The Black Rose

Chapter 20 (Final chapter)

Yuki bit strongly into Rena's neck, and suddenly, a storm of black rose petals gathered around the both of them.

"W-what's happening?!" Jurina screamed as the wind picked up around them, a hurricane of black wind and black petals covering the room.

"It can't be... Impossible!" Yuki's mother's eyes widened. "She can't be trying to..!"

The storm grew stronger. Everyone had to shield themselves as they became blinded by the intense power culminating in the center of the room. All Jurina and Sakura could hear was a howling wind.

"This storm... this wind," Jurina thought, "it sounds like Yuki... crying."

Soon, however, the storm slowly died down. When she uncovered her eyes, she saw Yuki slowly rise up, staggering a bit. However, strangely, the black marks on her body were gone.

"W-what..just happened..?" she asked.

As for Rena's body, it was covered by rose petals, buried in a mix of black and red. Only one of her hands was visible.

"R-Rena..?" Jurina slowly crawled over, touching her sister's hand. It was cold as death. She looked up at the vampire, "Did you turn her into a vampire?"

"...I don't know what I did."

Sakura's eyes then widened, an idea forming.

"Yuki-san... your powers."

"Huh?"

"Try to summon them again. Try to use your powers like you did earlier."

Yuki tried as she had suggested, holding out her hand, concentrating... But nothing happened.

"What..?" she looked at her own hand, trying to summon her power. "Why isn't it working?"

Yuki's mother grew angry. She looked down at Clyde, who was still incredibly weak.

"What are you waiting for?! Kill her!" she commanded.

"I-I'm sorry, my Queen... My wounds..won't heal..!"

"What?!"

"I think... this is the end for me," he said, collapsing. "It was... an honor to serve you..."

As his eyes closed, the rage in the Queen's chest burned even more. She stared at the three of them, who started to back away as a powerful, deadly aura surrounded her.

"A life for a life... That's the law of the vampires! Right?! YUKI?!?!" she screamed as her eyes turned blood red. Her hair sharpened into blades, aimed at the three of them.

"No!"

Jurina and Sakura drew out their guns, shooting the woman. However, she just laughed, her hair grabbing the guns out of their hands and crushing them.

"Silver cannot harm me! Not with the magic I have! I am the Queen of the vampires; the most powerful of them all!!!"

"N-no... it can't be!"

"And you," she pointed at Sakura, "Shadow-walker."

"What?" Yuki was surprised, looking at Sakura.

"Instead of me, how would you like to be killed by your own kind?!" she said as she summoned her own Shadow-walker.

As the shadow and the Queen's sharp blade-like hairs approached them, they could only fear the worst and their eyes shut.

...

"Huh?"

"There's no..."

"Pain?"

They all opened their eyes, only to see a giant wall of black, thorny vines in front of them.

"Eh?!"

Yuki looked at her hands. No marks, no aura.

"But... if that wasn't me, then who..?"

"YOU?!" The Queen's voice echoed as the wall of vines unraveled, revealing the true identity of the one who was protecting them.

"Rena?!"

"Nee-chan?! How did you do that?!"

Rena looked at them, her expression showing she was just as shocked and confused as they were. Her eyes were purple and the same rose and thorn markings that were on Yuki were now on her body.

"That's it..!" Sakura's eyes widened, a smile curving her lips. "The change that breaks the cycle!"

"The what?"

"Wait, are you saying.. My sister's not human anymore?!" Jurina asked, realizing what she was talking about.

"No, she's not! That's what freed them from the curse! Yuki gave her power to Rena!"

Yuki's jaw dropped. "I did what?!"

"She did what?!" Rena and Jurina both said.