Senri Shiki - My Forbidden Vampire Knight

Chapter 17 - Senri and Rima

Chapter 17 Senri and Rima

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When I finally woke up, my head felt like a rock. I couldn’t move it at all, so instead I heaved my body out of bed and shot open my eyes. For some reason I was in the Headmaster’s sleeping area. This wasn’t my room though, it was the living room. The window was open, a slight draught drifting in. What had happened? The last thing I remembered was… Takeru… and a lot of blood. I choked on some saliva, and then the Headmaster came running in with some water.

“Drink up Sakura, you’ve had a hard night,” he said sympathetically. I smiled back and took a few sips. I did feel slightly better and laid back down on the sofa. So I wasn’t on a bed then.

“What happened after…”

“After your vampire self awakened and you drank Takeru’s blood?” I blushed. “He carried you here and told me to look after you. You must be in great shock, he said.” The Headmaster wasn’t smiling as much now. “It seems as though all my adopted children eventually turn into my previous enemies…”

“What?” I asked, not understanding that last statement.

“Ignore me. Stay here for today, but you have to go to school tomorrow, okay?” he asked, patting my head. I nodded and watched him go out.

~

A few hours went by and the whole time I was thinking about the night before. I reached for my blazer and found the tin of blood tablets Takeru left me in my pocket. They didn’t look great, but I put one in my glass of water. As it dissolved, the water turned red. I drank some but it tasted disgusting. Nothing like blood! It was all thin, and just vile. Maybe it was because I wasn’t in my vampire form or something. It was the most confusing thing I had ever thought about. Was I really a vampire, or not?

I stood up and put my shoes on. It was a fine day outside, but still chilly. I opened the window fully and put my head out, taking in the cool wind. Just as I was about to close the window, I caught sight of my hand. It was sparkling. My eyebrows furrowed as I wondered why. Suddenly, Senri was standing next to a tree below, smiling at me. I stepped back, away from the window and hid under the duvet. Seconds later, Rima burst through the door.

“Rima-san?” I said, startled.

“Sakura! Sakura, Shiki has turned strange. I think someone is controlling him, or residing in his body,” she panted. I took a sharp inhale of air before coming out of the bed sheets. Rima was crying, looking terrible. Even so, she was still beautiful. No wonder Senri liked her more than me. Who’d want to hang out with a girl who fainted at the sight of blood? A girl who was too shy to even talk to the person she liked?

“Really…? No way…”

“I’m not lying Sakura. Will you help me? Tonight, I’m going to confront him. I’ll reveal his true identity, and prove everyone wrong. It’s impossible for someone to deny their closest friend - please, will you come with me?”

My mouth stopped moving. But of course, Senri and Rima were made for each other. They were both vampires, they both modelled together… I couldn’t even begin to compare to Rima. “O-obviously I’m coming!” I replied nervously. I couldn’t bring myself to hate Rima, not after everything she had done for me. Tears started to well up but I held them in. But if what Rima said was true, about Senri’s body being used for someone else, then did it mean I was dancing with a total stranger? And the red flower too, was it given by someone I had never met? I closed my eyes, trying not to speculate.

Rima simply smiled. “Thanks. I owe you one, Sakura.”

Then she left me to cry alone, in the sun-lit room.