The Immortalized Heart (Book 2 Original version)

...From the ashes of battle born darkness and hatred. Vendetta for one's self; a requiem for the fallen and what was done could not be undone. From the despair of loss--seclusion, hidden in enlightened black with the only fragment of true love. Betrayed, abandoned, none to remember of one's existence except a forgotten memory of nobody...the question is it to have had and lost better than not having at all?

--Book of the Moon

A single eye was bruised shut and the one that did open--wasn't natural. A week past and the body was able to move, but nothing was in its right mind. She tried to eat, but everything was disgusting. When the nurse came to check on her she noticed Kira would not eat and would often retreat to her covers and ignore anyone who tried to talk. The scar from the surgery had finally closed up and no longer needed stitches to keep it shut--an angled line from her left hip to as high as the naval. When first she awoke she searched and search and searched, but could not find Emily.

The doctor stated that she had never been admitted to the hospital as a patient...there was no body just ash. Kira screamed. Emily wasn't dead! She couldn't be dead! A beautiful four-hundred-year-old vampire won't die because a few beams landed on her! She had to be alive...disappearing right after having given Kira her blood! Doctor Hudson examined her patient and physically her body has adapted well to the procedure, but the same could not be said for her emotional state.

"The nurses have been telling me you haven't been eating." He glanced to see if she was paying attention and only found her starring past him. Kira slid her shirt down and continued to wear a look of anguish. That woman whose body was unable to be found must have been important--he had never seen someone so miserable.

Finally she spoke, though her response was dry, "I can't keep anything down."

It could be in her head, after all she's suffered a traumatic event and its perfectly natural for certain things to be different or wrong. The doctor explained this, but words fell on deaf ears. For someone so young to experience this trauma...Kira was taking it suspiciously well. Clearly something else had happened to her and now its about what her next move will be: suicide or depression.

Kira was released from the hospital, having been instructed to return every Tuesday for a re-evaluation; she knew what it was really for. Home was no longer home--a building which she lived and not for much longer. Emily was dead. The woman she loved, would have married and spend the rest of her natural life with was gone. Kira did not go near their bedroom and sat on the couch for hours drowning in despair. She was starving, but could not stomach any food or drink and never thought to try again.

There had to be a mistake, Emily...she was strong and wouldn't leave Kira in this world...not by herself. Where are you Emily... No one would save her and she couldn't depend on anyone--too many times has she lost her footing, but now there wasn't anyone left to pick her back up. Tears would come no longer, it hurt so much, but she has cried to the point were everything became gone numb. This was to be her end; the phone rang and was ignored.

"Hey Kira it's Triss...listen...I heard about Emily...I can't imagine what you're going thru. I just wanted to call and tell you that we're here for you...and we'll help you anyway we can...just come by...talk to you later."

Kira called and canceled the first evaluation...she hadn't touched food in days and felt a horrible growl in her stomach and burn in her throat. She went out at night and hoped fresh air would clear her lungs--it did not. Instead she walked circles, up and down the streets until she stopped suddenly in the center of the sidewalk. Her stomach gave a loud growl. Remembering again that story of a tragic young man...they were in the exact state of mind, and she to had the desire for flesh--remnants of the Ghoul. I'm human.

Walking again...faster and faster and faster until it was a full on sprint back to that building! Kira ripped thru the door, flashed to the bathroom and stared at the mirror. What the hell... Her eyes were two different colors--sky-blue for the right and crimson red controlled the left; human and vampire. I wasn't turned! Kira snapped her fist into the mirror and cracked an already distorted image.

Emily had said something a long time ago: vampires can eat human food, but only if they consume enough blood to satisfy them otherwise...she tumbles towards the kitchen and rips open the fridge door. I'm human! Apples, burgers, ice cream it didn't matter--nothing would be kept down, as though her body was rejecting any human food! I don't understand! She snatched a kitchen knife and yanked her shirt up--the knife cut her, but in horror Kira watched as it stitched back together instantly.

Finally it became too much, Kira collapsed on the floor overwhelmed by a feeling of folding in on herself. Past the door, a woman sent Kira leaping to her feet and flying toward the door. WHERE?! Following that person at a sprint, she knew who it was, the smell was so familiar, like Emily's perfume! Where is she-where is she-WHERE IS SHE! Thru and ally Kira hit a set of trashcans just as the tip of her hair disappeared behind the next corner.

"EMILY!"

He halted at the sound of her shout. Kira became wide-eyed, Emily was not here, but a vampire and a corpse. I was drawn...to a corpse?

'Scram--this one's mine.'

Kira could hear it; heartbeat. Kira could see it; vessels. She could smell it; blood. That woman was still alive and any longer that vampire would kill her! Nothing could be done, the fear was so great Kira was frozen in place--more than that her mouth began to crave that flesh.

'Didn't you hear me? Leave or I'll kill y--'

His head was stabbed and instantly he turned to ash. Investigators. Kira began to cry, dropping to the ground as one tended to the victim and the other fixed his AVW on her.

"H...elp...me..." Kira sobbed locking her body to prevent anymore movement. Her only hope of salvation had to be the Association; brother and Marcus had to help her fix whatever this is! A shot to her shoulder screamed out in pain--when had she moved? There was no recollection, but she knew had that not happened she would have been killed

"W-wait! I'm not a vampire!"

Kira clenched her bleeding shoulder and found it without a wound. What? I was sure I was shot! Kira is human, she has to be! She cannot be a vampire, cannot change--cannot be that monster! I'm human... Investigators hunt 'insane vampires' and the vibe coming from this woman was far worse than any they have come across before--pure evil.

Quickly Kira called out, "Call President Jensin, he knows me!"

Both hesitated and began muttering to one another. How would a lowly vampire know Association President? Kira had to play her card right--she saved the president therefore he owed her! Even if it meant crossing paths with 'that person' this would be the only means to survive and discover what has happened to her! The Investigators aimed their weapons at the single red-eyed vampire. They're going to kill me... Dying right now, would mean the stopping of her misery and the end of suffrage in this short life. I can't die--I don't want to die! Another shot fired, but Kira had been well passed it before it reached.

From the wall to the dumpster Kira appeared and disappeared coming closer and closer to her attackers. Emily didn't just die--Kira's chance at a normal life died with her! Now there was fighting, survive until those two met again. Only then...fighting as a 'human'--Kira bit her hand just as fangs stretched to sink into the Investigator. Human.

Claws swiped the AVW from the first Investigator's hand then a kick to his chest sent him flying. Don't tell me-- Kira took hold of the hand that went for the human woman and held it back, That blood transfusion is the cause of this?! Her throat burned with the sole desire to tear into human flesh and consume its blood. Whose blood was it! The last defense Kira had against this thirst was her will to remain human. She grabbed the Anti-Vampire gun and held it in her palm--the Investigators gave her a dumbfounded look.

"I'm human you bastards--how else could I touch an AVW?!"

A heart-beat came from the weapon. Eh? It pulsed, resonating with her entire body until it reached her heart. It sounded as though it 'spoke' to her. Since when do weapons have a 'voice' let alone speak to 'her'? These weapons...were not normal; personality; personalities spread out to hundreds of weapons. Did you--just speak? The Investigators charged, whatever this woman was was dangerous! If vampires have figured out a way wield AMWs then it was only a matter of time before they found a way to resist the weapons!

This woman proclaims to be human and to know Association President and yet moves with the same attributes as the vampire! They would not be played fools, all vampires must die! The heart of one Investigator is ripped from his chest; the second has his face smashed into the brick wall and had his blood splatter towards Kira, touching her clothes and face. A vampire stood at the bodies and flicked the remaining blood off their hand before collecting the AVWs with a cloth and walking towards the frightened woman.

"Kira?" A man with a feline mask crouched at Kira's side.

She recognized the voice, a waiter at the bar, but for the life of her could not recall a face.

"Help me...please, you probably won't believe me, but...something is wrong with me..."

Kira felt the urge come again, the scent of blood from his hands made her closer to succumb to these inhuman desires. The vampire noticed the struggle Kira had when restraining her own hand and thought to what they had been told--Emily died, Kira 'survived'.

"I want to tear into everyone's throat--its so bad I feel like I'm going to suffocate!" The woman gripped her throat, wanting to tear into it again.

"Starvation for a vampire is a living hell."

Kira grinds her teeth at the thought, "I'm hu--"

"You're not vampire that's for sure." He leaned closer and sniffed the air around her, "But you're definantly not human either."

He continued to sniffed the air around her; something he had never caught before--from the coat came a flask, inside swished sweet, thick, blood mixed with alcohol. The moment the cap was removed, the single crimson eye grew brighter the the fresh scent of an arm's reach of blood. Its offered to Kira who for a moment gave a look of relief, but quickly it changed to rejection as she pushed away his hand. With all her might she restrained the demon within; beast in human form.

Kira cringes at the thought--not again. The man touched the shivering woman then wrapped her in his coat and lifted her shoe-less self into his arms. Octave had Kira brought thru the back and up stares into the employee common room. There she sat and suffered by this overwhelming thirst to tear into 'flesh'. The only affective way to maintain her senses was to bite herself and every time the wound would steam away reminding her of reality. Miss.Triss entered alone with a glass of water and a pill bottle, having found a growling animal in a corner bleeding by the hand and neck.

"Kira don't--!"

She jumped at Miss.Triss grabbing her wrist and placing her hand on the steaming wound. Aggressively she threw the vampire woman off and moved to the opposite side of the room. Not again--she would not be made into a demon, not by them! Miss.Triss did not come any closer, but rather set the bottle on the table and sat on the couch.

"These pills will make the pain go away."

She spoke softly, dropping two into the water and watching them dissipate and release red. Kira immediately became enticed, by the faint smell; a trick. Please don't die. Kira grabbed her head, Shut up! In her mind 'that person's' face appeared; smiling, seductive; like she didn't even know her. If I ever see you again I will kill you. Everything finally became quiet, a moment of clarity that gave the answer to everything: Emily was killed because of her by 'that person'. Kira calmed her enough to apologize and fixated herself in front of the table, across from Miss.Triss.

"These are called blood tablets--artificial blood that will help sustain your thirst. You won't be satisfied, but it will help with making sure you don't do something you'd regret."