For his first official assignment, Zero has to track a Level E in the same deserted town where they held their shooting assessment. What a great coincidence. He'd be killing his second E in the very same town as the first one.

The empty town isn't that big that's why it was easy for him to feel a pulsing aura. Weak but warm and alive. Level E's are the weakest among the caste of vampires but against unsuspecting humans and especially children- they're quite a formidable predator. Their advantage is the element of surprise combined with their human appearance.

Zero remembered his first encounter with a Level E.

She was the school nurse. He remembered she had a kind smile and gentle hands. He even thought she was beautiful. But he also remembered making one of the biggest mistake in his life- protecting her from Toga Yagari when she was long gone.

In front of them then was just a moving blood-sucking corpse who moves and lives only by instinct. With the never ending urge to feed. An empty shell.

He didn't know. And he's forever sorry. What Toga Yagari risked and lost for him- he can never get back. That's why he'll do anything he asks him to, follow him and be his best student. Toga Yagari is the only one left who he believes truly cares for him. Maybe the headmaster and Yuuki too. But he doubts it. He'll never forget the night Yuuki stood in front of him to protect that arrogant pureblood.

He paused, automatically brought back to the now by something so disturbing. There was that nauseating smell again. The rusty smell of that crimson nectar the red-eyed beasts go crazy for filled the air once more. It means the E is near. And he's just fed. Coincidentally similar to the first E he's killed.

Zero knows that it can detect his body heat that's why he needs to be more alert. A newly turned Level E still has their memories inside but with the urge too powerful, their denial only turns it into a difficult fight to control their own body. The bloodlust is stronger the more they fight it. That's what they learned at the training. A newly turned E is a little weaker than a fully turned. No memories and no bit of consciousness to hold them back, only instinct. To go after what they crave.

There's one thing that Es doesn't like though... The sun. As they are technically dead after the completion of the transition, blood circulation stops that results to the absence of oxygen in the blood causing skin pigmentation and photosensitivity which is an extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet rays from the sun and even of other light sources. That is why they are mostly active in the deepest darkest parts of the night- such as this old empty town. But because they need to feed, they'll have to venture into human inhabited territory, hiding in the corners at night where light from lamp posts and house windows won't reach them, waiting for that lone victim.

But tonight, at least there's going to be one less monster around.

The sound of footsteps getting closer. Zero could now also hear the E panting. Then there's that sound of the door opening.

The E's breath hitched and the footsteps stopped. Zero could feel that the E was also now able to sense him. From where he's hiding, he decided it was time to reveal himself in case the E decides to turn on his heels and run away.

"Hey!" He wanted to get his attention so he'd turn to him, giving him a good angle for shooting.

His glowing blood red eyes shining brilliantly in the absence of proper lighting. The moment the E completed his turn to him after his call, he froze when he saw that familiar excited smile. It was similar to that of a friend meeting an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time. But though he felt himself taken aback, his fingers unconsciously moved on their own, pulling the trigger and releasing that bullet that put a hole into the Level E's forehead in a second.

Normally, when humans get shot in the same spot, they're dead on the spot. But Es are no longer human. Their survival abilities makes them last a little bit longer but the heart and head are still their fatal parts. As far as Zero knows, no E has survived that.

When Zero heard the E gasping for breath- now on the ground, he realized this one hasn't completed the transition yet. The E even resembles too eerily to the first E he shot.

"Why?" The E's voice strained and hoarse. He started to cough up blood. "I'm just like-" coughs "-you. I'm a... victim... too!"

That sent a huge amount of chill up Zero's spine. His skin crawled and he felt too cold to be in his own skin. The words struck him like a lightning to his bones completely impaling him as he felt himself fall on the ground, hands no longer able to hold the gun that's thrown in front of him.

"Help... me." The voice was not only pleading but also in pain. A heart-wrenching combination.

Something like water, but warm fell from his eyes and coursed his cheeks. A deep and excruciating groan bubbled up from Zero's throat.

The vibration from Zero's chest woke him up just as a loud groan escaped his mouth that sounded much more like a sorrowful roar in his ears. He was gasping for air like he has been drenched under water for a long time and just came up the surface. That warm sticky feel on his face made him reach for his own cheeks and wasn't even surprised anymore when he realized they were his tears.

It felt so real.

It's been a week since that encounter. The night after, he had his first dream of guilt. It affected him so bad he couldn't go out of his room and go to his classes the next day.

He doesn't know how to go on from there anymore. Just when he thought he'd found the reason why he's still alive, here he is, back to square one. No- square zero. He's so aptly named.

Zero still couldn't get it out of his head. He was just like him. A victim. And soon enough he'll be one of them. The constrictions in his chest were too painful. The night Kaien Cross carefully spoke to him about the reason why Level E's exist was as devastating as it was painful. It wasn't like he didn't know. Growing up in a family of hunters and having a godfather who's also a hunter teaching him the ropes- of course he already knew. But he forgot. The tragedy overwhelmed him too much to remember what could have been a small detail if he wasn't bitten by that bloodsucking witch. That depressed him for quite a while but what kept him in check was his supposed purpose. To kill vampires. But it seems to him now that he's killing the wrong ones.

Would he also beg for his life when a hunter finally put a hole in his head? Hopefully he dies before he gets turned. Or before the transition starts. He'll make sure of that.

His head ached. And it ached even more when he felt an unwelcome aura inside the house. He didn't notice it earlier, probably because he was sleeping.

He looked at the window and noticed that it's already dark. He didn't even realize that he slept the entire afternoon. The next thing he heard was the sound of his complaining stomach. It's dinner time but he still hasn't eaten anything today.

Joining the headmaster and Yuuki for dinner is not an option tonight. It's their once-every-two-months-or-so dinner date with their favorite bloodsucker. He never goes anywhere near the dining room whenever it's that time of the month. Or anywhere in the house aside from his room for that matter.

After the stabbing incident, the headmaster spoke to him about being at least civil to the pureblood when he's around. But that he can never do, so he told his guardian that it's best for him to know whenever the pureblood is coming so he can disappear and pretend he doesn't exist. Tonight he didn't know Kuran Kaname was coming, why because the night he came back from the shooting assessment- he avoided everyone. He didn't want to have to tell anyone what happened. Not then, not tonight and not ever.

Realizing that the headache he's feeling might also be because he hasn't eaten anything yet. So he got up and dressed up then left by the window.

"Everything's all set now. We got the license, the approval from both the association and the council-" Kaien uttered, "-that came with a threat." then he clasped his hands. "So! We just need the students." Kaien Cross excitedly updated the pureblood about the progress of their plan. "Then we can start this September."

A while ago the blond ex-hunter noticed that Kaname was listening but now he wasn't sure. The brunet is looking at him but his eyes weren't really fixed on him.

"Kaname-sama, is there something wrong?" He asked.

Kaname returned to consciousness and finally re-focused on the headmaster who is now tilting his head to the side, showing the pureblood his interest.

"Where is he?"

For a moment, Kaien wondered who he's talking about but remembered there's been only one other person he asks him about aside from Yuuki. The headmaster tried to expand his senses to feel Zero's aura inside the house but he couldn't and realized why Kaname was asking.

"Well he... Uhm..." He cleared his throat, reluctant to tell the pureblood that Zero is avoiding him and that he's most likely in town right now to get his dinner like he normally does whenever Kaname is here. "He's probably in town."

"Did you notice any symptoms? Or changes?" Kaname inquired, reaching for his wine glass and emptying it in one go.

"No, nothing really unusual..." The headmaster suddenly remembered something. "Oh! Zero passed his shooting evaluation. Plus he got to kill his first Level E." He's so proud of his boy. He really is a Kiryuu.

"Interesting..." Kaname murmured. When Kaien looked up at his guest again, his eyes caught the way the pureblood's long and elegant fingers running up and down his throat.

The ramen was so good, the dumplings were so savory. Zero was so full, so he decided to take his time going back to the house. He'll walk around the town to burn off the calories. He knows the pureblood would still be there. He can imagine Yuuki smiling like an idiot. One day her smile is going to tear her face apart. That would kill her and the pureblood would be the cause so he'd get to finally kill him.

Zero cringed at his imagination. Yuuki may be a weirdo but she's kinda his only friend. Plus she could be of use sometimes, especially when she... He can't think. But he's sure she's useful... or could be useful. He couldn't help but remember her clumsy and funny attempts at basically everything. The girl can be a little too enthusiastic and irritating at times, but that's also what Zero admires about her. Despite everything, she's still very positive, while he can't.

"A smile..." The voice came out of nowhere. "How rare..."

Zero stopped abruptly, he recognizes this aura but he doesn't understand why he wasn't able to detect it coming at why he's here instead of in Cross's house with Yuuki where he should be.

Damn it! I can't see him.

He's at the edge of the town, on his way to the forest to continue his walk and it's a little dark in here. No matter where he looks, he can't see where he is. On his right is a dark alley and on his left are the trees. He's basically where the town ends and the forest starts.

"What are you doing here?" The aura is too close but he can't see him.

"Why so agitated? Earlier you were smiling." Says the voice, it's getting closer and Zero still can't see him even when he keeps on turning around him. He wasn't expecting any encounter tonight so he didn't bring his gun. "Tell me, who were you thinking of?"

Zero gasped when after he completed his turn, Kaname is now standing in front of him. The sucker is even more taller now. He had thought he'd be able to catch up to him at least to lessen his intimidating aura. The moonlight allowed Zero to see the unwelcome personal-space intruder's face. He hasn't seen him ever since that night he stabbed him with a table knife. He moved a feet to step back but decided against it. That's going to be a show of weakness. Of fear. And he's not afraid of him. Zero will make sure he knows that.

"It's none of your business." He uttered, finally meeting his dark brown eyes with flecks of reddish tone. The pureblood's eyes studying him like he is doing to him. He saw his look sharpening and his jaw clenching.

"Was it Yuuki?" Kaname Kuran asked and Zero was surprised but only for a second. But the pureblood probably took it as a confirmation. Now he's raging. The silver-haired boy saw it coming but wasn't fast enough to avoid it. Hands settled on each side of Zero's shoulders, pulling him closer to the pureblood than he already is. He could smell Yuuki's scent lingering all over the bloodsucker so he started to struggle and fight back. His futile attempts reminding him of how two years worth of hunter training is still not enough against the pureblood.

"Like I said, it's none o-"

"It is!" Kaname asserted, squeezing his shoulders that made Zero groan in pain as it intensifies turning little by little into a bone-crushing hold. "I forbid you to like her. You are not allowed to get close to her any more than necessary. Understood?"

Talking like he owns Yuuki, that made Zero even more furious. A human should never even be associated to any vampire. "You saved her life once and now you're acting like you own her?" Zero pushed him away once more with all of his strength. "I won't allow that!"

The pureblood's aura blazed up, and being this close to him, Zero felt like his body was set on fire. His struggling stopped, he couldn't continue as he's getting weaker both from the hands squeezing his shoulders and the exposure to pure vampire power. The pureblood is really going to kill him.

A/N: I finished this like a week ago and I though I already uploaded it. Got busy with school so I hope that counts as an excuse lol But see you on the next chapter! I'm actually almost done with it haha