I leaned casually against the wall, watching the huge windows that ran from the floor to the ceiling. I watched Yuuki and Zero as they patrolled the perimeters of the school, checking to make sure none of the day class had snuck in.

Other then me, the halls were empty, quiet as the grave. All the Night Class would be in classes now. There would be no one to overhear us.

The sound of quiet footsteps echoed through the hall. They drew up beside me and stopped.

"Kaname." I said with a smile, not bothering to look up. "I would say this was a surprise, but then I would be lying. I'm only surprised you haven't sought me out sooner."

"The night students are already taking a special interest in you, thanks to our meeting earlier today." Kaname replied, watching his sister and Zero as they ran around the grounds. "They don't know what you are, so at the moment they have just a mild curiosity. I would like to keep it that way."

"What I am." I said, with a slight chuckle. "You make it sound as if you know everything there is to know about me."

Kaname glanced at me and met my gaze silently.

"Oh, I see." I said, my smile going wider. "You don't know anything, and it's killing you, isn't it? You're so eager to make me into one of your chess pieces, but how do you move a piece that you know nothing about, right?"

"To protect Yuuki I must understand every element, every possible scenario. Any unknown is a danger. You are a very big unknown. And, no matter how I try, I can find nothing that has any information about you. No documents, none of the members of the senate or the higher aristocrats know of you. Even Kiean, your so called friend, knows only that you are a very powerful vampire that shares his peaceful ideals. A vampire who would not drink the blood of a Kuran, who is not under the senate's control, friends with a legendary vampire hunter, just who are you, Karashi?"

"That was quite a speech." I commented, approvingly. "I had no idea you were so interested in me."

"Do you remember?" he asked, his voice going soft. "All those years ago? You said you saved Yuuki and me by chance. But it wasn't chance was it? You were there for a reason."

"Is that why you wanted to talk to me? To relive old memories?"

Kaname met my gaze silently.

I sighed. "Well, I suppose you'll find out sooner or later. You wanted to know who I am, right? That's not really an easy question to answer."

"Try, please."

I nodded, then tossed my head up, allowing my silky raven hair to fan out behind me in the sudden breeze that gusted through the hall. My eyes flashed and I drew myself up, allowing my full height, beauty and power to show. "I am the Lady Karashi Keiru." I said, my voice quiet but vibrating with power and majesty. "I am the last surviving member of the ancient family of Keirus, one of the great families of purebloods that reigned before the Kurans came into power. I am the first of the Kierus, and the last. By rights, Kaname Kuran, I should be the leader of the vampires and the senate. I am the most powerful of the purebloods alive today. That, 'Lord' Kaname, is who I am." I allowed the wind around me to die down, slowly, as I took deep breaths of the cool air.

Kaname seemed shocked, and, for once, at a complete loss for what to say. Then his training kicked in, and he veiled his emotions behind a perfect mask, as completely as any son of Kuran. I found myself suddenly very proud of him. "If that is so." he said, his voice carefully flat and controlled. "Why didn't you simply kill Yuuki and I when you had the chance? You would have been uncontested as the leader of the vampires, your power would have known no bounds. Why did you save us?"

"Maybe it was because I don't want power." I replied. "Maybe it was because I thought the young boy, valiantly protecting his human sister with everything in him, would make a much better leader then I ever would."

"Why?" he asked, and here I realized that with this one question he was asking more then I could ever answer.

I answered him as simply as I could. "Because I've seen enough bloodshed. Because, I believe, you have too. These past few years I've used what power I can to clear the way for you to bring peace to both vampires and humans. Don't make me regret my choice." This last was said as much as a threat as of a warning, hinting at what would happen should he fail. It would not be pleasant.

"You won't." Kaname said, a promise in and of itself. I smiled as he swept me an elegant bow. "Thank you, for your confidence in me."

I waved him off. "Enough of this, the Night Class will be getting out soon and you don't want them to find you talking with me. Much less you bowing to me."

"One last question." Kaname said, meeting my eyes with his. "I imagine things are going to get very interesting, very soon. How involved will you be with my affairs?"

"Oh," I said, my smile tugging gently at the corners of my lips. "Very, I should think. Very, very much involved."