Blood Rose (Midnight Rose Sequel)

Chapter 3: Dark Nightmares

This is where things will start to pick up now. 

Quick A/N: anything in bold italics are dark instincts, just like in Midnight Rose in chapter 3.

Kaito didn't know where he was to begin with. He was surrounded in darkness. He couldn't see or hear anything around him. The only thing that he could hear was his own breathing and his heart as it started to beat louder. The ground was freezing under his bare feet and the air around felt just as cold. It almost felt like he was standing on ice. What was going on? The last thing that he remembered was going to sleep after a long day of being trapped in classrooms and studying. It was just a normal day. There wasn't anything wrong that had happened. So why was he surrounded in darkness? A nightmare? No, not quite. Yes, it felt like a nightmare, but at the same time, it didn't. Something felt horribly wrong here.

A new sound suddenly reached Kaito's ears. It was the sound of running water. It didn't sound like, it came from a river or stream. It sounded artificial. Kaito turned around, immediately finding the source of the sound. It was the fountain. The same one in the school courtyard. It was foggy. Kaito was questioning why something like that was in this dark place, when he suddenly smelled something. Something sweet and fragrant like roses. Kaito looked around, seeing Maki walking towards the fountain, blood dripping from her finger. The blood fell to the ground, staining it perfectly. That's where the scent was coming from. No...it can't be...this was when-

"Who's there?" Maki shouted into the fog after hearing something. Kaito followed her gaze, catching sight of a figure in black. Their face was concealed by a black hood from a hoodie, but he knew all too well who that was. It was him that was the monster in the dark. His past self crouched down, almost like a predator ready to pounce on its pray. It sent chills down Kaito's spine as he saw how beast like he looked back then. The second Maki started running, Kaito watched as he saw his past self chase after her, catching her in seconds. He flinched back as he watched the scene before him. He felt horror as he saw how he clutched onto Maki that night and how much of a monster he was. He didn't want to relive that moment. He never wanted to go through that again.

Kaito suddenly heard laughter behind him. He didn't like that laugh. The voice was similar to his own but it was full of malice. Kaito whipped around. The cold felt more intense as he looked at who or what was behind him. He's seen this thing before. That might when he attacked Maki. The shadow that looked just like him, but wasn't him. The eyes that this shadow had was a deep, dark, deadly red, looking lie, they were ready to kill. They were creeping back to him, his dark instincts.

"This what you're meant to be! You are meant to drain her! You're only with her because of her blood!" His dark instincts smirked, fangs flashing clearly as it opened its mouth. Blood was dripping from the fangs.

"STOP IT! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Kaito screamed, holding his head as he tried to block out the voice.

"You want this taste! You've been longing for it! Maki Harukawa is meant to be your prey!" The dark instincts continued, pointing over at where Kaito's past self was ready to bite into Maki's neck, his fingernails clawing into the skin of her arm. Her blood ran from her arm, again staining the ground with scarlet red. The rose like scent was almost intoxicating to Kaito now at this point. It almost gave him the urge to hunt before the appropriate time. The urge to go looking for Maki and take her blood as she slept peacefully in her bed.

Maybe....just one drop....

"NO!" Kaito roared, snapping out of that trance and running away from the scene. He can't hurt her! He won't hurt Maki! This wasn't real! This wasn't real! He needed to wake up! He doesn't want to be here any longer. Through the summer break, he did all that he could to suppress this darkness inside of him. He never had a dark thought about Maki, he only thought of the good things that he wanted to do with her. He thought that the darkness inside him was banished forever. Why did they return now of all times?! A week before the next Hunter's Moon?! Right now, it didn't matter. Kaito just wanted to get away from this darkness. The further away he is, the safer Maki will be. He can't hurt her, he won't take her blood. He almost did once, he'll never want to go down that route again. He loves her too much to hurt her.

Kaito opened his eyes after closing them for a moment. He stopped suddenly as a new vision was waiting for him. Maki appeared in front of him. She was laying on the ground. But something was horribly wrong. She was completely motionless. Her face was paler than ever. Her mouth was slightly agape. Her eyes were wide open, staring right up at him. Her eyes were dull, lifeless. She didn't seem to be breathing. There were two puncture wounds on her neck, blood coming out of them. She was laying in a puddle of her own blood. Kaito felt like he was going to be sick. His stomach churned as his vision blurred upon seeing Maki's lifeless form. His body felt like he was going to faint as his body trembled. He knows that this wasn't real but he still felt ill just seeing her like that. This is what might have happened if Kaito lost all control that night.

"This is what you are now. Embrace it!" The dark instincts hissed down Kaito's ear. Kaito was ready to protest, punch and fight back. He wants to get rid of this demon for good. However, the ground gave way under him. Kaito fell through something hot and sticky. Something that was crimson and smelled overpoweringly, sickly sweet with roses. It took Kaito a second to realise that it was blood that he was submerged in. But not just any blood. Virgin's blood, Maki's blood. Kaito flailed about, bursting through the surface of the blood that he almost drowned in. He frantically reached out, trying to find something solid for him to climb on. He wants to get away from this. He needs to run away. He won't let this demon take him over. He won't hurt the human that he cared for so deeply. Kaito kept his head above the blood, completely drenched in it. His skin appeared darkened. His hair was stained to be a murky red colour. His nostrils were overpowered with the smell of the blood. His body felt drained as he struggled against the thick liquid. Something grabbed his ankle. Kaito tried to kick it away from him, but it proved to be stronger. It pulled furiously at him. Kaito didn't have time to scream as he was dragged under the blood. Before he was submerged in the blood again, he heard his dark instincts say one more thing:

"Embrace the monster that you truly are!"

"Kid!"