The Vampire's Love

Chapter 19 - Finale

Rido dropped Rosaline's unconscious body onto the roof where she landed in a crumpled heap and stepped away. Kaname ran over and knelt by her head, gently stroking her hair. He glared up at Rido.

Just then, the door to roof burst open and Yuki and Zero ran on to roof. They stopped when they Rosaline crumpled on the ground and Kaname kneeling over her.

"Rosaline!" Yuki cried and rushed over to her prone body. She knelt next to Rosaline's shoulder and took her hand. Yuki looked over at Zero, was still standing by the door. "I thought you said she was alive!?"

"She was," Zero said quietly, in shock.

"Calm down, Yuki. Rosaline's not dead yet," Kaname said quietly, pulling up his sleeve. He bit his wrist and blood welled through incisions. Kaname carefully opened Rosaline's mouth and held his wrist to her lips. Several drops of blood made it down her throat before the bite healed itself.

"A-Are you turning her into a vampire, Kaname?" Yuki asked.

Kaname looked at her. "No. Rosaline was always a vampire. She is merely hanging on to her life by a thread and I can't lose her again."

"You know, maybe you weren't worth killing my sister over, Kaname." Sara's voice came from behind them. "Because you're really just a thorn in my side."

Kaname and Yuki stood and turned to see Sara standing in front of the wall she had hit, picking pieces of brick and mortar out of her hair.

"Maybe I should just kill you too and be done with the pair of you. It would make life so much easier," she said.

Rido snorted. "You've finally lost it, haven't you?"

Sara ignored him. "Oh, look, an audience," she said, smiling maniacally at Yuki and Zero. "I hope you enjoy the show." With that, she launched herself at Kaname.

Yuki drew Artemis, but Kaname shoved her back as he met Sara's attack with one of his own. Now he was angry.

Yuki stumbled back and stood with Artemis at the ready. Then she saw a bright light coming from behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see the light emanating from Rosaline. Her prone body was hovering a few inches off the ground and the light was getting brighter.

Once the light was too bright to see Rosaline's body, Yuki had to look away. Amazingly, neither Kaname nor Sara had noticed what was happening. They were both focused on not getting killed by the other.

Rido, on the other hand, was watching the whole thing with a mask of interest and amusement. No one knew what was going on in his head and Yuki was scared to find out.

A tug on Yuki's sleeve made her turn around. Rosaline was sitting up, smiling at her. Yuki was astounded. Vampire Rosaline was much, much different than human Rosaline. She wasn't different on the outside, per say, it was the strength and power that radiated from her. There was a confidence, too, like nothing could ruin her calm demeanor.

"Rosaline, you're okay!" Yuki exclaimed.

Rosaline smiled bigger. "Yes, Yuki, I'm fine. Unfortunately," she said as she peered around Yuki's legs at Kaname and Sara, "Kaname, my sister, Rido, you or Zero will not be in a few minutes." Then she saw Artemis in Yuki's hand. "May I borrow Artemis for a few minutes, Yuki?"

"Umm, yes, of course, but it's a vampire hunter's weapon, it'll hurt you," Yuki said, concerned.

Rosaline smiled again. "Don't worry Yuki, I'll be fine."

"Well, if you're sure," Yuki said, handing over Artemis.

Rosaline took it and walked passed Yuki. As soon as Rosaline touched Artemis, the rod transformed into its full form; a bat shaped scythe with a wing as the blade.

Rosaline walked toward Kaname and Sara who were still oblivious to her approach, twirling Artemis at her side. Rosaline walked right in between the pair, dodging a punch from Sara as she did so, and turned to Kaname. His expression was full of shock and surprise.

"You've done wonderfully, dear, but now it's time to settle this once and for all," Rosaline said. She kissed Kaname gently on the lips before she turned to her sister. "Let's get this over with." Rosaline's voice was no longer gentle as it had been for Kaname; every word was lined with razors.

Sara grinned, "With pleasure." She launched herself at Rosaline, aiming for her eyes. It would be a wonderful torment if she could no longer see.

Sara didn't even get a chance to touch Rosaline before Artemis was buried in her chest. Her eyes bulged in shock and blood drippled down her chin from the corners of her mouth. The life left Sara's eyes and her body crumpled to the ground as soon as Rosaline removed Artemis from her chest.

Rosaline looked at Sara's body. It was a pity she had to kill her. Once upon a time they were friends and then life changed them both so much that they no longer fit together. In a strange way, Rosaline was going to miss her. "Farewell, my sister," she said quietly. She had never had the capacity to hate Sara for what she had don and tried to do, but there was no way that world would survive if Sara was in it.

Rosaline looked up, her eyes searching for Rido, but he was nowhere to be found. He must have taken his leave while Sara and Rosaline had their spat. It was no big loss, Rido was relatively harmless.

Being a vampire hunter's weapon, Artemis had absorbed whatever amount of Sara's blood had coated the blade when Rosaline killed her, so Rosaline handed the weapon back to Yuki. As soon as it was back in Yuki's possession, Artemis transformed back into a rod.

"Thank you for letting me borrow it, Yuki," Rosaline said.

Yuki smiled. "Not a problem." Then she walked over to Zero.

"What the hell did I just witness?" he asked.

Yuki smiled at him. "A happy ending." Then she grabbed his sleeve and pulled him through the door, back into the Academy.

Rosaline turned her attention to Kaname. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "So what now?"

Kaname smiled at her. "Now we get married. And this time, nobody dies."

"Finally," Rosaline said ad Kaname leaned down to kiss her.

That kiss was one for the record books. It held hundreds of years of love and loss, pain and longing, and finally happiness.

We're done, but not completely. I have an epilogue for you all!