Pain wracked my body, and I screamed. My limbs convulsed with pain, jerking and twitching. My eye snapped open, and I gasped for breath. Oh God, the pain!

I flipped over onto my front, clawing at the sheets. It felt like thousands, millions of tiny creatures were gnawing away inside me, twisting me and relishing in the pain they inflicted. In a sense, it was true. My DNA structure itself was changing. I was becoming a vampire.

"Hold him down," I heard someone say, and two hands pressed down on my shoulders, pinning me to the bed. Kurogane. I writhed away, my face contorting into a snarl. It was his fault, all of it! If he could have just let me die...

I clawed upwards, latching onto the sleeves of his shirt. My body convulsed again, and another scream tore from my lips. This pain! And it was all Kurogane's fault. He was the one who had paid my price, taking Kamui's blood and his own and forcing me to drink it. Forcing me to become a vampire. Forcing me to live.

I could still taste the few drops of their blood in my mouth. I hadn't swallowed it yet. I wanted to spit it out, to get rid of it and reverse this transformation. But it was far too late for that already. Shaking, I forced myself to swallow the blood.

Another wave of pain struck me, but at this time I didn't have breath in my lungs left to scream. I whimpered slightly, digging my fingers into Kurogane's arm. My nails punched through fabric and skin, and I felt blood blossom up beneath my fingers. I didn't really care; I was almost glad. Kurogane was the one who had caused me this unbearable pain; anything I could inflict wouldn't even equal half the damage I felt in my very bones.

"Hold the princess!" I thought I heard Kurogane say. A weight moved off the end of the bed. Sakura. Oh, if I had any reason to stay in the world it would have been her. She was such a good kid, like Syaoran was. Had been? It was his fault that I had lain here, dying, while Kurogane made a deal with Yûko for my life. He had stolen half my magic, ripping my left eye out for his own. If only Kurogane would have let me die. My magic would have died with me, and things wouldn't have been left in this state.

Through the thick haze of pain I could hear them talking about me. That I would continue to live. That now, with the result of the vampire blood within me, I would need nourishment in the form of another's blood. That, because of the witch's deal, the only blood I could drink would be Kurogane's.

Vaguely, I heard Yûko mention that, if my left eye was returned, I could be myself again. I almost laughed but only a dry, rasping cough escaped me. It would have been better if she hadn't told them. If they thought I would remain like this forever.

Slowly, the pain began to recede. I released Kurogane, supporting myself on shaky arms. Panting, I titled my head back so I could gaze at him. His red eyes were as hard and cold as ever, but when I looked at him I saw a strange emotion flicker within them. Could it have been pity?

I'll never forgive you, I thought. I never can. Not now. Not after...

His face blurred and dissolved, and I let myself fall into the blackness.