keep the reviews coming!! i loooove reading what you readers feel about each new chapter I post up and Thanxs. ****The dress that Rima is wearing is the same ont that was in Taylor Swifts video "love Story". I really loved that dress though white isn't my color I really loved it so I decided to include it in this since it was beautiful something an angel would wear and it had a nice corset looking top too.***** I'm sorry I've been taking so long with these lately but I was packing yet again to move thats twice in less than 3 months oh well and enjoy! ^^

SHIKI

Chapter 9: Beautiful Blood Stain

Looking at my reflection in the mirror I started to hate myself for what I was doing. I was about to go to a dance with someone that wasn't the girl I loved.

But I was going to do my best to stay calm. I was going to remind myself that the only reason I was even doing this was to get what I want.

The deal that I made with a devil in disguise. I was going to get what I wanted or she would die and I was going to make sure that it would be at my hands in a most cruel manner.

She wasn't going to get away with what she'd done. Taunting me was one thing but dragging Rima in to whatever she was up to was unforgivable and soon either way she would die.

Had it not been for her very presence Rima and I would be just as happy as we were before, spending all our time together. I didn't know what it was but there was a part of me that knew Rima's feelings were the same that I had for her, but I was too much of a coward to find out, scared that if she didn't she wouldn't want to be around me anymore and losing her was not an option to me.

Not after all we'd been through together. She was the reason I was going to become stronger, so that I would never lose to someone like my father again.

Just what has gone on between Rima and Rokoru in these few days that they became so close? There was no way it could be love, could it?

No, even if it was I didn't plan on handing her over to anyone, unless she her self wished it.

"Tie's are such a bother" I said to no one in particular. Usually whenever I would be getting ready for a gathering Rima would be right beside me helping me tie my tie though I always complained that it was pointless since I would untie it at the party later, though I never did.

Leaving the silk red tie behind and purposefully leaving a few buttons at the top of the shirt unbuttoned I headed for the door.

Coming in at the same time as I was going out was Rokoru. His all black suit seemed to look a bit wet. What had he been doing?

More important was how happy he seemed to be. It somehow made me mad. For a man to smile that brightly would be due to one reason and one reason only.

He was in love. Clenching my teeth shut I walked right by him. He wasn't going to have Rima.

Outside the girls hallway I waited for Kaori.

"My, my. You look really handsome." smirked Kaori. I didn't bother looking at her long enough to see what she was wearing. I couldn't care less. Yawning I led the way to the building where the annual dance was being held.

"Cold as ever" she giggled to herself trying to take my hand.

"I said I would take you to the dance but I didn't say I was going to like it" I said icily looking her in the eye to make sure she understood.

With a small smile she let go and continued to walk right beside me.

Had it been under any other circumstances I would never have talked to a female in such a way, but I didn't have to remind myself that she was the cunning type. A type that shouldn't exist.

Walking in to the brightly decorated ball room I automatically tried to find Rima. She was no where to be found yet nor was her scent either.

The room was almost packed with both human and vampire students alike.

"If you don't keep your side of the deal, just remember that you will die and I assure you it won't be made a big deal. I have family in the senate and just saying that you drank my blood they will say it served you right. No one will care." I reminded her harshly turning to face her.

"I haven't forgotten. The thing you want the most you will get" she answered quietly.

"Good" I said before walking away, leaving her alone.

I made my way to Ichijo gently turning a few girls down as they asked me to dance with them.

Making my way to Ichijo who was at the buffet table with some human girls was more trouble than it had been last year.

Maybe it was because I had Rima by my side that the girls thought it better to stay at a distance.

"I'm sorry beautiful young ladies but can you give me some time to talk with my friend here?" I heard him ask the group of girls around him.

"Yes, Ichijo-senpai!" they gladly agreed.

"Hmm? It's Shiki-senpai coming to talk with Ichijo-senpai! AHHHHH!!" they squealed.

"Good Evening Shiki-senpai!!" they said in unison as they walked away blushing and giggling to one another.

"How are things going? Judging by your facial expression, it can't be too good." he said greeting me.

"It's not going good."

"What's wrong?" he asked handing me a cup of punch.

"I saw him come back to the room to change. He was wet and he seemed too happy. Too in love. I wonder just how close they are." I answered staring into the juice.

"When are you planning to do something about it?" he asked seriously drinking from his cup.

I knew that though he appeared to be calm he was getting angry. That other night at the cafeteria made me realize just how much he did care for me as a friend and it had made me happy. I didn't want him to know just how much this was getting to me, how much it was tearing at me on the inside. He surely would have caused a great commotion in front of whoever.

"Umm, excuse me Shiki-senpai, but would you please dance with me?" came a shy female voice.

It was a human girl of the day class. For a human she was good looking.

Before I could answer her another icy, mocking voice came from behind me.

"Sorry, but he can't he has to dance with me. He promised me after all" Kaori informed the girl.

Grabbing my hand she led us to other dancing couples. The song changed to one of a slower beat.

"You do know what it is that you want, don't you?" she asked in a low voice wrapping her hands behind my head.

"Of course I know." I said a little confused not sure what she was trying to imply.

"Of course you do. I was just making sure." she said smirking a little.

Though I was angry I was doing a great job at masking my emotions by looking calm and bored.

Holding her when she wasn't Rima was infuriating me. I untangled her hands from my body and for the second time I walked away leaving her alone again.

"That was annoying" I said standing beside Ichijo again.

He pointed his finger indicating that I look.

"There she is." he said looking straight ahead at the dance entrance.

I immediately turned to see.

And there she was.

She looked beautiful dressed in an all white dress. She was wearing her hair down in beautiful curls with a white rose embedded on the side above her ear. I couldn't stop staring at her.

She looked more beautiful than anything I had ever seen. I felt like I was looking at the sun but even though it hurt to look at it I couldn't stop.

There were no words to describe how I felt looking at her.

A song with a male singing about a pretty girl falling in love came on distracting me enough to notice that Rokoru was there at her side holding her hand.

He was wearing an all black suit leaving some buttons at the base of his throat down to some of his upper chest exposed. The only color he had was in his chest pocket of the suit, only holding a matching white rose to Rima's.

I gritted my teeth when I noticed that I wasn't the only one admiring her beauty. I dared one of them to go up and try something on her. Human or vampire I would rip their head off in an instant. This feeling was only triggered by the fact that he was there with her and it seemed that she was content with that.

As then songs changed from slow paced to faster ones and I was made to dance with more and more girls from the day class with Ichijo.

I kept looking at Rima making sure that she was smiling the whole time. And she was.

Though we no longer spoke to one another I was still going to make sure that she was happy. But it seemed that I didn't have to.

Rokoru seemed to be the reason behind her smile and it made me wonder even more what I now meant to her.

Though I kept watching her to make sure she was happy she didn't look at me once. Just how close were they? Had she forgotten me completely? She might have but I was still thinking about her. Looking out for her even now without her knowing.

"Th-thank you so much senpai for the dance" the girl said as the song ended. I had forgotten that she was there.

The song that came on I recognized since Rima had once liked it, 'Who Knew' by Pink.

I felt another pair of hands grab mine. Looking up I was surprised to see it was Yuuki.

"Just a dance senpai" she smiled as she put her hands around my neck and I reluctantly put mine around her frail waist.

"I know its none of my business but you should really make up with Rima. I'm not sure what happened but if I were you I would say sorry. Rokoru-sama seems nice but are you really going to give her up with out a fight? I know nothing of you two but honestly I liked seeing you two together." she said looking at the floor. She seemed sad.

"Though you never really said anything in public, it seemed to me that you two were so alike it was almost as if there was some invisible connection between the two of you that you didn't have to say anything to know what the other was thinking."

She looked at me in the eye. I knew just by looking into them that she was the sensitive type who tried to have everyone around her happy.

"That's why.....that's why you shouldn't give up. Fight for her until you know its over, but even then don't stop!" she said as small tears were starting to form in her eyes. Yup defiantly sensitive.

I didn't know what to say to her. She was right and I knew it. I had promised myself that by the end of this night tonight she was going to be mine again. I would tell her how much she meant to me. And a part of me was telling me not to hold back because I knew that she felt the same way that I felt. And if there was even the smallest chance of her feeling the same way I wouldn't let her hesitate.

"Even when you think it's hopeless, don't give up. I know that you two have a special connection. Something like that is very hard to find in another person." she went on.

"Your kind live a long existence. Do you really think that there will be someone else like her there for you? I know i found the person I love and though it's hard because were so different, I want to spend eternity with him if I can." A tear ran down the side of her face.

"I would throw away my humanity for him, because I know I never want to be the one to leave him and cause him pain."

"It's sad seeing the two of you like this. You have eternity to find the one you want to be with, but Rima is the one for you. I know you can feel it because it's so real the bond you share with her. It's different for me, being in love with someone who's so different from my very kind. Maybe if you senpai were in my place you would see just how much of yourself you lose if you let her get away."

I looked at her carefully. Was she really a human? She seemed to almost read my mind. I smiled.

"You're right." I told her.

"Because for her you would do anything? Right?" she asked looking hopeful.

I nodded my head and her smile grew profoundly.

"Love is something that all living beings wants to find. Very few find someone they can live with forever. Though I can not live as long as you I am happy to say that I found true love. Some say that love is painful but I believe that love is only as painful as you make it. Wouldn't you agree senpai?"

I could only nod my head once again.

"Then don't you think that it's time to make it stop hurting?" she asked. The look she had was that of truth. She was speaking the truth.

She seemed to bring a light about her that gave hope and peace at the same time. Maybe I was starting to understand why it was that Kaname deemed this girl as his most important person. The power of females.

"If you were my cousin I think I would be very happy" I told her honestly. She along with Rima were very rare to find. Full of love, compassion and courage.

She smiled at me very innocently.

She let go as the song ended. With a bow and wave of her hand she left to find Kaname.

I saw him as he caressed her face. It was amazing how relaxed he seemed to be around her.

I saw him look at me and something told me that he saw when she cried. I knew that he and I would have a chat later whether I liked it or not.

As a new faster song came on everyone was gathering in the center of the room to dance as a whole.

"Come" she said taking my hands and leading me away from the massive group.

"What is it?" I asked tying to pull away from her.

"Its time." she answered. I stopped struggling and let her lead the way. This was what I was waiting for.

It didn't take long before I noticed that she was taking us to the hallway above where no one would be able to see us. Walking past closed doors she didn't stop until we were in the middle where there was an empty room with the lights lit dimly.

"You will get what you want," she said walking us both into the room leaving the door open.

"Or I die." she added turning around to face me.

I didn't have a problem seeing in the dimly lit room but I wasn't sure why it would be here.

"Close your eye's and no matter what don't open them until I tell you to" she instructed.

She didn't look scared but not confident either. Almost as if she was wondering if she planned this right.

Doing as she said I closed my eyes. I didn't know what to expect but I could hear her take something out and untop it. It sounded like something glassy.

She took a deep breath before it went completely silent. Then it hit me.

The scent was so strong and overpowering I couldn't resist. It smelled sweeter than anything I had ever smelt, tasting it would be even better. My throat seemed to agree as it burnt with thirst. I hadn't fed for a while and struggling would be wasted. I didn't want to stop. Rima's blood was so very close to me.

I opened my eyes to see Kaori dipping her fingers into a small vile that held the blood. I watched with ravaging thirst as she put the blood stained finger on her neck to smear the blood around.

I was starting to lose reason with myself and senses though I thought I had felt someone else near.

"Go ahead. Drink." she smiled at me spilling the vile all over her neck.

With that I was lost completely in the hunger, the thirst that without thinking about it or hesitating I held her close to me as I started to suck the blood that was not hers off.

I felt her wrap her arms around me and whisper in my ear but I didn't care what she was saying. Like I had thought, slowly the blood filled my thirst.

~I'll show you another sweet dream~