"Where's Kaname?" I finally remembered that he wasn't there due to Shizuka's pureblood aura. I look around, but I don't sense him anywhere.  I guess his pureblood pride made him bashful, and he decided to hide from Shizuka. I guess he didn't want the same reaction Zero got when Ichiru saw him. Pureblood pride is intense.

"Ichiru, deal with the hunter while I take this young lady." Shizuka says smiling at me. Cherry blossom petals graze my cheek ever so gently. Shizuka's eyes glow crimson, and I feel blossoms grazing my hands. I look down to find those petals rush back to Shizuka. She grabs a petal, and puts it to her lip.

"This taste. Yes, I must have your blood." She says smiling at me. I feel a knot in my throat at her hungry look. I'm definitely just a blood bag to her.

"No way!" I point my guns at her. "That's as much of my blood as you'll ever get." I yell out at her. She simply laughs, and a sudden gust of petals temporarily blinds me.

"But I'm sure Ichiru told you that you don't have a say in this." I gasp as Shizuka managed to get behind me. One arm is around me while the other is at my chin. Moving my head to the side. I try to move, but she's really strong. Yagari-sensei did warn me that vampires have super strength. I hardly have any.

"Leave her alone!" I scream as a gun shot goes off. I look to my shoulder, and chest to find blood running down it, but it's not my blood. I look back to find a bullet hole in Shizuka's forehead, but she hardly seems fazed.

"Shizuka-sama!" I hear Ichiru's concerned call.

I feel her grip loosen, and I escape her grasp. I turn my Blue Rose at her, and I trap her in a blue barrier.

"Got her." I say, and I feel very accomplished that a smile spreads across my face. My arms throb, and the intense pain makes me fall. Fall into darkness.

                                        ~0~

I open my eyes, and find myself looking up at the roof of the car. My mind is in a haze, but I just vaguely remember what just happened. I sit up, and find nobody in the car. I look out through the broken window to find that we're still in the bar. I see that Shizuka is still trapped in the Blue Rose barrier. Standing there fairly calm. Ichiru has been restrained by Yagari-sensei. Huh, how simple it was to catch her.

"I see you're awake. Are you okay?" I jump as I look to the passenger seat.

"Kaname." I reach a hand to him, but I move my body over to hold him. "I'm glad you're still here." I say with all honesty.

"Do you really mean that?" He questions, and the tone in his voice doesn't sound very pleased.

"Of course I mean it. You mean a lot to me, Kaname." I tell him not understanding where this was going.

"Not as much as Zero." I frown at this little comment.

"I love you both equally!" He shakes his head.

"When you say 'love' you don't mean it like the way I see you." Uh oh. We're going into the area outside of 'friend zone'. I pull away from him, and sit back down.

"I don't know how to answer that. I've never heard anyone refer to me that way before." I say casting my eyes to the side. "I'm sorry. I can't respond." I get out of the car, and make my way carefully back to Yagari-sensei.

"So you're up now." I blush, and nod my head.

"Yeah. I guess I tired myself out, and the fact that I was losing blood didn't help out either." I say, and I find my hands had stopped bleeding, but they're all cut up. "So you managed to restrain Ichiru, and Blue Rose maintained the barrier?" Yagari-sensei nods his head.

"What will you do?" I ask him.

"Send them to the Association, the American one for now. They will handle these two appropriately and send them back to Japan." I nod my head, and look towards Zero that had been standing near a tree this whole time.

"Here. Take the car and go home." Yagari-sensei tosses me the keys, that I just barely manage to catch. The impact makes my hand sting a little, but I don't drop the keys.

"Wait, but what about-"

"Go now!" He yells at me. I flinch, but I guess I have no choice.

"Zero, are you coming with me?" I question him. He looks like doesn't want to.

"Lets go." He says after I was about to talk again. I nod my head as he walks past me. I grip the keys tightly, and turn back to the car.

"This isn't over, Alondra. A part of me is now in your blood." I stop, and look back at Shizuka's bloody face. I look at my hands. Then once more at her.

"That's right. Be prepared. I will have you." I turn away from her, and hurriedly make my way towards the car. I didn't want to listen to another word this woman uttered.

I turn on the car, and head out. Watching from the rear view mirror until the darkness engulfs whatever I left behind. I sigh, and the wind blowing into the car through the broken window makes my eyes water. Maybe I can disguise my tears with the excuse that it's the wind, but I have to be able to see in order to get home.

The ride home is filled with uncomfortable silence. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but it looks like neither Kaname nor Zero are happy with me. They're mad at me, and I can't really understand why. Are they jealous of each other? This all so new to me. I don't really understand. I don't know what to do. How can I make them happy without having to worry about these sudden feelings they say they have towards me?

I'm getting ahead of myself. Only Kaname's told me he sees me as more than just a friend. I wish I had someone to talk to, but the problem is that I don't trust anybody. I'm hopeless.

                                           ~0~

"There you are!" I jump as my mom opens the door abruptly, and frowns down at me.

"Sorry. I had a mission to get to. It was my first assignment as a hunter." I tell my mom, but I don't really have the energy to fight.

"Your hands. What happened to your hands?" My mom questions as she takes my hands in hers.

"Um there was an incident with the car." My mom gasps, and looks at the broken glass at the front.

"You got into an accident! Your father is going to be angry when he sees the car." I feel my rage stir and I punch the door's window beside me.

"Me. Me. Me. Always me! Instead of asking 'who did this to you?' You always just assume it's me! Well it wasn't! I was running for my life! I survived thanks to Kaname, Zero, and Yagari-sensei! Get it!" I throw my hands up in the air, and walk past my stunned mom. I've spoken back to her but never this harshly. It makes my stomach churn, and my heart wretch to talk to her that way, but my nerves were on edge. I couldn't handle the strain anymore. I go into the bathroom, and lock the door. Leaning against it so nobody tries to come in.

I slide down to the ground, and put my bloody right hand to my forehead. I feel all of my exhaustion just pour out as I cry. Tears mixed with blood.

This is what my normal life has become. A life filled with blood and pain. To think I'd ever want something like this. What was I thinking? I crawl over to the bathtub, and turn on the water. Waiting for the lukewarm water to rise high enough to clean off my bloody hand.

I watch the clear water turn crimson. I twirl my fingers around the crimson liquid. Not caring that my bang has fallen into the bloody water. I jump as the door opens behind me. I lift my head to look back at my mom. Her eyes are red and swollen. That doesn't help my remorse. She gasps at the sight of the bloody water, and quickly drains it in order to treat my hand.

"I-"

"I'm sorry, Alondra. I should have been more careful with what I said, but you have to understand. . .I get worried. I mean how can a mother just accept all of a sudden that her daughter is supposed to fight creatures that I once never believed in." I stare at my mom, who had interrupted me.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you. I didn't mean it. I was just stressing out. I didn't mean to take it out on you. I'm so sorry." I can't believe I even yelled at her.  My mom catches her breath before pulling me to her chest, and holding me tightly. In a way she's never held me before. How I've needed to be held in such a long time. The warmth makes me cry again, and I cling to her like the woman she is that gave me life.

"Go on and rest. We'll tell your dad that some people snuck over to the house last night, and shattered the glass, alright? Lets not worry your dad too much." I nod my head, and help her stand up. I kiss her cheek, and head into the room.

My sister simply looks at me, and I give her a forced smile. I don't even bother to turn on the lights or change out of my clothes. I just drop on the bed, and let sleep take me over.

"Told you I'm in your blood." I curse as I find myself before Shizuka Hio. Looks like I won't even find peace in my dreams.

"You may be in my blood, but I won't let you bring me down. I won't submit to you or any other pureblood that's after me." I tell her staying strong. She's invaded my dreams, but this is still my mind, and I won't allow her to submit my will. Shizuka smiles at me, and reaches a hand to my cheek, but I slap her hand away.

"I mean it." I yell at her.

"You'll eventually fall, dear. You'll come to me." I shake my head, and close my eyes in order to force myself awake.

I startle awake, and sit up. I look to either side of me to find Kaname and Zero there.

I swore they weren't there before, but I guess they came in after I fell asleep. I smile at their sleeping figures before kissing each of their foreheads, but then I realize how cruel of me that was.

Things are changing for us. I'm afraid of that change, but there's no stopping it. I have to train in order to make sure the purebloods don't hurt the ones I care about by using me. Somehow. I won't let Shizuka's influence in my mind break me. It's my mind, and I'm going to fight until I win. Just like death. . .losing is not an option.

"Yagari-sensei, I wonder if he's back yet? Well, if he's going to handle the the Association in this country, he probably won't be back tonight. I have no idea where it is, so he'll probably have to travel. It could be in our country's capital at Washington D.C. That seems like it's a possibility. I need to learn about the hunters here too." I turn my head back to the window. I reach out and slightly move the curtain to look at the brightening sky. Oh, looks like it's early morning.

"Sensei will be fine." I jump and look over at Zero. Looks like I ended up waking him up. They're really light sleepers. I make a soft sound of approval so I don't disturb my little sister who sleeps in the other room.

"So, you have a twin brother. That would have been good to know." I whisper to him as he looks away from me.

"I didn't think he would be a problem here as well." Looks like this isn't the first time they've confronted each other. Hmm, I can't help but wonder what caused them to be in such opposing sides. How Zero ended up being a vampire while Ichiru doesn't feel like one at all. That must mean he's still a human. He would have done a lot more and caught me a lot sooner if he was a vampire. That's my thought process anyway.

"Well, now he won't be a problem and neither will Shizuka. Yagari-sensei will take care of everything." I smile and nod, waiting for the good news from Sensei. Ah, it might have to be after school. Whoops, I still have that today.