Chapter Twenty - Confrontation

Kaname ignored Yuuki's scream as his hand flew towards Mai's back, fully intending to rip her heart out. About an inch from her skin he was thrown back by that same green light, only this time it wasn't coming from the unconscious boy on the ground. Mai stood up and turned to Kaname with vacant eyes. The spirit that Cross felt lurking within her…

"Very clever Kaname…" Mai said, only the voice wasn't hers, not entirely. There was a deeper sound behind it. So it's a male? Kaname wasn't entirely sure what to say. This spirit knew his name, so it must have been watching over Mai since before she'd arrived at Cross Academy. Kaname watched as Rima and Shiki ran forward to take Mai down and defend him, both flying off in different directions with a wave of Mai's hand. "Don't touch her!" The spirit ordered, cringing as Mai fell to her knees clutching her own heart. "I can't…" The voice trailed off, Mai slumping forwards, catching herself with her hands.

"Is that everything?" Kaname wondered as he stepped forward to try again, pushing Yuuki away as she gripped his arm tightly. Seiren restrained her as gently as possible to stop her interfering. Zero was no longer a threat. He was kneeling on the ground barely able to move. Ichijou was unconscious, and Ruka was being held back by Kain, just in case she decided to step in. There was no one else to get in his way.

"You're breaking the rules vampire!" A new voice stated, Kaname almost jumping back as six long silver crosses flew towards him like daggers, all of them hitting the ground like a small protective wall around Mai. Kaname cried out and raised a hand to protect his face as water flew through the air, splashing his hand and arm. He was lucky that he was wearing his jacket as his hand started to burn, along with a few spots on his cheeks and neck. "Mai, are you alright?" A familiar voice asked, a firm hand landing on her uninjured shoulder.

"John?" She asked groggily, though he looked different. He was wearing a long leather trench coat, and some fingerless gloves with silver crosses inlaid across the knuckles, not to mention the daggers that seemed to go all the way around his belt. He looked at her with the same warm blue eyes and the same assuring smile though.

"You'll be alright now." He added warmly as he got to his feet and stood before her, Mai letting consciousness slip away at his gentle assurance. The warmth faded from his eyes as he looked at the pureblood. He could smell it on him. The same sickening scent that Farringdon gave off. That sickly pureness. "Have you forgotten? 'A vampire may not kill an innocent, or a hunter.' That is our treaty." John stated, pulling another dagger from his belt.

"We may kill to protect our own." Kaname shot back, John gripping the dagger tightly, his gaze firm and unforgiving.

"Not while I'm around." He replied tightly, lowering into a fighting stance and watching Kaname do the same. Both waited, ready for the other to pounce, neither willing to go first. Someone had to make a move. Kaname looked to the left, John looked to the right, both were ready for an attack. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting.

"John?" Ichijou's disoriented voice broke in with a croak, the blonde pushing himself to his feet shakily. John almost dropped his dagger as he straightened up, Kaname doing the same. He wasn't so dishonourable that he would attack a man off guard. Kaname watched as Ichijou limped forwards, guilty that he had allowed Rima and Shiki to be so hard on the smaller boy. "It is you, isn't it?" He added as he reached out for the young hunter, half believing he was hallucinating.

"Ichijou…" John replied, stunned as he let the blonde vampire fall into his chest once again. It had been over a year since they'd parted, and he hadn't expected to see Ichijou again. "What are you doing here?" John asked, perplexed as the vampire straightened up and held John at arm's length to get a good look at him. The young hunter looked just the same as he had a year ago. No, that's not quite right…He's a little…happier…

"This is my school…I'm participating in Kaname's Human Unification Program." Ichijou replied with pride, John's eyes hardening as he eyed Kaname, the blonde trying to diffuse the situation quickly. "Of course, Mai's status as a hunter's child and your presence change things somewhat, don't they Kaname? We agreed we'd never kill a hunter, and they're allowed to know about us." He added quickly, Kaname raising an eyebrow at the statement.

"I've never heard the name Taniyama within hunter circles." Kaname objected, Ichijou turning to Ruka, who shook her head slightly.

"Ruka, you must remember! It was on the roadside about twelve years ago, when we were hunting the Yagami victims. They slaughtered two young hunters, and I took their daughter away." Ichijou recounted, Ruka vaguely remembering the small honey haired girl with hazel eyes, the mindless terror in them as the monster leaned down to bite her throat. Her eyes drifted to Mai, whose hair was much the same. It could have been her.

"I think this calls for a truce." A new voice announced, the group looking around as Cross stepped into the clearing with Lin and Monk-san, who both ran to their fallen friends. John eyed the older man distrustfully, the chairman pulling off his glasses wearily as he stepped between Kaname and John. "A discussion is needed before any further action is taken." He reasoned, Kaname nodding his agreement while John said nothing, but returned the dagger to his belt.

"We have to get them back to Ayako." Lin stated hurriedly, Monk-san nodding his agreement as Cross walked towards them, leaning down to get a closer look at the fallen pair. He nodded his satisfaction that neither had been bitten, not that he thought Kaname would be so careless, and it seemed Yuuki had stayed out of this fight.

"Kain, Ruka, a little help if you would." Cross instructed, the uninjured pair stepping forward to gather Mai and Naru into their arms. "They won't be harmed, you have my word." Cross added at Monk-san's distrustful gaze, which didn't soften as he followed the vampires back to the school. Kaname looked around before going to Zero's side and helping him up. The silver haired boy accepted the help grudgingly and Yuuki was giving him the cold shoulder too.

"The injured will go to the infirmary, the lesser injured will return to the dorm, and Kaname, Yuuki, John, Ichijou and Lin will come to my office." Cross announced, the vampires getting up to do as instructed. Shiki picked up Rima, intending to take her back to the dorms. They weren't that badly hurt. Seiren lifted Aido to take him to the infirmary, and Zero struggled to his feet, knowing he would need to go to the infirmary too. With a nod Cross departed with Lin and the others behind him, Yuuki hurrying to walk with her adopted father rather than at Kaname's side.


"I'm losing him! Quick! Bring over that defibrillator!" Ayako ordered, sweat dripping from her forehead as she leaned over Naru. Her black jacket lay discarded on the bed, her white shirt opened the first three buttons in the nervous heat. The redhead looked up with a scowl before pointing impatiently to the machine across by the wall. "That machine there! Get it over here!" She ordered, the tall redheaded male barely acknowledging the order as he walked over and grabbed the machine to wheel it over.

"What can I do?" Monk-san asked worriedly as he looked down at Naru. He had never seen the boy looking so pale, his black hair making it seem as if he were dead already. If it weren't for the rasping breaths Monk-san would think that he was dead. Feeling Ayako's hand on his wrist he looked up, allowing her to swing him towards the top of Naru's bed.

"Hold his shoulders, and put this between his teeth." She added as she handed him a solid wooden bit, the monk raising an eyebrow as he slotted it between Naru's teeth and laid his hands on the boy's shoulders. "It's so that he doesn't bite his tongue." The doctor replied in explanation as Kain wheeled the machine to a stop beside Naru's bed. Ayako didn't even thank him as she leaned over and ripped open Naru's tattered black shirt.

"What are you doing?" Ruka asked curiously as she appeared across from the other side of the bed, while Kain returned to Aido's side, the younger redhead lying in silent agony as he waited for Ayako to be free. Mai, meanwhile, was still sleeping, though she could wake up at any time. Ayako hoped it was after she had saved Naru's life and not before. Zero was slumped against the door to the infirmary on the ground, doing his best to control his blood lust with the scent of fresh blood hanging in the air.

"He needs a shock to keep his heart beating." Ayako replied as she rubbed the paddles together, adding a cold gel to them. Ruka watched with a mixture of curiosity and horror as the redheaded doctor lowered the paddles to the boy's chest, his body arching up on impact. Ayako pulled back and listened to Naru's heart. "Hitting again." Ayako warned before applying the paddles once more. Monk-san struggled to keep Naru's shoulders down after the volts went through him. This time he sounded more stable. She nodded to Monk-san to let go and step back.

"Will he be alright?" Monk-san asked as he stepped to Ayako's side and rested a gentle hand across her back. Ayako shook her head and sighed as she hooked up an IV of fluids to Naru's arm. From her bed Masako looked across in horror, her eyes flicking between Mai and Naru.

"I hope so." Ayako replied as she turned to Mai, who hummed lightly, her body stirring. Ayako signalled to Monk-san to pull the curtain around Naru's bed. She didn't want Mai to see him like that so soon. She put on a gentle expression as she leaned down over Mai and stroked her forehead. She drew back sharply as Mai shot up screaming for her father. "Are you alright?" Ayako asked as she laid a gentle hand on Mai's shaking shoulder, the honey haired girl nodding as she slowed her breathing and put a hand on her still bleeding shoulder.

"I think so. How's Naru? Did you get to him in time?" She asked suddenly, turning to Ayako with pleading eyes. The redhead hushed her and waved towards the closed curtain, where Monk-san stood trying not to look too worried.

"He's resting now, and I'll check on him again soon. Do you think you can wait a while longer? There's another boy who was hurt." She added as she nodded towards Aido, who scrunched his eyes shut as he moved a little. He couldn't move a muscle without his back screaming in agony. From what he could tell it had been broken in five places. Which would be easy to fix with a little fresh blood!

"How is he?" Mai asked as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Monk-san objected as she got to her feet, but the young girl wouldn't be hushed or forced back. She followed Ayako to Aido's bed with Ruka's help and looked down at his pale face, his eyes dark red as shaky breaths escaped between his teeth. He's in a lot of pain…

"His back has multiple breaks, but he will heal with some blood." Kain replied, though he didn't hold out any hopes for volunteers. He could give his own blood, but human blood or pure blood was better for this kind of thing. Mai winced as she unbuttoned her shirt. Monk-san objected as she pulled it off, along with Naru's makeshift bandage, the blood running down her shoulder in long rivulets.

"Mai! You can't lose much more blood." Ayako objected as Mai leaned down towards Aido, who looked like he was going out of his mind at the scent of her blood. If he had the strength he would have dragged her down and consumed her completely. Mai brushed off Ayako's objections as the warm blood dripped and splashed Aido's cheek.

"Take some of mine…It's just running out on the floor anyway." Mai said gently as she winced in pain. Kain reached over to help her, lifting her up so that her blood would run into Aido's open mouth, his eyes showing nothing but a consuming hunger. Monk-san watched distrustfully as Aido gained strength from just a few drops. He could almost hear the clicks and turns as his spine knitted back together. Once his back was healed enough Aido sat up and pressed his lips to the wound in Mai's shoulder, his arms wrapping around her bare back to pull her closer. The shirt was now hanging off her shoulders as she cradled Aido's head like a feeding child.

"Aido." Kain said in warning, the redhead opening his red eyes to look at his taller cousin, who gave him a look of warning. Something had changed while he was unconscious. He already knew that, but having to pull away from Mai now was agony. She tasted so good. "Enough." Kain added firmly, Aido nodding as he bit the inside of his mouth and let his blood flow over Mai's wound. As he drew back the redhead flushed, averting his eyes swiftly from the barely dressed human girl. Only a badly blood-stained white bra covered her modest chest.

"Is she okay?" Monk-san demanded as he stepped forward, his eyes widening as he watched the wound in her shoulder start to knit itself together. Kain, who had caught Mai as she fell back, lifted the weakened girl and carried her back to her bed. He laid her down gently on the covers, making sure her head was resting comfortably on the pillows.

"She will be fine. Aido healed her wound, so she won't lose any more blood." The tall boy replied as he drew back. Monk-san leaned down to examine her, looking at the vampire questioningly. "We are not pure bloods. Our blood won't turn her, and he didn't bite her." Kain added assuringly as he drew back, Ayako examining the wound in wonder.

"Amazing! Can your blood give a human extra strength?" She asked, Kain nodding as the doctor looked to him for answers. At his response she looked towards the curtain around Naru's bed. "In that case, would you be willing to help him?" She asked as she nodded towards Naru's bed. Kain hesitated as he looked at Aido, who was sitting up still licking up traces of blood from his fingers and lips.

"Go ahead. That guy handed me my ass! I don't want him dying before a rematch!" Aido stated with a grin, his eyes slowly returning to their regular amber colour. Kain's lips gave a rare quirk at the comment before he followed Ayako to Naru's bed, where she would transplant some of his blood to the boy. "She okay?" Aido asked, sounding slightly concerned as he looked across to Mai's bed.

"I'm fine." Mai replied groggily as she lay back against the pillows, turning her head towards Aido with a small smile. He hummed in response as he shifted his gaze to the wall. Mai either didn't notice or didn't care that her chest was more or less on display to everyone in the room. Ruka, on the other hand, was more perceptive and tucked a blanket over the frail girl who'd saved her life.

"You're a strange one…It's not every day you find someone willing to help you out after you tried to rip their throat out." Aido murmured as he leaned back, knowing he would need to rest a while more before he could get up, maybe another night. Monk-san snorted in response to the comment. That was definitely Mai. The honey haired girl said nothing, but looked sheepish as she lay back on the bed, her eyes shifting to Naru's hidden bed. She hoped he was alright.


"You truly believe the council was behind our arrival?" John asked, still distrustful of this Kaname character, but he was trying his best for Ichijou. He found it hard to believe that Ichijou would feel so loyal towards someone with evil intentions. But he did just try to slaughter Mai like an animal, so I'll reserve my judgement for now.

"I do. They have been against this program from the beginning." Kaname replied, Cross nodding his agreement as he looked into his steaming cup of tea. It was certainly their style, but there was that other lingering presence that bothered him. If it were the council they would send in their weaker covert watchers, but this one was something else, and it bothered him. He felt like a pureblood, and there weren't many of those left. A personal vendetta perhaps?

"Whatever the case we have averted it without incident. The injured will be healed and compensated, you have my word." Cross assured, but the look in John's eyes told him that it was far from over, and as a fellow hunter John Brown had a right to know. Cross had heard a lot about this hunter from his fellows, and even knew his trainer. This boy was special.

"Compensation isn't the issue here, and this isn't the end." Lin spoke up, Cross feeling something brush against him as the Chinese man looked his way. He could tell this man also had power, though he had known that for a while. In fact all of them had certain powers. Some were stronger than others, but they complemented each other beautifully. It was hard to believe that luck and coincidence had brought them all together.

"What do you mean?" John asked, though he had a feeling he knew what it was. He couldn't place it, but he had felt something else. Outside the Night Class, outside the academy, lurking just on the outskirts, waiting for something. He felt Ichijou's hand on his thigh and froze at the shot of warmth that ran through him.

"It's probably nothing." The blonde spoke up quickly, all eyes turning to him as he flushed slightly, John's eyes widening in realisation. The others didn't understand why he was trying to brush it off, but John knew. There was only one reason Ichijou would try to make things seem less serious than they were. John's jaw tightened as he turned towards the blonde with hard eyes.

"It's him isn't it?" He stated, Ichijou's blue eyes lowering slightly, desperate not to have to confirm it. John reached forward and gripped Ichijou's shoulders tightly, shaking the smaller boy. "Isn't it!" He all but yelled, Lin looking at him wide eyed. He had never seen the gentle exorcist behave like this. Kaname released some calm, watching as John's hands slowly relaxed. Cross reached forward to ease the young human back gently.

"I didn't want to tell you…Not until we were sure." Ichijou replied quietly as he sat straight once more with a dark and helpless look. Now that John knew there would be no stopping him. The venomous look in his cobalt eyes said it all. Ichijou reached out and laid his hand on John's thigh once more, feeling the exorcist tense slightly at his touch. "Don't do anything reckless." He added gently, feeling his cheeks flush as John looked up at him with a slightly blank stare.

"What is it?" Lin asked, Ichijou feeling no surprise that John hadn't enlightened his new friends about his past life. It was a life full of darkness and pain. Ichijou only knew the story because he'd been a part of it for a while, and hoped he still could be. John's eyes lowered guiltily before he looked across at the older Chinese man, who had a look of quiet concern.

"The presence…It's an old adversary of mine…" John replied quietly, unsure exactly what to tell the Chinese man. As much as he hated reliving his past mistakes he knew he would have to re-tell the whole story if his friends were to remain safe and understand why he couldn't leave. "I have a feeling he's come to finally settle the score between us." He added.

"John…James?" Ichijou questioned quietly, John's expression softening slightly as he shook his head, feeling relieved himself.

"He has no idea where to look. My plan worked." The exorcist replied, his eyes shifting to the thoroughly confused form of Lin, who waited patiently as he sipped his tea. "I suppose I'll have to re-tell my story, and it starts with a girl named Jemima Wishart…My wife." He began, raising his cup to his lips before continuing. His pause gave Lin time to process the fact that John had already been married, and widowed, before the age of nineteen.


"How are you doing kid?" Monk-san asked as he crouched beside Zero, who was still sitting against the door clenching his teeth. At the monk's words Zero opened one deep crimson eye. The human drew back slightly at the sight, relaxing as the boy lowered his gaze apologetically. "Ayako, he doesn't look so good." He called, the redhead hurrying over and crouching down.

"He's not badly hurt…I think he's just hungry." She reported almost sympathetically. The monk hummed at her assessment, unsure what to do about it. Zero shifted slightly, his hand shaking as it reached into his pocket and pulled out a white box, which dropped to the floor with a rustle. "Medication?" Ayako asked in surprised as she opened it to see the pills.

"Not exactly. It's an experimental drug. We're volunteers trying it out as a replacement for blood…It works to sustain us, but it doesn't heal us the way real blood does." Ruka replied as she appeared with a full glass of water, Zero giving her a grateful look as she picked up the pills and dropped three into the water. The humans looked on in wonder as they dissolved and turned the water red.

"A powdered form of the chemicals and nutrients found in blood?" Ayako wondered aloud, Ruka shrugging in response. She wasn't a scientist. She was just a high school student. Monk-san watched in fascination as Zero shakily raised the glass to his lips and drank with Ruka's help. He looks like a drug addict getting a hit! The monk thought as he watched Zero relax slightly, the crimson in his eyes fading a little as the mixture hit his system.

"Do you need more?" Ruka asked as Zero finished the glass, shaking his head in response as he leaned back, his eyes now a light violet colour. He took a few breaths, the monk watching as his fangs retracted to normal teeth.

"I think I'm alright now." Zero replied, struggling to get to his feet, surprised as the human doctor grabbed his arm and steadied him. They certainly weren't normal people. They didn't ask any questions, they weren't afraid, they were just quietly curious. Ayako helped the silver haired student to a chair, since the beds were all taken, and helped him to sit down.

"You took a bit of a beating…Do you need any painkillers?" She asked as she probed his neck with her hands. She watched him wince as she found the place that Kain had hit to take him down, but everything felt fine to her as she pulled back. He had another head injury, but despite the blood it was a minor wound.

"I guess…" Zero replied, not used to interacting with humans. Since he'd crossed over and joined the Night Class he hadn't interacted with humans other than Mai, despite working as a prefect. In that situation he had Yuuki to help out, and he wasn't trying to be nice to them, he was just holding them back. Ayako gave him a small smile as she fetched a needle from a tray and returned, tapping the side to make sure no air had been trapped in it.

"This won't hurt a bit." She added as she leaned down to his arm, watching as he rolled up the sleeve of his white shirt, the only vampire wearing that colour. Zero watched as Ayako ran a gentle hand up his arm, tapping the skin to find a suitable vein before sliding the needle into his skin and injecting. "That should do it." She added as she stepped back, Zero feeling strangely drowsy as he looked up sharply.

"What did you give him?" Monk-san asked, Ayako giving him a light smile as she returned to her other patients, Aido giving her no trouble as she put an IV in his arm. She gave him the same smile she had given him in the classroom, watching his cheeks turn pink as his amber eyes fell on her slightly exposed chest.

"Just a light sedative. It will dull the pain and let him get some rest." She replied as she stepped back from the young redhead, who traced her steps with his eyes. Monk-san noticed his gaze and grinned as he made his way over to the doctor and stood close beside her.

"Looks like you have a fan." He teased lightly, Ayako giving him a warm smile that told him she knew and thought it was quite cute. Monk-san joined her in smiling. He remembered his first teacher crush too. Miss McKenzie…

"Should I take him to his room?" Ruka asked as she nodded towards Zero, who had slumped back in the plastic chair and could fall off. Kain appeared at her side at her words, intending to head back to talk to Shiki and Rima about what was going on.

"That would probably be best. Aido will need to stay a while longer though." She added as she looked across at the drowsy redhead, knowing that he would be no trouble for her to handle. Ruka and Kain agreed and left, Kain hefting the silver haired boy over his shoulder while Ruka held the door open for him. "What a night." Ayako sighed as she slumped into the nurse's office chair. Whether the nurse was off duty or had simply been sent away for the evening Ayako had no idea, but she was glad she hadn't had to make up any explanations.

"You were amazing." Monk-san praised as he rested his hands on her tense shoulders and worked his fingertips into the soft skin, slightly annoyed that the shirt was in the way. The redhead let out a small hum of appreciation as she leaned back into his touch and looked up at him. His light brown bangs were hanging down as he leaned over her, the rest of it tied back as usual.

"I don't feel amazing." She sighed in response as her eyes shifted to the four beds, Naru's still hidden by a pale yellow curtain. Masako was sitting up, watching them quietly while trying not to be intrusive. Mai was sleeping peacefully, her chest rising and falling beneath the covers. She was now under a duvet as well as the blanket thanks to Monk-san's gentle hands. Aido was also slowly drifting off, thanks to the sedative Ayako had slipped into his IV.

"Well you should." The monk added softly as he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, pink rising to the doctor's cheek. This was a rare show of semi-public affection. They tried to keep their outside interactions to a minimum. She forgot how long it had been going on now. Three months at least. He gave her a warm smile before continuing his work on her aching shoulders, something he'd become used to in those three months. She was always achy after working at the hospital.