Cross Academy…A private school run under Headmaster Kaien Cross. There, classes are held two times everyday: once during the day, and the other at night. The day class consists of those ordinary honor students whose parents were able to get them in. The night class is formed of many elite, extremely good-looking students. So…what makes those in the day class different from the night? The answer is simple: The night class is formed of vampires. "Vampires?" you may say. "Yeah, right. Vampires don't exist!" Well…you're wrong. They do exist and they go to school just like everyone else. At least, the ones from Cross Academy do. So have I gotten you to believe yet? "But…aren't vampires nothing but blood-thirsty monsters?" you may ask. The answer is yes…and no. There are many classes of vampires. The first would be the A Class purebloods: the highest, most feared level of vampires. They run everything and everyone under them, using the lower class members to sometimes do their dirty work. The second level would be the B class nobles. They serve under the purebloods and have special powers, usually the power to control an element. After them, you have ordinary vampires in the C Class and vampires in the D Class that were once human, but were saved from becoming an E Class. Finally, there are E class vampires. E class vampires are the worst kind that you could ever get involved with. They are those that were human at one point but soon lost all sense of reason and deteriorated into nothing but a blood thirsty monster. "So does every human bitten by a vampire turn into one themselves?" That answer is no. You see, you can only turn into a vampire yourself if you are bitten by a pureblood vampire. Of course, if you are bitten by a pureblood, you could just as easily die than turn into a vampire. Then again, I'm sure you would rather choose death. The slow, aching process of turning into a vampire messes with the mind. Over time, a person's thirst for blood becomes greater and greater until finally they can't control it anymore. The bloodlust takes over and they attack any human that they wish. But those are the bad vampires. There are good ones too; and those are the ones that attend Cross Academy.

Chapter 1:

Keiko Mie sat in her room and looked out the window. Her shoulder length, reddish-brown hair fell over her face, covering her bright blue eyes. Those eyes were now full of despair. Just yesterday, she had gotten the news that her family had been attacked by a Level E vampire. Keiko had been at a friend's house preparing for exams, when the phone call came. She rushed home as fast as she could only to be greeted by a group of professional vampire hunters. She had stared down at the motionless, bloody bodies of her family with tears streaming down her cheeks. The pile of ashes next to her, the remains of the attacker, floated away as a sudden wind blew. One of the hunters knelt down beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Your family?" he asked. Keiko just nodded. The hunter looked back at his companions then helped Keiko onto her feet. "Let's get you inside."

The inside was hardly a comfort. A few of the windows were broken, family belongings were scattered everywhere. An attack was obvious. Here and there large puddles of blood stained the cream-colored carpet a deep red. The hunter helped the girl up the stairs and down the hall to a closed door. Keiko recognized the sign on the door and realized it was her room. The hunter opened the door and set her down on her bed. "You going to be okay?" he asked. Keiko stared down at the floor. "Do you want to stay here by yourself?" No answer. The hunter turned around and left the room and soon, Keiko heard the front door close. Her family was gone and now she had nowhere to go. This house was blood-stained, destroyed, and brought horrible flashbacks into her mind. What was a poor sixteen year old girl like her to do?

Keiko was dragged out of her thoughts by the sound of the doorbell. She lifted her head wearily and stared out her door. She hadn't moved from the spot on her bed for more than 24 hours since the hunter brought her here. The continuous ringing of the doorbell finally stirred her to stand up on her shaky legs and answer the door.

Outside, a girl with brown hair and eyes stood with a guy with silver hair and violet eyes. The girl rang the doorbell one more time before turning to her companion. "I guess she's not home."

"Or maybe she's just tired of hearing the doorbell ring over and over and over…"

"Shut up, Zero!" the girl countered. "You're so mean! What if she's hurt? Or worse! What if she's—"she was cut off as the doorknob rattled and the door opened slowly.

Keiko peeked out of the door and stared at the visitors. "Can I help you?" she asked softly.

"Hi!" the girl greeted. "I'm Yuuki Cross and this is Zero Kiryu. We'd like to talk to you if that's okay."

Keiko looked behind her at the disaster of a house then turned back and shrugged. "If you want. Just please excuse the mess."

Yuuki and Zero followed Keiko though the house dodging pieces of glass and debris. Zero bent down and picked up a piece of glass in a puddle of blood. "This is definitely the place," he said to Yuuki who nodded.

"E-excuse me," Yuuki called to Keiko. Keiko stopped and stared at the floor. "You're Keiko Mie, right?"

Keiko turned around and stared at Yuuki with a look of suspicion. "Why?"

"I take that as a yes," Zero interrupted before Yuuki could answer. "Come with us…now."

"You could be a little nicer, Zero! After all, her whole family was killed by a Level E vampire."

Keiko stiffened and glared at Yuuki. "How do you know that?"

Yuuki looked back at Keiko warmly. "Keiko, we'd like you to come with us. If you do…then we can tell you everything."

Keiko looked at Yuuki with a remnant of suspicion in her eyes. She had never met these people in her life, yet they knew her name. Keiko sighed and looked at the mess around her. "What have I got to lose?" she responded.

***

The three arrived at Cross Academy a few minutes later. The school was like a huge castle-like building with smaller complexes diagonal from it on the left and right. Zero and Yuuki led Keiko into the school, down hallways, and up stairs until they came to the headmaster's office. Yuuki smiled at Keiko as Zero knocked on the door.

"Come in!" someone beckoned in a sing-song voice.

Zero opened the door and glared at the man sitting behind the desk. "Do you always have to act like that?"

The headmaster giggled then looked over at Keiko. "I see you found her. Hello, Keiko," he greeted as he held out a hand to her. "I'm Headmaster Kaien Cross, nice to meet you." Kaien Cross was a man about in his early thirties with long, blond hair pulled back in a ponytail and glasses over his bright light brown eyes. He wore a very colorful scarf around his neck that trailed over his white dress shirt. Keiko looked down at the outstretched hand in front of her then turned her head to the side.

Headmaster Cross lowered his hand then laid his head in his palms. "Keiko, the reason I have had my daughter and her boyfriend bring you here, is because I have a proposition to make."

Keiko looked up and stared into the man's green eyes. "A…proposition?" she repeated softly.

Kaien nodded. "I heard about your family and I was wondering if you would like to stay here with me and attend Cross Academy."

"Why are you so interested in me?" Keiko asked him.

Kaien looked down at his desk as Yuuki and Zero looked to the side. "Both of those children behind you," he explained. "Were both victims of a vampire attack."

Keiko gasped and turned around to face the two people who had brought her in. "You…too?"

Yuuki nodded. "Zero's family was killed by a vampire just like yours. I don't remember my family that well," she gave Kaien a quick, warning look, "but when I was five I was attacked, too. I was saved by Kaname-senpai and he brought me to Headmaster Cross who adopted me."

Keiko looked back at Kaien with a look of sorrow. "My baby brother was killed," she sniffed, as tears gathered in her eyes. "He was only five. He didn't deserve to die the way he did." She stopped and looked down at the ground. "And…my parents…I miss them already," she sobbed. "So…I'll stay…I have no one else to turn to."

Kaien smiled and stood up. "Keiko, you'll be well cared for here, I promise." He then walked over and hugged the trembling girl.

Yuuki smiled and nudged Zero. "We're going, Dad!" she said as she waved to the headmaster.

The man's eyes lit up excitedly. "You call me 'Dad' now!" he exclaimed. "All right be good kids! I'll see you later!" Yuuki waved and Zero raised a hand in farewell as the two walked out of the room.

Kaien turned back to Keiko. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

Yuuki walked hand in hand with Zero as they walked out of the gates of the school. "It's been a while since we were last here, huh, Zero?"

"Yeah," Zero replied, looking up at the sky. "Four months since we moved out of the school. But…" he looked down, troubled.

"What's wrong, Zero?"

"I've been getting that urge, again. It happened when we went to get Keiko and I saw the blood."

'That's right,' Yuuki thought. 'Zero was bitten by a pureblood vampire and now he's one, too.' "Look on the bright side," she said, jumping in front of him. "At least you don't have to worry about becoming a Level E anymore!"

Zero smiled. "That's right. I don't." And with that he took Yuuki's hand and they continued on their way.

Keiko stood in the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She had just taken a shower and put on some clothes that the headmaster had given her. Although, the clothes consisted of nothing more than a T-shirt that was way too big for her and a pair of underwear that he had managed to snag out of what used to be Yuuki's dorm room. Tomorrow she was to start school as a Cross Academy Day Class student. She sighed and opened the door to walk out of the bathroom. As she did, she bumped into someone who was walking down the hall. "Oh, sorry," she apologized.

"It's fine," the person replied.

Keiko looked up to see a guy with dark brown hair and eyes that seemed to have a touch of red in them. Keiko recognized his uniform as being that of the Night Class. "Are you…in the Night Class?" she asked.

The boy nodded. "Kaname Kuran at your service," he replied.

"Uh…" Keiko stammered. "I…I have to go to my room."

Kaname looked down at her with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Good night," he said as he watched her go down the hall.

Keiko blushed as she opened the door to the headmaster's guest bedroom. Kaien had told her that she could have this room as long as she promised to eat all the food he cooked for her and make her bed everyday. That wasn't so hard considering she was starved from not eating for two days and the fact that she used to make her bed everyday anyway when she lived with her family. Keiko walked over to the bed and flopped down on it. 'Kaname Kuran…' she thought as she closed her eyes. 'Why does that name sound so familiar?' "Oh yeah!" she said, flicking her eyes open. "That's the guy who saved Yuuki-san. I wonder if I'll ever meet him again." And with that thought in mind, Keiko rolled over on her side and went to sleep.

Meanwhile, Kaname reached Headmaster Cross's office and walked in.

"Don't you ever knock anymore?" Kaien asked him with a sigh.

"Who's the girl?" Kaname asked distractedly.

"Hm?" Kaien looked up at him. "You mean you're interested already? That was Keiko Mie. Her family was killed by a E class vampire."

Kaname frowned and turned to the headmaster. "Why didn't I know about this?"

"I thought you would have," Kaien told him, genuinely confused. "You being a high and mighty pureblooded vampire after all."

Kaname clenched his fist. "Is she…?"

Kaien shook his head. "No, she's a human. She'll be attending the Day classes tomorrow."

"I see," Kaname said, deep in thought. "Oh, do you think you could get another prefect? We're having problems transferring from Moon Dorm to our classes."

"I'm trying, Kaname," Kaien told him with a disappointed sigh. "But you know, I can't just send anybody. Nobody knows about you and the Night Class being all vampires. Or the existence of vampires period!"

Kaname was silent for a moment. "What about Keiko?"

Kaien looked up at him. "I can't do that. She wouldn't be ready."

Kaname's eyes glowed red. "I can help with that," he said before walking out of the office.

Kaien raised a frustrated eyebrow. "Kaname…"