The Immortalized Heart (Book 2 Original version)

Wolfgang went with one other from the roof. Just moments ago a pillar of flame tore thru the sky and destroyed the ceiling. These flames were not an accident, they were a gift of someone, a Pureblood no doubt because only they have ever controlled the elements. It would be risky, but knowing which Purebloods allied themselves to Syndicate was far more imperative than the lives of a few soldiers. They were met with resistance, but nothing that could not be handled.

The humans would be attacking soon and likely sooner than thought after seeing that explosion which meant those of the Nation would have to move very quickly and eliminate the small-fries (not the original intent). Ian said there were a couple hundred Syndicate vampires, but the two that were the up most importance were a Pureblood and a noble.

Eona would fight the other Pureblood, but ‘if’ it was the Pureblood King all efforts were to get the queen ‘away’. Where the hell is that brat? She had not contacted him in nearly two months and for a justified reason she could be dead by now. Of course that stunt in the arena probably earned her an execution by the king--the fact the king took an interest in Kira both as a human and now is alarming.

Of all the things Kira is, a survivor is certainly one of them; they jumped down the roof’s collapsed ceiling and landed on...scortch? It began to rain, heaven’s tears fell into the building and bounced off the rubble and the figure that sat on the pile. Wolfgang and his Lieutenant saw the white-haired woman, but more to their astonishment was the flaming wing that protruded from her back. Both unsheathed their swords, but the woman didn’t budge.

“They must be desperate--the Association asking the Nation for help?”

Kira turned to her body halfway to have the question answered.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Kira said standing, then when she noticed the shock in their eyes she extinguished her wing, "Then again a warrior known to keep their friends close and their enemies closer."

“Then it would explain our relationship for the past ten years.” Wolfgang said with surprising humor.

Kira laughed at the ill-tasted joke, “You told Eona didn’t you?”

Based on his expression that would mean a yes, but he has yet to tell ‘what’ Kira is. Its predictable, she knew he would tell her because his loyalty and love only belonged to Eona and her safety and happiness. Wolfgang would not subject himself to the whims of a half-human brat, isn’t that right? Wolfgang continued to keep his guard up--white hair...yet Kira seems to maintain her sanity. Something else occurred then? He looked past and saw the blood on her hand and body...beyond was a pool of blood which has been a person, or what was one; surrounded by scorch marks. Kira completely vaporized whoever that was, after she ate them.

“Catherine--well...” She said with a smirk, “What’s left.”

Wolfgang refused to believe Kira was capable of killing someone in cold blood, at least that’s what he would have done when she was still human. Now he could not be sure of anything she was not capable of doing. Catherine killed a woman she loved and was responsible for Kira’s misery and got what she deserved. You murdered your own mother--no--you killed the woman who gave birth to you and feel nothing. Kira sensed the presence of another force, no of ‘two’ Purebloods. One was her salvation and the other would be sent to Hell. Kira met with Wolfgang and discovered the role they all played, so much for keeping him away from here.

Wolfgang kept his distance and kept his blade unsheathed, “What will you do now?”

Kira blinked at the old man in confusion as she adjusted her changing mask to its rightful position, “You should know me by now: nothing’s changed.”

Its been centuries since she has fought like this and to her dismay she is rather rusty. Vale was a gloomy, yet, glass-half full type of man and was one to always act out of his lust for the best tasting blood. His favorite: thick Pureblood blood. Alucard ordered that the queen be captured alive, if capturing was possible, but he never said she would be unharmed and boy would Vale enjoy bleeding her. Whatever that explosion was before must have done it in for Catherine for her presence was no longer sensed--not that she was tasty anyway.

Eona recovered slowly, though her wounds were shallow they were many and while she continuously used her gift she would not last much longer. Her guard squad had been annihilated at the start, but Eona realized that having them around to always protect her made her lose her edge; pitiful of the Queen of the Damned, though an exception should be made when versing a four-thousand-year-old Pureblood.

Vale’s gift was to instantly more from one place to another, likely to be taken as teleportation. Its hard to believe Alucard is said to be able to best Vale with a single hand when serious. Eona stretched out her hand and pushed back her foe, sending him nearly off the roof. Things have certainly changed. A wound to her leg had yet to heal, bastard used an Anti-Vampire Weapon against her.

‘You are a thousand years too early to be a match for me, little girl.’ Vale vanished and re-appeared each time take a piece out of Eona, ‘Don’t worry I’ll be sure to take you to Alucard in one piece.’

He charged again, aiming his claws for her side with the idea of wounding her to a great deal. Eona was taken into the arms of another, out of harms way with a speed unlike anything she had felt. She was weightless in the sky, feeling the rush of wind, yet shielded by the figure who took her. They landed on a helicopter pad a rooftop away, but with the ill amount of light her savior’s face could not be seen even when the queen opened her eyes. Sage and...Cherry Blossoms? The humans began their attack, hundreds of grenades, mortars and bullets lite the sky allowing Eona to see those sky-blue eyes and a skeleton mask.

Her first words were of confused recognition. “Kir-a?”

Gentle eyes looked upon her, a smile no brighter than a flicker of coal assured her the truth. Eona did not have much energy left and with her blood loss, the craving for this woman made the queen feel higher than cloud nine. Kira was right here, right beside her, no, cradling her like a child; just like back then.

“You’re...late...” Eona smiled, tiredly, when she recognized.

Kira chuckled lightly, “And when have you ever been on time?”

Vale cleared his throat, ‘One-eyed--" Kira glared at the name she was called, "I thought there was an understanding of not taking someone else’s prey.’

Eona hesitated at the name Kira was referred to as, also that Vale talked with such familiarity. Her clothes were ragged and torn and there was the strong smell of blood, not her own, Kira assured Eona of that. Vale waved his hand, all vampires must submit to the will of a Pureblood--it goes against their instinct to disobey the ‘parent’. Kira did not move, she was not turned, she was created, a hybrid does not bend to the will of others.

Wolfgang and his lieutenant arrived finally, “You’re slow old man.” Kira mocked.

“Sorry we’re not some ha-!” Wolfgang covered the oblivious soldier’s mouth with a quickness.

Kira gave a pained and ashamed expression, one never shown by her before. She hated herself, Wolfgang was sure of that, but over what? Eona was gently passed into the old-dog’s hands, a jester she did not want--Kira was going to leave her again; Eona grabbed Kira’s shirt weakly.

“Don’t...go...” The queen uttered breathlessly. Kira smiled and came closer, kissing Eona on the forehead she pulled free and confronted Vale.

‘Are you going to stand with the Nation one-eyed? Against the Pureblood King?’

Both vampires shifted their iris acknowledging the fight at hand.

“I will do what I’ve always done.” Kira stated, “Nothing’s changed; I will never betray her.”

Vale went directly for Eona--his hand was caught by Kira’s then both moved to another part of the roof. He will not touch her again! Once again she watched the woman she loved fight for her sake. Its nearly been two years since they saw one another, but the gap between them has never been wider. Kira was a peaceful girl who enjoyed a simple life, but now she only knows battle, fighting to protect the simple life that she has not returned to. Was sending her away a mistake? Was the queen’s judgement wrong when doing what was best for Kira’s life? Could this have been Kira’s fate regardless? Despite everything she has been thru, has suffered because of humans and vampires its truly a miracle that she has the large heart she does (or the gap where one existed).

Eona watched Vale’s attacks slide across Kira’s flesh like metal on metal. Neither one would yield yet the fight seems one-sided somehow, in Kira’s favor. She was holding back, in desperation to protect the image of the person she used to be in Eona’s eyes. At this point even that seemed unrealistic. Kira grabbed Vale from behind and ripped her hand thru his gut. The vampire yelped and was further surprised that he could not slip from her grip.

“You hurt her.”

Her arm is pulled free and the rest of his body slides across the roof to the wall at its edge.

Kira cracked her fingers, “I’ll return the favor.”

Her fangs tore into his jugular and shredded his flesh once she had her fill. That’s better. The building soon began to shake, rumbling from its foundations--all felt it and all ran from it. Vale escaped in that moment of negligence, at least Kira made him believe she had been neglect. He was no longer a threat and she got what she needed from him. Eona had lost conscious by this time which was ideal for one of them.

“Get her out of here.” The men were ordered.

Wolfgang would have argued, but Kira was no longer there. She had gone inside the building following the familiar scent that led to her brother. None of the humans paid mind to her, she neither wore Syndicate colors nor was she paying mind to them. Ian was under a fallen beam, rather he was preventing it from crushing a fellow soldier. It was just like him to help others. A Syndicate vampire bared his fangs, but the one-eyed turned him to ash with her magnificent flame; took the beam from over Ian and tossed it aside.

The underlings made a break for the exist without a second thought, but their platoon leader had a second thought. He watched the one-eye become apart of the smoke without a word or an explanation, but that’s how she’s always been. Kira sat outside the complex on a nearby bridge where the other spectators had been since the beginning of this raid. For the sake of all those who died, the humans would pay twice the price. Their leader thought this was both entertaining and productive, especially since two birds with one stone were accomplished.

That most traitorous wife had been dealt with AND he gained a new family member. The building collapsed and with it any evidence of Catherine’s nightmare and its occupants was destroyed. Vale had gotten over his defeat and temper because the one-eye was the king’s important guest. Eona regained consciousness and was set down against a tree to allow her breath to be caught.

Wolfgang and his lieutenant scouted ahead to locate anyone that may have survived the collapse, but there was little hope any had. Eona quietly felt a warm body lean against her shoulder. Standing in the cold rain, before the queen, she did not move. Each drop bounced off because her drenched clothes could no longer hold anymore. From where the vampire sat it looked as if she was crying.

The queen cautiously broke the silence of words, “If you stay out here in those wet clothes you’re going to get sick.”

It was the only thing she could think to say, it had been nearly two years since since they saw the other for real. Eona wanted to crawl in a hole and die, acting all motherly when that wasn’t what she wanted at all. She wants things to go back to the way they were: normal, happy. Kira didn’t say anything, but she cracked a small smile, now that her face could be seen.

“I see you changed your hair.” Eona chuckled forcefully.

Kira gave no expression because she contemplated how she would say what must be said. Eona, though weakened, stood up, using the tree as support, and baby-stepped toward her beloved. Kira bit her lip; the queen shouldn’t come any closer and though it felt her last sense of self would be ripped out by doing this there was no other way to make her see.

The person before her...is not the woman she fell in love with. Eona made it to the woman, having been grabbed by the being before she fell; from her pocket came the crimson scarf, clean, pressed, and still retaining Kira’s original scent though diluted by the constent snuggle of the queen. The queen wrapped the scarf around Kira’s neck and once done held the fabric tightly.

“I-I’m not saying it doesn’t suit you or anything its just--!” Eona fumbled her words then gave up.

She dropped her head against Kira’s chest, enjoying being able to hold her again. Its alright if she still has feelings for Emily, even if there are none for her, she only wants this woman to stay beside her again. In what remained of Kira’s chest she felt nothing, but joy--Eona not only kept the scarf, but she still loved Kira. That was a relief, however short-lived.

The white-haired woman breathed in deeply and exhaled the same before speaking, “Eona...” She said quietly, “Look at me.”

Red and blue this was the proof that Kira was two. From her back, a tender flicker grew into a breath of flame, a wing of light and heat.

Eona took Kira’s hands, “You're still my Kira...right?” She saw the shock in Kira’s eyes, “You're still the woman I fell in love with?"

Kira wanted to cry, wanted tears to help break these stone emotions, but none would come, but another, stronger emotion remained, You ask me that..now? Eona saw what Kira was, whatever she was, but another cancer of fear began its growth in the recess of her mind. Of course I am, but...do you know that?

Eona placed her hands on Kira’s cheek, taking in the color of those eyes, “You'll stay by my side, won't you?”

The fire lessened until it was no more, leaving two people in embrace.

“I’m sorry...” Kira paused, evading Eona’s gaze, she looked down and tugged off the scarf and in turn wrapped it around Eona’s own neck, “Not this time.”

Eona didn’t understand, was Kira that resentful of her for banishing her? Fearful of this possibility she wrapped her arms around Kira tightly and refused to let go. Not again, the only woman she loved, she couldn’t lose her again!

“I’m going over to Syndicate.” Kira admitted.

Kira heard the queen’s heart race, how roles have reversed.

Eona squeezed harder, “Do you...really hate me that much?”

The half-vampire wore as saddened concern, “I’ve never hated you--”

“Liar.” The queen cut off.

Eona trembled in Kira’s arms, everything she was saying was a lie. If she didn’t hate her then she would come home, if she’s not human then she must be a vampire. They were lies; tears dropped with the rain. Kira lifted Eona’s head and whipped away those tears--she pressed her lips against the queens igniting passion and lust and desires she had repressed for years. Being a vampire was still a very new concept, but if this sort of thing happened when you’re with the person you love then eternity doesn’t sound all that bad.

“Prove it.”

Kira looked at her quizzically as Eona continued, “Prove that you havn't changed, that you don’t hate me!”

Kira was very still for a time, she contemplated the demand and thought thru what she would do as a human and what a vampire would do. Gently pulled down the queen’s shirt and softly sank her fangs into that beautiful neck. Just a drop was enough to satisfy, but anymore than what she was taking and the queen would be worse off. The taste of her blood was one sensation after the next, her body left high on the life she took in; a delightful sensation that pulsed throughout every inch of her. She wanted more, wanted to consume this woman, but quickly pulled her sense back and withdrew.

Eona grew limp in Kira’s arms, like putty and had to be carried in the same muscular arms that once reprimanded her for being late or not wanting to go to school. Kira finally gathered the courage to say the words she couldn’t back then. Maybe it was because her human self was too weak to say them, too afraid, and obtaining this vampire self is what’s made her stronger in more than physical strength. Wolfgang was given the precious gift once again right after its sender whispered those words:

I love you.