"Zero, will you please come out?" Alessandra pleaded for him to come out of their bathroom. He locked himself in there after hearing of Shizuka Hio, the pureblood that had murdered his family and turned him into the monster he so loathes.
From the other side of the door, Zero sat on the cold tiled floor, his back pressed against the wall and his face buried in his hands. He had just began to taste the feeling of being human now this happens. The lady who had turned him has returned and he feared the worst.
The bang of the door being shoved off its hinges made him look up. Alessandra had flecks of gold in her eyes, using a spell that brought the door to the ground. She rushed to his side, pulling him in a tight embrace. He felt tears on his shirt and couldn't help but to feel guilty for making her cry.
"At least answer, you idiot," she whispered, feeling his hand stroke her head soothingly. She snuggled into his arms, the two sitting on the cold floor, staring at the white walls in front of them.
"Tell me about your family," Alessandra murmured, resting her head on his chest, looking up at him with her forest green eyes.
"My mother and father were kind and gentle but strict at the same time. I had a twin brother who was weak but had a strong will," he smiled, recalling the memories. But then it soured, "and then they were all murdered by that damn pureblood."
He winced, suddenly feeling pain on his neck.
"Something wrong?" she asked, worried.
"The mark that woman left has been throbbing lately," he said through clenched teeth, trying to block the pain.
"Here let me see," she said, then placed her hands over the mark, closing her eyes and concentrating, trying to decipher the meaning of the burning feeling he felt as she whispered greek words.
She started to see flashbacks. She saw the last memory that he had of the pureblood, him being bitten by her and then his pained screams. It was horrid.
The witch snapped her eyes open and gasped, retracting her hands away like she had been burned with fire. She was horrified by what the woman had done to him but her witch conscience whispered something in the back of her mind,
She's here.. She's near...
"What is it?" Zero asked in concern, "What did you see?"
She gulped, "I s-saw her turn you into a vampire."
His eyes widened, remembering that horrible memory, the day that took away his humanity only to be turned into a beast in human form. He saw her hands start to shake in fear and held them tight, trying to ease her worries. He knew she was shaken up by his memories, he was as well for years before he met her.
Alessandra decided to withhold a piece of information from him, thinking it would be best not to say. She chose not to tell him that the woman was nearby, not wanting to worry him any further.
"I'll try and take away your pain," she said, placing her hand once again on the mark, chanting in her foreign tongue.
While she was doing this, she tried to pinpoint the woman's exact location, trying to see where she was at the moment. An image flashed in her mind. A man with silver hair... wearing a mask... and offering his blood to the pureblood that had killed the Kiryu family. Or so they thought.
It was only then did she realize that Zero's twin brother was alive, and was living with that woman. Shock settled in her. She knew it was best to not tell Zero of this as well. It would only worsen the situation.
The mark's pain ease, Zero sighing in relief. She smiled at him, masking the sorrow she held in her eyes.
"You've already skipped class. We should at least not neglect our duty as members of the Disciplinary Committee," she said teasingly, standing up from the bathroom floor, him following her actions.
His lips curled in a slight pout, "Fine, I guess you're right."
She giggled at his childishness, placing the badge on both of their arms that proved they were the protectors of the academy.
o-o-o-o-o
"Hey, snap out of it will you?" Zero told Yuki as she dazed off, resulting in her getting shoved by the day class girls that were screaming their nigtht class crush's name. Alessandra glanced towards them, frowning, not really fond with the brunette hanging around her lover. That naive girl has hurt him more times that she cared to admit.
"Aren't they a little more excited than usual?" Yuki asked, struggling to hold a group of girls back.
"It's that stupid event that's got them like this," Zero said, annoyance evident in his tone.
Alessandra questioned, "What event?"
Before either could reply, the doors of the gates opened. The girls' screams and squealed amplified as they caught sight of the night class, walking to the Academy. Seeing Alessandra, Ruka waved, the witch smiling back at her then turned back to yell at a group of girls that were trying to flash the night class boys their chest.
The pink haired girl watched in amusement as Yuki got carried off by the fangirls. She had to suppress that laugh that wanted to escape her lips, knowing that girl was truly hopeless. Zero saw this as well and went after them. Alessandra's frown deepened, not really liking the fact the two were close.
"Hey," Lucian walked up to her, the screams of the girls increasing from his appearance.
"Hello, Luca," she nodded in acknowledgement.
"Would you care to be my date for the ball?" he questioned cheekily, holding out a rose for her to take. Her eyes widened at him, tilting her head in confusion.
"What ball?"
"Classes of both day and night will be together at the ball. I guess it's part of the headmaster's plan to make humans and vampires coexist," he explained.
She opened her mouth about to reply when he interrupted her.
"Think about it, please," he said with pleading eyes, placing the rose behind her ear. She sighed but nodded anyways, not wanting to hurt him with a rejection. She almost felt bad for him, knowing that the person he cared for loves someone else.
He leaned close to her, dropping his voice, only so that she could hear, warning her, "I can feel the presence of another pureblood approaching. Be careful."
He kissed her forehead softly then turned and walked away, following the night class to the Academy. She watched him disappear, replaying his words. This simply confirmed that Shizuka was near. She hoped it wasn't true but apparently it was.
Shizuka Hio is coming to Cross Academy.
o-o-o-o-o
"Do you have to go?" Zero asked, almost whiningly as he watched Alessandra fix her night class uniform.
"Yup," she said, popping the 'p', sending him a cheerful smile, only to see the sour look on his face.
He winced, feeling the pain on his mark once more, lightly poking it. The pain has gotten worse and more frequent, meaning that woman is coming closer.
"There's some herbs on the counter I prepared for you. Just apply it on the mark and you'll be fine," the witch grinned, leaning down to place a quick kiss on his cheek before walking towards the door, "See you later!"
As she walked outside of the moon dormitory, she was stopped by a certain brunette.
"Alessandra, the headmaster wants to see us both," Yuki said, jogging up to her.
"The both of us?" she couldn't stop the annoyance that seeped through her voice, not really fond of the human in front of her.
Yuki nodded.
The hunter sighed, "Fine, let's go."
Once they reached the headmaster's office, Alessandra could feel herself become uneasy. She knew something was wrong. Pushing open the door, Yuki sauntered in with the witch not far behind. The headmaster stood up from his chair, a bright smile on his face as he saw the two walk in. It was only then did Alessandra notice he wasn't alone.
There was a girl, dressed in a night class uniform. Her grayish-purple hair cascaded past her shoulders, her eyes staring at the them, a tint of hunger laced in them, catching scent of the witch's blood. Her lips tugged into a small smirk, licking her lips instinctively.
Alessandra knew something was wrong with the girl she just couldn't place her finger on it.
"I have a request for the both of you," the headmaster started, "This is Maria Kurenai, a transfer student. She was scheduled to start much earlier but she has a her weak constitution. I want you guys to show her around."
Maria waved shyly, "Nice to meet you."
"This is my daughter, Yuki, and she will explain how the Academy works" he gestured towards the brunette before looking over to the girl beside her, "And this is Alessandra. She will be your classmate so if you get lost, you can ask her."
"Nice to meet you too," Yuki smiled.
The witch huffed in annoyance, "Wait, hold up. I never asked to do this."
"It is part of your duty as Disciplinary Committee member," the headmaster stated.
"Fine, at least I get to skip class," she sighed.
"Alessandra, right?" Maria asked, tilting her head to mock confusion, "Your scent doesn't give off the usual vampire scent. How are you in the night class?"
"I'm a witch," she said nonchalantly then added, "and one of my ancestors was a pureblood."
"Ooh, I've never met a witch before," Maria exclaimed, walking up to her, a little too close for comfort, "You look delicious, Alessandra~"
"You listen here, that is taboo at this Academy!" the headmaster scolded.
She pouted, "Awe.."
"Alessandra, please guide Maria to her classroom," he said politely. She sighed but nodded anyways, turning around to walk out, the new transfer student close behind.
They walked out of the headmaster's office, walking in complete silence as they soon entered another large building. Alessandra led her into the classroom watching as all the vampire students ceased their conversation to stare at the new student with wondrous eyes.
Turning around to walk away, Alessandra was grabbed by the sleeve, making her look back to see Maria looking at her in fear.
"Where are you going?"
"Skipping class to patrol," the hunter stated.
"You're going to leave me alone?" she tilted her head, mocking the look of a frightened lamb.
"You're a big girl. You can handle yourself."
Maria's lips tugged into a small smile, hearing these words before leaning towards Alessandra, pulling her into a hug. The witch couldn't help but to be surprised by her sudden actions. She could feel the vampire's breath fan on her neck.
"You are a confident and a strong willed person. I love girls like you," she giggled, leaning closer towards her neck.
The vampire was soon pulled off by an angry Ruka.
"Drinking blood is forbidden," she sneered, taking a protective stance in front of the dazed hunter. The pompous smile dancing on Maria's lips just made Ruka angrier, taking a furious steps towards her.
"But she smells delicious," Maria said dreamily, making Ruka's patience snap at that moment.
"Why you-"
"Ruka, that's enough," Kaname said, his voice holding raw power, the aristocrat immediately backing off but still glowered at the girl with hatred.
Alessandra nodded towards Ruka as a thanks before walking out of the room, rushing outside the building, thinking of the new student. Something seemed incredibly unusual about her. She held so much confidence, too confident for a vampire with a frail body. Her arrogance almost seemed pureblood like.
As she neared the fountain, she saw a familiar silver haired man leaning on a tree, waiting for her. A smile formed on her lips, sneakily walking up behind him before covering his eyes, blocking his sight.
"Guess who," she tried to hide her Romanian accent but to no avail, he recognizing it immediately.
"Hello Aless."
She pouted and removed her hands, him turning around to face her.
"So, did the herbs help the pain?" she questioned, concern filling her eyes. He nodded, an appreciative look on his face, rubbing the mark subconsciously, "Yeah, a little."
"I had to guide this new girl in the night class. It was so exhausting," she sighed dramatically, leaning on him for support. He rolled his eyes at her laziness and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, the two beginning to conduct their patrol.
"A new student?" he asked, looking around, not yet finding anything suspicious but he had the strangest feeling they were being watched. He could feel the mark on his neck start to burn in anticipation, like something was heading towards them. He didn't see anything so chose to shrug it off, thinking he was merely paranoid.
"Her name's Maria. She's different from the other students though."
"Different? In what wa-"
Zero suddenly cut himself off, stopping dead in his tracks. Alessandra looked up at him in confusion, only to see his face contorted in complete shock, his eyes wide and his body frozen for a moment. He was reaching for his bloody rose gun, hidden in his uniform.
"What's wrong, Zero?"
He snatched his gun and swung around, aiming with his finger hovering over the trigger. He pointed the weapon at Maria Kurenai, who stood in front of them with a smile. He didn't know why he had done that, only the burning mark on his neck increasing and his instincts telling him to shoot.
His face held pure anger before he finally pulled the trigger.