Free Vampire Hunter D Volume 13: Twin-Shadowed Knight Parts 1 and 2

distorted like that, he was still gorgeous.
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    III
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    Less than two minutes later, a gray dome came into view to the right up ahead.
    There it is, Mia thought fuzzily. Her heat-wracked body had been drained of emotion. Her skin ached as if it were on fire. Her field of view was bleached white. The sunlight was becoming a scorching implement of death.
    Their horses side by side, they reached the dome. As the girl joyfully slipped out of the saddle, she looked at D. His gorgeous form was in the process of slowly falling over.
    â€œD!”
    While Mia raced over to where he’d fallen to the ground, she could feel her own consciousness slipping away. Collapsing on top of D, the fortuneteller’s daughter fainted. Sunlight ruthlessly roasted her body.
    A powerful chill spread from Mia’s forehead, and she opened her eyes. D’s left hand was resting on her brow.
    â€œCan you . . . move?” D asked, still lying on his back.
    â€œYeah, sort of. You helped me, didn’t you?”
    â€œRight now, you’re in a better condition to do something than me. Open the door.”
    He must’ve meant the dark abode.
    â€œOkay,” Mia said, nodding as she got up and turned around—only to be dumbfounded.
    â€œIt’s not there!”
    She couldn’t have been unconscious for more than a few seconds. But even if she’d been out for an hour, it would’ve been impossible for such a thing to happen. The austere gray structure had vanished completely, and a valley strung with oddly shaped rocks filled Mia’s view.
    â€œThat’s impossible . . .”
    â€œYou’re . . . hallucinating,” D said.
    â€œHallucinating?” Mia rubbed her eyes, but the new scenery showed no signs of changing.
    â€œIf any creature but a Noble . . . comes near it . . . the defense systems come into play . . . The valley is an illusion.”
    â€œBut a minute ago the dome was—”
    â€œBecause . . . you were . . . with me.”
    When D fell, it had recognized that Mia was a mere human.
    â€œThe dome is . . . right there. Try to touch it.”
    An incredulous look on her face, Mia extended her right hand. She didn’t feel anything. The area was just empty space. Her senses told her so.
    â€œLooks like the effect extends to her consciousness.”
    At the sound of a hoarse voice completely unlike D’s, Mia looked in surprise in the direction from which it’d come, but D’s left hand simply lay on the ground.
    â€œThere’s no way a human could get one of the Nobility’s buildings open, D!”
    The voice seemed to be trying to rouse the Hunter, and it sounded for all the world as if it came from the palm of his left hand.
    Before a powerful curiosity about confirming this could burst free, D ordered her, “Take my left hand off at the wrist.”
    â€œWhat?” Mia exclaimed, her eyes bugging quite understandably.
    However, before her surprise could become a refusal, D said, “If we don’t do something . . . both of us will bake out here. Unbutton my coat.” His tone was overpowering and would brook no insubordination. And though that was part of the reason Mia complied, she was also listening to the words ringing in her ears.
    â€œBoth of us will bake out here.” That can’t happen. I won’t let it. Have to do something. Must save D.
    Once she’d undone the buttons, he told her, “My sword’s to your left. Use that.”
    A glistening black hilt protruded from a well-worn scabbard. The hilt had a carving of coiled ivy wrapped around it. As she pulled it free, the steely blade let her know it had the weight of a man’s weapon. How did the gorgeous youth swing such a hefty blade?
    Her legs wobbled.
    â€œHurry up and make the cut . . . Don’t have much time.”
    â€œBut what good will cutting it off do?”
    There was no answer.
    D’s eyes were closed. She was staring at him in spite