To protect her

Chapter 33

Utau and I have been looking everywhere. "Call everyone. She has to be around here somewhere." I said and Utau pulled out her phone and called everyone. She hung up and shoved her phone back into her pocket. "They're coming." I leaned against a wall. "Hana was sleeping when I woke up this morning and that girl can sleep for years," I said.

Utau patted my shoulder and smiled. "There's no way Hana is here. Someone is trying to frame her." I looked at Utau. "Hana would never come here. She hates humans with a passion." I said. "Even more reason for her not to be here. Everything will be alright. We'll send her to Nadeshiko. She'll be safe with Nadeshiko and Temari." I nodded.

"Amu!" I turned and saw the others running towards us. "Someone said they saw Ami come over here with Hana." Everyone but Ikuto looked at me surprised. "Hana? She can't be here. She can't walk during the day like us." I agreed slightly panicked and crossed my arms. We all heard a loud scream and our attention was focused at the gym. "Did you hear that?" I asked, praying to any god out there that secreaming was just in my head.

"Let's go,"  I said and we all ran towards the gym. Yaya ran straight to the door and bounced back and fell on her butt. "Ow, that hurt." She said rubbing her face. Kairi tiled her head a bit and she turned a little red. "Her nose isn't bleeding, she's fine." He said helping her up. I kicked the door open and the doors swung and hit the wall hard enough to make a big bang sound.

We all walked in and in the middle of the gym was Ami and Hana. Ami seemed unconscious and Hana was in full vampire rage. "Hana, let Ami go, she's your friend," I said trying to calm her down. A tear streamed down her cheek. Why was she crying? "He said Ami can help me with what I want," I took a step closer.

"What do you want, Hana? I'll help. I'll give you anything you want if you just let Ami go." I said. Hana shook her head and took a step back. "Hana, you can't do anything to Ami. We all took an oath." Utau said. "Hana, she's our sister." Kukai begged, his voice cracked from the fear he was probably feeling. I can feel it too. "Hana chan, you shouldn't do things you'll regret." Yaya said in her most calming voice.

"Hana, you'll regret it if you hurt Ami," Rima said firmly. The more we tried to step forward, the more Hana stepped backward. She was afraid. She no doubt feels like we're backing her into a corner. I held out my arms and everyone stopped. "I got this." I said calmly. "Hana, what do you want?" I asked. "She wants the hunter gone." Everyone looked at Nagihiko.

"But we can't get rid of him. He's the only thing our leader cares about." Kairi said. "He told me if I want that damn hunter gone, I need a sacrifice. A human sacrifice." Hana said and bit Ami's neck and slit her throat. I screamed, feeling my knees go weak, but I stayed standing. Kukai had his hands over my eyes, but even without actually seeing anything, I can smell her blood. I pushed Kukai off of me and I stared at Hana shocked and betrayed. She was still, then she started choking and turning blue. Then, she just fell.

I looked around me, then I looked at Ikuto. He looked at me like he didn't recognize me. I ran past everyone and just ran. I didn't look back, I just ran and ran and ran, until I couldn't run anymore, but even if I do get far, far away from there, I'll still have the memory of Hana killing Ami, and me killing Hana.

Utau's Pov

We all walked over to Hana and Ami cautiously. I picked up Hana and Kukai picked up Ami. I looked at Ikuto. "We need to go. Don't expect us anytime soon." I said and we all left Ikuto at the gym. We all racced home silently, letting our minds process what we just witnessed. Once we all got home, I laid Hana on the floor and Kukai laid Ami on the couch. "Yaya, dress Ami and I'll dress Hana. You guys gather everyone." They all nodded and did as instructed without anyone arguing or disagreeing.

Yaya and I took Ami and Hana to Ami's room. I dressed Ami in her favorite pink dress and white high heels. Yaya dressed Hana in a black dress, white thigh highs, and black shoes. I ran my hand through Ami's hair. "Will Amu chi be okay?" I looked at Yaya, her eyes were filled with concern. No doubt my eyes were too. "None of us will be okay," I said looking at Hana. I could only imagine that pain Amu is feeling.

"If Amu didn't kill her like the did, who knows how she would have been killed. She killed one of her own." I said thinking of Amu. Amu is known to be careless, but she cared about all of us. "Did she really? Ami was human." I shook my head. "Amu told me to keep it a secret. Only me, Kukai, Ami and she knew the truth." I said and looked at Yaya. "Ami's vampire gene was just slow growing. Ami knew, but she wanted to live a full life before she had to give it up." I said and looked down at Ami.

"We predicted by the time she turned 20, 25 the oldest she'd be strong enough to transition into a vampire. But now, she'll never get the chance." I said, the two of us fell into a mournful and comfortable silence. Yaya was the first to break the silence. "We should... bring them.... uh... d-dow- downstairs." I nodded and we picked them up and carried them downstairs. The room filled with our brothers and sisters of the night. "Everyone, let's go," I said and we all walked outside to the vampire cemetery on the far end of the court yard. Yaya and I laid Ami and Hana down on two tone beds.

I stood between the two bodies of our fallen family members. "Two of our family members were taken away from us today. Hinamori Ami, and Hana. As you all know, Hinamori Ami was the twin sister of our leader, Hinamori Amu and youngest sister of Hinamori Kukai. Though she was human, she was the only human to show us kindness." I said and everyone was silent.

"We were always together. We all grew up together, played together, fought together and trained together." I said, gathering my strength to keep talking. Fuck, how do funeral directors do this? Would this be easier if I didn't know Ami and Hana? I can't imagine a lifetime where these two weren't in my life. I inhaled deeply. "And now... we all say goodbye together." Kukai, Yaya, Kairi, Rima and Nagihiko all stood with me. We all held hands. "We are the highest vampires in our clan, but we are all still family. We will all take care of you in Ami's absence." I said.

"Where is Amu chan?" Saki asked after running up to me, grabbing my leg. I picked her up and smiled. I looked at everyone. "Hana has committing a crime. We all took an oath to never harm one of our own. Ami was one of us, and Hana killed her. Everyone knows the punishment for committing this crime is death." I said and handed Saki to Yaya.

"If we brought Hana back alive, she would have been tortured. Our leader may seem harsh, but she loves us all. She gave Hana the most peaceful and painless death she could. Though she committed a crime, let's all remember all the good times, the old days where we all played and no one was hurt." I said.

I turned around and lit a match and everyone kneeled down. "May your passage to the other side be easy and that your soul will be at peace," we all said in unison and I lit the two bodies in fire. I kneeled down like everyone else and prayed that they both find what they're looking for.

Once we all got home, I laid on the couch. "Kukai sama," I looked up and it was a few of the older vampires. "What is it?" He asked. "Will our leader return?" I bit my lip and stood up. "She will. But until she does, we will run things just as she did." I said. "The clans closed inner circle will always watch over our family." I said. "Good. That's good to hear. I hope Amu sama comes back soon." Me too. I hope our lady comes back soon.