Lady Vampire Knight (Vampire Knight Fanfiction)

Chapter 96 (final): Away with the Wind

I floated in empty space, trying to remember what I was doing there. Where was he? I came to meet him didn't I? Why wasn't he here?

"Ichiru!" My voice was thin in the cold air, the emptiness stretching it out like a tangled spiderweb.

"Where are you?" I tried again, feeling my voice die away. Where was he?

"Saki."

"Ichiru!" I turned, feeling my heart soar as I heard his voice.

It fell again almost immediately, replaced by shock.

Bright light pulsed behind me. No Ichiru. No one. Just a strong, blinding ray that rendered my eyes useless.

"Saki!" The voice made the light go away immediately. As I blinked them open, the blurry surroundings of the infirmary came to. No more darkness. No more light. I was back in the normal world.

"Hey." Pale purple eyes stared down at me, but I felt no reaction. He wasn't Ichiru. He didn't even look like him. I could see it. His eyes were fierce unlike Ichiru's soft and kind eyes. His mouth was set in a grim line that curved down slightly. Ichiru's would always have a small smile playing on his lips.

Ichiru's gone.

A picture of him flashed into my mind as I forced myself to look away. No matter how different Zero was to Ichiru. Ichiru would always be with Zero.

Bound by flesh.

"She's awake." Zero's face disappeared from my line of sight. More footsteps approached.

"Just as well." Yagari's piercing blue eyes stared down at me. "Or Shina would have really flipped."

Mum? How long was I out for?

"H-how-" I struggled to get the words out - my throat felt like it was lined with sand.

"Just a day," Yagari replied, understanding my question. He moved away. "It's really not much of a surprise."

Not much of a surprise? And I was out for a whole day?

"Saki?" Zero's face appeared in my sight once more. "I'm sorry - about Ichiru." His eyes looked the same, a hint of regret in them, as he spoke.

Even though he looked apologetic and acted like it, I felt my anger rise up.

"You're sorry?" I hissed through gritted teeth, unable to talk much louder. "You killed him!" With a grimace of effort, I sat up straight, glaring at him.

"How could you just...devour him like that and say you're sorry?"

The look on Zero's face changed from apologetic to slightly angry.

"He was already dead," he spat out, obviously hating every word he said. "He died in my arms."

"He was already dead," I repeated flatly. "And you still drank his blood?" And ate away everything else he had, I added silently.

"He wanted me to." Zero turned, marching across the room until he reached the door. A door slam signalled his exit and his rage, but once I heard it, I felt my own anger die down.

"It's not his fault." I looked over to see Yagari on his knees, fumbling through a bag, looking for something. "I'm sure Ichiru would have wanted him to."

"Why?" It was a stupid question maybe, but I couldn't think of anything else. Ichiru wanted Zero to kill him? Even though he knew how much pain and grief it would give me?

"You should rest," Yagari replied gruffly, ignoring my question. "I'll see if I can get you some food." He left the room before I could respond.

The room echoed silently as I sat there in a daze, trying to think of something. Anything.