Notes: I'm continuing this as long as the ideas keep flowing. Thanks for taking the time to review! Many of these events are taken from the flashbacks provided by the manga, so I'm not totally making things up. If you've read the manga as much as I have, you'll probably recognize many of the scenes. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not know any part of Vampire Knight.

Book Two: Allies and Enemies

I sat in an uncomfortable chair across from a fidgeting Ichijou Takuma, who sat with his nervous hands playing with the fabric of his pants. The atmosphere was tense, something that I grew used to by the second day. We were sitting in the living room of Ichijou's manor, waiting for the man who now deemed himself as my guardian. He had ignored my insistence at not needing one, and already made plans to draft the legal papers. His actions, though accepted as generous and kind by most, triggered the suspicion that he was indeed working against me. But I was not surprised. I never liked the passive hostility with which he eyed my father and mother when he was in their presence.

My eyes strayed to my friend's face. Ichijou was always looked happier than me, and my mother thought that his smiles would in turn affect me to smile more. But, my happiness was not the same kind of carefree, naïve happiness that my friend possessed. Mine was always burdened by the fear that it would be taken away from me, and I was right. It was much harder than I thought, getting rejected by my princess, and I did not think that I could ever face her again—my heart ached too much. My uncle destroyed my happiness.

My reverie was broken by the long-awaited entrance by Ichijou's grandfather: my self-proclaimed guardian, my uncle's spy, Ichijou Asato. He looked younger than I saw him last, probably due to the small smile that twitched upon his thin lips. He bowed at his waist, a sign of mockery rather than respect.

"Ah, Kaname-sama, you were already here. I apologize for keeping you waiting."

My name said by his mouth made it seem vile and filthy. I allowed a small smile at the thought. "It's alright. I wasn't waiting long. What is it that you wanted to talk about, Ichiou?"

"I wanted to see if you would like to have a gathering of sorts—there are many people who still wish you their condolences. It would be an appropriate time to announce my guardianship."

It was his turn to move across the chessboard and I would indulge him for the time being. I already knew where he would go. "Perhaps it would be fitting." I mused aloud, and I saw his smirk grow a fraction of an inch. They were so easy to fool.

It was not surprising when the date of the party was only two days away, and Ichijou looked at me nervously out of the corner of his eye. I smiled to reassure him and his shoulders visibly relaxed. With a grandfather as powerful as Ichiou, it would not be hard to assume that he was under the control of said grandfather. Though my friend did not know the purpose of his usefulness, I could certainly guess, but as long as my princess's secret was kept, nothing mattered. He would be useful to me in the future.

Ichiou left the room with another bow to me and a glance at his grandson. Ichijou let out such a big sigh of relief that I had to smile a little. He turned to me and grinned apologetically. "I know you didn't want a guardian. I'm sorry about my grandpa. He's just stubborn and he really respected your parents."

My smile faded; I could not hold it in place at the horrible lie behind his words of comfort. "It's alright. I didn't want to trouble him with another responsibility."

He seemed glad at my reaction. I shuddered to think what might have happened to me if I was as naïve as my friend. A maid brought in tea for us with a plate of crumpets, but they only reminded me of my mother's cakes and tea time. I stared into my cup, remembering how cheerful she was when Yuuki spoke her first words; she was so excited that she almost spilled the teapot over my father's head. I wondered if my princess would resemble my mother in some way.

The maid came back in, this time clutching a piece of paper in her hands. With both hands, she held it out for me and bowed. "A telegram has come for you, sir."

Curious, I unfolded it and read:

Kaname-kun! Help! Vampires have found us and have attacked. There are four of them, and Yuuki is terrified. I can't stop her from screaming. Come as soon as you get this! – CK

I sat, frozen to my chair, my eyes wide with disbelief. They found out? How? I made sure that nothing in the house smelled like her! How could they have found her so fast? Her scent? She did smell sweet, beautifully sweet. I jolted out of my seat, knocking over the crumpets and the china cups, and ran out without another word to Ichijou.

"Kaname, wait! Where are you going?"

I ignored him and ran faster than I had ever run in my life. I quickly caught a taxi and paid the driver ten times the regular fee to drive me as fast as he could. I rushed out even before the car could come to a full stop, and my heart was pounding against my ribcage, ready to burst if I found her dead.

Scrambling, I swiftly made it through the hills and saw my destination. There were no tracks outside or any sign of struggle. Was it an ambush? I burst through the door, my claws ready to fight immediately. Instead of four ravenous vampires, I found Cross standing outside of Yuuki's room.

"Oh, good evening, Kaname-kun. Why are you here all of a sudden?" He asked pleasantly surprised.

Confused, I looked at him incredulously. "Eh…? Didn't you send a telegram saying that the vampires who are tracking her attacked this place?" Cross looked mischievous. Relief and annoyance swept over me and my heart calmed down enough for me to speak. "Though I was skeptical, I ran away from my watchers and hurried, running all the way here." My nails dug into the door that I had been holding open. "You were lying, huh?"

Cross only chuckled good-humoredly and mischief glinted in his eyes behind his spectacles.

Embarrassed and flustered by falling for his now-evident lie, I turned away, not wanting to see my princess. "I won't believe you ever again." The words sounded childish even to my ears, but it was all I could threaten because he knew just as well as I did that I would run back here if there was any news, a lie or not.

"Kaname-kun! Kaname-kun! Something's happening!"

I turned back around to see him pointing into Yuuki's room with a shocked look on his face. "What happened?" Rushing to his side, I looked in and the rest was history.

"Yuuki put on her clothes by herself!"

My princess sat on the floor, her pajama pants on her head, her shirt wrapped around her little torso, and a fluffy white towel discarded around her legs. At the sound of my voice, she turned to look at Cross and then she caught my eyes. Her eyes widened again, and grabbed the white towel to flip it over her head to hide herself from me. As if that would protect her from these cursed fangs.

But, no matter what the reason for her distress, the sight was so funny that I could no longer hold in the laughter that struggled to escape my throat. And I was doubled over laughing like I had never laughed before, and I banged on the door to expend my happy energies even more. As my laughter faded away, I tried to straighten myself out. I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye and let out my final chuckles. My face was flushed from laughing so hard.

"Ah, this isn't the time to laugh." I gave her my best smile. "Sorry I scared you. I'll leave now. Bye-bye."

With the remnants of my smile still on my face from the previous episode, I turned to head out of the door. Before I had taken five steps, I felt something pull on the back of my coat. Turning around, I looked down to meet my princess's smiling face.

"Kaname…Kana…me?" Her smile was so sweet, like a rose in full bloom, and something in my heart broke when she said my name that it took all of my willpower not to hug her fiercely. It felt like it melted at the sound of the most innocent angel from heaven.

Instead, I knelt on one knee and smiled at her as I placed my hand on top of her soft hair. "Yes, that's my name. Can you tell me yours?"

She blushed and cast her eyes to her feet. "Yuuki."

"That's a lovely name. Aren't you scared of me anymore?"

Her smile vanished and violently shook her head in denial. I put my hand on her cheek to stop her movement. I hoped my smile reflected my happiness this time. I was going to win, and there was no way that anyone could take away my happiness again. "Thank you." I whispered to her, but she was too young to understand what I meant.

"Why don't you stay awhile, Kaname-kun? I'm sure Yuuki would like that." The Chairman offered kindly. He tossed me a thin book my way. "This is Yuuki's favorite story. It's almost time for bed and she likes being read to."

Nostalgia filled me as I took her hand and led her to her bedroom. I drew away the covers and picked her up to tuck her in. There was a chair already in place for me and I sat down while Yuuki smiled shyly. The book was called The Gentle Princess and I smiled at the title. No doubt the Chairman had written it especially for her. I began to read.

"'Once upon a time, there was a little princess named Yuuki…'"

The story ended happily ever after, the princess together with her knight in shining armor. By the time I got to the middle of the story, she had fallen asleep, but I kept reading, happy to spend the nostalgic moment with her. It felt like nothing had changed, except now everything had changed.

I brushed away some stray locks from her face and sighed before I got up from the chair. I put the book down on the bed stand beside her. I clicked off the lamp which plummeted the room into darkness, and any kind of darkness made me feel uneasy about leaving her alone.

"Chairman Cross, there isn't any danger of an attack, right?" My usually composed voice sounded small and weak, almost vulnerable enough to make me flinch.

He gave me a reassuring smile. "No, but it would be too foolish not to expect it."

It was dark outside and I knew I stayed for too long. "I must go. It's too late; my guardian must be getting worried about my whereabouts." I had to spit out the words. They left a horrible aftertaste in my mouth.

His smile turned sarcastic. "They really don't know who they're messing with, do they?"

I returned his smile with a grim one. "I guess not, but it is better that way. I will have the element of surprise to my advantage."

"What are you going to tell them when you get back?"

That was a good question. "I had to meet someone very important." I opened the front door. Before stepping out, I turned my head to look at the amused chairman. "Keep her safe for me."

The cold air played with my hair and I inhaled deeply, still able to smell the sweetness that radiated from her skin. I walked back to Ichijou's mansion where everyone fussed over at my arrival, asking me fifty questions at once. To humor them, I smiled quietly and shook my head.

"Someone who I wanted to meet was in town. I had to catch him before he left."

Ichijou gave me a curious look but did not say anything to disprove what I had said. A maid took my coat and scarf, and Ichiou came to greet me in the ostentatious entrance hall. He had a disapproving expression that I ignored as I smiled.

"I hope you didn't wait for me to eat dinner."

He bowed. "Takuma said that you would be late. I wish you could have told me where you were going."

It was mildly surprising that my friend had covered for me, making it easier to cover my tracks. "I will remember that next time."

Ichiou looked at me as if he was expecting something else. "Ah, Ichiou, I forgot to ask what time the party will be."

This evidently was not what he was looking for. "It will be at seven in the evening." He abruptly turned on his heel and left, leaving me and Ichijou alone for the time being. I gazed at his retreating figure, knowing that he expected an apology, but he did not deserve my apology. I would never apologize.

"Where were you, Kaname? Grandpa was furious at me for letting you out of my sight." He said the last part with a strained grin.

"I had to meet someone."

He sighed with relief. "Oh, was that all? You looked so scared after reading the telegram that I thought something awful had happened."

"No, it was just that it was so unexpected it. I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to see him before he left."

Perhaps it was the finality in my voice that did not provoke any more questions about my whereabouts. I climbed the large spiral staircase to go to my temporary room that I was using before I was able to get a place of my own. On the bed, several baskets of flowers and cards expressing their grief at the news of the deaths of my parents sat harmlessly. I read the cards and memorized the names so I could acknowledge their comfortless efforts at the party. The flowers were revolting; the carnations, chrysanthemums, violets, orchids, tulips, and marigolds all seemed to clash with each other. I threw them on the floor, scattering the petals and breaking the stems. I clutched my forehead and hissed through my teeth as I sat on the bed.

I lay back, not bothering to take off my clothes. The party would be a place for me to gain allies with mutual benefits, and I had to act my part. I closed my eyes. Did my father know how hard this was? This pretense of being indestructible? Yes, he probably knew. He had to deal with them, too: the Senate, the oblivious nobles, and the expectations. I could not complain since he had endured it for so much longer. All I wanted was to be with my princess and my parents, but why did this world make it so hard for me to gain happiness? Was this a punishment because I had unwittingly committed a horrendous crime? What would my father say to do? Mother had left me to take care of the princess, her real flesh and blood, before she died.

The day of the party, I dressed in a black suit before the clock could strike seven. I straightened the ribbon at my neck and glanced at my reflection in the tall mirror. How hideous. I was a monster just below this pale skin, and it was a wonder how anyone thought any different. Even Yuuki could not see for what I truly was. I let my bangs fall into place and stepped out of my room without a hurry. Ichijou was waiting for me at the foot of the stairs. He dressed almost identically but he had a coat on and mine was in his arms. He held it out for me with a smile.

"It's cold outside."

I put it on and buttoned it, hardly feeling any warmer than when it was off. "Where is the party supposed to be?"

"Do you remember Aidou Hanabusa? His parents are having it at their manor."

Ichiou quickly glanced over us and nodded in slight satisfaction before donning a top hat and grabbing his cane. The car ride was silent, and I sat with my chin leaning against my hand as I stared out the window. I remembered Aidou Hanabusa. I had met him before Yuuki's birth, when my parents and I were invited to his family mansion. I can still recall the determination in his eyes when he told me that he hated me. I never blamed him though; maybe he could see the monster inside me.

We arrived a short while later, and someone opened my door for me. I stepped out into the night air, and I could see many people already inside, chattering with wine glasses held in their elegant hands. I felt Ichiou's hand on my shoulder and he gave me a slight push forward. I fought the violent urge to rip his hand off and burn my coat. At the door, Nobleman Aidou and his wife greeted our party of three, and the hall went dead silent when we stepped in. Then the whispers started. I felt like an animal in a cage shown for public display.

Many people introduced themselves, and most of them I recognized because they had sent me a well-wishing card or a gift. They were very surprised that I was able to thank them personally by name for the card or gift, and they looked highly flattered when I gave them a half-hearted smile. Of all the gazes that I felt upon me, there was one that stood out, and that was a boy my age with wild golden hair who stared at me with a mix of surprise, fright, confusion, and pity.

I locked onto his eyes and he quickly look away, but the slight reddening of his cheeks told me that he was aware of me. I went outside after two full hours of hearing the same greetings, the same introductions, and the same hollow words of sympathy. There was no one on the balcony outside, and I was able to breathe in fresh air, unpolluted by insincerity and disgusting pity.

I hear him approach me then. "My condolences." Aidou offered quietly, sadly.

"Ah, you've met my parents before." That was some comfort at least.

He did not meet my eyes again. "Yes, they were kind people…"

"Yes, they were very kind…" I whispered, pained by the memories again. Why did he have to mention them to me? Why did I have to think of them now? I glanced at him—he was still staring at his shoes—and I pushed myself away from the balcony's marble railing. "Are you done, Aidou-kun?" He looked up quickly but did not answer me. "Then, good-bye."

I walked past him and a mumble escaped his throat. "Um…" Turning back around, I saw his pained, concerned expression. "Is there…something else that's bothering you?"

I tried not to let my shock show through on my face. My voice grew quiet. "Why…do you think that?"

Aidou looked away from me again. "No…No reason."

Did he know something? Was he too perceptive? My eyes hardened. "I asked you…why?"

My cold, hostile tone seemed to scare him and he almost jumped. He clenched his fists and took a short intake of breath. "Your attitude…has changed."

My eyes relaxed. "I see. Is that all…?" In two quick steps, I crossed over and dipped my head to speak softly into his ear so that only he could hear it. "If you did know something, I thought that I might have had to kill you."

He tensed like a statue. I breathed out a mirthless chuckle. "Just kidding. That was a bad joke." But the threat was not lost to him. He was still the entire time I was next to him.

"Kaname-sama, there are some people who wish to pay their condolences." Ichiou interrupted our moment.

I coolly pulled back from Aidou. "Yes, I'll go in soon, Ichiou." I turned my back to him to follow my guardian inside.

"Kaname-sama!" I looked around and saw him with his eyes shut. "If you don't like it, then just say that you don't!"

He surprised me. "Why are you so—"

"Because! I know because I'm your friend."

I wished those words could comfort me, but he knew nothing. He could never know this kind of pain. "You said you hated me."

His voice became braver. "No! I just hated myself for not accepting that I liked you!" He clamped his hand over his mouth at the sudden outburst, and he reminded me of my princess then. I smiled before turning around to leave.

"Kaname-sama, I…I like you!"

His declaration was not as empty as the others, but knowing that I was the monster that I am, I could not accept it at all. They were merely words that expressed his loyalty to me, and I added him on my long list of allies I made that day.

Notes: I think Kaname actually has the saddest history. This story explores the possiblities as to why he is the way he is now: cold, unrelenting, lonely, and lost. I hope I'm doing somewhat of a decent job at the least. Forgive me if I'm not. :)