Chapter 33

"Don't be afraid! She's just not used to the scent of human blood yet!"

I scooted further away from the pair with my injured arm cradled in my lap, "W-What!"

Ino covered her nose and mouth with a hand and winced as she spoke in a raspy voice, "Everyone was heading out to rescue you and I refused to be left behind."

Before I could respond, another familiar face appeared from around the corner behind them. Both my and Madara's eyes widened when they met, but I swiftly averted my gaze back to my sister as I struggled to my feet, trying to put the fact that she'd already been turned into a vampire in the back of my mind until a more proper time to discuss it arose, "You really meant everyone..."

Beastlike screams began echoing through the halls and all of us jumped slightly. My heartbeat quickened. They sounded eerily close to what I'd heard when Obito wasn't in control of his body. Vampires were likely fighting somewhere in this damaged building. Sasuke might even be one of them.

Wracking my memory, I tried to remember the path Kabuto had taken me the day Karin and Tayuya tortured me, "I think Sasuke's cell is this way, follow me!"

The three new arrivals suddenly bristled and looked behind me, making me swiftly turn to see what had them on edge. To my unfortunate surprise, it wasn't the Uchiha prince sprinting toward us, but a crazed looking Tayuya.

A disgusting and terrifying snarl gurgled out of her throat as she lunged toward me, but someone wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me backward. Before I could be moved away, she was right in front of me and I didn't dare blink as she raised both of her hands with the intent to claw at me. Blood splattered across my face and body instead of pain. It took a few seconds for the scene before me to register, but I eventually realized a fist had shot right through her stomach and froze her in place barely a foot in front of where I stood.

My knees nearly gave out from under me once more, but whoever's arm was around my waist tightened and my body naturally leaned against them to stay upright as I watched Tayuya continue to fight. The woman didn't give up. Instead, she let out a deafening scream and grabbed onto the hand before pulling it further through her chest. I realized it was Obito who'd landed what should've been a fatal hit and was pulled away from them as he struggled to free his arm from the woman's rib cage. She shoved her body against him until they hit the wall and he winced when she sank her sharp fangs into his wrist.

Frantically, I looked back to see it was Madara keeping me upright and fought to free myself so I could assist Obito in any way I could, but he wouldn't let go despite refusing to look away from the fight in front of us. I sensed Sai move forward, but something dark flashed through the hall and suddenly Tayuya's head was on the cracked ground nearby. My limbs shook in disbelief as I realized two things. One: Sasuke had arrived and had been the one to decapitate the woman, and two: Tayuya's body was still fighting.

Sasuke didn't hesitate for even a moment and brutally tore the heart from her very chest, causing her body to finally stop moving. Obito slipped his arm out of the large hole he'd created and I fought the urge to be sick at the amount of gore I just experienced.

The Uchiha prince turned to face us and tears rose to my eyes as Madara finally let me go and I was able to rush toward him. In the back of my mind, I realized Naruto and Hinata had finally caught up with us and were lucky enough not to have witnessed a beheading. Another explosion rocked the floor under our feet and Sasuke swiftly met me halfway and wrapped an arm around me to make sure I was stable.

We didn't have time to cherish our reunion because Madara interrupted in a serious voice, "The building's going to collapse soon. We need to move."

Everyone turned and started to follow him and I briefly wondered why he'd even come. He's tried multiple times to either injure or kill me and I'd be surprised if he cared about his nephew. It was inevitably a question for later.

Sasuke and I paused so we would bring up the rear of the group. His eyes were dark and full of rage, but it was like he was refusing to lay them on me. I held onto his arm slightly when he moved to follow the group and he turned swiftly to glance down the hall behind us with narrowed eyes. I opened my mouth to speak, only to notice the glint of something quickly flying toward us from behind him.

My reflexes had me pulling his arm to try and keep him from being hit, but he shocked me by shoving me down to the ground. After just barely catching myself from banging my head against the floor like I had way too often lately, I turned to see a scalpel protruding from his stomach. A choked sound of terror came from my throat, but Sasuke shot away in the direction the knife had come from quicker than my eyes could capture. My ears were ringing and I was struggling to stay conscious with the amount of stress my mind and body were withstanding, yet I still somehow found the energy to try and follow the prince.

Another explosion shook the entire building and the floor finally gave way beneath my feet.

Things went black for a bit, but when I snapped back to reality, I was in extreme pain and felt an unimaginable amount of fatigue. My vision was foggy as I looked around to assess my surroundings. Rubble, debree, and dead bodies littered the area around me in droves. I searched the corpses and let out a sigh of relief when none of them appeared to be Sasuke. My lungs stung as I panted heavily, trying to breath through the pain.

Closing my eyes tightly, I took a few moments to mentally prepare myself before reopening them and attempting to get up. A glaring pain erupted from my ankle and a ragged gasp struggled from my lips. When I looked down, I realized my ankle had been crushed between two pieces of the broken concrete flooring. A sense of hopelessness washed through me when I tried to move the smaller of the two pieces and couldn't even come close to making it budge.

Tears rose in my eyes and sweat dripped down the side of my forehead as I desperately punched the concrete, only to wince at the pain it caused my knuckles, "Move, damn it!"

My breathing was only becoming more unstable because of all the dust in the air, not to mention the trauma my body was going through, but I still fought to stay clear-headed. My fingers shook as I angrily wiped at my tears and tried again to free my foot, only to receive the same result.

Slow footsteps suddenly met my ears and I crouched as low as possible to the ground, head jerking into the direction of the sound so I could assess the danger. Instead of another attacker approaching, I gasped in shock when Sasuke's battered form met my eyes. He spoke my name in an unbelievably weak and raspy voice and I tried to go to him, only to cry out in pain when my ankle couldn't move.

Through winced eyes, I looked up to see that the prince was struggling to reach me and had his arm wrapped around his torso, but I could see that an unbelievable amount of blood had already been spilled from the injury he'd received there. I tugged and tugged at my ankle, but it wouldn't release so I had no choice but to simply reach for him with concern clear on my voice, "Are you okay?"

He barely made it to me before falling heavily onto one knee. His skin was caked with sweat, dirt, and blood, but he still looked just as handsome as the day I'd met him. Tears continued to fall steadily from my eyes as I frantically pushed his hair out of his face and searched his eyes, "Sasuke…"

His gaze danced unsteadily as he tried to hold mine, as though he was fighting to stay awake and I realized he must've been injured before he'd taken that scalpel to the stomach. Blood was continuing to drip over his arm. He wasn't healing. With widening eyes, I looked down at my injured arm in realization. Human blood helps vampires heal. If he fed on me, he'd live.

Without hesitation, I tried to pull him closer, "Drink."

His eyes widened and he shook his head, "You're already-"

I hit his chest with a fist, "Do it! Let me save you for once."

He seemed shocked into silence by my outburst and hesitated, but I hit his chest again, harder this time, "Please, Sasuke!"

He looked disgusted with himself, but gingerly leaned forward slightly to heal the wound on my arm as much as possible before starting to drink from me. I rested my forehead against his shoulder as he did, relieved I was finally able to pay back one of the many debts I owed him. My vision soon doubled, and then tripled, but I kept my mouth clenched shut.

I should've been terrified that I was steadily heading for death's door, but instead I felt warm inside. A happy and relieved feeling was spreading throughout my body. If I had enough energy to widen my eyes in realization, I would've.

I love him.

I love him despite the lies and danger I've encountered since our first meeting. Whether I live or not suddenly meant less than nothing if it means he'd get to live on.

My lips twitched, too weak to smile, at the irony.

Just a few months ago, I wouldn't have cared if he died. In fact, if I'd found out that one of the mysterious royal family members had died a tragic and painful death, I would've rejoiced that they'd gotten what was coming to them. In just a few months, my life completely changed. I, Sakura Haruno, have changed.

I love him more than life itself.

My mind finally gave in to the exhaustion, but I was content. Accepting death in his place was something I could now accept wholeheartedly. If I had been granted one last wish, though, it would've been to tell him how much I appreciated his efforts to keep me safe at the risk of his own detriment. I would've thanked him for letting me experience emotions like this in my lifetime.

I wish I could've told him out loud and to his face that I loved him at least once.