Well, this long chapter marks the introduction of my second main-player OC. You'll also notice that I use the third-person very briefly. I'll only be making use of it when describing this character by himself because I despise changing POVs. It's really a lazy way to write in my opinion. Anyway, I hope you guys like him. I'm going to be straying far from the main plot of Vampire Knight from now on. By that, I mean that I'll be extending the time between my story and the major events in the canon plot (i.e. the Rido attacks). I didn't want to just tell the original story over again... what fun would there be in that? This fic is going to have an entirely new plot and focus.

Thanks for the reviews again, and a huge bow to all those who've favorited and followed this story. You're all awesome :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight in any way.

Chapter 14: Night Class Sleepover!? (Part 2)

The moon hung in winter sky, a silver pendulum gleaming high above the grounds of Cross Academy. Members of the Day Class were asleep at this hour, while those of the Night Class sat together in a wide lecture hall, listening to their golden-eyed instructor describe the relevance of modern literature. But far below the main building, deep within the forests that cloaked the school, concealed in the darkness of night and shadow, a small boy clad all in black lay.

He wore a hood that concealed his face; only his white hands were visible, and he clawed the earth in exhaustion, digging his fingernails deep into the frozen ground. He'd already been at it so long there were extensions of blood in the grooves he'd managed to carve; it did nothing to appease him.

As he looked at the moon his eyes dilated like a predator's.

That human… he'd already let that human girl see him two nights ago—the black-haired girl who'd reached out to him, despite the glint of his blood-hungry eyes. He'd been so urged to grasp her hand then and bury his fangs in the flesh of her arm, but he'd managed to restrain himself somehow. He breathed weakly now, hunger carving a gaping hole deep within him. His throat ached—he desperately needed blood, but where he would get it, he had no idea.

For a while after his encounter with her he had crept through the trees at a steady pace, stumbling sometimes in his starvation. He hadn't managed to get very far before he collapsed against the snow.

"Mother…" he murmured, his breath melting the snow near his mouth. Crimson eyes folding against the brush of powder. It comforted him with a cold cloak, causing him to curl up into a tiny, shivering ball. And so the moon shown down upon him, beautiful in the essence of winter's cruel retribution.

Sleepily, I nuzzled my pillows, taking in their familiar scent and softness. I felt so secure, like nothing in the world could capture me from the tiny world I'd created for myself—neither the glare of Kaname Kuran nor the smile of Takuma Ichijo. I had no way of knowing that somewhere out there, a child was freezing in the snow, desperately coveting the same warmth I'd managed to contain. Our eyes had already met once, but I only remembered them as crimson flashes in the night. They had vanished so quickly, even as I'd extended a hand towards them—their influence planting fear deep within me.

I curled into a ball, just as he had done, hugging my blankets as the memory of his eyes faded from my mind. I was comfortable once more, safe, aware that not far off, Saya was also asleep.

I woke to the sound of Saya closing the bathroom door. Morning light crept through my curtains, but I didn't bother shutting them. I stretched and went to get dressed immediately. I collected my notebook at sat down on my bed, going through the events Takuma and I had planned for tonight's Night Class, Day Class sleepover. It was written in Takuma's neat scrawl.

4:00pm – the Day Class students arrive to set up their sleeping bags and to listen to the Chairman's speech.

4:30pm – the Night Class students arrive to set up their sleeping bags. They will be expected to interact with the Day Class students until 5:00, at which time the sleepover will officially begin.

5:00pm – the classes will be divided into two teams, comprised of a mixture of Night and Day Class students. They will compete to build forts out of gym mats.

6:00pm – once the mat forts are set up, students will play a long game of capture the flag, each using their fort as their base. Night Class students will be expected not to use any of their powers.

7:30pm – buffet supper will be served in the cafeteria.

8:30pm – (Day-Class request) students, including the Night Class will play Truth-Or-Dare for half an hour.

9:30pm – snacks and drinks will become available in the gyms.

10:00pm – Half an hour to talk and brush teeth, etc.

10:30pm – Movie-marathon begins.

3:00am – Movie-marathon ends. Students are expected to be asleep. Night Class students will pretend to sleep until morning.

9:00am – students wake up and disassemble forts.

10:00am – buffet breakfast is served in the cafeteria.

11:00am – students split up into teams again and play a questionnaire game for an hour and a half.

12:30pm – Day Class students pick up their things and return to the Sun Dorms.

1:00pm – Chairman makes final speech to Night Class students before they go back to the Moon Dorms to finally sleep.

The Truth-Or-Dare had, naturally, been a request from the Day Class girls. We'd only agreed to it after requesting the opinion of the Night Class students, who'd surprisingly agreed, with the exception of Kaname Kuran and the girls. Takuma and I would be sure to enforce certain rules to both sides (for example, Aidou wasn't allowed to ask any girl for blood, and the Day Class girls weren't allowed to dare anything inappropriate). No kissing on the mouth, for example.

I knew it would be a major disappointment to them, but it was just a precaution. That, and I seriously doubted any of the Night Class students really wanted to have to kiss the Day Class members. Sooo inappropriate.

I was set to deliver this speech to them before the sleepover began along with the Chairman. The Day Class students knew I was in charge of planning, so they'd been giving me suggestions all week. I'd turned down most, but those that had been approved were now present on the schedule. I hoped they would like it…

I set the list down and flexed my fingers. I was about to get my knapsack ready for school when Saya's voice floated from the bathroom. I looked around and felt a smile work its way from my eyes to my lips.

"Taura, how do I look?"

She was wearing a pretty shirt decorated with a red-rose pattern, with jeans. Her short hair was styled so she resembled a fairy. She looked very good, but I knew why she'd dressed up. She was trying to impress Aidou; all the Day Class girls would probably go all-out for this sleepover.

"You look amazing, Saya! Seriously, I love your shirt."

She spun around, blinking happily.

Watching her, I suddenly understood why the Chairman had presented this entire idea to us—and it was indeed a wonderful plan, even if it hadn't appeared to be initially. It was for the good of the Day Class, who'd grown so accustomed to never seeing the Night Class. They would be able to interact tonight without Yuuki and Zero shoveling them aside like dirty snow. I felt for Saya and the others in that moment, and I hoped that she would be able to talk to Aidou Hanabusa. After this, I was willing to intentionally force a meeting between them.

"Are you excited, Taura? I'm so happy I'm shaking!" Saya exclaimed, jumping on her bed. She hugged her pillow, squealing with pure joy. "I can't believe this! It's going to be so much fun. The school's going to be mysterious at night, and we'll be able to sneak off, right?"

"No," I said, perfectly bluntly. "I mean, I wouldn't do that if I were you. Yuuki and Zero are still going to be patrolling. You should just follow the rules. It'll be better that way, I promise."

Saya raised an eyebrow at me. "Have you gone batty or something? Since when were you 'all about the rules'?" As I recall, you were the one who snuck into the Moon Dorms to begin with. This'll be even more exciting! I just can't wait!"

"Me neither," I said with another deep sigh.

That whole day the school buzzed with news about the sleepover. I'd pinned up the events on the bulletin board, and all day students were crowded around it. When they weren't, the were discussing the event joyfully with each other. I'd never seen the Day Class so happy.

Yuuki and I sat together in history, listening to the girls chat their excitement away. The laughed, cheered and practically floated as they walked through the halls later. It felt nice to know that I was partly responsible for their excitement. Now, just as long as everything went off without a hitch, they would remain in this state for a while.

Only one person seemed not to be anticipating the sleepover; Zero Kiryuu had skipped classes for the first time in two weeks. I was a bit surprised to see that he wasn't sitting beside his tree when we arrived in literature class. When I asked Yuuki where he was, she only shrugged.

"I haven't seen him all day. I guess it makes sense that he would be upset. He's just worried about everything… and he's been having a lot of trouble with that."

I opened my mouth with surprise, looking immediately at her neck. Ever since Takuma had told me that Yuuki was feeding Zero her blood, I'd become very obsessed with staring at her neck. She often wore scarves to cover her throat, but on the rare occasions when she didn't, several puncture scares were visible in her flesh. I wanted to ask her if it hurt to be bitten, but felt that it would be such an incredibly inappropriate question. I wasn't even supposed to know about her special encounters with Zero.

"Hopefully he feels better soon," I said, and Yuuki bowed her head. "He better show up tonight, too."

"We're really going to need his help. I think the girls behind us are already planning a coup to kidnap Aidou, Shiki and Takuma. They keep whispering."

Yuuki and I left the class and went to the cafeteria for lunch. I bought a sandwich and juice and we sat down together near the wide windows that sided the far end of the wide room. She had become a bit quieter since we'd finished class. I couldn't help but assume that it had something to do with the fact that she and Kaname would be staying in the same room tonight.

"Are you still nervous?" I asked, and she squeezed her bottle. I supposed that was meant as a very obvious yes. "Don't be. Takuma and I took ages deciding on the activities. Everyone's going to be perfectly safe, so he has nothing to worry about. Besides, I bet he's looking forward to spending time with you."

"… I was never so nervous around him when I was younger, you know. I lived in Cross's all the time then, and Kaname would visit me all the time. I used to be able to touch him back. Now when he approaches me my heart begins to beat so hard I feel embarrassed. I know he can hear it," she put a hand over her chest and sighed deeply. "I remember the first time I saw him drinking blood. I knew what he was, but it never really sunk in until then. I ran away…"

"You were just a kid," I told her after taking a sip of my juice. "You couldn't have been expected to accept everything so fast. You're older now. Everything's different. You'll see, pretty soon you and Kaname are going to be getting along great again. He acts differently around you than he does with everyone else, even the Night Class. Takuma told me so. You have absolutely nothing to worry about, Yuuki. Now smile, we've got a lot of work ahead of us tonight! We're both going to do our best."

Yuuki and I shook hands, a trace of a smile on her lips.

Yuuki and I spent the rest of the day together. After classes ended, we left with heavy hearts for the gym. We went by girls in the halls, who were all carrying their sleeping bags on their backs. Just as I'd suspected, they'd all dressed up for the occasion. I spotted Saya and Hotaru sitting together in an empty class, and waved with a smile.

We scouted the gyms with a succession of wide glances. We'd bought decorations in town the day before; they were now scattered all over the floor, ready to be hung up and draped. The Chairman was setting up a long table against the wall where the snacks and drinks would be placed later.

We took streamers and slung them over the basket ball nets and bleacher stands, blew up balloons and scattered them all across the ground, draped several tablecloths across the table and set up banners reading very amusing messages of cooperation and self-confidence. The Chairman had bought them. All my old schools in America had boasted the same variety of poster.

I was breathing quickly by the time we finished, and lay down against the hard gym floor. I wouldn't be staying in here with the others because I needed to watch and record the data I recovered tonight. This was, after all, a test set up for me by the Chairman to evaluate my ability to follow orders and work in a limited space. My sleeping bag and mat were already prepared in the Gym teacher's office. The wall between his office and the gyms was made of one-way glass, so I would be able to observe without being seen and thought of as a complete creep.

Yuuki and I sat down against the wall and talked for a while. It didn't take long for the Day Class to arrive, and when they did, they practically leaped through the gym doors in their enthusiasm. Some were even jumping up and down as they rolled out their sleeping bags on the mats we'd been gracious enough to set up for them. Once they'd finished, I stood up with the Chairman and declared silence.

"Ahem. Welcome Day Class to our first annual Day Class, Night Class sleepover extravaganza! It's going to be so much fun. I'm going to duck out soon because I know my lovely daughter and son can take care of business on their own, just follow the rules and everything should work splendidly. So, your coordinator this evening is going to be this young lady right here. Take a bow, Miss Harugichi. She's already left schedules all over the school, and there are more right up here if you didn't happen to get one today. All right, Taura. Take it away!"

There was silence as I took my place in front of the group, beaming as widely as I could. "So Day Class, you know that this sleepover is going comprise all of you and all of the Night Class students. They'll be arriving shortly, so I want you all to be respectful. They're very special individuals who's parents pay a lot for them to attend this school. As the Chairman already said, if you follow the rules, you'll have nothing to worry about. Yuuki and Zero are going to be patrolling all night just in case, and any digressers will be immediately sent back to their respective dormitories—"

I was interrupted by the sound of the door creaking open. A blond head appeared in the crack—the girls screamed. I knew the Night Class had arrived, and that there was absolutely no way I was going to get the girls to sit down again. They raced towards the door, all exclaiming their excitement to the Night Class.

Aidou was the first to appear, as always. He skittered to the center of the gaggle of girls and cheered for them. Next came Kaname, Seiren and Ruka, who looked just about as impressed as I had imagined they would. Yuuki murmured Kaname's name next to me, and I put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Shiki Senri and Rima were next, then Kain and finally Takuma. They all stood in a group for the first few minutes as they shook the Day Class girls hands and received their affections—wanted or not. Takuma was laughing brightly, perhaps even more so than Aidou, who still had his sights set on impressing the girls.

From the door, Zero suddenly appeared. Yuuki and I both sighed with relief, but he seemed not to want to involve himself with anyone. He just leaned against the wall, brow furrowed. Well, I thought. I would take furious Zero over no Zero at all.

The fort activity went off without any trouble. The Day Class students were so eager to get the Night Class students involved that they practically jumped on them. Shockingly enough, only Ruka and Kaname seemed irritated. Kain was laughing and talking to his teammates, while Aidou was dancing around with the girls, complimenting their outfits. Blood-hungry or not, he could be very kind at times, that much I'd discovered.

I held my breath as he approached Saya, who's eyes widened to the approximate size of dinner plates. He leaned down and kissed her hand quite adorably, blinking at her with unfathomable charm. "You look beautiful tonight, Miss Saya," he said. I guessed he'd learned the names of his teammates already. "Come help me lift this mat."

I watched her help him, though she was shaking. She looked back and me, smiling immensely, and my heart flooded with happiness. I loved seeing everyone in such high spirits. Even Kaname, I noticed, was helping Yuuki with their fort. He peered up over the sides of a mat, his reddish eyes tainted with amusement. I had to admit, he didn't look so cruel when he was around her. He seemed like an entirely different person.

Zero on the other hand watched them with malice, grinding his teeth. I nudged him and he glared at me. "Don't be like that, Zero. Yuuki wanted him to have a good time. You should participate."

"Don't want to," he said, and then stalked off to the gym teacher's office. I followed him at a bit of a jog. "I'm not involving myself with those fiends. They're just going to mess everything up. You'll see. I hate how Yuuki's so willing to forget everything their kind has done in the past! Nothing will change that… ever."

"You don't know that, Zero. Everything changes. Without change, none of us would ever learn or live or love, we would never experience anything. I know you don't want our relationship with them to change now, but think about it. Wouldn't it be better if their kind didn't have to hide anymore? Wouldn't it be better if humans could accept them for what they are, and who they are. I'm sure you would want that for yourself. How could you not?"

Zero scowled. "I don't expect anybody to accept me. You all tease me a lot about it, but it's true that I'm a monster, just like them. You've never seen me angry enough, but I really do look like them at times. It's sickening!"

He brought his hand back and hit the wall, causing the teacher's desk to shudder. I took a deep breath and touched his forearm as softly as I could. I knew that comforting people wasn't exactly my strong point, but Zero and I were alone right now. I had to do something.

"I know you don't think you have a lot to look forward to in life. It must be easy to think that way, considering everything you've been through, and everything you're still going through. One thing's certain; you're not going to have it easy, but really Zero, who does? My mother died too, my father leaves all the time. It can't compare to what you've experienced, but my pain is the same as yours. We share that—everybody does, you, Yuuki, me and even Kaname. We're all exactly the same on that level. Connections are more important than anger or fear. That's something I've come to learn since I came here. I was petrified of Takuma and the others at first… I flinched every time he so much as looked at me, but now I know that he's really just like me. We're all jut trying to grow up and live our lives."

Zero was quiet as he backed away from the wall. He rubbed his eyes, his breathing returning to normal once again. I hated seeing him in this state. Zero and I had grown closer throughout the month, though we still weren't particularly fond of each other. He constantly berated me for working with vampires, and I goaded him for being a hypocrite. Still, in moments like this, I couldn't help but extend my sympathy towards him. He needed it more than anyone else I knew.

When we exited the room, the students had finished constructing their forts, and were beginning the first game of capture the flag. I shot Aidou a dirty look when I saw him attempting to freeze their flag in place—it was one of the rules, no abnormal powers. Thankfully, nobody seemed to have noticed him.

I found it funny that he would be at all competitive, but I supposed it probably had something to do with the fact that Kain was on the opposite team with Kaname, Rima and Seiren. Aidou, Shiki, Takuma and Ruka had formed a team with the leftover Day Class students. I'd taken great care while selecting the Night Class teams. I didn't want the usual pairings together, because that would have resulted in less interaction with members of the Day Class.

As the day progressed and the light faded swiftly from the sky, the sleepover continued to go by without difficulty. Kaname's team won the game of capture the flag, much to Aidou's disappointment. At 7:30, everyone climbed the stairs to the cafeteria, where the cooks presented a wonderful buffet of choices.

I was starving, so I filled my plate a few times before finally sitting back against my chair. I looked up, and suddenly a pair of bright green eyes appeared above my head. This was the first time Takuma and I had seen each other up-close since two days ago, when we'd completed the plans for the sleepover.

He sat down next to me, his plate topped with food as well. I'd never seen him eat so much before, but he had told me that vampires required normal food as well to function. As I understood, it could even serve as a blood substitute in large quantities. He ate happily as we talked.

"How are the Night Class students doing?" I asked him between sips from my water glass.

"Oh, vey well. Everyone seems to be having so much fun—even Kaname, and that's saying something. I think we did an excellent job with the plans." He laughed to himself. "Aidou really hates to lose. That's why he's moping. It gives the girls time to see his true colors, at least."

"True, though I doubt it'll make any difference. He's still their 'Idol'. Gish, what a silly nickname…"

"He likes it."

"And there you go, always seeing the good side of everything. How do you do that? It must be so tiring after a while! I would go insane." I leaned against my arm and looked at him. He cocked his head, as if trying to understand what I was saying. "You know, you're really different from the others. Even Aidou. They're all so stoic, but you're really gentle and kind. You can be annoying too, but that's besides the point. I don't get it."

"What's there to get? I would just rather live my life in happiness than in constant depression… it's only logical. Of course, I don't try to do it. It's just something I prefer."

"Yeah, that makes sense," I sighed. "I wish I could be more like that sometimes."

"I think you're fine just the way you are!"

"Why did that sound so sarcastic?"

"I don't know. Maybe you just can't tell the difference between sarcasm and genuine kindness. Even I can't say that with a straight face." He pushed his plate away and took a deep breath. Soon, we were all heading back to the gyms. Takuma and I walked together behind the crowd of Night and Day Class students. I was glad to see that they weren't all huddled together any more.

It was time for Truth-Or-Dare, so I arranged the classes into a circle and put a spinning needle in the middle of the floor. I'd wanted to make sure everyone had the opportunity to play, because I'd known the Day Class would just pick the Night Class over and over again. This was supposed to be fun for all parties, including the easily overlooked Day Class boys.

I went well—much better than I'd anticipated. The Night Class boys were still dared to kiss girls on the cheeks every few seconds, but other than that, the event was a complete success. Aidou didn't seem to mind, but Shiki and the girls looked completely upset by the end, except Seiren, who never showed even a lick of emotion. Kaname danced with a Day-Class girl with curly braids, who nearly fainted by the end of it. I watched from the sidelines.

"Where'd the spinner land?"

"On Taura!?"

"W-what?" I snapped my eyes on the spinner, which has miraculously stopped on me. I scratched my head awkwardly, not sure what to say at all. "Er… Aidou," I decided. "I dare you to carry Saya bridal-style around the gym once."

Saya blushed bright crimson, but Aidou got up immediately and scooped her into his arms. He pranced around the room with her; everyone was laughing, even Kaname—a bit, though it might have been a smirk. I couldn't really tell, and I honestly didn't care.

When the game was finished the students took time to eat snacks and get ready for bed. I changed into my pajamas too—a new pink pair with brown beavers. I really did love my nightclothes. The other girls wore nice pajamas as well, but they had nothing on mine.

I set up the projector and started the first movie, which was a romantic comedy. Takuma and I had picked mostly cheerful movies. We hadn't wanted to upset the mood with some horribly depressing, angst-filled tragedy. Everyone snacked on popcorn and soda, sitting on their sleeping bags. The hall was still filled with murmuring. I lay flat against my own sleeping bag, watching them talk. My eyes fluttered closed after a while. I wasn't sure how long I stayed there—it must've been a few hours, because when I opened them again the hall was dark and I could tell that a few films had already gone by. I flipped over, stretching my fingers.

I sat up when I heard a knock on the door, turning around quickly. A dark shape emerged from the gyms and shut the door again with a click. It took me a moment to realize who it was, and I sighed with relief.

"Takuma, what's going on? Why aren't you in bed?"

He sat down against the wall and said something about how he hadn't been able to fall asleep. All the Night Class members would probably stay up all night. They were obliged to pretend to sleep according to the rules we'd put in place.

I heard Takuma breathe sharply all of a sudden, and peered at him curiously. I understand what was wrong in only a few seconds, and crawled closer to him.

"Hungry?" I asked. I pushed through the fear and placed my hand on his forehead. "You feel sort of warm. Is that normal?"

He nodded. "I gave the rest of my tablets to Aidou before we left. We get refills every week, but he goes them through them a lot faster than I do. I think I might still have a few in my jacket pocket, though."

"No, there's nothing here," I said after I'd searched the pockets of Takuma's uniform jacket, which he'd deposited in here earlier. With a jolt of recollection, I briefly rummaged through my school bag. When I withdrew my hand I held a small black box between my index and middle fingers. "Forgot about these. The Chairman gave me the box over a month ago. I didn't really get why at first, but I guess it was for situations like this."

"You're a lifesaver," he said with a laugh as I filled a glass of water for him from the gym teacher's washroom. I let the tablets dissolve and then presented him with the concoction. As he sipped it, I felt only the most inconceivable tug of fear. His eyes were crimson when he looked at me. "You've really changed a lot, Miss Taura. You don't even shudder anymore when you look at me."

"Yeah, what a relief," I murmured sarcastically as I fell back against my sleeping bag. I remembered what Aidou had said to me. The thought of it was still completely disgusting. "I can't believe it's been a month already. Five weeks ago I was still a normal girl…"

"I prefer you like this."

"Yeah, I know."

"Stop saying yeah."

"Yeah…"

There was a pause before Takuma grumbled. "You aren't even listening, are you? I just complimented you."

I looked over at him. He was watching the slumbering Day Class girls in the gyms with concentration. Some of them were still whispering, but the Night Class was completely silent. Their sleeping bags concealed most of their faces (I assumed, because they were all wide awake).

"Maybe someone should tell them they're allowed to move," I said with a bit of a smile. "They look like a bunch of logs right now, they're trying so hard to pretend to be asleep. Ah well, at least the Chairman will be happy."

I yawned, turning over in my own sleeping bag. I could feel Takuma's eyes on me so I flicked one of my own open. "What's up—hey, what are you doing?"

Takuma's nose was almost right against mine, and his green eyes were fully open. My face immediately flushed with warmth and I had to look away to conceal it. He chuckled with pure amusement. At least I was amusing.

"Do you want to go for a walk?" he asked. "I do."

"Right now? Not really—"

Takuma helped me up by my arms. He was a lot taller than me, I noted as I stared up at him. I was still prompted to decline his offer, but then decided that I really could use a break from this tiny office. I put on my coat and together we left by the back entrance. It was snowing quite ferociously outside; the ground was covered in it now, and my boots became soaked in no time at all.

Still, I wanted to stay outside. We walked up the long path that led to the entrance gates of the Academy. We'd traversed this walkway many times before, but never in this weather. The wind howled and I had to wrap my scarf over my cheeks. Takuma laughed at me as we walked, and I glared at him.

We took a seat on a bench. I crossed my legs and stretched out, allowing the cold to chill my legs. I liked the numb feeling that accompanied a cold day. It was always wonderful to cool my body and then lie down in a soft bed. The blankets always felt so much better. It was just like swimming on a hot summer day.

"I like spending time with you," Takuma said with a smile. I hated it when he acted so ridiculously nice! It just about drove me insane. I still grumbled a tiny 'me too', and he wrapped his arm affectionately around my shoulder and dragged me closer to him. "You're so funny, even though you always act so earnest. I meant it when I said I liked you just the way you were. You wouldn't be you if you were more like me."

I smirked. "That makes no sense, Takuma."

Our relationship had deepened so much lately. I still remembered when I hadn't even been able to look at him. Now I was feeding him blood tablets without so much as a nervous blink. It felt good to know that I'd grown so accustomed to his company, and even to his nature. Vampires didn't frighten me any more—I was quite proud to admit that.

I felt a nervous jolt when I felt Takuma's hand touch the top of my head. He looked into my eyes, and I knew he'd captured me in his confidence. It was his influence as a vampire, but I didn't care. I leaned my cheek against his shoulder like that, we remained. The wind howled, but I felt perfectly safe here…

Takuma straightened all of a sudden. "I smell something…"

His eyes darted toward the woods. He jumped up and I followed him immediately. I knew enough to trust his senses. He ran so much more quickly than I did. I was stumbling to keep up, and eventually fell against the snow. He pulled me onto his back and raced through the trees, eyes scouring clearings dusted with snow.

"There!" I said, pointing in the direction of a dark heap. I jumped off his Takuma's back and ran to it, but stopped just as I was about to touch the figure. My eyes widened. It was a child! A child was here, frozen in the snow. I didn't want to touch him… I was petrified he was dead.

"He's alive," Takuma assured me, and I reached out to help him. "Wait, Miss Taura. Don't—!"

Takuma's arms folded around my waist as he dragged me away from the boy. I screamed in resistance, but he shoved me behind him with more force than I could ever hope to combat. I heard a horrible crunching sound and closed my eyes, clutching Takuma's coat with trembling hands.

Groaning… it was a groaning sound that forced me to open my eyes again. I almost stumbled backwards in the snow. The child had jumped on Takuma and bitten his throat so deep it had caused blood to drip down his arm onto the unblemished snow. I couldn't believe what I saw—this boy was a vampire, and he was drinking Takuma's blood!

"Don't do anything," Takuma said when I moved towards him in an attempt to stop the assault; his eyes boiled with compassion, even as he collapsed onto the ground. He held the boy up against his throat, allowing full access. "He's starving. I'm already bleeding. We might as well not let it go to waste…"

What was I witnessing? This boy was draining the life from Takuma's body mouthful by mouthful, yet he seemed not even to care. He condoned this violence because he was helping the child… that much I understood, but he looked like he was in so much pain. That, and if he hadn't pushed me back, I would be the one being bitten right now.

The boy guzzled Takuma's blood, fingers digging into his shoulders with so much force he was beginning to have tremors. I wanted to stop this, but Takuma still held me back. When he looked at me his eyes were bright crimson.

The boy's grip slackened eventually, but he didn't release. Takuma had to tug him away, knowing that the boy's condition would improve steadily. He held him with bloody arms, and with one hand, swept his hood down.

He was practically emaciated; his white skin was stretched over his face. His hair was curly, and a rusty auburn color. It covered his crimson eyes and was tousled by the rough wind. He looked so young… so innocent, except for the bloody stains covering his cheeks and lips.

"What's your name?" Takuma said, supporting the boy with bloody arms. He shivered in the older vampire's grip, anger resting deep within his red eyes. "You don't have to be afraid. We're going to help you."

"There's a human with you…" the boy said weakly; I noticed for the first time that he didn't have fangs, not like Night Class's. His incisors were the longest, but every one of his teeth was also pointed. I'd never seen anything like it, and apparently neither had Takuma because I heard him breath sharply.

"Yes," Takuma answered after a while. "You're at Cross Academy right now. Here, humans and vampires live together. Please tell us your name so we can help you."

The boy winced. I knew he was going to pass out again at any second, but he still managed to open his fanged-mouth again and whisper only to Takuma. "...Michio..."

His body grew limp in Takuma's arms just as the words escaped him. Takuma looked at me, clutching the child—Michio—as tightly as he could. I suggested bringing him to the Chairman, but knew he was in no state to be around another human. He seemed petrified of them. Perhaps if we brought him to the Moon Dorms… we agreed on that and together raced back across the grounds.

"I'll put him in my room," Takuma exclaimed once we'd arrived. I had to clear away the clothes with my feet so Takuma could get through. He placed the little boy's tiny form on the bed and tugged the covers over him. "That should do for now. We're going to have to leave him here until tomorrow morning. If anyone finds out it might cause suspicion. Everyone's still in the gymnasium; we were far away enough that I don't think anyone could have noticed the scent of my blood. Well, Kaname most likely did, but he won't leave either. He won't risk disrupting the event until morning."

Takuma winced as he sat down against the bed, grasping his throat. Blood had soaked his nightshirt, turning the green material a ruddy brown. I went towards him to look at it, but he said he was fine in a very optimistic tone. "I'm just feeling kind of weak. Nobody's ever drunk so much of my blood before."

"Here, eat more of these," I said as I fumbled with the pills in my pocket. He nibbled on them dry, swallowing the chalky powder down. His breathing returned to normal once he'd eaten them and he rested his head against the sideboard. "How did he get in here?" I asked, glancing at the unconscious boy.

"I have no idea. I can't even tell what pyramid level he's on… he could be an aristocrat, and he could be a Level D. Children are different from adults that way. They're very powerful."

"Is that why his teeth are like that?"

"I have no explanation. I've only ever seen Level Es with sharp teeth like his, but he's clearly not a Level E. I… don't know what to say. I don't even know what to do, Miss Taura. I just don't know…"

I hope you liked Michio, although you didn't get to see much of him yet. He's going to have an important role to play in the future of this fic. I just adore young characters. They're so eerie. So tell me what you thought of him, and give me some feedback on the beginning of the sleepover! Were you surprised by anything? There's a lot more to come. Sorry for any typos. I wrote this chapter fast and didn't edit it very well. I'll redo them all at some point so they're of higher quality.

Please REVIEW again. If I get enough I'll update again before Tuesday night (my time).