"Matt, wha-what are those?" Lira asked, tugging Matt's sleeve, her knees trembling from terror.

"They sure don't resemble any vampire I know of. Looks like a mutated vampire of some sort."

"How can you sound so calm at a time like this!" she hollered.

"Listen, when I tell you to run, run. Don't look back. And find other slayers and get help. Got it?" Matt whispered.

Without any warning, the mutated vampires swarmed in on them all at the same time. Matt forcefully shoved Lira out of the way, sending her farther back. She scrambled on her feet when Matt shouted "Run!" Lira obeyed and ran as fast as she could. From behind her she could hear bone snapping, jaw crackling and a frightening roar. She made the mistake of looking back and saw Matt struggling to free himself from the three creatures who were pinning him on the ground, their sharp teeth sinking in on his leg and arms. One creature lay on the ground with a severed head, swimming in its own pool of blood. Matt bellowed as he tried to shrug the creatures off him, his face twisting with intense pain.

"Matt!" Lira shouted with horror as she ran towards him.

"Get the hell out of here Lira!"

But she ignored him for she kept on running towards him.

A fourth vampire fell from above and pinned Lira to the ground. It hissed and bared its sharp yellow teeth at her. She kicked and flailed with all her might but the creature above her was too strong for her flimsy defense. She remembered the knife she was holding and tried to stab the blade on the creature's forearm. The blade miraculously penetrated on its flesh, momentarily releasing Lira from its tight grip. She took the opportunity and kicked the creature's midsection, shoving it off from her. She scurried to get up but fell back on the ground when the mutated vampire grabbed hold of her ankle. She yelled from the intense sharp pain when the creature's claws sank into her skin. She kicked her foot for release but the creature seemed unperturbed and was pulling Lira closer to its fangs. Her heart pounded loudly, her mind praying for a miracle, anything to save both her and Matt.

She suddenly remembered what Nicholas told her. Vampires could hear from miles afar, could smell the faintest scent. From where they were right now, the vampires' mansion was much closer than the slayers building. Without any hesitation, she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Nicholas!"

She was expecting for that miracle, to find Nicholas suddenly jumping out from the shadows to save her. She expected too much to no avail. Her foot was mere inches from the monster's teeth and she continued jerking her foot to loosen the hold on her ankle as she stretched her arm to the side hoping to grab a branch, a twig, anything to poke the monster. "Please..." she begged the tree in desperation, as if somehow by any chance it would make a branch fall from above.

The ground slightly shook and a large gnarled root emerged from the ground, separating Lira from the mutated vampire. Lira scrambled to get up as the creature attempted to attack her again. Another root rose and grappled the creature, twisted around the monster's body then pulled the creature down on the ground, burying it underneath the soil.

Lira had no time to deduce what had just happened. She hurriedly went to Matt. The creatures were dragging a motionless Matt deeper into the woods. She spied a vine hanging from the tree directly above the monsters. And as if the vines were in tuned with her mind, it snaked through the air and coiled around one of the monsters' neck, pulling the monster up and left it hanging and struggling in the air. The remaining mutated vampires hissed towards Lira, dropped Matt and turned towards her to attack.

Lira stumbled on the ground when she took a step back. She held her arms over her head as if it could protect her from the creatures closely reaching her. She expected claws scraping her face and stabbing pain form their sharp teeth. But none came.

She let her arms fall to the side and was surprised and relieved to see Sevastian slashing his claws over the creature's midsection, spilling its innards to the ground. With another strike of his claws, he decapitated the monster, its head bobbing on the ground. Nicholas, who was not far from Sevastian, held the other creature on its throat, gripping it tightly as the creature's feet dangled in the air. Nicholas' eyes shone murderously black as he snarled at the creature who was thrashing in his grip, sending its claws to strike any part of Nicholas' body. Nicholas tightened his grip on the creature's neck, causing its eyes to pop out of its socket, crashing the bones on its neck and separating the head from its body, sending splashes of blood all over Nicholas' face. He threw the body vehemently on the ground and wiped his face with his sleeve.

He approached a stunned Lira, dropped on his knees in front of her and asked, "Are you alright?"

She nodded; her mouth agape. "How... how did you...?"

"We heard you calling out my name."

Lira heard Matt moaned and she hurriedly went to his side. Matt was covered with blood and angry red marks were all over his limbs; blood was still oozing from his wounds. His face was pale from too much blood lose. Matt gripped Lira's hand and seemed to be trying to tell her something but was too weak to even utter words. His eyes closed and he fell unconscious. "Matt! Please, stay with me, okay?" Lira said, tears streaming down her face. Suddenly, Matt's body began writhing on the ground, as if he was in severe pain. He scratched his arms and face with his nails as he moaned and twisted. "What's happening to him?" she asked while preventing Matt from hurting himself.

Sevastian dropped on his knees beside Lira and assessed Matt keenly. He swiped a finger over a smear of blood on Matt's neck and smelled it. "It smells like poison. He's infected."

"Infected? What do you mean infected?" she cried. "You said a vampire bite can't infect us!"

Nicholas crouched beside Sevastian and held Matt's wrist. He too scented the blood. He opened Matt's eyelids with his thumb and forefinger and made a hissing sound. "He's turning. We have to kill him before he fully turns."

"Turning! What is going on? You said no one has ever turned!" Lira exclaimed.

"Lira, what attacked you was no vampire. We don't know what they are but we have heard about them recently. Their bites are infectious. It's like a disease is spreading inside the victim's body, turning them into creatures like the one you saw," Nicholas explained.

"No, no, no! That can't be!" she shouted shaking her head. "Nick you have to help him. There has to be away!"

"Lira, if we do not end him now, he will turn into a mindless monster."

"No... no... it's a disease... there's a cure..." she sobbed. It was her fault why Matt ended up like this. He was there to save her. Matt was always saving her. And she would not let him die because of her. "You—you said he's infected with a disease. Nicholas, your family once cured the people during the Plague. You said your blood was like an antidote. Please, help Matt."

"Lira, you don't know what you're asking for. We are not sure if that will help. And even if it will, a single drop of my father's blood cured millions. But a single drop of blood given directly to one person can be dangerous. Even if it will stop his turning and he survives, he will never be the same again," Nicholas warned.

"But I can't just let him die! I am the reason why he ended up like this. I just can't..." She grabbed Nicholas' hands and begged. "Please save him. I would do anything. Just please save him Nick."

"Anything?"

"Yes! Anything! Please..."

Nicholas seemed to be weighing his thoughts for a moment before he spoke. "I will let him drink my blood—"

"Brother!" Sevastian said cutting Nicholas. But Nicholas ignored him.

"I will give him my blood, and although I'm uncertain if it will help, you will give me something in return."

Lira choked back a sob. "What is it?"

"For every drop of blood he drinks, will be the number of times you will give me your blood willingly."

Lira gave Nicholas a confused look. "What do you mean? You want me to donate blood in the blood bank? Or slash my palm and dripped my blood in a glass?"

Nicholas shook his head solemnly. "No Lira. Not like that. You know what I mean."

Comprehension dawned on her as she gave Nicholas a look full of hatred. "You're despicable."

Nicholas still held his gaze with Lira, awaiting her answer. Sevastian tugged Nicholas' arm. "Brother you don't—" Nicholas gave his brother a chilling look that effectively silenced him. He returned his gaze back at Lira, raising a quizzical brow.

"Okay, I agree. I agree to your devious and monstrous scheme to give you my blood in exchange for Matt to live," she said, her voice full of loathing.

"A deal then." Nicholas tore a skin on his wrist with a bite and asked Sevastian to open Matt's mouth. He dropped a single blood on Matt's lips but nothing seemed to happen. Matt kept on writhing on the ground, becoming more agitated than before. Nicholas dropped another blood, then another. Matt slowly calmed down, until he lay almost motionless on the ground, his chest rising and falling slowly. Some of his shallow wounds were already healing.

Nicholas stood and stared down at Lira who was holding Matt's head on her lap. "I'm not sure the slayer will be grateful with what you did. I advise you to keep this information from him." Lira only nodded, not even glancing up. "He might experience some changes in his body. Of those changes, I can't be certain what they will be. But he will remain a human."

Lira was too exhausted to notice a group of slayers closing in on them and a concerned Ian kneeling beside her.

"What happened here?" an adult Elite Guard asked as he surveyed the mess of blood and severed limbs on the ground. Nicholas and Sevastian explained the situation to the slayers. Some slayers took samples of blood from the mutated vampires and took evidences they thought would be useful. Others carefully carried Matt to bring to the infirmary. Ian helped Lira to stand, and her threw her arms around him, making Nicholas glower at them. Lira ignored him and allowed Ian to pat her back while she kept on sobbing. Yumi's face suddenly flashed on her mind causing her to almost shoved Ian away. "Yumi! I need to find her."

"It's okay. Yumi is fine," Ian assured her. "Stephan carried her to the infirmary. She's still in shock, otherwise, she's unharmed."

"Was she attacked to? How did you know we were here?"

"She was but Stephan was able to protect her I think. I saw Yumi walking outside past curfew so I followed her." Ian looked at Lira's eyes and said almost sounding apologetically, "I had no choice, Lira. I have to inform someone. I was worried. I told Miss Amara and she notified the slayers on patrol duty. I was adamant to go with them, so I tagged along. When we saw Yumi, we heard you scream. I'm sorry Lira; I didn't know you were here as well."

Lira wiped the tears out of her face. "Yeah, I know. I'm in big trouble. I should have informed the head mistress or any teacher instead of rushing after Yumi myself."

"You were reckless, but with good intentions."

"I'm not the reckless one; it is usually Mari who acts recklessly. I'm the sensible one, remember?" she joked.

"Well, you become reckless whenever your friends are involved." Ian gave her a small smile as they went out of the woods. "Lira, I need to tell you something. But it can wait in the morning. Right now, you too need to go to the infirmary. You have a nasty gash on your ankle."

Lira gave a small nod and limp her way towards the infirmary with Ian assisting her.

The kind nurse Jane wrapped a bandage around Lira's ankle and promised she would be just fine. She thanked Nurse Jane, and Ian helped her walk towards Yumi on the opposite bed. Yumi was still unconscious. Other than a few minor scratches, Yumi was unscathed. Matt still remained unconscious, lying on the bed across from them. White curtains were around Matt's bed, thoroughly concealing him from the rest. There were bustles of activities behind the curtain. She spied a doctor and two nurses making their way towards Matt's bed, and an agitated Miss Amara followed.

Clara suddenly burst inside the infirmary, attempting to move past the white curtain but was blocked by the head msitress. Clara threw her arms around Miss Amara and started sobbing. Miss Amara patted her back and led her to sit on the chair near Lira.

Mari came in next, looking tired and worried at the same time. "Lira, what happened? Are you okay?" she asked, hugging her friend tightly.

"I'm fine. And so is Yumi. She's just sleeping for now. How did you know we're here?"

"We we're all asked to gather in the great hall after Clara was attacked in her room," Mari explained.

Lira looked at Clara, who nodded to affirm what Mari had said. Ian went beside Clara and handed her a glass of water.

"I don't know what it was," Clara explained. "It looked like a vampire only it was rotting and more sinister. I managed to escape and alarmed the slayers."

"What exactly happened to you Lira?" Mari asked.

Lira recounted the events, starting from following Yumi into the woods and the attack. She left the tiny bit of information to herself about her deal with Nicholas. She was not ready to confide it to her friends yet.

"It's weird, isn't it?" Mari said. "Clara was the only one attacked in the dorm. And you said they were dragging Matt away with them. I'm not an investigator or anything but it looks to me they were targeting Clara and Matt."

Clara appeared shaken with Mari's deduction. "That could be one thing. I'm just surprised they were able to get passed the walls of the academy considering several slayers were on patrol day and night."

"Remember the one you told us before Mari? About the body they found in the woods?" Lira asked. "Do you think there is a connection? The victim was a student in the academy as well. They could be targeting students in the academy by random."

"That's possible. I'm not certain though," Mari answered.

Their discussion was interrupted by Miss Amara who advised them to return to the Great hall until it was safe for them to go to their dorms.

Their classes in the morning were suspended to give the students time to take a rest from the early morning ordeals. During breakfast, Ian asked Lira to meet with him in the garden. He said he needed to inform Lira about something important. Lira agreed to meet with him later. After breakfast, Lira visited Yumi in the infirmary and found her sitting on her bed.

"Nurse Jane said I am free to go," Yumi said. "I'm sorry Lira. Mari told me what happened when she visited me earlier. You were harmed because of me."

"No silly. You'd do the same for me."

Matt was still unconscious. The white curtain was already removed, and Lira approached Matt's bed to check him. He was covered with bandages on his arms, legs, and even on his neck. There was a small vertical suture from the left side of his temple running down almost near his ear. That's going to leave a scar, Lira thought. A blood bag was hanging from a stand, with tubing connected to a cannula on Matt's hand, giving him the needed transfusion. She leaned towards him and whispered, "You will be okay Matt. I promised." She gave his hand a squeeze and left the infirmary with Yumi.

An hour before lunch, Lira went to the garden to meet with Ian. She found Ian standing near the fountain, deep in thoughts. As she approached him, Ian removed his beanie, fell on one knee and placed his right fist over his heart.

"Ian, what are you doing? Stand up!" Lira said, surprised with Ian's odd behavior.