Rare (Vampire Knight)

Chapter 6

Charlotte sat in the nurse's office with Ichiru who was running a high fever. She sat on his bed, pushing his sweaty fringe out of his face, and he smiled faintly up at her. They were waiting for the nurse and Zero to arrive. 

The nurse was a nice woman, very compassionate. And Zero was busy excusing Ichiru from class.

"Alright, Kiryu, I've called your parents to inform them of what happened," the nurse said, stepping into the room with a smile. "I've also excused you from class, Charlotte, so you don't need to worry." Charlotte didn't say anything. She just nodded and continued to pet Ichiru's hair.

She could feel the woman approaching, coming up behind her, and she stiffened when the atmosphere suddenly changed. Slowly looking up from Ichiru, Charlotte's eyes widened at the change in the nurse. Her nails had gotten longer, a crazed look in her now red eyes, fangs elongated, and skin paler. 

Ichiru had fallen asleep at some point when she was petting his hair, and Charlotte was glad he wasn't awake to see how the woman had changed.

"Your scents..." the nurse took in a deep breath, closing her red eyes, savouring the scent. A wicked smile found its way to the woman's face. 

She walked leisurely over to the pair, trailing her fingernails along a couple of beds she sauntered past. "I don't know who smells better... you or Ichiru... it's probably you, my dear Charlotte. You're not sick. Your blood smells sweeter." Charlotte stood up quickly, taking a couple of steps away from Ichiru's bed. 

She had never taken on another vampire with hostile intent, but she would do what it took to keep the beast away from Ichiru.

"Who did you escape from?" Charlotte's voice was firm, and the woman laughed almost manically. She was aware of the wild look in the woman's eyes, but Charlotte could see just a bit of consciousness in them, and she hoped it was enough to get an answer considering the woman hadn't attacked yet and was talking.

"Such a foolish question. I know what you are, and the Kiryu's. I'll be on the list soon after this-" the words cut out and she grunted, hunching over a bit with laboured breathing. 

Charlotte didn't know what to do. She hadn't encountered a Level E by herself before, and the fact that this one was still conscious, that the nurse hadn't exactly fully degenerated yet and was barely hanging on by a thread, put her on edge. 

"K-Kill m-me,"  the once very sweet nurse managed to get out suddenly through wheezes. Her eyes flickering between brown and red. 

But the nurse didn't stay long, and the next time she looked up, Charlotte knew she was dead, she was gone and wasn't coming back. The woman had fully degenerated in those few seconds, and Charlotte could feel her heart pounding in her chest.

"How's Ichiru?" Zero asked suddenly, opening the door and stepping inside with his head down, staring at the pass in his hand. 

The Level E turned around at the sound of his voice and snarled, causing him to look up with wide eyes. There was a brief pause and silence before the vampire charged at Zero.

Acting quickly, Charlotte ran at the Level E, launching herself at it as soon as she was close enough. She wrapped her legs around its waist and her hands around its face, digging her fingers into its red eyes. She jerked back, causing the vampire to stumble back at Charlotte's surprise attack and sudden strength.

"Call Yagari!" Charlotte shouted, hanging onto the Level E for dear life as it began to thrash violently to get her off. 

Much to both Zero and Charlotte's dismay, it finally managed to get the girl off its back, and she flew into the medicine cupboard. The glass shattered and the shelves broke on impact and Zero shouted Charlotte's name.