I'm sorry everyone! I'm sorry for not updating in practically forever. I have Tomako16 message me occasionally to remind me and I hate to depend on that, but I have been busy with a ton of junk here recently. I'll try and update more and get the story back on track. I might have a lot of this done before they come out with a new PV (not that that was meant to be mean) so by then I can fix anything and keep on track. Thanks for sticking with me!

IX

Hizaki woke the next morning when she felt a rather chilling stillness in the air. Wonder in her head, she crawled from the bed and went to the door. She opened it and peeked out, noticing the chair Teru had occupied the night before cold with emptiness. Closing the door and grabbing the red gown Jasmine let her borrow, Hizaki dressed haphazardly due to the different type of fastenings on the gown and brushed her fingers through her knotted limp curls. Then she went from her room, hoping to investigate why the atmosphere today seemed odd.

It was mid-morning, she noticed the dull sunlight through the open windows, and it looked like it might possibly rain this afternoon or evening. Following the path she had taken several times already, she made her way down the hall and was about to turn the corner when she nearly bumped into Jasmine who herself was rounding the corner.

"Hizaki, I was just about to come wake you. I see you dressed yourself, but I want to help you again. Your curls are limp."

Jasmine was already bedazzled with her feathers and jewels this morning. Her purple was not as dark today, but she still emanated so much grace that Hizaki was embarrassed at her ordinary appearance. She already looks so elegant. Does she ever sleep?

At that moment, Hizaki noticed that Jasmine had tensed for a moment before smiling at the blonde girl and leading her to the other room. Hizaki would have never guessed that the bubbly Jasmine would tense in that manner. It reminded her of something she never thought she would see on these vampires: fear.

After a few minutes, Jasmine had revived the dead curls that hung around Hizaki's eyes. Helping to fix the red gown, soon the two were done and began the walk to the dining room where, according to Jasmine as they walked, Yuki had made a brunch and it waited for the four vampires and little Hizaki. Hizaki knew that if was as good as yesterday's food, she would surely miss it if she were to leave.

They entered the dining room and saw the three males sitting in the same places as yesterday. Teru was sitting with one leg hanging over an arm of the chair, laziness evident. Yuki had both his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his clasped hands. Then there was Kamijo, wine goblet in his hand, his back straight against the chair. He looked like he was expecting the girls to enter when they did.

He raised his goblet. "Jasmine. Hizaki."

At the mention of their names Teru quickly tried to hastily throw his leg over the arm to get better composure. Yuki merely straightened his back and looked at the girls as they walked in. Jasmine had no problem getting to her place, but when Hizaki went to sit at the place she was using, Teru had jumped up to pull the chair out for her. Once she was seated, he mumbled something that she could just barely make out. He sat down and they all began eating.

Everyone except Kamijo again.

Hizaki ate in silence as she thought about what Teru had said to her. She distinctly heard him say hime. Why would Teru call her princess? Did something happen and he might have just let it slip? She was curious, but she did not want to bring it up with everyone around. It might be personal with Teru, so prying would be very brash of her.

"Did you manage to sleep well, Hizaki?" A moment later Yuki corrected himself with a "I mean, Hizaki-hime?"

She froze just when she heard that. Originally she thought it was just Teru's little quirk, but it seemed like there was something else going on. Thinking back, she noticed that when Jasmine mentioned her by name the girl had tensed momentarily. Was there something going on that Hizaki was not privy to?

"I did," she nodded in response to Yuki.

Then she took it upon herself to do the unthinkable.

"Yuki, why did you call me hime? I didn't think you would call me that so soon."

The whole room went quiet. Hizaki could only look around and see the blank faces of the others at the table. She then saw Kamijo and noticed he kept as stone-faced as usual. He only moved to take a sip from the goblet and continue to keep aloof. Hizaki looked at the others and smiled meekly.

"You don't have to call me hime. Hizaki is just fine. There is no obligation to call me anything different…"

Jasmine's eyes caused Hizaki's voice to trail and she looked at Kamijo. He was now staring at her, his eyes narrowed in an angry manner. Hizaki cowered in fear a little, a force inside her reminding her of her visions and she began to get scared.

"I asked them to call you that. It will be my decision to let them return to calling you your new name."

He looked at her a little longer until he felt that she had gotten the message. Kamijo then rose from his place and, goblet in hand, strode from the room. Silence remained in his wake and everyone save Hizaki took up eating again. She was still frozen in fear with thoughts screaming through her mind. Why is he doing this? Why is he forcing them to call me something I am not?

Why are they so fearful?

Stable enough to do the daring thing she did next, Hizaki rose from her place and set the fabric napkin on the table beside her. She bowed in apology and strode form the room, heading in the one direction she was sure Kamijo would go. Before she knew it, she came to the grand staircase she remembered from yesterday that led her to discover their secret. Taking those stairs, she soon found herself at the door she opened and began her spiral toward learning of the Covenant and that the family of vampires did not seem like the vicious type that was first perceived. She opened the door and found what she was looking for.

"Is there something I need to know?"

Kamijo, sitting in the chair with his wine in his hand, looked half-amused at her as she had thrown open the door and stomped in. He momentarily thought her question over before taking a sip before answering. "Is there?"

Hizaki put her hands on her hips. Once she realized what she had done, she let them fall limply to her side. She then looked hard at Kamijo with her mind determined.

"What is the reason behind you making them call me hime? You seem to know something about me that even I don't know."

Crossing his legs, Kamijo settled into his chair more and continued to look at her. He watched her want to be sure of herself, but she had her limits and she was reaching them. Kamijo then watched as she had one of her visions. He found that he thought he was going to be calm and concerned, but he found he was scared for her this time.

Hizaki pitched forward and held her head. The vision was stranger than she ever remembered the other ones being. The figure held the knife, but she saw him be thrown away form her by another figure. This figure was vaguely familiar to her and she saw a pair of silver eyes turn and look at her before the vision faded to black.

The pain of the vision lifted and Hizaki lifted her head and looked at Kamijo. He continued to sit and look at her, his gaze softer and less menacing. She even thought she saw the glimmer of sadness and tears in his eyes.

"Were…were you…"

"I believe you wish to ask if that was me you may have seen."

She opened her mouth to answer when she comprehended his statement and snapped her mouth shut. "Wait. Do you mean…"

"Would you like to know who you are? Because I was there…before you became lost."

~This ended differently than what I had rather hoped. I approve of it the more I think about it because I was making Kamijo seem like a giant ass and he is one of the characters that if I make him that way then the rest of the story will not make sense. I had to make sure it was set up well. There should have been more moments where they call her hime, but my bad. Thank you all again for sticking with me and I hope to update soon. Hopefully I will write the next chapter and blare ROSE into my ears. See ya!