Happy Holidays everybody! I finally introduced Zero into the story. Unfortunately, Kaname isn't in this chapter, but he will come back. I want to thank everybody who reviewed/faved/alerted this story.

Special thanks to VampireMaddy, who is my new beta and edited this chapter to perfection for me. After reading this chapter, you must all go read the Prince and the Pauper and all of VampireMaddy's other stories. They are all amazing and make the Kaname/Yuuki fangirl in me happy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight. If I did I would have made sure the anime was done correctly and followed the manga. -is upset that the Kaname/Yuuki kiss was cut-

Summary: After the death of his parents, Zero Kiryu is taken in by Cross. However, he is unaware that Yuuki, a pureblood, is also living with Cross.

Chapter 7:

Ashes

What ever happened to the young man's heart
Swallowed by pain, as he slowly fell apart

-Shinedown

Dear Yuuki,

There is an urgent matter that needs to be seen to immediately but I did not wish to wake you up. I should arrive back home later tonight. Be safe.

Love,

Uncle Cross

Yuuki scanned over the note before placing it back on the kitchen table. At least Cross had left a note. She had been a little surprised to wake up that afternoon to an empty house; Cross usually told her beforehand whenever he would be leaving the house for a long time. Not that he doubted she could defend herself; he just wanted her to be prepared.

Yuuki opened the container of blood tablets on the table and dropped two of them in a glass. She couldn't stop a small frown from forming on her face as she watched the dissolving tablets turn the water a light pink. She wasn't looking forward to their bland taste but at least they did curb her thirst temporarily. At least until she saw Kaname again… Yuuki abruptly stopped her thoughts as she felt the familiar burn creep into the back of her throat. She quickly drained the rest of the glass. The blood tablets would have to do for now.

Yuuki went to put her glass away and then proceeded to pull out ingredients to make a quick breakfast. Her mind drifted as she quickly cut some vegetables. She would miss this house; she had started to think of this place as a home. She had gone through both happy and distressing experiences here but she wouldn't want to lose those precious memories. Although, Yuuki had finally reached her full power as a pureblood and she had nothing to fear from lower class vampires.

In two months Yuuki would be leaving Cross' comfortable home and would be moving into Ichijo manor. She had been overjoyed when she first heard the news. Now she would always be by her onii-sama's side and she would be able to spend more time with her friend, Takuma. She would finally have that freedom she always dreamed of.

As the news started to really sink in Yuuki realized that she would really miss Cross' house. She would even miss Cross' strange behavior. Yuuki had to admit that she had been troubled when she found out Cross was a hunter, but she realized that he would always be the same loving and compassionate man he had always been to her. She had come to thank of him as family and recently even started to refer to him as "uncle" just to please him. She knew it wouldn't be the same at Ichijo manor. She would have Kaname and Ichijo, but she was still a pureblood and would be treated differently from now on.

Yuuki poured the finished soup into the bowl. As she walked to her room to eat her dinner she couldn't shake off the feeling that something very bad had happened tonight. She just hoped Cross was okay.


Kaien Cross stood outside the Kiryu (a/n: I know I spelled that wrong) estate as workers from the Hunters Association carried two body bags out of the house. The atmosphere was tense and no one was speaking. Everyone was still in shock that the famous Kiryu hunters had been murdered. Most of the hunters ignored Cross, and if they did look at him they just gave the ex-hunter a wary glance. Cross was waiting for a familiar face, and he was relieved when Yagari finally exited the house and came walking towards him. Yagari looked weary and uneasy, and he waved off anyone who came towards him with an annoyed gesture.

"Where is Zero?" asked Cross. Yagari pulled a cigarette and lit it whilst ignoring the disgusted look Cross cast the cigarette before answering his question.

"The doctors have just finished checking his wounds and now he's waiting in the living room." he replied. Cross gave him a knowing look, but thankfully he avoided the subject.

"And still no sign of Ichiru?" said Cross.

"No. The vampire probably killed him…or took him with her."

Yagari and the other hunters had searched the whole area, but they had found no sign of Zero's twin. Zero had not said a word since the accident and just looked away whenever someone mentioned Ichiru's name. A moment of silence passed between Cross and Yagari as they watched the last of the Association workers leave.

"This all could have been prevented. They knew Shizuka Hio would have wanted her revenge upon the ones who killed that ex-human of hers. The Hunters Association did nothing to protect them." said Yagari, as he glared at the retreating cars. Cross just shook his head.

"Yagari, you know how hard it is to stop a pureblood. She would have gotten to them eventually. Shizuka Hio was an extremely powerful vampire."

"I know… but Zero…" whispered Yagari. He looked at the house where his young pupil had been left alone. He was the first one to arrive at the Kiryu house after the accident and had been horrified to find Zero curled on the ground among the dead bodies of his parents. Yagari had also been the first one to find the bloody bite marks left on Zero's neck…

"The Association has already agreed to put Zero under my guardianship for the time being," stated Cross, interrupting Yagari's thoughts. The dark-haired hunter looked at Cross in disbelief, but his shock was soon replaced with anger.

"No way in hell, Cross! The boy just lost both his parents and brother to a pureblood. So far I've kept my mouth shut about that thing you've been hiding in your house, but if you think–"

"What other options does Zero have?" said Cross sharply, cutting him off. Cross rarely got angry and Yagari was momentarily lost for words as the ex-hunter glared at him. He soon gathered his thoughts and snapped back at Cross.

"He could stay with me."

"I know how much you care about Zero, Yagari, but you're simply just too busy. You are the Association's number one hunter after the Kiryus and the association is going to want you to help with the search for Shizuka Hio. And, even if you don't want to admit it, the fact that Zero has been bitten frightens you. You know what he will eventually become and so do the other hunters. Who would take him in?"

Yagari desperately tried to think of another option, any option that didn't involve Zero going with Cross. The retired hunter was right, though. It was too dangerous to leave Zero with a non-hunter family, and the hunters wouldn't take in an ex-human.

"Zero is going to know that the girl is a pureblood, and he might attack her. What if she fights back?"

"You don't have to worry about Yuuki - she is a sympathetic girl and will not cause Zero any harm. She will be leaving soon anyway." answered Cross. Yagari gave him a disbelieving look but said nothing on the matter.

"Fine, but I'm blaming you if anything goes wrong." Cross nodded, and started walking to the house. As soon as Cross went in, Yagari threw his cigarette on the ground and stomped it out with his boot.

"She won't cause Zero any harm, huh?"


Yuuki looked up from the manga she was reading as she heard the sound of boots crunching in snow outside. She jumped out of her chair and hurried to the window, expecting to see Cross coming home by himself, but she was shocked when she saw two figures walking outside. She had to wait before the two figures came into clear view. She saw Cross, who was covered in a thick trench coat and scarf. Yuuki was confused about the person next to Cross. It was a boy, about the same height as her, wrapped in a thick green blanket. His head was hung low and his eyes were covered by silver hair. Overall, it looked like there was something terribly wrong with him.

The boy could need help and Yuuki was about to rush to the front door to greet Cross. However, by the time she had got to the front door she decided against it. She didn't know if the boy knew she was here, and it would be best if she just stayed in her room. If Cross needed her for something he would come get her. Yuuki rushed up the stairs and went into her room. She left the door open so she could hear what was going on. She heard the sound of the door opening and closing, and then Cross's voice.

"This is my house, Kiryu-kun. I'm sorry that we didn't have any time to pick your belongings, but I will make sure they are brought here tomorrow. For now, just make yourself at home. Do want to get cleaned up?"

Yuuki didn't hear any answer from the boy. Cross never had guests come over to visit, and no one ever spent the night. She heard the opening and closing of more doors. Yuuki was about to go back to her manga when the smell of blood drifted into the room. Yuuki automatically became rigid and she clenched her teeth. She became torn between wanting to follow the scent of the blood and staying in her room. Her instincts got the better of her and she found herself quietly drifting down the stairs. She followed the scent to the downstairs bathroom and she paused outside the door. She decided to wait outside the door and listen to make sure the two people inside were alright.


Cross was washing the dried blood off Zero's neck. The bite marks had faded already, but not before the doctors examining Zero had seen them. Most of the hunters had already known as soon as they saw the blood covering Zero's neck. Cross knew that no one else would take the young Kiryu, but that wasn't his only reason for taking Zero in. Cross still kept his pacifist ideas and hoped that if Zero were to become close to Yuuki, the boy would learn not to blame all purebloods for his family's death. Yuuki and Zero had both lost their parents to a pureblood vampire and they might possibly be able to connect on some level. Yuuki was a kind girl. However, for the moment, he would have to ask Yuuki to keep her distance for a while. He was thankful that Yuuki stayed in her room when he came in. After he was done cleaning Zero he would go talk to her.

Cross suddenly felt Zero stiffen. He looked at the boy's face and saw that Zero was staring at the door with a mixture of fright and anger. Cross's hunter instincts alerted him to the fact that there was a vampire outside the door and he didn't have to figure out who it was. This wasn't good.

"Are you alright, Kiryu-kun?" he asked, foolishly hoping that Zero was upset for some other reason. The boy's lips moved slowly and his whisper was so low that Cross only caught part of the sentence.

"…that woman…"

"What?"

"It smells just like that woman!" yelled Zero.


Yuuki heard Zero's furious words and against her better judgment she found herself opening the bathroom door.

She found herself locking gazes with a pair of hateful amethyst eyes.

Yuuki froze. The boy, Kiryu, was standing shirtless and she could see the remaining blood on his neck. Cross was horrified as he looked at Yuuki standing nervously in the doorway, and then at Zero. He reached out to put his hand on Zero's shoulder, but Zero jerked away from him. He shot Cross a suspicious glare before looking back at Yuuki. It wasn't who he had been expecting. The girl in front of him was staring at him with wide garnet eyes and she looked nothing like the murder of his family. She was still a pureblood, just like that woman, and he was furious.

"Vampire…"

Yuuki tried to open her mouth to say something; to ask the boy how he knew what she was and what he was doing here, but the boy's glare kept her frozen. She never felt so much anger and hate coming from one person. Her senses were screaming at her that this boy was dangerous and she should leave, but she still stood in the doorway. She almost let out a sigh of relief when Zero finally stopped looking at her and started scanning the bathroom.

Her relief was short lived as soon as she saw him grab the razor sharp scissors on the counter.

Oh no! What's Zero going to do?! It's like an alternate version of the first time he met Kaname, with Yuuki replacing Kaname and a lot more angst.

All Kaname fans: Did anyone else have a mini heart attack when Zero cut off Kaname's hand in chapter 46?