Dark Bloody Little Lily Volume 1

by Reverie'sAngel1

We all kno how Zero doesn't get Yuki OR a happy ending. so, as a Zero Kiryu fanatic, i made it so he does hav a happy ending. i made a new vampire knight story with a totally new main character & story. it does hav sum lines from the original story tho.

Dark Bloody Little Lily First Night: Love

"Are you drunk on the scent of blood vampires?" Zero said as he pointed the Bloody Rose at Aido's head.

"Zero, no!" Yuki yelled as Zero pulled the trigger. The bullet only missed Aido by a hair as it crashed into the tree behind them. Zero looked down and saw me holding onto him.

"Akane! What are you—?" Zero said as I looked up at him with my blue and red eyes.

"Stop this fighting! You're upsetting me and Yuki!" I said to him. Zero let down the gun as Kaname Kuran showed up and took Aido and Kain away. Zero grabbed Yuki's hand and tied his ribbon around her bleeding hand.

"Akane, would you please come with me to the Moon Dormitory. I must speak with you." Kaname requested of me. I nodded hesitantly and I stared at Zero and I could see the disappointment in his eyes. I turned and followed Kaname.

"This place... the smell of blood is all over here. I feel sick." I heard Zero say to Yuki.

As I walked into the courtyard to the Moon Dormitory, I saw all of the vampires staring at me with that deadly stare of theirs. Kaname could sense the uneasiness in my scent and he turned around and looked at me.

"Do not be afraid Akane-sama. We will not harm you." Kaname said to me as he grasped my arms.

"Sama? But aren't I four years younger than you?" I asked bewildered. Kaname stared at me with his deep red eyes.

"Yes, but you are our queen Akane-sama." Kaname said and knelt down before me. He kissed my hand and he stared back up at me. "It is an honor to be in the same grace as you my queen. And it would be an even greater honor to at least once taste your blood." Kaname said to me and my whole body shuddered as his lips grazed the palm of my hand. He was ready to bite me, but for some reason he stopped himself from doing so. He stood up and looked down at me. "I take it that Kiryu doesn't know yet." I stare up at him and then I nodded.

"And I never want him to know. Please, Kaname-senpai, do not tell Zero or Yuki. Especially Zero, I'm afraid if he knew that he'd hate me uncouthly." I said as I looked sadly at the ground. Kaname put his hands on my shoulders and I looked distraughtly up at him.

"Are you... in love with Kiryu, Akane-sama?" I nodded slowly and he smiled.

"Then I will not tell him. I know how much he loathes vampires', especially purebloods. And I'm sure he's worried about you." The gate to the moon dormitory opened and I saw Zero stand there before all of the Night Class with the Bloody Rose gun in his hand. "Go, my queen." Kaname said and I walked over to Zero. I was silent as we walked together to our dorms. I grasped onto Zero's arm and didn't let go. He looked at me and stopped. He put the Bloody Rose away and grasped both of my arms.

Akane, tell me everything that monster said to you. Did he threaten you? What did he do to you?" Zero questioned me. This was just like always. Whenever Kaname conversed with me, Zero always got so overprotective over me. I looked away from him.

"Nothing."

"Look at me when you say it, Akane." Zero ordered. I looked at him like he asked.

"He didn't do or say anything, okay?" I said rather coldly. He winced back because of my tone of voice. " I-I'm sorry Zero. I didn't mean to hurt you. I guess that I'm just tired. Let's go, okay?" I said and shook Zero's grasp off of me.

I walked into the headmaster's bathroom and took a shower. As I washed my dark purple hair, I couldn't help but think about Zero's face when I told him that nothing happened. He could see through my lie and I knew it. I then heard someone walk into the bathroom. I cracked the curtain and saw Zero standing in front of the mirror.

"Akane, if you need to come out of the shower, I'll close my eyes while you get dressed." Zero said as he looked away from the mirror and closed his silver eyes tightly. I grabbed my towel and started to dry myself off. I stared at him and heard his deep breathing come from his mouth. It was just like that night four years ago.

There was this vampire that had attacked Zero's family one night, because they were a family full of vampire hunters.

"Akane! Hide yourself!" Zero had told me as he locked me in his room's closet. I watched as the vampire killed Zero's family and I saw the vampire approach Zero. She had said something and left suddenly. I came out of hiding to help Zero up. He was so shocked and terrified that he wouldn't say a word, and he was covered in blood so much that I too was frightened. Nevertheless, I helped Zero walk and eventually Headmaster Cross had shown up and took us in.

"So, are you Zero's friend, Akane Sayuri, that I've heard so much about?" He had asked me as he approached us. I looked up at him and he saw that my eyes were completely different colors from each other. "I see, so you are the infamous heir of the Sayuri family. Does he know?" I shook my head confirming that he was referring Zero as he. "I see, make sure he doesn't, I'm afraid that he won't be too happy to know the truth." We had got in the car and I put my coat around Zero's bloody clothes.

"Zero, try to get some rest, why don't you?" I had said softly into his ear as I rested my head against Zero's arm. He didn't move or respond to me, but it was fine to just known that he was still alive and there with me. I fell asleep against Zero's arm and when we had arrived at the school, Headmaster Cross had us get us out of the car. He had approached a young girl with brown hair and eyes the same tint of red as mine.

"Yuki, this is Zero. A bad vampire killed his family. Help him get cleaned up."

"What about the girl?" Yuki had asked him.

"Have her help you clean him as well. She's a very good friend of Zero, her name is Akane Sayuri. I have to go run some errands, so you'll be by yourself for awhile."

The girl, Yuki, had led me and Zero to the bathroom to help clean the blood off of Zero's body. She had kept asking him if she could do this or that. I don't even think that she knew what Zero and I had just witnessed right before our eyes. I helped wipe the blood off of Zero's arms and after he was cleaned up, Yuki brought us a clean pair of clothes. I changed into them and helped Zero change into his. Yuki led us to a vacant room where we could sleep in. She closed the door and I turned the light on and stared at Zero who just stood there. I turned to lock the door and I finally heard Zero speak to me.

"Akane..." I turned around and looked at Zero's face. He had finally realized what had just happened and this must've brought the whole world down upon him. He had started to cry and I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around him so suddenly. I didn't really know what I was doing, but I felt that if I had let him go, he would've faded away, crumbling into a pile of lonely sand. "Mother... Father... brother... they're all gone..." Zero said softly into my ear.

I hugged him harder and held onto him tightly. "Don't worry Zero I won't let anything like that happen to you again. I swear it to you." I said into his ear and Zero held onto me tightly and didn't want to let go.

We were friends a few years before that had happened, but it's my most cherished memory of him. I won't let anyone else see that torn face of his, and that girl, Yuki, who says that she's his friend is in love with a vampire, Kaname. She knows that Zero hates vampires, and yet, she still hurts him by being nice to the vampires in the night class. It's despicable. I can't stand that girl. She makes me wretch so much, but Zero tries his hardest to always protect her. I don't get it.

I kept on staring at Zero's face as he kept his eyes closed.

"Are you done yet? I'm tired of standing here and waiting for you to get dressed." I didn't respond.

"Okay, I'm gonna count to five and open my eyes. One. Two. Three. Four. Fi--." I instantly wrapped my arms around Zero and held onto him tightly.

"Don't worry Zero I won't let anything like that happen to you again. I swear it to you." I repeated from my memory.

"What?" Zero said as he looked down at my towel wrapped body.

I looked up at him, almost in tears. "I'll never let anything like that to happen to you again Zero. Family does that for each other, right?" I asked as my tears fell down my cheek. Zero looked down at me with a shocked face on, but he soon held my head against his chest.

"Yes, Akane. That's what we do for each other." He said, understanding what I was talking about.

I'll never let you know, even if I have to leave you by yourself. I thought to myself as I held onto Zero.

I watched at Zero grasped Yuki's hands and as he licked her nape before his fangs sunk into Yuki's pale skin. I watched terrified as he took in her blood like a beast. Zero had turned into a vampire before my very eyes and I didn't understand why.

"Zero!" Yuki screamed.

Zero pulled away and Yuki put her hand over the blood that trickled down her neck. Zero looked at her with a hurt look on his face. "Yuki, I'm sorry."

What?! Zero is a vampire?! I thought to myself as I stared at my two fellow guardians. Tears started to fall from my eyes as I stared at the blood around Zero's mouth and on his hand.

"You have been reduced to a blood-thirsty beast, Zero Kiryu." I stared at Kaname as he walked up the stairs behind me. "Akane, Yuki, get behind me." Kaname said as he pushed us behind his back. We stared at Zero terrified at what might unfold before us. Then I heard Yuki gasp next to me and I knew why. Before Yuki could even move, I was already wrapped around Zero.

"No Kaname! Don't hurt Zero!" I shouted as I held myself against Zero. He looked down at me and his eyes widened as Yuki collapsed in Kaname's arms. Kaname held Yuki and stared angrily at Zero.

"You devoured her mercilessly. She can't even stand up. Was her blood so delicious?" He said and walked off.

I stared up at Zero with tears running wildly down my cheeks. "A-Akane?" Zero said softly to me, but I didn't want to listen. I ran away, scared to my bones. I must've hurt Zero by running away from him. I was just so frightened by him because it was just like what that vampire did to Zero four years ago. Has Zero been suffering all of these years, knowing that one day this might happen? If Zero hates all vampires, does this mean that he's hated himself too?

I ran to the Headmaster's room and closed the door violently. It had been about 12 hours since I witness Zero turn into a vampire, and I was still shaken.

"Ah, Akane. Just the girl I wanted to see. Come here my daughter." I stared at him like Zero always had when Headmaster Cross said that.

"I may have been raised by you, but that doesn't mean that I'm your daughter. I still have parents you know." I said to him angrily.

"Yes yes, I was only kidding. Anyways, would you please sit down? We would like to talk to you." He requested of me.

"We?" I asked as I walked by the chairs.

"Yes, we." Headmaster Cross said as Zero walked into the room from the other door. I gasped in shock and fear as the memories of last night flashed through my head. I started to run away from them and towards the door, but Zero grasped my hand before I could even reach the golden doorknob.

"Please, Akane. Do not run away from Zero. He needs to speak with you about something vital. And this is something that cannot be repeated to Yuki or anyone else. Understood." The Headmaster said to me as I stared at the door, frozen as Zero's grasp was held tightly on my hand.

"I understand, Headmaster." I answered and Zero's grasp loosened. He walked away and toward the Headmaster.

"Akane, please, would you face us?" Headmaster Cross requested. I turned around slowly with a sadness stricken across my face. I didn't look at Zero, I didn't want to... I didn't want to... cry... I put my hands over my eyes and the tears poured out of my eyes. Zero sat up from his seat and rushed over to me. "Akane, are you afraid of Zero? Afraid of vampires?" Headmaster Cross asked me. I shook my head.

"Then why the tears?"

I stared at him angrily as the tears flowed down my face. "Why?! Because I'm confused!! I don't know what to think right now, Zero is a vampire! This is all wrong!! How am I supposed to love a vampire that may kill me one day?!" I shouted and when I thought about it, I was shocked to find those words float through the air. Headmaster Cross stared at me with cold eyes and Zero let me go violently.

"I'm sorry I made you feel that way, Akane." Zero said coldly as he looked away from me.

"Zero I--."

"Zero, Akane, there is a matter that I must discuss with you." Headmaster Cross said to us. We turned to look at him, Zero infuriated and I in tears. "Akane, I want you and Zero to go into my bathroom and give Zero some of your blood." Zero looked at him furiously and he instantly slapped him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but this is the only way. Zero, you may not know this, but Akane Sayuri is the heir to a long lineage of pureblood vampires. Do you understand?" Zero looked at me in shock and I looked sadly at the ground.

"I-I'm sorry! Forgive me!" I said as I ran out of the room.

"Akane! Wait!" Headmaster Cross shouted after me but I didn't listen. I never wanted you to know Zero! For you would hate me because of it! I'm sorry! I thought as I ran away in tears. "Zero... do you hate her now?" Zero looked at Headmaster Cross and he didn't respond.

I was so hurt by this that I decided to leave the school and go back home to my parents. So I packed my things and called a cab to meet me at the school gates. As I was cleaning out my closet, I saw a picture of Zero, Yuki, and I on our first day of high school. I didn't want to leave Zero without saying good-bye, but since he knew that I was a vampire, he must hate me so. I left the picture lying on the floor. I grabbed my suitcase and walked out of the dorm. As I walked along the dirt path, it was silent out and it seemed that this is what eternity felt like. I heard footsteps approach quickly and I looked up surprised.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving this place, I don't belong here anymore. Excuse me." I said and walked past him. He grasped my arm and pulled me towards him. " Zero, what--!?"

"I can't stand to know that I've been close to a vampire all this time." Zero said as he pointed the Bloody Rose at my neck.

"Hey! Zero! Akane! Where are you?!" Yuki yelled, but she stopped as she saw us standing there with the gun to my neck.

"Akane, you and I have been with each other for a long time. But it was all a lie wasn't it?"

"Then... give a punishment to me... the one who has made a mistake... Zero..." I said softly. "If you can pull that trigger..." That comment suddenly made Zero's inside's curl. "What are you so surprised at? Is it because you can't shoot...?" Zero winced at me and he lowered the gun from my neck. He sighed sadly, it seemed.

"You're right... Vampire or not, you'll still be special to me. And I want you to stop me when I turn into a mad bloodthirsty beast."

"Zero..." I said softly and he wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly. "I promise that I'll stop you, Zero... when that time comes, I'll shoot you with the Bloody Rose..."

Second Night: Vampiric Kiss

"I'm angry Zero, Akane. You didn't tell me anything. Both of you are vampires?" Yuki said as we stood in front of the Headmaster's office.

"Vampire or not, you'll still be special to me. And I want you to stop me when I turn into a mad bloodthirsty beast."

"Listen Yuki, it's not easy to say it to those you care about." I said to her. Yuki looked away from me and at the door.

"Headmaster... we'd like to talk to you." Yuki said as she pulled us into his room. We stood in the doorway speechless as he looked at Zero and I with sparkles in his eyes.

"Good morning! You came at the perfect time. Look at this!" He said gleefully holding a pair of male and female night class uniforms in his hands. "It's a night class uniform for Kiryu and Sayuri! I wonder if it'll look good on you two." He exclaimed.

Then Zero and I instantly slapped him in unison, and we said at the same time, "I'm leaving!" Yuki grabbed both of us.

"Wait, Zero, Akane! Headmaster! You didn't have to step on that landmine!" Yuki exclaimed.

"Allow me to say it, at least. I'm the headmaster. It was a joke of course." He said as he rubbed his cheek. He smiled at us. "You two seem to be feeling better. So, Yuki, there was something you wanted to say?"

"Yes." Yuki started as she looked at Zero and I. "I know that Zero and Akane are both vampires, but I can't allow them to go to the night class."

"I agree, they are both the guardians of the school, and it would be strange if they both suddenly went to the night class simultaneously. It'd be like they were eloping together to the more beautiful side of the school." Zero slapped the Headmaster again in what seemed like embarrassment. "That was a joke of course, Zero. Akane didn't do anything, didn't you see that?" He pointed out. Zero looked at me and I giggled for the first time in a long while. We all got up to leave for class. "Oh, Akane, I meant to speak with you about something." Headmaster Cross said to me.

I looked at Zero and Yuki. "I'll tell you guys later. See you in class." I said to them and they walked away.

"Akane, you should speak with Kaname about staying in the day class. Since he and you are both very important leaders of the vampires."

"But I..." I really didn't want to go to the night class.

"You are the Vampire Queen. You are in an even higher position than Kaname Kuran is. You... are the first pureblood hybrid in history. You can resist the wanting of blood and you do not mind the sun. You also have powers so great that you could wipe out all of the vampires in an instant by poisoning their blood by thought. Akane, you belong with the vampires." I looked at him in disgust. "Just think about it, Akane." He said as I opened the door.

I looked at him and before I shut the door, I said, "I'll think about it," and I then left.

Night fell fast and the night class started to enter the doors to their classes. Kaname smiled his usual smile at Yuki, but as he passed by me, he stopped to talk to me.

"Akane-sama, the headmaster has requested a meeting with both of us at this very minute. Would you like to accompany me to his office?" Kaname said politely. I looked at Zero and of course, his face was angered just because Kaname was around.

"Just go Akane. But I expect you to return back to patrol along with Yuki and I. Got it?" Zero said to me and I smiled.

"Leave it to me! I won't miss a single second after Headmaster Cross is done talking to us." I said and walked with Kaname to the Headmaster's office.

"Akane-sama, about the other night, did Kiryu find out?" Kaname asked as we walked along the hall.

"Find out? About what?" I asked.

"About what you are truly. Did he find out?" Kaname asked worriedly. I stopped and he looked at me curiously. "Akane-sama?"

"I—I was surprised when he said that he didn't hate me for it, but..." I looked at Kaname. "But he's a vampire now! I'm afraid that he could one day suffer and become one of those level E vampires! I don't want him to end up that way!" I cried and Kaname walked towards me.

"That is the reason why we are going to visit the Headmaster. He knows what to do to save Zero." Kaname said to me. I looked up at him with my red and blue eyes.

"Really?"

"Yes, my queen. Now, let's go."

"Zero... why is it that you hate all vampires except for Akane?" Yuki asked as they watched over the night class. Zero looked at her angrily, it seemed.

"Why? It's because she was there to hate the pureblood that killed my family with me. She was always there... for me." Zero said softly to Yuki.

"Are you saying that you are in love with Akane, Zero?" Yuki said as she stood next to him and smiled. Zero stared down at her coldly.

"What's it to you?" Zero said and walked away from her.

"Hey! Don't walk away from me when we're talking about something important! Are you even listening?!" Yuki yelled at him.

"Kaname-sama walked away with that Akane girl. What is she to him?" Ruka said as she stared out the window at the bickering Yuki and Zero.

"Are you dense? Akane Sayuri is the queen of all vampires." Ichijo whispered into her ear and her eyes widened quickly.

"The... queen...?" Ruka repeated in shock.

"Headmaster, may we come in?" Kaname said through the door. He opened the door and we entered. "Headmaster, I would like to speak to you about Zero's current condition." Kaname said. The Headmaster turned around and stared at Kaname and I.

"Yes, yes, of course. I understand that you want him dead, because he is a threat, but Akane, on the other hand does not wish that to be so, do you Akane?" I stared at him; it was like he read my mind.

"Uh... um... yes, that is correct. Headmaster, if I may be so bold, but isn't there a way to turn Zero into a vampire without him becoming a level E vampire?" I asked. I had heard about turning a vampire that was once a human into a vampire that would not become that level E vampire. Instead, the beast would stay dormant, within them.

"Yes, Akane, there is a way that could be possible. But first there is one task that I would like you to accomplish before that happens. I want you to..."

"What's taking Kuran and Akane so long? It's been at least twenty minutes already." Zero complained. Yuki looked at him worriedly. She knew what was going to happen tonight. And she promised Akane that she wouldn't tell.

"Listen Yuki, there is something important that I must do tonight, and if Zero finds out, he'll stop me. Please keep this a secret." Akane had said to her.

"That's it, I'm going to go get her." Zero said and started to walk inside. Yuki flipped out and grasped his arm.

"No Zero! You can't go in there! I promised Akane!" Yuki yelled and Zero stopped and looked at her.

"Promised her what?" Zero said and Yuki looked up at him. Zero grew an angry face and rushed into the school.

The Headmaster locked the door to his office and he went into his bathroom to leave us alone.

"I want you to give Kaname some of your blood so that his and your blood can be given to Zero, okay Akane?" He had said to me. I didn't want Kaname to take in my blood, but to save Zero, I'd do anything.

"Akane-sama, are you ready?" Kaname said to me and I nodded as I sat against the wall of the room. He knelt down before me and brushed my hair back behind my ear. I shuddered and closed my eyes tightly, and Kaname looked at me with a worried expression. He held my chin up and I looked into his taunting blood red eyes. "You sure you want to do this now? You're shivering with fear." Kaname said to me, but I shook my head.

"No, I want to do this now, Kaname-senpai." He nodded and he licked the side of my nape. I shuddered from the sensation and then the next thing I could feel was the sharp fangs that sunk slowly into my neck. Everyone was right. If you heard the sound of Kaname taking in your blood... you'd be in ecstasy. I couldn't move, all I did was sat there and held onto Kaname's arms tightly. The door opened violently as he pulled away and my eyes widened as he stared down at us in shock. I looked away from him and said, "I'm sorry."

"Promised her what?"

I'm sorry Akane! "She and Kaname, she's gonna share her blood with Kaname-sama." Yuki admitted to Zero. Zero grew an angry face and rushed into the school. He ran down the hall quickly with worry and anger in his heart. The worry was for his friend and the anger was for the damned vampire that was devouring her at this very moment. Zero made it to the Headmaster's office, but when he went to open the door, it was locked. Zero then angrily kicked the door open and what he saw was blood on Kaname's mouth and Akane's neck covered in blood. She looked at him and then away.

"I'm sorry."

"Kiryu, you should leave now. You were not supposed to know about this." Kaname said as he helped me up off of the floor. He grabbed the towel that was on the desk and started to wipe away the blood on my neck. I stared up at Kaname, still entranced. Kaname told me to walk over to Zero, I did and all he could do was stare down at me. I was speech less and unmoved by Zero's presence.

Zero stared at the bite mark on my neck and his face grew distraught. He pulled out his Bloody Rose gun and my eyes widened instantly. "This time you devoured her mercilessly, vampire!" Zero said as he pointed the gun at Kaname's forehead.

"Don't do it Zero! I can explain everything, just don't harm him!" I yelled. The Headmaster heard the yelling and came out finally.

"Zero! What is the meaning of this?!" He exclaimed as he stood in the doorway of the bathroom.

"Stay out of this Akane! He has already robbed you of your blood! How can you just stand there and defend him?!" Zero said as he looked at me, pointing the Bloody Rose at Kaname still. I looked up at him with a firm face.

"He didn't rob me if I gave it to him willingly. I have a reason to have done so. If not, my neck would still be a virgin, untouched by anyone." I said and walked away from Zero. He put the gun down and stared at me in shock. I stood in the doorway and looked at him from behind. "Meet me in my room after patrol, Zero. Don't be late." I said and walked away and went back on duty.

"What did you do to her, Kuran?" Zero said and walked away as well.

I walked along the border of the school on patrol once again. I chose to watch the outer boundary of the school instead of being beside Zero's side as he and Yuki watched over the night class. I heard a rustle in the bushes and I took my reverse blade sword out quickly.

"Wait Akane! It's me! Yuki!" I lowered my sword when I saw her appear from the bushes.

"Yuki... what're you doing here?" I asked her curiously.

"I—I wanted to--." Then something else rustled in the bushes and as I raised my sword, a vampire walked out of the bushes. He bore his fangs to us and I knew what he was.

"Yuki! Get back!" I shouted and the vampire laughed at me. "It is my duty as the queen of vampires to vanquish all who oppose me!" I shouted and as I went to kill the level E vampire, he was shot and he fell to ashes on the ground. Yuki and I looked behind us shocked. Whom we saw was not someone we would expect.

"And it is my job to hunt down all vampires. Die, queen of the vampires!" He said as he pointed his rifle at me, and he intended to kill me; I stared at him angrily. The wind rushed through my body vigorously and both of my eyes turned pitch black.

"Master! Akane! Stop!" Zero shouted as he grasped onto me. My eyes returned back to normal and the wind stopped blowing.

"Heh. Thank you Zero, now I can kill the queen of all vampires with ease." The man with the rifle said.

"No master! She doesn't mean any harm!" Zero said to him as he held onto me tightly.

"Zero... what are you..." I said softly into his ear. The man put his rifle down slowly as he stared at me attentively.

"Are you... Akane Sayuri? The little girl from eight years ago?" He asked me and I nodded slowly. "How old are you?"

"I'm fifteen. I'll be sixteen in December. Why?" I asked him.

"That time is coming again..." He whispered to himself. " Listen, if you so much as crave, I will come and kill you where you stand. Got that Sayuri?" He said and I nodded and Zero and Yuki looked at me curiously.

"I understand completely, Yagari Toga." I said as he walked away. I got up and as I saw the sun come up, I grabbed Zero's hand and led him towards my room in the Sun Dormitory. He kept on staring at me as we walked briskly through the hallway. I could feel his intense stare as we walked, holding each other's hand, and in complete and utter silence. I opened my door quietly and we walked into my own bathroom. I let go of Zero's hand and took my jacket off. He stared at me in surprise as I took his jacket off as well. I opened the door to the shower and we walked in.

"A-Akane... what's going on? What are you doing?" Zero said as he leaned against the wall. I stared up at him.

"I can sense your craving for my blood. The beast within you cannot be subdued without the irresistible taste of my blood, can it not?" I pushed my hair away from the right side of my neck. "You can do as you please, you know?" I said as I turned the shower on and it poured onto us. Zero stared at me and I turned around and faced the wall of the shower. Zero walked behind me and he was hesitant to bite me. He grasped my hand gently and slowly. He got close to the nape of my neck. "Do not hesitate in biting me, Zero. You will not kill me as easily as you'd think." I said to him and he bit into my neck. He pushed me against the wall so that I could stay still and not shudder so much. Zero pulled away and he fell against the other wall and sat there. The water sprayed onto our heads and washed away the blood on our bodies. I kneeled down next to Zero and saw a very distraught face on him. "Zero... I-I'm sorry that I hurt you by forcing you to do this... but my blood can save you... only... you can fall to a Level E quickly..." Zero looked up at me with shock.

Third Night: Heart of a Hybrid

By the time Zero and I had gone to bed, I couldn't stop the fact that I was completely guilty for what I just did. I gave Zero some of my blood, something that a pureblood should never do. Although, I think my soul should rot in hell, but I'm sure that it won't stop me from "feeding" Zero until he's completely nourished. I couldn't deny the fact that I was in complete and utter love with Zero, even if he didn't love me back, I'd still stay by his side to the very end. Nothing would stop that, nothing.

I turned on my side and closed my eyes. That feeling, the rush of Zero's fangs sinking into my skin like that, and because of the way I felt about him, I didn't want it to end. Could he sense my attraction to him while he sat there, drinking till his fill? I could only imagine that he could. I opened my eyes when I heard someone open my door. I sat up in bed and saw Yuki in my doorway. I covered my neck with my hand, so that with the light seeping in through the hallway wouldn't reveal my "injury" to Yuki.

"Yuki...?" I said softly as she closed the door and walked over to my bed. She was sleepy, but not from just waking up. I could tell that she'd been awake for hours. I looked at my clock, 2:00 a.m. Wow, what was bothering her so much? She looked at me as she sat next to me on my bed. I lowered my hand, because I knew she had horrible sight in the dark. But I flinched back when I smelt something that I thought was ghastly. I looked at my hand. There was blood stained wet with a sickly scent all over it. It was so indulging that I couldn't help but wish to puke. I looked at Yuki's unmoved face, I knew she couldn't smell it, but the person she was, I couldn't help but think that she should be allowed to smell the rank scent of blood. Of course, to the other vampires, who drank their blood tablets on a daily basis, would think that this blood was uncontaminated magnificence as opposed to the Alka-Seltzer-like blood. "Yuki... what's wrong? Why'd you come so late at night?" I finally asked her. She didn't move to respond, but she looked at me sadly.

"Akane, why did you allow Zero to drink your blood, hours after Kaname had?" Yuki asked me. I winced in shock. How could she know that? Unless... I grasped Yuki's arms suddenly and she stared up at me frightened.

"Please Yuki, tell me!! Tell me how you know!!" I shouted at her. It was a good thing I didn't have a roommate. Yuki tried to pull away, but I just held on tighter. She cringed in pain as she saw shadowy tears rupture from my eyes. "I know it was wrong, but I'm in love with Zero, Yuki! I don't want him to suffer becoming a Level E! I can't stomach seeing the sight of Zero baring his beautiful fangs into another's! I just can't! Please, tell me!! How is it that you know?!" Yuki held onto me suddenly and I sat there in shock by her sudden embrace. She buried her head into my shirt and I could feel tears soak into my top.

"I know! I know that you love him!! And I don't want him to turn into a Level E either, but why would you have to give him blood?! Why Akane?! He could just take blood tablets!" Yuki said sadly into my shirt.

"Because he can't take blood tablets..." I said softly. She pulled away in shock and got up slowly. She walked toward the door and grasped the knob. "Yuki..." She turned to me as she opened the door. "...About what I said before, I really do love Zero. I can't live without him. And I want you to know..." When I said this, someone else stood in the doorway with Yuki. I looked up and cried warm tears of sadness as I smiled. "When Zero turns into a Level E, I'm going to kill him, then... myself..." When I said this, I could see Zero's hurt face as Yuki closed the door behind them. I put my head in my hands and cried distraughtly and I knew that I'd do it. I'd kill myself, just because Zero wasn't there anymore. Just because...

"Akane! Zero! Wait up!" Yuki called the next morning. We turned to her, speechless, as she caught up to us. She gasped for air as she bent over. When she looked up, she gasped when she saw my neck. "Akane! Your neck! It's bleeding through the bandage." Yuki cried in horror. I smiled that lying smile as I reached into my bag.

"I guess that I didn't put a thick enough one on." I grabbed a bigger bandage and put it on quickly. "Well, let's go to class." I said and grabbed Zero's hand. We walked in silence, the three of us, as we went to class. Zero grasped tightly when I tried to let go, and I thought it was strange that he did, but I didn't really mind. Yuki trudged into class before I did because Zero pulled me back.

"Akane... after school, before patrol, I need to ask you something." Zero said. I looked at him dumbfounded.

"Really? What for?" The minute bell rang and I quickly swooped into class and Zero followed. I sat at my seat and fidgeted with my fingers in agitation. What was it that Zero wanted to talk about? I knew it's going to be about last night. But which part? Kaname? Him? Me? I looked over my shoulder and stared at Zero curiously. He looked at me with that face saying what the hell did I want. But then I looked over at Yuki, who was once again, sleeping in class. I pointed to her and he smiled a slight smile. I turned around flustered and I didn't know why.

After school, Yuki had to stay after for supplementary classes and Zero smiled once again as the teacher scolded the sleepy Yuki. Then when he saw me waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, his smile faded away almost as if it wasn't ever there. We walked outside of class and I started walking towards the gates, but Zero grabbed me by the hand and pulled me the opposite direction. He led me into one of the vacant classrooms and locked the door behind us as he pushed me against the door. It was so dark in there that even with my eyes; I couldn't even see the features upon Zero's pale face. I could feel the soft touch of his fingers as he brushed the bandage on my neck.

"Zero... what... is it? Do you need more blood already?" I asked him, but he walked away from me as I said it. I could see his silhouette in the dark room as he walked towards the window. He brushed back some of the drapery and looked down at the waiting Day Class girls for the Night Class to come out. "Zero, I'm sorry if I offended you. I'm just... curious as to what it is that you want to ask me. That's all..." I said and he looked at me with soft eyes. He walked over to me and took the bandage off swiftly. Blood started to rush out just like it had all day. I smiled. "I guess it's my fault for letting two vampires take my blood in one night. I'm so..." I closed my eyes tightly. "I'm so god damn stupid!" I scolded myself. Zero stared down at me; I could feel his intimidating silver eyes upon my whole being. "If it's so tempting, go ahead and lick what's there... I don't mind losing blood that has already come out of me." Then without a single faltering, Zero grasped onto my neck and licked the harsh blood off of my neck. Then, as if we were entirely in sync, we slid down to the floor and I leaned against the door. Zero pulled apart and as I saw the blood on Zero's lips, I just couldn't help but want to taste that dark red liquid that vampires so absolutely adored. I touched Zero's cheeks lightly and leaned in to lick the blood off of Zero's bottom lip. He didn't move or flinch back in any way as I did this. Even though it was the first time I had ever made lip contact with Zero, he didn't move away in caution like he normally would.

Zero then wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into his warm grasp. He held his lips against mine, and I thought that something warm and wet touched my cheek. We pulled slowly apart and as I looked at Zero, I saw, for the first time in four years, tears streaming down his eyes.

"Z-Zero... what is it? Why're you crying?" I asked in worry.

"Last night, what you said, even if I do turn into a Level E, you can't kill yourself. I don't care if you can't live without me, because if you went to hell with me, I'd never forgive you." Zero said to me with no stop. It was clear to me that he didn't want me to die, but why?

"Why Zero...?" I asked, but he didn't reply. He got up and grabbed a paper towel and wet it. He brought it over to me and wiped off the finally dried blood on my neck. Then he got a new towel and wiped the blood off of him and put a new gauze on my bite marks. He pulled me up off of the floor and unlocked the door and we walked outside and onto patrol. By then, the Night Class had arrived. However, Yuki was nowhere in sight. I looked around worriedly until Kaname grabbed my attention.

"What's wrong Akane-sama?" He asked me and I could feel the rush of detestation become wider between Zero and Kaname.

"Where's Yuki? You haven't seen her, have you?" I asked him distressed.

"She was heading towards the Headmaster's office the last time I saw her." Kaname said and I walked towards his building. Then I couldn't help but overhear something that I didn't want.

Kaname walked up to Zero and said in an anger tone of voice, "You robbed not only my dear girl, but our queen as well. Now, you shall protect both of them until the day you die." Kaname said and I looked back unwillingly. A teardrop suppressed from my eye as I stared at the two in sadness.

Why?

Fourth Night: Desire

I knocked on the headmaster's door five minutes after I left the school.

"Come on in, Akane. We have been expecting you." I heard his voice call and I walked in. When I opened the door, my red and blue eyes widened as I saw two figures other than Headmaster Cross and Yuki. "Akane, you have already met Yagari Toga, but this young lady is Maria Kurenai. She will be attending this school as a new Night Class student." I stood there, emotionless as I saw the vampire stand before me. She was beautiful yes, but there was something about her, something that made me flinch back in hatred, something familiar about her. She cocked her head to the right and smiled at me. She walked over to me and kneeled down.

"Greetings milady. It is a pleasure to have finally met you face to face." She said to me and stood up. "I'm Maria Kurenai." She grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door. "Would you be so kind as to show me around school?" She asked in such a childish voice that I winced back in revulsion. What was it that was so familiar about her? I showed her around the grounds outside and showed her where the Sun Dormitory and Moon Dormitory's were. She then stopped all of a sudden and I looked at her surprised. "You know, you're far more beautiful as I had imagined you'd be. I especially love your sapphire blue and your ruby red eyes. They're so mystifying."

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" I said rudely. I started to walk away, but the sight of Zero before me made me quiver in fright. He had scared me. "Oh, Zero. You scared me. let me introduce you to Maria Kurenai. She's a new Night Class student here." I said smiling. Then, Zero's grimace helped reveal the Bloody Rose from its pocket.

"Get away from her Akane." Zero said as he pointed the gun at Maria. She smiled like she was having fun.

"Ooh, Zero Kiryu, you're funny. That's what makes you so pleasing." She said and Zero's eyes widened. He went to shoot but I grabbed the barrel of the gun in the nick of time.

"Zero! What're you doing?!" I shouted and let Maria walk to her dorm room as I held onto the gun. When she was gone I slapped Zero hard across the face. "What's wrong with you?! She didn't do anything to you!" I yelled at him. He looked down at me and grimaced as he held onto his neck.

"Just, stay away from Maria Kurenai as much as you can. She's dangerous." Zero said and continued on his rounds. I turned to look at him, but I found I had nothing to say to him.

"Make hatred your nourishment and become an adult quickly... my lovely Zero. You want to kill me... this 'Shizuka Hio', don't you...? Heh... I want to watch you closely forever... those eyes of yours... that are filled with hatred are just mine... I'm happy that you and I are bounded by the 'bond' that can never be broken." I woke quickly from the memory of that night. The night that Zero had turned into a vampire, the night that would fate Zero and I to search out the one who changed him. The night that I would no longer live...

"Akane, are you ready? We need to go to class." Yuki said on the other side of the door as I sat up in bed.

"Come in Yuki." She opened the door and I looked at her sleepily, my red and blue eyes dilated from the light from inside the hall. Yuki closed the door and gave me a glass of water and a slice of toast.

"You okay, Akane. You look like you could die any moment now." Yuki said and I glared at her. "Oops, I didn't mean it that way, um... I mean, how much sleep did you get last night?" She asked me and I shook my head. "None? But, does this mean that you won't be able to go to classes today?"

"No, could you write down the notes for me so I can study later when I've slept?" I asked her, I had no intention of sleeping, and I couldn't bare another dream about her until we had gotten rid of her. "I'll see you later tonight Yuki." I said to her and she walked towards the door.

"You know, Zero worries about you when he's not near you, you should at least consider going to see him before classes." She said to me and left before I could say anything to her that would get her to stop thinking like that. I thought about it for a moment... " Just, stay away from Maria Kurenai as much as you can. She's dangerous." Maria couldn't be dangerous, could she? Why was Zero so intimidated by her? Then I thought more about it and gasped in shock. I knew every reason, every truth, why Zero quivered in Maria's presence.

"Zero..." I whispered and ran out the door.

"Hum... what's wrong?" Yuki asked Zero out in the courtyard.

"You can't go that way! The Day Class is still there at this time! Maria!" Ichijo shouted to Maria who was walking towards the school. The Day Class started to make a fuss about the two being there. "I think this is going to be a big problem. Oh man."

"How exaggerating, I just want to have a look at the cafeteria. He he, how amusing." Zero stared at Maria with his eyes wide. She then started to run and Ichijo chased after her.

"Maria!"

"Uh, that's not right... why is the Night Class..." Yuki said as she started to run towards them but Zero grabbed her hand. She looked at him.

"Don't go near that new student. Leave her alone. That vice president will do something." Zero said to her.

"Okay."

I ran to the courtyard in my uniform that I fell asleep in last night. Zero, I had to reach him, I had to tell him that I knew, that I knew everything about why he's so defensive about me. But I won't let him keep me outta this! We promised!!

"Zero!!" I shouted to the crowd and everyone looked at me surprised. I spotted him, in the crowd, he was standing right next to Yuki and I could sense something strange about the air of the courtyard. I ran to Zero and he looked at me surprised as well.

"Akane?" Yuki said and I grabbed Zero's hand gasping for air. I ran and led him to the dark corner behind the school.

"Akane? What's wrong Akane? I thought you weren't feeling well, shouldn't you be in bed?" He asked me and I just ignored it until we stopped. I gasped for air and he stared down at me curiously. "Akane, what's wrong? Did something happen?" He said and I quickly grasped his cheeks, and pulled him down towards my lips. His eyes widened at my sudden kiss, but he soon held me against the wall and kissed me fervently back. His kisses were hot and it felt like home until I pulled apart, finally remembering why I came to get him. "Akane?" He asked again.

"Zero, that girl, Maria, she's 'that woman', isn't she?" I said and his eyes widened. "I knew it, I knew the moment that you gave her that strange look that the blood bond you have with her was acting up. Zero, I don't want you to kill her without me. We promised to each other that we'd kill her ourselves. Side by side." I told him.

"No, you will stay away from her, she is my business and no one else's." He told me and my eyes widened in anger.

"No! I won't accept that. Don't you remember what she did?! She stole him from us!! She stole him!" Zero gasped at the memory and wiped away the tears that had fallen from my eyes. Zero cringed in pain and he grasped his neck when "she" passed by us, smiling. I glared at her until she disappeared, Ichijo following after.

"Yes, yes. You replace the value with this x."

"Eh? Why?"

"Why? Because. Uh..." Headmaster Cross looked towards the door. "Oh, Kiryu, you came just in time."

"Zero?!" I said loudly.

"This is good. Tutor Akane. I have to go since the patrol during the exam season is my duty."

"Eh... Zero's tutoring? I want Yuki's help though..." I mumbled and Zero was silent.

"Eh... It's okay if you don't want to... I can go get Yuki if you'd rather..."

"I'll do it..." He answered and sat down next to me.

"Then I'll leave it to you. Hey... Kiryu, didn't you come because you had some kind of business with me?"

"No... It's all right." Zero said.

"Okay." Headmaster Cross said and left.

I stared at the work in confusion.

"Uh..."

"You made a mistake on the same thing last time... Solve it carefully."

"Eh? Oh yeah." I started to work the problem out. "Uh, this is, if I remember right... Then, use this number... right?"

"Right..." Zero said and smiled. He looked away and grasped his neck.

"Your neck, you were bothered by it a while ago, too."

"The place... where I was bitten by that woman... aches. There has not even a night I forgot about that woman who played us brothers as fools, and made the sea of blood four years ago. And yet... the reason I was able to live on..." I placed my hand over his and smiled.

"What's wrong with you today? Zero... I'm worried because you're too quiet... or are you just sleepy?" I got up from the table and started towards the kitchen. "A cup of coffee will..." I heard a clattering noise from the chair and Zero grasped my hands gently. "Seriously... what's wrong? Zero...? Do you want... blood...?" He grasped my hands harder.

"Because Akane was there, I might have been able to live on..." he said and let my hands go.

"Zero...?" I said and he grabbed his jacket and stopped at the doorway.

"Don't forget the stuff I taught you. I'm going back to the dorm already tonight."

"Uh, goodnight... Zero. Thanks for tutoring me."

"Goodnight." Then he left. I stared at the door and sighed.

"That's right... you are able to feel 'me'. Because there's a 'bond'. Right now, that is filling up the emptiness in your mind..." Zero grasped the back of Maria's hair and aimed the Bloody Rose at her heart. "Finally... you've come to kill me..."

Zero...? He was acting strange... I thought and started to run towards the stairs. Zero!!

"Give a punishment to me... the one who has made a mistake... Zero... if you can pull that trigger..." Zero's eyes widened. "What are you so surprised at? Is it because you can't shoot...?" Maria put her hands on Zero's cheeks and said, "Poor boy..."

"Don't touch me..."

"I'll tell you the truth... You can't kill me." Then she whispered into his neck, "You cannot kill me, the 'master' who has given you a life as a vampire... When you have fallen so low to become a 'servant'..." Zero pulled away violently from Maria and aimed the gun back at her again. "You are the first one not to give up... Good boy... I'm so glad that I chose you..." I walked along the hallway and listened to Maria's voice as she spoke to Zero. "No matter how I may look, you are so good, Zero... that you can recognize me... me, the one who took your life as a 'human'..."

"That's right... I never forget..." Zero's voice was so full of anger. "Shizuka Hio. That day your face was wet with our blood..."

"This body is not mine, so I don't want you to be so violent. " My eyes widened, not because I was shocked, in fact, I was completely calm about it being "her". However, I was unsteady when I heard the sound of metal clang against each other.

"Ze..." Then a cold hand grazed over my mouth. I could still hear the two fighting.

"Don't you dare... look away!!" I heard Maria shout.

Who is it...?

"I can never lose you..." I'm losing my strength... "But him... if he is to die here, we don't need him..."

"As I had thought, it's a bit hard to use a borrowed body... I'm disappointed that you missed my heart... but... Let's start over when our wounds are healed..." Maria said to Zero.

"What?" Then Zero felt a harsh pain overcome his body and he collapsed to the floor.

"There are times when bleeding causes a severe 'starvation'. You should be careful... the real nature of vampires is savage and cruel. The same can be said about our 'queen'... if I may say so..."

I woke up later that night, unaware of what had happened to me. I found myself in my dorm room and in my bed. Huh? I'm forgetting something... I sat in class, not really paying any attention to the exams. Zero... why is it that... Zero doesn't come take the exams...?

"Akane, we have to do backstage preparation at the dance. Did you even study?" Yuki asked me.

"Uh, yeah... Zero taught me, but..." Last night... What... happened to Zero... afterthat...?

"Night Class... its Maria again. Do you want me to take care of it?" Yuki asked me.

"No, I'll do it." I told her and went after Maria. How... could I have forgotten about it...?How?! She's our enemy from four years ago... "Maria, wait!"

"Akane, is this the hall where the dance will be held?" she asked me.

"Maria, don't play innocent... Zero... what did you do to him...?"

"For now, he's fine... but soon enough he'll turn into a Level E vampire and won't listen to a thing you say... I know how to save Zero. How about we make a deal...? In exchange, I want you to do something that only you can do..."

We were all getting the dance ready for tonight and we were all interrupted by the doors opening loudly.

"Akane... that new girl... she came here, didn't she?" Zero said to me as he held the doors wide open.

"Zero... isn't that... blood?!" I said and Zero brought me into the other room where no one was in it.

"Not here..." He said and I closed the doors.

"Zero... what is that blood...?"

"Weren't you there last night...?"

"Where's 'there'?" He sighed as I replied.

"Okay, then... don't mind it. Don't you dare go near her, all right?"

"Wha... are you okay? You're hurt." I grasped his arm. "That..."

"Let go." He commanded a bit angrily.

"No way!!" I shouted.

"It's nothing. It's fine already."

"Yeah... but... Zero, you don't look fine..." I walked over to the door and leaned against it. "You can do as you wish, you know?" I pulled my hair up and continued, "Go ahead, anywhere you want. Don't spill so much, okay?" Zero walked over to me and grasped onto my hands. Zero... he sunk his fangs into my skin and I shuddered. He's not that hesitant... he was driven into a corner that much... "What... does it taste like Zero...?" I asked him softly. He stared at me with his hungry eyes.

He turned me around and answered, "What's that got to do with you...?" I shuddered at the coldness in his voice. He bit into the other side of my neck and I remembered what Maria had said to me.

If you want to save Zero, let's make a deal. Either... you give yourself to me or... give me the corpse of Kaname Kuran.

You cannot kill me... when you have fallen so low to become a "servant"...

I was able to calm down... only after I had sucked Akane's blood as much as I wanted... "How disgusting..." Zero said and I approached him silently. He stared at me in surprise. I was wearing a floor length black dress with a red rose corsage and a black leather belt that held the gun that Zero wanted me to shoot him with. I kept it with me always, just so that when he dies, that's when I die.

"What's disgusting?" I asked him.

"I thought you weren't looking forward to the dance party?" I stared at him then smiled.

"Did I?" I then started to walk towards the center of the dance. I looked around and smiled with relief. "Good, nothing bad has happened yet." I turned to Zero who had followed me. "Hey Zero, guys should fix themselves up, for just tonight. Okay?" I said as I fixed Zero's loose tie and collar. He glared down at me. "What? Are you gonna complain when you are a prefect?" I examined his outfit. "There... ah and... a rose on the chest for boys." I said as I took the rose off of my wrist and placed it on his jacket. "Here you go. Now if you'll just stop frowning then you'll look gorgeous."

"I don't get it. How come you can always keep smiling?"

"Hum... maybe it's because..." I looked up at him and smiled. "I love you and want you to smile too." I said and he grasped my hand and pulled me into his arms to dance. I giggled.

"Don't laugh at me, I barely know how to dance." He told me as he started to blush.

"I'm not laughing because of that, you dance just fine. I'm happy because you're opening up in front of people." I said and he looked around to see all the Day Class girls staring at him and I. He pulled away embarrassedly and I grimaced at him. "Your such a jerk Zero." I said and marched off. I ran into someone and looked blankly at Yuki. "Oh, I'm sorry Yuki. You look great!" I said and she smiled.

"So do you Akane." She replied. Someone grabbed my arm and I swung it back thinking it was Zero, instead it was Kaname.

"Oh!! I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else." I said to him and he smiled.

"Do not worry about it my queen. Would you like to dance with me?" He asked me and I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, I really only want to dance with Zero tonight. I have to look out for anything bad as well, Kaname-senpai." I told him and he smiled forgivingly.

"Don't worry," He turned to Yuki. "Would you like to dance with me, Yuki?" She nodded and the two went out to dance on the terrace. I turned to look at Zero and he was leaning against the wall in anger. I furrowed my eyebrows because I knew it was my fault he was mad. Maybe I should go apologize? I walked over to Zero and saw Shindo-san asking him to dance with her. I froze and waited for his answer. He told her no and I sighed in relief. I looked over at Kaname and Yuki out on the terrace. They were in an embrace and I stared at them sadly. Akane, if you wanted to save Zero, would you grant my wish? Kill Kaname Kuran. Kaname Kuran breaks off his guard only in front of you. Only you can do it. But if... you don't want to do it... I looked away from the two and looked at Zero sadly. He stared back at me concerned and I smiled before I ran off. I don't know why that woman wants Kaname-senpai's life, but I choose...

"So you've decided, huh?" Maria said to me.

"If you know how to save Zero, I want your help!" I knew the answer from the beginning. "Even if I give myself to you in exchange."

"Come Akane." I approached Maria and she grasped my hand. "You're a good girl. I thought you'd choose to sacrifice yourself." I stared at her angrily. "What is it?"

"I was just thinking about that night when you bit Zero and killed his family. Our family."

"Ah, so you're the little girl that hid in the closet that night." Maria said and shoved me down on the couch. "It intrigues me to know that the queen of vampires was in the presence of the Kiryu family without being killed." I stared at her furiously. "Is it because you don't crave blood?" She asked me and sneered. "Those eyes, they remind me of 'him'."

"Who is 'him'?" I asked but she didn't answer.

"That's fine... it's a deal... I'll tell you how to save Zero. Ichiru... those boys withdrew obediently?" Maria said as a boy came in with Shizuka's body.

"Yes Shizuka-sama." My eyes widened as I stared at him.

"Ichiru?!" I stood up as I stared at the masked boy. "Ichiru, it's me, Akane! Don't you recognize me?!" I asked him painfully. I hadn't seen him since we were little. He looked at me through the mask and sneered.

"I only know you as the Vampire Queen, Akane-sama." He said politely to me.

"It's easy to save Zero..." Ichiru set her body next to her and Shizuka's eyes started to open. "All that boy has to do... is drink my blood." Maria's body fell to the couch.

"Blood?!"

"Yes... his master, Shizuka Hio's, blood... That way, he'll never turn into a Level E. He'll become a true member of the night clan. Ichiru, put Maria's body on the bed." He reached down to lift Maria off of the couch. I stared at him sadly.

"Ichiru, you don't remember me?" He looked at me and smiled and then he left.

"It's a deal. Give me your blood, I need strength. I am being chased." Chased? By hunters? "For that reason, I need your innocent blood, my dear queen." She leaned in to sink her fangs into my skin and the door suddenly opened. We looked at Zero in the doorway and he took his gun out quickly.

"Get away from Akane, Shizuka!!" I reached into my belt and took the gun out. His eyes widened.

"Get back!! Zero please! Get out of the way!"

"Why?" He asked as he aimed the gun at me.

"She's the only one who can save you, Zero!" I shouted and his eyes widened once again. "All you have to do is drink her blood and you'll never turn into a Level E vampire. I can save you Zero."

"Even if this story about drinking her blood is true, I can't allow her to drink your blood Akane. You are the queen of vampires, it would be a crime."

"And like you haven't broken that rule Zero." Shizuka said and Zero flinched. She laughed. "Are you happy to hear the voice of your master? Do you not feel like obeying me? It is because my voice has the power to 'bind'." Zero was grasping onto me tightly and he wouldn't let go. "Yes, hold Akane like that Zero. You cannot disobey me, Zero."

"Zero, let me go." I told him, but he held me tighter and Shizuka approached. I knew what she was going to do. "No! You don't have to do it, Zero! Shizuka, I'll keep my end of the deal."

"Don't you realize that for four years I have not fed. Do you think that one will be enough?" Shizuka said and she then bit Zero. Zero!!

"You said you only wanted my blood. Shouldn't that be enough?! Why are you doing a cruel thing to Zero?!" She let him go and stared at me.

"It is because he has fallen in love with you, my queen. He should not feel that way, he shouldn't be in love with you, our queen. No one can fall in love with you. He has broken the biggest law of our kind." She said and went to bite me.

"I know that it's against the law, but I love him too. I thought it'd be okay if we were both in love with each other. I guess that I thought one day he'd forgive me."

"Not anymore..." Zero weakly said. And we both looked at him. Zero thrust his hand at Shizuka and grasped her neck.

"Zero!!"

"It is pointless Zero. You should just stay as a puppet. You can't even put any strength in your hand, can you?" Zero shot his leg with the Bloody Rose and his hold on her neck was strong.

"Don't you take anything away from me!!" Zero shouted and shot at Shizuka several times. I threw myself onto Zero.

"Zero stop it!!" Shizuka laughed and jumped back.

"You want to kill me, don't you? I will not die with this much."

"No... more from me..." Zero then shot at her again, but missed as she flung the sheets in front to block the bullets. "I'll finish everything. Let's put an end to this and be at ease, Shizuka. I've lived only for this day..." I gasped as I remembered what he said to me last night. Because Akane was there, I might have been able to live on... I grasped onto Zero again and stopped him.

"Let go, Akane."

"No! You and I promised we'd die together!" I shouted as tears streamed down my cheeks. "Don't you remember, we were young, but you told me that after we killed Shizuka that we'd both die along with her. The desire to die with her is not just yours Zero, it is mine too!" Zero pointed the gun at Shizuka once again.

"Yeah, that may be so..." Then a sword was thrown at Zero and went through his arm.

"Zero?!"

Ichiru entered the room.

"Shizuka-sama, what are you doing sporting? Don't do such an unnecessary thing!"

"You are uncalled for." She told him.

"I thought you were already dead, Ichiru." Zero said as he took the sword out of his arm.

"You remembered me, Huh? My dear brother."

Fifth Night: Brother

"How long are you gonna play with Zero, Shizuka-sama? Could it be that you plan on leaving that Devil's Spawn as he is? No that's wrong Shizuka-sama. You can't die selfishly, it will cause trouble." Shizuka looked at him and walked away.

"I have something else to do. I don't intend to die." Zero went for her as she left.

"Shizuka!!" He shouted, but Ichiru blocked him.

"It's horrible to ignore me like that... Zero. I'm.. I'm sure you want to talk leisurely with the person you haven't seen in a long time. We get along so well because we are twins."

"Ichiru... what are you trying to say?" I asked him. He looked at me with the same silver eyes as Zero.

"Ah, Akane-sama. Do you still intend on making me remember you?" He asked me and I glared at him.

"You know that we were childhood friends, Ichiru. Just like Zero and I, we were in love with each other." I told him and both brothers eyes widened in disbelief.

"Love? I'd never love you!! You are nothing but a human in my eyes. You act as if you don't need blood, even though you love the taste of it!!" Ichiru said to me. I glared at him, none of it was true.

"I hate blood firstly, it tastes like vomit, I do not crave blood like a normal vampire secondly, and lastly..." I softened my stare at him. "I fell in love with you long before I met Zero." He gasped as he remembered.

When I was seven, vampire hunters were chasing me. They had been after me since birth because of my "powers". They considered me as dangerous and violent, but I was just a little girl, I didn't know of any such thing as my "powers". I kept on running, but they kept quick on my trail and soon I had tripped over a rock and fell to the ground. I closed my eyes and waited, and waited for the hunters to come and kill me, but when I opened my eyes after I waited for minutes, I was safe. I wasn't in the street anymore, I was in a warm home, in the arms of a warm body. I looked up and saw a boy with silver hair and eyes smiling down at me and brushing my hair at the same time.

"Don't worry, you're safe now. No one will come in here to kill you." He kept on smiling at me as he lifted me up and carried me over to his bed. He brought a cup of tea over to me, still smiling. "My name's Ichiru, yours?"

"A-Akane... why'd you save me?" I had asked him and he sat down next to me.

"Because you're not dangerous to anyone. The hunters are so stupid to think that. Even though I've told them again and again that the Vampire Queen is not the violent type."

"But, you don't know me."

"I see you everyday, when I go to get my brother from school, I see you at the park all by yourself. You're always so alone, and I want to join you, but my brother told me to stay away from you, that you were dangerous, just like all the adults. But in all honesty, you're an adorable girl that just so happens to be a vampire that doesn't crave blood. I adore you, Akane." Ichiru said to me and I started to cry. He knew that I was lonely, that I wasn't dangerous, that all I wanted was for someone to accept me for who I was, and he did. he accepted everything about me. he had held me in an embrace and whispered to me as I fell asleep slowly. I was happy in his arms, but the next morning I was in my own bed and he was gone. I saw him later that day and he introduced Zero to me and Zero and I became quick friends. I had a crush on Ichiru for about four years, but was afraid to tell him. One night I asked him if he liked a girl and he was happy as he told me. "Yes, I do like a girl, I'm in love with you Akane. Why do you ask?" He said and I hugged him happily. I was so happy that he liked me back, but the next day, Shizuka appeared and she stole Ichiru away from me. Zero and I were left all alone and we vowed to kill Shizuka and die together, because we had thought that she killed Ichiru cause he never came back. But we never thought that he'd gone off and went with Shizuka. I soon fell in love with Zero, but he was no replacement for Ichiru. They were both special to me, in their very own way. The problem was, I still loved the child Ichiru while I loved Zero the way he was now. It just wasn't the same anymore.

"Do you remember now, Ichiru. Do you remember how long the three of us were together, all the special times we spent?" He stared at me in shock because I was right, he did remember.

"But why should it matter to me? I am in love with Shizuka-sama now. She saved me, Zero, she gave me her blood so now I don't suffer from illness any longer." He stared at Zero then looked at me for a second. "I hated you and mom and dad for the longest time, but if you come back with me only as Shizuka's servant, I'll forgive you."

"You, you're nothing but her servant, Ichiru. You mean nothing to her." I told him but he sneered at me.

"What do you know?"

"If, if mom and dad knew that you were free from illness, I know they'd be happy for you." Zero said to Ichiru. It was obvious that he had missed his brother just as much as I missed him. Ichiru twitched and Zero grasped the sword tightly. "Ichiru..." Ichiru let a hidden knife appear from his sleeve and attacked Zero with it. They fought and Ichiru blocked Zero's attacks.

"I told you, they became meaningless, Zero!"

"Are you serious?

"Yes, I am."

They went for another attack and I went to intervene. Ichiru's knife went into my side and I choked out blood. "Stop!! Both of you!!" I somehow suppressed. They both gasped when they saw that my side was gushing out blood. It hurt so badly, but I wasn't going to let it go on like this.

"Akane!!" They both yelled as they caught me when I fell. Zero sat on the floor as he held me in his arms. I stared at Ichiru hurtfully.

"Ichiru, I smell blood, from Shizuka..." I told him and he gasped and ran out of the room.

"Ichiru!!" Zero yelled and went to get up but I grasped his arms and he stopped. "Akane... you're so stupid. Why'd you get in the way like that? He could've killed you." Zero said to me and I stared up at him smiling, holding my side where blood was coming out non-stop.

"But, he didn't, Zero... Ichiru's heart is as soft as it was four years ago." Zero stared at me sadly. I put my hand on his cheek.

"But why'd you do it, Akane? Why?"

"Because I just didn't want you to die." Zero held me tight against him and I could feel the hurt in his voice.

"But, you didn't have to intervene like that. You could've done something else that wouldn't have put you in danger! Even though you don't have to think that strongly about me." He squeezed my hair tightly. "I'm glad you're safe, Akane." Zero said and I heard someone walk in the room.

"Akane, Zero! Are you all right?!" Yuki shouted as she rushed over to us.

"Yuki, take care of Akane." Zero said and gave me to my other friend. I grasped Zero's hand fiercely and he stared down at me with a smile on his face. "I'll be back, I promise." He said and left. Kaname was with Yuki as well and when Zero left, he gave him a dirty look. He rushed over to me and lifted me up out of Yuki's lap.

"Akane-sama, how'd you get hurt?" He asked me and I shook my head.

"It doesn't matter, I was stupid enough to let it happen to me in the first place." I told him in a soft voice and closed my eyes and fell asleep.

Zero came and visited me in the infirmary the next day. He brushed my bangs back as he always had when I was sick or hurt. "Ichiru was gone as soon as Shizuka turned to dust yesterday. The vampires blame me for killing her."

"But, you didn't..."

"It's all right, Akane, Ichiru will come back and we can straighten everything out then. But now, I want you to heal, which won't take long and I'll come visit you later. It's gonna be your birthday in a week anyway. You'll finally be sixteen." Zero said to me and kissed my forehead before he left. Yeah, sixteen...

Sixth Night: Promise

"Akane! Come on, Akane! It's time for school, get out of bed!!" I heard Yuki as she banged on the door. I ignored her, tomorrow will be my sixteenth birthday and it won't be a very pretty thing to see happen when the time comes. It sounds confusing, but when you see it happen, people understand why the Vampire Queen is dangerous. I needed to talk to Kaname about this. "Akane, don't make me go get Zero!" Yuki threatened.

"Threaten all you want, Yuki, but I already know that he's right next to you. Hurry up and break the door down Zero if you really want me to go to school." I said and the door fell to the floor. I heard his footsteps as he stomped over to me. He grabbed me and picked me up, picked up my uniform and took me into my bathroom. He closed the door and locked it so that Yuki couldn't come and stop him. "Zero, what are you doing?" I asked him and he silently pulled my black tank top off. He didn't even flinch when he saw my bare chest. He forced my bra on, he kept on fumbling with the hook, and then he put my white tank top on, then my jacket. He threw the skirt and stockings at me, he was not going to strip my bottoms and even if he wanted to, I wouldn't let him.

"Zero, Akane, are you done in there, we're going to be late for class." Yuki called and I slipped my shoes on before I went to unlock the door. However, Zero grasped my hand and stopped me.

"Go on without us, Yuki." Zero said and he heard her run to class quickly.

"Zero, what are you doing?" Then when I saw the hunger in his eyes I sighed. "Do you need blood?" He shook his head. I was relieved, seeing how I gave him blood last night. "Then what is it?" I asked and he pushed his lips against mine and it made me flinch back in surprise. Now I knew what he was hungry for. He wanted me not my blood. He'd never kissed me first, it was always me who started it, and so this was nice for a change. I put my hands on his cheeks and pulled away for a second. "Zero... is there something wrong? You've never done something like this before." I said to him and he picked me up and set me down on the counter. Now I was at his height. He pressed his lips against my neck and kissed my nape passionately. "Zero... there's gotta be something that you need or want to tell me." I told him trying not to shudder from the sensation of his kisses. He pulled away and looked at me. "Zero, what is it?" I asked again.

"How much do you love me?"

This was different. He'd never asked me this. Everything else, but not this. "More than anyone, more than life itself. I'd die for you." I told him. He knew that when it came to the subject of dying, that I was passionate about it.

"Then how badly do you want to be with me? Do you want to stay with me enough to marry me?" When he asked this, I was concerned that something was loose in his brain.

"Umm... are you okay? Do you need me to take you to the nurse because you don't seem well." I said to him sarcastically, but he didn't think it was funny. "You're serious?" He nodded. I had to think about it for a second. "Well, I'd certainly love to be with you forever, and marriage isn't so bad. So yeah, I guess the answer would be yes." Then when Zero got his answer, he fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a little black box. "Okay, wait a second mister! I didn't think you'd propose to me!! What brought this on all of a sudden?!" I asked him as he took the ring out.

"Do you or do you not?" He said coldly.

"Zero I..."

"Do you or don't you?" He asked again and I sighed.

"I do, Zero, you know I do." I said and he put the diamond ring on my ring finger. I stared at it, admiring the craftsmanship of the ring's beauty. "Its really lovely Zero, thank you." I said and he was about ready to actually pop the question. "We all know what you're gonna do, so go ahead." I encouraged and he looked sharply into my eyes.

"Akane Sayuri, will you marry me and spend the rest of our lives together?" He said and I nodded with a smile on my face. I hugged him and he held me tight against him. He was embarrassed, I knew he was. He'd probably never had been able to do it if we weren't completely and utterly alone.

"Zero, we should go to class. We'll be late, but we'd be in class." I said and he nodded.

After class, Yuki came up to me curiously.

"What took you so long to get to class?" She asked me. I smiled.

"He wanted to give me a little present." I answered and showed her my hand. She gasped in surprise at the ring.

"Wow, I can't believe he actually asked you!!" She shouted and everyone looked at her. "Umm, my bad." Yuki said and giggled. "Anyways, I can't believe you said yes. When's the date?"

"Not for a while. Probably after we graduate, Yuki. Now stop talking about it, Zero's coming." I said and Zero walked up to me and grabbed my hand quietly. He'd been quiet since we got to class, and usually he had at least one thing to say to me. we were going on patrol and I'd be able to talk to Kaname about tomorrow soon. We walked into the hallway and the Night Class approached the school. Kaname was the last to walk in and I walked up to him. "Kaname-senpai, I need to talk to you about tomorrow. Can I come to the dorm after your classes?" I asked him and Kaname looked at Zero. "Don't worry about him. he'll probably come along. I don't mind." I said as I hid the ring from Kaname's sight. What I wasn't expecting was that Aido had snuck around my back and grabbed my left hand.

"Lookie here. Is this an engagement ring I see!!" He shouted loudly as he showed my ring off to everyone in sight. Kaname's initial suspicion was Zero. They exchanged hateful glances and I knew that Zero would accompany me later.

"Is that really from...?"

"Um, yeah, it is, don't be angry with me." I said to Kaname.

"Why would I be angry about our queen's happiness?" He asked me and I shrugged.

"Come to the Moon Dorm after classes, I'll be waiting." Kaname said and went to go talk to Yuki. I felt a hand touch my head and I turned around frightened.

"So, what was that all about?" Zero asked me with a hateful aura surrounding him.

"Um, calm down and we're gonna go and talk to Kaname-senpai after patrol. Oh, don't give me that look. This is very important, and the fact that he was the one to kill that woman is inevitable, don't you think?" I said to him and he knew I was right. "Besides, if the council comes for you, you know that I'll defend you till the end, right?" He smiled in reply and grasped my hand. "See, everything's just fine the way things are."

After patrol, Zero and I went to the Moon Dorm to meet with Kaname. "Welcome Akane-sama, Kiryu." Kaname said and let us in his room. "So, what is it that you wish to talk to me about, Akane-sama?" He asked me and I looked at Zero cautiously.

"Um, tomorrow is my sixteenth birthday. You know what'll happen to me, Kaname-senpai." I said to him and his eyes widened. Zero was completely clueless.

"Are you sure?" I nodded my head.

"And I was wondering if you'd have an extra room to keep me in while I go through the phase." I said and Kaname nodded.

"Of course we do."

"What's going on? Akane, tell me what's happening? Why do you need to stay in the Moon Dorm?" Zero asked me angrily. Of course he didn't know. The last time it happened, I had disappeared for the day.

"Zero, I can't tell you." I told him. That was a stupid excuse. The truth was that I didn't want to hurt him or anyone else. The safest place I'd be is with other vampires.

"That's not good enough Akane. You're supposed to tell me everything, for better or worse!" He shouted at me.

"Don't you go and throw wedding puns at me!! I have a reason for doing this and it's to keep you and everyone else safe. I'm not as safe as you think I am! I'm truly dangerous!!" I shouted at him and he was speechless.

"What?" I knew that what I just said meant that I had to tell him. I sighed.

"Tomorrow, my sixteenth birthday is the day when I crave blood, and the only day for another eight years. And because of the fact that I haven't fed in eight years means that I'll be like a Level E vampire. I'll go on a rampage so I need to be locked up in a room till the next morning and I'll be back to normal. I don't have to feed, but I cannot have any contact with anyone for 24 hours. It'll start in thirty minutes so I need to be locked up before midnight. Please Zero, don't tell Yuki. This is for everyone's safety. Especially yours." I told him and went with Kaname. Zero followed us and Kaname brought me down to the basement dorm specially made for me when the time came. Headmaster Cross had known about this and I told him the best way to keep everyone safe was to lock, chain, strap me up in a room for that whole day. Then I'd be perfectly fine. Kaname strapped me against the wall first, then chained my hands and feet to the wall. The last thing was to quadruple lock the door to the room. It was uncomfortable, but I would phase in fifteen minutes.

"I'll leave you to yourselves for ten minutes, that's all." Kaname said and walked out of the room. Zero walked over to me and stared into my ruby and sapphire eyes.

"Akane, are you sure you don't want me to stay with you?"

"I don't want you to see me like that. It's an image that is not pretty. I won't be Akane for a whole day. So come and see me tomorrow night at midnight and I'll be back to normal." I told him and smiled. I motioned him closer and put my hands on his pale cheeks.

"Are you gonna be all right?" He asked as he leaned up towards my lips. His breath was hot on my silken lips.

"Of course I will, just don't get any dim-witted ideas and come 'rescue' me before the day's over." I said and he giggled into a kiss. His kiss was tender and affectionate as I felt his breath burn inside my mouth. I ruffled his hair and pulled him closer to me, not wanting to let go. Zero put his arms around me as much as he could and kept the kiss going as long as our lungs would tolerate. We pulled away wheezing for breath. "I'll see you in a little while." I said to him and he nodded before he kissed me once more. Kaname was there to motion for Zero to come out. Kaname smiled at me and I smiled back. He closed the door and I heard him bolt all four of the locks. I sighed and waited for midnight to come. The split second I would change would make me go mad for blood. I would be a Level E vampire, just with a better line of attack. I'd be able to think my hunt through and stay away from all vampire attacks. Being the queen wasn't the best thing in the world like other vampires thought. There was always going to be a time when I'd kill. It'll never stop. The thunderous th-thump of my heart went as midnight came. That was it, it'd go on till midnight tonight.

Zero walked to the Sun Dorm still fretful about Akane. What would happen to her in that room. Would she die from the thirst? He shook his head. She said she'd be all right. Akane... Zero walked on even as he ran into someone. "Sorry," he said and kept on walking. Zero walked into his room tiredly and collapsed on his bed.

I heard the sound of footsteps in the hallway. Two and a half hours had passed already, but was Zero really that stupid to come and get me now? I shook in the chains as someone unlocked the locks and opened the door. My eyes widened as I saw who it was.

"Hello my dear Akane-sama. How are you?" He asked me and I growled at him. Everything I did was pure vampiric instinct towards a human.

"Ichiru, do you have a death wish? Get out of here before I hurt you!" I shouted but all he did was sneer.

"No, I don't think you could do it. After all, you once loved me, did you not." He was teasing me, making me angrier, and he was only taunting my thirst. "Do you know who killed Shizuka-sama?" He said.

"Yeah, it was Kaname-senpai."

"Wrong!! It was Zero, and while you're all trapped in here, I'm gonna make sure that the council punishes him, maybe with death." Ichiru said as he laughed loudly. He walked out of the room and didn't even bother to lock it up. I was still in shock by the truth he just told me. I shook violently in the chains in anger as my thirst took me over. I broke easily out of my chains and then tore the straps off without breaking a sweat. I went towards the metal door that was practically calling to me, that the door to hunger was this one. I ran through the door and through the Moon Dorm. I heard someone gasp and I looked up to see Kaname standing at the top of the stairs.

"Akane-sama, how'd you?" He asked me shocked.

"You should thank Ichiru, Kaname-senpai, now if you don't mind, I'm going to drink till my fill." I said to him, my eyes black with hunger. Kaname went to catch me, but I was too quick for him. I dodged out of his way and ran through the door, no one could stop me now.

Akane... I still can't stand the fact of leaving you all by yourself. Zero thought and he got out of bed quickly. He put his uniform on and grabbed the Bloody Rose. He walked out the door and outside, the sun was coming up slowly over the horizon as day broke. He had laid in bed for five hours, worrying about Akane's sake. What was she feeling, how was she handling the beast within? There was something's that he would never know, in particular about Akane.

I ran through the darkness of the morning as I searched for one target in particular. I found him and lunged for him, but he dodged as if he knew that I'd come for him. He glanced at me and sneered. He took out his sword and pointed it at me. "Akane-sama, you didn't think that you had me by surprise, did you?" He asked me, still teasing me. I growled at him and he smiled a wider grin. "I feel it, the dark aura that surrounds your heart. You want to kill me off and drink me dry, don't you? Well," He paused and let his guard down purposely. "Come and get me, Akane-sama." He gestured and I went towards him. He swung the sword at me, but I dodged. I went to slice him in half with my claws, but he swiftly moved to the side, causing me to plummet to the ground. He came up behind me and touched the tip of the sword against my pale skin. "Don't move, Akane-sama. If you do, you'll go right through the sword and be dead in an instant. Now I do not intend to kill you now or ever. My only opponent is Zero, so if you don't mind, I shall take care of my business and be gone." He said to me and removed the sword from the back of my neck. I growled a deep roar in my chest and he looked at me in shock. I swiftly went for him and caught him by surprise. I grasped onto his arm and flipped him to the ground harshly. I ripped the sword from his hand and laughed, my instincts taking me over once again.

"You think that, I, the Vampire Queen will allow you, an inadequate human, to slay my lover? You must be irresponsible because with one perforation of my thoughts, your blood will be flooded with venom that you will die an immediate death. Ichiru, even with our past in my mind, that doesn't mean that my instincts will stop me from killing you off. I will not allow you to take advantage of my feelings and you will not harm a single beautiful silver hair on Zero's head." I said, my black eyes shooting into his head. He grimaced at me and I smiled. He knew I was serious and he could do nothing about it. I grasped Ichiru's wrists harder and he screamed slightly. It was painful and he couldn't deny the fact that I'd kill him. "Now, for the rationale that you've so chivalrously let me out of my reformatory, you will recompense openhandedly with your sweet sweet blood." I said with a ravenous smile stretched across my visage. I kneeled down towards him and lifted his head up, exposing his pastel neck. I licked the nape of his neck and he shuddered. "Funny how you think that this is pleasing. You wanted Shizuka to drink your blood, did you not? You wanted to be a vampire along with her." I chuckled as I pulled away from his neck to look at his face. His eyes were just like Zero's that this made me remember the night when Zero was bitten. I pulled my hands away from his wrists and held the sides of his face. "Ichiru, if I turned you into a vampire, would you serve me and pardon Zero?" I asked him. I was offering to spare his existence, the smallest amount he could do was acknowledge it. Ichiru glared at me.

"I'd rather die than forgive that monster." He said and I grimaced. How dare he! I grasped his head tightly and jerked his head to the side.

"I'll definitely enjoy killing you, Ichiru. Farewell." I whispered into his neck and sunk my sharp fangs into his neckline. He flinched back in pain but my grasp on him was far too strong. I drunk until Ichiru stopped struggling, he was entranced in my hold that he was being seduced. He grasped me and pulled me closer to him. He was enjoying it and it disgusted me. The only thing that stopped me was the click of a gun and the footsteps of another person.

"Get away from him, vampire." A deep voice said to me. I grimaced at the sight of him.

"Akane!!" Zero shouted and I looked at him and he flinched back, frightened by the blood on my lips and Ichiru in my arms.

"You have killed him, vampire, you will die!" Yagari said as he pointed the gun at my forehead. I looked back at him.

"Really? Can you catch me?" I said and disappeared quickly.

"Akane!!" Zero shouted to the wind. Yagari had disappeared as well and left the two brothers by themselves. Zero looked at his brother and Ichiru was smiling. "Ichiru...?" Zero said softly as Ichiru grasped his foot.

"Zero, she didn't kill me, she turned me into a vampire." He said and Zero was shocked, his eyes widened.

"What? Why?"

"In my thoughts, I told her to turn me into a vampire, that I'd serve her and look after her and you till the day I die." Zero stared in astonishment at his brother as he smiled. Zero was grateful but worried at the same time. He hugged his brother happily that I didn't kill him. I watched the two as they embraced, I had brought them back together and it made me happy. It'd be like old times.

"So, you really didn't kill him, did you?" Yagari whispered to me. He didn't have the rifle aimed into my back or anything, I was surprised to find it true.

"Yeah." I sighed as I smiled.

"Tell me, how are you able to control your instincts like this? Aren't you taunted by my presence as a human?" He asked me and I shook my head.

"I'm not sure, maybe in the future I'll be able to not crave blood anymore on this one day." I looked at him. "Will you be at our wedding, Master?" I asked him and he was surprised.

"Wedding?"

"Mine and Zero's, I'm sure he'd be sad if you didn't come and celebrate."

"Depends, will all your bloodsucking friends be there?"

"Of course." I told him and he smiled. He jumped down from the tree branch we were sitting on. He looked at me as I stared down at him.

"Maybe, just maybe." He told me.

"Don't forget to leave your gun at home." I told him and he waved to me as he left. I giggled and jumped down from the branch and before Zero and Ichiru. Ichiru was still too weak to stand from all the blood I had sucked out of him. I took my finger and slit my throat open and offered the blood to Ichiru. "Drink, we'll find a way somehow to save Zero." I told Ichiru and he slowly drank my blood as Zero stared down at me. I smiled at him and he was emotionless. Ichiru pulled away and fell to sleep soon afterwards. We walked towards the Moon Dorm and Zero didn't say a single word to me. "I'm sorry Zero. I had to end the fighting sometime and he really did want to become one." I said to him and he grimaced at me.

"That doesn't give you the right to drink his blood till you've had your fill." He told me coldly. I sighed.

"Yeah, I know. At the time I went after him, I was trying to reason with my instincts, but they just forced me to bite him. But I'm not sorry, Zero." He looked down at me. "I'll never be sorry for this. I want us to be together again. I want us three to be a family again, just like the old days. I don't want to lose either one of you. You're both too special to me." I said to Zero and he stopped and stared at me. With Ichiru on his back, Zero had no problem with leaning in to kiss me.

"You're not the only one, Akane." Zero said to me as he pulled away for a second. He then bent in to kiss me once more. This time I held onto his cheeks and took in all of his kiss. Zero, Ichiru, we'll be together until the end of eternity.

Seventh Night: Blood

If anything was vital on my mind right now, it would probably be the unnerving feeling that Zero was going to turn into a Level E vampire soon. I could feel it in his touch and when he drank my blood, Zero's body was more nervous when he sunk those fangs into my neck. I could tell he was thirsty for more blood than usual and I was afraid. Not for my life, but for the image of Zero going mad with thirst. There had to be another way for Zero to become a true member of the night clan. If only I had been the one to change him, no, that was not all right to either of us. It was bad enough that he fed on me every time he was hungry.

"Zero," I said to him one night as he was clinging to my neck. "Zero, tell me, how thirsty are you?" I asked him and he pulled away suddenly.

"Why do you ask?" He said to me and I stared blankly at his silver eyes.

"Your actions, the way you handle me when you feed, you seem like you could drink all of me in one gulp. Tell me, are you craving more blood every single night?" I inquired and he looked at the floor sadly. "I'm right, aren't I? Do you know what this means?" I asked him and he nodded. "We need to find a way to save you and soon Zero. Maybe if I bite you and you, no, that wouldn't work. I didn't change you in the first place. Aido's family is hosting a ball tomorrow night and as the Vampire Queen, I was invited. I have no choice but to go. You can come if you want, I know Ichiru will follow me there." I looked at him and he was staring me madly in the eyes. "Are you angry with me?" I asked him and he just stared me down. He was either mad out of emotion, or he was mad with lust. He was inches from my neck once again but when I cringed from the thought of him changing, he moved away from my neck.

"Akane, are you afraid?" I didn't move. "It's okay to be. I know the time is coming soon and I can feel every single vein in my body thirst for your sweet blood. But I will not succumb to my hunger. I will resist as much I can, and I will keep you safe beside me, always." He told me and kissed me soft but quickly on the lips. I didn't move an inch when he returned back to my neck and drank the blood that was oozing slowly from the bite marks. Zero and I headed into the shower to wash off the blood all over us, even though the stains would stay there forever. I stared at the floor speechless and Zero leaned against the white tiled wall that was getting blood stained onto it. Zero didn't look at me either and we were both as quiet as we could be. We both knew what we were thinking about, we looked instantly at each other when tears came streaming from each other's eyes. The pain deep inside, the hardcore truth of our relationship might and will come to an end when Zero turns into a Level E. I had promised to shoot Zero when he turned, but did I have the guts to do so when that fateful deadly bullet went into the one I loved? Could I pull the trigger unlike Zero when he found out I was a vampire? And if I did, would I then kill myself to be with him, forever, in death? Zero did want me to shoot him when he turned, he knows I have the guts to shoot, and he didn't want me to die with him. The truth was inevitable, I couldn't no, we couldn't stand it. Every single moment together was so important, so beautiful, that I couldn't stand not being with him. Zero walked over to me and held me tightly in his arms under the rushing hot water. "You cannot and will not die with me, Akane." He told me in sweet hot whispers. He squeezed my violet hair in his hands. "You are just so important to everyone else that I'm not worth dying for." He added. That wasn't true. He was so worth it, so worth breaking the law that I couldn't fall in love with anyone for. I was doing the forbidden act, even though I was a vampire, it was illegal for a vampire to drink a pureblood's blood.

"Tell me something, Zero..." He looked at me as I spoke. "If you weren't worth it, do you think that I would be here, risking everything to be with you? The only reason why you and I are still together is because Kaname has kept our relationship a secret from the Vampire Council, and he's told the vampires here to not say anything." I looked away for a second after he didn't say anything. "Kaname and I go way back, Zero. I am indebted to him for everything he's done for me, and if you're still mad at him for drinking my blood then I understand. But I must tell you, that blood that he's developed throughout his body, my blood, it may just save you." I told him as I looked back at him. His expression was everything I expected. His silver eyes stared down at me in shock at my comment. "Headmaster Cross did have an idea of a cure for you way before Shizuka came to Cross Academy. He didn't even think about giving her blood to you, but what he did think about was me giving some of my blood to Kaname. Then he would carry that same blood through his blood stream and our blood would mix together creating a powerful type of blood that could either kill or give life. It can save you and make you one of the night. However, you must wish it so, if not, my blood will counter act Kaname's and send you into a tormenting end where my blood would suck your body dry." Zero pulled away from me and turned the faucet off. He walked out of the shower and grabbed a towel to dry his body off. I followed him, taking the towel he was offering silently to me, and I continued. "I want you to live so I sought a way of how to. It has taken some time for it to develop into something curable, but it will work. Zero, all you have to do is drink Kaname's blood and..."

"Enough! I'd rather die than drink his blood." Zero said angrily and I backed away from him. I wasn't going to push him any further but my means of leaving him alone left me confused and him hurt. I walked out of my bathroom and to my room. Zero stared at me as I walked away from him quietly. I rustled through my dresser for my pajamas, so I could get out of my soaking uniform. I heard Zero walk out of the bathroom and towards me. "What're you doing?" He asked me in a dull voice. I scrunched up my nose.

"I'm looking for my pajamas, what does it look like?" I said angrily. It was his fault that I was upset and he should feel the full extent of it. He sighed as I took my damp white tank top off and shoved my pajama top fiercely over myself. I rustled through my dresser once again for some dry underwear and my bottoms. "Turn around, Zero." I told him coldly. When I knew he wasn't looking, I changed into my clean dry underwear and pulled up my pants. I closed my dresser drawer and walked over to my bedside light and turned it on. I pulled the covers back and grabbed my homework off of my desk. I sat down in bed and started to scribble onto the paper. Zero sighed again and put his hand over mine. I looked up at him intensely and he stared softly back at me. We were having an angry staring contest and he was winning. I looked away, overpowered, and he sat down next to me.

"Why're you so angry?" He finally asked me.

I didn't look at him when I answered. "Do I really have to say why? It's so obvious." I told him with a softer voice. He put his hand on my cheek and turned my face towards him slowly. His face wasn't broken or anything with emotion. He was relatively calm and it made me composed as well. "Do you want to marry me or do you want to die?" I asked him and he gave me a look that said, 'Do you honestly think I want to die?' "Well, if you don't want to die, then just drink Kaname's blood. It's not that hard, I mean you drink mine all the time." I told him and he grimaced angrily and he shoved me onto the bed fiercely. I knew what I said wasn't the right thing to say. He looked down at me irritably and I looked away, frightened of how he would act in response. "If you're angry, just yell at me already." I said and he seemed to get even angrier.

"What is it that you want me to do? I try to give you all that I can, I ask you to marry me, you say yes, I promise not to kill you and you tell me that I have to drink Kaname's blood? What do you want me to say to that? Huh? I hate Kaname, I hate him, Akane. I cannot sink my fangs into his cold skin, okay?" Zero told me and I still didn't want to see his most likely distraught face. I kept my eyes closed and looked away as hard as I could, but he once again turned me to face him. I kept my eyes closed as tightly as I could, afraid that I might cry again. Apparently I only broke down in front of Zero. "Akane, would you please look at me." He pleaded softly and I slowly opened my eyes. And what I didn't want to happen, did happen. I had started to cry and Zero smiled slightly at me. He bent down and licked the tear from my left eye. "I want you so much but I don't want to be tempted to take anymore of your blood." Zero told me and my eyes were wide with surprise.

"Wh-What?"

"I want you, Akane. Don't you know what that means? But until I can at least be saved, I cannot have you in the way I want you."

"Then..." I started but his angry face got even more scary than it already was.

"No, there has to be some other way."

"But, there isn't. Zero, there is no other way! Can't you at least understand that Kaname has accepted my one and only request to save you? If I hadn't of requested this, he would have killed you long ago." I told him. "I saved you!" I shouted and his eyes widened. He then pushed his lips roughly against mine and I tried to squirm away from him grasp, but he was too strong. He held me tightly against himself and started to kiss my neck softly. He licked the many bite marks that had appeared over the past weeks and I shivered. Could he be any less seductive? He'd never acted like this and I think I was starting to like it. Every single bit of Zero belonged to me and me alone. How could I give him anything that he didn't want? There was nothing in this world that neither of us wanted more than each other. I told myself this every night and prayed for it to be true. But he didn't want me bad enough to take Kaname's blood and live. He wasn't going to try to survive with me for eternity. He didn't... I quickly pushed Zero off of me and I cried harder.

"Akane, what's the matter?" He asked me and I didn't answer. I shoved myself off of the bed and walked out of the room and for sure, Zero was following me. "Akane, stop and tell me what's wrong." He said but I kept on walking. "Akane!" He shouted this time and I stopped.

"Apparently you don't want me enough to save yourself." I said to him and walked into Yuki's room. I locked the door and kept Zero out. His banging on the door caused Yuki and Yori to wake up and I felt bad, but the banging soon ended and he walked away, to his dorm.

"Akane?"

"Akane-san?" Yori said with her cute little voice.

"I'm sorry to wake you guys at this time of the night, but can I sleep in here for tonight. I'm afraid that if I go back to my room, Zero will be there again." I said and they nodded. I climbed in bed with Yuki and Yori turned the lights off. I felt so horrible by the fact that I had completely left Zero. I hid my face in my hands and Yuki hugged me against her body.

"Akane, I don't know what happened, and I won't ask, but I'm here for you. I always will be here, okay?" She told me and I nodded, I had nothing that I could say to her.

"I think you should say you're sorry to him, Akane." Ichiru said to me the next morning as I did the rest of my homework in my room. I looked at him, glad he was here instead of Zero. "I'm sure he'd understand if he loves you that much."

"Thanks Ichiru. How are you, by the way? Can you suffice with the blood tablets?" I asked him and he laughed.

"Yeah, it sure doesn't fill me up quickly though. I have to have at least three to four cups of it before I've had my fill." He said in a joking voice. I giggled as well.

"I'm glad. I just wish that Zero could take them as well."

"Oh, are you talking about him and your bite marks?" He said and I nodded slowly. "Hey, he's not the only one who wants to guzzle down on your beautiful neck. You are our queen, so of course we would all seem attracted to you. I just guess that Zero has won your heart." He said to me and I frowned at bit. I put my hand on his cheek and made him look at me with those identical eyes of Zero's.

"Don't forget that you won me over once as well." I reminded him and he looked away, but he still had a smile on his face.

"Yeah, that was my fault. If I hadn't acted out of a whim and went with Shizuka, it would be you and me, wouldn't it?"

"Hmm... maybe. It's most likely." I assured him and he stood up to open the door. I didn't even hear a knock.

"Zero, good morning. Akane's in if you want to talk to her." Ichiru said and Zero appeared in the doorway and I stared at him sadly. Regret rushed over me as I stared at him and he stared back with angry eyes. "I'll be outside if you need me." Ichiru told me and I nodded as he walked out of my room.

"Zero... about last night, I'm sorry, and I want you to know that I am going to the party tonight still. Tonight is a night good as any other where Kaname would freely offer his blood to save you. If you want to be saved that is." I told him and he didn't say anything for the longest time.

"If you want to not be together, tell me now. Then I don't have to try to live, I can die by my own hands." He told me and I gasped. I grasped his arm and stared up at him distressed.

"No!! Don't even say that Zero!! I want to be with you, truly I do! There is not ifs, ands, or buts about it." I slid down to the floor and held his hand against my cheek sadly. "Please, I want you to stay with me. I want you to be saved, and I want to marry you. Let's stay together always, Zero." I told him and I felt him lift me up softly. I looked at him and his angry face had disappeared and he was smiling.

"I'm glad." He said and let go of my hand. "I'll go get ready and tonight, if Kuran offers it to me, I will drink his blood willingly." He told me and I smiled as Ichiru reentered the room and helped me get ready for the party.

When Ichiru and I entered the ballroom in the Moon Dormitory, we quickly spotted Zero at the far end of the room. I smiled in relief that he actually came, now all I had to do was find Kaname. I searched the room frantically looking past all the other vampires dancing. I finally spotted Kaname dancing with... Yuki! I couldn't believe that she had been invited to the ball, but then I remembered that she was one of the guardians as well. I sighed and Ichiru put his hand on my shoulder out of concern. I smiled up at him. Funny how only just yesterday I had turned him into a vampire. I looked back at Kaname who was free from Yuki's grasp. I nodded to Zero and he followed me towards Kaname. We approached him and he smiled down at me, completely ignoring Zero's existence... once again.

"Ah, I'm so happy you came Akane-sama."

"Same here Kaname-senpai. Now, I would like to speak to you about..." Aido talking into a microphone cut me off. I grimaced at him but all he did was smile.

"I am very pleased to see all of you wonderful vampires attending this ball. Especially you, Akane-sama..." Kaname motioned me up onto the stage next to Aido and he held me in his arms. "Our dear darling queen." When he said it, everyone started to cheer in celebration that I was even in his or her presence. I felt queasy inside. I was soon able to walk off the stage, but found that Kaname was missing once again. I sighed, maybe he didn't really intend on saving Zero, even if I had asked him. I walked back to Zero and fell exhaustedly into his arms.

"What am I gonna do?" I said and he just chuckled as he held me in his arms. I then spotted Yuki; maybe she knew where Kaname went. "Ah, Yuki, did you see where Kaname-senpai went?" She shook her head, I'd figured as much. I searched the room again and when I looked up on the second floor, I spotted Kaname watching over the whole ball, checking to make sure that everything was in check. I grasped Zero's hand and we ran up the stairs to Kaname. He looked at me with that smile again and I gasped for air. "Kaname, I think it's time that you uphold to your promise." I said to him and he nodded, opening the door to his right and motioning for me to go in. Zero and I walked into the dark room, which I soon discovered to be Kaname's room and he followed behind us, locking the door after closing it. He turned the light on and Zero and I sat on the couch by the window.

"I think it's time I returned my promise to you as well, my queen." He said to me then turned to Zero. Zero cringed in hatred towards the pureblood, but who could blame him. He knew what was going to happen anyway. "Zero, has Akane-sama already explained my promise to her?" He nodded his head slowly. Kaname smiled in return. "And are you okay with it?" He asked and Zero looked away from him.

"Only because it's for Akane's sake." He said softly and Kaname nodded and grasped a hold of Zero's arm. He looked up at Kaname in an angry way and Kaname smiled.

"You do not know what you're getting into boy." Kaname said and led Zero and I into his own private bathroom, same as mine. Kaname did not stop me from following; he knew that I had to watch, that I had to be there for Zero. I closed the door behind me and looked down at the floor emotionlessly. I heard the sound of ripping clothing and saw Kaname forcing Zero towards his neck, but Zero was resisting. "Why do you resist Kiryu? Is it because you can only take blood from her neck? Something that is so forbidden that I pretended to shove off my shoulder. What will it take for you to take my blood and save yourself?" Kaname asked in a mean and angry voice. I'd never seen him so mad before. Maybe it was just because it was Zero being himself. Zero looked at me and I nodded. Kaname knew what it was about. "So, if you take some of her blood first you'll thirst for more that you won't care to take mine?" Kaname answered for himself, neither of us responded. "Fine, do it your way." He agreed and Zero walked over to me and tilted my neck to the side gently. He was definitely getting hungrier by the day, the hour, the minute. He was so thirsty but he had rejected Kaname's offer for me. Zero bit into my neck for the umpteenth time and drank some blood. He forcefully pulled away and walked towards Kaname. The color of Zero's eyes, they were so dark to be silver anymore. Was this what it looked like to thirst for blood? Is that what I looked like when I was hungry? It was all the same to me, the look of a Level E vampire.

Eighth Night: Good-Bye

I was so afraid, afraid that I was going to lose Zero soon if he didn't take Kaname's blood. But he had hesitated, which was the reason why he had turned so quickly. Zero slashed at the mirror and it shattered into pieces that went sharply into my skin. I screamed in agony by the pain and Kaname quickly rushed to my aid. Zero... no. The Level E vampire, the one that use to be my Zero, turned to Kaname and I, and he licked his lips covered in my blood. I cringed in pain from the glass in my arms as Kaname opened the door quickly and out of his room. I cried by the thought of Zero's angry face from the killer instinct he now had. Zero followed us out of the room and into the ballroom. The vampires all smelt my blood and turned towards me quickly. When they saw the shards of glass in my arms, they gasped in fear of what happened, and when they saw Zero running down the stairs after us, the vampires all went into a fighting stance. They were going to kill Zero, but... "NO!! DON'T YOU DARE LAY A FINGER ON HIM!! YOU HEAR ME?!" I shouted to them and they all let their guard down for a second until Zero pulled me forcefully out of Kaname's grasp. Zero cradled my neck in his hand and I heard the whispers of his voice, his real one, in my ear. They were telling me to shoot him, that it was already too late for him now. I didn't want to, but I quickly pulled the gun out of my leather belt and pointed it at Zero's temple. "HE'S MY FIANCEE AND NO ONE WILL KILL HIM BUT ME!!" I shouted once again at the crowd and they put their weapons away, waiting, watching for me to shoot Zero. But I couldn't do it. I didn't have the guts to shoot the one I loved. So I quickly pulled the gun away from him and at the crowd of vampires.

Zero went to bite into my neck, but I watched as it slowly happened. Kaname bit his hand vigorously and shoved it into Zero's mouth, causing Zero to drink Kaname's blood instead of my own. Zero's eyes widened in pain as he consumed Kaname's blood that was infused with mine. Zero pulled away and screamed in agony as the blood flowed throughout his body, killing all the infectious Level E cells, which was hardly any seeing how Zero had only been a Level E for a few minutes or so. He then fell to the floor, completely unconscious, but not dead. He had become a true vampire and I was grateful for that. I turned to Kaname and smiled. "Thank you, Kaname-senpai." I said and he nodded, licking off the remainder of his blood on his hand. I turned Zero's head and wiped away the blood on his lips. "You're gonna be all right now Zero. I saved you, so you're gonna be all right. Go ahead and sleep for a while, you deserve it." I said as I hugged the sleeping boy.

We took Zero into one of the Moon Dorm's rooms (secretly it belonged to me but that was a detail I would never tell Zero) and I took care of Zero as he slept on the bed soundly. When he woke up he was going to be pretty thirsty, I just knew it, but I didn't really care. Just as long as he would be by my side forever. He soon opened his eyes and put his hand on my head to signal that he was awake. I smiled appreciatively at him and he pulled me into an unexpected violent kiss that tasted desperate. He pulled away, apparently he knew that he was a true vampire and he also felt embarrassed to see Ichiru watching over every single thing he had done just that moment. I giggled as Zero forced the covers over his head to hide his bashfulness.

After Zero had fully recovered, winter break had already started and I was able to convince Zero to go out on a real date with me. Technically it was a date, although we didn't go to the city, instead we went into the forest and hung out at the cliff with a meadow filled with tons and tons of sunflowers. I sat in the flowers and Zero laid next to me, just resting his eyes. He looked at me and smiled as I examined one of the flowers. He finally sat up and he put his hand over mine, both of us grasping the flower. I looked at him and smiled up at his pale face with the curious eyes.

"What's the matter Zero? Is everything all right?" I asked him and he nodded.

"Nah. Everything's all right, just, when do you want to, you know."

"When do I want to, what?" I asked him curiously completely unaware of what this when do I want to was.

"When do you want to get married?" He asked and I was taken aback ever since he'd turned into a true vampire, the subject of marriage was close on his mind. "And when do you want to..."

"After we're married and I want to get married after graduation. Zero, when do you want to get married, that's what I'm wondering." I asked him and he looked at me with wide eyes. He was so cute when he was shocked that I just wanted to kiss him all over just so that everyone would know that he belonged to me and me alone.

"When you want to, that's why I asked. Akane...?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you." He simply said and laid back down. I looked down at him curiously.

"For what?"

He smiled at me and pulled me down towards his face. "For everything." He said to me and I smiled as he pulled me into a kiss. The kiss itself was perfect, but the way Zero was acting was completely abnormal. His grip on me was cautious, his breathing was deeper when he got close to me, and his every word was sweeter than normal. I pulled away and looked back at him.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" I asked again and he chuckled as his nodded. He pulled me back down to him and the kiss tasted warm and at home. I bit my lip accidentally and Zero simply pulled away to inspect it and licked the blood away. I blushed at the sudden resistance to my blood. He was absolutely entranced my blood, but the fact that he was holding back was so different; I couldn't help but be concerned. I ignored it and kept on kissing him until we both shivered. We pulled apart and looked towards the forest. "Ichiru, I know you're there, you can come out now." I said embarrassedly and Zero's twin stepped out of the woods slowly he seemed embarrassed as well.

"Sorry to interrupt you, but do you think that you would like to have dinner with Yuki and the Headmaster tonight? This is a message from them personally." He asked us and we sighed.

"Sure, why not. See you later tonight Ichiru." I told him and he bowed before he dashed off towards the academy. "Sorry about that, I guess it kinda ruined the mood." I said to Zero guiltily and he giggled.

"Not at all." He said and pulled me back for another kiss.

After graduation and three weeks into summer vacation, we held the ceremony and unsurprisingly, Yagari Togu kept his word about not bringing his gun. I smiled as I walked down the aisle at him and he gave me a thumbs up. I was happy that he wasn't mad that his three pupils were all vampires. When I approached Zero, he smiled at me and I blushed as he tried to restrain from kissing me all over. Trust me, it was written everywhere on his pale face. The preacher said all the unimportant stuff that no one really wants to listen to but has to anyways and when he got to the exchanging the rings part, I heard the sound of horses coming towards the altar. I ran outside to see what the commotion was all about and so did everyone else. When I saw who stepped out of the carriage, I gasped in shock and anger.

"Queen Akane Sayuri, Zero and Ichiru Kiryu! You are all placed under arrest by treason to the law and the vampire council." The vampire that was speaking to me was Senri Shiki to the others, but to me, he was the most foul of vampires I had ever had the chance to know. He was Senri's father and Kaname's uncle, Rido Kuran. He was the one who killed Kaname's parents when he was young. The reason why I know this is because I was there to witness every single moment down to the last fact.

Rido walked closer to me and a flash of black chains wrapped around Zero, Ichiru, and I. He threw us into the carriage and the coach rode away. Far away from the altar, from everyone dear to us, and from our happiness.

To be continued...