SURVIVAL

Kota walked towards the sleeping bodies of Daiki and Jhenie. Jhenie was on top of Daiki. Around them was an invisible field that shielded their bodies from the falling debris around them. He gulped as he stared at them.

He saw everything. He saw how Daiki made the floor open up, how he unchained Jhenie from Jin’s black ones. He saw how Jhenie’s body floated towards Daiki.

“Let’s just carry them,” it was Aya.

Yuto and Ryosuke helped her host Daiki’s body while Hikaru carried Jhenie’s body. Aya nudged Kota to follow her when he showed no intention of going.

The group dodged falling debris and attacks of the black wings. The other vampires already ran away. Only few were left to stop them from escaping.

Sandie and Keito were infront of the group trying to kill as much black birds as they can.

“Tasukete!”

“That is Yuki.” Aya told Kota. He nodded and he was left with her dust as she sped away.

Aya and Yuki were infront of Shizuka who was lying unconscious on the grassy part of a hill.

A black wing soared towards them but Keito was fast and launched an attack to the huge beast. The bird collapsed lifeless beside the shocked girls.

The others ran towards them. “What happened?” Kota asked before kicking the huge bird away and dropping on his knees beside the girls.

“I think she was attacked.” There was dread in Yuki’s voice. She turned Shizuka’s head to expose a bitten neck.  

Aya gasped in horror as she watched blood oozing from the wound. It was definitely a vampire bite.  She shook the unconscious girl. “Shizuka, wake up!” she shouted at her friend.

The rest of them stared at the situation in shock.

“Ungg!” Shizuka groaned.

Sandie joined the three on their knees. “What happened?”  she asked.

Shizuka rolled her head to the side. She couldn’t focus her eyes in anything. Her body became limp.

Aya looked at Hikaru and the others. “Go bring Jhenie and Daiki home, we-we’ll take care of her.” she said in a trembling voice.

Hikaru nodded and led Yuto and Ryosuke.

It was then, Shizuka snapped and sat which shocked the whole lot.

“Nande?” Kota was taken aback by the sudden movement.

“Oh no!” exclaimed Yuki who looked at the frightened Aya.

“Who is her lifeline?!” Sandie asked worriedly.

They looked at each other but nobody could answer.

“Where is Haruka?” Aya asked immediately. Haruka might have  an idea.

Kota looked at Keito then to the girls. “Kei is also not here.”

Shizuka, on the other hand closed her eyes again and collapsed on the soft grasses.

“Shizuka, wait! Don’t sleep!” Aya snapped at her and slapped her face while Yuki shook her arms.

“Shizuka, Shizuka… tell us! Who is your lifeline?” Yuki asked while she tapped the girl’s arm.

Shizuka groaned again and opened her eyes. This time it was fully open and her pangs dropped.

“No!” Aya shouted.

“What’s happening?” Kota asked while Keito also kneeled beside them.

Shizuka tossed and arched her body. Aya pinned down one of her arms while Yuki and Sandie held the other.

Shizuka groaned at them angrily as she tossed her body from their grasp. Keito and Kota helped the girls. Keito held Shizuka’s shoulder while Kota pinned her feet.

“What is happening?” Kota repeated while trying to surpass the kicking feet of Shizuka. She was a hell of a strong one.

Shizuka was writhing under their hands. She became stronger as it was hard for the vampires and humans to make her stay still.

“The twin lunar!” Sandie exclaimed.

“Huh?” Keito asked.

It was then, Shizuka calmed down a bit. She grasped for breath. She stopped writhing. She tried to focus on them. There was fear in her eyes.

“Shizuka…” Aya called her.

“Ta–Tasuke-te, onegai!” Shizuka stammered under her breath.

“You need to drink from your lifeline.” Aya answered. She was also trembling.

Shizuka closed her weary eyes.

“Shizuka!” Yuki and Aya called sharply. “Don’t sleep!” Aya commanded.

And then Shizuka started writhing, again. The lot resumed on pinning her down as they tried to stop her from banging herself on the ground. Then her eyes open, it was full of fear. “I-it… co-controlling… me…” and her eyes became bloody red which turned to its natural color as fast as it became bloody.

“I-I…”

And then she growled angrily like a wild beast.

“No!” Shizuka snapped her eyes open. Her round eyes came in contact of those of Keito’s chinky ones. “Keito…” she murmured and then tossed her head.

Shizuka’s body became almost lifeless in their hands but then it emitted energy within her core as she gritted her teeth in her pangs.

“Oh my…” Yuki cursed in exhaustion.

Shizuka’s eyes focused on Aya. She smiled evilly at her and pulled her hand tossing Aya in the process.

Kota also cursed as he held her feet which she used on kicking him.

Sandie and Yuki tried to stop her. Keito on the other hand shifted his weight and toppled over her to stop her from moving again.

As if his body commanded him, Keito pulled Shizuka so that he was on top of her and her whole body was pinned down underneath him. Shizuka wrestled against him thus making them stumble from the hill.

Yuki and Sandie had to let go as Keito and Shizuka bounced downwards.

Angrily, Shizuka bared her pangs and buried it in Keito’s pulse.

“Argggh!” Keito shouted in the shock of the pain. Her pangs created a burning sting in his neck. He could feel his blood being away from his vein. He bit his lower lip to forget the pain as he tried to peel the girl away from him but she wouldn’t let go and enjoyed drinking his blood.

They were in this situation when the others were able to take him away from her. Shizuka on the other hand collapsed beside him. There were traces of blood in her lips down to her neck and blouse.

“Arigatou!” Keito said as they pulled him away. She was quite dangerous.

Aya checked Keito’s neck for a bite mark but there was none.  

They stared at the Shizuka’s unconscious body. She was still breathing heavily but it was clear that she calmed a little. They waited for her to stir again, ready to launch at her but she didn’t.

Keito flexed his neck and tried to feel bite marks in there. His neck still felt weird as if it was tingling. He closed his eyes in irritation when they heard Shizuka tossed.

The group snapped in attention but Shizuka just opened her eyes. There was no hint that it had become bloody red just a while ago. She turned to them. She looked really tired. Beads of sweat were visible in her forehead and she was breathing fast as if she just finished many laps.

Aya kneeled beside her. “Shizuka?”

Shizuka looked at her friend and gave a weary smile.

“How do you feel?” Yuki asked while kneeling beside her.

Shizuka shook her head. “Tired…” she said in a very low and hoarse voice.

“Let’s bring her to the hut so she could rest for a while.” Kota suggested and helped her to her feet. Keito immediately came beside her and helped Kota hoist her up.

They walked quietly without putting their guards down against the beasts or the vampires of the other clan.

After quite a while, they reached the hut and made Shizuka lay in a small cot that was probably left there by whoever owned the small house.

“Are you better now?” Keito asked her.

She stared at his eyes before nodding her head and closing her eyes. “Gomenasai!” she said afterwards. “I became a burden for all of you…”

“Iie,” Aya answered while shaking her head. “Don’t worry about that. Just take a rest.”

Shizuka smiled through closed eyes. “Minna, arigatou.” She said and went back to sleep.

“What really happened?” Keito asked still confused.

“The twin lunar…” Sandie quoted. “It is a phenomenon when one vampire bite another one without being able to bite back. The vampire who will be bitten will turn into a beast and then died a painful death.”

“Only a vampire’s lifeline will be able to save her.” Yuki told them.

Kota stared at the confused Keito in inquiry.

Keito shook his head. He couldn’t understand anything either. He had heard Daiki, and Kei telling them that once a vampire bite on her lifeline, the lifeline will be able to feel pleasurable bliss but surely there was no such feeling when Shizuka bit him.

“Have this ever happened before?” Kota asked.

“Ofcourse,” Sandie answered. “But the bitten one weren’t able to leave for long. She had gone crazy and needed to put her in seclusion. She refused to eat anything since all she wanted was to devour a human being, so she suffered until she died.”

“What about Shizuka?” Keito asked.

Yuki and Sandie shook their head. They were as confuse as he was.

Aya pushed a paper pocket to Keito and nodded for him to take it.

Keito’s face cringed as he saw what was inside the pocket. He had heard about it from Kota who immediately moved away because of the smell.

“You have to drink that.” Aya told him.

Keito gulped and pinched his nose before emptying the contents in his throat. There was no solvent to wash it down so he had to bear with the taste. He could smell the bitter aftertaste through his lungs while it felt like his throat wanted to burn down.

“I think we should look for Haruka and Kei.” Aya told Yuki and Sandie who just nodded.

“I’ll come with you.” Kota announced. “Will you be okay?” He asked Keito who nodded to him.

Kota responded with a tap in Keito’s shoulder and followed the girls who had headed out.

Keito blew air from his mouth which made him cough as he was still able to feel and small the powdered concentrate. He slumped down on the side of the cot where Shizuka was lying.

As he sat down, he could feel her body heat. Normally, he wouldn’t care about it but then she was a vampire so she was supposed to cold.

He tried to feel her cheek with his palm. “Shizuka…” he called her and shook her body a little. Shizuka groaned before opening her eyes.

“You have a fever.”

Shizuka giggled hearing his words. “Are you kidding me? I am a vampire, I won’t have fever.” She said in a small voice.

Keito took her hand. Shizuka gasped at the sudden movement and tried to pull away her hand but Keito didn’t let go. He guided it to her face. “Now tell me that you don’t have fever.”

Shizuka opened to say something but then, he was right. She really was having a fever. She suddenly chill and she wrapped her arms in her body. It was a new feeling for her since she never had a fever before.

Keito saw this and pulled off his dark jacket and wrapped her with it.

She smiled at him in appreciation. He smiled back while tucking a strayed hair behind her ears. She settled down and closed her eyes. She hugged Keito’s jacket as still felt uncomfortably cold. She snapped open her eyes as she felt Keito’s arms wrapped around her.

Shizuka looked at him. He had his eyes closed while one arm was under her head and the other was in her waist. His face was too near her own that she could see his thick lushes and smell his minty breath. “Keito?” she asked.

“Shhh…” he hushed her. He pulled her closer and nuzzled his nose in her wavy hair. “Just rest, you need it.”

Shizuka couldn’t take her eyes off his face but his warmth was so drowning that she closed her eyes and settled her face in his fragrant chest.