Daigo was prepared for what he had to do. Takako had said that she was glad when he had stabbed her. In death, her face had finally seemed at peace.
To the living dead, true death was salvation.
“Get him!” At Renta’s cry, the four shadows attacked.
For Daigo, who had been shot in the leg, there was no escape. Nevertheless, a white light made a beautiful arc at their feet.
Renta watched in horror as all four rolled over on the floor.
Their legs had been severed at the shins. Such was the precision of Daigo’s sword, thanks to his training in the Hoki school of swordsmanship. He had cut down the legs of four people—eight legs in all—with one precise swing of the sword.
Daigo rose to his feet, leaning against his sword. He rushed forward, dragging his left leg. But it was too late.
Renta was already in front of him, aiming the muzzle of the Colt at him.
“You’re very skilled. You’ve even made me see the art of the sword in a new way,” he said grimly. “But your demonstration merely gave me the time to reload my gun. Soon enough, they will forget this pain. Until then, don’t move. You won’t live much longer anyway, but you might as well prolong the inevitable for as long as you can.”
Daigo took a bold step forward. He could not passively allow his blood to be spilled; his samurai pride would not allow it. Even if he was shot dead, he would get off one last attack.
“Idiot.”
The hammer on the Colt was cocked.
In that single split second, which would decide his fate, the shutter doors made a thunderous noise as they came crashing down.
The blue glow of moonlight flooded the room.
Bathed in the glow was a black shadow, who carried in his arms another black shadow, dressed in a ball gown.
“Count Dracula!?”
“Chizuru-san!?”
Daigo could not understand why Dracula was holding Chizuru captive. Glaring at him, Daigo saw a terribly human smile come over the vampire’s face.
“So you have found this place at last. I can’t say that I am happy to see you here,” he said sentimentally. Noticing Daigo’s eyes fixed on Chizuru, he said, “Don’t worry. This young lady is still a lady. She looks like a woman I once used to know, you see.”
Daigo furrowed his brows. He sensed an undeniable loneliness in the count’s voice. Perhaps even this devil has had the experience of loving someone.
“At the same time, it is precisely for that reason I can barely restrain my desire to drink her blood.”
“Count Dracula,” Renta called out, bowing deferentially. “I will prepare your meal at once. But first I will kill this fool. Better yet, I will allow my family to feast on his blood.”
Without notice, the Niizuka people were kneeling at the count’s feet and bowing their heads to the ground.
“It was a mistake,” the count said, still holding Chizuru.
“What?” Renta furrowed his brows.
“It was a mistake to turn you into a night creature. This was all forbidden. In order for me to live in this country, you were not to make my existence public. There are scholars in every country. But once my existence is widely known, the entire country will turn against me. And even with my dark powers that would be troublesome. You have thoughtlessly disclosed this sworn secret. This looks like your own family. How many of them have you poisoned?”
“Begging your pardon, Count Dracula,” Renta began to protest, “I thought it would be to our advantage to increase our numbers even by a few. It would be easy to live in seclusion in this tiny country, but if you intend to conquer it, we require strength in numbers. I had thought to—”
Suddenly Chizuru came raining down. Instinctively sticking his blade in the tatami floor, Daigo caught her in his arms. A violent pain ran down his left leg, as he now supported the weight of two people. Even as he staggered, he heard Renta shriek.
Setting down Chizuru, he turned around.
The count’s right hand was clenched around Renta’s throat.
“C… Count—”
His tongue twitched as he gasped for breath.
“What I meant was this: in battle, numbers offer the greatest advantage. There is no mistaking that. But that rule does not hold with creatures of the night. And lowlifes should not be counted among them.”
“B-but—”
“And now, I shall disappear. But first, I must deal with them. Beginning with—this girl.”
Suddenly, the count hurled Renta at Akane, who was motionless, the whites of her eyes showing.
They were both sent tumbling across the tatami.
Akane’s eyes burned. The rosary had been torn off her neck when Renta had crashed into her.
Getting up slowly, she looked around and her eyes stopped on Daigo.
“So… you came for me, Daigo-sama …”
Daigo groaned inside. Although the voice belonged to a different girl, the monotone and chilling way she spoke, and the lust in her voice, was exactly the same way Takako had spoken.
Was it too late? Had Akane turned into a vampire?
“Count Dracula!” Daigo unleashed an angry shout at the giant man before him.
But Akane said something unexpected. “You cut off my beloved’s arm… you will pay.”
Daigo stared at Renta who still lay on the floor.
The count had not been the one to drink Akane’s blood. It had been Renta.
The realization hit Daigo.
When he had accompanied Akane to the count’s mansion, they had passed by a coach and driver. That had been Renta. He must have set his sights on Akane then— Then maybe…
The one who had sucked his mother’s blood had not been Dracula, but…?
As his mind raced from one thought to the next, the beautiful demoness was threatening him.
Daigo recognized the indescribable sadness in Akane’s eyes. He had known that she had feelings for him.
An unnaturally white hand, seemingly not of this world, reached out and wrapped itself around Daigo’s neck.
Her white face and bloodshot eyes and rose-colored lips drew closer.
“I hate you… you hateful man… but… I… love you… Before I became like this… I couldn’t tell you how I felt… but… as I am now… I love you… Daigo… more than anyone… If someone is going to… drink your blood… let it be me…”
Her lips parted, and the sharp fangs glared.
Daigo could feel her hot breath above the artery in his neck.
In that instant, Akane threw her head back without a sound.
“Akane-san!”
The dagger stuck in her back touched Daigo’s hand, which held her.
“You bastard!” Renta had gotten up and shouted, “I won’t let you. I won’t let the woman I love kiss anyone else but me. Perish! You shall perish!”
Still in Daigo’s arms, Akane raised her head. Perhaps her impending death had rid her body of the vampire’s curse; now she looked like the cheerful tomboy Daigo had known.
Tears welled up in her black eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
“Daigo-sama… I have always…”
Her body became suddenly heavy.
Daigo thought of his mother, Takako, and Akane.
All the people who loved him had died. How many more must die?
“Oh, we have more guests,” said the count.
Two shadows came in from the opening, which used to be closed before the count had kicked the shutter down. It was Kanô Jigorô and Saigô Shirô, each holding a lamp and crucifix in his hands.
Turning the light on the room, Jigorô asked, “Are you all right, Minazuki-kun?”
“Yes.” Daigo’s voice sounded empty, hardly cheered by the arrival of his two allies. “Sensei Kanô, what are you doing here?”
“We heard about the incident at Rokumeikan. When we returned to Shirô’s house, a young yakuza type delivered your note about the count.”
The incident at Rokumeikan?
A yakuza type?
Daigo turned and looked upon Tatsu’s dead body.
“Yes, when we were drinking.”
Right before they had set out for the Niizuka’s house, Tatsu had told them to wait and had gone to the table where a group of young yakuza sat. They seemed to know each other, so he must have given them the note. He hadn’t told Daigo, probably because he didn’t want to be seen as needing help.
Tatsu-san, thank you.
Daigo looked at the two men, who were both already poised for a fight.
“Sensei, Saigô-kun, Chizuru-san is safe. But Akane-san and Takako-san are dead. That man drank their blood,” Daigo said pointing at Renta.
“Don’t move!’ Renta threatened them with the Colt.
Having surveyed the scene, Jigorô now turned a cruel look toward the count.
“Look at what you have wrought,” Jigorô said to Dracula. “Do you plan to sow the seeds of tragedy wherever you go? Is this some new way of unifying the people, Count Dracula—no, General Vlad?”
Without answering, the count moved to the right.
“Huh?”
The gun had changed hands from Renta to the evil man.
Clenching his fist, the count had crushed the steel mass as if it were made of paper.