Disclaymer: Oh, how I wish I owned Vampire Knight, but I don't...

I want to thanks my beta reader

That Blood

Rima closed her bedroom's door and listened. She felt as someone was watching her. Made a thorough search around the room. Nothing. But the feeling won't go away. She went to the balcony and looked deep in the night, with her nocturnal predator's eyes. Still nothing. She closed the curtains and let herself fall irritated on the bed. How could she think, reflect about what she had just felt if that impression won't leave her. The understanding took her as she controlled her breath. The sensation that somebody was watching her was given by the fact that her blood was throbbing on her temps, in a symphony so loudly, that all the vampires in the rooms around hers stopped their business to hear the chords. She tried to calm down, to make the viscous liquid stop bumping on her veins - stimulating the instincts of her instable friends. It was a matter of consideration; she needed to pull herself together. When succeed, she dedicated her mind to endless reflections.

She decided not go to class, claiming exhaustion. The house's solid silence made her feel good. Rima needed this time to understand what she saw, what she felt, and what it meant. The heat of anger was still dozing in her chest, and the bitterness of frustration was making her thirsty. However, because of some kind of masochistic pleasure, she refused to feed. Not with tablets. She needed to sink her fangs into flesh, and receive the warm wine of life, in long, uninterrupted sips. She let the thought feed her heart, overwhelmed by self-control. Finally back to her natural placidity. Now Rima could think.

She had entered the living room after taking a relaxing shower, still tired for the long daily photo-shoot. The first thing she saw was Shiki napping, with his head leaning on Ichijou's shoulder, and a faint smell of the latter's blood. Did not need an extremely refined intelligence to understand what happened. The "accidental" wound on Ichijou's hand hadn't healed yet.

Why this did affect her that way? Why she felt the enormous desire of killing her friend? Rima didn't like to think too much, she preferred to just live life. But now there was something inside her urging for her attention, something that she didn't notice until then, and that now was taking its toll.

'I should have stayed sleeping like Rima.' Shiki thought, as he walked back to the dorm. Half-asleep the boy went to his room, with the knowledge that he would sleep very well. There is nothing like being immensely tired and had drank blood to have a good rest. This was the only reason that made him like social events. Lie, he liked to dance too. And Rima was so delicate on the dance floor, so easy to lead, extremely different of her usual personality. If she was always like that, he could do to her what he did this morning. But if she was different, maybe he wouldn't want her blood that much. If only there was a real accident… Thinking about this whim, he fell asleep.

Rima opened Ichijou and Shiki bedroom's door the most silent she could. Step by step she went to the left bed, and with a slight blush, slipped between the sheets. Stopping a few inches away from Shiki's body, lightly touched his back.

"Rima." He greeted her in a whisper.

"I need to know something." Her also small voice greeted back.

"Do you?" He asked as he turned to look at her, but with a touch of reproach, he was warned that Rima didn't want to see his face.

"I got furious with what I saw today. I wanted to electrocute you. Don't even ask what I wished to Ichijou. I had never felt this way before, it seemed like I was thirsty, by difficulty swallowing, breathing. Then came some kind of sharp pain, and I left before I lost control."

Silence was the only sound for almost a minute.

"Rima, are you in love with me?" Shiki's usual expressionless voice was heard. But she knew him too well to be bored about it. She could feel his blood running faster. That blood, that smell. A new version of an old desire seized her. Now Rima knew what it was.

"Yes." She wasn't able to sound indifferent like he was, but she was direct, and there was only firmly on her voice. Yet, she was proud, and preferred to remain on eternal uncertainty than to ask him the question. After some time he said:

"You're special to me. Now, for different reasons also is Ichijou."

Rima had turned her back at Shiki, her cerulean eyes were fixed on Ichijou's bed, who was trying his best to not move a muscle. It wasn't the kind of conversation that he wanted to get involved.

The vampire's voice quivered with some exasperation:

"This is so unfair! It's not a usual competition! If he was a girl, I could be the prettiest, the most elegant. If you liked us for the same reasons, I would just have to try to be the best. But I'm impotent in this situation!"

Shiki turned toward her. Touching her undone hair he said, with a slight sign of suffering:

"I'm sorry, I'm powerless too."

They both stayed quiet, gazing at a trail of light that was drawn from time to time, according to the breeze's wish.

"I hate indefinite waits." Rima sighed, starting to walk away. Shiki's soft hand prevented her from living.

"Maybe...There is something you can do…To make it faster…" He muttered.

She didn't need him to be more specific. Without thinking a second about it, she bit her own hand, opening two painful wounds. The intense smell spread through the room, and carefully, to not drip on the sheets, she turned and offered the hand to the silent vampire.

His lips touched her skin gently, he licked the red trails until the source. Only then, first slowly, then a little anxiously, pressing his mouth against her skin cut, he sucked Rima's blood. He let himself be invaded by the sensation of that liquid touching his arch, soaking his body, living a trail of fire and a deep relief. It was good. He needed more. Eagerly opening his lips, he let his fangs rub the girl's hand, which she quickly took away.

"No." She said simply.

"I'm not allowed to bite you until I'm sure." He sighed, smiling slightly.

"Sleep well, Senri." Rima savoured the word while walking away.