Chapter 20: Peace Disturbed

Days had been long and repetitious ever since Yuki gave her blood to Zero months prior. When Kaname was down and depressed it pulled everyone to a halt as well, days just seemed dull but relaxing. No one realized how stressed out the Pureblood really was and how it had affected him until a week after the incident occurred that the night class became concerned.

After such a large blow to his heart he had locked himself in his room for a few days. He sat alone and slept most of the hours away, spacing out and ignoring the worried comments Ruka and Aidou murmured outside the Pureblood's door. The third day is when Aura notice when he not left his room. It had shocked her how much time he had spent in that dark room those months of doing absolutely nothing. Half of her was disgusted with the lack of care he gave to his own body, the other intrigued but otherwise still very frightened to even ask.

Takuma was used to Kaname locking himself in his room a lot, usually working on papers or signing forms, but this was getting ridiculous. Usually he'd come out randomly to get some fresh air or get something he needed for whatever it was he was doing, but now he just stayed locked in his room for hours on end without leaving. The last paper he signed was over three days ago and Takuma was getting worried, without Kaname completing his daily dorm presidential duties it usually put his mind onto other things and those usually meant he was breaking things or thinking about breaking things. Something was wrong. So, Takuma decided to ask about it.

Takuma knocked on Kaname's door. "Kaname?" he called. He knocked again. Yet still no decided to wait until he was done resting, knowing he wouldn't answer until then. "Make sure you get some rest, sleep well." He sighed as he turned around to find the night class standing in their pajamas, all sharing a worried look.

For a moment nothing happened, the dorm Vice-President just staring at his friends with a blank expression on his face, before he smiled. He couldn't help it; they looked and acted just like a concerned family trying to figure out what was wrong with Kaname. "Kaname will be alright." He was smiling so hard that it was practically forced. When Aura looked at him, she knew he was just trying to put on a brave face for everyone.

Ruka was silent, unsure of what to think. She looked down sadly at the floor with that concerned expression, and Takuma followed her gaze. "Don't worry, he'll be okay." Takuma said, looking at Ruka and smiling tenderly. "He probably just has a lot on his mind."

Shifting nervously, their eyes moving to each other before looking back at the dorm Vice-President, everyone let out a sigh of relief before they resumed speaking. Everyone would agree that it had been a rough few months. Kaname didn't want to talk to the others and every time they tried he would say he was fine. Takuma decided they should leave him alone for the time being. But they still investigated. They barely had any evidence. They tried, of course, but they didn't really know what to do or how to help the Pureblood. Hell, he couldn't even help himself.

Aura was standing off to the side, scanning over everyone's worried faces.

They didn't know. No one in the night class knew anything about the reason Kaname decided to lock himself in his room. Just like they didn't know when Aura had gone to see Kaname or the smell of blood. No one, not even his closest companions, really knew anything about it. But Aura knew the reason. The reason, which no one knew, not even Takuma, was that Kaname was depressed and jealous that Yuki was giving her blood to Zero.

Yuki… she thought sadly.

Nothing had ever consumed her mind so completely that she couldn't focus on her studies, couldn't get a full and refreshing night's sleep. She couldn't even carry on a normal conversation with Yuki without her thoughts returning to that night in Kaname's office smelling her blood, Kaname's face as he asked her to leave. The disappointment in his expression haunted her more than any words he'd said. It made it impossible for her to doubt his wrath; no matter what deceptive measure he'd taken, she knew they were all prompted by a genuine desire for Yuki.

Zero would only cause her pain no matter which path he took. As far as she could see, the beast that lusted for blood would consume both body and soul until each fragile piece of his humanity died along with it. There was nothing but "death" and there was nothing they could do about it. Not even Yuki. But at least with this, he would be able to offer her some relief from her sadness for him. Kaname had been right about one thing though. Yuki…she was kind hearted. Too kind for her own good. She wouldn't see Zero thrown to the depths of level-E.

But that knowledge did little to help any of them. To give or take human blood was forbidden and to bear life in that dangerous sin… it would be unthinkable.

Later that night, darkness fell onto the Moon Dorm and the peaceful tranquility of the day had disappeared. Takuma was kept busy running back and forth, organizing meetings, reading, and signing request forms in Kaname's place. Aura offered to help, as far as she could provide it, for him to lessen his stress and heavy workload. Takuma gave her the task of stacking papers; it was all worth it for the beaming smile he gave her.

It was made mandatory that all the forms have been signed and sent at a particular deadline. Reasons were unknown; Kaname was just full of mysteries. They had weird requests and were strictly confidential. So seeing the dorm Vice-President work at the Pureblood's desk she slowed down to a steady walking pace before stopping and leaning forward, trying to peak over his shoulder. Why she was curious she didn't know. She figured it was just adrenaline, though where it came from she didn't know, probably because they were about Kaname.

However, right now all she knew was that something didn't feel right. There was an announcement from the Dorm Vice-President that everyone was to gather in the main room and welcome a very important guest tonight. The mere fact that it had been so sudden though, made everyone question what was reallygoing on. It left them rather tense and nervous with this uneasy feeling in the pit of their stomach. It wasn't normal to be called at random like this, usually the meetings were planned ahead of time. Who was the important guest?

He must have been a very important person to get everyone worked up.

Aura made her way down the hall towards the room where everyone was supposed to be gathered. She had a gut feeling that something bad was about to happen, and half the time she usually was right. But this time it made her feel almost sick to her stomach as a strange feeling of atmosphere surrounded her.

When she finally got into the main room a few of the other aristocrats were already gathered in the rather large room with dim lights and curtains pulled closed. Everyone was nervous and muttering amongst themselves about why thatperson was coming here. Shiki and Rima seemed worried. Ruka was quietly standing beside Akatsuki. Aidou was getting impatient as always, he just wanted to get this welcoming over and done with. Akatsuki stood strong and silent with his arms folded over his chest. Takuma was pacing the floor quietly on the other end of the room. Aura demanded to know what the hell was going on.

"I don't get it..." Aura began. She stood there not knowing whether or not she should even find out what had everyone so worked up. "What's so terrible about your grandfather?"

"You don't understand." He sighed, nervous. There was a pained expression on his face as he tried his best to explain. "In the human world, he is the one who transformed the Ichijou Groupinto the enterprise it is today, with connections to every business imaginable. But in the vampire world, he is the head of one of the highest ranked Noble families amongst vampires. My grandfather Ichijou Asato, otherwise known as Ichiou… is the Head of the Vampire Council and its Senate."

Gazing at him shocked, Aura looked to the neat blonde, "You're the grandson of a Senator?" she asked.

"Frightening, isn't it?" Takuma let out a nervous laugh.

Aura's brow was creased in confusion as she looked at Takuma. She just couldn't figure out why Takuma never mentioned that he was the Head Senator's grandson.

It's not that Aura was angry or expected Takuma to have been a Senator's grandson before she met him. On the contrary, she knew he came from a prestigious family. It didn't bother her that he had come from a different background then most nobles.

He'd been very open with her about his life and she knew he'd had other relationships. She even knew he'd dated briefly before she entered Cross Academy. But Takuma had never mentioned that he was the grandson of a Senator.

She wasn't mad at him, she just wondered why he hadn't told her. And she wondered if everyone else knew this about him.

Aura guessed they did. She thought Takuma probably would have mentioned it to her.

"Why is Ichiou coming here?" Akatsuki asked, obviously curious.

"I have no idea." Takuma said, shaking his head. He was just as confused as they were.

"You know, I wonder which is scarier… Kaname-sama, who's a Pureblood, or him?" Shiki murmured thoughtfully, distantly.

Could there really be anyone scarier than Kaname?! Aura thought, scared.

"Well, isn't that obvious?" Aidou said in a confident and forceful voice. "Of course Kaname-sama is scarier than that old man."

Everyone tried to act normally, but respectfully allowed their leader his space so that he could take time to gather his thoughts. At the moment, Aura was observing her friends, trying to gauge their moods and how they may react to this visitor coming to the Moon Dorms. The dorm Vice-President, absorbed in his task, ignored the other vampires as they milled about making changed to accommodate their visitor…It was a fragile time, and any upset in this gathering could do irreparable damage. If such an upset would occur, and from which person it would originate, may very well be determined today…

"Please everyone, try to calm down," the dorm Vice-President said in a loud voice. "I just can't get into the details of the situation at this time. I only expect that the fragile peace of the dorms must not be disturbed." Takuma's voice was harder now, compelling. And his meaning was crystal clear to all of them. He wasn't going to allow anyone to disturbed the quite peace of the dorm for Kaname's sake because they all knew how it would upset him. There was a long moment of silence as they looked at each other. There was a world of things unsaid but somehow, they all understood. Everything they thought, or said, planned, or did everything was for Kaname. No one else.

Then suddenly, right before everyone's very own eyes, Kaname began to descend to the bottom of the stairs when he heard voices along the corridor. Everyone's blood went cold in shock, unable to believe how things could have gone downhill so quickly. Speak of the devil.

There was a stunned silence following the quite whispers of "Kaname-sama" before the night class stared in shock, bowing in respect.

"Kaname!" Takuma shouted at the Pureblood as he ran up the stairs to stop him. "It's okay. There's no need to come down yourself if you don't feel like it. Most likely he's only here to give me a lecture about something."

"It has been quite some time since I last saw Ichiou. It would be rude if I didn't pay my respects." Kaname said back when he reached the bottom step with Takuma following behind him, leaving Takuma with a face full of worry.

"Of course." Takuma said nervously, he knew his grandfather better than anyone here and he was sure things would not turn out good.

Everyone seemed to stiffen as the outside door opened with a loud bang.

Aura's sweat dropped at the strange sight but her face held a look of indifference. Well, that was a dramatic entrance.

There was no doubt in her mind that this noble vampire was Takuma's grandfather. He had the same hair color as his grandson Takuma, pale blonde. However, rather than having the usual green eyes like Takuma, his are icy blue. And he had a blonde beard. He looked to be of a man in his late thirties or forties.

"Kaname-sama," greets Asato Ichijo.

"Ichiou." Kaname acknowledge him. He nods a little at Ichiou when the man comes near him.

Aura tightened her hand into a fist. She really doesn't like that old man. She knows that old man is Takuma's grandfather and Head of the Vampire Council. Something warned her to stay away from him. Be careful Aura. He is really dangerous. She never met that old vampire before but she had seen him once or twice visiting the Moon dormitory before. She glances at Kaname. From Kaname's reaction, she knows something is off about him. He didn't seem to like that old vampire.

"I am truly touched by the warm greeting, but I'm only here to visit my grandson." He walked forward, his eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "There's no need to be so tense."

"Ichiou, I am delighted to see you are doing well." Kaname greeted him most politely.

"I believe the last time we saw one another, my offer to become your guardian was rejected rather brusquely, was it not, Kaname-sama?" Ichiou admitted quietly, looking at him as if he was upset.

"I simply did not want you to spoil me." Kaname smiled, his brown eyes brightening for the first time that evening.

"Kaname, it's too public here… I suggest we take this conversation somewhere privately?" Takuma whispered to Kaname in his ear.

"You're right." Kaname agreed.

Aura watches as Kaname turns his face as far as he can so he can look over his shoulder at Takuma. The older vampire kept his eyes fixed on the Pureblood's neck without really touching it. In fact, Kaname wasn't aware of it. Aura watches as Ichiou stares lustfully at his neck. Is Kaname's blood really that special, or delicious to other vampires? Aura thought.

"Purebloods truly are different from those of us who hail from a Noble lineage. Even if covered in blood, they still cannot be defiled; a flower that continues to give off a sweet fragrance for all eternity." However what happened next surprised everyone as, the Senator bent down with patient slowness, never taking his eyes from Kaname, letting his own hand slide around and hold the Purebloods. It was forbidden to ever touch a Pureblood without consent. But to ask for blood was like asking for death. Everyone was shocked. "…Such overflowing youth, power, and beauty… my only wish is for the opportunity to taste your peerless blood someday."

Kaname did not speak or do anything but stand there and let him.

All of a sudden, a blur of pale tresses appeared out of nowhere. Ruka quickly grabbed Kaname's hand and spun him around in the direction away from Ichiou, and Aidou extended his arm and grabbed the Senator's arm that had rudely held Kaname's.

"Please forgive me, Kaname-sama, but…" she pleaded in a quiet voice. She held his hand carefully in hers, having already forgiven her for what she'd done.

"Your joke has gone too far, leave Kaname-sama alone." Aidou glared, he wouldn't allow anyone to threaten or disrespect his Dorm President in such a way.

"Souen's daughter and Idou's son, is it?" Ichiou replied, he recognized them from meetings with their parents at formal gatherings. He knew their families very well.

Takuma looked completely shocked, but recovered quickly, "Aidou, please."

Aidou looked pretty pissed off, "You of all people should know that to ask a Pureblood to shed blood is forbidden! I am not afraid of you at-" Before he could finish his sentence, a rather loud 'smack' echoed through the room. Aidou stumbled, surprise overtaking his sense of balance that he was almost unable to stand from Kaname's assault.

Aura gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. She was staring at them with a dumbfounded expression, her gaze flitting from one person to the other as she waited for some sort of reaction. But there were none. Heads turned but otherwise looked down since there was nothing they could do.

She knew Aidou could be annoying sometimes but that was uncalled for.

Aura stepped forward, and surprised everyone. Kaname didn't flinch as she came at him, ready to accept any punishment, despite her fear of him. "What's your problem?! He's your friend you know, he's just trying to help." Aidou was shocked when she had defended him. For only a few seconds she was beside the messy blond. He looked somewhat stunned as he watched Aura and Kaname pit their gazes against each other.

Ichiou looks and sees Aura. He found it amusing she would talk back to a Pureblood. "Ex-human…?"

Aura turned to him and glared. Her jaw was clenched. She had no words for the senator's cruel insult.

"I never knew that a former human can be very outspoken and self-assured. Who is you master?" he said to her, bending so he could look into her eyes.

The Senator was so close that all she could see were his ice blue eyes staring into her own. She had never felt so exposed in her life, and swallowed nervously, as she wondered whether or not to answer. She glances at Kaname who's just calm watching Ichiou's actions. She also wants to kick Kaname's leg because he was allowing the Senator to insult her. Aura tries to control her urge to grab her dagger. She knows who this vampire is and what he is capable of. Ichiou gives her a dark smile as if he is trying to figure out what she is thinking.

"And I've never seen a vampire of the highest senate to lose control in front of a Pureblood." Aura said. Everyone gasped including Ichiou. He never heard a lower-ranking vampire say something like that to him, he wasn't shocked, he was actually impressed.

Cleaver girl…

"How rude, thinking of speaking to me in that deplorable manner" He chuckles and he believes she is interesting, forgetting his hunger completely. His eyes narrowed darkly. "What I was merely pointing out that what you did was foolish. If you think you can get away with talking back, you'll be sorely mistaken of what I am capable of." He said with a malicious half smile.

A shiver of fear and anticipation ran through Aura's body, but she did not feel the painful sting of his hand come down and opened her eyes. "Takuma!"

Standing in front of her was Takuma.

"Takuma, move aside so I may destroy that lower class" Ichiou demanded, lowering his hand to his side.

"Forgive me grandfather, but I cannot allow you to do that." Takuma stated, standing firm despite the unnerving sight of his grandfather clenching his fists at his sides.

"You're defying me?" The older vampire questioned.

"Yes." Takuma said in a serious tone.

His grandfather gave his grandson a displeased look.

"She's nothing. Just a lowly vampire servant. Why is she dressed like this?" Ichiou demanded of Takuma, before turning to face Kaname.

That provoked a low snarl from Aura. "I am not a servant! I may have lived here for some time, but this is my home. Your laws do not apply here and they definitely don't apply to me."

She hated the Vampire Council; she hated their corrupted ways of handling things and hated them for what they did to her, to other low ranked vampires and those in the past. She hated how they treated her liked a servant, how they treated the world as a mere game.

And her hatred for the Vampire Council was strong enough for her to hate the Senators and the Nobles. The Vampire Council did nothing for her but dictate her as a servant. It was because of their laws that she suffered this torture.

She hated how they could turn blind to the vampire world's corruption and act as mindless puppets to Purebloods.

"I hate them, I hate them so much," Kaname heard Aura from his standing place, having locked eyes on her for quite a while.

"You show much confidence for such a lowly servant." Ichiou muttered.

Aura said nothing.

Ichiou thought for a moment, then his eyes widened in anger. "You're a night student, aren't you?"

Again, nothing.

"I knew it," he said, with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You're that level-C vampire, Kaibara Aura. The Vampire Council speaks much of you."

"You've heard of me?" Aura asked in surprise.

Ichiou eyed her closely. "Ex-humans who have been stabilized are rare… Because so few tend to survive the conversion, most Purebloods do not bother exchanging blood with their servants. Hmm…" Ichiou paused. His eyes bored into her, as if he were attempting to intimidate her into revealing her true purpose in coming to Cross Academy. After a pretentious sigh, Ichiou continued, "As a former human, who has exchanged blood with her master, you are granted legal rights into the vampire world but if the vampire council wishes for your disposal that can very well happen."

Did he just threaten her?

"I'm not afraid of the vampire council or the senators, and I'm not afraid of you." Aura's voice rose in anger and passion, her eyes glinting with a fiery spirit.

"Kaibara, enough," Kaname said with an air of authority in his voice that the night class was used to. He turned to Ichiou and continued speaking, not once loosing that cold, authoritarian tone of voice. "I apologize, it appears some discipline has been lost. Kaibara has a terrible temper sometimes that she cannot control." He bowed apologetically and gave her a side glance, basically telling her to shut up.

By Kaname's words, she knew he was displeased with her actions. She had disrespected the presence of a noble Senator, he had curbed his desire to retaliate against her defiance, but Aura suspected he would scold her as soon Ichiou left.

Aura glared back at the Pureblood.

The senator seemed pleased at the Purebloods words. "It is only because you are here, Kaname-sama, that I allow my grandson to remain at this academy, though I do not approve of mingling with ex-humans," Ichiou gave a pointed look at Aura, who glared back at him, still angry. He knelt down once more, and then slowly he leaned forward. He held his hand in his loosely as he brought his lips forward to brush the smooth skin. "My king…"

Everyone had been watching Ichiou from their resigned places, this incredible sense of despair and hostility in the pit of their stomachs. Ichiou must have known when he had done it, that it was foolish to brush one's lips against a hand of such high pedigree. But in that moment, there was nothing anyone could do, and so they didn't question it. Most importantly, Kaname had not wished them to, for it made everything so much worse.

AUTHORS NOTE-

This Chapter takes place somewhere in episode 8 in the anime. & chapter 10 in the manga.

I just want to warn everyone that I do intend for this story to be very long. It has not been decided as to how many chapters there will be but the romance you have all been asking for will happen very soon.

In the next Chapter Kaname and Aura get really CLOSE to one another… if you know what I mean. Lol. ;)