Chapter Three

Third chapter's up and the forth's on the way! Enjoy and please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any characters thereof. I only own my original characters.

Daisuke pulled back the dark curtains covering his window and immediately recoiled. After several attempts to blink away the white spots covering his vision, he sighed and made his way into the bathroom. Sleep refused to come to him today and it didn't seem as though he had any chance of remedying that. Pulling his shirt over his head, he threw it to the floor before turning his attention to his reflection.

The female hunter had invaded his mind. Every available thought was filled with her. Asleep or awake, it mattered little. His dreams belonged to her, as did his nights. It both puzzled and infuriated him how easily she had stolen into his life. Even more so knowing that she hadn't even tried. Mako hated his kind. And he hated hunters, at least, he was supposed to hate them.

"Damn her." He muttered. "What right does she have?"

It was a game. He toyed with her and she repelled his advances, and the advances of others she saw fit to refuse. Daisuke frowned. Why was Kaname, a Pureblood, so interested in a human? And a vampire hunter no less. He gripped the edge of the sink tightly. It didn't sit well with him. For a Pureblood was surrounded by death, more so than other vampires. People were nothing but pawns to them. Chess pieces to be moved at their command, to serve their purpose. Daisuke would have to keep an eye on him, because if he was interested in Mako, it could only mean something bad.

Daisuke sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair as something occurred to him. He was contemplating mutiny against the Pureblood he had sworn his allegiance to, for someone who was born to hate him. He was willing to give his life for the sake of a human vampire hunter he had interacted with for less than a few weeks. He couldn't help but laugh at his stupidity. How Mako had managed to creep so easily into his heart was a mystery. But he had a reputation to uphold. Denial was his only option.

He ran the tap and began to clean his face when there was a knock at the door. "That's unusual." Turning off the tap, he grabbed a towel and opened the door. "Ichijo? Do you need something?"

The blond vampire, cheerful even in the middle of the day, smiled kindly at him. "I've been told to wake you. Kaname requests your presence."

"Of course he does."

"You've been expecting this?" Ichijo blinked. "Really?"

Daisuke shrugged. "Why else would I be up? Just give me a moment to dress."

Mako had left the busier main streets for the more secluded and deserted back streets to continue hunting her prey. Nearly a quarter of an hour had passed since she had left the restaurant in search of the owner of the dangerously fluctuating presence she and Zero had sensed. It was a chilled feeling, enough to make her blood run cold. But it was the familiarity that most worried her.

By now the thin crowds had dwindled into nothing and she was left to wonder the gloomy streets alone. And then it hit her again. A presence that was constantly disappearing, only to reappear once more seemingly at random. She stopped, head raised and muscles tensed as she prepared to move at the slightest wisp of a threat. Crisp green eyes surveyed the empty street from beneath long dark lashes, spotting a ladder leading up to the roof of a house across the road.

Higher ground would prove to be more favourable given the circumstances. Mako wasted no time in crossing the street, ascending the ladder as quickly as possible and promptly went about scanning the buildings the immediate area. It hadn't occurred to her that the roof she had chosen to spy from was the very same one her target had been occupying.

A cold, cruel voice whispered in her ear. "Well, my dear. It seems you have found me."

Mako reacted on impulse. She spun, gun drawn and pointed directly at the man's heart. Dark eyes glimmered in amusement and the corners of his lips pulled up into a conceited, if slightly psychotic, grin. The man was not a level E, she now realized, but an Aristocrat. Long slender fingers worked through a mess of fine strawberry blond hair and he dramatically brushed aside his bangs. His handsome appearance was barely worth a thought. All natural born vampires were blessed with that same aspect.

His smoldering gaze appraised her appearance with a pleased expression. "My dearest Mako, you look more delicious than I remember."

Mako narrowed her gaze. "You know my name."

"Of course my dear."

He made to step closer, resulting in Mako giving a warning move of her gun. "Take another step and I shoot."

"Come now. Is this really necessary?" He made an elegant gesture towards the gun. "I came all this way to visit you, and this is the reception I receive."

"It's the same reception I give to every vampire, though you're the first I've willingly kept alive for so long. Congratulations." She tightened her grip on the gun. "Now, who told you my name?"

He licked his lips as his gaze focused on her neck. "Fighting me will only make it painful. But if you relinquish your weapon and concede to me, I can assure you that you will find it a most pleasuring experience."

She tilted her head ever-so slightly. "I don't think so."

Bang!

The bullet hit its intended target with a muffled thud. It forced the vampire back several steps, but otherwise did nothing to phase him. Mako stared at the blood flowing freely from the wound over his heart and lowered the weapon she now knew would be completely useless against him. It wasn't an anti-vampire weapon, but that shouldn't have mattered. He wasn't a Pureblood, so how could the bullet not have killed him?

The vampire gave a maniacal laugh as he straightened. Crimson eyes gleamed as he displayed elongated, claw-like nails. Mako watched him extract the bullet and drop it harmlessly to the ground. It clinked several times against the cement before rolling to a stop at her feet. She stared at it, her thoughts still turning over that one question that puzzled her. How?

"You should not have done that." Her gaze snapped up as he slowly paced forward. "Now I am going to drain every last morsel of your exquisite blood from your body."

Mako stepped back. "You can try."

In seconds she had emptied the magazine into the vampire's chest and launched herself over the edge of the roof. A six story drop was easy enough given the alternative. Her arms flailed for a moment before instinct kicked in and she landed in a steady crouch. As she made to run, she found her way blocked by him. That arrogant, psychotic vampire who continued to smirk at her knocked the gun from her hand and threw her effortlessly across the street. Landing hard on her back, the force of the blow flipped her onto her stomach before she finally skidded to a stop.

Daisuke opened the door to the Pureblood's chambers after he was bade to do so. The room was shrouded in darkness, blinds drawn over the windows and not so much as a candle lit. He closed the door behind him and syphoned off the only available source of light. It made no difference. One of the perks of being a vampire was night vision.

Rustling fabric further into the room caught his attention and Daisuke turned to see the Dorm President sit up from where he rested upon the black leather couch. Kaname stared blankly at him as he rose and made his way to his desk in only a few elegant strides. The Aristocrat followed, stopping short of the desk and clasped his hands behind his back.

"You summoned me."

His cold and unforgiving gaze fixed on him. "The Headmaster has kindly decided to wave your punishment. He believes that, as no one was injured, you should be let off with a warning."

Daisuke couldn't help but smirk. The Pureblood wasn't at all pleased with the Headmaster's decision. "You seem disappointed, Kaname-sama. I expect you were hoping for free reign on this matter."

The look he received from the Pureblood caused him to tense a hundred times over. As cliche as it was, 'if looks could kill' was the only phrase that did his expression justice. Daisuke kept quiet and waited for Kaname to speak. The Pureblood reclined back into the large desk chair and clasped his hands.

"I, however, do not see the situation in the same light as Headmaster Cross." Daisuke gripped his hands tightly behind his back. "You've made one too many mistakes. Your interaction with the Day Class is inappropriate and for that, you will be punished."

"Do you mean my interaction with the Day Class? Or my interaction with Mako Osaragi?" The Pureblood remained unresponsive, so he pressed on. "Did you think I hadn't noticed? It's not exactly subtle." Daisuke stepped forward. "Since she's arrived, you've had eyes for no one but her. You've gone so far as to ignore your precious Yuuki on more than one occasion." Growing bold, he leant forward to rest his hands on the desk. "Why are you so interested in Mako?"

Crash!

Shards of glass rained down around them. Daisuke stared up at what remained of the simple chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The lightbulbs were shattered beyond recognition and the brass frame swayed slightly. He turned his attention back to the Pureblood, who sat in silence with a hand pressed to his temple. It was a moment longer before Kaname lowered his hand and another before he spoke.

"It would be wise for you to keep your distance, Daisuke." He focused his gaze on the Aristocrat. "My patience has its limits, and when someone goes about endeavouring to push those limits, they find I quickly become less than agreeable."

The Aristocrat gritted his teeth, but continued to endure the harsh spotlight of his gaze. "A threat. I should've expected as much from a Pureblood. But, at the very least, it seems I've hit a nerve."

"You are to limit your contact with Osaragi-san." He stared at Daisuke. "This isn't a request."

Before Daisuke was given the chance to respond a potent scent wafted into the room from an open window. His body tensed as he immediately recognized the fragrance. That intoxicating perfume that filled him with an inexplainable desire to devour the source. Daisuke shared a look with the Pureblood before racing from the room. Damn the consequences.

Pride is a strong driving force behind many a decision and can prove both advantageous or not. Mako, being the kind of person who allowed said pride to dictate her actions in most given situations, wasn't about to ignore its call now. She pushed herself onto her feet and shot the approaching vampire a fierce glare.

"There is no point in attempting an escape." Blood trickled from a fresh graze on her cheek and immediately caught his attention. "I had almost forgotten how incredibly delectable the scent of your blood was." He inhaled deeply and gave a pleasurable sigh that caused his whole body to shiver. He licked his lips in anticipation. "Allow me the privilege of a taste."

She scoffed and wiped her cheek, resulting in the blood smearing across skin. "I'm fairly certain I made my answer clear. And it's not going to change just because you said please."

The vampire grinned manically. "I am nothing if not a gentleman."

He abruptly rushed forward, clamping one hand firmly around her neck as he forced her against the wall and lifted her body off the ground. She clawed at his arms in a pointless effort to loosen his grip until she suddenly found her arms fall limp by her sides. Every attempt to move was thwarted under his gaze. Even as she hung there helpless, the seething hatred she felt for him never faltered upon her expression. But despite her bravado, fear welled in her chest. And it was that moment she wished that she had taken Zero up on his offer.

"I can handle it myself, Zero. It's no problem."

Zero sighed. "I realize that. But you're not even carrying an anti-vampire weapon. All you've got is..." He motioned to the gun concealed behind her back. "...that."

"Your concern's touching, but completely unnecessary. As long as it's not a Pureblood, which we both know for a fact that it isn't, the gun I've got will work." Smirking, she glanced over at the curious guardian who leant ever-so-casually against the table to try and catch wind of their conversation. "I'll deal with the vampire." She patted his arm with a knowing look. "So you just sit here with Cross-san and enjoy your breakfast."

Oh yes. She was certainly regretting those words now.

"What is Mako's type anyway? I'm curious, but she probably wouldn't tell me even if I did ask her."

He ignored her, gaze fixated out the window as he waited impatiently for Mako's return. If it really was a level E she was up against, it shouldn't be taking her this long. His emotionless facade and reputation aside, Zero was concerned. He shouldn't have taken no for an answer. He should've insisted on going with her. But instead, he jumped at the chance to spend some alone time with Yuuki. And the guardian wasn't doing much to ease his worry.

Yuuki spoke incessantly about Mako. She questioned him, but gave him no time to answer. She would begin a discussion with him only to cut him out completely and continue on in a poorly constructed monologue. Zero understood the guardian's desire to become better acquainted with Mako. The hunter had something about her that made people want to know her. Even those damned vampire.

Zero growled under his breath. If he saw so much as a scratch on Mako when she returned, all hell would break loose. Mako was the only family he had left in this world. And he wasn't about to let anything happen to her. He rolled a grape, the same grape he had been forced to fish out of his coffee, vigorously back and forth under his fingers. He would die before he let anything bad happen to her.

"Zero? Zero!" The guardian frantically waved her hand in front of his face. He blinked at the gesture and focused on her countenance. She frowned, sitting back in her seat. "You were staring into space. Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Fine."

She stared hard at him, but upon realizing that he wouldn't let up, she sighed. "I know you're worried about Mako." Yuuki offered him a reassuring smile. "I'm not sure where she went in such a hurry, but I'm certain she's fine."

"Hmm." He resumed staring out at the streets.

"Let's take your mind off things. Um..." Yuuki struggled to pick up conversation again. And then it hit her. "Have you asked anyone to the Winter Ball yet?"

"No."

Her eyes widened. "Huh? Why not?" Zero didn't so much as acknowledge her. She sighed. "I swear. You and Mako are one in the same."

That caught his attention. "What?"

"You have no interest in social events, or dating for that matter." Yuuki tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Mako had a bunch of guys ask her to the Ball. And when I asked who invited her, she couldn't remember their names." She sighed. "It's really a shame too. She doesn't seem to realize just how popular she is with the boys." Yuuki leant forward. "If Mako really wanted to, she could have a boyfriend at the snap of her fingers."

Zero tensed. "Really?"

She gave an enthusiastic nod. "Yeah. I'm going to try to convince her to let me set her up on a date. Who knows? Maybe she'll fall in love."

"Mako doesn't need a boyfriend." He cleared his throat to relieve some of the tension in his muscles and downed the remainder of his coffee.

"What? Why not?" Yuuki stared at him, clearly taking offense. "Everyone deserve to find love, and Mako isn't any different! Why wouldn't you want that for her?!"

Zero remained silent, choosing to turn his attention out the window again rather than continue their conversation. She attempted to coax the answer from him several more times, but when he remained unresponsive, she gave up. Even if he made the effort to explain his reasons to her, he doubted she would be able to understand.

The grape burst under his fingers as he stiffened and immediately rose to his feet. The scent of blood filled the air. Mako's blood. Yuuki didn't have the chance to question his actions when he suddenly lunged from the booth and rushed from the restaurant. The guardian stared at the his empty seat in confusion. What just happened?

"I must reiterate my previous statement. Your blood is sinfully ambrosial." The vampire leant closer and ran his tongue across the sensitive skin of her neck. Mako grimaced at the feeling of his lips pressed up against her skin. Despite having made several attempts to break free, she remained unable to move. He smiled against her jugular. "So very...pure." He pulled away to stare at her. "What are you?"

Mako glared at him. "T-The h-hunter who's g-going to k-kill y-you b-before the s-sun g-goes d-down."

The vampire couldn't help but grin. He found it increasingly difficult to keep his attraction in check. Spirited and willful, unflinching in the face of death, and attractive. The prospect of breaking her was both appealing and thrilling, though, with the little patience he had, he was likely to kill her before the week was out. What a shame that would be. His gaze moved from her face to the vein throbbing rhythmically under her skin. So tempting and inviting. How could he resist? Better to just bite and drain before anyone else was given the chance to experience the bliss of her blood.

Swept up in the sweet scent of her, his fangs pierced deep into her skin. Pain flooded her body and Mako bit her lip in a poor attempt to muffle a groan. The vampire shuddered in ecstasy as her blood danced upon his tongue. A rich, exotic taste capable of enslaving any man. He wanted more of her. He wanted all of her. Lust clouded his mind as he wound an arm around her waist and pressed her delicate body against him. A pain, so excruciating that she was forced to grit her teeth to prevent a shout, ripped through her body. Mako wouldn't allow him the pleasure of hearing her scream. She was stubborn that way.

Just as she began to believe that she had finally met her end, he released her. Mako stumbled back against the wall and struggled to catch her breath as she waited for the feeling to return to her extremities. Relief washed over her. Zero had caught the scent of her blood and came to her aid. At least, she had assumed it was the hunter and was surprised to find otherwise. She stared in disbelief at her rescuer, the last person she had expected to help her. Daisuke bared his fangs in her defense and a low primal growl rumbled in the back of his throat. The blond vampire calmly brushed the dirt from his once immaculate white suit, the front now stained with her blood.

"Honestly. The younger generation have absolutely no sense of decorum." He regarded Daisuke with a blank expression. "And who are you, to interrupt us so rudely?"

"None of your damn business." Daisuke snapped.

"My, my, what an ill-mannered brat." The vampire gave a cruel smile as he brushed aside the drop of blood that trickled from the corner of his lips. "Are you her lover? You certainly behave as such." His azure gaze glimmered with murderous intent. "But I do not intend to let her remain in your possession. She is mine."

Mako scowled at his declaration and straightened defiantly. "I'm not his. And I'm certainly not yours."

The vampire glanced at her with a predatory smirk. "You will be."

She blinked and found herself standing alone in the middle of the empty street with a seething Daisuke. She surveyed the area to ensure that he had in fact left and wasn't simply waiting to ambush them once they had let their guard down. Allowing her shoulders to drop, Mako leant back against the wall and pulled back her hand to inspect the wound. It was deep and she was losing a fair amount of blood. With a gentle sigh, she clamped her hand back over the wound and turned her attention to Daisuke.

Knowing better than to approach an irritate vampire, Mako watched silently as he paced back and forth. He looked furious. The overwhelming urge to hit something welled up within him as unanswered questions continued to revolve in his mind. It was bad enough that Kaname had an interest in her, but now a psychotic newcomer had appeared out of nowhere. He paused in his pacing to glance at her. Why Mako? What was so special about her that made her desirable to vampires? Why was her blood so enticing?

After taking a moment to compose himself, Daisuke approached her. "Are you alright?" Mako nodded and he allowed his gaze to travel the length of her. She was largely unharmed, with the exception of that one injury. A threatening growl escaped him. "The bastard bit you."

Removing her already irreparably damaged jacket, Mako balled the material into a make-shift compress and pressed it to her wound. Applying pressure worked to ease the bleeding and allowed her to focus more clearly on the livid Aristocrat. She readily took note of the concerned expression on his face, despite his every effort to conceal it.

It unsettled her somewhat. Seeing him function beyond the parameters she was accustom to, of perverted remarks and egotistical tendencies, was far too odd. "What? No lame attempts to seduce me?"

Daisuke forced a smile, but spoke in a gentle tone completely unlike him. "No. I think you've been through enough today."

"I don't need sympathy from your kind."

He scoffed. "I display an inkling of concern and you immediately think I'm pitying you. Can't I just be nice without you second guessing my intentions?"

"You nice?" She pretended to consider it. "Soft spoken and concerned for another's well-being without some sort of hidden intent? I'm pretty sure that's against the laws of nature."

"Oh, yeah. And what if this is the real me?" He questioned.

"I'm not comfortable with that thought." She stared at him, eyebrow raised. "Why the sudden questions regarding your personality? Since when do you care about what I think?"

Daisuke hesitated, mouth opening and closing several times before he gave up altogether. And the hunter didn't press him. In all honesty, she didn't care much for his sudden change in persona and sought to prevent any possible blurring of the line that defined what could be called a relationship.

He watched her as she carefully retrieved her gun, taking a moment to examine the metal for any damage before returning it to its holster. He found himself mesmerized by so little. From the way her fingers brushed along the shaft of the gun to the way she tucked strands of her golden hair behind her ear.

Realizing that he had been staring for too long, he averted his gaze and gave a quick shake of his head. His attraction to the hunter was far more obvious than he initially realized. He needed to be more careful. Despite his great dislike of Kaname, he wasn't stupid enough to go against a Pureblood.

Daisuke watched her struggle with the holster and stepped forward to help her. But he didn't get the chance. A suffocating aura descended upon them and both immediately turned to face the Pureblood who had abruptly appeared at their side. Mako tensed and tightened her grip on her make-shift compress.

The Pureblood eyed the Aristocrat sharply. "Daisuke. I believe I made myself clear earlier."

Daisuke instinctively took a step back, but kept a straight face despite the overwhelming urge he felt to crumble into a quivering heap. "Kaname-sama. I was-"

"He was helping me." The vampires turned their attention to the hunter. "He saved my life."

Daisuke stared at her in utter disbelief. Mako, the hunter with a well known hatred towards all vampires, had readily come to his defence. A small smile threatened to expose itself. Against his better judgement he found himself feeling incredibly happy. Maybe she did like him, even if it was only the tiniest bit.

She dug her fingers deeper into the fabric of her make-shift compress as Kaname turned his attention to her neck. He approached her in silence, oblivious to the discomfort he caused her as he removed the bloodied compress to expose the damage. Two sizable puncture wounds marred her otherwise unblemished skin, extending deep into her flesh. Mako flinched as she felt his aura suddenly flare with malicious intent.

"Who did this?"

"I don't know." Not letting her discomfort show, Mako pulled out of his grasp and secured the fabric against her neck once more. "But a bullet through the heart didn't so much as slow him down."

Daisuke frowned. "So he was a Pureblood?"

"If he was, I would've recognized him instantly." Her hand settled on the grip of her gun. "And I would've come better prepared." Ignoring the questioning looks, Mako strode over to the spot where the vampiric abomination had disappeared. She mumbled to herself. "A fluctuating presence."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

She distractedly shook her head. There was no need to mention that the vampire somehow knew her. "Nothing."

Before either could question her further they were interrupted. "Mako!"

All three of them simultaneously turned to see a concerned and thoroughly confused Yuuki speeding down the street towards them, arms flailing in an almost comedic manner. She came to a stop in front of them and immediately doubled over to catch her breath. Wheezing loudly, it was a long moment before she realized that Mako had company and another moment before she realized who said company was.

She immediately straightened and blushed madly. "K-Kaname-senpai. Daisuke-senpai. I didn't realize you were here. And- Wait. Why are you here?" Her attention snapped to Mako and she finally noticed the blood seeping from the fingers pressed against her neck. "Oh my God. Mako you're bleeding!" She rushed forward to see to her friend. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"A minor accident that should've been easily avoided." The hunter glared at Kaname, but he continued on without the slightest indication that he had even noticed. "Osaragi-san will be fine, but I would suggest that she return to the Academy immediately."

Mako growled. "I don't need-"

"You should." Yuuki took hold of her free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Zero and I will take care of the Headmaster's shopping. You go back to the Academy and see the nurse."

Before the hunter could object, Kaname spoke up. "I will escort her."

She blushed and gave another bow. "Thank you Kaname-senpai."

Politely inclining his head, he left the guardian to fuss over Mako as he moved to speak with Daisuke. The Aristocrat, who had been entirely focused on the hunter's injured neck, instantly snapped his attention to the Dorm President. His gaze was cold and unforgiving, and Daisuke knew that the only thing stopping the Pureblood from killing him was the fact that Mako had expressed her gratitude.

"Return to the Dorms. And not a word of this to anyone. Understood?"

Complying with a stiff nod he took his leave, but not before casting a lingering glance at the hunter. Mako was well aware of his staring and chose to ignore him. If he thought that their relationship had changed in any way, he was sorely mistaken. He may have aided her, but he was still a vampire.

"Cross-san." Yuuki stopped her incessant rambling. "Where's Zero?"

"Eh?" Perplexed, she took a moment to glance around before coming to the conclusion that the male hunter was nowhere in sight. Yuuki frowned. "I'm not sure. One minute we were sitting in the restaurant, and the next-" She clapped her hands for added effect. "-he's gone."

Mako knitted her brows. It was curious. Both Daisuke and Kaname had immediately responded to the scent of her blood, despite being kilometers away. But Zero, who had been sitting in a restaurant only a couple of blocks away, had failed to make an appearance. Clearly something was wrong with him, and Mako was willing to bet that she knew what that something was.

"Yuuki." The Pureblood stepped up to them, an ever so pleasant smile etched on his handsome countenance. "It would be best for Osaragi-san and I to make our way back to the Academy, before she loses anymore blood."

The guardian nodded shyly. "O-Of course." She gave Mako's hand a gentle squeeze. "Make sure you see the nurse straight away. I don't want you stopping for any reason."

She responded with a curt nod and watched in silence as Yuuki exchanged a short dialogue with Kaname. Flustered by the Pureblood's overwhelming presence, the guardian managed a clumsy bow before turning on her heels and jogging towards the town centre. Mako made no attempt to move until Yuuki's retreating figure had disappeared around the corner of a large, two-story complex.

A silence descended, tense and unwanted. Mako had been left alone in the presence of the last vampire she ever wanted to be with, and the only thing going through her mind at that moment was the distinct urge she had to shoot him. Even more so upon recalling his declaration that she was entirely to blame for what happened to her. She gritted her teeth. The Headmaster would be disappointed in her if she harmed his precious vampires without a just cause.

Mako began the long trek back towards the Academy without so much as a backward glance at the Pureblood. His gaze trailed her every movement. Despite the substantial amount of blood she had lost, Mako held herself well. Poised, confident and composed, she was the very depiction of aristocracy. A woman to be respected.

He smiled. "I think you'll find it more comfortable if you were to travel by car."

"And I think you'll find it imperative to your health that you leave me alone."

"You dislike me."

"It didn't realize I was so transparent." He caught the note of sarcasm in her tone.

"I only wish to ensure that you return to the Academy safely." When she failed to respond, he sought to make use of her new friendship with Yuuki. "And I did promise Yuuki I would escort you personally."

The hunter abruptly stopped and he did the same. She kept her back to him an so he wasn't able to see the expression on her face, but her body tensed. "I don't need a babysitter. Especially not you."

"So you continue to inform me." He found her response amusing, given that not too long ago, she had proven the exact opposite. "But it would be discourteous to leave a lady in your condition unattended. So I will accompany you."

She scoffed. "A lady? Really? Do I look like a lady to you?"

Kaname raised his brow. "You're certainly not a man."

Casting a glare over her shoulder, Mako resumed walking. "You vampires have made a habit of constantly intruding on my life. But what you fail to realize is just how unwanted your presence is."

"I see." He paced calmly behind her. "Have you ever considered that, maybe, there's an element of concern behind these intrusions?"

Mako gave another scoff. "Concern? Since when did your kind ever show concern towards humans? Last I checked, vampires enjoy killing us for the pure amusement of seeing us squirm."

He stayed silent and instead chose to observe her. Mako was more than accepting of the quiet and didn't seem eager to initiate another conversation with him. It was clear to him that she was struggling. With every few steps she would stumble and her body shook from exhaustion as she continued to push herself. But Mako was stubborn, and she wouldn't accept help from him unless she were unconscious, which shouldn't take much longer.

An intoxicating scent drifted towards him. The scent of her blood. He drew in a long breath and felt his body shiver in the bliss of it. A scent that evoked nostalgic memories of a life he had long since forgotten. It took every once of his control not to claim her at that moment. And as he stared hungrily at the small area of her exposed neck, he couldn't help but muse over how easily it would be to overpower her.

Clearing his throat, he steered all thoughts away from the tempting transgression. "Do you detest all vampires?" She remained silent, and so he continued. "We are as diverse as humans, and surely you aren't naive enough to believe that all humans are righteous."

"Of course not."

He nodded. "The principle is the same for vampires. Not all of us harbour malicious intent towards humans, Osaragi-san." She had begun to consider his stand on the matter when he spoke again. "Or do you see fit to judge on the basis of species alone?"

Coming to a sudden stop, Mako spun to face Kaname. "I judge based on what I know. And I've- I've never..." She stumbled, but managed to catch herself.

"Osaragi-san?"

Mako raised her hand to stop the Pureblood's approach. "I-I'm fine."

She knew she wasn't fine. Black dots threatened to obscure her vision and she blinked. Her head throbbed and her world spun. But, as stubborn as she was, Mako refused to show any weakness. She shook her head and cleared her throat. It was all she could do to keep herself from collapsing.

The Pureblood watched her, anticipating what happened a few moments later. Her knees gave way and she crumbled to the ground. His arm instinctively wrapped around her slender waist and pulled her against him before the fall could cause any further injury. Her head lolled to one side, eyes closed and unresponsive.

His gaze fell upon her neck, exposed and vulnerable. He ran his fingers carefully across her brow, brushing her bangs aside as he moved down her cheek. One bite and she would be his. He stopped short of her injury and narrowed his eyes. Blood trickled gradually from two relatively small puncture marks. No one knew the anger he felt towards the vampire who had committed this transgression against him. Mako was his and anyone who sought to harm her in the future would meet an excruciating end.

Pulling his hand away, he carefully maneuvered Mako's unconscious form into his arms and proceeded towards the awaiting car. Once he had her resting soundly on his lap, he motioned to the chauffeur and they proceeded towards the Academy.

He gently stroked her hair. "I vow to protect you, my dear Mako."