others?"

"I told you. They are said to be his servants but…"

"No I didn't mean that. I mean what were they…before their life changed…or ended…?"

Tea looked at him.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, "Well like I told you the blond one's name is Callisto. She was turned into a vampire almost one hundred years ago. She used to be tough and arrogant as they say…they also say that she was the daughter of the king of the Gypsies but nevertheless she ended up like that. I still don't know why she was after Kisara like a jealous wife that is after her husband's lover…"

Yami was listening to every detail, carefully.

"What about the third one? The man?"

"His name is Rolland. He was working for Seto Kaiba. He is the oldest from the other three. He used to be Seto Kaiba's butler. He is barely some years younger than Seto Kaiba himself. They are saying that he returned back to the castle, probably to pick up something personal…no one knows for sure and then he was bitten by Seto Kaiba and killed. Soon after he became a vampire himself…"

"What about the other victims? Won't they turn into vampires too?"

"We haven't seen another vampire for more than one hundred years. It appears that Seto Kaiba can create vampires at will. I still don't know why he didn't create more of them…"

"He can create them at will? Why?"

"No one knows for sure…"

The new information was really valuable to him and his hunt. He turned his attention to the girl in front of him. She was really young.

"I was wondering what is going on with you and Mai. It appears you are together a lot. Relative of yours?"

She smirked.

"Is that a…hunting question?" she sighed and said, "She is my guardian. She has taken care of me for years. She is also my friend."

"What about your parents?"

"They died. My mother giving birth to my brother and they both died and my father was killed by Seto Kaiba"

"I'm sorry for your loss"

"Don't be. I will see them again! We Transylvanians always look at the bright side of death!"

"The bright side of death?"

"Yes. It depends on how you look at it…"

They remained silent for a few moments before Tea spoke again. Softly.

"I've never seen you praying…" she said. "I have seen you doing the cross for the creatures you kill or for another dead person and I have heard you pray for their souls but I have never seen you praying for you…your soul…"

Yami looked away and took another sip from his flask. His face had darkened.

"A soul like mine…cannot be saved, therefore there is no need for me to ask for the impossible…"

"You cannot know that for sure! What seems impossible to you it is possible to God. If you pray for your salvation then…"

Yami cracked a small smile.

"What?"

"Nothing. I never thought that you are religious!"

She pouted a little

"Of course I am! What else is left of us to do in a village terrorized by the devil!"

"You got me wrong…I am not trying to say anything. Good for you for never stopping believing…"

He walked to her and touched a tiny, silver cross that was hanging around her neck by a thin, delicate silver chain.

"It was my mother's. She left it to me so it will protect me…"

She looked at him in eye. The blue got lost in the crimson red…

"You really are an enigma to me Yami…" she whispered, "Sometimes I think that I hate you…while some others…you really seem like a gentle person…"

Yami remained silent. His black, leather coat was waving around their feet and the two of them the black and the red she was wearing, were making the difference in the frozen, white environment all around them… And the snowflakes were dancing…

The night… The most feared hour of the day… The nature was sleeping except some of the animals that live at night… Looking at the castle again nothing seemed abnormal but then…if anyone looked up…he could see someone standing at the top of the highest tower…where it was an antenna that would be used to hold a fag… Up there on the antenna…someone was standing! He was keeping a perfect balance with the point of the antenna on his tiptoe but he was standing there as if he was standing on a flat road! His cape was waving with the wind and the snowflakes were falling all around him… His brunette hair was also waving softly and he had his arms crossed over his chest… His eyes icy like the snow around the man's figure, were gazing down the village! He had been doing this for a couple of hours now and he was smirking quite content with what he had discovered.

"Well, well, well…" he whispered

His voice was cold…even colder than the snow that was falling around… The moon that was a full moon was glowing behind the clouds and it was right behind his back.

"That's interesting…"

His lips drew back in a grin revealing his fangs. His skin was pale as death… The cold meant absolutely nothing to him… It couldn't even touch him…

Surprise! One more chapter is ready!

For those who were expecting to hear about the scream...I am afraid you'll have to wait!

Also a small Yami x Kisara moment along with a Yami x Tea moment! Yami also shows his ability with arrows too!

I hope you liked it! More coming soon! Please review!

Enjoy!