"Sometimes it's the gaps in the writing that make a story interesting, because you never know which way the story went. As a result, you get to work it out for yourself. Sometimes that is what makes a story worth the read." - Me.

Blood Ties

Night One

'Hmm… He's not the type. At least, I don't think so…' Sighing, Mia Hiou turned her sharp gaze from the water that fell from the top of the fountain. She gasped once she noticed that she was not alone. Zero had joined her. He usually only did this when he needed comfort. 'Something must have happened with Yuki again. He seems to be losing control more often now.' She thought with a sad pout, as her friend sat next to her and bowed his head. He stared into the clear water.

"It happened again." He stated with a bitter tone.

She sighed, looking away from him. "I knew it would." She murmured quietly. Zero glanced at her reflection and closed his eyes in shame. "I know," She continued, studying his stiff posture, "I look like her." He nodded sharply with a quick intake of oxygen, swallowing his anger.

"It's all right," Mia told him with a soothing voice, "I am not her. You just… have to remember that." Zero stared at their reflections for a few minutes before standing up quite abruptly and claiming that he had work to do and that she should be in class.

She simply let him go, staring back at the water that fell from the fountain top. "It's only a matter of time now." She whispered to herself, watching the falling drops glitter in the moonlight.

Night Two

'It has been a long time. If it weren't for the fact that we were both abandoned then I do strongly believe that we may never have become close friends.'

Mia jumped from her seat once the door of her bedroom slammed open. Takuma Ichijou ran in with great excitement filling his eyes and a bright smile painted on his visage. "Isn't it marvellous?" He sang elatedly, "The valentine dance will be so much fun, right Hiou-sama?"

She allowed a small fake smile to pierce her deep red lips, as her gaze raked over Takuma and the pureblood lingring by the door. "Yes." she stated plainly, "Very exciting indeed."

"Ichijou, if you would give us a minute alone." Kaname ordered with a smirk at the utterly embarrassed Takuma.

"Ah! Kaname-sama, how long have you been stood there?" Takuma asked, stuttering ever so slightly.

"Long enough to know that you cannot wait to dance with the Day Class students." Kaname mentioned with a teasing glint in his eyes. Mia grinned at the Vice President and silently watched, as he clambered out of the door and out of sight.

"Hiou." Kaname greeted coldly.

She sighed, "Kuran."

He nodded and moved over to sit at the bottom of her bed, as she pushed and shoved through her closet for a clean uniform. "You seem more quiet than usual." He commented.

"Stalking me, Kaname?"

"Merely noticing a change in character." He said dryly.

"Shame," She whispered to herself, "You're already aware as to why I am uneasy Kaname." She said more loudly with a cough. She could feel his eyes staring at the back of her head.

"We're both Purebloods, Hiou. Yet, we are also cousins. Your father…"

"I know!" She shouted, tearing down a few of her cotton and silk shirts in anger, "They not only ruined me. They ruined many others."

"You only care about two of the people your parents ruined," Kaname hissed, "Kiryu and his brother."

Mia gasped, as he forcibly turned her to him and slammed her against the wall. "You only care about them!" His eyes had become a more vibrant red. She stared at the sharp fangs protruding from his lips, as he leaned closer to her, towering over her small frame. Kaname fiercely fought to hold back his temper, as he pushed, "What about your other cousin, Yuki. They ruined her too."

"Yuki is gone!" She screamed, fighting him off and backing away into a corner, "Only that pathetic human shell remains! She is not my cousin, and she not your sister!"

He slapped her.

Night Three

'I had never realized how odd it was. For vampires it is considered normal - probably even special and extremely acceptable… for purebloods. Humans though, they did not believe that it was right. Zero was the same way. He told me once, when we were little, that he would never allow him to hurt me. What a liar.'

Sporting a purple bruise on her left cheek, Mia walked down the pathway with the rest of her class. The aristocrats were astonished when she had met up with them at the front doors of the Moon Dorm. Kaname had never hit her. He had never lost his temper with anyone other than Aidou and sometimes Zero. Still, she felt as though she had been betrayed.

'He would rather me be in Yuki's position. He wants her. He has not ever seen me... only Yuki.' A bloody tear fell from her right eye, as she passed the very same girl that was plaguing her mind. Thoughts of killing and ripping her apart floated in and out of Mia's unstable mind. She could already hear the lovely crunches of the human's bones and the rattle of chains that would keep her still, as she screamed and hollered for her precious Kaname Kuran.

Shaking her head, Mia was surprised to see that during her deluded fantasy, Aidou and Kain had been kind enough to guide her to a seat in between one another. They probably thought that she would need protection: Protection from Kaname-sama. He was still unhappy and it showed through his blazing bloodthirsty eyes.

'No matter,' She thought, bowing her head to avoid inquisitive eyes, 'This will all be over very soon. I can sense it.'

Night Four

"Tomorrow everybody! Tomorrow!" Takuma shouted throughout the Moon Dorms. He had been at it since dawn and many vampires were becoming extremely agitated by the behavior, as the Vice president had messed with their slumber.

"I got no sleep," Ruka was complaining, yet again, "Now I'll probably sleep through class and have to endure the sun all night." Rima and Shiki nodded idly, as they pretended to listen to her, whilst munching on more pocky.

"Mia-sama would there be any chance that you could, maybe, get him to stop?" Kain asked with a groan, as Aidou nudged him for being so forward.

"No." She said without any emotion. The group around her stopped chatting and watched her for a while until one of them had the guts to ask.

"Have you not been sleeping, Mia-sama?" Ruka pondered aloud, as Aidou shifted away from the pureblood. Obviously he expected her to lash out at anyone who was closest to her.

"I have not been in the mood to sleep for years, Ruka. Nor have I been interested in eating either."

"Then it's no wonder that bruise has not faded. Perhaps if you drank-"

"No!"

Aidou had indeed been correct in his earlier assumption, as Mia hit him in the head and then arm, as she jumped out of her seat. He wailed a little, but stopped immediately once he noticed that Hioua-sama was leaving the Moon Dorms.

"Should I get Kaname-sama?" Ruka asked the group, as they watched one of their superiors walk out the front doors.

Aidou shook his head and suddenly became more serious, "Leave her," They all turned to face him questioningly. "I am surprised none of you actually noticed. Hiou-sama cannot handle the blood tablets. We made a deal. I take her tablets and she doesn't punish me for breaking rules."

Ruka slapped him round the face with a strict glare, "Baka! Do you know what this could do to her? She could, could- oh! I don't even know what could happen in that silly head of hers!"

Aidou gave a cold glare and spoke with great malice, "She is our superior. It is our job to protect purebloods. You do not truly think that I would be that stupid, do you Ruka? I have been giving her my blood," He heard a few gasps, "That's right!" He shouted, "Unlike the rest of you, I have actually paid attention to her needs. Right now she needs her friend - Zero!"

"You have created a link with her, through your blood." They all turned and quickly bowed to the President of the Moon Dorms. All of them bowed except for the deeply devoted Hanabusa Aidou. "I hope you've realized that she will never return the love and lust that you now feel for her, Aidou."

"So be it." He hissed.

Kaname raised an eyebrow, "She was born a pureblood and if she does not marry one… then she will end up just like her mother. In fact I'd say she's well on her way to becoming as insane as Shizuka. She needs help - real help. Someone to love her…"

Aidou scoffed and walked away.

Night Five

'I thought that when we saw them again things would end differently. They have not. I am still weak and so is Zero. Yuki is still the center of the universe as well. Oh, how it hurts…'

"Ichiru." Her harsh whisper of disbelief was soon washed away, as Zero began to argue with his younger brother.

"Mia-Senpai, we have to go. We need to get help." Yuki insisted, tugging on the hem of Mia's Black dress, whilst the twins fought.

"Get help yourself Yuki. I am not your friend and I am certainly not your baby sitter, so suck it up and just go already." She muttered darkly, her eyes changing to a light thirsty colour as she smelt the blood that caked Ichiru's arms and legs. He was bleeding rather badly, but not as much as Zero. Sadly, even one drop was enough for Mia to go crazy over the younger Kiryu and as Yuki pushed Zero out of the way of his brother's blade, Mia pounced on him. They tumbled to the floor, Yuki and Zero dashing for the door, hoping to catch Shizuka.

"What are you doing?" Ichiru shouted at her, as she leaned in and licked the blood off his cheek.

"You taste so good," She said with a shiver of delight, "I want more."

Ichiru gasped, as her tongue made its way down his neck and back up to his lips, "Can I have more?" She asked with her eyes closed in pleasure.

"What? Who? Your that girl. From long ago. The one that was swinging in the park when I met Shizuka-sama. She said you were her daughter, is that true?" He seemed to struggle with himself, "No! Even if you were – are. I still can't give up on Shizuka-sama. She's my everything."

Mia kissed his cheek and slowly licked and bit at his ear, as she asked politely, "Please can I have a taste?" He tried to push her away, but being a pureblood, she easily pried his hands from her arms and pressed them to the carpet floor, "Please?" She begged.

They stared each other down until neither could take it any longer. The silence was killing them both. "All right!" Ichiru gasped with a shudder, "Take what you want."

She sighed in contentment and bent down to nibble his neck, trying to find the right vein. Mia easily bit into his flesh and the aroma of his blood leaked into the air. There was no doubt that the other vampires would be able to smell her feast, but at that moment Mia did not care. She was a vampire, a beast in human form, but she was happy. Happy to sink her teeth into such a man.

'Ichiru…'

The Final Night - A week after the incident.

"Mia-sama?"

"Shush," she chortled with a smile, "I want to just look at you again." She commanded lightly, as he blushed. Laughing with her, he stood upright and twirled round a bit in his new night class uniform. She giggled again, clapping her hands, "Thank you!" She said with joy, as he sat back down with her.

"Anything for you Mia-sama." He told her with a serious facade. It soon faded out into a bright and loving expression, as he once more heard her laugher echo on the walls of her bedroom.

"Hmm, Ichiru?" She pondered with a gentle and wistful tone, "Do you think we will get Yuki back? Kaname says we will, but I don't know how he plans to awaken her."

Ichiru sat in thought. He had gone through this in his mind ever since he had been changed and Mia had told him of her family's past. He turned and churned it in his mind, searching for an answer that could please her.

"Kaname-sama seems more determined lately, as though he is unsettled by something. Like someone he cares for deeply has been taken from him. Maybe he sees Zero as a threat, I don't know, Zero does not seem to bother him so much now. However, I believe that if there is any way to bring your cousin back, that he will find it." Mia seemed happy enough, as he offered a comforting hug and a couple of long passionate kisses.

"Thank you." She whispered to him, as she fell into his arms and drifted off to sleep more blissfully than she had in years.