Disclaimer: I JUST OWN NOTHING OK! ARE YOU HAPPY! *sniffle*

Special Thanks to:

Eien no Akumu

myviolaismylife27

Mystique Madjik

XIzumi-Chan

Naruto Addik

I love all my reviewers however so don't forget that!

The blush in my cheeks seemed to be absolutely permanent. No matter what I did to make it fade it just came right back. To make it worse, Cross wouldn't let me go search for something suitable to stay in and that Kaname would return with sleepwear so instead I was stuck with one of Cross's white button up shirts. It was huge and came past my knees but at least it was more decent than that blasted towel.

At the moment Head Master cross was draped over me, lavishing me in attention; poking and prodding to make sure I was ok. Zero laid back on the couch, his arm draped over his face and unmoving. He finally had a chance to fully shower and slipped into one of Cross's many pairs of black slacks and only that. Yuki was bustling about in the bathroom.

"Kaname told me what happened…" Cross said suddenly, his voice dropping from the normal high pitched girly one he had. He squatted in front of me. "Thank you Jadalyn…"

I blinked for a moment. "Thank…you?" I asked.

"I would have either lost my son or both my daughters…" (At this I blushed again. He still considered me his daughter?) He put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm so glad you were there to protect them. Kaname is ever so grateful"

"Kaname…"

All thoughts of the blush worthy incident in the bathroom were swept from my mind. Yuki told me earlier and about what happened with her and how she ran off to fetch Kaname. How he seemed to have been strolling outside the moon dormitories and… (This, she confided in me) how he seemed to be waiting for her.

If that's the case…then Kaname HAS been playing a game this whole entire time.

"Tch. Don't tell me you're about to fall in love with the guy like Yuki." Zero scoffed at me, his form tense.

"No…" I said rolling my eyes and he relaxed. "I'm just thinking…"

I was thinking about a lot of this. Like what exactly Kaname could be planning and how far he was going to go to win his dangerous game. And Zero…and our little exchange and exactly what it all meant.

Cross excused himself to go start a light breakfast and at the word breakfast I gasped.

"What time is it!"

"8 am. Why?" I heard the headmaster say. I lay back in the chair I was in and groaned.

"How long have we been awakeeee…" I whined. I heard the head master laugh and pouted. "Seriously! I even think Zero's asleep!"

As if to prove my point he gave a particularly loud snore. I scowled at him all comfortable and what not. Lucky ass. I was sitting in the chair across from him, my feet tucked underneath me.

"If you want to head back past the bathroom I have a spare bedroom." Cross called.

Thank God!

I pulled myself from the chair, careful of my bandages, and shuffled down the hall, still scowling at Zero's form. It didn't take me long before I reached the room. It was quite bare but good enough to sleep in.

I left the door cracked and almost collapsed into the cool sheets. The pillow was delightfully cool as I snuggled into it. The shirt itself was ok to sleep into being not too thick but not too thin. I stretched out and would've fallen straight asleep if I hadn't noticed Zero standing in the door way. I emitted some sort of frightened noise and he chuckled.

"Didn't scare ya did I?" he said.

I shook my head no. "Is there something you need?"

He opened and closed his mouth several times. "I was bored…"

Liar.

"You were sleeping…" I dead panned. I crawled out of bed and padded over to him. He wasn't looking at me. There was something more to this…and I thought we were past all this.

"Alright…I was lonely…" he grumbled. I reached up and pulled his face around.

"And?" I said. When he finally looked at me I frowned at his face. "You thought I had left…"His head dipped back down again. "Zero…Zero I'm not going anywhere…" I tried to assure him. It seemed to do the opposite.

"You don't know what that did to me. How it made me feel to see you that way…and to know…that…"

"That what?" I pressed.

"That it was my fault…"

So he thought it was his fault…

"Zero…this is in my blood. Being a demon has always been who I am." I began tugging him to the bed although he was being quite stubborn. I shoved him down and sat beside him. "If you think that I made that contract with you for any other reason other than to keep you alive than your wrong..."

At this he frowned more. "Jadalyn, if I hadn't have slipped up you wouldn't have had to do so in the first place. I'm sorry…I'm a monster of the worst kind…"

"Stop it!" I growled at him. "Listen to me Zero even if you weren't in danger. If you simply wanted to protect Yuki. Protect this school, Cross, yourself I would've bound myself to you. I'm…I'm sorry it was under such pressing circumstances but what's done is done…I don't want your soul Zero…" I turned his face to me again. "I really don't. We will find out something to do. You gave me this power that I needed and so far things are going well."

His eyes were large and wide, just staring at me. I didn't want him doubting me and it broke my heart that he would think I would just leave like that. "Don't fear anything ok?" I poked him. "Not even the vampire side of you." He opened his mouth to protest. "But nothing Zero. Me, Cross, Yuki, and even Yagari will do what we can to prevent your fall to a level E."

He shut his mouth and sighed, his shoulders slumping. Then slowly he reached into his pocked and produced a tiny little shot gun and handed to me, his face solemn. "And just in case you reach a cross roads and there's nothing you can do…Jadalyn."

"No…" I was shocked. How could he ask me? "I will not…" but he took my hand and laid the gun in it. He pleaded with me and my heart clenched. I agreed only because of my confidence in the fact that I'm sure there was something that could be done. I tucked the gun under the mattress and couldn't suppress my smile at his yawn.

"So even the almighty Zero needs sleep huh?"

He scowled at me and I laughed, standing up. "Take the bed, I'll take the couch." I started toward the door but he stopped me, pulling me back into his lap on the bed.

"Don't go…stay here with me…" he whispered. "Until I fall asleep."

"Of course."

Zero hugged me close and I shifted into a comfortable position prepared for a long wait but honestly, it took less then five minutes before I heard him snoring. I twisted a little to look up at his dozing face.

He's looks so peaceful when he sleeps.

His chest rose and fell. So calm. I laid my head against his chest and just listened to his heart beat. I didn't mean to let myself doze but before I knew it, I was out like a light.

Regular POV

Kaname sat back in his chair in his dark study. In front of my lay a new chess game. He'd been staring at it for some time now. The black and white pieces seemed to taunt him at his lack of movement and he frowned.

"How to proceed.." he questioned himself. He waited a moment longer before a smug smile tugged at his thin lips. He reached out and with a delicate hand began rearranging the pieces. When he was done, the black and white pieces at been intermingled with each other except for his king and queen. The long white figures stood alone but right down the board was the other king and only thing blocking it was his own white pawn. He picked up his king and queen together and moved them down the board. He picked up the white pawn and replaced it with his king and sat his queen off to the side. Picking up his pawn he wrapped his delicate fingers around it and squeezed until it was reduced to nothing but white dust.

"Oh I'm sorry…" he said to no one. He blew the dust off the board and smirked to himself as he knocked the black king from his spot onto the floor; in its place he put his white king.

"There now…game over." He said. He went to grab his white queen when he realized with mild amusement that it was right beside the white knight another white pawn.

"Hm. Now when'd you two get there?" He picked the knight up and sat it somewhere off on the other side of the board

"Hm. Checkmate..."

Kaname glanced back at his partially opened curtains and the bright sun that shone through it. He turned around and chuckled to himself.

His white pawn was no longer with his queen but with the knight.

"Looks like no matter what I do, you're always going to come back."

Jadalyn's POV

I hadn't meant to really fall asleep. I had only meant to stay there until he slipped under so when I woke up the sun was filtering in past the curtains and I almost jolted up right.

Damn!

I looked back at Zero's face and it was smooth and peaceful. I smiled.

I bet that will be the best sleep he's ever gotten.

I could've stared all day but I heard the door knob jostle and I turned around. Yuki sheepishly shuffled into the room, blushing.

"I was just checking if you're ok? Kaname brought you some clothes…." They were tucked under her arm. "If you want I can leave them here…"

"Nah, I'll change in the bathroom" I slid off the bed and Zero fell with a soft thump over on his side and groaned but he didn't wake up. I laughed. I walked over to Yuki and shut the door quietly behind me. I stretched and flinched when I felt a nasty sharp pain in my abdomen.

"Ouch…" Yuki gave me a concerned look and I shrugged it away. "It'll be fine" She nodded sheepishly and handed me the clothes without a word. Yuki was younger than me, that's for sure, but sometimes she seemed so much more mature than me. She was slowly becoming my best friend.

No. She's past that mark already.

I smiled. It was true. I am amazed at the things she'd go through for people. I dropped the clothes and threw my arms around her.

"J-Jadalyn?..."

"Thank you…Yuki"

She was quiet for a moment.

"Yuki…promise me." I pulled away. "Promise me that if I have to leave…you'll take care of Zero…"

She looked at me, eyes wide. "What do you mean?"

"Just promise me…"

"But…you and him…I thought…"

I hot blush crept into my cheeks. "You saw that huh?..."

She nodded but this time she was the one smiling. "You give Zero even more purpose. Just like I do what I do for him and Kaname. Kaname does things for me. Now Zero can do things for you."

For me?

I looked at her quizzically and she just shrugged. "Go get dressed" she ordered. "You look so improper right now"

I looked down at the dress shirt and frowned.

I thought I looked rather cute.

As I walked off to the bathroom Yuki called after me. "Kaname will be here soon so you might wanna hurry!"

"Tch. If he's a real gentleman he'll wait for a lady"

"Then I must not be much of a gentleman than am I?" I heard a voice from behind me say and I squeaked.

"Kaname!"

"Or does that mean that you're not much of a lady?" this time he smirked and I blushed hotly. He looked me up and down and raised an eyebrow as if to say 'and you're proving my point even as we speak'.

"What do you want?" I grumbled.

"To simply check on you" he said off-ishly. "After all, I must give you proper thanks for taking care of Yuki"

I frowned. "You should be thanking Zero. Without his order, I wouldn't have been able to do it"

I looked at him and he too was frowning. "Hey, don't blame me. But a gentleman would know when to overstep his pride before he stumbles over it."

"Good thing then that I hardly ever stumble." He replied. I sighed heavily.

"I want to get dressed." I voiced but he didn't bother moving.

"We have much to discuss."

I glared. Well, since he said I wasn't much of a lady. I threw the clothes down on the ground and picked up the pair of underwear and pants. The pants were a nice white with a black belt but I kept the shirt on. Kaname's face tinted just a fairly small shade of red and I smirked when I turned around to slip into the bra.

"Now what were you saying?"

"Are you done being indecent?"

"Are you done being an asshole?"

He glowered at me for a moment before sighing. "Jadalyn we're getting no where with this. I simply come to ask a favor. Keep an eye on her for me? You're the closest to her so you'll know if anything goes wrong"

Was he really asking me to be his spy?

"And why can't you just ask her if she's ok?"

"Because she will lie. It's as simply as that" he said. Hm.

"Well," I countered, "If that's the case then I will do it, but under one condition. Zero is the same Zero. If we don't find a way to fix him he'll fall to a level E and…"

"And what?" he asked. The tone in which he said it catered to the thought that he could really care less. I felt appalled at his tone and took a step back, furious. "How—"

"I didn't say I wouldn't save him Jadalyn."

I fixed him with an angry stare. "So what, you're only doing it because of your game? Is it that important to you?"

"It's important to you too." He stated. "After all you want to go back home, am I correct. You want to find your father, if I'm right."

"He isn't my father…apparently." But I couldn't seem cold. "But…" He was the man who nourished me. Held me. Called me princess and would gallop into my room when I was a kid on a wooden horse. I'd be dressed up in a princess outfit and he'd be my knight in..well..aluminum foil but I didn't care.

"Even if that's the case you still depend on this very game. However…" his eyes cut to the door I came out of where Zero was sleeping. "If certain things are holding you back then I see that you couldn't really care…but listen to me. You are my pawn. If I don't need you then I'll flick you off the board…"

"Tch…"

I couldn't believe him. "You bi-polar schizophrenic sociopathic bitch-ass cheese head!"I blurted. He eyed me at my odd choice of words but I didn't care. "What part do I play in this grand master game of yours anyway?"

I saw the corners of his lips lifted into a wry smile. "That's why I'm here."

Yuki had stepped out to go to town with Yagari (I can only wonder just how they were getting along) and me and Kaname were sitting at the table in the kitchen. He began to explain a lot of things to me, one in particular thing that really had my attention. My family's killer.

"Rido Kuran" he said firmly. For a moment I didn't see the connection but when I did…

"Kuran! Kaname…"

"Yes Yes…" he slid back into his chair. "I know." He took a pale hand and put it to his face. "He's out for revenge. He sought a weapon that couldn't be defeated. Something that would…how should I put this…"bend to his every whim" Something that could destroy on command."

Every word he said was an arrow in my heart. With each description I could only see me as the only other possible object. I looked at Kaname and bit my lip. "Rido was looking for me?"

"Yes Jadalyn…what weapon more potent than someone with meaning. For instance say you made a contract with Rido. No one could stop you…or him. It would be devastating. And this—"he reached forward and grabbed my right hand. I almost didn't recognize the bright red stone on my finger. "This ring is his way of finding you."

He'll come for me…Awww shit….

I heard Kaname shuffle and stand and I woke up from my little panic attack. "Keep a sharp eye" he warned me. "things are literally about to go to hell"

"Haven't they already?" I moaned. He chuckled. "Go Jadalyn…he'll wake soon. I'm amazed at how well he's doing but…"

I tensed. "But what?"

"Stay by his side."

"You're asking a lot of me lately Kuran."

"It's not like you can't handle it demon."

I flinched at his cruel smile and stood up. He left and I slid back into the room where Zero started to shift in his sleep. Zero would have to start turning. And Kaname…he promised. Zero grumbled and I leaned against the wall by the bed, watching.

He's so …. Normal….when he sleeps.

He mumbled something about spiders on roller skates when he finally bolted up in bed. I almost burst into laughter and had to cover my mouth. He must have heard my snickering cause when he turned to me he glared.

"Awe come now Zero!" I said playfully. "How did you expect me to not get some entertainment out of that?"

He frowned and flopped back onto the bed. My laughter finally quelled and I sat on the edge of the bed and leaned back onto his stomach.

"We gotta get up. Things to do. Places to go." I mumbled but he didn't answer. When I cut my eyes to look at him he looked deep in thought.

"Zero…what are you thinking about?"

"Ichiru"

The name shocked me into silence.

"Jadalyn…there are some things that I think we've neglected to tell each other." He propped his head up. "Now may be the time to do so. Might come in handy later…"

I frowned at the thought of reliving the nightmare that brought me here but one glance at the bright scarlet ring on my finger and I realized, I had no choice.

*TIME SKIP FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS!* (lol. Sorry but that would've been too much to write!)

I blinked for a moment then wiped away the intruding tear that managed to escape my eyes. Zero held me and I just felt numb. Reliving the moment was worse than I thought. But even my story couldn't beat Zero's. We sat in the quiet of the room for a few moments.

"Its well into the evening," I said softly. While we were talking I realized there were some crucial points that I wanted to look up and there was only one place I knew to get the right information.

Not that I was going to tell Zero this.

"We'll have to report to the gates sooner or later." He groaned. He sat up and so did I we looked at each other for a moment before his cheeks flush.

"You're indecent…" he muttered.

"What!" I looked down. I was entire clothed. "Nothing showing!" I glared. "Meanie!"

He stood up walked past me and grumbled something about "tight shirts" and "too many curves" and I blinked.

"Ohhhhh" wait… "This isn't a tight shirt!" I yelled after him.

"Then damnit you have too many curves!" He yelled back.

Well hell. Never that I would ever hear that in my life…

Kaname's POV

I flipped through the books on my desk. I knew nothing held any more information than I extracted but I had hoped that something would pop up. Something I missed before. In order to put my plan into action several things had to happen.

But first…Zero needs to snap a little. And soon.

And I wasn't looking forward to it either.

Zero's POV

I wasn't long before I finally caught up with Yuki. I grabbed a white shirt on my way out and slid it on along with some shoes. Yuki, being the over achiever she was, was dressed in her school uniform.

"Nice to see you up and about!" she said, smiling. I shrugged. Well. What was I supposed to say?

"We've missed a whole day of class…" she said to herself. "This is going to look horrible on my grades."

"We just fought a giant bloody death match.." I said in awe, "and all you can think about is your grades?" Really? This girl was just…just…argh.

She flushed a bright red. "Well…" We walked a little longer in silence before Yuki spoke again.

"Where's Jadalyn?" she asked timidly.

"Probably back in the room" I said. She stopped in her tracked and startled me. When I turned around her face was fully flushed red.

"Zero are you and Jadalyn…" she struggled with her words and I didn't understand a damned bit of it.

"Spit it out already" I grumbled.

She jumped a little and then touched the tips of both her index fingers together. At first I thought she was just thinking but then the fingers twisted around each other and I caught on.

"Oh! Well ah…." I willed the red to not heat my cheeks. "Um….well…"

"You need her right?" she said. By now the childish façade she had was gone. "She's to you like what I am to Kaname-sama right?" she asked again. I couldn't deny it because she was totally right. But I wouldn't say it.

No.

Because Jadalyn honestly didn't deserve it.

"Well Kiryu?" I heard his smug voice before I saw him. "Do you? Are you THAT smitten with her?"

He walked up behind Yuki and draped his arms over her shoulders. Bastard.

"No…" I grumbled out. It was a lie. But it was worth telling. Kaname chuckled.

"What's wrong Zero?" I was going to give him a few choice words when it hit me.

Thump Thump.

The searing pain in my throat gripped me so hard I almost collapsed. Shit!

I swallowed hard and ignored Yuki who was asking me if I was ok. The fire was starting to subside.

But I took a deep breath…

And regretted it immediately.

Cherry blossoms.

"Hey everyone! I have returned." I heard her cheery voice but I couldn't focus on nothing but how she smelt.

Intoxicating.

I thought the blood would stop this!

No…it only stalled it longer than human blood.

"Zero..?" Her voice was closer. She peeked around me and her eyes widened. Her hand slipped into mine and it was like electricity was surging from her fingertips.

"Excuse us…" I heard her say. She started pulling me from them, mumbling something. I stumbled after her. She was whispering feverishly to her self and then uttered an "Ah-ha!" before dragging me someone. Before I knew it we were in the safety of the trees. I leaned against one taking ragged breaths as she went to pull aside her white shirt.

"Bite me…" she said firmly. I frowned.

"No…it will…get all over your shirt…" She scowled at me.

"You're so damn stubborn." But her scowl didn't divert the rosy pink in her cheeks that seemed to be permanent. "Close your eyes…"

I blinked, thirst temporarily forgotten. "What?"

"Close them!" she yelled and I jumped a foot in the air. I did shut them firmly and there was some rustling. She walked over to me and she whispered for me to bite her. When I opened my eyes her back was flush against my chest. Her skin was creamy and the black lace of her bra…

"Jadalyn!"

She had no shirt on…

"What the hell!"

She pulled her hair over one side of her shoulder and was twisting it in her fingers nervously. "I hung it up in the tree there. See. Now if you're really careful it won't matter if it gets on my bra. I'll be fine so hurry up. Ok? The night class will get here soon."

Indeed the sun was starting to drop. I reached a hand up and laid it in the crook of her neck. A fire flared within me but it wasn't due too much to the thirst. Her skin yielded to my touch and I trailed my finger from the nook of her ear to her collar bone and she shivered. I leaned down unable to control the sudden gentle kisses I was placing on her. The more I kissed, the more she shivered. I wrapped my arms around her waist and I don't know…I guess you could call it "purred" at the fact that it too was bare.

"Zero stop it!" she stuttered. "Jeez, you vampires are so hard to deal with! I say bite me, you almost rape me!"

I laughed a little and found the crook of her neck. It throbbed with her rushing pulse, grazed a fang over it and was delighted when she twitched a little.

"Zero…" She warned.

I grazed it again and she gave me my treat.

"Just bite me" She was panting slightly and I smiled. Well, since she offered….

I dug my fangs into her neck and she arched her back somewhat.

So delicious…

My taste buds were assaulted by the warm thick liquid that I was thirsting for. She began squirming underneath me and mewling a bit but I held her still. It didn't take much before I was full and I licked up the stray droplets of blood. I could feel everything calming down now and I sighed into her neck.

"I'm sorry" I muttered but she didn't speak. "Is something wrong?" Silence. "Jadalyn! Did I do something?"

"Do you mean what you're still doing?" she squeaked slightly. She was looking straight down and when I looked over her shoulder I saw to male hands, each situated on each of her—

"Oh god!" I slide from behind her in shock. She was still blushing when she tried to cover herself up. "Jadalyn I'm so sorry…"

She chuckled nervously. "Any more blood on my neck?" she asked and when I shook my head no she reached for her shirt and slid it on. She glanced at my horrified expression and she took a little humor from it.

"Zero its ok, just next time…don't go squeezing them and what not when you bite me…" She didn't give me another chance apologize when she grabbed my hand. There was a sudden uproar of female voice and she face palmed.

"We left Yuki to handle those bimbos…" I said. She offered me a smile and started running ahead of me.

"I'll beat you there!" she quipped our small incident forgotten and I chased after her, actually laughing.

Kaname's POV

As I walked through the gates in the twilight of the day I realized that two people were missing.

My knight and my pawn.

Maybe things were actually speeding up on their own accord...either way we needed more momentum. Demon blood will only increase his thirst and even Jadalyn won't be able to soothe it. There's only one person's blood that could save him.

But until then I'd have to keep pushing him. I knew if I did, Yuki would notice but sooner or later, she'd understand.

Preferably sooner.

I'm patient and this game was taking ENTIRELY too long.

Me: Alrighty everyone, since Sebastian is STILL gone *sniffle* I had to have someone come help me with the closing remarks.

Knox: And now why am I here? i'm really busy and I don't get paid for over time...

Me:*frowns* Because don't you remember...I'm sad *cries*

Sebastian: *tsks* Knox, you should know how to treat a lady. Missus are you ok?

Me: *glomps* BASSSYYY! Why are you here?

Sebastian: I've come to report that your plans are underway. I believe seven or eight more chapters and we'll be ready for them *smirk*

Me: Oh Sebastian you're just one hell of a butler!

Knox: Heyyyy what bout me!

Me: Pair up with Grell and I might just like you better..;)

Knox:...pair up. Does that mean that I would have to-

Me: COME BACK NEXT TIME FOR A GREAT CHAPTER...eh heh...