Bloody Petals

Chapter 12

The two hunters, Yuzuru and Yagari, knew that the vampires immediately knew they were in the vicinity. It felt to the two males as if they were being watched from all sides. And they hated that feeling so much, especially because they didn't have their guns with them at the moment. Aside from that was the obvious fact that Cross was leading them to a place where only human students were supposed to be staying, and yet they could definitely feel the unmistakable presence of a vampire inside. Although no human was inside the dorm at the moment, that didn't mean that vampires could just go and randomly visit the place. Not to mention that the presence was somehow familiar.

"Remember your words, Yagari, Takano-kun." Cross looked over his shoulder to see them. "Don't go attacking anyone. And by anyone, I mean anyone." Yagari's eyebrows only creased at the words, and he couldn't help but light another cigarette, while Yuzuru's dread somehow escalated.

The moment they entered the place was the moment the cigarette on Yagari's mouth dropped to the floor, shock written all over his face as he stopped from his strides. He knew there was a vampire inside the Dorm. He knew that the vampire was not a pureblood or a noble because it felt slightly different, not quite a Level E but not quite a Level D either. He knew that the presence of the vampire was familiar. He knew all of that, and yet... and yet, he never knew he would see his beloved student in that state...

Yuzuru's breath hitched and he unconsciously reached out for the gun on his belt, only to realize belatedly that it was confiscated from him. He stared instead, wide-eyed, at the obviously vampire student in front of them who was standing by the staircase, cold and unmoving. "Z-Zero..?" He was trembling in so much anger, shock, fear, and confusion. Everything seemed to have quieted for him, and now he could only feel two things – the heavy and fast thumping of his heart... and the vampire presence in front of him.

He stared at those amethyst eyes, so familiar and yet so foreign now. That silky silver hair, that pale complexion, that stance, and that gaze... Everything was so familiar and yet so foreign to him now... Zero was different from the kouhai he knew from two weeks ago. Right now, he's so unmistakably... vampire. And all the things that he thought he knew about his kouhai started to vanish from his grasp just as the light in his vision started to disappear. Everything was starting to turn darker... and darker until all he could feel was his own heart.

And the next thing he knew, his silver knife was already in his hand and he was attacking with all his might.

Far from their first impression, however, the person Yuzuru tried to attack wasn't the vampire at all, but the Chairman who was in front of him, with his back so visible to the young hunter. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ZERO!?!" He attempted to strike a killing blow, but he was shocked when two people immediately appeared in front of him, blocking that despicable excuse of a Chairman from his eyes.

Yagari blocked his attack with his knuckles while holding Yuzuru's other hand. His master was the one who blocked his path the moment he attacked. Yuzuru's eyes showed hurt and betrayal as he looked at his master and at the other student, who purposefully blocked the Chairman and let himself be in the way of the attack – Zero.

It had been too fast. Zero was only starting to gaze at the shocked and horrified expressions of his co-hunters before his senpai immediately lost it and attacked Cross of all people. He would've been less stunned if the one Yuzuru attacked was him. But it was the Chairman and it had been too late before he managed to recover. All he was able to do was block the attack with his own body in an attempt to save Cross, the kind person who helped him gain his lost will to live all this time. And yet, the moment he was in front of Cross was the moment the Chairman circled his arms around Zero and tried to get him out of the way. That same moment was also the time when Yagari, seeing that Zero tried to protect Cross, immediately got in Yuzuru's way and blocked his attack.