The Immortalized Heart (Book 2 Original version)

Kira sat atop of a crane over a skyscraper and observed the London Branches' Headquarters. It was a nice view and with how high her core temperature became the cold did not bother her. Ever since becoming whatever she is (the people of Octave have called her a Demi-human) nothing has been right or wrong. She has abilities that far surpass her human ones, yet is plagued by the thirst for blood. Her emotions have become confusing and gone haywire, but can see things clearer than before. Nothing, but one contradiction after the next.

Kira found it easier to disintegrate the pills in water or some other beverage, but the effects of the tablets seemed spread out therefore it was better to deal with the bitter taste. Its getting dangerous. It hasn't been half a year and yet the amount of tablets has leaped to almost a dozen when she's injured and hardly less than that just to keep her thirst in check. Kira realizes in all her preaching, all her doubt of having nothing left she forgot the only family she's had thru all this--brother.

He's an Investigator, a hunter of 'all' vampires whether good or bad. Just because they exist they have to be killed? She did not understand the feeling of pity, of sorrow for a kind--both humans and vampires. Because she was neither, she could protect both and regardless of 'what' they are its 'who' they are that concerns her now. After her visit with Elisabeth, Kira began to doubt once again her way of life. Eona did not seem like she was lying either and there have been multiple attempt to connect a call from another unknown number, but Kira has ignored them all. She could not face them yet, whatever the reason was she couldn't face Eona right now.

Either by the hand of a vampire or metal of a hunter 'someone' killed or had Emily ordered killed and it was a manner of finding out who and why. For this reason Kira had yet to see her brother again, if he knew what she had become then they would end up on opposite sides of the field if they hadn't already.

She wanted to see him, wanted to talk to her brother yet was a coward to own up to the fact she has neglected him till now. What right has she to face him, yet she has none to decide if he wants to see her or not. Kira smiled lightly, she'd probably get a lecture and hit on the head for disappearing. I want to see him...before anything else happens. Its already started and sooner or later Kira knows that her life will end, even if it means by her own hands.

Jumping from the crane and landing on her feet was a rush--no injury, no breaking; sometimes these powers are rather handy. She landed in an ally, too fast for anyone to notice and concealed in shadow there was no need to fear normal people seeing. Every Association Headquarters has detectors, modern and seal-cast, that keep out vampires, but with being Demi-human...they may not catch her. Kira entered the building, so far so good; approached the front desk and greeted the woman.

"I'm looking for a certain Investigator, my brother Ian Daiz, I think is assigned here."

She took his name, looked up the information and called him down. Ian rushed down and ran into Kira, lifting her up and taking any air out of her lungs. He cried out, very unprofessional, but Kira didn't care, her brother was still alive still the same and she would forever be grateful for that. He gave her a visitor's pass and took her towards the detector--imminently Kira saw a seal-crest and held her breath; no alarm sounded.

Up the tower Ian brought the both to the staff cafeteria where they ate. Kira kept her tablets in her coat, having consumed a decent amount before entering she would have an issue with neither eating normal food nor removing her shades with the fear of her eye changing. Just like back then they sat together, laughed and drank tea. I miss this.

"How's Emily?"

Kira sipped her tea and watched the steam rise from her cup, "We aren't together anymore, we separated a few months ago." Ian breathed a sigh of relief, how much Kira would hate him if he was driven to kill her girlfriend, but that is the world they live in now. No doubt if he knew what really happened he would try to protect her, yet Kira knew she would be forced to run again or worse.

The conversation turned to bad taste, revolving around the fighting and how its turned to an all-out blood bath. Kira listened quietly and did not put too much of her opinion because it would have started an argument.

"What happened to you after the Senate?" Ian leaned back when folding his arms across his chest, "You just disappeared and I couldn't go to the Nation because Marcus called off all relations."

He feared the worst, but expected the best. His sister explained she ran away, fearing for their lives Emily and her escaped making their way to London. Since then Kira's been wondering around, school is over next week, and after that efforts to find work. Of course these were half-truths, but what can you expect from someone who's always afraid. Its a matter of staying low, Ian is grateful that Kira is away from their influence from her control, but as he sees her a year after... she was in a way hollow. The Demi-human finished her tea and leaned back in her chair.

"Have you seen her since then? The queen I mean."

Kira shook her head, "I Facetime-d her a couple months ago, that's about it."

Brother thought she was setting herself up to get killed. Why run away just to go back? She has no training, no reason for her to risk her life! Then again being beside vampires all her life, maybe she's only happy that way. Kira's been with humans for a full year, its no surprise if she's having problems adjusting still. Everyday these two got together and talked, but once night fell Kira became elusive as she engaged in jobs for Octave, nothing major just blood runs and information gathering.

The mask Mr.Hei had created for her was useful, it was armored, yet made of cloth--the design was not to her taste; it covered over her nose and mouth, stretching like some ninja mask, with the bottom part a black skeleton with jagged teeth and a white base. The staff at Octave joked around calling her the 'living grim' because she was fierce in a fight (though never won) yet was too kind to kill anyone.

"How are things with your brother?"

Kira caught a bottle of water while recovering from John's training. Triss sat beside her, leaning against the catacomb wall. The Demi-human popped tablets like candy, a sign that her thirst for blood, someone's blood, was growing. Her body may even reject the tablets in the future which would force Kira to make a very difficult choice.

"He's good, but when I brought him lunch and he was all depressed--guess some of his coworkers were killed yesterday."

Triss giggled at Kira's own depression, why pity people you don't know? They were insignificant humans who blindly hunt vampires for no reason other than they exist--never taking into account that what they do is no different than humans. Those who herd cattle hate being cattle themselves, such hypocrisy. You would never see Triss pity the hunters, at least the ones who have no will of their own. People like this brother of Kira's and Kira herself (when she was human) who coexisted with vampires and acknowledged their superiority without fear, they were the ones who should be allowed to exist.

It would be better if humans were raised like Kira, to fear the power then be accepted by it--raised by it until at last having the choice to embrace or reject it. It seemed so simple, but humans are not that simple--its in their nature to destroy what they fear and take anything that could destroy their enemies and use it.

Ian noticed his sister wearing shades, in this cloudy weather it was strange of her. Dammit, I was in such a rush I forgot my tablets at home! There was no thirst, but at the slight scent of fresh blood she knew her eye would change. 'Brother you may not believe me, but I'm not human.' 'If I'm not human, does that mean you'll have to kill me?' 'Would you kill me?' 'Could I kill you?' So many what-ifs swarmed her mind, leaving hardly enough room for the latter of things--in times of darkness its hard to see light, it maybe there, but its just harder to see.

"You should eat more." Ian slid his plate of sandwiches towards Kira then returned to typing on his laptop.

"You look a little pale, you ought to take better care of yourself; if you don't eat properly you'll get sick you know."

The sister giggled clicking her phone on at a message from Triss: 'Go to the Catacombs'. Kira calmly put away her phone and wrapped the sandwich, placing it within her bag.

"Work just told me to come in--duty calls I guess."

Kira took off quickly after, brother did not move, because he knew he would not be able to keep up with that speed.

She moved faster than sound, keeping to the rooftops and pulling up her mask as she slipped into the sewers retracing her steps to the catacombs. As far away from brother as possible; he cannot know, cannot be involved; Kira owes him that much--protect him, even from afar.

John met her first, leading her to a previously unknown section of the combs farther underground, to a very ill-lit room (not that her eyes had a difficulty seeing). John threw Kira a set of black clothes and ordered her to dress. After, she was lead to a set of chairs--by now they must be at least a mile down, finally arriving in a room full of 'Syndicate' vampires. She knows this because each of them wore a mask and Kira didn't not recognize Triss under the dog-like mask until her scent was right on top of her.

It was a meeting--with the increased movement of the Association the time of gorilla warfare is soon to end. The Nation began to move as well, Kira knew this, but what she saw next made her heart stop. Catherine stood before them clear as day--giving her ever-so familiar grin of accomplishment and sinister appetite for destruction. The Demi-human bared her fangs and stepped forward. That day... Catherine's mask was on the pedestal and clearly visible--the exact one who she threw across the room for trying to stop Kira after she degraded into a Ghoul.

She lead on to, when talking to the three of them outside, just before the attack when Kira sensed the coming danger something inside her became hostile, driving her to step forward. You were never with the Nation. Triss grabbed her arm, keeping her from progressing further. Not now, the Demi-human could not risk attacking, blindly, in a room full of trained vampires. Catherine made direct eye contact with Kira whose evil eye broke the shadow of the room. Quite a bloodlust she has, even from across the room the vampire can sense a very dark aura--she could poke the bear a bit more, but why poke it when she could do so much more later?

Syndicate plans on attacking London's side branch; seizing all AVWs, killing every investigator, and destroying any moral to rise against them from here onward. Brother! Kira vanished, Triss called her here to give her a chance, a chance to protect her brother, or to kelp him out of the way. Faster. She would attack him as a vampire, distracting him until the attack was over or wounding him so he would not die.