Midnight Rose (Kaimaki vampire AU)

Chapter 18: Ally

Kaito's POV

Finally. All it took was paying a begger 1000 Yen, but I finally got to the Lake. I got as close as I could, wanting to survey the area before I go into the lion's den. It's called the Lake, but really it was more like a large pond. The "Lake" has an island close to its centre. On the island was a pagoda building with five levels. Owada said that it was a small gang, but he didn't say how many there were. If I'm lucky, maybe all the members were spread out thin enough for me to sneak by. Stealth's not my strong suit, I'm not that ashamed to admit it, but I need to save my strength as best I can for now. I don't know if any vampire is in the same room as Maki right now, but there was any, then I'll have to fight them with all I have. The sky had gotten darker now, storm clouds slowly coming in. It almost felt like a cliche in a movie. Hero saves the damsel in distress and all that.

"Who do we have here?" A voice suddenly said behind me as I hear a gun cock.

Crap!

Calmly, I put my hands up and turn around. I should've known there would be someone scouting the perimeter to ward off intruders. I need to try to be smart about this.

"I'm not here to cause trouble. I just got lost." I say. Yeah, great lie. Why didn't I think of something else to say?! Damnit!

"Nice try kid." The vampire smirks, gesturing his gun to the bridge leading to the pagoda. I sigh quietly and start walking to the bridge. I'm gonna have to think on my feet at this point. "Youths. Don't know how to respect elders these days."

"Maybe you could start by not pointing a gun at me." I remark, turning around to face him.

"Don't be a smartass. You are all the same." The guard said. He kept talking but I didn't listen at this point. I could smell blood on him. It's old mostly. However there was something else that I can smell on him as well. It wasn't blood, just another scent. That scent. One that smelled similar to roses. I think...no, I'm sure of it. This bastard touched her. He's one of the bastards that kidnapped Maki!

"Hey. What did you do to her?" I growl, my fangs starting to sharpen more than they ever had before. My body was shaking with extreme rage, and I could feel my nails pierce the skin of my palms as I clenched my fists.

"You're here for the girl? I thought you looked familiar." The vampire grinned, looking incredibly smug. He didn't seem to be aware of the monster in front of him. "If you want her you'll have to go to the top floor. But if you want her breathing, you'll have to ask the boss to vomit her blood back into her." He shouldn't have said that. He should not have said that. That feeling returned. I haven't felt it for so long. That feeling where my body is like he had been set on fire. That feeling that I had during the Hunter's Moon. Back then, I fought back against it. But now, I welcome it. I didn't know what it was, but I embrace it with everything that I have. I'm no longer hiding. I'm no longer hiding from the darkness.

The guard didn't see it coming. I didn't even see it coming. My body was no longer my own to control. My instincts took over completely. My hands grasped the one that the guard held the gun in. I redirected it away from me. The guard tried to resist, but my strength had overcome him. The gun went off, a stray bullet hitting the water. The sound of the gunshot made my ears ring. I kick the guard in the shin, knocking his leg out from under him. He drops the hun in surprise. I grab his shoulders, forcing him to the ground. I don't know what I looked like to him at that moment, but if he was shaking this much, then I must be terrifying.

"I don't smell her blood on you! She's still alive isn't she?!" I demanded, baring my fangs with an aggressive dog.

"Wait! I-" the guard stammered, all the colour draining from his face.

"You've crossed the line!" I snarled, forcing the guard to get closer. My eyes are trained on his neck, ready to bite down into it. "Maki is mine! Maki Harukawa is my prey!"

My....prey?

Why did I say that?

Maki Roll isn't-I'm not-

This isn't me!

I'm not a monster!

I am not a monster!

The wind was knocked out of me when the guard recovered suddenly and punched my stomach. I fell backwards. By time I looked up I was staring right into the barrel of the gun. The guard took advantage of me freezing up. He recovered quicker than I thought he would. Shit! Why did I stop?!

"Damn kid! You've asked for it!" The guard snarled. I couldn't move. All the anger that I suddenly had vanished. All that here was now was this feeling of being paralysed. No. I couldn't have failed. What kind of a hero am I?! I can't even save myself.

However, someone must have been looking out for me. Before the guard could pull the trigger, something hard and fast hit him in the head. The guard flew sideways, as if he was a baseball that had been hit in a home run. He landed into the water with a hard and loud splash. I watched the water ripple violently as bubbles ode to the surface. There were about ten or so before there were no more, showing that the guard had drowned.

"This better not turn into a habit. Me saving your ass."

I sharply look up at the perpetrator.

"Owada?" I exclaim. This guy seriously tailed me all the way here?! Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for him showing up just in time, but he had better not try to drag me back to Hope's Peak. Especially now that I'm this close to saving Maki.

"Why didn't you bite the neck?!" Owada snapped, swinging that the stop sign he had onto one of his shoulders. "When you have no weapons, your fangs are the best you've got! Other than your fists." That took me by surprise for a bit. He wasn't here to force me back to school?

"I...I've never had to use my fangs like that before." I explain, getting to my feet. I swear that Owada suddenly changed into a darker shade of red at this.

"Seriously?! You're more of an idiot than I thought. If this is a love confession, then it's the deadliest that I've ever heard of." He groaned, facepalming. I feel my face burn a little at this. What the heck does he know?! He doesn't know anything about me. He can't know what I think about Maki. I don't love her. Do I?

"Love? I don't-" I start to protest.

"Shut it! Go for the neck if you want to save your girlfriend. Got it?!" Owada cut me off, swinging his weapon onto the bridge. I don't know if that was a warning or whatever the hell, but he got the point across. "And don't fucking hesitate. Or else you will get killed. You can't freeze with these guys." He's right. I can't give up. Maki was still in there. She's still alive. I am never going to feel that kind of fear again. I don't care what happens from here on out. So long as I get to Maki, that's fine by me. I glare harshly at the pagoda, as if I was trying to set it on fire. I could feel my anger rising again. But this time it was accompanied with determination. There were two guards standing at the entrance now, obviously must have heard the gunshot. I could smell human blood on them, mostly old. These vampires decided to consume human blood, but instead of doing it the honourable way, they kidnapped innocent people and made them suffer. That's something that I can NEVER forgive.

"That's it, kid. Use that anger to charge in there." Owada smirked as he noticed my body tensing up. "Now listen, you focus on getting to the top, save as much energy as you can. I'll do the heavy liftin'. Got it?!"

Guess I have an ally. And that's all I need.

Quick hiatus warning: the next chapter might take a while to get out. I need to think about writing it carefully because I've come to realise that I'm not that great at writing fighting scenes (it's probably writer's block talking, but it's true). And as I just said, I'm suddenly hit with writer's block again. If getting the next chapter out takes longer than necessary, I do apologise.

Hope you all are enjoying the story so far, and please stay safe.