Big hands wrapped around Zero's waist pulling him a good distance away from the vampire in front of him. He tried fighting to be free from it but it was futile. He's fighting the hands of an experienced hunter. But he'll never look away. Because looking away first means admitting defeat. It's nonsense but Zero will never back down especially to any vampire. He's gonna show this blood sucker that even if he'll die anyway, he'll die hating them and he'll die fighting back. He will die trying.

The vampire's red-brown eyes never disconnected with his. He's just there, impassively looking back at him. Zero sees the absence of pain in his eyes. Oh how he'd love to put it there but what can a small knife do? This predator in front of him is a pureblood. He can't be mistaken. The aura is just too powerful.

Hold on. It's the same aura he felt in the forest earlier. What would a pureblood like this one be doing there half an hour ago? Zero's thinking stopped when the corners of the vampire's mouth twisted upwards revealing a cryptic smile that made his blood boil. He's so frustrated he couldn't help but scream.

"Die! Die! I'm going to kill you! I'm goi-"

"Zero-kun, please!" Kaien Cross tightened his hold on the raging boy whose now charging in his hold.

"Zero stop!" Yuuki cried out, now standing in front of Kaname and spreading her arms open to show that she'll protect the pureblood from Zero. That's the only thing that registered in Zero in spite of the mess in his head right now. In fact, that made it worse.

The pureblood didn't notice Yuuki's movement. He was too focused on the young boy. A mistake. Now Yuuki's in front of him, endangering herself to protect him instead. Kaname noticed the boy was no longer looking at him. His rage now directed to Yuuki and that alerted him. In a flash, he stood in front of Yuuki, trying to shield her in case the silver-haired slips through the headmaster's grip. Although that one's impossible, knowing Kaien Cross's ability. But Kaname has a strong feeling that the orphaned boy has this ability to surprise him, just like tonight.

"Zero please, Kaname-sama is a good person. He saved my life. He didn't do anything wrong. He's different." Yuuki pleaded, stepping on the side to see the boy that was blocked by the vampire's body in front of her.

Kaien Cross noticed that Zero isn't struggling anymore. His head now hanging low, eyes on the floor and for a moment the headmaster was afraid he'd revert back to how he was when he first came here. The boy who never meets everyone's eyes and who locks himself inside his room.

"This is the reason why I'm still alive, Yuuki." All ears were on Zero when he started speaking. His young voice filled with emotions he's trying to contain. His fists tightly clenched on each of his sides. When he spoke next, he raised his head and reconnected with the pureblood's surprised auburn eyes. "This is my purpose." His every word, directed at the vampire instead of Yuuki. "To kill you!"

Interesting. So very interesting.

Kaname wasn't mistaken. He was amazed at how the boy manages to surprise him. Though it's not a surprise someone like him would come to hate on the vampire race, what floored him was that look in his eyes. He'd never seen such intense hatred and disgust directed at him. To have anyone openly show something like this to him, he usually doesn't tolerate such insolence, but for some reason Kaname doesn't want to kill him... Yet. He's deeply entertained. He wants to know how far he can push him, how he'd react and what emotions he'd wear on his face and his eyes.

"I'll let you try." Kaname murmured, eyes feasting on the emotions he sees on the boy's face. The way his face contorted in anger, his nostrils flare and how he grits his teeth. But it's his eyes. The way the lavender shade darkens to intense wine.

"Trust me, I will." Zero said, raising a finger in the air. "One day. One mistake. When the beast that you are is finally unleashed-"

Scoffing, Kaname couldn't help but push him more, "Trust me, between the two of us; it's you who'll succumb to the beast-"

"Okay, that's it. Zero, you're grounded. Stay in your room until I tell you to go out." Kaien Cross finally decided that enough is enough. He cannot allow Kaname to taunt Zero any further. That's a very sensitive topic. He's still not sure if Zero knows or that he has just forgotten. Coming from a family of hunters and being trained as one, Kaien suspects that he does know but may have slipped his mind.

Or if the boy really doesn't know about it, Kaien has to tell him. He has to tell him about the darkness that was planted inside of him. That he hasn't fully survived the attack yet. The worst is yet to come. And as his guardian and only parental figure, he can't let the truth like that to come from Kaname; a vampire and a pureblood to boot. The very same kind as the insane vampire princess who murdered his family.

So when Zero turned to the headmaster to talk back, he showed him a very dangerous face. That he can be as dangerous as their vampire guest when he's angry. "Go!" He raised his voice to the boy for the first time. And though it hurt him to see the boy running away from him with a heavy heart, he promised to make it up to him later.

A small whiff of the silver-haired boy's smell lingered in Kaname's nose when he passed by him as he ran away.

"K-Kaname-sama..." Yuuki's voice broke the silence that consumed the room as soon as Zero's footsteps were gone.

It was only until he felt Yuuki's hand that Kaname realized the knife was still stuck in his flesh. So he plucked it with ease, immediately reminding himself the reason why he's here and that his priority is to protect Yuuki.

Kaien closed the door and the moment he did, Kaname spoke, "Is he always like that?" His voice suddenly hoarse, throat constricting a little from dryness. Or rather, thirst.

The headmaster walked towards the small table on his left where the drinks are, noticing the pureblood's fingers on his throat. "Do you want wine or tea?"

Without looking at the speaker, Kaname immediately answered "Water. A glass of water please."

He watched as the vampire dissolve two blood tablets on the water the moment the glass landed on the center table. His eyes followed the hand the lifted the glass in the air and carefully swaying it to properly melt the previously white tablet now painting the liquid red. It still amazes the headmaster how a vampire of this age moves with such gracefulness anyone wouldn't expect from the most dangerous predator the world has ever seen. Most of the predators around move aggressively especially when they go for the kill. But vampires are mostly silent predators, they camouflage around humans for cover, wearing looks that makes it difficult for some to identify them from a normal human, making the kill easy, fast and quiet. Except for a Level E.

However, Kaien Cross believes Kaname is different. He's known him for a long time. He's known the family the was born into. Well, technically only in this lifetime. Enough to know how important it is for this pureblood to create a world safe enough for his precious Yuuki to live in. The pureblood knows first-hand how dangerous his own kind is. That's why despite being a hunter himself albeit a retired one; he trusts Kaname enough.

When Kaname started drinking, the headmaster remembered his earlier question. "Zero is a good kid. He and Yuuki have become really close." Glancing at the pureblood first, he continued, "He recognized what you are. He sensed you the moment you entered my house and his anger resurfaced. You reminded him of that night."

He drank the glass of water in one go, feeling better already the moment he put the glass back on the table. "His hunter instincts are admirable... for such a young age."

Kaien wondered for a moment what he meant. For all the retired hunter know, it's normal for a hunter in training to learn to detect a vampire's aura even at such a young age.

"Earlier in the forest; while surveying the town- checking for any E's, I bumped into him." Kaname looked into the headmaster's eyes. "When E's feel a stronger vampire's presence they would scamper away. That's why I mask my aura. Despite that he stood there, alerted and conscious even if he couldn't see. He knew." He stopped, waiting for the Kaien's reaction.

He understood now. That despite a masked presence, Zero was able to detect a pureblood's level of concealment. An ability only an experienced hunter can do. "He's special, isn't he?" He managed a small smile, proud to have a promising hunter like Zero.

Hmmm... "He's... Unpredictable." Kaname uttered.

Kaien added "Well, he was born to one of the best Vampire Hunter family."

"That will help delay the transformation. But when the thirst finally kicks in, I don't think it's safe for Yuuki to be around when that happens." That's the real problem here. Any pureblood attack survivor must be killed. Because that's how Level E's are born.

The headmaster knew what was inevitable. Even that fool Yagari knew. That was also the reason why he didn't leave Zero in the hands of the association. He couldn't. The hunter brought him here to save him. To salvage what's left of him. "If you want me to give up my guardianship and hand him over to the association, I'll have to deny you of that. The Kiryuu's are my friends. I will do everything I can to save him from falling. As long as he's still there, I'll fight with him." He declared. Toga Yagari might be cold and ruthless as a hunter but he's the boy's godfather and he's doing his best to track the whereabouts of Shizuka Hio for her blood. That's the only way to save Zero. To find her and have Zero drink from her in however way they can. Of course he's not telling that to another pureblood but Kaname is wise enough to read between the lines.

"Of course not." Kaname replied. He needs entertainment as he waits for his own battle. "I know you'll never endanger Yuuki intentionally." That would hurt but Kaname isn't one to mince his words. "That's why I'm going to personally watch over the boy and intervene when necessary."

Surprised, the headmaster's eyes widened. "You mean-" Kaien was cut off.

"Yes. It's about time."

Two years later:

Focus. Breathe in. Breathe out. Now aim.

Zero pulled the trigger and watched as if in slow motion how the bullet traversed the distance and cut through the center of the shooting target; hitting the bullseye.

For their second evaluation, his batch traveled to a nearby ghost town where two abandoned buildings were used as the location for the shooting assessment. The distance for this specific shot was exactly the distance between the two building which is right across the street. The targets; three human silhouettes with a couple of target pasters on his body parts were placed in locations that doesn't make it easy for a shooter to hit, adding to the difficulty was the lack of light as the evaluation was held at night.

Two more.

The next silhouette target appeared on the second floor so Zero quickly ran upstairs to find a good spot. That's another thing, their targets are moving. They're not going to shoot a non-moving enemy all the time so it makes sense to train them to shoot targets that are in motion. Some would even hide and appear in other parts of the building. When he reached the second floor, it was gone. This is the second target, so the difficulty level increased. It appeared for a second behind the curtains but that would make it difficult for him to hit the bullseye. The head and the heart. Those are the killing spots. It was gone again.

He glanced at his wrist watch. Shit. My time!

The evaluation has a time limit. He needs to be able to kill each within a minute. For three targets, that makes it three minutes in total. Going beyond that would mean failing the evaluation and delaying his chance for that license.

In darkness you can't see, but the moon helps with that little light its' reflecting from the sun. As long as he can see the outline of the target, he'll aim.

Focus. Breathe in... And out. Now aim. Fire!

"Bullseye!" Says the voice from his earpiece.

One and a half minute left. He went down to the first floor. The third silhouette hasn't appeared yet. As he wait, he heard a sound coming from behind him. A heavy breathing sound. His hunter senses suddenly came alive.

Instead of waiting for the third target, he quickly strode towards the backdoor. The aura intensified as well as the smell of fresh blood.

"We have a visitor." He uttered, knowing the microphone on his earpiece would catch it.

There was laughter and cheering on the other end. "Wohoo! Take care of it Zero!"

"Your first kill!"

The movement he felt was fast but careless. It was in a hurry though. Perhaps to get to him. He learned that E's can detect heat signatures of humans. Predicting its purpose, when the E burst in, Zero was already aiming. Red burning eyes glowed in the dark, the stench of decaying flesh, dead and new blood mixed in the air almost causing Zero to feel like hurling. But this is the moment he's been waiting for. He's never been this close to a Level E before.

"Hey!" He called, getting its attention.

A split-second before he pulled the trigger, their eyes met. His finger already moved, but his eyes caught the excited smile on the man's face, looking like it was glad to see him rather than to suck him to death. The silver bullet was now released and it went straight through the ex-human's skull hitting an imaginary bullseye.

On the floor now, a few seconds before his death, the Level E spoke in a choked whisper the word. "Help."

A/N: Honestly, I felt emotional writing the last part. For Zero it's a huge blow. Anyway thank you once again for reading. See you on the next chapter!