Lina looked up at the building, then closed her eyes. Amelia... Gourry... Zelgadis... She could feel them here. This was the place. The sorceress walked in, and starting looking around. A hand touched her shoulder, and she spun around, fist up, ready to fight.
Amelia flinched from the girl. "It's only me, Lina-san!"
Lina lowered her arm, tears in her eyes. What had just happened... gods, she would hate herself forever if Gourry and Zel died... "I'm sorry, Amelia," she whispered, closing her eyes. "I... I didn't realize you were the one behind me."
The princess lowered her head. "Gourry-san's alright. He didn't lose too much blood. Demo... Zelgadis-sama..."
Her ruby eyes snapped open. "What is it, Amelia? Did the... the vampires find a way to feed off him?"
"I... I can't hear his heartbeat!" Amelia said tearfully. "He... Zelgadis-sama's dead! He isn't breathing!"
Lina almost fell over. A good friend of hers was dead... because of her. Because of what she was. I... He... If it wasn't for me, Zel would... If I wasn't the Slayer...
"Excuse me," she whispered, walking past the princess. The redhead went to the room that they had put Gourry and Zelgadis, and stood outside the closed door. She placed one hand on the frame, the other on the knob. A tear ran down her face, then she brushed it away. I... I must be strong, she grimly thought as she opened the door.
Gourry was lying on one of the beds, asleep. His pallor was frighteningly pale, but he was breathing normally. She couldn't see the other bed at the moment, and the sorceress Slayer walked over to the swordsman, taking one of his hands. "Gourry... I'm sorry. I dragged you and Zel into this. I-I didn't want to..." Lina was perilously close to crying. "I..." She looked over to the other bed. Then gasped.
There was no one there.
Shakily, she walked over to it. Yes, it had been in use; the blood stains proved it. But... wasn't Zel suppose to be there? Unless...
Lina spun around, senses alert. There was Gourry and herself in the room, Amelia down the hall... But nothing else. She couldn't sense if there was a vampire in the room. She walked out of the room, on battle mode.
"Lina-san, what's wrong?"
The sorceress held up a hand. "Shh. I think there might be a vamp here. Zel isn't in his bed."
The princess's eyes widened. "What?! But... why would a creature of evil and darkness want Zelgadis-sama?"
Lina's ruby eyes hardened. "A bargaining chip. Or bait."
Life was use to be so simple for Lina Inverse. Bandit here, bandit there, Mazoku there, Dragu Slave as a cure-all. All in all, simple.
But since that she met a certain vampire, and she found out a certain birthright that Xellos and Zelgadis just... forgot to tell her about, her life was much, much more complicated. Her patrol for any vampires proved that.
Now, however, it was personal.
Lina's Slayer sharpened ears picked up a sorta gurgled moan close by. By now, she was very, very familiar with that sound. Oh, this is just what I need. Good, physical vampire bashing. Right up there with Dragu Slaving a group of bandits. She grinned, a very feral smile.
Cracking her knuckles, she walked past the corner. "Now, I..." Whatever she had been thinking about stuck in her throat as she saw... Oh, gods...
Zel looked up at her, his face smeared with blood. "Lina... Oh, L-sama, I'm sorry you had to see this..." The whore under him moaned, showing two bloody puncture marks in her throat.
"A-amelia said she couldn't feel you breathe," she muttered. "Now... I think I know why!" The last was sobbed uncontrollably.
He hung his head. "I haven't breathed since Rezo cursed me. But, Lina..."
When he stood up, trying to placate her, she took a step back. "Don't. You kept that from me. You kept the fact you're a vampire from me ever since we met. And now you think I'll let you near me?" Lina's hands balled into fists at her sides. "Zel..."
"Lina, listen. I won't hurt you. I didn't even hurt her."
The girl looked down at the underclad woman. No, she realized, this was a girl not much older than herself. "Oh, you didn't hurt her, huh? Zel, do you think I'll really believe you anymore?" Lina cried, tears running down her face. "Damn it, I thought you died because of me. I thought you were fucking dead! And it turns out you're a bloodsucking creature of the night that, for some reason, can be seen during the light of day." She started trembling.
"Lina..." Zel took the redhead into his arms, holding her close. "It's alright. I..."
Lina started crying into his shirt. "And... here I thought..." she said between sobs, "vampires couldn't hypnotize."
"We can't," he whispered, running a hand down her back.
"Then... then why don't I hate you?" she asked in a small voice. "Why am I just glad you're alive?"
He didn't have an answer for that. Instead, Zel held her close, making soothing sounds. "I can feel your heart," Lina whispered, placing a hand over his chest. "But... that shouldn't be! I shouldn't hear anything!"
"It beats," he said into her ear. "It beats... for you."
Zelgadis pulled back as Lina raised her head, so they were able to look into each other's eyes. "Zel..."
His mouth opened, but no sound issued forth. After a few false starts, Zel said, "Lina, I..."
She shook her head, and placed a finger over his lips. "No. Don't talk. Just... I... I'm so glad you're not dead. Zel, I... I..."
He removed her finger from his lips. "Shh, Lina."
Lina pushed back. "Um, I should... you know, go. I... Bye." She walked away, slightly in a daze.
Zel lowered his head. "I'm sorry, Lina," he whispered to the wind.
Lina entered the inn, ordered a mug of beer, then sighed, allowing her head to hit the table. Gods. Zel isn't dead... well, technically. And he's a vampire. L-sama, how long has he been living?
Someone looked up, taking a sip of coffee. The head bowed slightly as a smile crossed lips. Standing up, the person walked over to the bewildered Slayer.
A voice reached her ears; a voice that made her stiffen in fear she remembered from years ago...
"Konnichi wa, imouto-chan."