"I think there are some people here," Mum pushed a gate open. "But it'll be fine. As long as you don't hit anyone, they can't throw you out or anything."

"But they hate vampires," I protested weakly. "I'm pretty sure if they saw me shooting, I'll be their target."

"I'm here remember," Mum dragged me outside. "If they try anything stupid, I can report them."

"What if they figure out I'm a Level D?"

"They won't."

"I guess."

"We can take the target at the end," Mum marched confidently down the strip of green to the right. "If it makes you feel any better."

"It doesn't," I mumbled, all too aware that every hunter in the range had stopped shooting, and were scrutinising me with suspicious eyes. My vampire-like presence stuck out like a beam of light. Even if I was still somewhat human, my vampire DNA would no doubt be much higher, and the hunters still thought I was a Level C. It's strange. I lived as a vampire for all these years, I thought I was a vampire.

Does that mean I can stay in the Day Class?

"Here's a bow," Mum handed me a curved wooden bow. I hadn't brought my silver one, since it would attract too much attention, and I could do perfectly fine with a normal one.

"The target's 75m away. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," I nodded. Yagari had trained me to shoot up to 150m. I just had to aim higher when it was further away anyway.

Drawing back the string, I stared at the brown and white target in the distance, once red and white, but faded from dust and age.

Releasing the string, my eyes couldn't keep up with the arrow as it streaked through the air, flying towards the target. With a thump that floated to my ears, the arrow embedded itself into the target, a little way to the right of it.

"I'm a bit rusty," I admitted. "It's been a while since I last practised." I could picture Yagari hollering to me about my shot. How I should have checked the wind before, and I should have been more careful.

"It was a good shot," Mum dismissed the fact that I missed the bullseye. "Try again." With a nod, I picked up another arrow, fitting it onto the string carefully.

Drawing back again, this time, I kept my sense alert for the wind. It was blowing slightly, only a small breeze that tickled the back of my neck occasionally, but a breeze nevertheless. Slowly, I aimed slightly towards the direction of the breeze. In this case, it was coming from my left, so I pivoted the bow slightly, to aim more to the left. 

I'm pretty sure I did everything I had to. I think. Well, I guess I can only wait and see. Releasing the string, I watched as the arrow flicked out through the air, headed towards the target. This time, it landed on the left again, but slightly closer to the bullseye. Slightly.

"Did you forget everything I taught you?" The voice made me jump, and turning around, I saw Yagari leaning against the wall behind me, arms folded. "A snail can go faster than the speed at which you fired that arrow."

I flushed slightly. I knew I had been taking a while, feeling for the wind and all, but really? Mum was nowhere in sight. She must have gone off somewhere. Why wasn't she there when I needed her the most? Now Yagari was going to chew my head off.

"Let's refresh your memory," Yagari picked up another bow. "Watch and remember." Nocking the arrow into the string, he set the bow upright, facing the target.

"A good archer should always have an idea about that wind," he said, his eye narrowing on the target. "Even you should have a feeling of which way the wind is coming from."

"You should have a feeling where the arrow is going to end up," he continued, pulling back on the string. "Naturally, the tighter the bowstring is, the straighter the arrow will fly. So keep that in mind."

"Aim," he stood, posed, and ready to fire. "Then fire." The arrow twanged off the string, heading towards the target. With a thump, the arrow hit the centre of the target. Bullseye.

An appreciative murmur rose from the other hunters on the range who had seen Yagari's demonstration. He offered them all a brief nod at them, while I looked on. Turning to me, he held out the bow.

"Maybe that demonstration helped you remember." With a mutter of thanks, I took the bow, reaching for another arrow.

Nocking the arrow, I brought the bow up, my arms tensing. Check for the wind. Draw back. Remember what the arrow's path of flight should look like. Straight or curved? In between actually. Whatever, just go with it, I reminded myself. Aim. Then fire.

Once again, the arrow flew out in a brown streak, landing on the target neatly, right beside Yagari's arrow.

"Better?" I couldn't help asking. That'll show him. Yagari's expression said otherwise.

"How long did you take to fire that?" He consulted an imaginary watch. "Oh, I don't know, probably enough time to give me grey hairs."

I opened my mouth to protest, but Mum popped into view, making me shut my mouth just as quickly.

"Oh, Yagari, you're here." Yes, he's here, I thought miserably. And he's come to make my life a living hell.

"Is she working to your expectations?" Ahhhh, Yagari. Do. Not. Say. Anything. Bad. Or I will shoot with this bow and arrow.

"Not perfect yet," Yagari replied easily. "But she is getting to a 'better than mediocre' level."

"Better than mediocre level?" I couldn't help blurting out. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Search it up," Yagari replied, before Mum could respond. "You still need to work on your speed. The rate at which you fire an arrow is slow. Your targets aren't going to wait for you to finish aiming." That's all very well for him to say. What if I wasn't planning on going on a shooting spree anytime soon?

"Okay, go collect those arrows," Yagari gestured to the target out on the field. "I'll try help you shoot faster." With a silent huff, I marched off onto the shooting range. Why? I wasn't in the mood to shoot anymore. Unless I was shooting a certain someone. That would be nice. I hope me and Mum leave for the picnic soon. And she better not invite Yagari either.

Reaching out to one of the arrows embedded in the target, I gripped it, twisting and pulling out the wooden shaft. In a sudden moment, I sensed something behind me, and ducked. An arrow flew right over my head, crashing into the target in front of me.

"Hey!" Mum's furious yell carried across the archery range. "What was that for?" I turned around, seeing a hunter lower his bow. Clearly he had been aiming for me.

"You could have killed her!" Mum looked like she's on the verge of cutting out that guy's throat with Aquarius.

"But I didn't," the ginger-headed hunter raised his hands in protest, a cocky smile tweeking his lips. "It was an accident, that's all."

"Accident my foot," Mum retorted hotly. "I know you can shoot better than that, Akiya. You were aiming for her on purpose." Akiya snorted in contempt.

"I told you, I missed. It was an accident, fluke, mistake, whatever you want to call it." He looked too smug to call it an accident. I'm pretty sure that if it was an accident, he would be on his knees apologising.

"You," Mum hissed her eyes narrowing. She reached for Aquarius and, unsheathing her with a ring, marched over to Akiya, Aquarius flashing in the sun.

"Getting violent are we?" Akiya raised an eyebrow, making no move to defend himself whatsoever. "You know that it is uncalled for. As I said, it was-"

"Shut up," Mum snarled, reaching Akiya. Bringing the sword up, she held it at his throat, her eyes blazing with anger. "Apologise and never try that again. Maybe I might forgive you." 

"Whoa," Akiya raised his hands again, taking a step back. "Even if I did kill her, it wouldn't have made a difference. The council isn't really going to care about a Level C. As long as she's not a pureblood or aristocrat, no one's going to care. It'll be one less vampire in the world." Even as he said that I felt anger engulf me.

"Bastard!" Mum raised Aquarius, ready to slice his head off. Before she could actually touch him though, Yagari had grabbed her by the wrist, one arm hooked around her waist. Muttering something into her ear, he pulled her away from Akiya, releasing her.

"I'll let it pass and believe it was an accident," Yagari addressed Akiya coldly. "But if you ever try that stunt again, I will report it to the president. The vampire council will care, trust me, if you begin killing vampires which are not on the execution list, or are not Level Es." Akiya still looked overconfident, but a touch of fear showed in his eyes. Maybe it was the look on Mum's face when she was about to kill him. Or maybe it's Yagari's tone. Or maybe it's both.

"Saki," Yagari called to me. "Come on, I think we should leave now." I nodded hastily. That seemed like a good idea. Yanking out the other three arrows in the target, I ran back to the firing stations and dropped the arros into the quiver. Running after Yagari and Mum, I cast a glance at Akiya. He was talking to a couple of other hunters, throwing grim looks in my direction.

Ignore them, I told myself, trying to ignore the pricking feeling in my back. They just don't like vampires. That's all. 

But despite that, I couldn't shake off the feeling that it extended to way beyond that.