Crossfire

Chapter 10 |Seraphs|

(A/N) I know I know, I haven't updated since Christmas. I tend to lose motivation, so I am going to warn you that there will be gaps between updates. As for last chapter, I changed the necklace. It is now a dagger-charm instead of a locket.

"He did what?!" A voice squealed.

I groaned. Her hands tugged on the necklace as she inspected it. Chess invited me over to her room, and I told her about what happened with Mikaela and I on Christmas. I haven't seen him since, and Christmas was almost a week ago. I guess I couldn't complain, after all, he has his own duties to carry.

Also, I'm not going to lie when I say that I'm slightly uncomfortable being in Chess' room. I mean come on, let's not forget I'm the opposite gender here.

"Chess, calm down, it's just a necklace."

"A necklace the prince gave to you himself! He's so cold, I don't get how you do it! I only got a little out of him in the garden," Chess rambled.

We were currently sitting on her purple-blanketed bed. Since that day, I haven't taken off the necklace. And if we're honest here, I'm with her. I have no clue why he gave it to me. In case you haven't noticed, I've gotten closer to Chess.

Though my hate for vampires still rages inside me, I think I'm starting to realize not all of them are bad. At least not when they're thirsty. I have the scent-blocking collar to thank. I haven't really noticed the collar, nor has it bothered me. It's doing it's job, seeing that I haven't been pounced on by a blood-sucker.

I was wearing a simple black t-shirt and shorts as pajamas. Thankfully Shinoa didn't force me into a nightgown. As for Asheramaru, I haven't heard much from him. It's like he's being blocked out by something. I'm starting to miss his familiar buzz.

"Yuichira?"

I blinked and tilted my head towards Chess.

"Hm?"

"I asked you a question."

"Gomen," I mumbled.

Chess's purple curls bounced as she crawled towards me.

"I was asking if you've heard of the Seraphs."

"Seraphs?"

She nodded. Chess suddenly hung upside down and grabbed something from under the bed. It was a book. The book is brown with gold around the edges and a golden spine. The book's name was Seraph of the End. I look over her shoulder curiously as she sits next to me.

"Is it some type of childrens' story?"

"Of sorts I guess," she said as she flipped to a page in the book.

She then put her finger on the page.

"Seraphs, as far as the story goes, look like this."

An angel. Though on a page, it looked beautiful. The seraph was on the ground, in an almost sorrowful position. It claimed under the drawing that it was a male, but you wouldn't have been able to tell with that slim, elegant body. Large wings are gracefully and completely unfurled.

I count four wings, two on each side. The seraph's hair hung over his face, so you can't see his expression. He wore a simple tunic, one like the Greek's. Next to him in his hand was what looked like a trumpet of sorts. A familiar feeling washed over me as I stared at the drawing.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" She sighed.

I glanced over to her and nodded. I looked back to the seraph.

"Why does he look so sorrowful?"

"Because despite their beauty, they are not happy creatures. Seraphs were created for war, Yuichira. During the Blood War, humans preformed an experiment they called Seraph of the End," Chess began.

The Blood War, the war between vampires and humans. Though our races have settled down, tensions are still high in some areas and kingdoms. However, I have never heard of this experiment. Seraph of the End? Guren has never spoke of such a thing.

"It makes sense that you don't know about this, most don't. This was your leaders' doing, not yours."

He would've told me, right?

She turned a few pages. Clearing her throat, she continued.

"To summarize, seraphs are angels sent from heaven to punish those who have broken their taboos. Usually they take root in a human's body. Never before has anyone seen a pure seraph. Hence, they came down to punish you humans for breaking a taboo not known to us.

However, somehow, humans found a way to control the seraphs and used them against us vampires. Knowing they couldn't win, our leaders surrendered and made a deal with yours, ending the war. The seraphs, with no need of them anymore, were killed. It has been said that the seraph experiments ended only a few years ago," she finishes and closes the book in her lap.

I blinked. That was a lot. How could Guren not tell me about this? Sure, I'm not his real son, but I thought... maybe he trusted me? I felt a throb in my chest. I hear a small squeak from Chess.

"I'm sorry, that must've been a lot to take in! I just thought that I'd tell you the story. You have the right to know, and it's one of my favorites. I've always wanted to see a seraph, you know?"

I look over to her and give a small smile, along with a nod. Although it would be nice, why do I have a feeling I have already had an encounter with one?

~

I walk to my room in silence. We didn't notice that it was getting dark out until a few minutes after the seraph story. She quickly ushered me out, saying something about "princesses need their beauty rest," whatever that meant.

The story and drawing of the seraph were stuck in my mind. That trumpet in his hand... I couldn't stop thinking about it. I've seen it somewhere, though I can't remember where. As for the story, Chess' voice kept on echoing in my head as she spoke about the story. Guren kept it from me. He must've for a reason, right? Maybe to protect me or something? Yeah, that's probably it.

Of course, being the idiot I was, wasn't paying attention and crashed straight into a wall.

A wall that smells good, and is practically radiating heat. And that wall is Mikaela. Shit.

"S-sorry, I wasn't paying attention," I mumble nervously as I look up.

My only response was a cold stare. His icy-blue eyes were the same in the throne room.

Yep, cold Mikaela inside the castle, kind Mikaela out. I just had to run into cold Mikaela. What my luck.

He brushed off his suit he wore and lifted up my chin  with a glare.

"Watch where your going, princess."

It might be an act, but I really hate cold Mikaela. I bit my lip and met his gaze. His eyes look conflicted, though he maintains his icy demeanor. Slowly, the prince brought his lips close to my ear.

"You look troubled. Meet me up on the rooftop tonight."

And with that he walked away. I don't think I'll ever understand why he acts like that in the castle. The same question that I had last time I saw him surfaced. I touched my ear where his warm breath hit.

"How can you seem so cold, yet so warm?" I muttered, clutching my dagger-charmed necklace.