The Immortalized Heart (Book 2 Original version)
The End of the Stagnant Time

It was quiet within, the only sound coming from outside was the helicopter and its search light passing by. Her room was empty, the servant’s quarters; kitchen; library; study; Eona’s bedroom--Kira stood at the window, it was the perfect view of the wood-line and the entire front courtyard. On the windowsill, hidden within the stacked curtain she saw a small piece of red--Kira gently gasped it and following was an entire scarf, carefully hidden, and yet meant to be found. She had been too late...Eona was gone and that vision had been real.

Her scent was fading meaning it had been some time ago--a sweat lavender filled her nostrils. One by one they dropped, first on the carpet and then onto the scarf, held close to her face, these tears came. She really left...she didn't believe in me...

Emily died; Wolfgang died; Eona is gone, just what has she accomplished? This power; everything that she learned and now this is where she is. Kira left the room, the trail of her blood growing lesser and lesser either because she is ceasing bleeding or there isn’t enough blood left to lose. She braced herself against the wall; she could not die yet, Eona was alive, taken by a king she knew not to trust, especially after he sent his strongest and most loyal ally to try to kill the Reaper, to tear them apart--Kira would not betray Eona. Vale is no longer around to try such a foolish thing again.

She heard the hammer of a gun click. Without hesitation she swung, but the flames cut off quickly when she saw his face; this really was the end.

“Kira.” Ian smiles.

Her heart stopped. Her brother called out her name--despite her mask; her hair; the single crimson eye he recognized her nonetheless. Kira’s horrified expression did not change, not until Ian spoke again.

He sighed, “You look terrible, I thought I told you to take care of yourself.” His AVW is held up, “Guess that's still up to me.”

Bullets landed in Kira’s stomach, yet at the same time she swung, burning the hall. Ian was fast, he ducked under the vortex, jumped to the center then fired again, this time in her shoulder. Kira staggered back, she dropped to her knees and before she could recover, Ian was already above her. He knew--how long? How did he know? What did he think; that could be obvious now. The Desert Eagle hit the floor and not long after Ian followed, falling forward before Kira caught him.

“Now you have no choice.” His words were whispers now, quiet so only Kira could hear. Ian chuckles.

“Brother--" Kira caught the scent of the blood, "You’re--!”

He shrugs, knowing that the blood Kira stares at intently is not hers, but his. Pushing aside his cloak, anyone would see and smell the burnt flesh and shards of wood in his side.

Kira’s voice lost its vigor, “I killed you...”

He shook his head, “I was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. I tried to reach the house to help the queen before the others did...my body had other plans.”

She didn’t know he was there, hiding within the platoon of men as they were the closest to the Commander which would have given him the means to save the immortal.

Kira has gotten strong, but as always she tries to take everything on her own--he knew she would be here. He did not come as a hunter, he came as her brother one who couldn’t do anything on his own either to help her, save for this one thing.

"Kira..." Ian rested his head on her shoulder, “You're part vampire right? If you take my life it will save yours.”

Ian unbuttons the first few of his shirt and take another hold of the AVW.

“I won’t!” His sister refused, hardened.

Her senior gave a light smile, “I'm not asking.”

He places the barrel under Kira’s chin.

“If you don’t take my blood you won’t be able to save that useless queen of yours and a lot more people will die.”

His hand shook, the blow to his side has already destroyed half his organs and if this was delayed any longer he would die very painfully. The hammer clicked back assuring his seriousness in killing the immortal. Kira listened to his heart: it was slowing, Ian could not be saved. This was her, no excuse, no circumstance--Ian was going to die no matter what.

“Why...why did this happen...” Kira’s thirst brought out her fangs.

“The Association is not what it once was." Ian explained, "We are suppose to protect people from vampires who attack them, not seek genocide."

Ian's hands when numb and he lost his hold on the gun, it fell as Kira open her mouth to his neck.

He didn’t feel her fangs as they pierced his flesh, it was different than he expected. She was gentle, melting away his pain, finally his conscious faded from the sight of Kira’s white hair to the figures of his parents. Things will only get worse for her--he never wanted this of his beloved sister, but it was her fate and with it he would do all he could to make it as easy as possible.

For vampires, having their first drop of human blood allows for the virus to take root completely and fully allow access to its prowess. Kira, though half-vampire still required human blood to unlock that potential.

It tasted sweet, sensations that coursed throughout her entire body; pulsing as though her body was a dry rag and suddenly it absorbed a bucket of water. Her wounds sizzle, knitting back together and regenerating lost flesh and blood. The shock makes her lose balance for a second, as she licks her lips of the nectar and wipes away the rest--her nails drags along the walls and in her shadow’s form a demon emerges.

Outside the Hunters and the remaining Syndicate vampires who remained behind to observe recovered bodies and moved aside debris, but each stopped as the ‘One-Eyed Reaper’ walked down the path, wrapped around her neck was the scarf left behind for her to return.

“Sir.” Many reported in, a white-haired woman, the Reaper that all came to fear--they saw her face in the moon’s light. None pointed their weapons, they followed to see where her path led, to see what she would do. Eona was out of her grasp now, that was reality and nothing could change it; however the Association’s reality would soon come to an abrupt change. Kira stopped, having noticed the Association President stand in the road’s crossing, surrounded by hundreds of soldiers and hunters itching to flee. Her very presence made the air around them heavy, an evil aura wrapped around their throats suffocating them.

“Kira Nightraven?" Marcus said with surprise to know she was this infamous person and yet realizing just how like her, her actions until now have been, "I never would have thought you would become such a fierce vampire.”

It was meant as an insult. There was no reason to explain that she wasn’t a vampire; to tell why she protected humans; to ask why they made a deal with the military and betrayed the alliance with the Nation. Reasoning for any of their actions onto this moment was pointless; none of it mattered.

“Then again..." Marcus rose an amused brow, "You did betray your kind and your bother--”

“Ian’s dead.” Kira said without emotion.

Marcus did not flinch. The boy failed again, he was suppose to use Kira as a means to get close and kill the Queen at the Summit and then he fails to kill the reaper twice. What a useless boy. He could try to provoke her, but she most likely killed him herself and as a vampire she would not care. Marcus does admit, he envies Kira for killing his betrayed-lover.

He was curious as to why she would, if it was any other circumstance he would have enjoyed taking his time to interrogate her. A pity Kira is too dangerous to be kept alive now, he rather enjoyed her company.

“That’s two family members I’ve killed...” Kira mumbled under her breath, Two? She held her hand over her lips, cringing at the taste of her brother’s blood that lingered in her mouth. Marcus unsheathed his razor-ed sword and prepared for combat.

“I've learned a lot over the past year, but two of them strike out the most..." Kira said louder, "First: this world is merciless, without power you will lose everything you love.”

Marcus and the others attacked, “Second...” Kira opened her eyes and let out a statement drenched in the abyss, ”The Hunter’s Association is no longer necessary."