A/N: Hey, sorry for the lack of updating. There's some stuff that doesn't really make sense in this story, that I only realized after I read over the whole thing (Like how Mami could know something was wrong with Zero…when Akane and Chairman Cross spoke about that after they left the classroom.) and I'll go back and try to fix everything later, lol. This chapter's kinda………crappy and confusing…sorry XD.
Please, please, please, please, please, pleaaasseeee REVIEW. Thank you very much to everyone who has, and everyone who's still reading this XD.
I hope you enjoy this chapter :D
Three more months passed and I slowly improved my riding skills. The shorter stirrups helped tremendously, although the most I could do was trot with White Lily, but I hardly fell off anymore. I never mentioned the stirrups to Zero (no need to increase his usual grumpiness), but I conveniently forgot to bug him about his perfecting duties every other week, to let him get some rest.
My blood only needed to be drawn about once a month now and Zero seemed to be warming up to me. He'd sleep in the stables while I rode White Lily and although we barely spoke, the glares had completely stopped.
Sometimes, Zero would even give me a couple tips for riding, without me even asking. Granted, the "tips" were usually blunt criticism, but at least I wasn't being completely ignored.
Unfortunately, the freaky thoughts that were not my own were increasing and so were the cuts on my arms and legs. I knew I could never hurt Mami-chan because if it became too unbearable, I could always run outside and gain more control. I'd been researching (secretly, of course) using the Chairman's books, about what was happening with me, and so far I had found absolutely nothing.
I'll have to leave if this continues… I thought as I sat in class. Sensei was prattling on about something that we'd never use in our daily lives, and I was flipping through another book I'd taken from the Chairman. It was the same one that contained the description of Psychics that I had read the night Zero attacked Yuki-san.
"…ne-chan… Akane-chan!" Mami-chan's insistent voice whispered in my ear. I jumped and looked up from my book, to find Sensei beside my desk.
"Tsukino-san, the Chairman would like to see you. And in the future, please refrain from reading in my class." He didn't sound pleased.
I felt dread seep into my stomach. Was something wrong with Zero? Or Yuki? Were they hurt? Or was another student hurt? I mumbled my apology and tried to suppress the worry that I felt to not alarm Mami-chan.
I gathered my books and walked as quickly as I could to Chairman Cross' office.
I knocked once and didn't wait for an answer before I opened the door.
"Chairman, is something wrong? Wh—" I stopped speaking when I realized nothing was wrong.
The Chairman was jumping up and down squealing, gesturing frantically at the windowsill. Zero and Yuki-san were standing beside the window, looking drained and irritable.
"Um… What the hell—" I began again, but then I saw what was coiled on the windowsill. "Cantaloupe!"
"She appeared and uh… as you can see, Ch—" Yuki-san started to say.
"Daddy, Yuki-chan!" Said the Chairman.
"Uh… Dad, called us here because he's too excited… He was afraid he'd hurt her…"
Zero looked bored, but his eyes kept flickering to Cantaloupe. Chairman Cross continued to squeal and giggle and prance around the room. Yuki-san left to make us some tea.
I walked to the windowsill and bent down to Cantaloupe's level. She flicked her tongue in greeting at me as I stroked her. I picked her up and stood in front of Zero.
"She wants to say 'hi'." I told him. Zero sighed and held out his hand. I placed Cantaloupe in his palm and watched as she happily twined around his fingers.
Chairman Cross eventually calmed down and took Cantaloupe from Zero. He cooed over her constantly and didn't notice when Yuki-san returned with the tea.
Zero, Yuki-san and I sat down and sipped our tea.
"…Why did he need all of us?" I mumbled.
"Alright, everyone. Say goodbye to Cantaloupe." Said Chairman Cross when we had finished our tea.
"Wait, now you're fine with her leaving?" I said, rising to my feet.
"As long as she visits her Daddy then of course!" The Chairman smiled and set Cantaloupe on the windowsill. We all petted Cantaloupe before, with one final tongue flick, she slithered away.
"Back to class!" The Chairman trilled. Zero rolled his eyes and immediately left, tugging Yuki-san with him.
"Akane-san?" Chairman Cross said.
"Yes?"
"You do know that taking my books in secret aren't necessary… You can always ask me." Thankfully, the Chairman didn't sound angry. I winced and bowed.
"I'm really sorry, I just… really needed information and I wasn't thinking…"
"It's quite alright, I understand why you would want to know about your own kind." I nodded, straightened up and began to depart. "Oh, and tonight, I'll need more blood for Kiryu-kun."
"See you tonight." I said and walked back to class.
***
Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow… I thought, slapping Band-Aids on my hands and legs. Hopefully, Mami-chan wouldn't notice the new cuts and I would be able to leave for Guardian Duty before she could.
Apparently, my body only bothered to heal itself instantly if the cuts were huge, like when that strange Level E had attacked me in the field. Any other wounds minor than that healed regularly (though I didn't scar) unless I actively healed myself. But that took a lot of energy and I was afraid to try, since I hadn't practiced healing very much.
My worries were unnecessary because Mami-chan was asleep when I left. Yuki-san was the only one patrolling tonight (Zero was probably napping somewhere).
I began to walk around the school, spacing out and dimly wondering if I would see Cantaloupe.
"Students aren't usually found on the ground, you know." Zero suddenly said. I raised my eyes and blinked at him. He was leaning against the school wall, looking bored as always.
"I was looking for Cantaloupe. Where's your Guardian… band-thing?" I said.
He shrugged and said, "Lost it."
Kill. I froze as the horrifyingly familiar thought entered my head. This had only happened around Mami-chan…
Kill. Kill him.
My legs began to walk toward Zero. Knife, knife! I locked my legs together as the burning began. I reached into my pocket and found my knife. I can't hurt Zero!
Kill. Kill. Kill.
"Uh… I—I forgot to tell the Chairman something—excuse me." I said, forcing my voice to not shake. Before Zero could reply, I turned and ran inside the school.
I sprinted down the halls until I was sure I was away from Zero and quickly started to cut my arms, reaching for bandages I kept in my pockets as I went.
The world began to tilt. Crap… I gave blood to the Chairman for Zero and I already almost attacked Mami-chan… I'm losing too much blood… As the burning ceased, my eyes started to shut and the world fell away.
"Akane-san!" Zero's strained voice filled my head as the world became light years away.
***
Waaarmmm… Was my only thought when I regained consciousness. I was lying in a bed, a very warm bed apparently. I turned on my side and curled up in the sheets, burying my face in the pillow. It smelled familiar… cold and sharp, kind of like ice… Like Zero…
…Wait, why do these pillows smell like Zero? My eyes opened as soon as that thought entered my mind. I propped myself on my elbows and blinked in the moonlight.
Is this… Zero's room?
"Tsukino-san?" Zero said, his voice like a cold wind. He was sitting in a chair that was next to his bed. I was still in my school uniform, with thick bandages covering my arms and legs, and new band aids on my palms.
"K—Kiryu-san… Um…" I said, desperately hoping he wouldn't ask me any questions.
"Why are you hurting yourself? What's going on?" Zero sounded suspicious and from the tone of his voice, he didn't sound like he thought I was hurting myself to cope with my own emotional pain.
"Uh… um, well…" I said, fisting the sheets in my fingers. Should I pretend to be angry? No… standoffish is better. "I don't think that's really any of your concern." I raised my eyes and locked gazes with him.
Zero's glare only intensified as more time passed. I groaned and pulled a pillow onto my lap. Better just change the story a little, and say explain quickly.
"Okay, fine. Just don't… tell anyone, alright?" I hugged the pillow to my chest and began to speak. "The vampire who killed my family can… control me. He did some… weird spell on me, when I was little… Now that I'm a little stronger, he doesn't have as much control over me. The spell makes me hurt whomever he wants me to hurt, but if I just hurt someone physically, even myself, his control begins to diminish." I ran over the information in my head and hoped it would be enough. "I don't know much about it…"
"You should rest." Zero said, voice devoid of emotion. He rose from his chair and closed the door behind him.