Far from Cross Academy

How could I have been so mistaken? the aged vampire asked himself for what seemed like the hundredth time during the past fortnight as he watched the disturbing scene before him.

At first, the question had presented itself insidiously, a soft whisper which could easily be ignored, sensible doubt that could be brushed aside due of his wary and calculating nature. Certainly, caution had served him well over the centuries, gaining him power over the world of vampires and humans alike.

Feigning interest in a painting hanging on the wall gave him an excuse to look away from the two persons on the opposite side of the room.

Unfortunately, simply turning his gaze elsewhere didn't drown out the moans and choked gurgling that reached his hypersensitive ears.

He clenched his fist and called upon his vast will to keep his face neutral, and as he stared at the landscape with a blank gaze, he mused that the question had occurred with more frequency as days went on, louder and more strident as the answer eluded him.

But he realized what really bothered him about the lifeless watercolor was that he couldn't remember buying it. Growing old… it's upsetting, isn't it?… because…

The thought remained unfinished as he was brought reluctantly back to the present by the meaty thud of a limp, lifeless body crumpling to the floor of his sumptuous office, one of a multitude of his corporations. It was underground of course, and in this particular institution he was a silent partner, so it was relatively safe enough from detection by his enemies for now.

His bright blue eyes, still unfaded over the long centuries, took in the sight of the remains of the prey, avidly watching as dark streams of blood seeped slowly from the neck and corner of the mouth of this latest victim; only to be absorbed by the slate-colored carpet, darkening it to black.

That's never going to come out, Asato Ichijou, more commonly known as Ichiou, observed with false detachment. He pressed the already thin and ungenerous line of his lips more tightly together to stifle hysterical laughter that was bubbling up in his throat at the thought, which masked his mounting panic.

The death of the human didn't bother him. They served many purposes in their limited fashion, to be manipulated in politics and business, certainly, but more fundamental, was their function as prey for vampires. They were only food after all, despite the foolish notions of some.

True, one more dead girl meant nothing. It was what she signified in the long string of victims which were disposed of like clockwork every evening in this place that kept him awake during the hated daylight hours and caused the detested question to repeat itself.

Yes, what the body cooling on his floor reiterated was simple and terrifying to the controlling nature of Ichiou—the loss of control of this situation.

Now, Ichiou's face turned inexorably towards the other occupant of the room as if two large and powerful hands were moving it for him. He had applauded himself for his self-control. He had kept his gaze the tall specter of a man while he drained the hapless young girl, a show of his strength, but with the vampire's murky gaze upon him, he had no choice.

The magnetism and glamour the Purebloods possessed made them impossible ignore.

"It's upsetting, isn't it?" Rido Kuran now inquired in a low pleasant baritone, a rivulet of blood seeping down his chin towards his neck.

Ichiou froze, feeling terribly exposed as Rido's casually spoken words mirrored his own thoughts from moments before. Surely, though Purebloods commanded many awful powers, they couldn't read minds, could they?

But the head of the Ichijou family hadn't gotten to his position by panicking under pressure and he didn't do so now. He collected himself by running a hand through his hair and scoffed, "Upset by your feeding? Why would I be, Rido-sama?"

Rido watched him closely for a few moments and then gazed atthe dead girl on the floor. "Poor child. Too bad… taken so early. For her, no husband, no children and no stinking decay of old age… no peaceful death surrounded by her family, an ordinary life filled with ordinary pain and pleasures," Rido mused, sinking gracefully to his haunches and carefully tucking a lock of the teenager's dark hair behind her ear, which had fallen into her sightless eye.

As Ichijou watched Rido, there was no reason he could put his finger on as to why the Pureblood couldn't be considered devastatingly handsome as he crouched over the body of his recent meal. Gone were the tattered clothes he had been buried in, only to be replaced by a fine ebony suit, carefully tailored for his imposing dimensions. His dark, lustrous hair gleamed with health in the dim lights, his facial features were noble and aquiline, and his smooth, well-formed lips hinted at a sensual nature.

In fact, Ichijou admitted, he looked a great deal like Kaname… no wonder, since he was so closely related to his former ward.

Beyond Rido's physical attributes, he also possessed the delicious floral fragrance that all Purebloods emitted, but with him it was somehow off. It was a small whiff of corruption underneath that was hard to define. To Ichiou, the best analogy he could come up with was the smell of flesh that had just begun to putrefy in a dark place. Does madness have an odor? Ichiou wondered idly.

He dismissed the idea as the workings of his overwrought mind, but admitted whatever it was; Rido was utterly loathsome in his beauty.

Meanwhile, the object of Ichiou's ponderings was now stroking the cheek of the corpse with his long-fingered hand. He skimmed his fingertips down her jaw and moved downward, finally settling them on her breast. He squeezed lightly, an oddly gentle expression at odds on his lean face.

Seeing Ichiou's look of distaste, Rido's lips peeled back from his fangs in a wide smile as he stood up and seated himself in behind the shining mahogany desk at the center of the room. He crossed his legs in an elegant manner that reminded Ichiou forcefully of Kaname again.

Lacing his fingers behind his head, Rido reclined back, staring pointedly at Ichiou's graying blond hair and commented, "But at least she died pretty."

…loss of control, the same tiny voice from earlier supplied in Ichiou's thoughts. Ichiou clamped down on the voice, and did his best to ignore the symbolic usurping of his command by Rido taking his seat.

The voice wouldn't be stopped so easily though, and as Ichiou watched Rido now toying with the antique dagger on his desk, it continued with more authority, Do you honestly believe you're still in power here? Your less disciplined followers are completely under his thrall now. He pretended to do your will, the Council's will, as long as it served his purposes. He went to that school because he WANTED to and when he returned two weeks ago without achieving his goal (if a creature as mad as him can be said to have goals) he stopped pretending to be your faithful dog. Here's the real question: Did you think that something that is as close to being a god as there is would submit to being controlled?

He will never give you-

The voice was silenced abruptly when the tantalizing smell of coppery sweetness filled the room making Ichiou's mouth fill with saliva and his gut cramp in desire. The dagger had slipped in Rido's hands, slicing his palm. Blood welled up in the gash and Ichiou's eyes dilated with want as he stared.

Appearing not to notice his companion's distress, Rido lamented to himself as he dropped the knife to the surface of the desk with a clatter. "I'm so clumsy."

Rido's gaze turned to Ichiou's as he bent his head to his hand and delicately started licking his own blood with long swipes of his sinuous tongue, his eyes hazing over with pleasure.

Ichiou felt sweat popping out on his temple and swallowed a plaintive whine that was building up in his throat. I'm not a fucking dog salivating at a steak dangling from its owner's hand… I'm not.

A filthy smirk twisted Rido's lips as he paused from cleaning his wound. "How selfish of me. Would you like a taste, my friend?"

Ichiou knew it was a game, more importantly, he knew Rido's cruel nature.

But he found himself moving forward anyway with numb legs towards that which he had desired most in his long, but unfortunately limited existence. His death was inevitable, and this fact had enraged and terrified more and more as his age made itself apparent.

He stopped a few feet away, watching Rido narrowly, as one might watch a predator.

Rido's mouth quirked up in a half-grin and squeezed his hand into a tight fist, which served to hide the wound.

At this, Ichiou sighed inwardly and flushed a dull red at his humiliation and his lack of control of himself.

Rido raised himself from the chair and looked down at Ichiou with an expression of contempt. "Tell me, Ichiou, did my dear nephew ever grace you with his blood?"

Ichiou flushed darker and resisted imperative in his mind to answer the Pureblood, he had still a little pride left.

Rido seemed unconcerned by his disobedience, however, and answered for him. "Of course Kaname didn't, because you, Ichiou, are unworthy of it."

Rido rolled his fist tighter, making his knuckles appear that they were going to break through the skin. A few droplets of blood escaped from his palm, presumably because his fingernails had driven into the wound. He kept them from dropping on the ground by rotating his fist.

Using his free hand, he ran his index finger down Ichiou's sweat soaked face. He examined the wet pad of his finger with a mixture of amusement and disgust.

"It must have been difficult having him live in your home all those years. All of that finest Kuran blood so close…" Rido intoned, his eyes glowing with malice and hilarity.

Ichiou's jaw clenched and the desperate haunted look left his face as his will reasserted itself. "If you're not going to give it to me, why don't you go off and find yourself another snack?" He asked before he forced a fake look of concern, "Though I wonder if that hole of yours will ever be filled," he finished calmly, even though his blue eyes blazed with anger.

All the humor left Rido's face and he became very still, "Hole? What are you speaking of?"

"The one left by her, of course," Ichiou paused for effect and finally said softly, "Juuri."

"How dare you," Rido hissed through his fangs.

Ichiou watched rage twist Rido's handsome visage into something dark and monstrous. His normally pale face blanched further to a burning white, which accentuated the furious glow of his eyes, one blue and one scarlet. Now his true nature shows itself, Ichiou thought, he looks like something from the pit of hell. He found himself caught in fascination again, a rodent caught in the hypnotizing stare of the python.

The ancient vampire also wondered if these would be his last moments on earth, as the towering monster's hot breath bathed his face. He realized he wasn't as frightened of the prospect of death as he thought he would be, and that was a profound relief.

But to his surprise, the murderous glare on Rido's features became one of profound confusion. His eyes dimmed and he murmured, "Juuri?"

He clutched his wounded fist tighter and a few drops of his blood squeezed out and landed on the carpet. "I…"

Unconsciously licking his lips, Ichiou's gaze fixed on them.

"I will have her," Rido spoke finally, a disconcertingly peaceful smile brightening his face.

"She is dead, Rido," Ichiou stated in a colorless voice, more frightened then when he thought the eldest Kuran was going to rip his throat out.

"Is she?" Rido questioned in a polite tone. He adjusted his scarlet cravat and made his way to the door. "I think I will find something to eat. You're right. I am feeling hungry again."

"You shouldn't leave, you could be seen," Ichiou warned, once again staring at Rido's blood on the floor.

Rido waved his hand dismissively. "Am I going to run into Kaname," Rido chuckled to himself, "or his pet vampire hunter?"

Ichiou decided he didn't care enough to argue with Rido as he continued considering the carpet. If someone is capable of killing him, let them.

Rido paused with his hand on the knob and turned his head over his shoulder. "I would get to that gift before it dries if I were you, friend. No need to thank me."

"After all, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you, would I? And what fun would that be?" With a wide fangy smile, the Pureblood swept out the door.

Ichiou controlled a shudder with difficulty.

How could I have been so mistaken? Ichiou thought as he sleepwalked towards the blood spots on the carpet. The answer to the detested question finally presented itself, it's simplicity giving it the undeniable ring of absolute truth.

I was arrogant. I thought I was in control. Pride goes before the fall or some such nonsense, right? Humans occasionally get it right, he mused bitterly as he lowered himself to his knees and began sucking on the carpet to get the few precious drops of blood Rido had left behind.

Subdued chants of 'Rido-sama' reached the eldest Kuran as he strode through the halls on his way to a discreet exit from the tall building. He paid little attention to the lower-level vampires who lowered their eyes in deference at his passing, a strange thoughtful expression on his face.

Rido granted that Ichiou was perceptive enough in his own limited way. He was ravenous. No one would ever understand the eternal and constant hunger he experienced. And while the idea of hunting was tempting--he tired of having food brought to him like he was a tame, dull-witted animal in a zoo-- he had other ideas how to spend the evening.

At the doorway, with its bright green 'EXIT' sign above, Rido closed his eyes tightly and focused on a face. He muttered a name under his breath, and his body gradually became transparent until only his disembodied teeth remained, a white, grinning crescent.

After a few moments that, too, disappeared.

He materialized in a dark cavernous place, but even a human with weak vision wouldn't have trouble spotting the bright hair of the figure standing with his back to him.

"Good evening, Kiryuu," Rido murmured and peered about the abandoned warehouse, "Were you looking for me? I'm touched."

Zero turned and drew The Bloody Rose. "Rido." He aimed the pistol at Rido's forehead, his violet eyes narrowed into slits.

Rido grinned. "Really, Zero, you couldn't kill me before and you aren't going to kill me now."

"That's where you're wrong," Zero countered, releasing the safety, "I'm sick of you vampires thinking you can control me. I'm sick of the games and I'm sick of the lies."

Rido brought his hand up to his mouth to stifle a snort and then smoothed his face into more serious lines. He watched the angry teenager in front of him and waited.

"Lies, Kiryuu?" Rido questioned after a time, "We have no use for lies, the two of us. Lies are for friends and lovers. Enemies speak the truth to each other."

Rido took a step closer to Zero, making himself an even easier target. He continued in an untroubled tone, "You recognize that I speak it and that is why you couldn't slay me before, Hunter."

Zero remained silent and unmoving, while Rido closed the remaining distance between them. Now there were mere inches between the two figures.

Rido sighed and lowered himself so that the point of the barrel now was in direct contact with his head. After a few seconds, he smiled at Zero, "Why don't you put it away?"

Zero glared at the loathsome creature in front of him and his finger squeezed the trigger slightly, but he finally removed his finger. He didn't lower his gun, however.

Taking a step away from the grinning apparition in front of him, he stated coldly, "Speak, monster."

Rido straightened and gazed at Zero with something like affection on his face. "I really like you, Zero …all your rough edges and hate, which you never bother to hide. It's so refreshing. Hate is such a noble emotion, don't you think?"

"Are you going to stop wasting my time or should I change my mind about killing you?" Zero gritted out, placing his finger upon the trigger again.

Rido shook his head sadly, dismissing Zero's threat. "But you really don't know how to enjoy yourself do you? It's so sad when your time is limited, vampire."

Zero turned his gaze back to Rido and shot him a look of deepest disgust. "And whose fault is that? If it hadn't been for you…"

Rido spoke as Zero lost his words. "Ah, yes, my lesson to Shizuka on disobedience. Unfortunately, she decided to first revenge herself upon you and your family instead of the true murderer of her beloved." Rido paused, his eyes hazed over with memory.

Finally, he continued, either not noticing or pretending not to notice the dangerous glare in Zero's pale eyes. "Very well, Kiryuu, as I said to you when you had me in your sights before: You despise me, yes."

Rido's eyes glinted with malice."But there is someone you hate even more, isn't there?"

After a calculated pause, he answered his own question, "Kaname."

He gave Zero a look of mock sympathy. "He has used you and that is really a shame, but that's not the real reason you hate him. He has the one thing you desire. No matter what you do, no words will ever be enough, no gesture worthy of gaining her attention. She will never look at you because he exists. You will always be beneath her."

A slight tremor unsteadied Rido's deep voice as he uttered this last, which caught Zero's attention. Rido closed his eyes and tilted his head as if listening to voice only he could hear, while Zero studied him carefully, recognition lighting his eyes.

"And it is a good thing she rejects you because…" Rido's hand shook as he struggled. "…because you would devour her if given a chance… because you love her so."

Rido shook his head as if to clear it and opened his eyes. He detected a suspicious brightness in his opponent's miserable stare and controlled a smirk. Nodding to himself, he pushed on in a business-like tone, "You see? I understand you better than you think, and like you, I, too, wish to see my insufferable… nephew dead. In this, we can help each other."

Zero's gaze was suspicious, but a tight grin appeared on his face at the suggestion.

"But not too quickly. Wouldn't it be fine to make one so arrogant suffer? And what's the best way to do that? Through the one he loves, of course," Rido mused, trying to keep from giggling at the eagerness on the boy's face.

"I can help you achieve your desires," Rido said gently, watching the play of emotions Zero's visage with delight: suspicion, self-loathing, despair and finally something like hope.

During the long pause, when the only sound that could be heard was something fluttering in the rafters, a bird or a bat, perhaps, Zero stared intently at Rido.

After long breathless moments, Zero nodded brusquely in acceptance and reholstered his gun.

Rido inclined his head in response, though not out of respect, but instead to hide his victorious grin. Lying is so easy, but doing it to those who are hampered by an over abundance of honesty, it's downright child's-play.

Cross Academy

Dusk had fallen, and with the final weak, orange rays of the sun, Yuuki's eyes shifted beneath her lids and then fluttered open.

Her first feeling was that of safety and contentment as she felt the warm weight of Kaname's arm resting on her waist and listened to his slow, steady breathing from behind her. Following this first drowsy awareness, she registered a sensation of excitement as she considered that this would be the first day that they would truly be together.

She placed her hand over Kaname's, thinking that she couldn't wait for the day (or night, in this case) to begin, so all the time apart and the pain it had caused them both could be erased, not only the past weeks, but the years of separation before that.

Yuuki shifted, torn between the wish to let Kaname rest and awaken naturally, and the equally strong desire to stir him and see his expressive eyes, to have him look at her with tenderness and desire. She found herself greedy for how that look could make her feel.

Impatience won out, and with her decision, she lifted his hand and pulled it towards her face. She placed his fingertips on her lips and paused, listening to any change in his even respiration. When she heard none, she flushed slightly as she planted a kiss on his palm, marveling at the simple sensation of its faint heat and smoothness.

Still nothing.

Yuuki frowned slightly and turned over, carefully extricating herself from Kaname's unconscious embrace to face him. What she saw bothered her. Underneath his lids, his eyes were moving erratically, and as she watched him, a low vicious moan came from behind his lips.

Yuuki watched in mounting alarm when his face turned into the pillow his head was resting on and his mouth opened, revealing his teeth. She drew in a sharp breath when his fangs sunk into the down filling and began shredding it.

"Onii-sama!" she cried as she gripped his shoulders and began shaking him. "Wake-up!"

A/N: Sorry for the wait, folks. Life... well, I won't bore you with the excuses as to why writing has been difficult. I'm always thinking about this story even if I'm not actually writing it, though.

I really enjoyed writing Rido. I don't know if you can tell, but I think I have a tiny crush on him. *blushes* At any rate, I am really curious to see what you thought of him, so pretty please let me know what you think of him. :

I hadn't intended to have Kaname and Yuuki in this chapter at all, in fact. But somehow that just seemed wrong and I missed them too much let them go til next chapter. ;)

I have to give my deepest thanks to O-Mega Lead for betaing this chapter. Arigato! It's so great to have a beta. :)

Another special thank you to Maddy. Thank you for your wonderful pokes to continue. *hugs*

And of course, the biggest thanks to those who review. Favoriting my story is really appreciated, but reviews truly make my day. *bows*

Until next time, cheers!