BA: Happy New Year! ... And that's all we can say right now... because we really need to go and partay!

DFA: All VK characters are invited.. except maybe the Level Es.

LB: Won't be much fun having a Level E sucking at your blood while you were drunk! Review please!

Chapter Six: The Decision

Six Days later... (A Friday)

I stared blankly at the sheet of paper in front of me. The Council had made sure that we were taking French classes in this school. The Third-in-command told us that we needed to brush up on that language. I guess he's lucky we were in a fairly good mood that day.

The girl sitting next to me tapped my arm and asked, "Are you all right? I think you just wrote that the baker sold you an elephant."

I snapped back and murmured, "Shoot."

The girl – Sayori Wakaba, I remembered her name – chuckled. "Not to worry," she assured me. "We make that mistake sometimes as well."

I cocked my head and eyed her curiously. Besides Sakura, she was the only one not fawning over my brother. Her mind was strange, as well – deep, bell-like tolls in every thought. Everybody's mind had a certain song that rang in every thought, but I rarely see one such as this – strong, firm but quiet, something that fits better in the background. And, there was a mysterious ring to it.

I didn't delve deeper into her thoughts, as it was very rude to invade into other people's privacy, but I would very much like to in this case. But I skimmed through the surface, and took in one thought of hers.

I understood that she knew about vampires.

My heart throbbed at that word. Vampire. How I wish I was one, fully and completely. But... it was impossible. Kanaye would never do that to me. He wanted me... as much as I want Takuma. And he would never inflict that sort of pain on me.

I don't deserve him.

My eyes fell on my brother, and I saw his struggling-to-stay-composed face. I grimaced inwardly, shielding my thoughts from him. He raised his head and golden met golden for a split second before he turned away.

Was I dreaming, or did his eyes look wet? I tried to delve into his thoughts and felt only tranquillity.

Yes, I was most definitely dreaming. He never cried.

I sighed, and let my head sink into my arm while I waited for this torture to end.

--

I watched, from a distance, as the Night Class made their entrance. Aido, being Aido, waved and flirted with the girls, causing three of them to swoon and faint in unison. The Pureblood Princess and Kiryuu were having a hard time pushing them back... or I should say, keep them at bay. Kiryuu and Kuran were giving off dangerous auras. I suppose the girl thought she was a hotshot now, being a Princess and all.

And yet, I envied her.

She could be with the one she loved. She could stay with him and love him, unrelentingly, without reluctance. She could marry him when she reached of age, and she could talk to him as equals, without one side losing control at any moment.

My eyes settled on Takuma and I sucked in a deep breath. His eyes met mine, and he broke into a breathtaking smile, obviously unafraid by what happened to me that night. Or maybe he was just relieved that I was alive.

He leaned over to the Pureblood Prince and murmured something to him. Kaname's eyes flashed to mine, and he nodded. Takuma strode over quickly to me, his eyes always on mine, holding my gaze, turning me into stone.

I had to wrench my eyes away from his while he walked, and quickly turned away, striding as quickly as a human should away from him. I could sense his confusion, and I heard his footsteps stop as I felt his green gaze boring holes into my suddenly vulnerable back.

I stopped, too, and clenched my fists, trying to keep calm.

If you choose him, I will finish what we started.

I started to walk again, but he had caught up with me by this time, having taken advantage of my hesitation.

"What's wrong?" he wanted to know immediately, his eyes showing all the concern in the world.

I refused to meet his gaze, keeping my eyes on my hands, my feet, anything to stop me from losing my train of thought.

"Nothing," I whispered, trying to tear away from his grip, but he held fast. Damn my human weakness.

He leaned into my face, lifting up my chin with his unoccupied hand so we were eye to eye.

"Are you sure?" he breathed his scent into my face, and I shuddered delicately.

I couldn't bear him being so close to me, but I couldn't kiss him either. If I did that, and Kanaye was watching... well, it would lead to his death, with me being helpless against my brother's strength.

He leaned in to swiftly kiss me on the cheek; I froze in surprise.

"Meet me at the fountain tonight, at midnight," he whispered, his eyes shining with some emotion I didn't understand. I tried to define it, but he backed away, and smiled again, encouragingly. "I'm not afraid," he added, softly, before waving and rejoining the troop of vampires who were now going past us. He had to jog to catch up, and I giggled, despite myself, and turned around.

My laughter stopped short when I saw my brother standing behind me. I hadn't noticed him appearing. He must be extremely mad.

I took a deep breath. "It's my choice," I reminded him, fearing that that was the wrong move to make.

The glower in his eyes dimmed, and he stumbled back. "You choose him?" he choked out, his hands flying to his throat.

My eyes widened. "No! Not yet. I still have a day. ... Don't be mad, Onii-sama," I pleaded, stepping forward with my arms open. Of course, we both knew that I was lying about having not chosen. He stared at me, still shocked. "Listen, I'll explain it all to him tonight, okay? I'll tell him that..." I swallowed, "that we can't be together... not... now."

"You will become one of them? A creature of the night?" he asked me, his voice muted.

I lowered my eyes. "I'm considering that," I admitted. "But I can't do it if you refuse to let me become one of them."

Kanaye's eyes dimmed.

"If I kill him... you'll be mad, won't you?" he whispered.

I swallowed. "I'll protect him with my life, yes. There's never a chance of him dying. Not now." My eyes flicked to my brother's face, then away, to the gardens. I could feel the sadness roiling off my brother now.

"If you protect him... you'll be..." my brother trailed off, unable to continue.

I closed my eyes. "Yes. It's a risk I must take, Onii-san. There's no way... there's no way I can live a life without him... not anymore. I just... I've been thinking, these past few days, and as I thought, I realized how deep my love is for him. It's more than just the binding of sibling love that grows – it's stronger, deeper. I can't tame it, no matter what I do, and the only option is for me to give in to it. I'm sorry, Onii-san. I have to choose him." I bowed my head and looked away.

"You understand... how dangerous this is for you, don't you? For the both of you?" Kanaye whispered.

"Aye." I raised my eyes and met his.

He shuddered and looked away. Away from my eyes, as gold as his, and meant for him, and him only.

I shuddered, too, dropping my eyes.

"Our words of binding..."

I looked at him.

"We are bound... and you and I will know exactly where we both are, but if we ignore the call... Remember what our parents said? 'If you are separate for a long time, your powers will fade and you will die. Thus is our curse, by the very Pureblood King of our first ancestor's time.' What will we do then?"

My voice was bleak. "I'll have to think about it."

"You can't expect us to die. We are the last of our kind!"

"As had been our parents before us."

"They never chose a vampire to love."

"I did not choose this!"

Kanaye raised his head to stare at Kiryuu, who was looking suspiciously at us. My brother sighed, then stepped back. "Go."

"Onii-san?"

"Go to him. But if either of you get hurt... don't say I didn't warn you."

Kanaye turned around and walked away.