Lady Vampire Knight (Vampire Knight Fanfiction)

Chapter 95: The Last Battle

"Am I dead?" I felt Ichiru tense as I voiced the fear.

"No," Ichiru finally replied after a long silence. "Not yet. You have to leave."

"Why not?" My hands clenched in fear. "Do you not want me?" The thought hurt, and it seemed plausible. Too plausible. Slowly I began to pull away, feeling worn down.

"No," Ichiru pulled me back into his arms. "You belong in the light. Not here. Not in death." A small light appeared in the distance, the faint glow catching my eye.

"I don't want to go," I clung onto Ichiru's shirt. He seemed so alive now. No blood. No death. He was warm.

"You'll come back eventually," Ichiru moved towards the light, taking me with him. "I'll always be waiting."

"No!" I couldn't bear the thought of leaving him again. "I won't go."

"You will," Ichiru hugged me. "I won't make you leave the light."

"I don't want to go to the light," I returned the hug. "I'll stay in the darkness with you."

"You won't," Ichiru let go of me. Slowly, I felt myself getting pulled towards the light, like a magnet. "I love you."

"No!" I tried to hold on, but he had already let go. "I won't go!"

His face was serene as he smiled kindly, a trace of sadness, but full of care.

Perfect.

Don't leave me.

Light blinded me, washing over me. All I could see was white.

"What are you?!" That was the first thing I heard as I came to. Light still blinded me, engulfing me, but through all the brightness, I saw Rido's form, backing away as he tried to shield his eyes.

"Ichiru." I didn't care about Rido anymore. Tears trickled down my face as I stared about me, completely oblivious to the light that blinded me. Grey walls. Cobbled pathways. I was back in Cross Academy.

Ichiru wasn't.

I couldn't help it. Burying my face in my hands, I cried for Ichiru for the first time. Salty tears ran down to the ground, mixing with the blood that stained the stones.

You shouldn't be sad.

Ichiru?

I'm still there.

Where are you?

I'm with you.

With me where?

In spirit.

I can't see you, I can't feel you. Are you there?

Duck.

Duck?

Something crashed into my side before I could react, sending me flying to the left. With a cry of pain, I crashed into a tree, the thick bough smacking my side.

"A fallen angel," Rido's blue and red eyes were cold as he observed me lying crumppled on the ground. "I thought you were dead."

I'm not.

"I've never heard of anyone being given a second chance," Rido's blood whip slithered along the ground towards me. "Tell me, how did you do that?"

"Do what?" My voice was hoarse, rough like sandpaper.

"Come back to life," Rido's blood whip sliced through the air. I couldn't move quickly enough and the  weapon struck my cheek, a long slash appearing. The warm wetness of blood dribbled out of the wound, beginning to trickle down my jaw.