Epilogue

"I'm sorry that it had to come down to this," a vampire hunter said softly, kneeling down to put flowers on a grave. He had been in the graveyard for the past hour, paying his respects. "I just hope that you will be able to forgive me for everything."

"I didn't expect you to come here, Keitaro" a voice said from behind the boy. Keitaro glanced over his shoulder to see his father come up. "Why would you be here?"

"I'm paying my last respects for the dead," Keitaro said softly. "What are you doing here, Father?"

Hotaru smiled softly. "Yukio may have hated me, but he was still my son. Besides, I've been looking for you for the past week, Keitaro."

"Still wanting to kill your only son?" Keitaro asked standing up.

"On the contrary, I wanted to ask you to come back to the organization. We all wanted to thank you for putting a stop to this senseless vampire war..."

"You don't even know what you're talking about, Father!" Keitaro yelled, turning to face his father with anger in his eyes. "Instead of thanking me, you should be thanking Kanon Usui. She's the one who prevented this war, not me! All you cared about was killing her! She has done so much in so little time and you don't even care about her!"

Hotaru took a step back, surprised that Keitaro was talking to him in such a tone. But he could sense a lot of emotion in Keitaro. It wasn't like his son to be like this. Something had changed and even Hotaru noticed it.

"I'm sorry, Son," Hotaru said. "Is there any way to make it up to you?"

"You could start by apologizing to the Maaka family. Your company has put them through so much hell, it's the least you could do."

"I'm sure I could work things out," Hotaru said, "but it appears that you are the only person left who knows where the Maaka clan lives."

"And it's going to stay that way," Keitaro confirmed. "Just give them the peace they want."

"I do have to wonder, what happened back there with Kanon at the elder house? Why are you the only one who still remembers the Maaka clan?"

Keitaro was silent as he stared down at the grave stone. "Because I kept my promise. I brought Kanon back to her family where she belongs. I haven't seen them in a week. They didn't wipe my memory like everyone else, but the barrier was sealed from me."

"It sounds like they trust you, Son," Hotaru said, proud of his son. "You must have done a lot for them."

"I didn't do enough," Keitaro said softly, thinking of Kanon. "I have to go."

Keitaro grabbed his things and started to walk off. Hotaru stopped him. "Where are you planning to go now, Son? Are you going to go back into hiding?"

"No point," Keitaro said. "I've got a very important date today, Father. I'll be back tomorrow. We'll talk again then."

Keitaro wasn't in the slightest bit surprised that Hotaru didn't hate him for killing Yukio. At least Keitaro did the honors of giving Yukio a proper burial and giving him the respects he deserved. But the young hunter didn't have any sorrow for what he did to Yukio. And as far as Hotaru was concerned, he never cared about any of his children. It was obvious that he never cared about Yukio and this just made things more noticeable.

As soon as Keitaro was out of sight from his father, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his little pink cellphone. It had been a week since Keitaro had held Kanon in his arms and told the dying girl how he felt about her. The memory still brought tears to Keitaro's eyes when he thought about that. But this cellphone was the only memory he had left of Kanon. That was why he still kept the cellphone.

Earlier today, Keitaro had gotten a phone call from none other than Anju. He was so surprised that she was actually calling him. All she said that it was time. Ever since that quick phone call, Keitaro had been waiting with very little patience for the sun to go down. Now it was slowly getting closer to dusk. The vampire hunter made his way to the Maaka mansion.

The Maakas had been silent ever since the ceremony of blood. They hardly were able to say thank you to Keitaro before putting up the barrier around their house. He couldn't blame them seeing as what happened to Karin's daughter. He knew hard it had to be for little Anju to tell the entire family what was happening. But now, the barrier had been lifted and Keitaro was finally going back.

As Keitaro crossed over the Maaka barrier, he started to think back to that night a week ago. He had sat in the elder house with hundreds of vampires around him, only caring about one thing. In his arms, he held the body of the only girl that made Keitaro happy to live. This was the first time that Keitaro could ever remember crying. He knew that this day would come, he just never wanted it to. Now that it did, he couldn't hold back the tears.

"Let's go home," Keitaro whispered in the young girls ears, even though she could no longer hear him.

Even though Kanon was drenched in her own blood, the vampire hunter picked her up and carried her. Even though her heart had stopped beating, Keitaro held her with so much delicacy. He was in a slight state of delirium, refusing to believe that she was gone. But when he tried to leave the room with her body, the elder vampire stepped in front of the door.

"Move out of the way," Keitaro said, not even looking him in the eyes.

"What do you think your doing, Keitaro?" the elder asked. "You break in during such an event then try to walk out with the Pushuke?"

"You got what you what you wanted," Keitaro said softly. "Let me take the girl."

"I can't let you do that. The Pushuke is going to be buried with honors."

"Don't you dare act like you care about Kanon," he said angrily. "You never cared about her. None of you did. All she was to you was a carrier for the blood that you cared so much for. She has a family who actually cares about her. Now I'm going to take her to her family, and there is nothing you can say that will stop me."

"Don't try starting fights. It's not wise."

"I'm not the one starting fights here, Elder," he snapped back. "Get out of my way and you can return to your stupid ceremony of blood."

The elder vampire didn't move at first, and it really got on Keitaro's nerves. If he hadn't been holding Kanon in his arms he would pull out a gun and forced his way out. There were many vampires close by staring at him as if he were their greatest enemy. He didn't care. Either he was leaving with Kanon or he wasn't leaving at all.

"I know what you are thinking, Keitaro," the elder said. He stepped towards the vampire hunter and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Nothing will stop you."

"I'd die for her," Keitaro said.

"Then take her to her family and give them the message that they will no longer be targeted by the vampire clans as long as they come back to the meetings."
With that, the elder vampire walked up to the center stage, allowing Keitaro to leave with Kanon in his arms. The boy didn't stick around and left the building quickly. He was slightly surprised that the vampires were letting him go so easily. But they weren't there to start fights. Not in such a place. But he could sense a lot of malice within the blood of the vampires.

It angered him so much to think that the vampires had so little care for Kanon. Anju had been right. They would treat her like a queen up until the moment that she gave them the blood that they wanted. Then they tossed her aside. Keitaro knew that she wasn't going to be buried with honors. The vampire race was not the kind that would do things like that.

"You did a good thing though, Kanon," Keitaro said as he left the elder house. "Your family would be proud of you."
As soon as Keitaro got far enough from the elder house he sat down at tree at the edge of the forest. It had been some very nerve-racking minutes walking in silence with the body of Kanon. He was on the verge of tears again. In his heart, he had hoped that Kanon would awaken. But it had been almost five minutes since Kanon's heart had ceased its beating and Keitaro had to anticipate the worst. In his mind he felt like it was all his fault.

Kanon, Keitaro though, if I would have never met you, you would still be alive. You'd be at home right now with your mother and father. None of this would have happened.

With much struggle, Keitaro pulled out his cellphone and sent a text message to Anju, telling her that he had Kanon with him and he was on his way back home now. He didn't have the ability to tell the girl that her niece was no longer alive. She probably already knew anyways.

Once Keitaro was done, he put his phone back into his pocket and picked Kanon back up, holding her like a sleeping child. Her head was resting on his shoulder and he had his hand on her soft back. She was still as beautiful as the day he first saw her. It made him almost cry again.

"Kanon," he said, talking to her again, hoping that she could hear her, "I always knew that you were special. Not just because you were the Pushuke, but because you were able to stay strong. There is nobody else out there that is brave enough to do what you just did back at the elder house. So you can't be dead, Kanon. Because if there is a god out there, he would see just how special you are, and save you."

Keitaro hated the world at this moment. He hated the vampires for taking Kanon's blood for selfish reasons. He hated his brother for playing him like a doll for so long. He hated Cross Organization for forcing him to go after the Maaka family. But most of all, he hated himself for never doing anything about it. He was so angry, that even the headache from his half-vampire self, didn't bother him in the slightest.

Badump

Keitaro stopped walking for a moment. He was about to cross through the elder barrier when he felt it. At first he thought that maybe he had imagined it. He had been holding Kanon's body so close to him that he could have sworn that he felt movement within the young girl.

Badump

There it was again. Keitaro was sure he felt it this time. As week as it had been, Keitaro half-vampire ears could pick up a faint heartbeat within Kanon's body. His eyes went wide with shock. Kanon wasn't dead yet. By the third heartbeat he knew for sure that her heart was beating. It was then when he realized why.

I have always been a pain for Kanon, Keitaro thought as he sat down with Kanon. With all the anger built up in me over the years, I have always been a pain for young Kanon's blood. Her heart is reacting to my blood. All my anger. Could it be that her blood is increasing.

Badump

This time the heartbeat was slightly stronger. It was still no more than a murmur. But there was no doubt that her blood was increasing. What blood was left that is. With her body being so close to his, she must have gotten a good scent of his blood. Over the past weeks, his anger had caused her so much pain. Now, it was trying to save her.

But even with her body reacting to his anger, it would never be enough. Keitaro knew all too well this was true. He knew exactly what he would have to do. Rolling up the sleeve of his jacket he looked down to Kanon.

You have sacrificed so much to save the dying vampire race, he thought. If there is a way to bring you back, I'm willing to make the sacrifice for you, Kanon. My blood has always been such a bother to you. But if I gave you my blood, maybe...just maybe.

With that thought, Keitaro reached into his jacket and pulled out a pocket knife. He didn't think about anything else before bringing the knife to his arm and cutting himself. The cut wasn't enough to do any permanent damage, but it did start bleeding a lot. Keitaro didn't know if it would work, but he held his bleeding arm to the mouth of the young half-vampire.

"Kanon, you are special," he said softly. "You aren't like the other Pushukes. As long as you drink blood, you'll be fine. If it will save you, take my blood. Please."

Keitaro used his free hand to elevate Kanon's little head as he held his bleeding arm to her mouth. He knew that his warm blood was draining down her throat. Deep within her body, he could hear her heart beating once every couple of seconds. But he couldn't tell if it was going to be enough. After a few moments of silence he started to tear up. It wasn't working.

Then, out of nowhere, he felt two fangs pierce his skin, making him almost jump. Kanon had just sunk both of her teeth deep into his arm at the spot where he was bleeding. Keitaro could feel Kanon drinking his blood. It was extremely painful but Keitaro didn't care. He held Kanon close to him and a single tear dripped from his eye.

"Kanon," he said softly. "I love you."

Keitaro didn't know if there was a god out there for vampires. But if there was, then he or she really did think Kanon was special enough. Keitaro knew that Kanon couldn't leave him. It made him so happy that she was still with him. It was a miracle in all ways. With each second that passed, and the more blood she drank, Keitaro could hear her heart beating a bit harder and more rapid. He could even feel her steady breaths.

The next thing that the hunter knew, he could feel the venom attacking his nerves. Even a person as strong as himself could not fight back the poison. Keitaro passed out with the girl he loved in his arms. He never knew if Kanon ever truly came back. But as he fell asleep, he remembered thinking that what he had done was finally something right in his short life. He prayed to whatever gods there were, hoping that Kanon would be safe for him.

When Keitaro had awoken, he was in the hotel room with nothing more than a note beside him. He had been passed out for almost a day and the sun was shining in the room. At first he wondered if everything was a dream until he saw the note that Anju had left for him. It told him that she found Keitaro and Kanon at the edge of the vampire barrier. She had brought Keitaro back to the hotel then left with Kanon.

I don't know how, but Little Niece is still alive, the note said. Her heart is beating very softly but she may just survive. I'm taking her home to the rest of the family. Don't try coming after her. Our barrier won't be open to you. Just be happy that we let you have your memory. Thank you for everything.

The note may not have been the happiest or the best thing, but hearing that Kanon's heart was beating again made the young vampire hunter smile. It had been a week since that note, and Keitaro thought that this may be the last time he ever saw Kanon. Every night, he walked around Tokyo, hoping that he would see Kanon out. But he never did. It might have been for the best, though. If Kanon managed to survive, he wanted her to be happy. That meant that he would keep his distance from her for her sake.

But when Keitaro got the call from Anju saying that it was time to return to the barrier, he felt his heart skip a beat. He knew what this meant. As he neared the Maaka mansion after over a week of being away, he looked down at the scar on his arm from the two fang marks that Kanon had left him with. Kanon was a special girl. He knew deep down, that she would be alright.

The door opened slowly after Keitaro's second knock. Anju was the one who answered. When he saw her, he held his breath. She looked him over with a slight smile in her eyes.

"You've changed, Hunter," Anju said in a sly tone. "She's woke up just a few hours ago and has been waiting to see you ever since. She's in her room right now."

"She's okay then?" Keitaro asked softly.

Anju nodded slightly. "Go ask her yourself."

Anju stepped out of the vampire hunter's way, allowing him to enter the house. Keitaro was hesitant at first. He was slow as he walked into the dark house and went up the stairs to the room that he knew was hers. The door was already opened by a crack. The light was on in the room. Taking a deep breath, Keitaro opened the door to the room.

There she was, as beautiful as ever, sitting under the covers in her bed. The color had returned to the young girls face and Keitaro almost lost all bearing when he saw her. When she saw him at the door, tears came to her eyes as she smiled.

"Keitaro," was all she said, smiling.

Keitaro didn't wait any longer and ran up to the girl, hugging her, allowing the tears stream from his eyes. He couldn't believe that she was actually still alive. If this was a dream, he never wanted to awaken from it. But this was reality. A reality that he never wanted to leave from.

"Kanon," he said through the tears, "I'm sorry for everything."

Kanon responded by doing something that he did not expect. She brought herself closer to Keitaro and kissed him. At first he was surprised, but then he closed his eyes and returned the kiss. His heart was still in his chest as he kissed the girl he loved ever so passionately.

"I love you, Keitaro," Kanon said, breaking the kiss.

"I love you, too, Kanon Usui," Keitaro said, before kissing her again.

Ever since Keitaro had known Kanon, he didn't think that he was the right person for her. With his horrible past, he wondered if this was the way things should be. But as he kissed this girl for a second time, he realize the truth. It didn't matter. All he knew was that he wanted to be with this girl for the rest of his life, protecting her.

When they broke the kiss, Keitaro looked deeply into the eyes of the girl. He reached up and wiped the tears out of her red eyes. She was still as beautiful as the first day he saw her.

"You know," Keitaro said softly, "I still ain't going to let you call me Kei."

Kanon laughed weakly before hugging the boy she loved ever so tightly.

Thank you for everyone who read this story. I've never been so certain about something like I am of this story. Thank you to everyone for helping me with ideas and thanks to Kagesaki. I just hope that he would think this story did Karin justice. Ever since I read the ending of Chibi Vampire, I wanted to continue the story. If you managed to read all of this please please please review. I would really appreciate it. It took a lot of time and work to do this story so I'd like a review.