Empty Eyes: The Sequel

Chapter 49

After resting for a while, we began moving again. The plan was to continue toward Iwagakure. Madara can track us more efficiently than anyone else, and there's no telling if we'd successfully shaken the Ame vampires. There was no choice but to proceed with the original plan. We don't have the privilege of taking our time. Two days passed before we finally reached Iwagakure.

I wasn't sure how Sasuke would react to the news of my pregnancy, but I definitely didn't expect the change in his demeanor that occurred. I'm not allowed to so much as lift a finger without him wordlessly doing it for me.

It took hours of me complaining for him to let me walk instead of being carried, and even then, he kept a close eye on me. Once we made it to town, he fed me. The prince made me take more blood than I usually would, too, which made me worry if he could keep his strength up, but he refused to hear a word.

While traveling, it was sweet and cute how he cared for me, but now it's beginning to annoy me a little because I'm barely even showing, and he's already acting this way. What will he be like when things get worse? I can't even imagine how stressed he'll be.

In the middle of the night, upon arriving in Iwa, I was startled awake like I had in the car before it'd been flipped on the road. Sitting up quickly, I hissed at Sasuke, who'd been lying at my side, "Someone's here."

We both got to our feet, him signaling me to be still while he peeked around the window curtain.

The odd panic heightened, and I grabbed his hand to tug him away while whispering, "Get away from there! I think-!" The window suddenly busted open, glass flying everywhere. Sasuke quickly moved us across the room, standing broadly so whoever was attacking couldn't see me.

I didn't need to peek around him to know who it was because I recognized their voice in a heartbeat, "This isn't what it looks like, I promise." It was Tsunade.

My brow furrowed as I peered around Sasuke's side. He placed an arm in my way, but I still asked, "Why are you here?"

She was alone. The look on her face was guilty and sad, like she dreaded being here. "I'm here to bring you to Yahiko."

"Why would you do that? Aren't we allies?" I asked shakily, holding Sasuke's arm between mine.

Her topaz eyes watered, "We are, but I can't choose you over Jiraiya. I'm sorry."

Then, I understood the situation. After failing to capture us when our car was wrecked, the Amegakure vampires changed their plans. Rather than wait to see if we'd show up at the crossroads they said to find, they decided to send a friendly face rather than an enemy. They'll kill Jiraiya if Tsunade doesn't bring me back with her.

I can't even blame her because she's right. Why would I mean anything remotely close to as much as her partner of over a thousand years? That's the love of her life. They share their master's blood, too.

"And I can't choose you over-" "If you don't come with me, you'll die, Sakura. You know it. They know it. That's why they sent me alone."

Sasuke finally spoke, cutting off my reply, "Can you save her? Lie, and I'll kill you here and now. Then, your mate will die as well."

Tsunade's tears overflowed, but she made no move to wipe them. Her voice was unsteady, "I don't know. They have access to medical information I've never seen before, and they said it'll be enough to keep you and your offspring alive, but I can't promise they're not lying."

I hissed, "You expect me to surrender on an "if"?"

"What other choice do you have? You won't even survive terminating the pregnancy at this point. I only managed because I was at full strength and cared for by others in a safe place. You were nearly at death's door when you conceived."