CHAPTER 7: Follow the Light

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The morning air was as chilly and the thick clouds were as gray as Shizuru had always remembered. For a child like her, the world was as big as the island she inhabited, and time had not yet filled her with memories. The day started with the same routine of making her bed and running her usual morning business, and the night would end with her washing the dishes and praying before going to bed. With her mother, together they lived a simple life in the small village with very little connection to the outside world. Solitude was what she imagined her entire life would be enveloped in until that faithful day she met a stranger from the far mainland.

‘S—sorry, ma’am… but a—are you available…? There’s a long line outside, but… uh…’

It was the first time Shizuru met the famous fortuneteller, Madam Elle. Being such a small child, she sneaked into the woman’s tent without waiting in the long line. Elle would soon set out on yet another journey, and Shizuru knew it was her only chance to have some little fun.

Madam Elle wasn’t a native on the island, but everybody knew her. She traveled from town to town, thousands of miles for as far as she had the strength and means to do so. She would wear her trademark white garment with a brown, leather cloak, and a golden headscarf to prevent heat or frost. In her hands were always a jar of rum and a wooden cane to support her weight when she was drunk, which was almost always the case. As a famous fortuneteller, Elle had read many kings’ fortunes and downfalls, and she had to bolt at times as a result of her unwillingness to lie. Men will always be men, and there were things that even a king could not abide: the truth was one of them.

‘Yes! Yes, come on in, child!’ Madam Elle clapped in enthusiasm, knowing full well that the little girl had cut the line.

Shizuru had her advantage of being so young and, quite evidently, appearing so ill. Her skin was starkly white, and the veins on her cheeks and arms were visible to the point of repugnance. Her eyes were in such a light shade of brown that they would appear almost transparent whenever they were touched by light. Her straight, long, platinum blonde hair fell to her back. Everything about her was described as white, and the kids in the village teased her to no end. Not surprisingly, Elle must have taken pity on her.

‘Th—thank you…’ the little girl mumbled, briefly peering beyond the curtains to see the big women she knew from the village staring hard at her. Quickly, she retreated back and scooted closer to the round table in the middle of the tent.

‘Sit down. Please.’ Elle smiled widely. In front of her was a crystal ball, though rather murky with dirt and fingerprints.

Sitting down as invited, Shizuru eyed the ball for a while and then looked up at the old woman. ‘Are you for real? Do you really see the future?’ she asked with a shaking voice a little too high even for a child. She could barely hide her excitement that Elle had to laugh.

‘Of course, I see everything!’ Elle claimed.

‘I haven’t gotten enough money, but I can wash the dishes for you. Or do you prefer wild strawberries? I don’t grow them, but I can pick them up from the woods. Oh, I have other options for you. Do you—’ The little girl was interrupted by another hearty laugh from Elle, and then realized that she had talked too much and perhaps too fast. She couldn’t help it. Beside her mother, she had no one else to talk to.

‘Shh. You’re too young to start bargaining. Wait until you grow up, child, and you’ll spend the rest of your life bargaining. Sad, but true. We’re all humans. So this is the time when you should be getting your way for free. Now, let me see your palms.’

‘I thought you do the crystal ball?’ Shizuru frowned, but stretched her hands out anyway.

‘I do a little bit of palm reading as well. It helps.’ Elle took the tiny hands and narrowed her eyes as she read them. ‘Hmm… Hmm… Hmm…’

The little girl bent forwards, trying to imitate the older woman and read her own palms. ‘What does ‘hmm’ mean?’

‘Shh.’

Shizuru then bit her lips and nodded in compliance.

‘Oh…?’ Elle let out the sound of surprise, and gently let go of the girl’s hands. ‘Confusing. Your palms are very difficult to read. I have never met someone like you before.’

‘Special. I’ve heard that a lot from my mother, but thank you.’ Shizuru climbed down the chair and patted her white, cotton dress. The session seemed to end so fast, but she needed to go home before her mother would worry.

Elle made no move to stop the girl. Closing her eyes, her hands hovered over the crystal ball. Shizuru was about to turn to the exit, but stopped in her tracks when the ball suddenly turned black. And if she hadn’t been psychologically fooled by the old woman’s trick already, the tent seemed to have dimmed down from the absence of any sunlight from outside. Even though the island was always cloudy, it had never been absolutely dark like this. Twirling leaves and twigs flew about and were suddenly swept into the tent by the strong wind. Raising one hand to block the wind, Shizuru heard little yelps and screams from the people waiting outside.

Then the wind stopped, and the dark clouds dispersed into gray. And Madam Elle opened her eyes again, staring down at the girl.

‘Ow…’ Shizuru rubbed her left eye a little to get the dirt out. ‘What did you do that for?’

Elle had a weird, small smile on her face, one filled with curiosity and, almost, pity.

‘W—what did you see?’

‘I saw nothing,’ Elle replied.

The little girl blinked a few times. ‘My life is nothing?’

For a long while, Elle had leaned forwards a little, watching her with a gentle gaze. ‘Remember. Follow the light, and your life shall begin.’

Shizuru frowned even more as she tightened the scarf around her neck and left the tent. It was the only time Elle’s path had crossed with hers. She did not understand what the prophecy meant, and would not for a very long time. The meaning of those words had been lost through years of harsh winters and centuries of solitude. Ultimately, she had forgotten who Elle was, or even if they had ever met.

Until she heard the gentle voice again tonight, echoing distantly in the back of her mind.

Follow the light…

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Through the stony, wet corridor, it was darker than the blackest night and colder than a fierce winter. Natsuki staggered along the path, the endless turns around the black walls leading deeper and deeper into the labyrinth. Her body began to shiver from the cold, and her foggy breath clouded the already poor visibility. The damp air underground was ventilated so badly that she had to hold her breath at times. Naturally, a vampire’s sense of smell wasn’t as sharp as a werewolf’s, and this was one of the rare occasions it had its advantages.

The only source of light available was the yellow flashlight in the red-haired librarian’s hand, who was just a few feet ahead of her. The tiny woman had Shizuru’s arm draped around her neck, and literally dragged her along. She was considerably strong for someone of such petite size. Even for the immortal’s standard, she was a force to be reckoned with, and Natsuki was sure to keep an eye on her. The fact that Uriah seemed so primed with fierce vampires worried Natsuki to some extent, seeing how ill-equipped her pack really was. The werewolves were largely inexperienced in battles and were notoriously flawed with their impatience.

Natsuki trudged on, her mind heavy with uneasiness. Haruka was bleeding badly, and Aoi was in a serious condition since she arrived at the alley. They were going to need some immediate medical attention, but the prospect didn’t look too well for them. Then Natsuki looked at the pair in front of her, and suddenly felt a knot in her chest. Shizuru’s head kept dropping and her feet weren’t moving on their own accord now. With her superior vision, Natsuki could make out the bloody wounds on Shizuru’s shoulders even in the dark: two, long cuts on her back were visible through the tears on the back of the sweatshirt; blood trickled down and along her bare legs, drenching the leather sandals she was wearing. Judging from the amount of blood, there had to be more wounds beneath the garment, and they were probably serious.

Casting her gaze down, Natsuki tried not to look anymore, trying to direct her mind to Haruka’s weight over her shoulders instead. She left Ahn’s home for the First District, but hardly expected to see the rogue vampire in such a dire state. Seeing how Shizuru had been keeping a low profile for long years, it was startling to see her in the middle of the fight. First District had to be important enough to Shizuru to be drawn here. What exactly did the vampire want from Uriah?

What happened between mother and her? Did they—

Natsuki bit her lips, troubled by her own curiosity about the vampire. Her mind kept plowing into clues and hints ceaselessly, her head began to hurt. It had always been an ease to slay a vampire, and she did so for decades without misgiving. The vampires were malicious and brutal, their logic and behavior were expressed in a sense that made them seem natural this way. They were strangely disciplined but manipulative, and cold-blooded killers who could murder their own kind without batting an eyelid. They were a mirage that possessed human form, but without a heart. To Natsuki, they were creatures, which truly belonged to darkness.

But something about Shizuru distinguished her from the rest. Perhaps, it was the fact that the vampire defied Uriah. Or was it Ahn, a confident, yet heartbroken soul, who had made Shizuru appear more humane? Having fought Shizuru twice now, her uncanny strength was a constant reminder for Natsuki that she was far from being a human. Ironically, the most crucial hint of humanity Natsuki had caught from her was the rage in the vampire’s eyes when she thought that Ahn had been hurt. It was deeper than any fear Natsuki had ever witnessed. The anger was so blatant that the vampire had her soul so vulnerably open to scrutiny. It was so palpable that Natsuki interpreted it as love—the kind that could kill.

Natsuki looked up at Shizuru again. A sworn enemy was what she saw. But as much as she hated being indebted to anyone, she would never dishonor herself to a low blow. For whatever reasons, Shizuru did save her in the woods. Not to mention that Ahn had treated her more than a mere prisoner. If she were to kill Shizuru, it must be in a fair fight, one worthy of sacrifice and pride.

Natsuki took a quick look at her unconscious peer by her side, and then Aoi, who was being carried by Chie several feet behind her. The echoes of their footsteps and their ragged breathing were the only things audible in the tunnel. The tension in Chie’s eyes, as they briefly gazed at each other, was evident. Time was pressing. The librarian strutted ahead with no sign of when or where they would stop. The wounded were not holding up very well, while the healthy ones were unsure how long they could carry on like this.

“We need to stop their bleeding. They’re not going to make it like this,” Natsuki finally said.

The librarian offered no response. She was a little out of breath having to drag Shizuru along after a vicious fight with a pack of werewolves. Natsuki frowned, but continued to follow. For all she knew, Searrs agents might have already rallied into the building, and the redhead was the only one who knew the way around the crypt. Sooner than she had expected, they turned right and walked behind another set of slimy walls and, to her surprise, met a stairway leading to a large foyer below.

Climbing down the creaking staircase, Natsuki noted that there were about a dozen black coffins lined up along the left side of the foyer. Lit candles were placed along the cracks and gaps on the wall to her right, radiating light throughout the hall. On the long wall opposite to the entrance, many square blocks were especially made to fit in a person each, a sleeping bed for lower-ranked vampires. But the hall was empty. The vampires must have left the coven and their lone soldier behind.

The librarian proceeded to lay Shizuru down beside a coffin and trudged towards a large, metallic container in the corner. She put her thumb up for a scan over the censor. A beep prompted the fridge doors open, and a gush of fog briefly fumed out. She grabbed a few units of blood off the shelf. Tossing two units to Natsuki, she tore one for herself, washing it down in one big gulp.

Natsuki then rested Haruka on top of the nearest coffin, while Chie put Aoi on the next one. Bloodstains plastered along Aoi’s arms, where Chie had cut to let the poisonous silver-nitrate bleed out.

“The kit is on the ledge to your right,” the librarian said.

Natsuki scurried to grab the white box. She connected the IV line to the blood unit and then inserted the catheter through Haruka’s arm. For a werewolf as strong as Haruka, it should take less than an hour to regain strength, if not a little longer. But it would take much longer for a seriously wounded Aoi, who had visibly turned green. What struck Natsuki though was the frightened look on Chie’s face, an expression which she had never seen before from the guard. Chie was gently holding Aoi’s hand, paying no attention to how others might think of them. It amazed Natsuki that she had never noticed the bond between her personal guards before.

Then Natsuki turned to see the librarian kneeling beside Shizuru. She had pulled Shizuru up by the collar and poured some blood into the vampire’s mouth, the crimson liquid spilling slightly onto the black sweatshirt. Shizuru’s eyes shot open, and she coughed as the blood struggled to pass down her throat. Its scent alone awakened her weak mind, and Shizuru tried to grab the source of life from the librarian’s hand. However, the redhead shoved Shizuru back down to the tiled floor, forcefully holding her by the collar. Struggling vainly under the strong grip, Shizuru had tasted just enough blood to keep her consciousness, but had not the strength to pull away.

“Who are you? Who’s your master? What were you doing, sneaking up on us like that? Answer me! Now!” the librarian scolded. Their faces were only an inch apart, their intense gazes locked.

Chie had picked up her weapons and came to stand guard beside the dark-haired woman. Natsuki felt the strange urge to intervene, but decided against it. At this very moment, she wasn’t sure who was an ally or enemy, and opted to watch from the distance. Secretly, she did want to hear what Shizuru had to say.

Glowering up at the redhead, Shizuru wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. “Master Fujino Satoshi was my maker. I was one of his servants.”

“Fujino Satoshi of the Kyoto coven. Hmm.” The librarian narrowed her eyes as she tried to recall. “Three hundred years ago, all two hundred seventy vampires perished that night under the queen’s order. The separatists. They were thorns at Uriah’s side.” A smirk slowly appeared on her lips at her last words. “Are you the sole survivor of the faithless clan? You’re strong. You’ve got such an impressive progress over the years, young one. Very impressive, indeed.”

Natsuki noted the indifference which had replaced anger in Shizuru’s eyes. The rogue vampire had shielded her feelings behind that impassive façade, her thoughts impossible to read. For a-few-century-old vampire, Shizuru had proven to be far stronger than expected. Even an older vampire like the librarian noticed it as well.

Getting up to her feet, the librarian then tossed the half-emptied unit to Shizuru. In turn, Shizuru gulped down the remaining blood fast. The traces of crimson along her limbs gradually vanished, and the wounds on her shoulders began to mend. She slightly winced as the repairing process continued. It hurt when new flesh regenerated and healed.

Pacing back and forth, the librarian eyed Shizuru in suspicion. “Were you spying on us? I hope you weren’t too stupid to seek revenge because you’ll be crushed again and again and again,” she said, with a voice full of mockery.

“You’re only a pawn to the queen. Completely expendable.”

Boredom flashed across the librarian’s pale green gaze. “Do not drag me down to your level. It’s not going to work.”

Shizuru’s facial expression remained blank. “What are you doing here in Fuuka headquarter then? Why aren’t you the queen’s right-hand man now? I’ve heard that a younger vampire had already taken the position.”

Amused, Natsuki raised her brows when she saw a pink flush on the librarian’s pale face. The redhead was trembling, her fists clenched. Shizuru’s remarks must have hit home somehow. However, Natsuki twitched a little when the librarian stalked back towards Shizuru and thrust the vampire back down to the floor with a foot on her chest.

“That was all the blood you’re going to get!” the redhead snarled.

Shizuru wasn’t able to turn the librarian around, a task that would have been effortless for her. The librarian had been careful enough not to let Shizuru heal completely. Although the openings of the wounds had mended and the bleeding had stopped, a mere unit of blood could only sustain her life, but it was unable to return her to full strength.

“They dumped you. They all drove off in their cars when I got here. It seems that after centuries you’re still not one of them,” Natsuki said. It was crucial to convince the librarian that the werewolves were not her enemy at the moment. But Natsuki wasn’t entirely lying; Reito and the rest of the posse had evacuated without a second thought on the mates they left behind. It was a typical attribute of the vampires.

“Who says that I ever needed them? I’ll survive those damn Searrs agents without them!” the redhead growled. But reluctance was evident in her eyes.

All of a sudden, a deafening sound thundered just above their heads, and they all fell into silence. The walls had shaken slightly, and pebbles fell from the ceiling like trails of sand in an hourglass. The agents must have blown up the entrance to the crypt.

The librarian instantly grabbed Shizuru by the collar, pulling her up to her feet. “They’re coming! They’ll find this hall soon. We must leave now!”

Natsuki pulled out her guns, readying herself for the coming attack. Chie noticeably appeared anxious, looking back and forth between her master and the doorway above, expecting Searrs agents to barge in any moment. Although Natsuki knew that it was suicidal to stay, she couldn’t leave her peers behind.

“Are you coming with me or not!?” the librarian yelled. It was clear that she wasn’t planning to leave without a partner. In the least, two vampires would have a better chance against the agents.

“Tell them where the exit is,” Shizuru said.

There was a long pause before the librarian spoke again. “At the west end, swim into the tunnel. You’ll find an exit there.” With that, she spun on her heels and left the hall.

Natsuki wasn’t exactly sure why she felt a hollow in her chest when Shizuru glanced back at her once more before climbing up the stairway and following the redhead out of the hall. But she quickly brushed the thought away to take care of the urgent matter at hand.

“Give me a hand here,” Natsuki said.

The two werewolves helped putting both Aoi and Haruka into those square blocks up on the wall, intending to hide the wounded for as long as they could. As soon as Natsuki gathered her weapons, Chie moved beside her master, her face grimed with stress.

“I would feel better if you stayed inside, Natsuki-san. We came here to protect you.”

“That’s not going to happen, so don’t waste your time trying to convince me. Come on.” Natsuki led Chie out of the hall and looked back and forth between the passageways to her left and right. “I’ll guard the left tunnel. You, go to the right. We have to try and distract the agents before they find the foyer.”

Chie reluctantly nodded before heading into the dark corridor, while Natsuki proceeded to the opposite direction. She tried her best to keep track of the turns she had made in this labyrinth of black walls. Leaning against a cold wall, Natsuki stared at the bricks ahead of her, a UV machine gun she picked up from the ground floor in her hands. She had some extra ammunition she collected earlier in the belt holster. The fully loaded handgun was tucked in her right ankle holster. Thankfully, the narrow passageway prevented the enemies from attacking her all at once, and she stood a better chance to wipe them out by taking them down one by one.

She pressed one ear to the wall and tried to catch any sounds approaching her way. Chie’s footfalls resonated about a dozen walls in front of her. There was still no sign of incoming Searrs agents. But the two vampires must have gone far enough that the sound of their movements were completely out of range.

West end…? Yeah, that helps.

Natsuki grumbled at the thought. She didn’t even know which direction she was facing. Suddenly, a series of gunshots blasted through the passageway only a few blocks of walls ahead of her. The shooting intensified with the sound of hurried footsteps and incoherent yelling following after.

“Natsuki-san…! Natsuki-san!”

Natsuki looked over her shoulder to see Chie turning at the far corner and rushing towards her. “I’m safe! It’s not me!”

The guard hurriedly moved in front of Natsuki, aiming her gun at the direction of the noises. But the gunshots stopped as suddenly as they started, and the crypt fell into silence again.

“What…what were they shooting at?” Chie muttered, breathless from the run.

For a long moment, Natsuki stared into the darkness before her, her breathing quickened in anticipation. Her eyes widened and her ears twitched to catch any sound around her. Eventually, the sound of casual footfalls came, and a slender form emerged from the shadows at the opposite end of the left passageway. Natsuki recognized the slim frame, but Chie blindly fired at the target.

“Don’t—” Natsuki reached for Chie, but a shadow whizzed past her, causing her to tumble backwards. When she looked up again, Chie had halted in her post. Shizuru had snatched the gun from Chie before she could fire, and was now holding the guard at pointblank. Chie had turned halfway, staring sideways at the barrel of her own gun pointing into her face.

Instinctively, Natsuki raised her gun at the vampire even though she was unsure of what had just happened. Thankfully, Shizuru lowered the gun and hurled it back to Chie without a fuss. The guard caught her weapon, noticeably astounded by the vampire’s ridiculously fast speed.

“What was that all about? What the hell happened back there?” Natsuki eyed Shizuru up and down, astonished to see Shizuru in a Searrs uniform, the gas mask hanging around her neck. In the black, tight garment, she would have easily blended in with the agents. Aside from the change in appearance, Natsuki couldn’t help but feel a strange relief that the vampire came back.

“I only ripped off their masks, and they simply panicked. More squads will find their way here soon. They must have heard the shooting, too,” Shizuru said, tossing two extra masks to Natsuki and Chie. She then reloaded the assault rifle she took from one of the agents.

Natsuki and Chie readily hang the masks around their necks. Catching the curious stare from Chie, Natsuki instantly looked away. Her personal guard must have sensed the peculiar air between Shizuru and her. It was odd enough for someone like Natsuki not to lash out at the presence of a vampire, let alone help each other in the face of a crisis.

“Gee, you’re clumsy,” Natsuki said, pointing at her own chin. She was trying to distract Chie from curiosity, but failed poorly when her personal guard just kept staring.

“Oh…?” Shizuru wiped the bloodstain from her face. Evidently, the vampire came back to feed on the agents since it was the only alternative for her. She looked up again, and Natsuki swore to have seen a small smile curving up on her lips in the dark. She pulled out a palm-sized, steel key from her pocket and said, “You forgot this.”

Natsuki lowered her weapon and took the item from Shizuru’s hand. She couldn’t believe that she had totally forgotten about it. “You came back only to give me the key?”

“I figured you’ll need more than just a lousy direction to nowhere.”

Scoffing, Natsuki proceeded to unlock the collar and tossed it to the floor. “Hah, I don’t need your help. I can take care of my people and myself. What about you? It’ll be twelve hours before sunset. It’s going to be a long, long day for you to stay alive while eluding Searrs men.”

Shizuru blinked a few times before she said, “If I didn’t know Kuga Natsuki better, I’d start to think that you’re worried about me.”

“What you’ve heard about me is entirely true, because I am certainly not worried about you. Where did your friend go?” Natsuki then found herself speaking faster than she intended to.

“There’s no reason why she’d lead me out of here. So instead of being just a decoy at her disposal, I had a better plan for her,” Shizuru said, shrugging lightly.

The dark-haired werewolf stopped at the hint of menace in the simple message. She watched the impassive crimson eyes in the face of deception and disguise. The strange serenity in the vampire’s melodic voice always concealed the dangerous motives.

“You should stay here. I’ll lure them elsewhere, and your guard can do the same with the other squad,” Shizuru suggested.

Natsuki grabbed Shizuru’s arm before the vampire could head back into the tunnel where she had come from. “What’s this? Why are you helping us?” she asked, almost growling in suspicion.

Shizuru stopped, but did not pull herself away from Natsuki’s hold. She briefly glanced over Natsuki’s shoulder to look at Chie, and Natsuki turned around to her guard. Reluctantly, Chie bowed and ran into the right passageway, disappearing behind the blocks of walls. When Chie’s footsteps began to fade into the distance, Natsuki turned to face the vampire again.

“Twelve hours in this crypt is a long time, especially with the agents after us… I have a favor to ask you,” Shizuru said.

It took Natsuki a few moments before she took a step back, realizing how close she was to the vampire in this narrow passageway. The proximity had bizarrely rendered her powerless. She frowned. She didn’t like the idea of making a promise to anyone. She didn’t like the seriousness in Shizuru’s tone, which sounded almost like a plea that would not take no for an answer. She didn’t like the prospect that it had the potential to be a death wish, but didn’t quite understand why she would care. Although Shizuru wasn’t one of the vampires from Uriah, she was still considered a potential enemy to her pack.

“Please take care of Ahn.”

And it was the first time Natsuki had seen such insecurity in the crimson eyes, and she had to look away. “What are you talking about? You’ll kick their asses and you’ll go home by tonight. Besides, you can’t die just yet. I’ve got a lot to ask you.”

Shizuru just stared at her for a moment, and then pulled the mask over her face as she walked away. “Ahn knows everything about your mother. They were friends. She wouldn’t lie to you.”

Natsuki watched until Shizuru took a turn and disappeared behind the far wall.

Ahn Lu…

Sighing, Natsuki decided to break her train of thoughts. She firmly held her gun up, heightened her senses to detect any unusual incoming sound. She would have to delay the agents as best she could, hoping Aoi and Haruka would regain their strength just enough to walk themselves out of here. Shizuru covered the tunnel to her left, while Chie had the right tunnel in her watch. The only possible open area for attack was the tunnel in front of her. Natsuki directed her gun at said passageway, her eyes unblinking as she stared into darkness.

Almost on cue, a series of gunshots erupted. Flashes of light flickered through the tunnel, revealing a group of men moving towards her direction. They madly fired after a figure jumping from one wall to the other, shower of shells clanking around the agents’ black boots. Natsuki turned to her left just enough to elude the stray bullets, which whizzed past her and punched several holes into the door behind her. She knelt fast on one knee and took down two of the nearest agents, which temporarily stunned the other nine squad members.

“We’ve been attacked! I think we’ve found their nest! Copy!” the squad leader shouted into his walkie-talkie as the firing continued.

Natsuki had to leap away from her spot as the jumping figure bounded from the ceiling and plunged towards her, rolling and busting the door to the foyer open. The red-haired figure took a less-than-graceful fall and rolled down the stairway, narrowly escaping the bullets from Searrs men. It appeared that the librarian had been wounded.

“Follow it now!” the leader ordered.

Natsuki hid herself behind the wall closest to her, whilst the men passed her unnoticed. An agent tossed a grenade into the foyer and waited until the blast went off. They carefully entered then.

Shit! Aoi!? Suzushiro!?

Biting her lips, Natsuki pushed herself from the floor and went behind the agents. Stopping at the entrance, she saw nine men open fire at the librarian, who was crawling to hide behind one of the coffins. The shower of bullets gradually damaged the row of coffins enough to peel them down one by one. The redhead let out a muffled scream when a UV bullet hit her leg. She flopped forwards, unable to move from the line of fire. The point man signaled the squad to stop, and the shooting ceased. He and another squad member vigilantly moved towards the prone form and grabbed her wounded leg, pulling her from behind the coffin. The men flipped her up, but the vampire still managed to put up a weak fight, trying to get out of their grip.

“Fucking bitch! Stop it! Stop!” One of the men panicked, striking the redhead in the face. The two agents then repeatedly struck the vampire with their rifles, while the other members stood by and watched.

Natsuki had to hold her breath as the feeling of disgust rushed through her. She could almost see herself in those men’s acts that mirrored the savageness within her years ago. But now she realized just how easily she could be in the vampire’s place, a victim to undeserved prejudice. The immortals were nothing less than animals to Searrs—to her mother.

Even mother…?

Taking in a deep breath, Natsuki kicked the door behind her shut. There was no escaping now, not for the savages in this room. The bang prompted the agents to look up, puzzled by the appearance of an ordinary looking girl. All at once Natsuki and the squad leader raised their guns and fired. Struck with a headshot, his body spun off the step and plunged down the flight of stairs onto two other agents below him. His bullet did manage to leave a scratch on her left cheek, but she quickly turned and incessantly shot at the agent nearest to the librarian, and then his partner in crime.

When the ammo ran out, Natsuki leapt off the staircase and landed on all fours in front of another agent, bullets whizzing past her. She shot up into the air again, arched her arm and struck down at his neck with her growing, thick claws, ripping his head off his shoulders.

“Shoot it! It’s a fucking werewolf! Fucking shoot it!” one of the agents shouted.

Natsuki grabbed the headless body and threw it back to the agent by the staircase, driving him to the ground. Jumping back to hold onto the handrail along the stairway, she pulled herself up and climbed over. Cornered by another agent, she spun around to face him and kicked the gun off his grip, upsetting his balance. Swiftly, she pulled her handgun from the ankle holster, and took him down with a shot in his chest.

“Ah!” Natsuki cried out a little when a bullet from another squad member hit her right arm, causing her to tumble down the stairs. Rolling and getting up to her feet again, she knelt at the bottom of the stairs and shot back at him, three bullets were punched through his face and forehead.

Three remaining men hid themselves behind the row of coffins, madly firing at the werewolf. Throwing herself down beside a dead agent, Natsuki pulled a hand grenade off his belt and flung it into the air towards the men. There was a second of stunned silence before the agents scurried out from their hiding in fright, giving Natsuki clear shots at them. A bullet caught an agent in the back, while another bullet hit another squad member in his leg, forcing him to the ground. The grenade went off, killing the other agent instantly. Then the whole hall fell into silence again, smoke clouding the whole area.

Breathing heavily, Natsuki lay low beside the still body, her gaze darting around the foyer to find any standing target. She felt a pang of relief when it appeared that none was moving other than the agent downed with a leg wound. He was bleeding so badly that he was no longer a threat to her. Slowly, she pushed herself up, but winced at the pain in her arm. Biting her lips, she used her good hand and cautiously clawed the shell out of the wound.

“Damn, that hurts,” Natsuki grumbled, noting the blood gushing out and dripping along her toned arm. A UV bullet couldn’t kill her, but it did slow her down a great deal. It would take a while before her body could start healing by itself, and she thought it was a good thing that she had waited and regained her strength before she left Ahn’s home. If the past few days had taught her anything, it would be preparing for the worst.

Walking towards the groaning agent, the only one left alive, Natsuki kicked his rifle away from his reach. She knelt down beside him and roughly pulled his gas mask off.

“P—please… make it… quick…” he pleaded, his face ashen from blood loss.

“Thanks for giving me the idea. A painful death sounds great to me,” Natsuki spat. “How many of you are out there…? Oh, come on, they wouldn’t know it’s you who spilled it. You’ll be dead by then.”

It took him a few seconds before he looked up at her. Perhaps, those few seconds succeeded to remind him how precious life really was. “Eight… eight squads…” His body started to shake.

Tossing the gas mask away, Natsuki eyed him up and down. Shizuru had taken down a squad, and Natsuki herself had managed another. Six more squads sounded like a real trouble ahead of them. “Where’s your headquarter? What do you do with the vampires you caught? What kind of experiments?”

There was horror in his eyes as he blankly stared at the floor. “I… don’t know… We just… just do as we are told… Please…”

“Please?” Natsuki checked for the ammo in her gun. “Nah, I think I’ll just leave you like this. I rather save the bullets for your friends out there.”

“Please… stop the bleeding…” he breathed. There was a tinge of shame in his eyes, but Natsuki knew it was nothing to be shameful about. No matter which side they were on, life was, indeed, precious.

All of a sudden, the door was kicked open, and Natsuki snapped, her gun drawn, aimed at the entrance. Chie had rushed in, panting. Her personal guard looked utterly relieved to see her alive.

“Thank God! Are you all right, Natsuki-san!? I heard crazy gunshots, but it took me a while to get in.” Chie ran down the stairways and moved beside Natsuki.

Natsuki chuckled a little and looked down at the wounded Searrs agent again. “I’m not a nurse, but here’s someone who could probably help you,” she said, and then looked up at Chie. “You could take care of it. Just to keep him alive for the time being.”

“What? What—why don’t we just shoot him? He’s a Searrs agent,” Chie said. She looked almost exasperated, but tried to keep her tone even.

“Oh, he might be useful to us. And if he turns out otherwise, we can get rid of him anytime. Just stop the bleeding now,” Natsuki said, and then walked towards the redhead.

“Yes… Yes, sir.” Chie nodded, walking over to get the kit on the ledge.

“Takeda… Masashi…” the agent muttered, wheezing as he did so.

Kneeling beside the struggling librarian, Natsuki glanced over her shoulder to look at him.

“T—Thank you… I… in debt to you… Your… name…?”

“Oh, just shut up,” Chie grunted, kicking the white box open and wrapping a cloth around the thigh of his bleeding leg.

Shaking her head, Natsuki turned back to the redhead. “I’m going to get you up to the fridge, and you help yourself. Jeez, you’re a mess.” Natsuki put the librarian’s arm around her shoulder and pulled the tiny woman up.

The librarian shakily pulled the loose string of her bra back up over her left shoulder. Her face hurt even to speak, but she still gave Natsuki a smirk. “Yuuki Nao. But no, thanks. As soon as I have a sip, I’m going to kill that motherfucker myself.”

Amused, Natsuki had to laugh at the redhead’s defiance even when her face was twisted in pain. Brought to stand in front of the metallic container, Nao put her thumb up for the scan and the doors to the fridge opened. While Natsuki watched the vampire slouching down and devouring the supply, one unit after another to heal her wounds, she snapped at the sound of a blast echoing distantly from the passageway above.

Shizuru…?

“Chie, stay here! I’ll check the tunnel!” Natsuki rushed towards the bodies of the agents and snatched a rifle from the floor. She sped up the staircase and literally flew out of the hall into the passageway. Chie was yelling something behind her, but she didn’t listen to what it was. The sound of the blast had come from the left tunnel not too far away, and she was convinced that Shizuru had already encountered another squad.

Sniffing, Natsuki tried to catch the smell of gunpowder. She took several turns around the blocks that she was starting to lose her own track. Gunshots could be heard and the sound of metal clanking against the floor became louder and louder with each step she took. The smell of blood grew stronger, heavy with the damp air, as she got closer to the battle zone. Adrenaline pumping, she found herself running at full speed, almost hitting the walls at the fast turns in the maze. At the turn around the wall to her left, she instinctively leapt over a crouching body on the floor before she even saw it, sliding on her knees along the slippery floor and bending backwards to shoot at the agent she had just crossed.

Another agent in front of her turned around to see her in time and opened fire right away. But his aim was disrupted by a harsh pull around his shoulder. He was lifted up and thrown against the wall so hard that the wall shook and pebbles showered down at the impact. Natsuki threw herself to the ground and covered her head with her arms as the bullets from his gun spurt along the walls on both sides of the tunnel. She only looked up again when the firing ceased and saw the agent’s still body at Shizuru’s feet. The vampire had her back facing Natsuki as she fired at the agents at the opposite end of the tunnel, keeping them at bay.

Shizuru then spun around and grabbed Natsuki by the collar, throwing them behind the nearest wall for cover. Sliding against the rocky plane, Natsuki rolled and got up to her knees with ease, her rifle firmly in her hand. It was when she heard a faint wince from the vampire that she turned and saw Shizuru pressing the wound on her stomach with her bloodied right hand. The wound from a UV bullet didn’t look particularly well for their escape, and Natsuki didn’t trust that Shizuru could actually aim with her damaged hand. Without further thoughts, she dove into the tunnel amidst the firing, seizing the dead agent’s leg and pulling him into cover. Panting, she plopped down and leaned against the wall, while Shizuru speechlessly watched her and then looked down at the body at her feet.

Natsuki didn’t have to say a word. Shizuru quickly bent down to take the blood still warm in the agent’s body, sucking every drop from him. Watching her, Natsuki had no doubt now how the vampires managed to survive for millennia: blood was all they needed. Their uncomplicated life easily surpassed this complicated world.

However, a clanking sound pulled Natsuki’s attention from the vampire, and she snapped to see an object rolling to stop in the passageway just in front of her. Shizuru thrust the dead body away, crawling to grab the grenade and flinging it back down the tunnel. On impulse, Natsuki threw herself on top of Shizuru, and they both fell down to the ground, her body acting as a shield for the vampire.

The blast went off, sending shakes through the ground, and the walls started to crumble. Natsuki couldn’t tell how long she had been lying there in the thick smoke, her head heavy and her body numbed. There was panicked yelling and angry shouting from the surviving agents, and she could tell from their voices that their condition was grave. She opened her eyes again to see several portions of the ceiling beginning to fall down. These walls were strong, but not strong enough to withstand such powerful forces. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the passageway. Before she could get up from the floor, two agents appeared from the smoke and grabbed her, pulling her off Shizuru’s body.

“We’ve got one! It’s still alive!” Yelling, they dragged her back to their squad members.

Her mind cleared a little from the haze. Natsuki twisted and kicked repeatedly, almost shoving the men around as her strength was returning. She turned slightly and saw another agent haul Shizuru off the ground. Head sagging as if she were unconscious, the vampire suddenly whirled off his grasp, taking him by surprise, and stabbed into his eye sockets with her fingers. His body shook and his mouth gaped open in agony, but no voice came out. Not even a cry.

At the sound of his gun dropping onto the floor, the two agents holding Natsuki turned around to see Shizuru pushing the dead agent to the floor. They quickly held their guns up and fired, but missed as Shizuru jumped onto the ceiling. She drove the first agent down with a kick to his chest, while stabbing the second agent through his chest with the tip of her wing, freeing Natsuki from their grasp. Rolling to her feet, Natsuki gripped the fallen agent’s head and snapped it before he could get up again.

“Natsuki-san! This way!”

Natsuki turned around at Chie’s voice. Amidst the shower of bullets from the other squad members, she snatched the rifle from the floor and then grabbed Shizuru’s hand. They ran and literally threw themselves into the left tunnel to regroup with Chie.

“Why did you come here!? How could you leave Aoi and Suzushiro like that!?” Natsuki barked, leaning against the wall as she reloaded her rifle.

Briefly stepping out from behind the wall, Chie fired with an automatic rifle at the Searrs men to fend off the approaching agents. “It is my duty to protect you, and not them!”

Breathing hard, Natsuki watched her personal guard, partly in respect for Chie’s loyalty and partly frustrated by her willingness to leave her lover behind. Her solitary path never really put her devotion to the pack to test, the very reason the likes of Haruka never trusted her.

“We’ll go back to get them now!” Natsuki helped fire back at the agents when Chie retracted into cover to reload her gun.

Another grenade was thrown at them, bouncing off the wall. And Shizuru quickly pulled Natsuki and Chie off its kill radius. They plunged backwards in a clumsy fall, coughing at the smoke and dust flying about. The tunnel could only endure so much of tremor and the ceiling cracked and collapsed onto the approaching agents. When the tunnel fell into silence again, the three of them gradually got up to their feet, gasping for air.

However, before they could regain their composure, the sound of bombing erupted from above. A blast after another, the whole ground shook violently, sending the three down to the floor again. It seemed that Searrs had realized their continued failures to capture the crypt. The remaining squads above were now trying to tear down the building altogether.

“We… we have to go back… and get them…” Natsuki tried to get up to her feet, but she was pulled back by Chie.

“That’s out of the question, Natsuki-san. I must get you out of here now. We must go now,” Chie said resolutely, swaying in her post. It was difficult just to stand still on the shaky ground.

Natsuki briefly looked over her shoulder to Shizuru, whose only response was silence.

“The librarian mentioned the west end, Natsuki-san. Before I left, she drew me a map to the exit. Please, follow me,” Chie said, turning and running deeper into the tunnel.

Although Natsuki had doubts, she had no choice but to go after her guard. Shizuru followed closely behind, but had not uttered a word. The deafening blasts above seemed to follow them everywhere, and the air was as heavy and clouded as her heart. Twelve hours were indeed a really long time to survive in this crypt, and the only reason Nao gave Chie the map was because the vampire knew she wouldn’t be able to make it herself.

Turn after turn, blast after blast, Natsuki eventually saw a pool of faint light reflected upon the dark, vaulted wall at the end of the tunnel. The three of them reached the edge of the platform and saw the well of dark green water below. The water looked deep, and it disheartened Chie that there was no exit around but the black wall before her.

“She lied to me. It’s a dead end!” Chie grunted.

Natsuki had to let out a frustrated sigh. She was extremely exhausted, and wasn’t in the mood to take another trick.

“She didn’t,” Shizuru quietly said.

Frowning, Natsuki looked up and turned to the vampire.

“I hope you can swim. It looks deep. But there must be an outlet below because of the small rings of light over there,” Shizuru said, pointing at the very faint, lighter shade of green on the surface of the water.

Her chest heaving in thrill, Natsuki stared into the water hard, her mind rushing to find solutions for Shizuru. This dire situation was probably not what the vampires expected to ever happen to the First District, and the outlet wasn’t especially made to shield them from sunlight. Thinking most positively, she could probably find a shelter to hide Shizuru when they dove out of here.

“You should see it clearer as you dive lower. Follow the light, and you… you…” Shizuru suddenly stopped, and for a long moment, she seemed to have been lost in her own deep thoughts.

“Shizuru?”

The vampire only looked up again and smiled. It was the first genuine smile Natsuki had seen from Shizuru. “Follow the light, and you should find the exit.”

It took Natsuki a short moment to realize what Shizuru had meant. She shook her head and said, “What? No, you have to come with us. We could—”

The walls crumbled and the debris fell to block half of the passageway they had just come from. As the screeching of the solid ground continued above, the three of them turned to look at one another. There wasn’t really any other choice but to move forwards, at least for Natsuki and Chie.

“It’s falling apart! We have to go now, Natsuki-san!” Chie shouted against the rumbling of the building, moving beside her master.

Natsuki took a step forward but then halted in her track. She remained still for a while, untouched by the debris falling through the tunnel. Slowly, she turned around and stared Shizuru in the eye. The vampire frowned, puzzled at Natsuki’s hesitation.

“Did you kill my mother?”

The question came as a whisper, but it was just loud enough for the vampire to catch it. Shizuru staggered at the question. There was a mixture of mild surprise and puzzlement in the crimson gaze, but Natsuki didn’t want to interpret it. She wanted a straight answer.

However, Shizuru’s silence only confirmed her doubt. It was the simplest form of admittance when there wasn’t any excuse to mislead. In all its calm, it felt like a heavy blow for Natsuki. It was difficult just to breathe now, and the strong tremor from the ground almost propelled her off her feet. But she forced herself to turn away. Moving towards the edge of the platform, she took one deep breath in and dove headfirst into the water. The water was cold, but her physical senses weren’t registering any feeling at the moment. Her body sunk deeper and deeper, and she opened her eyes to see Chie had dived in after her. Her legs kicking to drive her body forward, she glanced up at the distorted, murky view of the platform above. The vampire was still standing at the edge, looking down at her. Natsuki couldn’t see her face clearly. She couldn’t tell what was going through Shizuru’s mind, and she may never know. Debris kept falling onto the platform, and some had fallen into the water, forcing Natsuki to swim away from the area.

Deeper down into the sharp cold amidst underwater echoes, Natsuki followed the clusters of light and never looked back.