The Immortalized Heart (Book 2 Original version)
Ashes to Ashes

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

--Book of the Moon

A single eye was bruised shut and the one that didopen--wasn't natural. A week past and the body was able to move, but nothingwas in its right mind. She tried to eat, but everything was disgusting. Whenthe nurse came to check on her she noticed Kira would not eat and would oftenretreat to her covers and ignore anyone who tried to talk. The scar from thesurgery had finally closed up and no longer needed stitches to keep it shut--anangled line from her left hip to as high as the naval. When first she awoke shesearched and search and searched, but could not replace Emily.

The doctor statedthat she had never been admitted to the hospital as a patient...there was nobody just ash. Kira screamed. Emily wasn't dead! She couldn't be dead! Abeautiful four-hundred-year-old vampire won't die because a few beams landed onher! She had to be alive...disappearing right after having given Kira her blood! Doctor Hudson examined herpatient and physically her body has adapted well to the procedure, but the samecould not be said for her emotional state.

"The nurses have been telling me you haven't beeneating." 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 lookof anguish. That woman whose body was unable to be found must have beenimportant--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 atraumatic event and its perfectly natural for certain things to be different orwrong. The doctor explained this, but words fell on deaf ears. For someone soyoung to experience this trauma...Kira was taking it suspiciously well. Clearlysomething else had happened to her and now its about what her next move willbe: suicide or depression.

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

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

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

Kira called and canceled the first evaluation...shehadn't touched food in days and felt a horrible growl in her stomach and burnin her throat. She went out at night and hoped fresh air would clear her lungs--itdid not. Instead she walked circles, up and down the streets until she stoppedsuddenly 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 exactstate of mind, and she to had the desire for flesh--remnants of the Ghoul. I'mhuman.

Walking again...faster and faster and faster until it was a full onsprint back to that building! Kira ripped thru the door, flashed to thebathroom and stared at the mirror. What the hell... Her eyes were twodifferent 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 andcracked an already distorted image.

Emily had said something a long time ago: vampirescan eat human food, but only if they consume enough blood to satisfy themotherwise...she tumbles towards the kitchen and rips open the fridge door. I'mhuman! 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 akitchen knife and yanked her shirt up--the knife cut her, but in horror Kira watched as it stitched back together instantly.

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

"EMILY!"

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

'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 longerthat vampire would kill her! Nothing could be done, the fear was so great Kirawas 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 thevictim and the other fixed his AVW on her.

"H...elp...me..." Kira sobbed locking herbody to prevent anymore movement. Her only hope of salvation had to be theAssociation; brother and Marcus had to help her fix whatever this is! A shot toher shoulder screamed out in pain--when had she moved? There was norecollection, 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 itwithout 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 fromthis 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. Howwould a lowly vampire know Association President? Kira had to play her cardright--she saved the president therefore he owed her! Even if it meant crossingpaths with 'that person' this would be the only means to survive and discoverwhat has happened to her! The Investigators aimed their weapons at the singlered-eyed vampire. They're going to kill me... Dying right now, would mean thestopping of her misery and the end of suffrage in this short life. I can'tdie--I don't want to die! Another shot fired, but Kira had been well passed itbefore it reached.

From the wall to the dumpster Kira appeared and disappearedcoming closer and closer to her attackers. Emily didn't just die--Kira's chanceat a normal life died with her! Now there was fighting, survive until those twomet again. Only then...fighting as a 'human'--Kira bit her hand just as fangsstretched to sink into the Investigator.Human.

Claws swiped the AVW from the first Investigator's hand then a kick tohis chest sent him flying. Don't tell me-- Kira took hold of the hand thatwent 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 humanflesh and consume its blood. Whose blood was it! The last defense Kira had against this thirst washer will to remain human. She grabbed the Anti-Vampire gun and held it in herpalm--the Investigators gave her a dumbfounded look.

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

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

This woman proclaims to be human and to know AssociationPresident and yet moves with the same attributes as the vampire! They would notbe played fools, all vampires must die! The heart of one Investigator is rippedfrom his chest; the second has his face smashed into the brick wall and had hisblood splatter towards Kira, touching her clothes and face. A vampire stood atthe bodies and flicked the remaining blood off their hand before collecting theAVWs with a cloth and walking towards the frightened woman.

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

Sherecognized the voice, a waiter at the bar, but for the life of her could notrecall 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 fromhis hands made her closer to succumb to these inhuman desires. The vampirenoticed the struggle Kira had when restraining her own hand and thought to whatthey had been told--Emily died, Kira 'survived'.

"I want to tear into everyone's throat--its sobad 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'mhu--"

"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 nevercaught before--from the coat came a flask, inside swished sweet, thick, bloodmixed with alcohol. The moment the cap was removed, the single crimson eye grewbrighter the the fresh scent of an arm's reach of blood. Its offered to Kirawho for a moment gave a look of relief, but quickly it changed to rejection asshe 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 touchedthe shivering woman then wrapped her in his coat and lifted her shoe-less selfinto his arms. Octave had Kira brought thru the back and up stares into theemployee common room. There she sat and suffered by this overwhelming thirst totear into 'flesh'. The only affective way to maintain her senses was to biteherself 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 founda growling animal in a corner bleeding by the hand and neck.

"Kira don't--!"

She jumped at Miss.Triss grabbing her wrist andplacing her hand on the steaming wound. Aggressively she threw the vampirewoman off and moved to the opposite side of the room. Not again--she would notbe made into a demon, not by them! Miss.Triss did not come any closer, butrather 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 andwatching them dissipate and release red. Kira immediately became enticed, bythe 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'teven know her. If I ever see you again I will kill you. Everything finallybecame quiet, a moment of clarity that gave the answer to everything: Emily waskilled because of her by 'that person'. Kira calmed her enough to apologize andfixated herself in front of the table, across from Miss.Triss.

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