EDIT- Re-editing some chapters.

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Chapter 20: Anticipation

"You won't be going anywhere now," the vampire smirked his pernicious white fangs as he dumped Zero into the dark and stingy cell. He checked his neck to find the tattoo glowing torridly while the young vampire hunter remained unconscious. The vampire instantly licked his lips.

"Kuran's blood flows through these veins. Maybe just a bite," He breathed in excitement. "Nobody has to know you are here. I can just dispose of you as quickly as possible." And with that, he bent his face forward, ready to strike.

"Don't forget to include me," an icy voice erupted from the darkened corner. The vampire instantly shot up to gaze around the ceiling, only to land his eyes on pupils bathed in lustrous gold, yet bearing a great sense of acrimony. The vampire froze at the stranger who reappeared by the far wall. The creature held a great but frightening domineering presence, almost like a pureblood. But he smelled different - much different than the sweet luring blood of a pureblood vampire. It was the scent of death, and it overwhelmed him to the point that he could not smell anymore.

"Who…who are you?" the vampire clutched his face as he stumbled back.

"Don't you recognize me? I was sure you just left me to die out in the open." Caleb came out into the low light. "But it seems that...you are beaming with breaking all sorts of rules tonight." He pointed at the unconscious Zero.

The vampire stepped back in fear. Something about the stranger resonated great power and a murderous intellect.

"You…are that human aren't you?" he spoke after recognizing Caleb's face. "But Kiryu already disposed of you!"

"Wrong. I'm not human, neither am I easily disposable," Caleb shook his head in disgust. "Especially in the hands of you half-bre-"

"What do you want?" the vampire suddenly shouted in a shaky voice, but his cry only managed to fade away down the darkened corridor.

In a flash, Caleb lunged forward and knocked the vampire against the wall, covering his mouth to avoid any further cries for help. "Shhh, now now…." He bore his curved fangs at him. "Why all the questions? You already know why I'm here…"

The vampire struggled from his grasp, but he found himself completely helpless.

"Let me tell you something. A little secret between you and I," Caleb hissed into the vampire's ear. "First, you just don't leave a bleeding person in the middle of nowhere. That was your first mistake. Second...well second...you obviously don't know the consequences that come from doing something sinful behind the backs of your own kind. That's what we purebloods have learned the hard way...and right now, you were going to kill an innocent hunter just to satisfy your greedy amusement." He continued with a snarl. "I just can't let that happen. I'm afraid this is where you meet your end." And with that, he shoved his claws through the vampire's chest and released his poison into his veins. The vampire instantly deteriorated into a pile of flesh and bones, leaving behind a mummified skull that still held its mouth wide open from shock.

"One pain in the ass settled," Caleb said as he grabbed the prison keys and turned to retrieve Zero from his temporary slumber. He noticed his glowing scar and put his palm against it to settle the pain. Zero's eyes flashed open in an instant.

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty. Time to move," Caleb said with a grin as he reached his arm out for help.

"No thanks," Zero said grumpily as he shoved Caleb's hand aside and pulled himself off the floor. His knees were still weak as he used the back wall for support. "Why did you do that? Give your blood to me?"

Caleb gave an obvious shrug. "It got us to the vampire senate, didn't it?"

Zero took some time to realize where they were. The stench of blood was present everywhere. "Well don't do it again. It's dangerous for me to be around exposed blood," Zero rubbed his neck and gave a slight smile. "That kinda hurt."

Caleb grinned back at his sudden change of attitude. "Well look whose smiling. I guess pain does have its gains. We are here before Almira that's for sure."

Zero returned back to frowning at the mention of her name. But the quick glimpse of the corpse in the corner made him frown even deeper. "Did you…do that?"

Caleb followed his gaze to find his victim in the same position as before. Kiryu's eyes were starting to flicker in suspiciousness. "Uh…no. It was already there when I got here. You know how these vampires love to leave their crap around." Caleb opened the cell door with ease. "The guy who brought you already left. I tricked him to fetch the keys though. Shall we go now?"

Kiryu bore into his eyes once more before moving ahead. "Yeah…sure."

Aido turned his head from Almira to Kaname in a slow but unsteady motion. His pupils seemed to have stuck themselves wide in their sockets as his eyebrows curved into two confused strips. He tried not to open his mouth, but the truth came pouring out without pause, and with each compendious explanations, he tried hard not to gape even more.

"So…she is not...a vampire?" Aido whispered at last. "She's been lying to us only to hide herself from...from them?"

Almira, who sat hesitantly on a seat across the room, immediately cried out. "I was not lying, I only wished to protect-"

Kaname stopped her abruptly with a hand. "What's done has been done. I was the one who told her to keep her identity a secret from all the Night Class." He looked at the concerned, and few agitated, faces of his fellow classmates. "I did not want this problem to affect the academy, but apparently the situation has gotten more serious than I thought. The truth is that Almira McDellan is a werecat, a half-blood from a long line of powerful purebloods in Europe. And unfortunately, they are seeking to destroy her."

Ichijo was the one to talk next. "So we are here to take her to the council before those other werecats get to her first? Because the vampires are hiding something that belongs to them?" he rubbed his chin in frustration. "My grandfather has never told me about these creatures before. I don't think anyone here has ever heard about the Bastets in their lives."

"There are very few who have. Including the headmaster, but that is a concern for another time," Kaname continued. "Right now, our duty is to guide her safely to the senate in one piece. This uncovered law of the ancient charter that they have may set her free."

Aido was still dazed in shock. It was not simply because he still had trouble digesting such vast unexpected information, but that he gave his complete trust to a person who had not been truthful to him in the academy. Almira was not a vampire, nor was she even a pureblood werecat like Kaname had said. A demonic side existed within her, and the idea felt unsettling when he compared that to her poised and modest behavior.

But then he thought about the few occasions when Almira had not been completely herself. That one time when she had mistakenly insulted him, he swore he noticed a sudden change in her countenance in a quick instant. Vibrant gold pupils between mutilated cringes of her skin. Then she had doubled over in pain when trying to eat their blood chocolates. She would sometimes appear with strange marks on her skin. He knew something was wrong with her - perhaps some sort of vampire weakness that she avoided discussing - but it was something unlike he ever expected. He was actually taking a glimpse into another side of Almira he did not know about.

This whole time, he thought, she was something different entirely. And he, like the idiot he was, trusted this being. Suddenly, Aido felt himself frown deeply in anger. Almira McDellan had never been honest with him; she never told the truth about herself, even when he lowered his own status to reveal his weakness to her. It irritated him. That sense of maturity and motherly care, could it have just been a ploy to sweet talk him out of her way? So she didn't have to deal with another obstacle in her path? She looked quite eager enough to have him leave, even fooled him to believe that she actually cared for him. How stupid he was to believe her words. How stupid he was to express his vulnerability to an untamed monster.

"How...do we know her family isn't doing the right thing?" Aido furrowed his eyebrows towards the floor, avoiding Almira's gaze. "If they're trying to stop something poisonous from seeping into their clan, to stop something dangerous from lurking through the streets, then we shouldn't stop them."

Almira and Ichijo both looked at Aido with surprise, but the former somehow expected this insecurity. "Aido…you can't be serious…" Ichijo spoke.

Aido shot up. "Ruka was right all along! She should never have been trusted!" he shot a glare at Almira who looked away in regret. "I was wrong to like her even when I didn't know her. And after all this time she has lied to us, she wants our help after that?" he turned towards the door where Ruka shot her disappointed eyes at the werecat. "Who knows when she'll go crazy and start attacking everyone? She's just like that Kiryu, uncontrollable and…" he tried hard to utter the last word, "…deceiving."

He left through the door with Ruka behind him, and Ichijo could only shake his head in exasperation. Kaname saw Almira lower her head in shame, and he could sense that she was deepy hurt by Aido's rash condemnation.

Truthfully, he did not want this to happen, to turn the one person he knew would help Almira more than anyone against her. But deep inside, he was somewhat pleased. It was an odd and selfish feeling, but Kaname could not suppress it. He did not want Aido, or anyone else, to claim her heart or make her smile. He could not let go of that jealousy. Vampires thought of him as their leader, their mascot. But even the great generals of the past were stripped in solitude, carrying their secrets and private lives to their graves. Kaname envied her for expressing herself in such a simple way that the Night Class accepted, for being respected without having a superior or frightening aura, for turning Aido's head towards a new light. Yes, he did feel selfish. He wanted her to be dependent only of him, to be his equal and nothing else.

"I understand you, Almira-chan," Ichijo said as he gently patted her back. "And I'm sure those two will get back to their senses pretty soon. The plan will still go as instructed."

Almira looked up at him with a half smile. "You always know how to cheer someone up, Master Ichijo. How are you so different?"

Ichijo was happy she had recovered for the time being. "Well I eh, got traits from my mother's side actually. My grandfather was never happy about it though. He thought I was too lax and tolerant."

"There is nothing wrong with that," Almira said. "To be a vampire that can still seem so human, it is truly a unique blessing."

Kaname stood up without noticing. "Let's not delay any longer. Ichijo, I need you to go over the plan with Aido and Ruka and proceed with it immediately. Almira…" his eyes turned to her. "Come with me."

Almira took a deep breath before following Kaname towards a small narrow veranda in the back of their room. To her surprise, however, the veranda was covered on all four corners with a cemented wall that blocked the outside view. It seemed nothing more than a rectangular box that extended outside the inn.

"Why is this whole place concealed?" Almira asked as Kaname shut the glass door behind.

"Vampires are not prone to the sun, as you may know." Kaname came forward like a shadow. The only light that penetrated through the glass door was from the room behind. Besides that, the "supposed" veranda was all darkness. "I don't want you to be seen by outsiders while I speak to you about something important."

"You did not have to bring Master Aido and the others into this." Almira quickly added before he could continue. "And tell them of my curse for that matter." Her boldness excited him again.

"Do you feel embarrassed? I already told you why I need them. It is for your sake." Kaname answered. "Besides, whatever friendship you have with them should not mean anything since you already chose on your own will to break connections."

"I know...but I was not planning to end it on a bad note." She looked down. "Master Aido hates me now."

Kaname gently put a meaningful hand on her cheek. "He doesn't hate you. If anything, he is just disoriented. Even a vampire has those moments. Aido will come around soon enough. He likes you too much." He tried to make her crack a smile. "Will you start hating me again?"

Almira put her palm over his to savor his touch. She could hate him if she wanted to, but not as much as how she loved him. He was an absurd and sometimes complicated man, and every different layer of his personality made her more curious by the second. "I am not going to make that same mistake again...and jeopardize my own life."

She felt herself grow warm impulsively. He was staring at her, and they were both alone once again in a small enclosed space. What was he going to say now? Or do? She imagined the things she saw in movies, a secret infatuation exchanged where no one could see them. Was Kaname going to tell her that he loved him? It was a silly childish thought, too unrealistic and unexpected for a respected vampire. But had not ceased to surprise her so many times before. She could not explain those actions, nor understand why she had to be part of it. Yet he had done enough for her that changed the way she first saw him, frightening, cold, and superior. No, there was still something else: a sweet forgotten side, something warm, something loving, something innocent that was broken by a spoiled world. Above all, he always seemed to look sad; always seemed to want to cling to something that she could not explain. In an uncanny psychological way, he was fighting to find meaning to a nebulous existence. She could only imagine him being who he was for living for so many centuries. Time had exhausted him. The bitter loneliness had exhausted him. If only she could be there to comfort him, to give him a type of solace that he had given to her. She could advice him, perhaps to keep his mind off the darkness.

Were they not somewhat similar, she thought, even though nothing of his sort was compared to hers? Almira wanted to know more about the man that had claimed her heart, but their similarity was being penetrated by other obstacles; by fate itself.

"Master Kaname," Almira whispered as she stood still, expecting him to lean down and kiss her. "Do you..."

"Yes?" He did not remove his eyes.

"Do you...see me as..." She sighed lowly before turning her head down. "Nevermind. It is nothing. Please continue with what you were saying before."

He hoped she had finished the thought. There was a pause before he spoke. "Alright. Then before we go, I need you to consider a few things." His voice became affirmative once again. "You must know that your family has the ability to change forms. To become human and try ways to deceive you. In that case, whatever the situation, I do not want you to be caught in their bait, do you understand me?"

Almira cringed at his words. "But I would have felt their presence if they were close by. My dark side has-"

"No…they can find ways to conceal their true forms so you can't be affected, or sniff them out," Kaname frowned at the thought of the Austerlitz brothers. He realized that he had to tell her about them now or never.

"How do you know this?" Almira searched his eyes. She could tell he was holding something back. Suddenly, this new information made her anxious, and the thought of being close to him dissipated to be replaced with a new apprehension. "D-did you see them, Master Kaname?"

The pureblood's eyes flickered towards the wall. He did not know how to face her questioning expression, especially when he realized now that the fault was his more than anyone's. "I saw them." He merely spoke.

"Who are they?" She raised her voice anxiously. Her hand reached out to make him look at her eyes again. "Please tell me...who are they...?"

The pureblood brought down her hand and took a step back. "I know you will hate me for this but..." he breathed, "the ones who are after you...they - " His words were suddenly interrupted by the sudden bang of the front door closing loudly and Ichijo's voice speaking restlessly afterward.

"Yuuki! What are you doing here?" Kaname deciphered his words and immediately felt a pang of discomfort.

Almira shot her head past Kaname's shoulders as he glided effortlessly back into the room. Sure enough, Yuuki stood in her uniform, slightly disheveled and highly embarrassed at her sudden entrance.

"What the hell, Yuuki Cross," Aido was there with his fist clutching onto the back of her collar. "Who told you to come here of all places?"

Yuuki tried to speak in Kaname's presence. She knew he was angry. "I-I only wanted to see Almira-san! I want to help her."

"Yuuki, this place is very dangerous. The vampires here could get restless if they found a human in their midst," Ichijo continued. "How did you even get to this place anyway?"

"Well er...it wasn't a big problem," Yuuki tried to make an excuse to cover up for Raphael's stealthy maneuver. "After all, existing with vampires has done me good…"

Ichijo and Aido both shook their heads in frustration as Kaname came forward. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face before speaking. "How did little Yuuki think that she could come here without my knowing? And scurrying around the Moon Dorm as well?"

Yuuki blushed in embarrassment. "Kaname-sempai...s-so you knew...?"

"Always." He was not going to hide the truth, even if at times he had been heavily distracted to notice her presence. But there was a point in time when he would not have wanted her to meddle, to keep her safe at the academy at all cost. Now when he knew the two werecats following them had an extra hand for their task, he felt that Yuuki could prove to be valuable in their demise, or at least open the eyes of a particular hunter.

Nevertheless, he still felt unsure having her with them. Yuuki could never be considered bait, but the danger he was going to place her in could cost him his own life if worse came to worse. Several risky possibilities, yet he was fortunate that she was able to make it this far without getting hurt. They could not hurt her, he knew. If anything, he had to make sure that she was heavily guarded from now on, and that she did not get in the way when he and his new enemies met face to face.

Ruka, however, stepped forward irritatingly. "If we are going to take Almira to the council, since we don't have a choice, then Cross can't come with us."

"Kaname, should we return her back to the academy?" Ichijo asked. "Or have someone watch her in the inn?"

"No, we don't have time to afford all that. She is safer with us." Kaname continued. "If anything, we must take her along."

Aido sighed in frustration. "Oh great. Now there's two people we need to watch out for."

Yuuki pulled away from his grasp and looked at Kaname with pleading eyes. "I'm so sorry, Kaname-sempai. I didn't know what I was thinking, but I felt the need to help Almira-san. She can't go on her own, so I-"

"I would expect that from Yuuki." Kaname smiled a sad smile. "Even though I tell her not to meddle, she still appears to surprise me again and again."

Yuuki pouted bashfully again before turning to see Almira return from the veranda. She held a hesitant look, but it faded into a surprise gasp as Yuuki ran towards her for an embrace.

"Y-Yuuki Cross!" Almira tried to return her hug, even though she still debated whether the human girl was welcomed. "Should I even ask how you managed to...? Oh, you crazy girl!" She saw Yuuki give a sheepish smile and her eyes turned to Kaname. "I am going to be scolded now for making you follow me."

"Kaname-sempai will not lay a finger on you." Yuuki answered determinedly. "If he does, I will not talk to him anymore."

Kaname smiled at her innocent threat. "In that case, punishment can be delayed for another day."

Almira felt relieved, and she quickly used her chance to whisper into Yuuki's ear. "Thank you for supporting me."

Yuuki chirped up in excitement. "Raphael brought me here so I can be by your side. In case anything happens, I want to help defend you." She whispered back. "He wanted to come too, but he left to find his brother and hoped that you'd be okay. They really care about you, you know."

"Right...of course." Almira somehow felt an uncanny discomfort when she mentioned Raphael's name. In fact, a strange foreboding feeling suddenly crept up her skin when she imagined him helping Yuuki get there unnoticed through a town full of hungry vampires. She knew the Austerlitz brothers had a keen sense for danger, especially when they were brave enough to accept a werecat into their circle, but what he did seemed close to impossible. For the past few days, Almira had also noticed that Raphael was quite distant from her, even though he had waved to her a couple of times when the Night Class went to their classes. In her mind, she thought about various moments when it was just Caleb rushing to her, seeking her out at the oddest times and breaking curfew to see how she was. It was his only way and only time to show that he cared, she remembered. But the times seemed to have been exact and planned; his questions had also been incredibly persistent. And now that Kaname's warning swarmed through her mind, something she did not catch before began to piece together. Her dread just grew more and more.

"Oh no..." Almira moved her eyes along the floor. The lingering thought about her childhood friends suddenly made her nauseous.

"Almira-chan?" Yuuki noticed her troubled visage. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just need...I just need to be prepared." She turned to her with worry. "Yuuki...please don't tell me my friends...they - "

"Everything is ready. The council wants us there soon." Ichijo came through the door and interrupted Almira's train of thought. "Are you ready to go, Almira-chan?"

Almira looked at Kaname ever so briefly before she nodded. "Yes, I am ready."

"Alright, this is our plan. We agreed to make a triple formation with Ichijo-san in the lead, Aido and I in the back, and Kaname-sama in the middle with McDellan and Cross," Ruka spoke aloud. "So if those werecats attack us, we'll have defenses from all three sides."

"Yes, and if anything happens," Ichijo continued. "I'll be the one to take Almira inside the Senate house while Aido takes Yuuki away somewhere safe."

"But-but I should go with Almira-san too!" Yuuki raised her voice. "I can make them see that even as a human I support her plan to -"

"Please take Almira McDellan outside, the three of you." Kaname suddenly interrupted. "I need to have a word with Yuuki."

He watched as the three vampires bowed and took Almira out the door. He quickly saw her face and noticed the mixed feelings that was making her question who she was masquerading with since she came to Cross Academy - the boys that she thought were here friends; the one called Caleb who she thought loved her. Kaname knew Almira was beginning to accept the worst, but what he did not want to do was blame Yuuki for accidentally weakening his own plan.

"Yuuki..." He stepped forward to face her. The girl's face was filled with shame, as if she foresaw him pushing her away like a child again because of her own ignorance. "Yuuki, please tell me what the two Austerlitz brothers said to you before they brought you here."

Yuki gulped as her face became hot. "W-well…"

Kaname gently lifted her chin up. "Please don't hesitate to tell me, Yuuki. It is vitally important that you tell me now."

"Well...Raphael told me he will fetch his brother and catch up to us, so they can give their support too since they knew her since childhood..." Yuuki closed her eyes and brought her head down. "A-actually he said he would first try to look for the council headquarters in case they didn't reach us in time, and since well, I kind of found out where it is and how to get in from you, I told them." She rubbed her face embarrassingly. "B-but they said they were just going to wait there! We know we can't get in because we're humans a-and -"

She did not notice his expression change to frustration. Suddenly, Yuuki replaced her words with a squeal as Kaname lifted her off the floor and carried her towards the open window. Without a second thought, he lunged himself forward with Yuuki in his arms and landed on a nearby branch.

The others were already waiting outside, and they faced him with startled and concerned expressions. Something was wrong.

"There has been a change of plans," Kaname said with Yuuki still curled up in his grasp. "I want Ichijo, Aido and Ruka to go ahead and scope the entire perimeter of the Senate house." He looked at Almira watching him with widened and anxious eyes. "You seem to feel better now. Will you be able to keep up with our speed?"

Almira still looked confused, yet she knew her cat-like reflexes were strong enough to run as fast as the vampires, especially now that she felt stronger with anticipation. "Yes I believe so."

"Good, you will come with me. I'll carry Yuuki as well."

"Kaname, I don't understand," Ichijo asked. "What's going on?"

Almira looked from the blonde vampire to the pureblood who stood on the high tree branch with guilt washed over his face. Even though she was starting to understand what went through his head, she did not want to believe it. "You know something...about my attackers, don't you?" She spoke up, bearing a frown towards him. "And about my friends who came to this school?"

Kaname did not leave her eyes before nodding. "Apparently, our foreign friends have already found the location of the council. They know we are coming and hoping to attack us when we least expect it."

The vampires and Yuuki widened their eyes in worry and shock. "How is that possible?" Ruka spoke next. "We made sure we put an extra barrier around the headquarters so the werecats would not be able to trace it."

Yuuki shivered in fear as she came to terms with her horrible mistake. Kaname only looked at her with a disappointed smile. "Our young Yuuki…although did not know what she was doing…is sadly partially responsible."

"Kaname-sempai?" Yuuki clutched his shirt as her confusion was escalated with the others below. "What do you mean?"

Kaname looked down and tried to hide his guilt. "She is not completely at fault…No, in fact, I am the one who should be blamed." He continued. "I didn't want to hurt Almira, or anyone else in the process…but lying would cause even more complications, especially now that we are in a difficult spot already."

"Lying?" Almira emphasized the one word Kaname hoped she would not catch. "So you knew…" Her countenance changed to one of regret and annoyance. She squinted her eyes shut to block out even more complicated thoughts and feelings. She refused to be weakened yet. The others around her waited patiently for the truth to be told. "Just tell us all what you mean, Master Kaname." Almira forced herself to say out loud.

"Almira…" Kaname waited to find the right words. "Caleb and Raphael, the ones you met back at the academy, they are not your real friends."

Yuuki and Almira's face shot at him with cold dread.

"They are not the same humans you knew from your childhood." Kaname continued. "It was all a trap, and the ones who masked themselves well to look and act like them...are the same ones who are here to kill you."

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Within the dense leaves of a nearby oak tree that looked over the Senate house nearby, a presence sat hidden with a black cat on his lap. Raphael had managed to catch up with Iris and Caleb at the same location, and while his brother went inside to free Zero from his imprisonment, Raphael simply relaxed on a solitary branch to await his dear kin's arrival, the ever-loathed half-blood with her sickening vampire friends.

And of course, Yuuki Cross.

"Ahh Iris," Raphael stroked the cat's fur as it purred with affection. "Aren't you just dying to watch me break that vampire's neck and destroy Almira along with?" He waited for Iris to stroke him back as a sign of agreement.

His eyes trailed over the perimeter to notice the additional layers of magic the vampires had placed over the center of their government to keep it hidden. He cackled at their inability to keep him and his brother away, especially when with a little magic of their own and some innocent help from Yuuki Cross, he was able to stay one step ahead. Caleb himself had a sneaky plan of his own to get in by offering Zero his blood and trailing the ignorant noble vampire to his demise. Raphael felt a gleam of hope for his brother, and now that they had access to the vulnerable areas of the center of the vampire's world, he was ready to activate his pieces.

"This is what I live for, Iris...I have been bred this way." He suddenly changed to his true form. His messy golden brown hair turned to a sleek crimson red, and his eyes changed from sea blue to a bright golden yellow. He revealed his curved sharp fangs and claws that extended from his fingertips. "If Cyrus ever takes my place one day...he will understand..."

He stood up and used his claws to scratch a mark against the trunk, releasing a disturbing screeching noise that would make any human cry in agony.

"You wait Almira McDellan…" he smiled maliciously. "I'll wipe your name from our clan for good. Just like your mother."

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