Moonlight Sonata

By: FeatherWings

'It hurts.' Senri Shiki thought as he leaned his hand against the window pane of his bedroom window. He breathed heavily as if trying to catch his breath yet was unable to. His legs shaking, he could barely support himself. Another wave of craving blood surged through him forcing him to curl up in pain. He was now on the floor tightened into a ball. 'It hurts so much...I need blood...'

It had started only a week ago and had progressively gotten stronger. He felt torn to pieces and could find no solution as to what to do. The craving coursed through his blood and drove him mad. Was there nothing he could do to stop himself? Would it one day consume and control him? If he could ride it out, it would eventually subside. He hoped.

This was so strange to him. Why was this happening? He had always had a craving for blood but it was only natural for a vampire. He had tried the blood tablets but now they seemed to have no effect. He wanted blood so bad he could taste it on his lips.

He didn't want anyone to know. Was he really this weak and his craving so strong? He wanted it, he needed it, he felt as if he were going to lose control of himself or crawl out of his own skin. He pulled on his soft deep brown hair. It was all he could do to stop himself from screaming.

Senri rolled over on his back with his eyes clenched shut. The noise from outside seeped into his room as the girls from the Day Class gathered. Yuki and Zero were surely there as well. Senri knew that if Zero found out about his craving Zero would kill him without hesitation. He would be seen as a danger to the Day Class and to especially to Yuki. To Zero, he was nothing more than a detestable vampire.

He opened his eyes to see the light of the dusk sun coming in through the window. It was almost time for the Night Class to appear and that meant Senri would have to attend as well. Like a ghost that only faded in and out of existence at twilights.

The craving was starting to calm down now. He let go of his hair but kicked his feet in frustration before settling. The floor was cool on his back and comforting. He decided that until it was time for class he would lay just where he was; docile to the world. It hurt too much to care anymore but still he couldn't help it.

He knew it would lead to a dark and foreboding future and yet he couldn't stop. He couldn't stop desiring it. The way it tasted metallic on his tongue, the warmth it gave as it slid down his throat, the deep red color of it as it dripped down the side of his mouth and drenched his victim's skin; it was all so beautiful.

Senri brought his fingers up to his lips. If he weren't as Cross Academy, he could feed all he wanted but since Kaname was here so was he. Thinking of Kaname, there was another person whose reaction may not be pleasant if his secret were out. Was it inevitable?

He felt his lip with the tips of his fingers and then felt his fingers with his tongue. He came back to wondering if he was really this weak. He wasn't a former human like Zero Kiryu, he shouldn't be as weak. The tablets should work. He couldn't be this weak, it was a disgrace. An absolute dis-

"Ow..." Senri looked at his pointer finger which was now bleeding. He had unconscientiously been playing with his fangs and cut his own finger. Now there was no way he could just stare at it. He had to at least taste it and then possibly suck himself dry of the thick liquid.

He sucked on his bleeding finger and closed his eyes in delight. He felt relieved, like all the pressure disappeared and all the pain melted away. It tasted so good. It tasted so good he couldn't stop sucking on his finger and he knew at that moment that he was in dangerous territory. What if he did lose control? What would he do? Who would save him? Would someone save him?

A knock emanated through the room. Senri looked towards the door and said a quiet and muffled "Come in" before the door opened. There stood Rima in her school uniform ready to get to class.

"Come on, Senri. Let's go." she said then took in what she was looking at and what Senri was doing. "Senri? Are you okay?"

"Yes." he said innocently.

"What are you doing?"

"I cut my finger." Rima continued to stare at him. She let the subject drop.

"Well, come on or we'll be late." Senri thought for a moment if it was worth getting up off the floor for before deciding that if he didn't go, someone might come snooping around and find out his secret. So he lifted himself up off the floor to join Rima as they walked out of the room.

They walked in silence at first because Rima was still wondering what Senri had been doing. She finally passed it off as Senri just being weird and she told him so; Senri didn't acknowledge the fact that he had heard her. He was too busy worrying that the craving for blood would come again as well as wallowing in a pool of his own self-pity. The craving left him weak and tired even though the night was just beginning. He put his hand over his eyes and let out a sigh.

"I really am weak."

"We're all weak compared to Kaname-sama." Rima answered. Senri had forgotten he was walking with her. He hadn't intended to say anything. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine." he lied and looked away calmly as if nothing really were wrong.

"You're so weird." Senri didn't reply.

They walked out of the dorm to find the normal crowd of girls and the two Guardians. Senri sighed again. The night was cold and stung as if it were punishing Senri and telling him that he was shameful to all vampires. He couldn't agree more.

It couldn't be true though. How could he be so weak? He kept coming back to this argument. He couldn't let it go. It must seem pathetic that he couldn't control his craving. That it was so strong. What would the others think?

He couldn't stop thinking about it all through class. He stared blankly and absent-mindedly at the teacher letting his mind run in circles. He couldn't find a way out. This night, of all nights, was not merciful to him.

Near the end of class, he began to feel it again. 'No...not now! I won't be able to hide it!' he thought squeezing his eyes shut. The craving was returning. The creature under his skin was crawling around again and he could do nothing to stop it from coming back.

"That's it for tonight." The teacher said, dismissing them. The room was quickly filled with the voices of people talking as they rose from their seats. Senri swallowed hard and then he too rose.

"Senri!" Takuma called his name. Senri turned to him.

"Huh?" he blinked.

"What's wrong? You look pale!"

"He's been acting weird." Rima said.

"I'm fine." Senri pushed passed them and they fallowed.

It hurt. It hurt so much he could hardly bare to move his feet. And it hurt to breathe. Everything hurt and he was becoming more and more weary. He was dizzy. The craving was getting worse. He needed to drink blood, anyone's blood. That person under his skin was restless; crawling, crawling, crawling, and never stopping. Was he going to lose control this time?

It was too much. The world was becoming dark. All the color washed out of the walls and all the light drained from the chandeliers...

...until there was nothing.

-To be continued-

FeatherWings- How did you like the first chapter?