It was definitely cold outside. Kei tugged Haruka’s body in a blanket. There was nothing much inside that room, just a bed, and a cabinet. After travelling the whole night, they finally settled in.

In was a huge house, smaller than the mansion though. When he first saw it, he thought that it was just an old, weather-beaten house but what amazed him were the underground rooms.

Jhenie told them that it was a long abandoned ancestral house. She had known the owner a long time ago. It was a safe place for them to stay for a while.  

He took a sit on the floor beside the bed and stared at the ceiling. He hadn’t been much help to the others. He even wondered about his family. Were they looking for him? He didn’t know how Kota covered for him.

“Kei-nii.”

Kei looked up. It was Ryosuke. He looked at his younger co-member who also slumped down.

“What happened?” he asked.

“I just want peace and quiet.” The younger one answered. “I’m tired.”

“Did you just came?”

“Hai. All those stirrings are not good for my skin. The hunters are on the go. We made sure that the vampires stay here where it is safe. With the other clan on the loose and the council looking for them, it is just a huge chaos out there.”

“I’m sorry.” Kei said sadly.

“Huh?”

“For not being able to help.”

Ryosuke shook his head. “Haruka needs you. You shouldn’t leave her side.”

Kei smiled and nodded.

Ryosuke looked at his watch. “Gotta go.” The younger one said and stood up.

IT WAS pretty dark outside. The chill of the snowstorm lingered on the cold night. Kota and the rest were searching for survivors and victims of the sudden attack.

Though the morning is promising some sunlight, he could still feel the eerie at moment.

“There is a civilian here!” Yuya said not far from him.

“Don’t touch him.” Another voice commanded. Yuya bowed as the owner came nearer.

Kota, on the other hand was taken aback.

The owner of the voice checked the pulse of the man sprawled on the snow. Patches of blood was everywhere. Kota swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. He had seen a lot already but dead bodies cover in blood sure freaks him out every time. How could a person be able to get used to such a dreadful scene?

“Nino-nii, what are you doing here?” It was the voice of Yuto.

“Ah, the new hunters.” Nino said in a matter of fact voice. “I guess we are not yet introduced properly.”

“Huh?”

Nino smiled at the confused expression of Yuto.

“Yuto-kun, Nino-nii is one of the members of the council.”

“Eh?”

“Hai!” It was Nino. He is really quite fond of Yuto as his Kyouhai.

“Demo…”

Nino just tapped Yuto’s shoulder before scouting before the dead man. “I’ll ask the cleaning team to get rid of the body.”

“How about his family?” Yuto asked.

“Don’t worry about such things. Just mind hunting the vampires. Leave the cleaning to us.”

Kota and Yuya bowed down before dragging the confused Yuto away.

“What will Nino-nii do with the body?” Yuto asked.

“You heard the man, leave the cleaning to them.” Yuya answered. “That is what he does. He cleans the marks left by the vampires, not leaving any trace for the people to find. We couldn’t let humans know that myth does really exist.”

“But then, isn’t it better if we just tell the people about what is happening to lessen the confusion and prepare them also.”

“The council will never agree to such, unless it is entirely grieve. So far, they can still handle the situation, I guess.” Yuya explained, though there was doubt in his words.

THE HUNTERS AND THE VAMPIRES alike listened eagerly to anything that might be amiss. There had been an attack the night before and they were sure an attack would happen on that night, again.

Ryutaro was huddled silently on the floor beside Oburi. Satomi was browsing the book Chinen got from his dream. Keito was polishing his knife. Ryosuke and Yuto was trying to play cards on the side. Yuri was seated with Yuki staring at nothing. Sandhie, Aya, Shizuka, and Hana were huddled together on one side.

Jhenie, Daiki, Yuya and Kota weren’t anywhere. They were probably in one of the underground rooms plotting something.

“I wonder when Hika-kun will be back?” Chinen suddenly sprouted.

It was then when the door of the old house creaked. The hunters and vampires alike took a weapon each.

“What the heck is wrong with the weather today?”

“Hika-chan!” Ryosuke exclaimed.

Hikaru stepped in and tried to wipe away the snow that fell on his clothes. Beside him, stood Toni who looked as confused as the others.

Oburi looked at the girl. The girl, with her placid blue eyes looked back at her. In that fleeting moment, Oburi grabbed Ryutaro’s long sword, flew like the wind and aimed the sword on the girl’s throat.

Toni didn’t seem to be taken aback since a sword was in her hand and was aimed on Oburi’s throat.

“Whoah! Hey girls easy.” Hikaru said shaken because of the sudden scene in front of him and because of the fact that Toni had taken his sword without him realizing.

The two girls stared at each other. Nobody dared to move, but both wanted the other one dead.

The room was silent. Not a soul dared to step in. They were afraid to make any noise or else the girls might take each other’s head.

They had been staring at each other for sometime when the swords they were holding seemed to repel against their hands. They let go of the swords and the swords fell down with a noisy clatter on the tiled floor.

They looked at the source of the repelling power. Jhenie stared at the girls, her hands were up high. “Hikaru, who is she?”

Hikaru looked at Toni who realized what she had done and crouched beside him. “She is Toni. An elder…” he shouldn’t tell that he sought the help of the Primeras. “An elder from my family asked me to take her with me.”

“Will you follow me, you and Toni?” Jhenie commanded more than asked.

Hikaru, with Toni in his heels followed.

When the others are seemed to follow, Jhenie turned back and commanded them to stay put.

They walked downwards to a winding staircase. Jhenie held a torch with her. The house was probably so much older than what Hikaru suspected since this area of the house seemed to be a house for several generations of spiders. He was afraid that there might even be a snake in here or something.

Toni must be freaking out since she was clinging to him as if she was clinging for her dear life.

Jhenie led them to a huge door. There were intricate patterns on the door that even seemed Hellenistic to Hikaru. He didn’t know that there was such a house in Japan that could have been there for ages except for their temple, of course. He thought that such patterns can only be seen in Europe.

Jhenie opened the doors. They stepped into an old library. The stench of old books was thick in the air. There were more cobwebs inside than outside as they cling to the books themselves.

Jhenie shoved the torch to one of the empty sockets in the wall. She moved her hands in the wind and closed her eyes seemingly murmuring a prayer.

After a while, the cobwebs and dust were gone. The small light coming from the torch gave out a fancy glow that lit the whole room.

It was really a huge library with old books and scrolls.

“Take your sit there.” Jhenie told them and pointed to a huge old table that hosted several oak chairs.

Hikaru and Toni took a seat each. She looked at Hikaru with frightened eyes. “I want to go home.” She announced.

Hikaru smiled at her. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

“I really don’t know why I am here.”

Hikaru held her hands. “Elder Rosendo must have a reason for sending you with me.”

She sniffed. “I know I killed those pigs but I don’t know why I do that. I don’t want to but I need to. I shouldn’t have done that… he wouldn’t send me away…”

Hikaru must have expected this though it came quite a shock that this seemingly innocent girl had really done that.

“Ehem.” Jhenie coughed. She was holding a huge book. It was old and most pages were already brown. She put it down carefully and flipped a page.

In the page, a picture of a symbol could be seen. It was a mark of two cross knives inside a bow that formed a half moon shielding the knives. There was an omega sign on the knives.

Hikaru looked at Jhenie in confusion.

“I know that sign!” Toni exclaimed.

They looked at her as she was fiddling at the neck of her dress. She tried to pull it down when Hikaru exclaimed, “What are you doing?!”

Jhenie held him. Toni showed them a mark in her pulse. It was the same mark in the book.

“Where did you find her again?” Jhenie asked.

“In my hometown.”

“Nande?” Toni asked. “What is that mark all about?” she asked.

Jhenie looked at Hikaru.

“She has amnesia.”

“Poor child.” Jhenie said.

Then, it seemed that she had a fleeting moment. She closed her eyes for a moment. “There is another attack.” She declared.

“I suggest that you bring Toni to a room. Guard her. Don’t let her any where near the vampires. I’ll check what is happening.”

She grabbed the book and gave it to Hikaru.