Euphoria

Chapter Eight

There was worry in Shinoa's gaze as she watched an unconscious Yuichiro being shoved into the vehicle. It was easy to escape. Too easy in Shinoa's opinion, but she wasn't going to complain. Whether it was luck or fate, she was being rescued and another member of her squad had survived. This brought hope to her that the others were alive as well. 

She was safe inside the military car, and she knew that  Lt. Colonel Guren would protect them. 

"Everyone spread out! Mito, Sayuri, you two kill the white haired vampire! The rest of you cover me and take out the one heading this way!"

Shinoa twisted in her seat to watch as each member of the squad immediately took their place in formation and  moved effortlessly to follow Guren's command. Only two stayed behind, Goshi and Shinya, who both took aim at the vampire Ayato. 

Yuichiro groaned and Shinoa snapped her attention back to him as he shifted uncomfortably. 

"Yuu!" She exclaimed, quickly rushing to position him on his back in the seat. She watched as his familiar green eyes fluttered open and stared up at her. 

"...Shi--noa?" He muttered. "...Where...am I?" 

"You're safe now," She said, "Guren's come to rescue us." 

"Guren?!" Yuichiro exclaimed. He attempted to sit up suddenly before yelping and forcing Shinoa to shove him back down. 

"What about the others?!" He yelled.

"The vampires still have them," She said softly. 

There was a look of utter fury on Yuichiro's face as he growled, "Those damn bloodsuckers! I'll kill the bastards!" He tried to move once again but Shinoa shoved him down once more.

"You can't! The vampires have our weapons! Without our cursed gear we're useless! We'll only be getting in their way!" 

Yuichiro opened his mouth to say something but grit his teeth instead. "Damn it. There must be something we can do!"

Shinoa offered a weak smile but it was as though Yuichiro saw right through it. He searched her face for a moment before he grabbed her shoulders and tightened his grip.

"What did those bloodsuckers do to you?" 

"H-huh? N-nothing!" She replied. 

"You're dressed weird and you don't have your cursed gear. Did they bite you or torture you?"

"Yeah but that's to be expected. I mean, they tortured all of us I assume."

Yuichiro let go of her and clenched his fists. "I'm sorry." 

"But why? If anyone should be sorry it's--"

"I'm sorry you had to go through so much pain. If only I was stronger I could have protected everyone. If everyone died I--" Yuichiro's voice wavered and he quickly rubbed his eyes. 

Shinoa could only sit in silence and stare at him. The tattered uniform, the black and blue bruises, the blood; her words stuck in her throat as she realized that whatever had happened to Yuichiro had been ten times worse than what happened to her. And yet he still blamed himself. 

"You're too kind Yuu," She mumbled, her own fingers tightly curling into fists on her lap. "I'm sure they're still alive. Because if they...the bloodsuckers will have hell to pay if they harm them." 

She tried to smile but the moment was cut short. The vehicle trembled and she turned in her seat in time to see a sword swinging towards the car.

"Yuu get down!" She shrieked.