Finding My Way

Chapter 1

On Christmas Eve, ten years ago, my world completely shattered.

My mother and I were waiting at the bottom of the valley for my father, who was due to arrive back from a mission. Back then, I didn't understand then what my father did, but I learned that day. In the most painful way imaginable.

I was so excited for my father to return home that I drove my mother crazy by running all over the house. Hoping to burn off some of my energy, she suggested we take a walk down the hill to wait for him there. We bundled up, because it was snowing, and trudged down the slope.

When we reached the bottom, my mother suggested that we build a snowman. I promptly started gathering snow to form the base.

My back was to her when it happened. I heard a muffled thud behind me and turned around to see red. Lots of red. All I remember from that moment is red. My mind must have protected me from the gruesome sight. I then heard a voice and then a figure emerging from the red. It taunted me.

"Can I suck your blood, little girl?" asked the vampire who drained the life away from my mother. He leisurely began to head my way. I was absolutely frozen in shock and horror. At five years old, my life had been completely happy until this moment. I had known nothing but joy and happiness. I could not process what was happening.

Before he reached me, another figure suddenly appeared. He lashed out his arm into the vampire's neck and I saw more red burst from the area. The vampire who killed my mother fell to the ground and then vanished. I know now that he disintegrated into ash, but then I knew nothing of vampires and ranks of vampires.

"You are a disgrace to the vampire race," my savior remarked. I looked up into his face. I can't recall his features clearly. I was too focused on his hand, which reached up to his mouth, where his tongue touched the blood on his hand. I could see sharp, long fangs protruding from his mouth as he tasted the blood on his hand. I still remember that feeling of sheer horror and terror when I realized that a vampire killed my mother and another vampire killed that one to save me.

Any further interaction was halted by the arrival of my father. He quickly checked the pulse of his wife and then ran to my side, scooping me up into his arms. Drawing on his battle-hardened instincts, he knew how to repress his feelings. He grieved later for my mother, I know, and grieves for her even now. But at the time, you would not know how affected he was.

I remember him saying something and hearing my savior reply in response, but all I can remember is burying my head in his chest, blocking out the pain and the color red. After a couple of moments, I became dimly aware of movement.

My father whispered in my ear, "Yuki, you're safe now. Daddy won't let anyone hurt you."

Despite all that had happened, I felt completely safe in that moment.

----

After that day, my father, the legendary vampire hunter Kaien Cross, formally resigned his position as an active vampire hunter in the Hunter's Association. That Christmas Eve mission was meant to be his last one before going inactive to begin preparations for creating an academy. But I think that horrible incident strengthened his resolve to end his career as a hunter. I didn't understand why he was so determined to create this academy, but I tried to be supportive of my father and do as much as I could to help.

Three years later, Cross Academy opened its doors to students. The academy is a boarding school and all the students live in the Sun Dorms, which consist of two separate dormitories for males and females connected in the front by large common area.