The Lost Prince's

Chapter 3 There is No Return Way (part 1)

I stepped out of the balcony. Can't sleep. Strangely enough, since I woke up in this room 3 days ago, I have not felt sleepy even though I did not sleep a bit. Something is different from my body. I turned to the room next to the one I occupied. The lights are still on. And vaguely I still hear the sound of typing a computer keyboard. Zero is not sleeping either. Vampires don't need to sleep like humans.

I snorted softly, grinning to myself. Does this mean I'm really going to be a vampire? It's unbelievable.

“What still hurts?”, asked Zero who I didn't realize was standing next to me.

Since when did he come out? I didn't hear his footsteps at all.

“Do vampires not need sleep?”

Next to Zero's eyebrows seemed to be moving slightly. “Hampir”

I don't know what that flat answer means. Hunter who chose to live with the vampire was indeed suspicious. But it felt, Zero was much more suspicious than them. I didn't even know where to start.

“Tomorrow we exchange rooms”, Zero said.  “I want my room. You occupy that there”

“I can room with Karen under”

“That's a bad idea. For now, you better keep your distance”

“Ha? Why should I keep my distance?”

“Subscribe only”

I rolled my eyeballs. This guy's amazingly pretentious apparently. Does he think I want to just follow? Whatever he thinks. But first I need information.

“You...why did you come to save us?”

“I've answered that question”, muttered flatly. Zero yawned a little, though he said vampires hardly need sleep like he needs a little sleep.

“Not that. Yesterday, Shine said that you were aware of the attack on Siverra before the hunter base. Does that mean you realized it from this place and came there? How can?”

“You heard it yes.. I smelled your blood at that time. So I went there”

“That's it?”, let me investigate.

Zero just nodded. His face remained emotionless. This time I saw the eyes of his eyes. I couldn't read his mind at all.Either he hid another motive or told the truth. But if it's honest then it doesn't seem like the situation is so good. Zero smelled my blood from here while Siverra was about 20km behind the woods behind this house. It is a monster called a vampire.

“Your body, does it still hurt?”, Zero asked a moment after we stood there without speaking.

“Not” I feel the stomach as I remember pierced by Vanblood's fingers. While checking it out shortly after coming to my senses, I was completely shocked. The wound disappeared without a trace. “What vampire can not die?”, I asked unknowingly.

“Mana maybe so. All living things die one day. We only have a longer life than human”

Thats odd. They didn't die when Dad's bullet hit them. I shot him too and it didn't hurt him. And the wound on my stomach…

“Your wounds healed my friend”, Zero said as if he could read my mind. It's back to evaporating. Then he turned back to the next room. I saw the inside of the room was a mess. And the smell of wet paint smelled from there.

It seems Zero prepared the room since yesterday. When morning came, he told me to move. Well, the room's been tidy. The paint is still a bit wet. The layout was exactly the same as Zero's room next door. A king-size bed next to a large window leads to the balcony. Table, chairs and a closet on one side of the room. Only the new paint color makes it different. Blue as the sky. My favorite color. Did Karen tell him? What is the purpose of doing this anyway? Rouse suspiction.

Geck! Tok!! I knocked on Karen's room door. Decided to sleep in the room with him.

“Kakak.?”, Karen opened the door, her eyes looking reddish. It seems he's going to sleep.

Without further ado, I burst into Karen's room. Check every corner of the room.

“What does sister do?”

“Nothing. Just checking something” Actually all day I checked the whole house. Every angle. Shine and Shane leave the house every 7am. So I can go into their room. The good news is, I didn't find any surveillance cameras or eavesdroppers. This house has excellent sound proof. Even with my sharp ears I could barely hear the conversation in a different space.

Karen yawned long. “So's not worried. They're good people kok”

“They are too weird”, I said. “Why try hunters and vampires together? Even if they work together, there is no need to stay in one house, right?”

“Kak Shine said they were friends so no problem”

“Friends?” He's gone mad, I swear in my heart. “I'm sure that Zero has a certain motive to stay here. Similarly when he brought us here”

“Kakak just keep prejudiced bad.”

“I'm just trying to realistic”, I said firmly. Karen's been acting weird ever since we lived here. “You yourself why are you so optimistic on all things?”

“I'm just tired”, Karen said. “After my talent appeared, almost every day I was haunted by visions. I see a lot of misfortunes that haven't happened yet. And it makes me filled with fear and worry every time”

I know it. He doesn't have to say it. “Now, don't you have nightmares anymore?”

“Still. But I won't scream in fear anymore. I want to face it with more courage” Karen smiled small, she climbed onto the bed. His eyes are no longer strong. “So you want to sleep here?”

I'm nodding.

“Open Kak Zero prepare room at..”.

“I don't intend to obey his words”

Karen chose not to comment and drowned herself under the covers. It only took him 5 minutes to fall asleep. I took a deep breath. I don't feel sleepy at all tonight. I don't like to admit it, but there is something different about me.

***

This morning Karen was busy cooking in the kitchen, Shine was already helping her. I think I should try to be friends with Shine and Shane if I want them to help me. The thing is, I'm not sure how to start. I seem to have been alone for too long.

“Does anything bother you?”, asked Shane. Sweat flowed from his forehead, dripping down his firm chin. He's just jogging.

“Yeah...many actually” So many I don't know where to start.

Shane sat on the ground in front of the side porch where I sat on his stairs. He straightened his legs and began to breathe slowly.

“Pelan-pelan course..”, he said. “If you have too many thoughts, just do it slowly”

“Maybe you're right”

Karen ran out to call us. “Breakfast is ready. Come eat, Kak”, take her with a bright smile.

Karen's behavior really surprised me. How could he smile so brightly after all the things that had befallen us. Not that the trauma was worse than mine. Karen bore more of the burden because she saw the massacre long before. But unexpectedly, Karen handled it well. Or maybe not. Karen was just trying to be tough. My brother is still too naive. He might not have noticed the danger before his eyes.

Zero joined at breakfast. This is my first time eating. Right too, ever since I woke up in Zero's room my appetite disappeared. I barely ate for days and didn't feel hungry or weak. Do vampires not need to eat? But seeing Zero eat I thought she would answer my questions like

preceding. ‘Vampire hardly need to eat’.

I was in charge of washing dishes after breakfast. Karen volunteered to help me.

“Karen, we have to go home”

Karen looked at me in surprise. “Go home? Can we go home?”

“Why not. We can go tonight also” While driving around the house I found there were two Karen cars and two motorcycles in the garage. All I need is a thin metal rod to unlock it.

“I mean, what can we do when we get home? There is nothing left in there”, Karen said. Tears began to accumulate in his eyes. “There is no place for us to go home”

“What are you saying? We have a home and also..” I took a stingy breath for no reason. “We may be looking”

Karen's hand washing dishes stopped for a moment. It seems he wants to restart things by throwing away our past. And I woke up from that dream. “If we don't come back, they will stop looking”.

“What do you mean? It's clear we should go back to kan”

I can't believe Zero heard our voices. Vampire hearing distances are much farther than humans. Cih, even though I don't want anyone to intervene right now.

“Zero, this is our problem. Don't interfere!”, I cried. It doesn't matter anymore that Shine and Shane can also hear.

“What is this?”, asked Shine.

“Key forced Karen home” Zero replied flatly.

Shine looked surprised and turned her field to where I and Karen were standing. Karen was still silent while finishing the dishes.

“You want to go home?”, asked Shine.

“Of course. I don't want to rely on no stranger” Ah, I shouldn't have said it.

I think they'll be offended or angry. But Shine laughed softly. I'm not sure of Shane's reaction, but Zero seems unaffected. His face was still expressionless.

“Hahaha..totally also”, Shine said. “Then let's be friends first. All three of us live here and there are plenty of empty rooms. We don't mind you guys staying”

“Why is that? Can't you also be involved in danger?”, I asked to investigate.

“Keyra, we are always involved danger”, said Shine casually. But there was seriousness behind his friendly voice.

Shane says, “We're vampire hunters. Killing vampires is our job”

Kill vampires, he said. “You may lose your life if Vanblood comes here”

“That is indeed the risk of this job right. After all, the goal of the hunter is to protect mankind from vampires. So protecting you is also our duty. You don't have to worry about it” Shine said.

“I..actually do not want to go home. I'm just too scared. I don't want to go back to a place where mom and dad are no more.” Karen slightly turned her face. It was as if he did not want others to see how much fear he was hiding. “Therefore...”.

Shine approached us. “Kan told you, it's okay. Protecting you indeed

our tasks”

It seemed that Shine's words managed to hold back Karen's barely rolling tears. Karen looked at Shine fixedly. I don't know what's wrong with his eyes. It was like telling a lot of things from eye to eye.

Either Shineb can be trusted or not, but the reason makes sense. Although still a little excessive. The problem was, Karen had clearly placed her full trust in him. Taking her away from here is getting more and more difficult. But, well, I thought I could go alone to see things in our house. I'm waiting for a chance when Shine and Shane go on a mission. Zero usually goes out of the house and goes into the forest every 5 p.m. My chance.

After making sure Zero wasn't around, I headed to the garage. Carrying two small iron bars in hand. I want to use one of the bikes here. But my steps suddenly stopped to realize there was someone else in the room. I looked at the black car across the room. My breathing was held back when Zero looked at me from the front window of the car. His face was still blank with no expression.

She.why is it there? He couldn't have waited for me…

“Naiklah”, said. “I inter”

Eh? Whatdoes thatmean? I put two small iron bars in my pants pocket. For now, the important thing is that my intentions are not caught. This place is not safe for Karen. I forcefully approached Zero's car, sitting in the front seat beside her. Zero directly started the engine and drove off without a word. We were quiet during the trip. To be honest, her always-empty face scared me. I never knew what was on his mind. While Zero seemed to always be able to read my mind.

I gasped when I saw the writing of the boundary of the city of Siverra that we just passed. Wait..how did he know?

“I can ask?”

Zero did not take his eyes off the streets. And it doesn't seem to care much what I say. “What?”

“What vampire can read minds?”

“Not”

“Then how do you know if I want to come here?”

“Viewable clear”

This guy, Zero, is really suspicious. I can't guess what he's thinking. I don't know what the purpose or motive is behind it. I'm not sure if he can be trusted either. We didn't say anything until we got to Siverra. Zero stopped his car next to a tall building located at the end of the road leading to my home complex. I put on a face mask, not sure if letting anyone recognize me was a good idea. Today I just want to check things out.

I got out of Zero's car. We walked into the white-gray house we had left. The police line is still the belm released from around the door of the house. I went around the fence, towards the backyard. My steps stopped in order to smell the still faint smell of blood left on the grass. Mother's blood. Zero who had been following me without a sound stopped. It seems he also smelled blood though the remnants of the terror seemed to have been cleaned.

“I'll be on guard here”, he said.

Zero stood beside the fence, staring at the crowded street. His face was flat with no expression, I couldn't read his mind. Well, it doesn't matter anyway I did want to come here alone.

I entered through the back door, had frozen again because of the smell of other blood smelled. It took me a long few seconds until I was able to step again, into the living room. My sweat suddenly poured out to see the room where our family had last gathered. I gulped, immediately turned around and went out past

back door. I forced my feet away from home before all the memories of that night of terror took hold of my head. Zero said nothing and followed me back around the compound.

Not only in my house, some other houses are also surrounded by police lines. And though faint there was still the smell of blood from inside those houses. Strange, there's a lot of gunshots in here and there. I didn't hear that much gunfire when we were attacked. Dad did shoot a few times and I think the cops did

we also shot our attackers. Zero took me back to the car.

“For a moment, I want to make sure something”, I said as Zero was about to start the engine.

Zero snorted then reached out to me a local newspaper. “I foundya”, he said while

start the engine and drive the car away from my house.

My eyes were fixed on the articles in the newspaper that Zero had found. The vampire attacks that took place last week made headlines. Only in the article mentioned the attacker is a group of******** instead of vampires.

“Why can it be like this.?”

“It is no good for humans to know the existence of vampires. So there's a group in charge of manipulating news”

I see, it was the group that made the shots all over the scene. Not just news, they falsify evidence. I went back to reading the newspaper and found the missing person's news. According to the news, two victims of the terror have not been found. Those two people are Karen and me. Police found the motorbike

the one I drove to run into the woods. They are still continuing the search because our family asked for it.

Karen ran up to me as soon as Zero and I got home. His face looked worried.

“Where are you guys?”, asked Shine. “Karen really worried”

“Maaf”, I said softly. Karen simply nodded with a faint smile. “I to Siverra”

Karen did not look surprised, even her eyes seemed shrouded in sadness hearing the name of the city of Siverra. “Then, how are things there?”

“It's calmed down, I guess. They made it a terrorist attack”

“Yah..it's Guardian work from the vampire” kingdom, Shane said. “Those in charge of keeping vampires secret in this world”

“Karen... they are still looking for us”.

Karen looked back at me. As if he didn't want to hear it at all.

“In my opinion, you have to go home”, I said. “They must all be worried about you, uncle Peter's family and the people at Nogart”

“But…. What about brother?”

I hate to admit this, but…. “I can't go back”

Karen did not seem to believe what she had just heard. So did Shane and Shine. And Zero actually adds to the murky atmosphere.

“I'll kill Key”

***