Disclaimer : I don't own VK

Thanks loads to everyone who reviewed, added it to story alerts, added it to their fav stories, etc...Gosh, I'm seriously bogged down with assignments and tests at the moment (.)

# CHAPTER 20

Tamaji was bleeding from the mouth when 'Master' wrenched his fringe, lifting the hunter out from the pile of books. "Do you know that your meddling in my family affairs has caused her powers to grow? But she should be of no match for me either, since I've devoured the other two Orchid Princesses to take their powers. She's the third princess in 3000 years that I've waited. The Kuroumura princess…I'll make her come for me…"

Tamaji was sinking into unconsciousness. He could barely talk as his jaw was broken. She's innocent…she doesn't know anything…His memory went back to the first time he entered the Kaede mansion and saw two bodies there. The woman was already dead, but the man was still fighting on to the last strands of his life.

"Attic…Protect…"

Those were the last words he heard from Akiro Kaede before the vampire died. Seiran's father.

His thoughts stopped when 'Master' twisted his neck.

Snap…

*

'Master' took the dead hunter's body with 'him'. "She'll come for me...Hunt for me…," 'he' thought, sniggering. Reaching Cross Academy, 'he' hunted for the last relative related to them. They're clustered so easily for me to murder…Even their pureblood leader, Kaname Kuran is here. Sensing the location of the sleeping vampire, 'he' flew to the vampire's room.

Takuma was sleeping after taking two aspirins for his never receding migraine. He didn't stir when his window swung open and 'Master' stepped in with Tamaji's body. The murderer hovered 'his' palm above Takuma's head, sending the noble into a fitful slumber while 'he' placed the rogue hunter's body in Takuma's place.

Come after me now, Princess. I'll be waiting… Leering, 'he' carried Takuma over 'his' shoulders and flew away to 'his' hideout.

*

Kaname stirred in his sleep. There's a black presence in the atmosphere. Suffocating…Deadly… He blinked. The presence had been brief, but…

Oh yes…

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock.

Seiran's time was soon approaching.

*

"Hanabusa, can you hear me? Please don't give up…I need you alive…," whispered Yori who was seated on the bed, tears streaming down her face. She held Aidou's hand in hers. Aidou had been unconscious for nearly two weeks. Everyday after her Day Classes, she visited the Moon Dorms to watch over her boyfriend. Kain and Ruka on the other hand were given permission to skip their classes, keeping an eye on Aidou.

Kain was resting in an arm chair near them, exhausted. He hadn't been sleeping much ever since his cousin was in that condition. Taking more blood tablets gave him the extra boost of energy to carry on caring for Aidou. Ruka was sleeping on Kain's lap, similarly tired. Honestly, Kain's patience was thinning for Seiran. Everyday he had pictured various methods to torture the hunter who did this to his cousin. The only thing which stopped him from acting on her was Kaname-sama's order and his respect for the pureblood prince.

Twitch!

Aidou's index finger convulsed in Yori's hands. Yori's pale green eyes zoomed onto her boyfriend's face. "Hanabusa?" she hoarsely asked.

Twitch!

Kain rose from his seat, waking Ruka by mistake. The tired nobles moved to Aidou's side. Aidou's eyes began blinking before he finally opened them to see three worried faces staring at him.

"Hanabusa!" Yori hugged him as gently as possible, knowing he hadn't healed properly. "You're alive!" Thank God!

"Yori-chan, Ruka, can you two please call Kaname-sama here? I want to examine Aidou," requested Kain, sighing immensely with relief. Now Aidou can tell us the truth that Seiran the bitch tried to kill him!

Yori extracted herself from Aidou. Both she and Ruka pattered across the room, heading for Kaname and Yuuki's present room. Once they were out of the room, Kain neared Aidou and poured him a glass of blood water. "Hanabusa, I need you to tell me what happened to you. Seiran attacked you, didn't she? That's what you said before you became unconscious."

Aidou hungrily lapped it up, plus three more glasses, before beginning his explanation. "No…no…Akatsuki, you got it wrong. I was trying to say that Seiran saved me. It was the worst feeling ever…I was after the Level E stalking Yori and I-I managed to catch the son of a bitch. I wanted to kill him off when…," Aidou weakly shivered, "…He looked at me…I don't know what happened but it was like I was compelled to obey his order. Like the time when I almost was under Rido's spell…" He swallowed. I was like a puppet under a master…And I almost…He covered his eyes, trying to stop the horrific images from torturing his mind.

"What? So she really tried to save you?" Kain was speechless. His mind was racing and filled with guilt. I…I accused her because she ran away from the scene, because she looked panicked at the time. If not for Kaname-sama holding me back, I might have…might have…The murders would have continued. If she didn't injure Hanabusa, he would have killed himself…Kain gripped his hair.

"The truth is out now, Kain. I suppose you would like to apologise to Seiran?"

Kain turned to see Kaname and Ruka standing at the doorway. "Kaname-sama, I apologise…," he quickly said, getting up.

Aidou bowed feebly at the pureblood in greeting, his body still healing from his own damage.

The pureblood cut Kain off. "It's not me you owe an apology. Let Aidou continue with his testimony. It's crucial."

"Initially I formed sharp icicles to destroy him but I got…under his spell. I dissolved the icicles and was about to freeze myself from the inside. I…I couldn't refuse his order. That's when I realized he was a pureblood. If Seiran hadn't thrown a stone and Orchid Dart at me…," Aidou's voice faded away, his fingers contracting at the horror of the memory.

Kaname felt grateful to Seiran for saving his 'left' hand man. "The investigation on Seiran is terminated. You will apologize to her."

Kain nodded.

Outside, Yuuki was hugging Yori – drawing Yori's attention away from her boyfriend's testimony. "I'm so glad for you, Yori-chan! You can stop worrying about Aidou senpai now." She didn't reveal to Yori that Seiran was initially under suspicion that she attacked Aidou. I'm happy Seiran-chan's name is cleared. Yori sobbed happy tears onto her best friend's shoulder. Yuuki stroked Yori's head. "Yori-chan, after oniisan as finished asking Aidou senpai what happened to him then only you go in, okay?" She smiled as she felt Yori's head bob up and down.

Once Yori released her, she held Yori's hands in hers. "I'll come and visit Aidou senpai afterwards so that you two can have your private time together. I have to visit Ichijou senpai now." Wiping Yori's tears off, she gave her best friend another hug before walking to the next door.

Lesson no. 21 : If you control the mind, you control anything…

Please do read and review, tell me what you like/ don't like since my brain's currently dried up....

Aidou : Yes, I'm finally back!Where are my fan girls? I have sparkles for them!

Zero : (inaudibly) Yeah, back to annoy the hell out of us...

Yori : (brandishing a rolling pin) What did you just say, Hanabusa?

Aidou : (running away) HEEELP!