Chapter 13: Bonds.

Kaname's POV

"I love you," I said quietly.

I knew that Akane was already asleep in my embrace, but I wanted to tell her how I felt, even if she wasn't awake to hear it.

I stood up with Akane in my arms and laid her down gently on the bed, and placed the blankets over her.

I looked down at her sleeping form and smiled, "It's alright if you didn't hear me. I'll make sure you hear next time," I whispered, then placed a kiss on her cheek.

I left her room quietly and walked down to where Zero's room was.

His door was still partly opened from where I assume Akane had left, and as I was about to walk in, I heard him shout, "Ugh, I am so stupid! She's never going to forgive me!"

I paused for a moment, then started to walk down the hallway, and Zero stormed out of his room.

"Going somewhere," I asked.

He glared at me, "Why are you here?"

"I was looking for Yuuki, that's all," I lied.

He sighed and walked by me, "She's probably in class."

That's strange. Usually Zero would ask why I would want to see Yuuki... It seems that the things he said to Akane have taken their toll on him as well...

Zero's POV

After Akane ran out of the room with tears in her eyes, I felt like a complete jerk. Before she left, she told me that I was the person she liked...

That can't be right, can it? If she likes me, then why does she hang around that pureblood all the time? Now that I think about it, she is with me more than she is with him...

"Ugh, I am so stupid! She's never going to forgive me," I shouted.

I need to take a walk around the campus and just cool down.

I stormed out of my room and saw Kaname in the hallway. I didn't feel like arguing with him today, so I just said a few words and left.

After I walked around for a bit, I got tired. I leaned against a tree and looked up at the sky.

"Are you alright," I heard a familiar voice ask.

I looked beside me and saw Yuuki.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said.

She smiled cheerfully, "That's good! Why weren't you in class today?"

I sighed, "Something happened, and I couldn't make it."

She pouted, "You better come tomorrow! I was all alone today! You and Akane both weren't there."

I smiled slightly, "I'll be there tomorrow, I promise."

She smiled once again, "Good!"

Her smile made me laugh.

"What? What's so funny," she asked.

"You have that goofy smile on your face," I chuckled.

She pouted again and hit my arm playfully, "You're so mean, Zero."

I like things best this way. Yuuki can easily make me happy.

"Oh yeah, Kaname was looking for you earlier," I said.

She tilted her head, "He was?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Oh well," she said, "He hasn't found me yet, so I think I'll just stay here for a while."

"What about Akane? Have you seen her yet," I asked.

She shook her head, "Nope, but I'm sure she's in our dorm. Why? Do you need her?"

"No, I was just curious," I said.

"Oh! I almost forgot! The headmaster wants to see us in his office," she said.

"What for," I asked.

She smiled, "There's going to be a new student tomorrow."

I grunted, "Oh great."

She chuckled, "Come on, lets go!"

I sighed, "Alright, alright."

We went into the headmaster's office, and I saw Akane standing in front of his desk, looking at Yuuki and I with an irritated expression.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, headmaster," Yuuki apologized.

The headmaster pouted, "Call me father!"

I sighed, "Can we get on with this?"

The headmaster regained his composure, "Very well. As you three may or may not know, we are going to be having a transfer student come to our school tomorrow. I want all of you to give her a warm welcome."

"What class will she be in," Yuuki asked.

The headmaster smiled, "You'll learn that tomorrow when you meet her."

I grunted, "Is that all?"

He sat down at his desk, "I want one of you to show her around the school."

Yuuki smiled, "Who's it going to be?"

The headmaster smirked and looked in Akane's direction, "Why, it's going to be my dear Akane."

Akane's eyes widened, "What? Why me?"

He continued to smile, "Because I always give Yuuki assignments like this, and I wanted to let you do it for a change."

The door creaked open behind me, and I stepped aside.

The headmaster sat back down, "It seems she's already here. Come in!"

The door then opened completely, and a girl with silver hair and lilac eyes walked into the room.

"Good evening," she said.

"She's a Night Class student," I grunted.

"Indeed," said the headmaster, "Good evening, it's a pleasure to meet you, Maria Kurenai."

Yuuki bowed, "Nice to meet you, I'm Yuuki."

Akane stared at the girl curiously, "Have we met before?"

Maria smirked, "No, I don't think we have."

The headmaster got up and gestured towards Akane, "This is my daughter, Akane. She will be showing you around the school."

Maria smiled, "Nice to meet you, Akane. I can't wait for you to show me around."

Akane started walking towards the door, "Yeah, why don't we go ahead and get started?"

Maria followed Akane out of the room.

"I have a strange feeling about that girl," I said.

The headmaster looked out of the window, "It'll be fine. Akane is with her, after all," he paused and turned to Yuuki, "Yuuki, dear, you can go back to your dorm now. I need to speak with Zero privately."

Yuuki nodded and left the room.

The headmaster looked back out the window, "Zero, I want you to keep an eye on Maria and Akane until I say otherwise, understood?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, "Sure, but why the both of them?"

He sighed, "You'll find out soon enough. As for now, you should go back to your dorm."

"Alright," I said as I left the room. I started walking to my dorm.

I understand why the headmaster would want me to keep an eye on the new student, but I don't understand why he wants me to keep an eye on Akane too...

I shouldn't worry too much about it. Whatever it is, he did say that I would find out soon enough.

Akane's POV

I felt strange showing Maria around the school. Just being with her made me feel uneasy, and I don't know why.

I pointed towards the Moon Dormitory, "That's the Moon Dormitory, which is where all the Night Class students stay."

She stood still and didn't say anything.

"What's wrong," I asked.

"You see, Akane," she said, "I'm just scared that the other vampires won't accept me. It may seem hard to believe, but it's true."

I tilted my head to the side, "Huh?"

"See," she pouted, "I knew you wouldn't believe me!"

"No, that's not it," I tried to reassure her, "You just surprised me, that's all."

"You promise," she asked.

"I promise," I said, "You shouldn't worry about that. All of the vampires in the Night Class are really nice. Besides, you have the headmaster's approval, so why wouldn't they approve of you?"

She hugged me tightly, "Thank you, Akane."

I pulled away with a quiet gasp, "Of course."

She smiled and leaned in towards me, capturing me in yet another hug, "I really do love being with girls like you."

"I'd be careful around her if I were you," warned the voice inside my head.

Kaname's POV

I stood beside the window and looked out of it, while the rest of the Night Class were talking about the transfer student.

"It seems kind of suspicious," Takuma said.

"How so," Aido asked.

"Well," Takuma said, "She's a transfer student that arrived rather late."

"How funny," chuckled an unfamiliar voice, "Shouldn't this class have started already?"

Aido narrowed his eyes at the girl, "Who the hell are you?"

She glared at him, "Well that's not very nice," she jumped over to where he was, "You think you can talk that way to me?"

He stared at her in awe.

"I believe it's the transfer student's duty to introduce herself," I said, "Right, Maria Kurenai?"

She smiled and jumped over to where I was, "If I upset you, please forgive me, Lord Kaname." She chuckled and hugged me, "I can't believe I've finally met a pureblood."

The entire class gasped at her boldness.

"It's a pleasure," I said, rather irritated.

She stood up and chuckled, "It seems I've made everyone a little uncomfortable. Maybe I should come back another time." With that, she left the classroom.

"I don't like her," Ruka mumbled.

Aido grunted and left the classroom.

I looked back out the window and saw Maria in front of Akane. Zero appeared from behind Akane, and pointed his Bloody Rose at Maria.

What was going on out there?

Maria looked like she was laughing, and hugged Akane from behind. Zero looked angry, and put the gun down. Akane seemed uneasy, and pulled away from Maria. Maria waved to them and ran into the Moon Dormitory.

I wonder why Akane seems so uneasy around that girl...

I left the classroom to see what was going on, and when I got outside, I saw that Aido was talking to Zero and Akane.

"Hanabusa, if you have a moment, I'd like to have a word with you," Zero said.

"I actually wanted to talk with you too," Aido said.

"I want to know something," Zero said, "Is that transfer student somehow related to that woman?"

"That woman," Aido asked.

Zero sighed, "Shizuka Hio."

Akane's eyes widened.

"Alright," Aido said, "The Kurenai and Hio lines had a shared ancestry a long, long time ago, but that's it."

"One more question," Zero said, "No one has been able to track that woman down for four years, and that's because her appearance has changed, hasn't it?"

"I don't know anything about that," Aido said, "But what's more important, is what you sense about her, and I want to hear that from you."

"Why is that," Zero asked.

"You are the only one who would know," Aido said, "Because you have a blood bond with her."

Zero's eyes widened.

I sighed quietly and went back to the dorms. I sat at the desk in my room and moved around the chess pieces that were in front of me.

"Lord Kaname," Takuma said, "What's to be done with that transfer student?"

"Well," I started, "I suppose you can take care of her, Takuma."

"Huh," he asked.

"There'd be a problem if I were to do anything openly," I sighed, "This academy has all the pieces that she desires, in one place."

"Pieces," Takuma asked with a chuckle, "That seems like a good way of putting it, but is it a coincidence that they're all here?"

"No," I said simply, "I arranged things to be this way."

That transfer student will be nothing but trouble. I think it would be best if I kept her and Akane separated.