AN: Thanks to my best friend Sam for the editing as per usual! The song is 'painkiller' by Three Days Grace. Let me know what you guys think! Reviews make me warm and fuzzy inside and stuff...

The storm raged outside, matching the intensity of the storm raging within Zero Kiryu. It had been nearly two months since the fight with Rido, and Yuuki's departure. To say he missed her would have been a gross understatement. He remembered his promise to her. He remembered the final words she said to him, the words that haunted his nightmares. At the headmaster's request he had stayed behind to help rebuild the school while continuing classes. The headmaster called it their "duty to the students." As a favor, and because he had nowhere else to go, Zero stayed at the school.

Glancing out the window, he sighed as another gust of wind drove a sheet of rain pattering against the pane of glass. Sighing, he turned away. A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance, and the window shook from its force. Previously drowned out by the howling wind, Zero felt the thumping beat enter the room and began reaching for his core. He glanced over towards the double doors, behind which a school dance raged, the headmaster's fleeting attempt to make everyone forget about what had happened and try to "lighten everyone up." As he watched, the double doors popped open and a bright light illuminated the once darkened hallway. Kaien Cross stepped into the light and Zero sighed again. He knew what was coming.

"Zero! What are you doing out here?"

Taking a step forward, Zero shrugged. In all honesty he had stepped away from the dance to clear his head. The festivities, with their cheerful mood and upbeat music had been too much for him. It was too soon and he still hadn't forgotten.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and when he looked up he saw his headmaster's face beaming brightly. Though this man had adopted him and cared for him most of his life, he still couldn't bring himself to think of him as anything more than a headmaster, certainly not his father.

"Why don't you come back in here, Zero? You could use a little cheering up."

Again, the young vampire shrugged, but did as he was told anyway. He yanked the doors open and a blinding light bombarded his senses. Once inside the music roared around him. Stepping off to the side he broke away from Kaien and slowly made his way off to the sidelines, watching as bodies writhed and wiggled on the dance floor. Finding a clear spot on the bleachers, Zero sat down just as the song came to an end. After a moment, another beat pulsed through him, and this, finally, was a song he recognized. Despite himself, the hand resting on his knee began to tap its fingers along to the beat.

You know you need a fix when you fall down
You know you need to find a way
To get you through another day

Zero's eyes scanned the crowd, looking among the thrashing and sweating bodies for something, or someone interesting to take his mind off of his problems. A young girl with long black hair caught his attention and he perked up to get a better look at her.

Let me be the one to numb you out

As he watched, she brought both hands up to run through her waist length hair. She spun and twisted, her hips swaying to the beat. She turned towards him then, and he felt as if a block of ice had slid down into his stomach. The look on her face was one of pure pleasure, lost and euphoric from the music.

Let me be the one to hold you
Never gonna let you get away

Clinging to her, the white shirt of her school uniform hugged her curves perfectly. She seemed to have discarded her black and white jacket, as had most of the students. Her skirt swished around her thighs as she danced, paired with black stockings. Despite the sexy way her hair hung over one shoulder, quite possibly the sexiest thing about her was the way she mouthed the lyrics to the song as she danced. Zero felt almost as if he had been electrified.

The shoulder you cry on
The dose that you die on

As the beat of the song changed, she swished her hips in wide circles, lower and lower until she was crouching; her hair fell over her face like a veil. As she got closer to the ground, Zero stood, desperate to keep sight of her. Something about the way she moved had him captivated. He had never seen anything like her, so graceful and free. She was everything he wanted at that moment.

I, I can be your painkiller, killer, killer
You'll love me 'til it's all over, over

As the beat of the music changed she shot up, throwing her head back. Her hair was like a midnight waterfall, tendrils of raven black cascading in waves down her back. She had a heartbreakingly beautiful pout on her lips, and her skin shone with the sheen of sweat that made her seem as if she were glowing from the inside. She moved in perfect time to the music, and snaked her arms over her head in carefully controlled movements, accentuating her in perfect fashion.

'Cause I'm the shoulder you cry on
The dose that you die on
I, I can be your painkiller, killer, killer

She was affecting him in ways he didn't even know were possible. He felt an undeniable urge to be closer to her, to breathe her air and taste her skin. Though it was no easy task, he waded through the sea of writhing and turning bodies and made his way to her side. At that moment all he knew was her. Loosely, he wrapped his arms around her waist and began to sway with her. Her smell was intoxicating. He breathed her in deeply and gently brushed her hair away from her neck. She sighed and practically melted in his arms.

I know what you want so desperately
You know I'll give you one for free
Forever you're coming back to me

Zero felt the slight twinge of satisfaction burn within him, and trailed two fingers across her collarbone and up her throat. She shivered at his touch and leaned into him, grinding her hips against him. He stiffened at the feeling of her against him and felt his ability to control himself slipping. Her arms came up then, reaching behind her to wrap around his neck and interlock her fingers behind his head. Watching the way she moved coupled with the feel of her skin was affecting his body and mind in ways he had never felt before.

Now I'm gonna give you what you need
'Cause I know what you feed on and what you lean on
And what you lead on

She sighed and relaxed against him. He felt the warmth of her skin against his and could feel himself melting like a candle in a wildfire. Something about her calmed him. Something about her almost drove him to madness. A plethora of feelings swirled within him like a melting pot, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She pushed her hips into him and tossed her head back, leaning against him as her mind gave in to the beat of the music. Slowly, Zero grabbed her wrists and pulled them down to her side, before trailing both hands across her hip bones. She gasped, and spun on her heel to look into the face of the person who was owning her so completely.

"Zero?!"

The shoulder you cry on
The dose that you die on

Zero could finally see every line and curve of her face and he felt as if he were looking into the eyes of a goddess. Her lips were full and plump, and begged for his touch. Her eyes were wide and a dark, slate grey. She was beauty incarnate, a goddess come to earth. He recognized her now. Kivia Karver. Finally, he bent and claimed her lips with his own. He felt a spark between them and smiled into her mouth. She tasted somehow familiar and like sweet frosting.

I, I can be your painkiller, killer, killer
You'll love me 'til it's all over, over
'Cause I'm the shoulder you cry on
The dose that you die on
I, I can be your painkiller, killer, killer

He felt a twinge of guilt but quickly pushed it away. For the first time in a long time, he was thinking of someone other than Yuuki, and he didn't really mind. He never should have let it get this far, but something about Kivia had him hypnotized. His mind was foggy and swimming from the adrenaline, but he still knew the gravity of the situation he had laid out for himself. He pulled away from her, panting.

Did you find me another cure?
Did you find me another cure?

"Kivia!" A voice to his left snapped Zero out of his trance like state, and he took a step back. A small group of girls had appeared, and were standing nearby, looking awkwardly from Kivia to Zero. One girl, tall with blonde hair and thick glasses, spoke up.

"Hey, Kivia. Why is Zero..."

Kivia finally moved her eyes from Zero's, her expression dazed and looking slightly guilty. That look caused another twinge inside of Zero's chest that he couldn't explain. This girl, once so forgettable and nothing he would look twice at, now owned his entire world. Without a word, she stepped away from him, and began making her way towards the door. The group of girls that had come to retrieve her seemed to unanimously flash Zero a cold, judging stare before following her.

I, I can be your painkiller, killer, killer
You'll love me 'til it's all over, over
'Cause I'm the shoulder you cry on
The dose that you die on
I, I can be your painkiller, killer, killer

The monster that was his pride, roared inside of his chest. He still felt their piercing judgment, the cold stares. Even though no words had been spoken, he could hear their words behind his back. Who were they to laugh at him? His upper lip curled in a snarl, and he spun on his heel, making his way through the crowd, along the same path his prey had laid out for him. He brushed past body after body, knocking them out of the way as he passed. Any sense of self control he had once felt had melted now, and he was a man on a mission. He finally made it out of the crowd just as the double doors swung closed. He rushed forward, his pace quickening to a jog. He exploded through the doors before they had even come to be still again.

"Kivia!"

He scanned the hallway to his right and was met with nothing but a blanket of impenetrable darkness. Whipping his head around, he looked to his left to find a small group of figures in the stillness. He charged forward, and before he knew it, his trembling hand had reached inside of his jacket to find the cold metal of the Bloody Rose firm against his heaving chest. As he got closer, the face of every girl came clearly into view. Surprise shone brightly on all of their faces as he reached out, grabbing hold firmly of Kivia's wrist.

"I was talking to her."

Kivia stayed silent, but the same blonde girl sporting glasses as before piped up in her place.

"Hey! Zero, you can't treat her like that! You think just because-"

Zero wrenched his shaking hand from its confines, and a sliver of moonlight flashed across the silver of his weapon as he drew it. A collective gasp rang out between the girls, and their 'leader' took a stumbling step back upon realizing that she was now staring down the barrel of a gun. Though Zero knew without a doubt in his mind that the Bloody Rose could not harm her even if he willed it too, Zero was unsure if she was aware of this fact as well. By the fear in her eyes he assumed not.

"Get out of here! All of you!"

Though they hesitated, the girls backed away slowly. He turned to look at Kivia, standing unmoving at his side. He heard the clatter of footsteps, as the other girls skittered quickly away from them. He lowered his arm to his side, feeling the cool metal against his thigh through his slacks. Kivia's eyes moved downwards with his weapon, and though he knew it was fear in her eyes, he couldn't help but feel a pulse when her lips parted in surprise.

"Zero...I-"

"I'm sorry Kivia, I can't..."

He pressed into her, driving her back until her back met the wall behind her. He pinned her there, watching as her eyes finally met his. As he locked gaze with her megawatt eyes, he felt as if he had been shocked to life. A tense lifting sprung to life between his legs, and he smiled when she sucked in a deep breath. He knew she felt it too. Her hands came up, pressed flat against his chest, and he shivered when he felt her warmth even though his uniform.

"Zero...please... You're scaring me…"

He shook his head, and brought his free hand up to run through her hair. He watched her lips as they said his name and another pulse resounded within him, this time causing a throb from his stiffening erection. Without a word, he leaned down to her, brushing his lips across hers carefully. A small squeak escaped her throat, and he found himself smiling against her once more. She turned her head away, breaking their contact, and instantly Zero missed the taste of her. Before he could stop himself, his skeletal fingers grabbed her chin, forcing her to look his way.

"I'm sorry, Kivia. I need this."

In one fluid movement, he bent down and hooked her thigh over his forearm, opening her before him. Licking his lips, his mind began to swim from the feeling of the smooth skin of her inner thigh resting on his fingertips. Leaning into her, he ran his tongue along the flesh of her lower jaw, and the taste of her brought that familiar feeling of bloodlust and need.

"Zero! Stop!"

She pushed harder against him, twisting in his grasp. Growling, he gave her chin a rough squeeze, silencing her instantly. Though she still fought him, he felt more in control now. His tongue lashed out, licking up her neck, feeling the rivers of blood thrumming just below the surface. Using his free hand he pushed her skirt up, exposing a pair of plain white cotton panties. Such a sight had his excitement mounting more than he had ever experienced before. Pulling her panties to the side, Zero ran his thumb across that sensitive part of her and she gasped loudly. He chuckled, deep in his throat. Biting her lower lip, she turned her face away, a look of shame crossing her features.

"Zero, I don't want to do this..."

He swiped his thumb across her again, and placed a single finger at her entrance. His fingers sank deeper until he pressed into her, and lingered there. His grin turned sly, and he chuckled.

"I think you're lying."

Her eyes, wide and innocent, locked on his once more and she looked shocked. "I didn't..."

Forceful, almost too roughly, he pushed another finger into her and she gasped, pulling away from him and rapping the back of her skull against the window pane. He chuckled again, this time deep in his throat, an intense, dark sound.

"You are dripping wet..."

She sucked in a deep breath and shivered. He leaned into her, slowly pulling his fingers out, and then without warning thrusting them back into her until she squealed.

"Kivia..."

"Huh?"

"Tell me you want it."

Frantically, she shook her head, her long hair flying around her. He pushed into her again, brushing against a sensitive spot inside of her, and she straightened.

"Tell me, Kivia."

"I can't! Zero, I'm scared"

He pulled her leg up, wrapping it around his waist, and removed his hand from her thigh. He brought his hand up, the bloody rose still clutched in his trembling fingers. He pressed it beneath her chin, and he saw her flinch as the cold metal came into contact with her heated skin. He pushed, forcing her head back against the window. He went forward until his lips touched the shell of her ear, and when he spoke his voice was a soft whisper.

"Say it."

She gulped, and finally "I want you, Zero."

Finally content, a smile graced his chiseled features. With his free hand, he tugged at his zipper, and then his fingers disappeared into the confines of his slacks. When they reappeared, he brought his throbbing manhood with them. Shuffling his feet, he readjusted himself and brought his hips closer to her. When he touched himself to that aching, yearning part of her, she shivered again, but stayed silent.

Carefully, he positioned himself at her entrance and began to push forward, slowly parting her flesh and making his way into her hot core. She groaned, and he watched her throat pulse as she swallowed hard. When he was finally fully inside of her, something inside of her gave way before him, and she let out a whimper. A sudden sweet scent filled the air, and a sudden pressure wrapped around Zero's brain. A sudden numbness flashed throughout his soul, and he shivered.

Blood.

That smell, that intoxicating aroma. She was bleeding.

Breathing in, he leaned back to look at her and felt his eyes pulling towards the swell of her throat. He shook himself and returned his gaze to her eyes. What he saw there rocked his core. A tear slipped from each eye, slowly falling down her cheek and racing down her neck. As he watched their descent, he was once again drawn to the bulging veins beneath her flesh. A sudden convulsion gripped her body, and as she shivered against him, he loosened his grip on the gun. A guilt had gripped him, and he suddenly felt terrible for his roughness. Her chin lowered until he stared into her eyes, though it still stayed propped against her jaw. Something grabbed his mind in a stranglehold and refused to let him go.

As he watched, Kivia changed positions, tilting her hips against him. She moved around him, and her tight, wetness slid against him. He hissed between his teeth, and found his already limited hold on what self-control he had had left to begin slipping through his fingers, smashing against the floor into a million pieces. He pulled out of her, and smashed back into her with enough force to grind her hips back against the cement she leaned upon.

She cried out, a muffled groan against clenched teeth. Without even a second of hesitation, he slipped out and pressed into her one more time. She called out again, this time a small moan beneath trembling lips. He continued his pace, rocking against her, never taking his eyes away from her heaving throat. He gulped, trying in vain to push away his sinful desires and his monstrous needs. With a shaking hand, he pushed a lock of her hair away from her neck, and grinned at all of the curves and lines exposed to him.

His hand holding the weapon began to weaken and it dropped from its place at her jaw, to an area just above her heart, his hand resting against her breast. The skin below her chin had reddened from the barrel of the gun, and he felt a sense of pain when he saw the painful looking mark blemish her creamy skin. He sighed, and though never stopping or even slowing his pace, leaned against her to press his lips against her sore, irritated skin. Once again, he felt her shiver. He inhaled deeply, and the scent of her blood was now mingled with the scent of her flesh. He felt the pulsing of her blood beneath his lips, and he pressed forward with renewed urgency and need.

He ran his fingers up her neck and into her hair, entangling his skeletal fingers deep in her midnight locks, close to the scalp. Growling deep in his throat, he yanked her head back, exposing her throat to him. She yelped, and convulsed once more, her core contracting around him. A wave of pleasure smacked into his brain and he groaned. He trailed a pattern of kisses along her jaw line, slowly making his way to the side of her neck, nuzzling his nose against her ear.

The sudden squeak of a door sounded behind them, and though Zero took notice, he didn't slow his motions. He had his heart set on a target and at this moment his determination was set. He heard a sudden intake of breath and hurried footsteps.

"Zero! What are you doing!"

Kaien Cross appeared at his side, and Zero felt a possessive demon erupt inside of him. He grunted and attempted to turn away, but before he could move, the headmaster was on him.

"Zero! Stop! You can't do this!"

Zero's grunt lowered into a menacing growl, and he pulled his lips back in a snarl. A sudden rushed feeling came over him, and he trained his eyes back to his prey. Her eyes were wide, frightened, and the cheeks had flushed a scarlet hue that seemed almost to glow in the dark. As Zero watched, she gulped, and the muscles in her throat jumped. An arm grabbed roughly at his shoulders and wrenched him back, and he felt his will break. He felt as if he had been shoved over an edge he had been fighting to balance upon, and he fell forward, his lips against her jugular. A voice to his left grated against his nerves, and he twitched with annoyance.

"Zero! Don't do it!"

Again, he felt hands pulling at his shoulder, yanking on him in an attempt to restrain him. With a snarl like a rabid beast, he threw his arm out and back, knocking his newfound rival back and off of him. Taking advantage of what he saw as his only opportunity, he pounced. He plowed into her, his teeth poking through her creamy, white skin in one smooth, fluid movement. A flood of blood poured into his open mouth and he moaned at the taste.

Beneath him Kivia stiffened, her breathing catching in her chest against him. She moaned deep in her throat, and Zero felt the vibrations against his lips. The flow of blessed elixir over his tongue and down his throat gave him a rush of drunken passion and he pounded against her with a bestial wrath. He felt a coil tightening in the pit of his stomach, and a burning fire radiated through every limb. Kivia let out a yelp, her hands coming up to clutch at his shoulders as if hanging on for dear life.

"Zero! Stop! You're going to kill her!"

The headmaster's words brought him to reality with an unpleasant jolt and he slowly pulled his lips away from her neck. He leaned back, looking up to study her expression. She had visibly paled and though her eyes were still lidded from her passion, she seemed suddenly so fragile. His tongue lashed out, swiping across his lips to taste what lingered of her essence. The taste threw a debilitating right hook to his already cracked willpower. Dropping the Bloody Rose to the floor with a clatter, he dropped his hands to her swaying hips and pulled her close to him. This change in position caused a mind numbingly sweet change in sensation, and he felt a renewed fire burning within him.

"Oh, fuck...so tight."

He felt another hard tug on his shoulder, but found he couldn't be bothered with it. Choking back a gasp, he emptied himself inside of her as he felt her breath escape in a whoosh of air. As he felt himself growing weak, another hand grasped him around the throat in an unforgiving chokehold and he was pulled back and off of her. Stumbling, he lost his footing and landed hard on the unforgiving ground. From his place against the cold floor, he looked back up at her, and was shocked at what he saw.

As he watched, she swayed on her feet, and finally collapsed forward onto her knees. Her hair fell in a curtain around the front of her face, and he felt something inside of him break when he heard her whimper.

"Kivia..."

His voice was an inaudible croak in his dry throat, and he forced himself to look away from the mess he had created. His hands came up to clutch at the headmaster's forearm, still clamped around his throat. His eyes once again were drawn to the panting girl on the floor before him, and he felt a bubbling pit of guilt rising like bile in his windpipe. As he watched her, she lifted her head to look at him. As he locked eyes with her, he felt the air around him thicken, and his vision began to darken. Struggling against his captor, he pulled against the headmaster's arms.

The weight on his throat bore down with an intensity he had never experienced, and finally, his world blackened and he felt his body go limp as he faded away.