Disclaimer: The Maiden of Autumn owns nothing.

Thanks to both CashyHoray1.00 and PennyPanda for their name ideas. I might just leave the name as is, though. Meh. Thank you, though!

Thank you to the readers and reviewers-please, continue to enjoy the story.

The staircase. It was where the smell of Vincent's blood was coming from, and Kaname inhaled it deeply, his eyes threatening to turn bright red.

Vincent always smelled intoxicatingly good, but the scent was even stronger with his blood spilt. It invaded his senses, making him yearn for the taste of it, even as it drove him to furious heights that someone other than him had dared to spill the blood of the boy he had come to think of as his.

He stopped at the staircase, frozen in surprise at the sight before him, much like Vincent had done himself not too long ago.

He didn't register Yuuki, slumped against the wall, unconscious and bleeding. He didn't care about the smell of her blood- it held no appeal, compared to the drawing scent of Vincent's. What he did register, however, was that Vincent, his Vincent, was pinned to the floor, his legs wrapped around Zero's waist as the prefect fed from him.

Inky black hair pooled on the floor, Vincent's head jerked back by one of Kiriyuu's hands twined in his hair. Vincent's golden eyes were open, staring past him into nothing, an expression of complete ecstasy on his face. A small rumbling noise reached his ears, and he realized that Vincent was purring.

Purring.

In Kiriyuu's arms.

As he was fed from.

His eyes narrowed and he barely restrained a hiss as he saw Vincent's lower body arching up against Kiriyuu's, the prefect's grinding down against the ravenette's in return.

His face twisted in rage, and he was about to rush forward, to perhaps kill Kiriyuu, when he saw Vincent blink slowly, and lift his head. He froze, some part of him curious to see what the ravenette was going to do.

He watched in mixed fury and fascination as Vincent leaned forward to press a kiss against Zero's exposed neck, on his tattooed side, making Kiriyuu growl and sink his fangs further into Vincent's neck. His eyes narrowed at the sight, but he held himself back, a morbid curiosity as to what Vincent was going to do making him pause.

Vincent latched onto Kiriyuu's neck, and the smell of more of Kiriyuu's blood being spilt lingered in the air, mixing with Vincent's heady, alluring scent.

Kaname snarled at the action- it was synonymous to forming a blood bond, and the animalistic part of Kaname's brain rebelled at the boy he regarded as his property making a bond with anyone other than himself.

Curling a fist, he stepped forward right as Zero let out a moan, thrusting his hips down harder into Vincent's as the ravenette arched up farther.

Kaname's eyes were on the verge of turning glowing red as he observed the prefect's and student's actions, but stopped as he heard a low groan from the opposite wall. Turing, he saw Yuuki slumped unconscious against the wall, blood pooling on her neck.

He bit back a curse; Zero had completely lost control. And now, Yuuki and Vincent were paying for it. His mind didn't seem to process that Vincent wasn't exactly trying to get Zero off of him.

His attention was drawn back to Vincent and Zero when he heard a possessive snarl rip from Zero's throat. The silver- haired prefect had finally dislodged his fangs from the boy's neck, and he was gazing down at him with glowing, bloodlusting eyes.

Suddenly, Zero stopped snarling, blinking once as confusion and realization of what he had done dawned in his eyes.

Free to act now that Zero's fangs were out of Vincent's throat and he wouldn't have to worry about ripping a deeper gash into the ravenette's neck, he rushed forward using his vampire speed, and ripped Zero off of Vincent, pinning him against the wall.

He bared his own impressive fangs at Zero, trembling with rage. Zero locked his eyes with Kaname's, horror evident in them at his own actions. "You let the beast control you, Kiriyuu," Kaname growled. "How did it feel, letting go and hurting those dearest to you?" His grip tightened, his hand sliding up to squeeze against Zero's throat. "How did it feel touching that which was mine?!" he hissed furiously.

Zero was shocked for all of a moment as he took in Kaname's words, and then his eyes flared brighter, and he pushed back against Kaname, stunning the pureblood when Zero was able to break free with ease. The strength that Zero possessed made him uneasy, though he masked it well. Zero was strong, being a vampire, but he was only a level D compared to Kaname's own pureblood status. He never should have been able to do that- something was wrong.

Baring his own fangs, Zero snarled, "His blood is mine; Vincent belongs to me!" Vincent's blood coursed through his veins, his fists and muscles tensing in readiness. He didn't know what came over him, and frankly, he didn't care. However, in the back of his brain, a sensible voice reminded him that he would never have dared challenge the pureblood, much less over a human that he had just fed from. He should be disgusted, but instead, he was bristling and snarling, on a high from the strangely power- tinted blood he had just consumed.

Zero's words were as good as a direct challenge in the pureblood's mind, and Kaname crouched low, hissing at the defiant level D. "I was the one who found him, cared for him!" This was so, so wrong. Kiriyuu should never have challenged him- he should be horrified at the way he gave into his vampiric nature, not acting upon it.

Zero grinned animalistically, and Kaname saw a glint of emerald green flash in glowing red eyes for a split second. "But I was the one who claimed him." He licked his bared fangs, licking up any sweet blood that he might have missed; spilled blood was running down his mouth and neck. "He bears my mark now."

Kaname knew he shouldn't let the prefect provoke him; it was the instincts of the vampire, the beast that all of them carried within talking, not Zero himself. But the claim that the ravenette belonged to Zero made him snap. Growling furiously, he lunged for the maniacally grinning prefect, his goal to wipe the silver- haired man off the face of the planet for daring to touch what was his.

It never happened, though. He stopped mid- leap as a pained, low groan brought him to his senses.

Both Zero and him turned to see Vincent slowly sitting up, clutching his neck and blinking hazily through golden eyes slowly bleeding back to crimson. His eyes slowly swept over both of them, frozen in place.

There was pain. Dull, throbbing pain.

That was the first thing that Vincent registered as he sat up. But why was he lying down in the first place? And why did his throat hurt? He grasped it, trying to rub the soreness away. He didn't notice the blood that coated it, his senses still too muddled to really take in anything.

He blinked, trying to get some of the fuzziness out of his vision and clear his head a bit as he rubbed his neck. What had happened?

He looked up, frowning as he saw Zero and Kaname. Wasn't Kaname supposed to be with Cross? And Zero… He looked more closely, confused when he saw Zero's mouth and neck covered in blood. Kaname was clean, though. Had Kaname hurt him? Ugh. It was making his head hurt.

"Zero? Kaname?" he asked, wincing a bit as the movement aggravated his throat. "What happened?"

"Vincent!" Kaname was the first to snap out of his shock, worried at the boy's reaction to the situation. Using his vampire speed, he flashed to Vincent's side, dropping to his knees beside him. Reaching out, he gently cupped Vincent's chin, looking deeply into eyes that were just barely shot through with gold. His other hand reached up to run through Vincent's silky black hair, internally sighing in pleasure at the feel of the cool, soft strands on his fingers. "Are you alright?"

Vincent blinked, his eyes refocusing on Kaname. Why was he so lightheaded? It made it hard to concentrate on anything. Struggling to focus on Kaname's words, he frowned. Was he alright…?

He paused for a moment, evaluating his body. Besides the throbbing in his neck, the damned fuzziness in his vision, that weird pull in his stomach and lightheadedness, he was fine.

Wait.

His brows furrowed further as he registered the odd feeling in his stomach. It was a pull, like he had felt before. A tugging, of some sort. But to where?

He flicked his eyes up, mentally following the tug's direction to…

Zero.

His crimson eyes met stunned, wary amethyst. "Zero…" Vincent murmured.

Kaname's sharp ears caught the quiet word, and a feeling of hot jealousy flashed through him. Damn the level D for claiming what should have been his. "What, Vincent?"

Vincent didn't respond, focused entirely on the silver- haired prefect. "Zero…" He reached out a hand towards the prefect, but Zero just stared at it, not knowing what to do. Reality was starting to hit him, and hit him hard.

He had just drank the blood of the one person he could actually stand, the one person who he actually liked in the Academy. Had ravaged his neck like some… some... filthy beast! He had pinned Vincent to the floor, snarled at him like some wild beast…

Had practically molested him. He mentally cringed, thinking of the way he had ground down onto Vincent.

And now, the ravenette was reaching out for him? How could he, after what he had done to both him and… Yuuki.

Oh, God. Yuuki. He had drank her blood, too. Pounced on her like some wild animal.

Dimly, he remembered Vincent interfering, pushing her out of the way…

His eyes followed the mental path, and widened as he saw Yuuki slumped against the wall, bleeding out from her neck.

"Zero… Please…" Vincent's murmured words drew his attention back to the ravenette, cradled in Kaname's arms.

He had to bite back a snarl at the sight, as it riled up the beast inside of him. Vincent was his- he bore his mark! He bared his fangs at the pureblood, his eyes flashing crimson for a split second before fading back to amethyst, and flicking over to Yuuki.

Yuuki… she was hurt! Vincent… He refused to think about the situation right now. Later, after Yuuki had gotten help, and was safe.

"Kiriyuu." Kaname's cold voice drew his attention back to the pureblood, who had narrowed red-brown eyes at him in anger. "You know what has happened. You need to take responsibility for your actions." He lifted Vincent slightly, showing what he meant. Hazy, crimson eyes fluttered as Vincent struggled to remain conscious, and yet, he still tried to reach out for Zero, stirred by the bond that had been newly created.

Zero shook his head, backing away. It was too much to take in, and Yuuki… "I can't." His voice cracked as he backed away, closing his eyes in denial. "It's too much…"

"You should have thought about that before you bit him!" Kaname yelled, causing Zero to shake his head in useless denial. Standing up swiftly, Kaname cradled Vincent in his arms, striding over to Zero. He bared his fangs at the prefect, thrusting Vincent's now unconscious form out to Zero. "You marked him as yours the second you bit him! He's your responsibility, and yet, all you can think of is Yuuki, when he," Kaname lifted Vincent up for emphasis, "is calling out for you."

Zero stared ahead, stunned at what Kaname was saying.

Something cruel inside of Kaname, awakened with the anger that Vincent had been bitten by someone other than him, caused him to continue. "Your thirst must have been insatiable, Zero," Kaname spat, the use of Zero's first name causing the prefect to flinch, "to have drained Vincent to the point of unconsciousness."

Reality was staring to sink in for Zero, and he leaned against the wall, letting it support him. "Vincent's blood," Kaname whispered harshly, "was it really that delicious?"

Eyes widening in shock, Zero brought his hand up to his face, seeing the scratches caused from Vincent's temporary claws, and both Vincent's and his blood mingling on it. Engrossed with the sight of the spilled blood and frozen in horror, he was unable to respond to Kaname's words.

Kaname shook his head, knowing what was happening with Zero, and turned away, only to stop when he saw Kaien standing at the corner of the hall. His face was serious, as well as his eyes as they took in the bloodied forms of Zero and Yuuki, Vincent limp in Kaname's arms, and the furious pureblood. "Kaname, take Vincent back to the Dorms and take care of that wound," Kaien said, in a tone that brooked no argument, "Zero, go calm down- take a shower, just do something. I'll take Yuuki to be bandaged." The Chairman's voice held unquestionable authority, his years as a hunter resurfacing again in his manner.

Kaname nodded, his whole attention focused on Vincent. Dimly, in the back of his mind, he knew that he should be more worried about Yuuki, but seeing the too- pale face of Vincent, hearing his slow, quiet heartbeat and faint breathing, it made him want to panic. He had lost too much blood, that much was evident. And the claiming bitemark on Vincent neck… His jaw clenched in anger at the thought that it was Zero's bitemark and not his.

Cradling Vincent more gently in his arms, hugging him to this chest, he strode swiftly down the hall, and out of the Chairman's house. Worry made his pace swift, although he didn't want to go too fast for fear of jostling Vincent, whose neck had to be sore. Glancing down, he shifted Vincent to one arm, his vampire strength easily allowing for him to hold Vincent's slim form in one arm.

He cradled Vincent's cheek with his free arm as he walked, rubbing his thumb over the smooth skin. Kaname's red- brown eyes caught a smooth pearl of blood running sluggishly down Vincent's neck. He inhaled deeply, taking in Vincent's delicious scent. Before he could think it through, he leaned down and licked up the trail of blood, lifting his head back up as he savored the small taste, analyzing it. There was another flavor on Vincent's neck that he could detect, and he had to bite back a growl was he realized it was Kiriyuu's. Funny, though. The taste of the prefect's saliva was not revolting, as he had thought it would be. And mixed with Vincent's blood… His eyes widened as the taste hit his tongue.

It was rich-tasting, like he had expected, but with an odd flavor that he had never tasted in anyone's blood. It was strange, almost… chemical-y in nature, yet, Kaname could sense that it was not anything man- made. There was a definite tinge of power in that small drop of blood, and Kaname realized that it was why Zero had seemed unnaturally strong- it had transferred over to him, giving him unnatural strength.

He gazed down at Vincent, absentmindedly licking his lips as the sweet taste lingered in his mouth. He felt a small tingle, almost unnoticeable spreading through his body. He could only surmise that it was due to the unknown substance in Vincent's blood. Shaking his head, he closed his eyes. "What, exactly, are you?" he whispered, not that anyone would hear it.

He raised a hand to Vincent's now- clean neck, frowning as he noticed that there were no bite marks. His skin was smooth, healed over. Vincent had healed that quickly?

Whatever Vincent was, he must have vampire- like healing powers. Or even better, since he didn't remember seeing a gash after he went to Vincent's side after he had thrown Kiriyuu off of him. He examined the neck closer, seeing a silvery outline of twin bite marks.

He gritted his teeth, knowing that they were permanent. He was tempted to replace those marks with his, drink Vincent's blood and erase Zero's claim to him.

But, no. He would not do that. He had enough honor to know that to bite Vincent without his permission, while he was unconscious, was underhanded, and looked down upon in vampire society. Besides, Vincent had too much blood taken form him tonight as it were. Taking any more would only endanger his life. He only sighed, smoothing down some errant strands of black hair.

Suddenly, the presence of his inner circle of vampires came to him, alerting him of their presence. Looking up, he saw them gathered a few yards away in front of him, watching him silently. His eyes narrowed as he saw that all of their eyes were crimson, although they seemed to be in mostly full control of their bloodlust, if the worried expressions on some of their faces was too go by. "Kaname- sama," Takuma began, stepping forward. Kaname curled his lip at the blonde, not wanting him to come any closer and endanger Vincent's life if he lost control of his bloodlust.

Takuma backed up, but continued, anxiousness evident in his crimson eyes, so much more different from his usually sparkling emerald gaze. "We smelled blood, and came. It's worrying, though." He glanced back at the rest of the Night Class. "It was like a compulsion- we were halfway here before we were finally able to realize what we were doing." His eyes fell on Vincent, cradled in Kaname's arms.

Takuma instantly rushed forward, concern for his friend causing him to disregard Kaname's earlier warning. "Vincent! Is he alright?"

Kaname relaxed, Takuma's concern and actions reassuring him that he was in control of his bloodlust. "He will be, once we get him back to the Moon Dorms. He lost a lot of blood."

Ruka gasped at Kaname's words. "Lord Kaname! Did you…?" She trailed off, but their unspoken words lingered in the air. Did you bite him? It was forbidden for a pureblood to bite a human on Academy grounds- was forbidden for any vampire to bite a human in the Academy, and Vincent was still at least partly human. Purebloods such as Kaname had the ability to turn humans into vampires, very low class vampires with a single bite.

Had Kaname turned Vincent? His blood was very, very appealing, but for Kaname to lose control like that…

The pureblood knew what his inner circle was thinking, and was unable to be mad- he'd be thinking the same thing. The evidence was there; misleading, but still there. He shook his head. "No, I did not." Kaname looked up at the moon, judging the time from its position. "Classes are not yet over. Return to them, and make no mention of this. I will take care of it later." His voice had darkened as he said the last sentence, causing a few of them to shiver at the implications of the words.

Someone else had bitten Vincent, they were sure. Or something had happened to Vincent at the hands of another. Either way, it had made Kaname furious, although his face hid it well. Aidou bowed, his blonde waves falling in his face. "As you wish, Kaname-sama." He straightened up, and followed the rest of the Night Class out, with the exception of Takuma.

"I'll help you take care of Vincent," Takuma explained, his still red eyes locked on Vincent's form.

Kaname nodded, shifting Vincent to a more comfortable spot in his arms. "Very well."

Head reeling with shock, Zero stumbled into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him and locking it.

He sunk down to the floor, leaning against the door, and dropped his head into his hands, taking a shuddering breath.

What… had he done? The vampire… the beast inside of him, he had let it take control.

After 4 years of fighting it, he had finally succumbed to it. Even now, he could feel it writhing in pleasure inside of his mind, high on the taste of fresh blood.

Vincent's blood.

Vincent.

He pressed his hands against his eyes harder, trying to control his breathing, keep it steady.

He had bit Vincent. Of all people to lose control of his vampire to, it had been him. The one person that he familiarized with, could call a true friend.

And he had bitten him and enjoyed it. Enjoyed the taste of his hot, rich blood. Loved the way Vincent had writhed underneath him. Couldn't get enough of the way Vincent purred in pleasure, and the way Vincent felt pinned under his body.

A shiver wracked through him as his beast inside chuckled darkly, enjoying the thoughts and memories flashing through Zero's head.

And when Vincent reached out towards him, even after he had attacked him without thought… he had ignored him, focusing on Yuuki and forcing the thought of what he had done to Vincent out of his mind.

Tears burned at the corners of his eyes, but years of control and pride refused to allow them to fall. Still, he was unable to repress the hitch in his breath as the memories of the night swamped him.

Angry at what he had become, and the cruel hand life had dealt him, he slammed his hand onto the tile, gritting his teeth at the expected pain.

It never came.

The tile shattered under his fist, reduced to little more than rubble. In disbelief at feeling the small pieces the tiles around him had become, he slowly raised his head and brought his hand up or inspection. Dust sprinkled the side of his hand, and there were a few scratches, but they healed instantly before his eyes. The rate of healing surpassed anything he had seen before, including vampire healing.

At the force he had used, the bones in his hand should have been at least cracked and more than scratches should have shown on his skin. And he knew his own strength; the tiles should have only been a bit cracked, not this rubble that they were now.

Horror flashed though him as he looked at the evidence of the strange, newfound strength he apparently now possessed. He knew it had to be from Vincent's blood; Vincent was not fully human, he knew. And now that he had drunk Vincent's blood, it had changed him…

He truly was a monster now…

But what did that make Vincent…?

Kaname gently laid Vincent down onto the bed in the ravenette's dorm room while Takuma was in the kitchen, getting warm water and a towel. He smiled wryly as he started unbuttoning the jacket so it could be disposed of; it was covered in blood and torn slightly.

It was reminiscent of the first time he had found Vincent, and brought him to the infirmary with Kaien.

Speaking of Kaien…

He frowned, slipping the jacket down Vincent's slim shoulders. He needed to talk to the Chairman about the situation. Vincent, as a human, could not be allowed to know about the existence of vampires. And the bond that Zero had made with him caused complications as well.

And, as much as it caused Kaname to grit his teeth at the thought, Zero was bonded to Vincent now, and vice versa. Any decisions regarding the ravenette would be up to Zero- not him.

Kaname shook his head, trying to get the disturbing, unwanted thoughts from his head. Damn it, why was he acting so possessive over the ravenette?!

He loved Yuuki- his perfect, beautiful sister. He would carry on the pureblood line with her, and be happy. She was warm, soft, caring… and yet…

Vincent was too.

The fact was undeniable. Vincent was very, very warm; the body heat the boy had given off while Kaname had held him had felt wonderful against his own wind- chilled skin. His skin was soft too; he had had ample opportunities to confirm this. And Vincent had a caring heart, as well, as shown with the fangirls and his ability to be hurt by just a few missaid words from the prefect. His russet eyes roved Vincent's face as he unbuttoned the vest; it was useless now, as the blood had soaked through to it.

Vincent was beautiful as well, perhaps even more so than Yuuki. A small thought crossed his mind that Vincent looked like Snow White, the character from the child's tale. Black hair, snowy- white skin, delicate, beautiful features… the only thing that was missing was the blood red lips.

His beast inside, dormant and under control for so long, chose at that moment to stir. Make them red…

Kaname was gifted with the vision of Vincent spread out on the sheets, crimson eyes hazy and lips red and swollen. His inner beast purred as it projected the image into his mind, urging him to make the image come real while he had the chance.

He shook his head, trying to get the disturbing, (and yet so enticing!) image out of his mind, shoving his beast down again. Takuma would be coming back in a few moments, there was no possible way that he could do that without being caught-

He froze as he was lifting Vincent up to slide the vest off of Vincent's body.

Was he actually… considering it?

No, he shook his head, dropping the vest on the floor alongside the jacket. It would be wrong. He's something to be watched over, examined. We-I- need to find out what he is, not try to… to… The image his beast had given him flashed again in his mind, making him clench his eyes shut. No… It was wrong to think of him like this, like he should be thinking of Yuuki.

But even now, as he tried to conjure up her soft brown eyes, gentle smile, and short brown hair, he found he couldn't. It was replaced by sparkling crimson eyes, a breathtaking white smile, and long, silky black tresses.

Unconsciously, he knelt down, reaching out to capture Vincent's pale, peaceful face between his hands. He glowered down at Vincent, cursing the boy internally for taking over his thoughts, even though he knew it wasn't Vincent's fault. It was his own. His own damned fault for becoming fascinated with the boy, and for not being able to deny that he was attracted to the pale boy that lie before him. He had let his curiosity and fascination at Vincent get him closer to the boy, and now he was trapped.

His eyes fell down to Vincent's parted lips, and if Kaname listened closely, he could feel the slight inhales and exhales of Vincent's breath. Leaning closer, he shifted one of his hands to rub his thumb gently along Vincent's lips, finding them soft and smooth. But so pale… They were almost colorless, except for that slight tinge of pink in them.

His beast stirred and whispered insidiously in Kaname's brain, urging him to make them a more noticeable color, make sure everyone knew that Vincent belonged to him, and not to that damned prefect. The temptation of the full lips before him was too much, and slowly, gently, he dipped his head to brush his own lips lightly against Vincent's. He smiled slightly at the unconscious intake of breath Vincent gave at the touch, and pressed his lips slightly harder against Vincent's, darting his tongue out to dive quickly in between Vincent's parted lips, receiving a small taste of the boy on the bed.

The slight taste of oranges lingered on Vincent's lips, along with something spicy, and unnamable. Kaname drew back, licking his lips. He had retained enough presence of mind to not mark Vincent in any way, much to his beast's displeasure. He shoved it down, however, years of experience and self- control letting him do so.

"Kaname- sama?" Takuma's light voice brought him back from his thoughts, and he straightened hurriedly, fighting down a small flush as he realized he had been kneeling beside Vincent, holding the pale face in his hands while examining him. The taste of oranges lingered in his mouth, and he licked his lips to get the last traces of the taste.

"Ichijo." He acknowledged the blonde, straightening his jacket as he glanced back. The bitemarks on Vincent's neck were clearly visible, and it made Kaname's fists curl at the remembrance. Vincent would know about vampires now; that could not happen. This… incident… had created numerous complications, and he needed to meet with both Cross and that damned prefect before Vincent woke up. They needed to figure out what to do with the ravenette, the course of action to take before he woke up, demanding answers.

Turning, he saw concern and… curiosity? In Takuma's bright emerald gaze. "Take care of him, Takuma," Kaname murmured, crossing over to the door. "I need to meet with the Chairman."

He was in the process of opening the door when Takuma spoke his name again, making him halt. "Kaname- sama… Forgive me if I seem to be overstepping my boundaries, but…" He took a deep breath, and Kaname nodded for him to go on. "I have noticed the way you stare at Vincent when he is not looking," Takuma said, looking straight into Kaname's eyes. "You have… feelings for him, do you not?"

Kaname wasn't surprised that Ichijo had drawn the conclusion; he was extremely observant, and his different way of looking at the world allowed him to notice things others missed. He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "…And if I do…?"

"Lord Kaname…" Takuma stepped forward, concern for his friend in his eyes. His answer, while evasive, was as good as a yes to Takuma; he knew Kaname well enough to form such a conclusion. "I understand; it took years before Senri finally noticed my own love for him. I was so afraid that it would remain completely one- sided. But… I also understand that this predicament is different than my own." Sadness flickered in the depths of his eyes momentarily. "However… Kaname- sama… you are a pureblood; he is a human-"

"Partially," Kaname cut in.

Takuma paused to acknowledge this, and then continued. "Vincent is still a human, despite his questionable, non- human heritage. The Council would never allow this." He cocked his head to the side, recalling something. "And Vincent… he was bitten by someone else other than you, was he not? He does not belong to you."

Kaname whirled on his friend, the reminder serving only to incite anger born of despair. "I am aware of that, Ichijo!" Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, as anger would get him nowhere, he continued, quieter, "These feelings are… foreign to me," he admitted. "I love Yuuki, I know this. Yet, every time I look at her, I find myself imagining him in her place. I cannot picture her without him replacing her, and was furious tonight when he was bitten-" he let out a harsh laugh. "God, I wanted to rip out Zero's throat for daring to touch him-"

"Zero bit him?!" Takuma exclaimed.

Kaname nodded wearily. "Yes, it was him. And… it's odd, this feeling." Seeing Takuma's confusion, he clarified, "The feeling of losing something that was never mine to begin with." He turned away as Takuma mulled over his friend's words, intent on confronting Zero and Cross about this situation.

Unknown to Kaname, a small, knowing smile spread over Takuma's face. He and Senri had been correct in coming to the conclusion that Kaname had feelings for the ravenette he had found. The evidence-the way he had been kneeling over Vincent when he came in, with such a look of longing and confusion on his face- was enough. It was about time that the brunette found someone to be with, and Takuma couldn't be happier for his friend. The only problem was that Kaname was letting one of his character flaws get in the way. He was too damned responsible and bound to his duty. He was determined that the pureblood line would live on through himself and Yuuki, no matter if he loved her or not.

However, Takuma knew his friend very well, and had a clever mind. He knew Kaname loved challenges, even if he was unaware that he was facing one. And Vincent being laid claim to by another vampire was a definite challenge; he needed to mark the ravenette as his own.

"Kaname- sama." He paused once more, the new note in Takuma's voice making him stop in curiosity. "You are older than me, and therefore have more experience than I do. However, if you would accept some advice…?" Kaname nodded, wanting to hear what his friend had to say. "If this is truly what you want… don't let it go so easily. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you give up without a fight." His emerald eyes became faraway, as if he was reminiscing over something. "I know I would have if I hadn't fought to get Senri to notice me."

Kaname bowed his head, contemplating Takuma's words. "Thank you, Ichijo." Not giving the blonde the time to respond, he was out of the room and heading to Cross's house in an instant, using his vampire speed.