"No," Utena said flatly as Nanami stepped from the shadows, the pink haired vampire meeting the younger blonde's eyes. Nanami smiled slightly, her regal expression faintly amused. "But I didn't even ask for anything yet," she said dryly. "She knows about us and the vampires," Anthy said as the dusky skinned, purple haired girl continued with some annoyance, "and wants to help." She noted the tension in Utena's body, the vibration of stressed flesh, and for a moment wished she could soothe her somehow... "This isn't just a vampire we're dealing with," Utena sounded frustrated, "she's...." "Kanae Ohtori," Nanami said promptly, "the daughter of the school's head. She supposedly came here from Europe, but I couldn't find any documentation on her past a certain point. I did find evidence of a bloody massacre at the last location she was at, however." "Sounds lovely," Anthy frowned. "Interesting," Juri agreed, the orange haired vampire studying Nanami thoughtfully. "Why did you research her?" "I talked to Miki," Nanami shrugged, "once I understood Akio was the vampire who started this, looking into his fiancee seemed only logical." "Kanae is an elder vampire," Utena said patiently, "I have no idea what she might be capable of." Actually her saying that Kanae was an elder vampire was just a guess, but her ability to tolerate sunlight was frightening to say the least. "She might also be the one ultimately responsible for what happened to my brother," Nanami said with a quiet sort of intensity. She looked up to boldly meet Utena's eyes, "I'm going, even if I have to follow you." "Isn't that cute," Juri looked amused. "another puppy to follow Utena." "Utena..." Anthy started. "No," Utena moved like a shot, her body a blur. Nanami barely had a chance to gasp as Utena swept her into her arms, looking down into those wide eyes. "What are you doing?" Nanami squeaked. "I'm sorry," Utena bet forward to kiss her neck, her licking tongue bringing forth a startled moan from Nanami. She sucked, bringing blood to the surface of the smaller girl's skin, then bit firmly. Blood gushed, spurting into Utena's mouth and she drank hungrily, the fire spilling through her. Reluctantly she pulled away a moment later, licking her lips as she met the stunned girl's gaze, "Sleep," she commanded and Nanami slumped, out cold. "Are you sure that was the right thing to do?" Anthy asked as she, Utena and Juri left the old dorm as a group, walking out into the darkness together. "No," Utena answered uncomfortably, thinking of the young woman they had left with the slumbering Kozue, "but I won't let another innocent die, either." "And that's why you aren't bringing any of your followers too," Anthy noted. "How noble of you," Juri sounded amused, striding across the lawn like some kind of great cat. “I need to go do something,” she said to Utena after a moment. Utena looked at her questioningly, then a light seemed to dawn behind her eyes. The pink haired girl nodded as she said seriously, “But be back soon, OK?” Without another word, Juri was gone, faded away into the darkness. She raced across the nearly silent campus, soon arriving at her own dorm. She slipped inside the building like some kind of ghost, startling Ruka. “Juri, back home already?' Ruka said, the blue haired man clearly surprised to see her returning so soon. “I'm going back out,” Juri answered him flatly. She met his eyes with concern as she ordered, “If I don't return, take Shiori and flee Ohtori. It will be far too dangerous for you to remain.” “But,” Ruka started to ask her, only to have her disappear on him once again. “Good luck, Juri,” he whispered. Standing outside of the burnt out shell of a building Utena could feel it, an icy shiver of cold running into her very bones. She knew there were vampires hiding here, lots of them. “How many did you think you saw?' she asked Anthy quietly. “It was too dark to be sure,” Anthy answered regretfully. “More than ten, at least,” she sighed, "but other than that I just don't know." The stake in her hand felt good, and she pulled another out to pass to Utena, "Here." “Thanks,” Utena answered. “Gee, can I have one, too?” Juri asked from right behind them, her rich voice laden with pure amusement. Anthy moved like a shot, spinning around and striking so that the stake in her hand was suddenly poised directly above Juri's vulnerable heart. The two of them stood there motionless for a few moments, then Anthy flipped the stake around, handing it to Juri blunt end first. “Try not to hurt yourself with it,” Anthy murmured. Utena watched them and sighed, wondering if trying to get these two to work together had been such a good idea after all. “Let's go,” she said shortly, leading them into the building. The first room was empty, moonlight streaming in from the holes in the roof. Anthy put her hand on the inner door, throwing a glance back at the two vampires behind her as she said, “Be ready.” She pulled the door open, and then swiftly stepped back, giving Juri and Utena some room to move. Utena leapt forward, seeing the figure laying there still and silent on the floor. `At least there's no scent of spilled blood,' she though to herself, a bit relieved. Wakaba's chest rose and fell slowly, her breathing that of someone fast asleep. Utena looked up as Anthy and Juri walked in after her, and felt her heart chill. The vampires Anthy had seen lined the walls of the small room, all of them standing and waiting for some reason. “Get Wakaba out of here,” Utena told Anthy quietly. “Sorry, Utena,” Juri noted as her eyes swept around the room, “but they're blocking the door out, too.” Anthy hefted her stake, looking at the young men that were moving to surround them. “I don't see any women in here,” she murmured softly. Utena left Anthy kneeling down by Wakaba and stood, looking around her calmly. “Where is Kanae?” she asked the vampire boys grimly. “Right here,” the woman's voice answered them. The thin, green haired young woman languidly strolled out into the center of the room, gazing at all of them curiously before turning to Utena to ask, “You're the one, aren't you?” “The one, what?” Utena answered her. She noticed the men shifting, spacing out so that they were evenly spread around the four of them and braced herself for battle. “The one who slew my Akio-sama,” Kanae answered levelly. Utena silently signaled for the others to be ready as she met Kanae's unnerving eyes and said, “Yes, I was.” “Die,” Kanae hissed, and as one the vampires charged. Juri swiftly grabbed one by the throat, driving the stake home into it's heart and then turning to slay another, then another. A vampire nearly managed to jump her as she was occupied with a struggling one, when Anthy drove a stake through it. “Thank you,” Juri said to her with a smile. “Don't thank me. I did it for her,” Anthy nodded towards Utena, “not you.” She turned and threw a stake, it cutting through the air to drive home into another vampire. She killed them so efficiently, simple and precise motions that ended vampires. Utena stopped another vampire lunging for the sleeping Wakaba and staked him coldly. Again and again the vampire boys fell, dropping like flies around them as the three of them efficiently dealt the final death to them. And in the background, Kanae waited. The final vampire fell, and Kanae still stood there silently watching them, looking almost like a statue in the murky room. “What is she waiting for?” Juri hissed angrily. Almost as if she had been waiting for that cue, Kanae was suddenly just a blur, picking up Anthy and then casting her up hard against the wall. The girl barely had a chance to cry out in surprise before she made a wet thump as she hit, falling silent to the ground. “Anthy!” Utena cried out. Juri barely even got her guard up when Kanae was upon her as well. Their eyes met in a silent battle of wills, both of them standing rigidly still. Juri bit her bottom lip, a sluggish trickle of blood running down from the corner of her mouth as they fought on silently. Then, her eyes rolled up in her head and she slumped to the ground bonelessly. “Alone at last,” Kanae murmured with amusement. Utena stood and faced her, meeting the green haired girl's eyes with her own blue ones. “Do your worst,” Utena invited her calmly. “I intend to,” Kanae answered. The air in the room itself seemed to dance with an electric charge as they gazed at each other. Their wills clashed like swords, invisibly tangling in the air between them. Neither of them moved or swayed for long minutes, still like statues. “Is that... all you've got?” Utena managed to ask. “It can't be,” Kanae finally murmured after a moment. She looked at Utena in an expression of wonder, her eyes wide, “I cannot break your will.” A slight smile touched her lips, “I've finally found someone worthy.” “Worthy?” Utena asked, hefting the stake in her hand. “To face me in battle, of course,” Kanae smiled, and charged. She was fast, unearthly so, but Utena made herself match her speed and met her blow for blow. Fangs gleaming, they leapt around the little room, meeting with savage force. `Anthy might be dying,' Utena thought grimly, `I have to...' “Distracted,” Kanae smiled at her coldly, hammering Utena down to the ground with a single massive blow of a hand. Kanae watched curiously as Utena lay on the floor. She forced herself up to her knees and spat out some blood, feeling something inside her torn and broken. `If I don't win,' she realized, `we are all dead.' She rose on shaky legs, then stood up, ready to face her again. A warmer smile came from Kanae as she purred, “Your will is impressive.” Kanae met Utena's eyes, trying to compel her with her will, “Serving me would be so much easier, Utena. Give in,” she looked over to where Anthy lay, “and I'll give her to you as your reward.” Something seemed to happen behind Utena's eyes, almost like a switch being thrown. “She's not yours to give,” she snarled, and attacked with a new fury. Kanae tried to defend herself, avoiding and blocking some of Utena's blows, but found herself giving up ground again and again. `That's it,” Kanae oddly murmured. Loudly, “I'll kill her, Utena! I'll kill them all if you let me!” “No,” Utena growled out, a feral side of her nature now fully unleashed. Again and again she attacked, bones breaking and flesh tearing as Kanae suffered under strike under strike. Kanae met Utena's eyes, and she was startled by the clarity that was now visible in Kanae's eyes. “Thank you,” she murmured, then charged right at Utena at top speed. Utena raised the stake in her hand automatically, and Kanae skewered herself on it deliberately. “Why?” Utena managed to gasp out as she suddenly took Kanae's weight, easing her down to the damp floor. “I never wanted this life,” Kanae said to her softly, “I'm glad it's finally over.” She slumped to the floor, the life flowing right out of her. Utena looked down at her in surprise, then she remembered she had other things to deal with. “Anthy,” she said her name, shaking her gently. “Utena,” Anthy smiled at her weekly. Blood soaked the front of her uniform, and Utena realized that Kanae had ripped the girl's throat out even as she threw her. “I'm sorry I wasn't more help,” she managed, then faded out. “Don't you dare die on me,” Utena cried out, but it was useless. She looked around her wildly, then her eyes fixed on the stunned Juri, and a forbidden idea suddenly occurred to her. `Anthy may not forgive me,' Utena thought, `but I don't care.' “Utena?” Juri managed as Utena shook her awake. “I need you to turn Anthy,” Utena said intensely. “What?” Juri blinked at her in surprise.
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