A/N: I'm very sorry for the delayed update. As you know, I focused my efforts on writing The Secretary. When I finished that, I began working on this and I've had quite a bit written for aaaages. As I've mentioned before, my passion for the series is waning and thus making it harder for me to write. There's also a lot of things happening in my life at the moment (University is scary and me no like it), so sitting down to write isn't just as easy as it was before. This took me a long time, but I tried my best.

Something that I forgot to mention in the last chapter; the scene where Tenshi is interrupting a news segment and kills the newsreporter, is heavily inspired by a scene in the show True Blood, where Russel Edgington rips out the spine of a newsreporter. The scene is quite gory, but it really is – for a lack of a better word – awesome, so if you have the time, look it up on youtube!

Another note since it's been a while – due to some things that came forward in the chapter, I had to go back to chapter six and rewrite the first scene that features Kaname and the hooded woman speaking of the prophecy 10K years ago. In the original scene, HW thinks about a prophet named "Visus" that has told her about the prophecy. I removed that part, and alluded instead to the events of this chapter. In order words, there is no Visus in the story anymore. Send me a PM if you're confused!

From my rotting body,
flowers shall grow,
and I am in them,
and that is eternity. – Edvard Munch

Chapter 23: Mother

There is darkness unlike no other on this night.

Her heartbeat, persistent and reminiscent of the drums used in traditional ceremonies, echoes in her ears and vibrates through her body. The scent of fear is evident on her; heady and potent, it launches into the towering trees above her, and they, earthly organisms just like her, feel it too. She does her best to rein it in; after all, she's learned the hard way that her emotions can cause the earth itself to quake if she doesn't contain herself.

Taking deep breaths, she thinks of sunshine and summertime – a memory locked into her heart and sealed with her grief, like the stamp on a letter.

She closes her eyes. His face appears in her mind; forever youthful and mischievous, his smile as dazzling and blinding like the sun. He will never age. He will never change. And no matter how many times she tortures herself over his inevitable fate, she still can't accept his loss.

The infant cries, tears bubbling from its closed eyes. Gingerly she pats his back, whispering the soothing words only a mother can muster towards their child. She hugs it tightly against her chest, inhaling the scent that reminds her of him.

Their child was born on a summer's day. Healthy and wailing, their fruit of love came into the world adorning brown curls and pearl-white fangs.

Like her, their child is different; unique; a god among humans as most would formulate it. Like her, he is vulnerable and targeted – merely for existing.

For him, she must carry on. For him, she must sacrifice.

She runs through the woods, hiding her presence among darkened trees and bushes. As she looks up, she catches a glimpse of the night sky; stars wink at her from above, gathered in constellations and sprinkled across the darkened canvas like confetti.

She blinks.

Are you there? Are you watching over us?

A shooting star passes by; her keen eyes catch it quickly, almost as if seeing it up close. Her supernatural vision allows her to see it as if she was using a magnifying glass. If she searches deeper, she can see the infrared hues and the glimmer of galaxies far, far away.

Could we be together there? In another lifetime; light years away, do you still exist? If I ran towards the sky and through the universe, could I find you and hold you again?

Her heart, already broken a thousand times over, shatters again in her chest. For a second she feels the walls within her heart close; suddenly the flow of oxygenated blood is reduced, and she struggles to breathe.

But she knows it's just an illusion. The heartbreak isn't literal – but it's real, everyday and every damned night when she cries into the shirt he left behind all those years ago.

She carries on, holding onto her ray of light as the trees grow together around her. Eventually she reaches her destination; in front of her the Enryaku-ji monastery lingers, like a beacon of light in the middle of the night welcoming her.

The doors to the monastery tower above her like fierce giants, almost swallowing her petite form. She allows herself a second to marvel at the intricate traditional patterns adorning the doors and the pillars surrounding it. He'd told her about the temple, and how generations of his family had served it for years.

She closes her eyes and inhales deeply, filtering through the various scents assaulting her sensitive nostrils. She can smell sweat, tears and blood; smoke, green tea leaves, spices and laughter and sunshine. Amongst the different aromas that tickle her senses, she locates her favorite scent; it's him, as a child, playing around the shrine twenty or so years ago.

The sound of his childlike laughter echoes in her mind, faint like a long lost memory. A tear slips from her closed eyes as she pictures his youthful face and scrawny body; that little innocent boy is the boy that would one day transform into the magnificent man that captured her heart.

Humans believe that trivial things such as scents fade away. Her sensitive nose can pick up the scent of the first humans to ever walk the earth if she wants to; such is her curse a blessing sometimes.

She opened her eyes and gazed around, finding the nearby city shimmering in the distance from Mount Hiei.

Years ago, you walked these grounds as you laughed and enjoyed the little things in life. How I wish I knew you even back then…

Her baby wails against her chest, bringing her back to the present time. She rocks him softly and shushes him, willing her despairing aura to go away. Her child is superbly connected to her emotions; he senses her distress before she is even aware of it, and reacts to it overwhelmingly. His acute senses forces her to reign in her own state; and because of him, she saves herself from falling into the pits of despair day after day.

His mother's kisses on the top of his head silences him as a soft smile tugs at his tiny lips.

Once he is asleep, she brings the basket onto the hardwood floor. Gently she lowers the sleeping child into the cushioned basket, pulling up the soft blanket up to his chin. Normally, he would not be in great need of clothing; their kind's superior immune system wards of the threat of extreme cold and heat like no human can do.

But tonight, in the cold, dark night – he will be a human too.

"You, alone, brought the smile to my face that I thought I'd lost forever. You, who are half him and half me, are my only reason to survive in this world that shuns my existence," she whispered, stroking his chubby cheek as she watched him sleep.

His long eyelashes reminded her of Haru's, and so did the dark curls tumbling down his forehead.

"Haru…" She whispered into the darkness of the night. "Do you see what we made? All that is lovely and bright in the world is in this little child. The symbol of our love that ended far too early; he is the living proof that you and I lived and loved together. Isn't he wonderful?

He is just like me, you know. Like me he is cursed with powers I have yet to understand. I knew it the minute I gave birth that he was unique like my sister and me. That's why…" She trailed off, breathing in his scent that spoke of power to come.

"My dear, sweet boy," she whispered, kissing his forehead softly, "I wish I could spend all the time in the world with you, but I can't. Fate won't let me have a happy life with you. You are destined for great things. Mother had a dream, you see, and I saw your future. I saw you wandering lost and alone for years and years without a name and purpose; I saw you crying as you took lives; weeping over a broken mirror, abandoned by the world…"

The visions started a few months after she gave birth. At first she thought they were nightmares, but eventually she realized they were visions of the future. He would grow to be a handsome, young man – the spitting image of his father.

Haru… She clenched the fabric of her shirt above her heart. I didn't know I could love anyone else as much as I loved you, but I do.

He would lose his name and regain it; the name that she called him now and how people would know him as in the future – the key to everything. Her heart ached for their son, knowing the pain he would face in the coming centuries – pain that would eventually lead him to slumber. But in the end…

"Be strong, my dear boy, because there will be reason behind all your struggles. At the end of your journey in darkness, you will find the light you're seeking…" She stroked the top of his head, basking in the softness of his silky dark locks of hair.

"Kaname…"

Tears bubbled from her eyes and spilled down her cheeks; her son frowned in his sleep, sensing her distress. She wiped her tears hastily, willing herself to calm down before she woke him up from his tranquil sleep.

"Make good use of the time I grant you now. My spell will conceal your true nature and turn you human, and you will live as such under the sunlight. In time, I will come back to you, but you won't remember me… It's your destiny to suffer, just like it is my destiny to suffer without Haru. My powers know no physical limits, but when it comes to the will of fate, I am just as powerless as you. We… can't fight fate, only accept it. That's why I need to let you go… Kaname."

Over the past few years, she became a leader for her people. Their numbers grew daily, and while most of her followers were children of her own poison, a handful of them were creatures like herself – born with powers that no human harbored. But she was the first of her kind next to her sister, and therefore she was by far the strongest of them all. Her powers rivaled the younger generation, and so they came to respect and revere her.

And though she was proud of her peaceful following, which believed in her teachings about living in harmony with humans and nature, there was still the faction that her deceased sister left behind. After Senya's death, her followers had gone mad with rage, tearing down villages in revenge, spreading their poison through the human world. They replaced Senya with her most treasured disciple; sixteen year old Shirabuki Jun, who'd been gifted with the same powers as them although his parents were human.

Like Senya, he was ruthless and cruel; he killed without mercy and bathed himself in human blood daily. The murder of his beloved leader and mentor turned his rage into blind hatred, and he swore upon his fangs that he would kill Sayomi for the sin she'd committed against their race.

So she ran. Though he was no match for her, she fled with her followers because she had to protect Kaname.

By now, as their numbers increased, the need to find a name for themselves manifested. Sayomi didn't care much about labels, but in the darkest hours of the night she heard the nick-names the humans had bestowed upon them; night walkers, yōkai, night creatures, nukekubi…

But the one that seemed to stick was the word that sent shivers down her spine.

Vampires.

Her followers reported that sightings of vampires had been made around the world; and although Japan was mostly closed off from the rest of the world, word travelled fast and beyond borders. But for the time being, the heaviest concentration of vampires remained within the borders of Japan. She often wondered why their people were so easily affected by the curse that haunted them; for years she'd believed her and Senya to be the only ones of their kind, but they'd soon discovered that there were more of them appearing out there.

Children born from human parents with extraordinary abilities and senses.

Pureblooded vampires without a trace of humanity in them.

Deviations and divergents; abnormalities and abominations of nature – creatures that were seemingly exempted from the laws of nature.

Gods among mere mortals.

"My blood runs in your veins; like me, you are gifted with unimaginable powers, and your legacy will be illustrious. Having carried you in my womb for four years, I know you better than anyone and I know what will become of you. My abilities to see the distant future is to my advantage when it comes to protecting you and shaping our history. Kaname – you are the key to everything that will unravel from now on. For now, I will let you go…"

She had to let him go because she needed to set her plans in motion. She needed to steer the course of history and manipulate the players around her; her insight into the future had taught her the importance of acting as quickly as possible. Right now, the most pressuring matter were Senya's twins; the children she'd conceived by deceiving Haru into sleeping with her, thus getting her pregnant.

The wound re-opened everytime she thought about it; she hurt for Haru who'd been used in such a way, and she hurt for the innocent children that'd been trapped in all of this. All of it was because of Senya.

Rumors whispered that Jun planned on tracking down the twins, and take them in as his own.

But he wasn't aware that his beloved leader had sired one human offspring and one vampire. Twins, yet total opposites.

She needed to find them and hide them. If the Shirabuki boy ever got a hold of the twins, he would devour the human and marry the vampire and create an empire. Combining the power of vampires could only cause more chaos and terror, and therefore Sayomi saw it necessary to intercept him before he could get his claws into Senya's child.

The only problem was locating the children and turning them over to her will. Her gut feeling told her it was useless, yet she had to at least try and get a hold of them. Their people were far too young and inexperienced; up until now, there had only been accounts of pureblood vampires springing from human parents, and, like with herself and Haru, a pureblood vampire springing from the union between a human man and a pureblood woman.

Why their kind was superior and overrode human qualities, she did not know, but if she had to hazard a guess, she assumed it was because of their strange and different biology. Biology that could not be explained with human terms and explanations; bodies that could not be opened and dissected, because their wounds healed before air could even enter.

They were complex creatures with far too little understanding of themselves. Their bite can both heal and kill and turn others into monsters – and that was as far as they dared to go.

With the arrival of the young pureblood Shirabuki, Sayomi sensed a shift enter the world. If he were to rule their race, there would be no future for humans. He would enslave them all and ensure his legacy continued by impregnating the daughter of Senya.

And all hell would break loose.

If she could prevent it, she would do her best – but the visions of the future – of her son and of the girl that would one day change the world of vampires – sowed hesitation in her heart.

She turned towards her infant son one more time, marveling at his beautiful sleeping face. He was her angel and savior – and he didn't even know it, and would probably never know. Gently, she lowered her lips to his forehead, tears dribbling down her cheeks as she transferred her powers into his body.

When her spell was cast, she retracted from him and watched him one last time, stifling the sobs that threatened to spill from her frowning mouth.

"I love you, Kaname…"

The wind rustled the leaves scattered on the porch of the monastery; as if sensing the disappearance of his mother, the child wailed in agony, his screams echoing in the night as he mourned the loss of the loving and soothing presence of his mother.

"What on earth is going on?" The chief priest yelled, stepping out into the howling night. The monks followed him out onto the patio as they searched for the source of the cries.

"What…?"

One of the monks bent down of the tiny cradle and the small child that whimpered in it. Cautiously, he picked up the child and cradled him in his embrace, trying his best to protect him from the wind.

"Chief priest! There is a child here!" He yelled, sprinting over to the elder man.

"A child…?" The man wondered out loud, his white beard being ruffled by the rough wind. He touched the cheek of the little boy, feeling its warmth. "Who could do such a cruel thing to abandon a child in this storm? Take him inside at once!" He ordered, turning around on his heels.

The rest of the monks followed obediently, the last one of them to go pulling the door shut with all their might.

Wolves howled in the night, their sorrowful voices enhanced by the grief emanating from the woman that hid in-between the trees, her glistening eyes watching her son as he disappeared inside the building.

The trees around her rotted and fell almost over as she sunk to the ground; lighting struck the ground around her angrily as her emotions spilled over. Creatures crawled into hiding, afraid of her presence.

"Haru…" She sobbed, gazing up at the night sky. "Tell me I did the right thing."

A warm breeze rustled the bloodred rose-fields. They moved in synch, like the waves of a crimson ocean, quietly and collectively swaying with the wind.

The sun, bright and vicious, burned hotly on his skin as he rested among the roses. Through his closed eyes, the sun blazed and blinded him, yet he didn't move. The unrest in his veins prevented him from moving; he convinced himself if he just stopped breathing for just a few seconds, everything would go away.

But it didn't. His mouth opened of its own accord, his lungs greedily sucking in air and filling up against his will. The young man panted as his survival instinct kicked in, trembling from dizziness. Eventually, like always, he regained the oxygen he'd lost and his body settled down. Opening his eyes, he stared directly at the sun, letting it burn his retinas as the wind played with his mahogany locks.

The sun, undaunted by his ant-like size and presence, was merciless.

"Ahh…" He hissed and flung an arm over his face, hiding from the blazing sun.

He clenched his eyes shut as stars twinkled and danced across his vision.

There it was again; that feeling of hopelessness that chased him everywhere he went; the hurt and the pain of being abandoned and raised by heartless people; the confusion of not knowing why he was put on earth to suffer so much and why. They told him to be grateful; told him to recite the ancient scriptures speaking of gratitude and devotion and devote himself to a life serving the kamis.

But no matter how much he tried to act normal; to smile and laugh; to dance under the sun and celebrate it for giving him life – he couldn't. Loneliness shadowed his every step, carving a hole in soul that would not mend no matter how many times he tried to heal it.

There was simply no… point. In this life; in his past life; in the afterlife – in any life.

He had no purpose. Everything was pointless.

"Takane, it is time you claim your responsibilities as a man. We have already chosen a bride for you, and the ceremony will take place shortly. You are to marry and become a respectful husband. The children you sire will carry your legacy."

He was only 23 years old. He'd barely lived his life; not yet discovered the meaning of it… and now he was getting married against his will…?

"But I…"

"You dare go against me, child?" The elder spoke, bushy white brows furrowing above his blackened eyes. "Have you forgotten who took you in and raised you? Fed you and taught you the essentials of life? You were a stray dog, left behind by your good-for-nothing parents on the monastery's stairs. Like any dog, you dare to bite the hand that feeds?"

"No, father, I–"

"That's right, Takane, I am your father. I raised you as my own, and gave you my Kuran name to carry on. Had it not been for my kindness, you would've been nothing."

Takane bowed his head in respect, the tips of his mahogany hair caressing the hardwood floor. "I apologize for my selfishness. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing me with food and education. I shall do my best in my marriage to carry on our family legacy."

"That's a good boy," the elder replied, humming contentedly. "We could not have children of our own, but you came along and provided us with the opportunity to expand our family. This is very important to us, Takane. Do not let us down."

"I won't," he pledged, feeling his heart break in two.

He met his bride a week before they were married. She was quiet and shy; her eyes, much like his own, were brown and her hair was pitch black. He supposed by society's standards she was beautiful; and he could agree to a certain extent, but nothing about her… moved him. Despite his everlasting apathy, he'd been foolish enough to hope that the woman he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with would ignite some sort of spark in him. That maybe, when he looked into her eyes, he'd flush with emotion and come alive like any man in love. He'd hoped that when he touched her skin tentatively, he'd feel a line of fire blazing from where they touched shooting up to his heart, making it gallop in his chest.

Alas, like everything else, he was left disappointed and brokenhearted. Their meeting was as uneventful as a rainy day, and he came to realize that if a fair maiden like his future wife couldn't ignite something in him, then there was no use.

Simply put, he was a hopeless case, his existence just as sad and useless as the dying flowers of winter. The temptation of running into the forest and committing harakiri seemed more and more potent by the day.

But he'd promised his father that he would go through with the wedding. So he would conceal his pain and lock it away; smile emptily when people smiled and laugh when they laughed, while he withered inside.

His whole life consisted of duties and obligations; he fulfilled and met them as expected, even if his heart wasn't in it.

They married and celebrated; he wore his traditional robes and pledged to stay by her side for the rest of his life. Makoto, his wife and future mother of his children – he knew nothing about her. Her likes and dislikes; her favorite poems and least favorite season of the year – if she liked red roses the most or if she preferred the pink sakura leaves outside the shrine at the center of the city.

They barely exchanged words as they went through the ceremony and celebrations. She was quiet and kept to herself, and he, numb to all sensation, could not be bothered enough to open his mouth and produce words.

As required by tradition, they consummated the marriage on their wedding night. The elder boys had told him about the heavenly feeling of being inside of a woman – whispering about how good it felt to lose themselves between their legs and hear their breathy moans; the softness of a woman's skin and her touch; the suppleness of round breasts and womanly hips; how it felt like paradise when everything unraveled…

He was man enough to admit that it had indeed felt pleasurable. There was no denying the erotic sensation of touching and being touched in return. But at the end of the day, it all boiled down to duty and obligation, not passion and the mythical notion of love. He felt nothing even as she moaned his name in his ear and received him; when he spilled himself inside of her, he forgot his name for a total of three seconds until it all came crashing back to him and they retracted from each other, falling asleep with their back to each other as if nothing had ever happened between them.

It was duty to sleep with her. It was obligation to get her pregnant.

He fulfilled his duty with hesitation and trepidation; and when she announced she was pregnant six months later, he found it appropriate to stop touching her.

Why he was relieved over not having to touch his wife anymore, he had no idea. Perhaps he wasn't normal; perhaps he wasn't man enough… all he knew was that something was missing from his life and he wished desperately to find it so he could end it all.

There was only one thing that moved him and made his heart flutter. He could only find it here, in the bloodred sea of roses, when he closed his eyes and let his mind wander.

That woman.

She always looked at him like he put the stars in the sky and made the earth move. Long locks of hair would flutter in the wind as she gazed at him; the two of them the only people on the empty field surrounding them. In his hand he would hold a sword; to attack her or protect her, he didn't know, but he never felt like himself whenever he dreamt of her. In his dreams he was someone else wearing his face; someone who suffered more than himself and carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

But, whenever he looked into her cinnamon eyes, he'd feel peace. Good, pure, honest peace that settled in his body as a warm feeling emanated from the cavity in his chest.

Attachment.

Affection.

Love.

In his dreams, he loved the woman in front of him.

In his dreams, the mysterious woman holding a silver scythe ignited something in him.

In his dreams, she would mouth a word before collapsing onto the ground, black butterflies emerging from her weakened frame, her pale hand reaching for him in the mass of butterflies.

In his dreams, he'd reach for her, but he never made it in time.

And when he woke up, he wept real tears for the woman that only existed within the realm of his dreams. And the knowledge that he would never meet her; that his life would never amount to anything more than duty and obligation to the family that took him in when his real family abandoned him, weighed him down until he grew thin and frail.

Takane let a sigh escape the confinement of his mouth.

"The sun rises every morning, and I along with it. And still…"

If time could leave marks on her marble skin, she would surely be covered in scars and folds of aged skin. But time is powerless against her immortal body, which continues to remain frozen in time.

"It's no longer about survival for us… Blood – dark and enticing, brimming with memories and emotion; we feed on it not only to survive, but to feel. Purebloods, we… we were never granted the gift of humanity. Born out of darkness, we enter the world with an insatiable thirst and boundless powers. I've learned, throughout the years, that no matter the amount of blood we drink from endless human veins, our thirst is never fully quenched. We drink the memories of human hearts and make them our own. We breathe them in and breathe them out, hoping that in the span of one gasp of air, for a moment we will be human. But we, sadly, are not human nor will we ever be human. That is the tragedy of purebloods."

A light breeze kisses her skin and plays with her hair. Maroon eyes shimmer with hidden emotion, while her fanged mouth quivers with thirst.

"In our endless search for humanity, we find the equivalent of it in the blood of our loved ones. Parents, children, dear friends… most importantly - our lovers. A vampire in love can only quench their thirst by drinking the blood of their beloved. This rule is multiplied for purebloods. Our endless desperation to make sense of time and our existence can only be dulled by the soothing taste of our lovers' blood. In it, we find solace and peace; meaning and tranquility – their blood fuses with ours and an irreplaceable bond is created. For us… the blood of our loved ones is our only remedy against time."

"Is that why you always come to this desolate place? You long for the blood of your beloved, starving endlessly…"

Sayomi closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. The scent of spring invaded her senses; blooming flowers, blossoming plants and trees fanning out their green leaves full of life. And, in the midst of it all, his scent lingered like a faint memory echoing in the background. She could smell him; feel him; imagine his taste on her tongue if she concentrated hard enough.

"Haru."

"What?"

"My name is Haru," he continued, turning his head to look at her with a smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling mischievously. "Since you wanted to know."

She fumbled for words, at loss over his strange and upfront behavior. "I didn't as-"

"Sure you did!" He laughed, tucking his hands behind his back as he looked across the landscape. "I could tell from your body language. You hide behind your hood, and you mask your heart whenever you meet someone new, but your true feelings always shine through, mysterious girl." His eyes softened as he watched her, his confident smile sobering. "You shouldn't hide yourself like that."

Moved by his words, she allowed herself to soften for the briefest of moments.

"Sayomi," she whispered, "is my name."

Memories long past; remnants of a time that was once filled with happiness and joy; moments she held dear to her heart and replayed in the cinema of her mind every night when she felt lonely.

The place where they'd met had changed. But unlike the nature surrounding them, she was not susceptible to change. Her face was the same face that once shyly smiled at him as he talked about the stars and the hidden universe; her eyes were the same eyes that wept for him constantly after he died in her arms.

Immortality was no more a gift than it was a curse. It rendered her frozen in time, both in spirit and her body.

"Ah, such a sad existence am I. I long for my beloved and this weary heart of mine won't let go…" A cruel smirk tugged at her lips. "You must think me a fool."

"Not at all," Rei breathed. "I may not able to understand the extent of your grief, but the fact that you carry it around with you and fight trough it is admirable. Had it not been for you, I would have nowhere to go. My human parents loved me, but they didn't know how they could protect me. With your guidance, I've found a path and a new family of my own. I'm… eternally indebted to you," she lowered her upper body from her waist and down, showing respect.

The elder vampire smiled ruefully. "Raise your head, Rei."

The younger female did as she was told, her grey eyes latching onto the features of her leader. She looked as youthful and ethereal as she did all those years ago when she'd entered Rei's home and offered her to become one with her following. Sayomi – the first and original pureblood vampire – the queen of their people and leader of the peaceful faction – was blessed with beauty and powers that rivaled those of any other vampire.

Sayomi. Night beauty. She was meant to rule their people. And yet…

"How is he?" The queen of vampires whispered, her voice quivering with emotion.

She has everything and everyone under her thumb. Inside of her, a power so potent and consuming remains unused. With the flick of her wrist, she can destroy us and the humans and it would all be over within seconds. And yet… she's willing to give it all up.

"He is doing fairly well. His wife is eight months pregnant, and judging by her size and the course of her pregnancy, the family healer believes she is pregnant with twins. Takane… has done a great job of accepting his duties and fulfilling his obligations. But…"

"His heart is wavering," Sayomi finished, glistening eyes scanning the familiar fields. "He suffers without reason and wonders why. Torments himself in the fields where his father I met… that boy, my son, he will suffer for such a long time until salvation comes along. It's his destiny, I'm afraid."

"How do you know?" Rei uttered in surprise. She was the only person in the world next to Sayomi who knew of the existence of her son. She'd been tasked with watching over him over the years and reporting to Sayomi, who, for some reason never sought him out even if she inquired about him daily.

Maroon eyes swept over the fields and landed on the glittering moon above them. "Though we can exist in the sun, the darkness of the night echoes the darkness in our hearts. The moon, bright and enchanting, watches over us and guides us; perhaps we are children of the moon, who knows? Our existence is a mystery, yet some of us insist we are here to destroy and conquer. But they forget, that with this power, comes a choice…" Graciously, she lowered herself and reached out to caress a withering flower.

From her touch, the flower revived beautifully; the crimson-hued petals shimmering in the moonlight from the gradient light streaming from her fingertips.

"You didn't answer my question…" Rei spoke hesitantly, afraid of upsetting her mysterious leader.

"The blood moon is returning at last…" Sayomi muttered, gazing at the moon once again. "With it, change arrives. You already know your place, don't you?"

Rei lowered her hood, silver braids blossoming the instant they were freed from her oppressive garment. "Yes… but master, his fate is too cruel. His soul will starve for thousands of years… is there really no other way? Surely you can give him a better life than what you speak of?"

Years of torment and pain filtered through her eyes. Suddenly, the eternal youth of Sayomi's face faltered; for a second in time, she was as old as her age – her face weary of pain and anguish, her shoulders heavy with exhaustion and her heart black with rage.

"There is no other way. Years ago, when I destroyed my sister, I corrected the flaws of nature. But, much like us, nature is not superior to flaws. Senya's essence will rise again, it's already been set in motion. To protect humans; to ensure peace and equality among the races, sacrifices must be made. My son will walk a long road on his journey, but in the end it will be worth it. It will be her… And her alone to end it all."

"Who?"

An enigmatic smile manifested on her graceful visage. "You know your role in all of this. In time, you will find the answers you seek." Her form disappeared in a stream of bats, soaring towards the moon.

"Sayomi-sama…" The hooded woman whispered, sorrow and grief arresting her in place. "Why…?"

"And still… darkness envelopes me."

It was unusual for bats to be outside in the open in the light of day. He eyed the ruby-eyed creature speculatively, unsure of whether it was sleeping or not where it was perched on a branch. Many superstitions had risen around the night-creatures; some said they drank the blood of innocent lambs, while some muttered how they were vessels for the dreaded vampires. Whatever they were, Takane was sure that the specific bat that'd followed him around the past few weeks was benevolent and certainly not some vessel for a mythical creature.

"These are hard times, ne? The vampires are going overboard, I fear for my children and husband… They say there are good and evil forces within them; their struggle is to choose which direction to follow."

"Nonsense! All vampires are evil creatures," the man next to the woman said, twirling the tip of his moustache with his calloused fingers. "They should not be allowed to exist. The only reason the kamis have allowed them to live is because they are punishment for our sins. They say the vampires feast on the blood of sinners. If you sin, you die by the grace of their fangs."

Takane swallowed, eyeing the gossiping villagers. All vampires are evil…?

"Ne, Hisakawa, you sure are narrow-minded. Haven't you heard about the vampire Queen? They say her beauty is unparalleled and her kindness even greater. Many have observed her silhouette across fields of corrupted wheat and corn during night; and by the next day, the crops are healthy as ever, bringing food to entire villages."

"Well, it is true that the famine that raged decades ago has slowly disappeared from our lives. Our children are healthier than ever, and in turn, our villages are evolving along with their workforce."

"And that's not the end of it!" The woman exclaimed. "A friend of mine said her obaa-san sought out the queen and asked for her healing bite. Instead, the queen kissed her knuckles and massaged her limbs graciously; and I swear on my mother's grave, that woman was healed! It was as if years and years of labor were erased from her bones and her soul was revived!"

The man narrowed his eyes upon the woman. "Really?"

With her eyes wide and her face flushed, the woman waved her arms around to prove her credibility. "Yes, really! She has healed others apparently, but she'll only grant her healing powers if your heart is pure… Rumor has it that the opposing faction of the vampires resent her actions and want her dead all the more for it. From our point of view, it is indeed strange for a powerful creature like the queen to lend her powers to us humans. But they say the queen used to love a human man once. He was taken away from her, and ever since then she's been brokenhearted, calling his name in the darkest hours of the night like a lone wolf howling for their mate… Her devotion towards protecting humans must've come from the love she had for him. It's sad, isn't it? She cannot die, yet she doesn't want to live without him. If you think about it like that… vampires are really pitiful creatures."

"Pitiful, yes. Benevolent? I find it hard to believe unless I see it with my own eyes. Perhaps their queen is good willed and kind, but the rest of them are vicious monsters that only see the blood in our veins and not our worth as humans. We should not trust them with our lives."

Takane turned, tired of listening in on the conversation. Vampires - the outcasts of society; human-like creatures who were anything but human. Beautiful and gifted with powers; deadly and cruel… like others, he found it hard to trust them, even if a large faction of the vampires claimed to want peace and understanding.

There were still the others.

Shun, a boy he grew up with at the temple and one of the few people he'd ever considered his friends, had been killed last year during an attack in the village he was serving in. The vampires had attacked the city at night, spilling blood in the streets and setting the buildings on fire. The slaughter had served to spread even more terror and confusion among the already overwhelmed human population.

Years ago, the vampires made themselves known to mankind; the first ones had appeared only decades ago, yet most of them had remained in the shadows. The Shirabuki clan was the most powerful clan at the moment; their leader, Shirabuki Jun, was the one who declared war on humans. Their side was referred to as "the other ones" – because even if they were already different from humans, they seemed to revel in their own kind's thirst and greed.

But there was another side; the side Takane personally referred to as "the angels". The angels were the benevolent vampires who used their powers to heal and serve injured humans – lead by the mysterious and alluring vampire queen that only a handful of humans had seen and even fewer believed in. Her mere existence was questionable – to many she was more like a myth than an actual being.

At night, as Takane traversed his favorite rose fields, he would sometimes see the shadow of the woman that lurked in the fields, but he could never be sure if it was his imagination that played him or the actual ghost of the vampire queen lingering in front of him.

But even if it was an illusion, he was always left startled and shaken up by it. His heart – unmovable and barely beating – would throb painfully in his chest as an unfathomable longing and ache filled him. His hand would reach out towards the silhouette though she was miles away in the distance, quietly reaching for her.

Then he'd blink, and her shadow would be gone – like it was never there.

So he chalked it all up to his mind going rampant with ideas and fantasies as a way of distracting him from the misery of his own life.

As he walked up to his favorite hill, he eyed the scenery with mixed emotions. Recently, his sleepless nights had become even tougher; an unsurpassable feeling of fear and foreboding had settled in his heart, blocking the few hours of sleep he was usually granted at night. As a result, he was constantly dizzy and fatigued; he'd see visions of blood around him only to realize that it was just his mind playing games.

It was worse for his wife and family. Though she was used to his elusive nature, she still looked at him with accusation in her eyes whenever he left their humble home to wander off while she tended to the twins.

He couldn't take their constant crying and weeping. It hurt his ears and drained him of the little energy he had left, so he did the ruthless thing and left.

Besides, their eyes unsettled him. Though they were his children born out of his blood, he couldn't help but wonder if they were different than other children. His wife had once relayed to him during the few times he listened to her speak of her day, that when she was breastfeeding them, their teeth – which had come out on record speed – would cut her flesh and they'd sip on the blood that oozed from her mounds.

It sounded all too much like the creatures he dreaded. And for the life of him, he couldn't accept the truth if his children were cursed like the rest of them.

The sun set in the horizon; vaguely he felt his eyes struggle with the light as drowsiness claimed him. He laid down on the grass and relaxed; within minutes he was drifting away, dreaming of the petite woman with the warm eyes that made his heart sing…

"Wake up…"

He was so warm. It felt so good…

"Wake up…"

No, no… just a few more minutes. He'd missed being warm.

"Kana…"

His mouth twitched, disrupting his serene face. What was that noise? Why was it interrupting him?

"You must wake up…."

Just let me rest here for eternity. It's all I ask.

"Kaname…"

His eyes shot open of their own accord; he blinked, gazing around him as confusion bled over into understanding. The welcoming grass of his favorite hillside lay below him; he was sure that if he sat up he'd see the fields of roses surround him like pools of blood. Everything was just like before, but…

"Are you awake, now?"

At once, he was on his feet, swaying from the sudden movement. He looked around, trying to find the source of the soothing voice that seemed to travel with the wind.

"Who is this?" He asked the wind, frantically looking around.

But as he did so, realization dawned upon him as he eyed the scenery around him. This was not his favorite hill surrounded by roses; this was…

He turned towards the shadow behind him, looking up at the towering cherry blossom tree that seemed to glow from within. His mouth opened in awe as he stared at it; never had he seen such a wonderful cherry blossom tree of such a size. It was by far the largest one he'd ever seen – almost daunting with its towering presence.

"I nursed it myself."

Once again, he turned abruptly and suffered from the sudden movement. He blinked, trying to regain his balance and eyesight. After rubbing his eyes furiously, he came face to face with a hooded woman. Her face was hard to discern, but he could detect wild tendrils of mahogany hair tumbling out of the confines of her hood.

"Isn't it beautiful?" She wondered out loud, her voice so soft and feminine. A sudden rush of emotion assaulted him on the spot; his head hurt as a rush of familiarity struck him and made him long for days where the world hadn't abandoned him just yet.

"My dear, sweet boy, I wish I could spend all the time in the world with you…"

Takane grit his teeth together in agony at the strange fragment of memory.

The woman before him lowered her hood, revealing her beautiful heart-shaped face and pale skin. She turned towards him and smiled; her eyes crinkling at the corners and her cheeks blooming with color. She appeared to be somewhere around twenty years old; in fact, the more he let his gaze linger upon her, the more she resembled…

"You…" His eyes widened. "Are you the woman of my dreams?"

She shook her head quietly. "You're already dreaming of her, I see…"

"Her? If it isn't you, then who is she? Why is she always calling out for me?"

"She's your light."

"Pardon?"

"Tell me," the strange woman whispered, taking a few steps closer. "Are you happy?"

"I…" He hesitated, transfixed by her otherworldly beauty and the familiar warmth that seemed to radiate of her.

"I need to know," she continued when he didn't finish his answer. "Before I decide to put my plan into motion, I need to know if you are living a fulfilled life of happiness. I need to know if you love your wife and children; if you wake up every day unable to keep the smile of your face because you love the life you live. I need to know these things."

His confused expression bled into a grim frown.

Quietly, he shook his head.

"No."

It was hardly a question he had to think about; once she started mentioned all those things, he'd felt his heart drop in his chest when he realized that that was what he'd desired all along.

A joyful life. A smile on his face. A family he loved and wanted to protect.

He had none of these things.

Her eyes shimmered with sadness as he gentle smile turned into a frown. "I see…"

"Who are you?" He tried again, unable to let go of his curiosity.

She smiled enigmatically at him as the wind fluttered her dress. He couldn't help but feel somewhat intimidated by her overpowering presence; there was this certain mystery that exuded from her – like she was far wiser and older than her age – like she'd lived lifetimes he could only dream of.

Her eyes shone with unshed tears. "You look just like him…" She pursed her lips; briefly he wondered if she was about to cry in front of him. "It's like he's here again with me…"

"Who?" He wondered out loud. The overwhelming heartache that radiated off her made his own heart split in half – even if he didn't know why she was so heartbroken, he could almost feel it as if it was his own.

She pointed to the ground, just a few feet away from them, before turning her finger and pointing at the sky.

"Haru." She smiled, as if the name itself gave her everlasting peace from any turmoil.

"Haru…" He repeated, still unsure of the woman in front of him.

"He's buried here," she said, once again pointing to the same spot where she'd pointed earlier. "Sometimes, when I lay down, I can feel his essence growing into the earth; becoming one with the cycle of nature. From dust to dust…"

"They say the queen used to love a human man once. He was taken away from her, and ever since then she's been brokenhearted, calling his name in the darkest hours of the night like a lone wolf howling for their mate…"

Frightened, he took a step back. "It's you. The queen of vampires – it's you!"

Her dreamy expression faded away; her eyes cooled while her mouth turned into a flat line as she observed the scenery around them instead of looking at him.

"W-what do you want from me?" He stuttered, suddenly nervous that he was standing in front one of the deadliest creatures on earth.

"There are things I must do…" She whispered solemnly into the wind. "Things that only I am capable of; I've been granted these powers that stretch beyond my capabilities, and therefore it is my responsibility to use them for good. I can heal and revive; free people of sickness and disappear – erase their minds should they want it, grant them a new life. My blood can cure any illness and strengthen the senses of those who consume it. My bite can both create and take life – it all relies on the choice I make." Brown eyes narrowed upon him.

"The fact that you're already dreaming of her is a sign… It's time."

"Do you know who she is?" He wondered, instantly curious about the woman from his dreams.

"Yes."

"Then tell me, please. I need to find her," he begged, clasping his hands together as he bowed his head. "Please."

"You will find her when the time is right," she smiled mysteriously. "But beware, you will go through many hardships and struggles in order to meet her…"

"I'll do whatever it takes," he promised, getting down on his knees and begging her. "Please, I need to know who she is."

"I told you already," came her soft voice, "she is your light, like your father was my light. She's the one you're destined to be with."

His blood ran cold.

"M-my father?" Takane mouthed, looking up at her.

The woman nodded again, her hair fluttering majestically in the wind as she looked at him with all the peace in the world.

"B-but my father is married…"

"Your real father," she whispered softly, lowering herself onto her knees in front of him. Her expression turned wistful as she reached out a hand and touched his cheek. "I still regret the day I had to abandon you. But for your protection, I had to do it…"

Takane's heart beat erratically in his chest as realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Y-you're my… mother? But how… how can it be, you're–"

"You don't know how it feels to hear you call me mother," she whispered, tears shimmering in the corners of her eyes. "Do you remember now? Do you remember when I visited you all those years ago?"

Takane closed his eyes as a searing headache grabbed a hold of him. He clutched his hair with his fists, willing the pain to stop.

Suddenly memories began to flood him; when he was alone in his bedroom and he'd woken up from a nightmare, a woman had sat in his windowsill and sang for him, tucking him into sleep. She'd appear every now and then whenever he felt lonely during his childhood, always soothing him.

When he was 9, he'd hurt himself while playing with the other boys in the village. The same woman from before had appeared in front of him and kissed his wound, healing it as if it never was there.

"Boy, weren't you hurt!?" He could hear the chief priest of the shrine question him after he came home with no injuries.

And on his wedding day, when he'd gazed out into the crowd of people, bored with the celebration and wishing he was on his favorite spot, he'd caught the eyes of a familiar woman in the shadows before she disappeared, leaving him with a sense of longing.

Several other instances appeared in his mind; all through his life, she'd always been watching over him and protecting him – he just hadn't been able to remember her.

"Each time, I erased your memory," she whispered, brushing his cheek gently. "I had to in order to keep you safe. You couldn't know about me."

"But why…" Tears spilled from his garnet eyes. "Why am I remembering just now? Why did you leave me? Why are you here now? Why am I human if I am your son?"

She smiled wistfully. "You look just like your father…" She kissed his forehead. "It's so good to see his face again…"

"Please!" He begged, grabbing her wrists. "I need answers! What's going on?"

"You're remembering now because the dream I created for you is ending," she whispered, looking into his eyes as she cradled his face.

His eyes fluttered closed as he once again felt his body slip into sleep. Vaguely, she felt his back hit the ground gently as she lowered him down.

He peered up at her face, wanting to see his mother that had loved and cared for him ever since he was a child clinging onto her reassuring presence.

I cannot fall asleep, I cannot fall asleep… I must remember her face.

She stroked his hair gently, smiling at him as tears dripped from her eyes.

"It's time to wake up from your slumber, my sweet son, and live the life that was meant for you. You'll be happy, I promise you."

Takane's eyes fluttered close as her healing kiss launched her powers into his forehead.

"It will be her – your light. Find her…. Kaname…"

"Sayomi-sama, are you sure of this?" The woman whispered, unable to fight her tears as she watched her leader.

The queen smiled and wiped her tears gently; faintly the woman felt like it was her own mother caressing her cheek and soothing her. It only made the pain worsen.

"Years ago I buried the love of my life here," Sayomi spoke softly as her small audience listened. "In the time since then, my heart has hurt constantly. It was not just the loss of my beloved and our son that made me feel such sadness, it was also the loss of human lives that continued daily. In my time, I have worked to understand our species. I have done my best to comprehend our nature; I've researched on our bodies and our senses – I've spoken to many of you and searched in my own mind to find out what the answer to our existence is.

"I've seen visions of the future; of a time where barren fields are turned into lush landscapes; where vampires and humans roam the earth together in peace and harmony. I know it seems impossible – I know that the times we are going through are challenging and heartbreaking, but we must persevere. We must march forward with our dreams of coexistence. We must fight with all our might for a world where we can live together.

Being a vampire is not a choice. But what kind of person behind the vampire you want to be – that is a choice one must make. Feeding into our desires and letting them rule us will only result in destruction. But choosing peace – choosing coexistence and choosing to do the right thing, will only bring us fortune. You are my followers – some of you were born this way like me, while some of you were created by me per your request. Whatever blood type you are, I thank you for your help and I urge you to continue spreading my message when I leave. I am relying on all of you to help bring forth peace in the time to come."

"Sayomi-sama…" Her followers whispered, lowering themselves onto their knees and bowing in respect, one hand placed securely on their hearts.

Rei wiped her eyes angrily. "What about your son? For thirty years, he's been wandering the forests, lost without his memories; shunned by human villages. His human family was attacked; his wife killed and his children barely survived had it not been for us intercepting the others. Today, they are second-in-command of our faction and they have no idea about their real father. They're expecting the Kuran heir any minute now…"

"I'm aware," Sayomi whispered, lowering her gaze. "This is how it has to be. Our bloodline needs to continue in order for our destinies to be intertwined again. Kaname will wander for a long time until he stumbles upon you; when that time comes, you know what to do, as do the rest of you…" She trailed off, nodding at the three other purebloods that were standing next to Rei.

"Hai, Sayomi-sama…" They whispered and bowed. "For the chosen one, we will sacrifice our lives."

Sayomi nodded. "I thank you for your devotion. As for you, Rei, your sacrifice will be the one that will seal the curse and put everything into motion. The day you sacrifice your heart, you will set off a chain of events that will lead the chosen one's birth. When the time is right, the sacrifices the four of you have made will be linked with her powers and she will become the ultimate weapon for mankind. Your powers will grant her the strength she needs to fight off the ultimate enemy and restore peace."

Rei nodded uncertainly. "But your son… won't he despair when he loses her? After all, they are destined…"

Sayomi shook her head determinedly, her eyes hardening. "There are some things I have no control over. With her powers come immense responsibility; responsibility that can only be absolved if she makes the ultimate sacrifice."

"Isn't it unfair?" Rei blurted out. "How can you speak so lightly of sacrificing the chosen one? That girl didn't choose to become the knight. And your son, he… he's suffered so much already and–"

"You have never questioned me before," Sayomi spoke calmly, her fangs peeking out form beneath her bloodred upper lip. "Is it a sudden rebellious phase you're going through, or is it the grief you're facing upon losing me that is rattling your emotions?"

Rei's grey eyes shimmered with emotion. "Sayomi-sama…"

Sayomi pulled her into her arms and hugged her tightly; Rei inhaled her assuring scent of wild roses, feeling nostalgia tug at her.

"I am entrusting you with the most important task. Watch over my son and welcome him back when the time is right. Give him his rightful name; stop him from sacrificing his heart to a cause that isn't his. Make sure he meets her. Give him your blood to sustain him until he can stand on his own. And when you give up your heart, return in spirit so the curse can be completed…"

She nodded mutely, unable to find her voice as Sayomi retracted from her.

"Thank you, Rei," she said, kissing her forehead.

Numb and cold, Rei retracted to the side and shut her heart down.

It was like losing her mother all over again.

Sayomi turned towards the tree again; gently, she put her hand on the bark, feeling its energy intertwine with hers as she smiled to herself.

I can feel you, Haru. We are so close now, and soon... we'll be together again.

"This is my final gift," Sayomi whispered as her hand began glowing against the tree. "I used to think my purpose in life was to find Haru and love him. I fulfilled that purpose, and soon found another one after years of trying to mend my heart together."

From the side, she spotted some of her followers lowering her special casket into the ground. Inside was a vial of Senya's blood and her own scriptures; scriptures that would one day give answers to the chosen one. Then of course, the stake made out of wood form the cherry tree – the only clue she could give to her descendant.

The wind picked up on the field, sending the branches of the cherry tree scattering; her followers remained rooted on the spot as blood began streaming from her fingertips and down her legs; she blinked as blood pooled from her eyes and her nose, sailing down her red dress.

"My purpose is to create an antidote to the curse I brought to the world when me and my sister were born. That's why, I give up this life to pursue another one on the other side with my love…"

Suddenly everything was pitch black as the moon disappeared behind black skies. Light was unattainable for the briefest of seconds until the moon appeared again.

Sayomi's clothes fluttered onto the ground, while blood pooled at the base of the tree as her body crystallized; she exploded on the spot, her dust fusing into the tree along with her potent blood as her physical form disappeared forever.

"Sayomi-sama…" Rei howled among the rest of her followers, despairing at the sight of their leader disappearing forever as they fell to the ground and cried tears of blood.

The cherry tree swayed lightly before settling again, the blossoms shining a peculiar light upon the sorrowful faces of Sayomi's followers – as if she was there, in spirit, still shining her light.

And a few miles away, in a cottage hidden among the woods, tucked into the embrace of Kuran Akane and her husband Kuran Nori, the cries of the newborn Kuran child echoed for the first time in the world.