VK and all affiliated characters is the property of Matsuo Hino.

Belly of the Beast

The warrior atop the gate silently patrolled the mammoth structure. His nerves were on edge, just like all the other warriors flanking the courtyard. The Old Masters had sent the Hitokirii hordes to attack Cross Academy, and everyone knew that place was under the protection of the pureblood Kaname Kuran. Svad did not like the idea that the Old Masters were deliberately provoking such a powerful creature. He was afraid, because unlike the other warriors in the Order of the Dark Lotus, he was not endowed with aura masking fushigiri or vampire-like speed and agility. He was merely a gatekeeper, not special at all. In fact he was often subjected to abuse of all kinds because of his insignificant status. He looked heavenward, taking in the jewel-like stars shimmering in the bluish black sky. Tonight was probably going to be the last time he gazed up the twinkling vastness of the night. He ran a nervous hand over his shaved and tattooed head.

The trio appeared outside of the gate.

Svad's eyes rounded when he saw them appear out of nowhere. They were just children, teenagers, no older than eighteen. Yet, they were here to destroy them all. His gray eyes fell upon the brunette, the one whose aura oozed death, and he reckoned that was the pureblood. He was beautiful, but he knew that purebloods were the most beast-like of all vampires. Swallowing his fear, he turned to warn his comrades. "Th--!" was the only sound he managed to make before a forceful psychokinetic blast slammed into his body, reducing him to both a limbless and headless torso in an instant.

Kaname took in a breath, attempting to control the beast that circled the brink of his control. Tonight he would devastate his enemy. "Well, since they already know of our presence…" He sent a narrow eyed gaze towards the gate. The door creaked and imploded into a thousand pieces. When the dust cleared, they stepped into the courtyard.

One, leader of the Forty-Seven, bestowed temporary leadership to Two and dashed for the stairs. He threw aside the double-doors and bolted up the staircase. The others would not be able to keep them at bay long, not with that heartless pureblood in their midst. All his life he had fought for the sake of keeping Khaan's dream alive, and he would not allow the only ones who upheld his beliefs to be killed. He burst into the main hall where the four Old Masters sat, giving a swift bow. "He's here! Kuran is here and he is not alone."

Shin and the others stood in alarm. "Who is with him?"

"An offspring of the Ichijo clan and the Level D Kiryuu, Zero," he answered in a hurried tone.

The Old Masters exchanged wary glances.

"Now, please my lords and lady I must get you to safety before they make it here." He pointed towards the far corner where the secret passageway to the underground tunnels resided, concealed behind the stone wall.

Misato shook her head. "No! We aren't running from Kuran like cowards. We will avenge our brother!" She declared obstinately, a nasty sneer on her face.

"But Misato-sama—"

Oroichi piped up. "We will face Kuran and his lackeys."

One bowed his head in defeat. "Then I will lessen their pace." He bolted from the room and stationed himself in the hallway leading to his Masters.

Warriors clad in black along with the presently Forty-Six surrounded the trio, weapons pointed straight at them.

Zero felt the baby fine hair on the back of his neck rise when Kaname allowed his aura to leak forth. The other soldiers backpedaled a few steps only, in an effort not to seem cowardly, but, to his surprise, the Forty-Six stood their ground.

Two stepped to the fore. "We have been expecting you Kuran-sama. And we are prepared to receive you and your companions kindly," he said snidely.

A chuckle snaked through slew of darkly clad men.

Kaname felt the auras of Zero and Takuma darken. The man talking would die last. He reached out with his aura, searching them for anything familiar. There was none. He didn't know what they were, if they were the so-called extinct race of myth or imposters that had simply assumed the name to strike fear into their foes, but they would fall under his feet.

The sounds of battle resonated throughout the halls of Cross Academy as the nobles and their foes clashed. Kain stood amidst his kills, ignoring the blood caking upon his shoes. He sidestepped the poison tipped shuriken thrown at him and, utilizing his vampire speed, grasped the man's neck and broke it with the flick of a wrist.

Another warrior lunged at him with a spear, thrusting the dangerous tip at the fiery-haired vampire viciously, hoping to skewer him. "Die vampire dog!"

Kain evaded each assault, stepping over the bodies gracefully, and, drawing upon his powers, caused the man to combust into flames. He fell to the ground, a blackened carcass. Next to him he heard a tortured scream.

Shiki used a blood cord to wrench a man's arms from their sockets. Crimson gore splattered his face and clothes. He wiped the blood from his face, giving the gore smearing the back of his hand a good lick. Deftly, he avoided the kunai hurled at him, leaping and moving to avoid the sharp objects. In midair he tossed the end of his blood tendril at his foe, forming it into a noose, and wrapped it around his neck, tightening until the man's head fell from his shoulders. He smiled when the corpse tumbled to the ground, satisfied that he was able to exact his revenge upon the faction that had him gunned down like some sort of animal. He prayed that Takuma was okay. If those bastards killed his Ichi he was going to drain all the blood from their bodies and then destroy their lair beneath a wall of crimson gore.

Mutilated carcasses lay strewn across the stone courtyard, mercilessly felled by the trio of vampires. Takuma skewered a warrior, pushing the blade of his katana in up to the hilt, and withdrew it, stepping aside just in time to avoid the dangerous swing of his foe's scythe. The curve of the blade was so close to hitting home that he could literally smell the poison lacing the silver. He scolded himself, knowing full well how lethal the blade could be to him if it hit its mark.

Zero fired off one shot at an oncoming member of the Forty-Seven, then another when he dodged it, then another, backing up to take the brunt of his downward slash with his left forearm. The sword however did not cleave bone like intended, but instead merely nicked the flesh harmlessly. Inwardly he thanked his sensei for suggesting he wear light armor.

Ten glowered at the silver haired vampire. "Do not worry little one, we have no need for poison."

Zero pulled Bloody Rose's trigger, sending a silver bullet into the man's gut.

They hacked away at the circle, cutting down each and every warrior bold enough to come within their reach. Heads were decapitated, appendages amputated, bodies mutilated as they slaughtered their foes one-by-one, shrugging off whatever injuries they sustained. Blood's pungent odor and death's malevolent aura choked the air, the presence of both increasing as their enemies fell at their feet.

Kaien and Toga sought shelter in the alley of two school buildings to regroup. Kaien tore off the edge his shirttail and tied it around the bleeding laceration on his arm, hoping to stop the blood flow. He chuckled wryly at his dark-haired companion.

Toga, who stood with back pressed against the building loading his gun, passed a puzzled glance to his contemporary. To see Kaien chuckling while sharp objects were being hurled at them with deadly precision unnerved him. Was the ex-hunter finally falling off his rocker? "What's so damn funny?" He loaded another bullet into the chamber of his gun.

"Lately I seem to increasingly find myself resorting to violence."

Toga lit up a cigarette, jerking in surprise when a shuriken ricocheted off the building, and put his lighter back in his pocket. Goddamned bastards. "There are times when even a pacifist must pick up his sword."

Kaien flipped his golden hair, which was hanging loose at the moment, and grinned at the straightforward hunter. "Have I ever told you that you are my dear hunter?" He'd hoped that the fight would not come to Cross Academy that he wouldn't be forced to pick up his weapon again, but deep inside, he knew that it was inevitable. He understood Toga's words, but still hoped that drawing his sword to harm another would not become a habit.

Toga groaned and breathed puffs of smoke from his nostrils. "Too many times for comfort." He cocked his shotgun and darted out of their shelter, promptly dropping two approaching enemies. "How's the arm?"

Kaien charged his enemy, sidestepping without breaking stride to evade his assault, and impaled the dark warrior. "It'll do."

Yuuki stood in the balcony window gazing out worriedly. The school's courtyard was black, the only evidence that there was battle being the random blazes of fire coming from Kain. Despite the music blaring throughout the gymnasium and the antics of her schoolmates, she knew that outside the vampires she considered her friends were in fight for their lives, that somewhere in the world, the two most precious people in her life were in a death-match with the enemy that preyed upon them. She on the other hand, was stuck here with students that were oblivious to the happenings outside the gymnasium door. Why did Kaname-sama always do this? She understood that he loved her and wanted to protect her, but she wanted to fight, so she could become strong. She knew that she was clumsy, human, and nowhere near as capable of protecting herself as Zero or the others, but didn't want to be treated like some porcelain doll placed in a fancy display case, cut off from the outside world.

She was not going to sit here anymore. She looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was looking before stealthily creeping out onto the terrace. Without hesitating, she locked the doubledoors, vaulted from the balcony, and dashed towards the fray, determined to show that she was perfectly capable of defending herself. She scrambled to a stop when one of the malevolent men landed in front of her.

"Cross child…" He gripped the hilt of his scimitar, his cold abysmal orbs trained upon her.

She unsheathed Artemis from within her sleeve, protracting it to its full length, and held it in a defensive stand, stilling the shiver threatening to ripple through her body. "Stay away!"

Umi grabbed him from behind, holding him in a viselike grip. "Close your eyes," she said to Yuuki. Yuuki was too innocent to see what she was about to do to this man.

Yuuki closed her eyes. She heard a loud, sickening crunch like a dog chomping on bone, a bloodcurdling scream, and then…nothing.

Umi wiped the blood from her mouth, hating the fact that she was forced to resort to her other side. Sometimes it felt like she was drowning in the blood she spilled. "Are you okay?" She noticed the way Yuuki gazed down at the man's mangled neck with wide eyes.

She tore her eyes from the man, trying to erase the horrid image of his mutilated throat from her mind. Umi truly did have two sides. Movement in the shadows caught her eye. "Watch--!" Before she could finish her warning a bolt of electricity slammed into the man.

He spasmed and jerked as the electrical bolts surged through his body, overloading his system and reducing his organs to soup. His smoking and blackened carcass fell to the ground, crackling with energy.

"You should be inside with the rest of the humans," Rima said coolly, walking into the streetlight.

"No way," Yuuki refuted, "I'm not sitting in the gymnasium like some dainty little flower while you guys fight for your lives."

Rima rolled her eyes in silent annoyance. The human girl could be such a bother sometimes. She cracked a miniscule smile when Umi gave her a nod of gratitude.

"Please Yuuki-chan," Umi said persuasively, "if something happens to you, Kaname-sama will have our hides." She put a hand on her friend's shoulders, seeking to appeal to her heart strings.

"She's right." Aidou appeared from the shadows of the courtyard. "Your job is to protect the Day Students along with Seiren."

Artemis transformed into a scythe. "No," she refused stubbornly, her auburn eyes gleaming unwaveringly in the pale moonlight.

Umi bit her bottom lip. "Yuuki-chan, you need to live, Zero-kun is going to need you more than ever when this is over."

Aidou raised an eyebrow curiously. What did she mean by that? The orange hue of a leaping conflagration got his attention. He turned his gaze in the direction of the moon bathed courtyard. Ruka had better be watching Kain's back.

"Which is why I must fight, so I can be strong enough." She declared, gripping the weapon tightly.

Umi ran a hand through her silken dark tresses frustratingly and looked over her shoulder at Aidou who merely shrugged. She didn't think Yuuki could be so headstrong. Shit.

Zero gazed upon the countless corpses littering the ground, the blood from them flowing over the stone floor like a burgundy sea. How many lives had they just snuffed out? Sure he knew they were trying to kill them and plunge the world into darkness, but it bothered him how many lives he had a hand in extinguishing. His eyes fell upon Kaname and Takuma who seemed to barely acknowledge the maimed and disfigured carcasses encircling them. They were born vampires; of course excessive violence and bloodshed would not trouble them.

Kaname took in a breath, beating back the beast charging the gates of his restraint, and squared his shoulders. "Come." He swaggered towards the door, picking over the carcasses, trailed closely by his companions. He threw a glance back at Zero, who looked unsettled. "You are going to have to toughen up Zero, because you will see much more blood spilled before this reaches its conclusion." He burst the door open with a mere thought, entering the castle fearlessly.

They walked down dimly lit corridors in silence for what seemed like forever to Zero, until they came to a hallway guarded by One.

He brandished his weapons expertly, giving a warning growl. "You shall not pass."

Kaname worked his jaw. He would not waste his power on such a trivial wretch. "Takuma."

"Yes Kaname-sama?"

He allowed his gaze to remain upon the man in the hallway. "Take care of this insect."

"Yes Kaname-sama."

Kaname and Zero flashed past One, leaving him alone with Takuma.

Takuma eased into his kata, passing his opponent a polite smile. "Ready when you are."

One noticed the rivulets of blood trickling down the cheery vampire's weapon. "My Master once told me that the most dangerous vampire is the one that hides behind the grinning mask."

Takuma tilted his head to the side. "Your master sounds wise." He beckoned his enemy with the nod of his head. "Now come."

One twirled his short swords.

The Four Masters rose to their feet when they felt Kaname's powerful aura prickling over their skin. They understood what it meant to clash with a pureblood, that it spelled certain death, but they were ready. The grand doors flew open and Kaname and Zero stepped into the spacious chambers of the main hall.

Zero growled derisively at the men, holding Bloody Rose at his side. This was it? These decrepit old timers were the ones attacking them? "You have got to be fucking kidding me." He stated under his breath. Hell, if they waited a little longer they would die of old age.

The corner of his mouth twitched. "Looks can be deceiving Zero."

Oroichi stepped forward, giving his lengthy white beard an arrogant tug. "Kuran-sama, nice to finally meet you."

Kaname dipped his head. "You as well, but I remember reading about five masters." He scoped them with expressionless eyes. "You all seem to be one short."

Their eyes tightened into tiny slits. How dare he jest about the death of their brother!

Kaname swaggered further into the room making no move to show them any aggression, at least not yet. He motioned for Zero, whose aura leaked with anxiousness, to calm his nerves. They didn't need to assail them, not before they perhaps gained a few fragments of information.

Oroichi strutted arrogantly down the stairs leading to their thrones and onto the floor, casting scornful gazes at them. "If you have read the prophecy-and I imagine you have-you well know that this battle is pointless."

Kaname smiled faintly. "Perhaps, but my victory here will allow time to pass unscathed." He glared at the four approaching in slow deliberate steps. Their arrogance was in the least vexing.

Shin rolled his eyes. "You are a fool Kuran." He, along with his siblings, drew their weapons threateningly.

Kaname snarled fiercely, no one called him a fool. His aura fluctuated dangerously, causing the stained glass windows lining the walls to shatter into pieces. Wind gusted past them, stirring up the shards of glass as the pureblood utilized his psychokinetic abilities. To his mild surprise the only thing that moved on them was their hair. He and Zero let out low growls at the same time. They were protected by some type of Hunter's charm. Now they had two factors against them. The first was the silver he could smell lining their weapons and the other was the Hunter's charms. He would have to be careful.

Zero frowned. Great. This wasn't going to be as much of the cakewalk that he anticipated.

Kazuo charged Zero head-on, moving exceptionally agile for a man of his age.

He fired off three shots in quick succession, unsurprised that he dodged two of the bullets and the third merely skimmed off the shield created by his Ancient fushigiri. Sonofabitch. The old man went into a spinning leap, coming down upon Zero forcefully with his weapon. Zero backpedaled, avoiding the razor edge of the sword.

Kazuo growled at the young Level-D. How could a vampire of his status move so quickly? He sped up his pace swiping at the teenager with repetitive cruelty, surprised at every counter move he performed. He thrust his sword forward, then protracted the kunai hiding in his sleeve, managing to slice through his shirt and armor.

Zero grit his teeth when he felt the weapon nick his arm. Stupid old man.

Kazuo grinned at the teenager. "You should learn to respect your elders, dog."

Boiling anger bubbled forth inside Zero. No one called him a dog. He lashed out at the old man, opting to perform a sidekick, since Bloody Rose was not the best choice for close combat.

Kazuo evaded the blow, leaping aside so Misato could hurl her weapon at Zero.

Zero darted out of the way of the weapon, eyes widening when the large spiked ball at the chain's end demolished half the column's side when it connected. Shit! He rolled and somersaulted out of the way, mangaging to dodge to the devastating blow of Misato's weapon and Kazuo's pschokintetic bursts, leaving demolished columns in his wake. No way was he getting killed by Methuselah's grandparents.

Kazuo, figuring the teenager was finished leapt into the air, bringing his katana down mightily, seeking to land his deathblow.

Running on pure instinct, Zero used his gun to counter the blow, surprised that the weapon was not sliced in half. Bloody Rose crackled with unleashed energy and repelled its master's assailant, forcing him backwards.

Kazuo's countenance fell into one of utter shock. "The Bloody Rose! You're the Protec--!"

Zero pulled the trigger, sending a bullet into his chest and through his heart. He stood, shaking off the burning pain in his shoulder where the kunai had nicked him. He looked across the room and his eyes rounded.

Misato stood behind Kuran twirling her weapon, getting ready to hurl it at the pureblood, who had his hands full avoiding the anti-vampire shields of his two opponents.

If that spiked ball connected with Kaname it would spell defeat for them and Zero refused to lose the battle. Making a split second decision, he dashed to the endangered pureblood's rear, grasping the needle edged chain just as she hurled it at her intended target. Pain jolted through his hand as the needles tipping the chain's links slashed his palm. He growled angrily. Silver. Friggin' great. Tomorrow was going to be hell. Glaring hatefully at the woman, he yanked Bloody Rose's trigger. The chamber glowed and bullets tore from it and collided into the shield, rotating in midair for a few seconds before finally piercing it and hitting its mark in her chest cavity.

He sighed heavily, barely able to believe he was about to aid Kuran, and skimmed a bullet off each man's shield. He had no idea why, but for some reason it seemed that whatever Ancient Hunter's charms they were using to shield themselves, a bullet from Bloody Rose not only disrupted it but rendered it null.

When he realized that their shields were broken, the beast that was lurking within the gates of his control managed to partially slip through. Kaname sent Shin sailing through the air and crashing into one of the columns across the room before turning his attention to Oroichi, the one that had used his anti-vampire weapon to disintegrate his left hand. His garnet eyes glowed even redder, the pupils shrinking into slits, and his fangs tipped his bottom lip. The immediate air around him transformed into darkness, blending with the shadows of the night, death's sepulchral ambiance looming within his aura.

Oroichi's knees shook and he stood there, paralyzed from fear of the nightmarish creature standing in front of him. Then, he realized, these were the closing moments of his life.

Without speaking, he manipulated his own blood into an immense crimson hand with wicked talons and caused it to descend upon Oroichi, shredding him into ribbons. He stared at the remains of Oroichi, the beast roaring inside not sated by his death. In half a breath he was in front of Shin, eyes blazing with beastlike ferocity. He fell upon Shin clawing at him, ripping back flesh like an onion peel, severing muscles, and rending bones.

Zero watched in utter shock as Kaname mauled the man, as if he were unaware of his tormented screams. Kaname was every bit of the beast he imagined. He drew Bloody Rose, aimed, and fired. The bullet that whizzed past the rampaging pureblood wakened him and his name being shouted by the Level-D brought him to his senses.

"Kuran!!"

Kaname stopped mutilating the man, the beast retreating to its cage, and blinked rapidly, clearing away the red fog in his eyes. He stared down at the brutalized corpse he knelt over and his stomach turned. Forgetting for a moment that Kiryuu was even present, he bowed his head, burying his face in his palm. He'd lost it again. What would happen if he ever lost complete control of the beast chained within his soul? He heard Zero take a step forward then stop.

"Um…" At first he thought about grilling the pureblood for being a sick fuck, but when he hunched over like he was ashamed, he realized that maybe the pureblood was sorry for showing such a side of himself.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," he spoke in the same expressionless tone he always used. He rose to his feet, gathering himself, and turned to look upon the younger teen, erasing the carmine beads trickling down his cheeks and sticking to the hair hanging in his face. "Truly I am." Sometimes he feared he would lose himself beneath the tide of blood that beckoned him.

Zero holstered Bloody Rose and ran a hand through his silvery tresses. "Yeah." He guessed he wasn't the only one self-conflicted. Even people like Kuran, who seemed to have it all, had to deal with their own inner demons.

Takuma entered the room blood stained sword in hand, sporting a small cut on his cheek. He cast a glance at the bloody corpses sprawled on the floor. "Oh, you're already done," he said cheerily, absently licking a crimson bead that dribbled next to the corner of his mouth.

Kaname almost smiled, happy to see his right-hand man alive. "Not yet, follow me." The trio walked down the halls silently, into the chilly mountainside air, and across the courtyard where Kaname stopped. He would wipe out the existence of this place. This castle would become their tomb. He held up his hand, the only one still in existence at the moment, and pulled upon his pureblood abilities, exerting it into a destructive force.

The castle creaked and moaned, then finally collapsed with a thundering crash into rubble.

Zero felt a sense of relief. It was over.

Kain breathed out a sigh of relief and sat down on a fountain's edge. They had finally stopped coming. Beside him, Aidou was mopping away the crimson droplets on his face.

"Are you okay Umi-chan?" Aidou asked, staring worriedly at her as she bound up a scratch on her shoulder. He kicked himself for not watching her more closely.

"Yes, Aidou-san. Don't worry about me it's just a scratch. Are you okay?"

He smiled brightly. "Yeah." He laid his head on his cousin's shoulder and yawned. "Are you okay Akatsuki?"

Kain counted the members of the Night Class as they strode into view, comparing with the number of nocturnal students that attended Cross Academy. "Yeah. You?"

"Yeah." He scooted over and grasped Umi's hand when Ruka appeared around the corner, reckoning it better to back away than to continue to cling to his cousin, for the moment. Soon,though, he would want his kinsman's undivided attention.

Ruka smiled sweetly at her lover and sat next to him, nuzzling her nose in his shirt. The thick odor of the spilled blood pervading the air made it difficult for the nocturnal students to focus and abstain from feeding upon each other out in the open.

"What the hell are we going to do with all these dead bodies?" Shiki asked when he came into view. "If we burn them it will cause a stench that even the townspeople will smell."

Zero and the others materialized in the courtyard. He barely had time to breath before Umi embraced him. "I was so worried about you."

Aidou, along with the other vampires, crowded around their leader, fretting over his injury. His attention however, was pulled away to the two lovers kissing passionately just outside the ring of vampires. He watched them interact with forlorn eyes. The way she fussed over his wounds, gazed into his eyes like he was the only man in existence, and touched him so tenderly made him realize even more that she was no longer his.

"Where's my dear girl?"

Rima popped her bubblegum. "In the gymnasium with the other humans." She was not going to tell him that they actually had to force her to return to the party, stating that she would no doubt be killed if she stayed to take part in the brawl.

Kaname nodded. "Good." He skimmed his eyes over the dead bodies strewn all over the ground and rooftops. A sigh escaped him. He was going to sleep for days when this was over. He exerted his power, dipping once again into he deep pits of the strength gained from Shizuka Hiou, and waved a hand. The carcasses reduced to ashes. "Come, it is time to retire to our dorms."

Aidou lagged behind as the other students walked ahead, not wanting to be around Zero and Umi as they displayed their affections for one another. Sometimes he hated Kiryuu. He cut his eyes to the pretty blonde walking next to him.

Her name was Hitomi Fujimia, a noble of less prominent status than the Aidou clan. "Aidou-san?" she said softly.

He directed a sky blue gaze at her. "Yes?" Why was she blushing so hard?

She continued to blush, her slate eyes sparkling with infatuation. "Um…I'm glad that you are unharmed."

A charming grin passed over his lips. "Thank you for your concern…" he trailed off when he realized he didn't know her name.

"Hitomi Fujimia."

"Hitomi, thank you for your concern" He flashed another charming grin. "I am glad that you are unharmed as well."

She covered her mouth to hold in a giggle, her cheeks flaming pink. "Thank you." They walked side-by-side the rest of the way.

Kaname laid his tired body in his bed, pulling the luscious covers to his neck. He looked at the stump that was just beginning to regenerate and gave a deep sigh. A yawn escaped him and he turned over on his side, relishing the smoothness of the covers. Despite the pain in his wrist and near exhaustion, he smiled to himself. The chessboard was set.

Zero yawned sleepily, trying to stay awake to watch Umi clean his wounds. He wouldn't admit it, but some small part of him had been afraid that he would never see her again. Thankfully, he had been wrong.

"By sunup you'll probably have fever." She stated informatively, tightening the bandage on his forearm. Gently she carded her hands through his hair, wondering what type of shower gel he used to make himself smell so wonderful. She stood and walked across the room, throwing the trash in the wastebasket.

"Well, my doctor should stay with me to make sure I'm alright," he stated suggestively, wincing when he clasped his hands behind his head.

She sat next to him, stretching sleepily. "Zero."

He yawned again, eyes half-lidding. "I just need to feel you next to me." Amethyst eyes hazy with sleep looked up at her.

Her heart melted and she crawled over him, snuggling beneath the sheets next to her lover. She burrowed into his side, seeking to soak up all the warmth that he possessed. Kami, she loved him so deeply.

He yawned again, ignoring the agony burning through his wounds. He would still be able to go to the Moon Festival in a few days with his most precious possession. The dust had finally cleared and Umi's contract with Kaname was fulfilled which meant he would have to release her. Then, when her life no longer belonged to Kuran, they would belong only to each other. Things were finally looking up in his life. His sleepy eyes fell upon the lovely teen snuggled into his side sleeping soundly and his heart felt like it may swell until it burst. Umi, his blessing, his center. He bent his head, pressing a gentle kiss to her hair, delighting in the feel of her silken skin embracing his. He smiled happily and closed his heavy eyes, falling into a slumber filled with pleasant dreams.

Hoodoo! Only two more chapters to go me lovelies. I hope you like this one (I had a little trouble writing the fight scenes, so I hope they came out alright). I will now take your reviews, because every time you don't review the VK guys lose a level of hotness. Oh and to all those that reviewed my fic ARIGATOU!

NEXT CHAPTER: The Moon Festival has arrived! SPOILER ALERT: Don't hate me after this chapter ends.

Love ya 8D