Chapter Two

Before The Dawn

-Her XV Year-

quintus decimus

I couldn't have been any happier as I made my way through the art studio, taking in a lungful of crisp air. This place was like my second home, my favored hideout when I needed space to think. This is where I belong.

Stacks of paint cans were neatly arranged in order with rows of blank canvases set on top of the drawers. Easels were perched on the other side of the room, closer to the shelves filled with several types of pastels, charcoals, pencils, inking pens, and shading markers. Whatever was needed to express myself in terms of paper and ink, it could be found here. I studied the completed portrayals of watercolors, sketches, and portraits that were hung for everyone else to see. They flooded the plain beige walls with color and diverse personalities.

At the corner, I spotted my own acrylic beginner's masterpiece of a plum blossom tree, and I was very proud of it, considering it was dedicated to the chairman. Such fun art gives me . . . My choice of vibrant colors and occasional use for sharp contrasts between light and dark hues were my strongest points in this subject, but I still had much to learn - a lot more.

Even with my lack of experience, the art professor, Natsuko Yamamoto, had deemed me worthy for her more advance classes that were usually given to third year students, along with past recommendations. She believed I had a talent that was worth salvaging beneath my eccentricities, and at the risk of sounding arrogant, she was right after weeks of practice. Aside from defense training, art - painting, drawing, even molding slabs of clay - became something I could fixate myself on without difficulty, a passion that I couldn't be distracted from so easily.

My tendencies to lose focus disappeared, and I wasn't as slow as everyone assumed I would be when they studied my finishing works of art. In fact, I had managed to awe them. With St. Xocolatl's Day beginning only hours away, I tried to finalize the finishing touches of my latest depiction of nature's finest, making it specifically for Zero; but it was far from finished. Hardly . . .

The other gifts I planned to hand out tomorrow were prepared in my dorm - a tolerably sized room I shared with Sayori - and I hoped they would appreciate the effort I put in them. Zero didn't like sweet things as much as he preferred salty, and I was sure he wouldn't want the same giri chocolate I had repeatedly given him for the past three years. I may not have harbored romantic feelings for the silver-headed male to give things like honmei chocolate or custom-made neckties, but he was very important to me nonetheless. I couldn't imagine my life without him . . . and his grumpiness.

I let out a shocked cry when I glimpsed at the wall clock, quickly hiding the small-scale canvas in the last drawer and running to the main buildings. "I'm so late!"

Despite the vampires occupying the lecture halls, their classes were limited to the east, south, and west sides of the main building - the north being the electives' divisions. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been comfortable with wandering the school alone with a classroom full of vampires nearby. As much as I had good faith in them not to kill me like the common prey, it was me that I didn't trust to be around them. How would I act deep within their snake pit; angry, confused, panicked? I wasn't ready for that kind of challenge yet, at least, not without my partner.

Imagine my confusion when Zero wasn't present in the courtyard where he usually waited for me. "Z-Zero?" I gasped out, already building a sweat from my sprint.

"You're late," he grumbled from behind, causing me to jump in surprise.

Twisting around, I saw him leaning against the brick wall, arms crossed over his chest. "Oh, you're here. Good. I thought you went ahead."

He rolled his eyes before walking to the classrooms. "I'm not going to patrol early to have you slack off."

"W-What? I wasn't slacking off!" I defended, keeping up.

"Whatever," Zero said wearily. Glancing up to peer his face delicately, I couldn't help the grin that grew on my lips. He looked healthier than he had a few hours ago, his skin obtaining back its light tan color. As if feeling my eyes on him, he met my gaze with an expectant expression. "What are you staring at?"

I replied with a cheery tone, "You seem better, that's all. I got worried earlier."

He scowled for a moment then suddenly quickened his pace. Frustratingly enough, he didn't wait for me this time when I struggled to catch up. It must've been a trick my mind played, but it appeared as if his cheeks were tinted with a blush. "Let's just go," he barked at me over his shoulder.

Startled, I followed after him. "I'm going as fast as I can!" With merely a handful of torched lamps and the moon's luminescence to show our way, the darkness - that had been crawling ever so slowly from the corners of the school's subdivisions - swallowed Kurosu Academy whole. A chill ran down my spine when gusts of cool wind blew past me and Zero, making me shiver and tighten my black blazer around my quivering body.

My partner didn't seem troubled with the low temperature as we silently continued our rounds of the main building's east side, keeping an eye on both areas - from the forests on our left and to the empty halls on our right. It wasn't only the Day Class girls we had to watch for, who would irritatingly decide to sneak out on most nights in giggling clusters, but the Night Class as well. Some were bold enough to try and indulge themselves with a midnight snack on an unfortunate classmate of ours.

"Clear," I announced, cringing when my whisper sounded like a gunshot in the silence. I didn't need to hear Zero complain to know that he was temporarily annoyed with me. We jogged up the bricked staircase to the second level, and half an hour later, we ended up at the third floor. The classrooms were eerily silent, and I could barely relax until we reached the second courtyard outside.

"It's peaceful tonight," I observed aloud, worried when Zero didn't answer. He was becoming too reserved with me, his only friend. I'm not giving up, I sternly reminded myself. Try again. "What do you think, Zero? Is it, er, quiet enough for you?"

He shot me a slight glower. "Don't ask stupid questions," Zero muttered.

I swallowed, nervous. Okay, maybe he just needs space while I work on my inquiries.

When we reached the south side, I could spot the recognizable members of the Night Class through the clear glass, but one caught my sole interest. I didn't notice the sigh that escaped me as I unknowingly began to admire Kaname from afar. He was talking to someone I couldn't see from this angle, but his expression held a type of civil seriousness I couldn't comprehend. As dorm president, he was doing his best to lead the Night Class. Kaname was truly one of a kind - a person worthy of power and a vampire who had found me when I was lost those three years ago.

All of a sudden, Zero noted, "I'm starting to second guess your resolve."

"Eh?"

"Your savior, Kiyoe. . . . How do you think he's doing?" When I blushed, speechless, he continued mercilessly, "You've been staring at him since we got in this area."

"Zero . . . don't joke," I bit my lip. "I've told you already. It's not like that."

He shook his head at me. "Don't feel offended if I disagree."

Immediately, I straightened from my slouch and skipped to the edge of the third floor terrace, leaning against the stone handrail. The evening wind was stronger there, but I kept my shivers to myself and looked down below at the picturesque view. I didn't want him to witness any more of my embarrassment from getting caught ogling the dark-haired vampire. Get a grip, Kiyoe.

"I-It's called doing my job . . . and from what I'm seeing, we're doing pretty good." I prattled on, "Nothing seems out of place; there's no trouble here and I don't see any Day Class girls sneaking around, though I don't think any Day Class guys would try to come here for those similar kinds of reasons. Maybe if they were dared to-"

"You're babbling."

"Um, right . . . but all in all, it's a good night." My wavering voice dropped to a whisper when the breeze settled in around us. "It looks like we're not even needed here."

I heard him retort, "I don't want to be here in the first place."

"It's to keep order. The chairman trusts us to do this with integrity." The corners of my mouth curved downward at his irked expression. "What's with that face?"

". . . What face?"

"It's your I-feel-an-itch-to-shoot-someone face. Yes, you have those looks sometimes. . . . Don't glare at me for noticing!"

If possible, Zero was more agitated than before. "This is a waste of time. Whatever the chairman is trying to accomplish with these . . . bloodsuckers, it doesn't change the fact that they're still vampires." He spat out the v-word as if it were poison on his mouth. "They're not pacifists, no matter what the chairman believes."

"It's what he thinks is right."

"He's being stupid."

Hesitating, I asked, "If you hate it so much, then why do you do it? Why are you here - every night for the past few months - ready to do your part as a prefect?" Zero blinked, not expecting that question, and didn't reply. I asked again, "If it bothers you . . . what are you gonna do about it?"

"They're monsters. I'm not going to let my guard down around them, especially with their prey all over the school." His hardening glare flickered to me, and I stiffened at the unadulterated hatred that gleamed within them. "You can't trust the Night Class. Of all people, you have . . . you should know what I mean. They made you forget."

It was suddenly hard to breathe - to inhale the air into my screaming lungs. As discontented as I was with Zero using my amnesia to prove his point, it persuaded me somewhat. Not everyone in their society was a benign or polite vampire - practically bordering tamed like how the Night Class were. Zero and I were both survivors of our own tragedies, but unlike him, I was trying to forget that. It was ironic to acknowledge that the memories I tried so hard to omit from my mind were the ones that stayed with me, and the recollections that I wanted to remember remained far from my reach of consciousness.

Life didn't seem fair.

"Maybe I understand how you feel," I murmured reluctantly. "The chairman's goals seem far-fetched - most of the time, impossible . . . but . . ." I'd like to think otherwise, I finished in my head, fully aware that wasn't what Zero wanted to hear. I suppose I'm stupid too.

When I couldn't meet his gaze, my partner sighed at my unwillingness. "Forget it."

"Hey, it's not like-"

"I'm patrolling ahead." He disappeared at the corner before I could stop him. This wasn't what I had in mind when I pictured one of our longest conversations yet, with me standing alone and him storming out.

At one glance of the window, I froze, my cheeks burning red. Kaname was staring at me - no, more like at my direction, nearing the point of scrutiny toward my surroundings. He seemed concerned when I became flustered, even a little intrigued when I bolted from my spot. It was a reaction filled with cowardice. Had he listened in? Lost in my thoughts, I wasn't sure how much time had passed as I walked through the hallways aimlessly. I didn't have to check my wrist watch to know it was nearing the end of my rounds.

It was only when I heard bashful chattering did I halt at my steps to the back entrance. "Ah, Idol-senpai . . ! Y-You really think so?"

There was a husky chuckle. "Of course, Asami-chan. I never lie."

"Lucky!" Another girl cried out in envy. "What about me?"

"Karin-chan, there's no need for your anxieties. I haven't forgotten about you or your pretty pair of green eyes."

I frowned when a fourth person scoffed over her giggles. How many people were out during curfew? Inclining over the ledge, I took quick note of four individuals lingering on the ground floor, hiding in the shadows of the trees. Two classmates of mine were swooning over Hanabusa's enticing charms, the blond literally glowing with the adoration they showered upon him. A calm voice that belonged to a familiar, bright-haired vampire pointed out bluntly, "You're jesting again."

"You spoil the moment, Akatsuki," the blond groaned. "I just want a peck. I've been tormented too long."

"Then control your thirst, cousin. We should leave. Dorm President will be angry when he realizes our absences."

When the girls whined, Hanabusa assured with another charming smile, "We have girls to entertain. I'm sure Kaname-sama will not want us to be rude."

Sama? I echoed in puzzlement.

Shaking back my worries, I propped myself over the marble fringe and choked back a scream when I dropped a story down to the ground. My body trembled violently at the force of the landing, but I rolled off the shock and crouched behind the unsuspecting quartet, leaping to my feet. It was all done in one daring breath. "This is breaking a lot of the school's regulations." I warned, eyeing them carefully when the girls jumped in surprise.

"Kurosu-san?" Asami questioned. "W-What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you four that. For sneaking out, you've earned detentions tomor-"

"B-But St. Xocolatl's Day is tomorrow!"

"It's the rules." I replied curtly and flinched at their glares. Akatsuki sighed at the trouble creeping not too far away, but didn't move to interfere. Taking a step forward to collect their student IDs as policy directed, I tensed when Hanabusa slung a loose arm over my shoulders. He was too close for comfort. "W-What are you doing? L-Let go."

"Don't be such a party pooper."

Shrugging him off to no avail, I disagreed. "You shouldn't be out here at this time of night, Aido-senpai, Kain-senpai. It's past curfew for them, and you're supposed to be in class."

A smirk appeared on his aristocratic face, a perfectly curved eyebrow arching in smugness. "Are you jealous?"

I gaped. Where did he get that conclusion? "What? N-No!"

"Yes, you are!" Karin-chan accused, the enthusiast of the two.

Before I could come to my own defense, Hanabusa pertly brought his lips centimeters from my ear. "Aw!" He grinned with a tinge of malice when the girls wailed in outrage at the scene. His breath tickled my skin as he whispered, "You shouldn't worry. You're still my favorite."

Finally provoked with his tease, I shoved him away and stomped towards the fuming duo. "Whatever I feel about this - wary or not, it doesn't change the fact that you've broken the rules. I'll need your ID numbers, please-"

"Kiyoe-chan . . ." Hanabusa snickered darkly. There was a steep edge that was laced in his harmonious voice. Glancing at him charily, I stiffened when I saw his eyes crimson in vivid reds. "I gratify myself with their company, yes, but that isn't my entire intention. You interrupted supper."

"Y-Your eyes," Asami stammered.

"Watch yourself," I cautioned. "You won't touch these girls."

Cluelessly bitter, Karin muttered, "Mind your business, prefect."

Ignoring his fans, Hanabusa argued sardonically, "The tablets don't do it for me anymore, Kiyoe-chan. I'm in need for something more . . . satisfying."

Hearing his animalistic hiss, the girl beside me - Asami - freaked and shoved past my shoulder, nearly making me fall to the ground. The girls shrieked in unison when they noticed his fangs, scampering backward and unintentionally slamming into Akatsuki. "Stay calm-!" He didn't even get to finish his sentence. With a last scream, they collapsed to the ground, unconscious. "How faint of heart . . ."

A million messages filled with panic ran through my mind, and my hands clenched into fists. Hanabusa wouldn't attack me - that would be breaching the school's code of moral conduct. He wouldn't dare do that for fear of disappointing Kaname . . . would he? "Stay away from the girls, Kain-senpai."

At the slight venom in my shaky words, Akatsuki mocked a sign of surrender and backed into the thickets, returning to his position as an impassive bystander. "You shouldn't trouble yourself with my cousin," Hanabusa taunted, much closer than he was before. "He's not the one to be cautious of."

I instantly reacted, unbuckling the ten-inch rod strapped against my outer thigh and holding it out in front of me. At my positioned grip, the twisted cylinder retracted and arched into its true form - a majestic bow of carved silver. Detailed engravings of beautiful imprints ran deep within its proportioned body and despite its metal compounds, it was buoyant in my grasp, barely weighing much. Flares of electrifying friction were exchanged between the smooth metal and the skin of my palm, connecting together through energy.

Yes, it was alive - it felt alive, and as strange as it sounded, it would willingly fight only with me being its wielder. An anti-vampire weapon . . . and its holder . . . It was an unfathomable bond between a hunter - which I was trained to possibly become - and his choice of weaponry, something just a handful of humans could comprehend.

"Impressive toy, but do you know how to use it?"

"I do, but I don't want to use it, not if I have to," I replied, my hold on Apollo tightening. Defend yourself, Kiyoe. It isn't the same as it was three years ago. You can fight now. "Snap out of it, Aido-senpai!"

His stare vehemently glowed scarlet in reply. "Forgive me, for I am too hungry to listen to what you want. You should have left me to my snacks." Then he swiped with one vigorous blow.

I dashed away a few seconds too late, and gasped when his sharp nails raked through my skin like a hot knife easily slicing butter. "Damn it!" I pressed my fingers to the wound, cringing at the excessive amount of liquid soaking my sleeve.

To my disgust, Hanabusa spared a few languid licks on his stained fingertips, seductive and deadly. "Tsk, tsk. Cute girls shouldn't curse like that."

"You're not in your right mind-"

"I'm hungry, and your blood sings to me."

I gritted my teeth and faked a left as he lunged forward with amazing speed. Akatsuki didn't show any surprise at the continuation of our fight. Distracted, I swung blindly, striking Hanabusa's shoulder and twirling away from his reach. "Stop, please - omph!"

"Just give me what I want!" The blond demanded somewhat childishly.

Kneeling with my bare knees on the grass, I was left breathless after dodging his hits successfully. When he stood a good distance away, I ran to him and instead of aiming to dig a deep hole into his forehead, slammed the barbed rim of the bow across his cheek. Visible currents of blue voltage crackled at the contact. "I said snap out of it!"

Hanabusa stumbled back with a howl, clutching the side of his face that I marred. There was a lingering stench of burned flesh that gradually disappeared with the upcoming winds. "What the hell!? Ow!"

"A-Aido-senpai?" I breathed, a hidden part of me frightened beyond comprehension. This brought up too many unpleasant memories that I forced to disappear.

"Yes! It's me!" He snapped in agitation.

At the corner of my eye, Akatsuki raised an eyebrow, a little impressed. "You knocked him right out of his haze, Kurosu."

"Don't sound so smug," Hanabusa growled to his cousin before staring at me with baffling intensity. "Though your blood helped."

I froze, returning to my offensive stance when his pink tongue scraped over his bloodied knuckles. The wounds on my arm were stinging really badly now that the adrenaline rush was over, sending my muscles into agony. "I didn't give it to you, and I'm not offering any more."

His nose twitched at the surrounding smog of my blood's fragrance, his wandering gaze lowering to my elbow. Before his gaze could completely return to its predacious hint of vicious rose, a melodious voice called out, "Hanabusa, Akatsuki. . . . What is the meaning of this?"

The three of us simultaneously turned to see a scowling Yuuki Kuran sauntering towards us. She seemed both furious and composed, all in the same confusing moment. Her garnet eyes narrowed at the scene before her and dangerously tinged with rouge in her annoyance; all of a sudden, the blond bent over in distressing convulsions. Akatsuki flinched - torn at the knowledge he wasn't able to relieve Hanabusa of the pain. "Explain."

"Yuuki-senpai!" I exclaimed, astonished at her display of tremendous power. I may not have been a vampire, but her strength rolled off from her figure in crashing waves. Her scowl hardened, but Hanabusa was generously released from her influence.

"Well?" She prompted impatiently. Another female vampire stood behind her who I eventually recognized as Seiren. "What happened? Your burns - was this the doing of Apollo?"

Panting, Hanabusa bowed his head. "I-It's my fault, Yuuki-sam-"

"You will be severely dealt with later," the beautiful brunette interrupted, casting me a concerned glance. There was something else added in her melancholy when she noticed the silver bow in my hand. "Are you injured?"

"Er . . ." I stuttered under her abrupt, nevertheless, benign regard, "W-Well i-it was an accident. Uh, I-I just need to go to the, erm, chairman. H-He'll bandage it."

Shaking her head delicately, Yuuki reached out to take my arm and responded smoothly, "Your blood is exciting the Night Class as we speak. Please understand, Kiyoe. It will be for the best if I heal it for you right now."

Convinced, I moved closer until there was a grinding click of a switch. Yuuki stayed unfazed, which was remarkable considering there was a gun inches from her face, with Zero threatening to press the trigger. "Stay back," my partner snapped.

Seiren surged forward to defend the brunette, but stopped at the tiniest recline of Yuuki's head. "Tend to the Day Class girls . . ." Stone-faced, the short-haired vampire did as she asked, keeping Zero in her line of sight while she did so.

Where he came from, I didn't know, but I had a strong feeling things were not heading to the right direction, especially when I caught sight of Hanabusa's building fury. Even Akatsuki was guarded with the situation at hand. I could only gawk dumbly at my companion. "Zero!"

"Kiryuu-san," Yuuki drawled. "Your evening must have been wrecked, no?"

"Take your hands off her," he ordered through his teeth, his nostrils flaring.

She glared at my partner challengingly. "I am assisting her. She's clearly in a lot of pain. So if you would so kindly remove the Bloody Rose-"

"No."

Tensions rose to new heights, and I could barely swallow for relief. "Zero, hey . . ." I whispered in warning, realizing that the vampires were getting edgy in her position. Hanabusa looked like he wanted to claw Zero's eyes out, not that he could if Zero had any say in it. "Please. She was only helping me."

When I met his stare head-on defiantly, he let out a sigh and slid the Bloody Rose inside his black blazer, though not before yanking me from Yuuki's grasp. "Don't touch her."

"I can take care of myself," I grumbled, slightly annoyed.

His attention flickered to the fainted girls after rudely scoffing at my claim. Yuuki, following his subtle interest, offered as consolation, "They'll forget this ever happened. I will personally return them to their dorms. Trust that I will not do harm to them or their roommates."

"Hardly," Zero sneered.

My heart was pounding at her assurances, but they weren't really giving me any comfort at all. Is this what happened to me three years ago? When I was commanded to forget my past life . . . was that what was used on me? When I unintentionally clutched onto Zero's wrist, trying to find some sort of rock to hold on to while the world went dizzy under my strife, Zero remained quiet.

Yuuki whirled at Hanabusa with effortless grace. "Must you always act this foolish?"

"M-My apologies," he murmured, digging his nails into his wrists. "The tablets have ceased to work for me."

"Then it is our duty to inform the company. They are starting to lack sustenance. And you, Akatsuki . . ." At his transparent surprise, she explained, "You may not have participated in Hanabusa's plans, but doing nothing is just as blameworthy. Dorm President will want to speak with the two of you, and he will deal with your punishments directly." The two cousins silently bowed their heads in resignation. There was nothing else they could say to lighten their sentences.

She was somewhat apologetic when she turned to me. "I am sorry. Kiyoe, I hope you will be okay after this ordeal."

I reddened, fighting back a grimace from my injured arm. Aside from Kaname, Zero, and the chairman, Yuuki played a major part of my life. She had been with Kaname when he found me that night three years ago, supporting my recovery from amnesia when I was younger. I owed her as much as I owed the trio, and I would always be grateful, no matter how envious I became towards her and her close relationship with her brother. "Yes. I-I'm not that weak."

"Of course not." Yuuki tilted her head to the side, curious and not fooled. "Are you sure you will decline my help? I can heal your arm if it hurts too much."

"She doesn't need it," Zero interjected roughly.

I nodded meekly in agreement. This is no problem. I can handle pain.

". . . Very well." Her garnet eyes flickered to my partner. "Allow your stubbornness and hatred blind you, Kiryuu-san. You'll never move on from-"

The silver-haired male seethed, "Don't tell me what to do."

"Then don't regret where your path will ultimately lead you . . . attracter of purebloods," she retorted patronizingly. Shooting him a last glare and signalling the cousins to carry the girls, Yuuki left us alone in the field with the other three trailing after her silhouette. "May the rest of your night be peaceful, Kiyoe."

With a sturdy pull, I winced when Zero tore up a lengthy part of his collared shirt and wrapped it around my elbow, all the way down to my wrist. The scratches were a little deep, but alarmingly drawn out. "They won't scar," he told me, rolling his eyes at my broken expression. "Take a breath. If you're in pain, just call the vampire back-"

"I don't want to pester Yuuki-senpai. Let the chairman have a look at it first."

He muttered, making a face, "Then do it fast. I want to get out of here."

"How'd you find me?" I sniffed wearily, clutching my right arm against my chest.

"I followed the blood. This place, you, everything reeks of blood."

"It . . . It bothers you a lot?"

Zero spared me a look. "More than you know."

-Her VI Year-

sextus

A weary giggle left me as Mother ran her slender fingers through my deep brown curls. They were so much like hers. The soothing sensation of having my hair combed with such loving care could always brighten up my evening, even the worse ones. I sat on Mother's lap and watched her poised movements with wide silvery green eyes. "There," she murmured, setting the brush aside and letting me scamper down to my feet. "You're ready to start the night, Tsukina."

When she stood behind me, my forehead hardly brushed her hip. Mother was the empyrean beauty of perfection with a delicate oval-shaped face, milky pale skin, and a full pink mouth. We looked somewhat similar - many had claimed that before, but she was an artistry all on her own. Her dark mesmerizing eyes were full of mirth as I let out an adorable yawn, clutching a fistful of her silk skirt in my tiny hand. She awoken me from my bed an hour earlier than scheduled, and I was nothing but groggy if I did not have my entire thirteen hours of sleep.

I glanced outside my bedroom window, my private chambers being at the third floor of the glorious Kuran mansion. The sun had already set, leaving the sparkling stars to accompany the lonely moon. "Where to, Mama?" I asked sheepishly. She told me of tonight's plans yesterday though I had not been listening, fully distracted by my one and only companion.

As if aware of my preoccupation at that time, Mother smirked and caressed my cheekbone. "We're going to visit friends."

"Friends?" I echoed in wonder. "From outside?" Rarely had we ever gone . . . outside . . . for cordial visits, seeing as they generally came to us to request an audience. I loved the thought of exploring the world that lied beyond the back gardens and the front door. How could I have disregarded that earlier? Was his presence that absorbing?

"Yes, the delay for the moment you all shall meet has lingered far too long," she muttered most likely to herself, "and it has taken my dear a while to realize their significance. Trust is very hard to reclaim." When Mother caught my blank look at her short rant, she reached over to my princess bed and took a pair of plush toys. "Do you want to bring anything with you? A doll, perhaps? It'll be a short ride, but our stay will be twice of that."

Much to her surprise, I eyed the teddy bears with panic. "No!"

She raised an eyebrow at my alarm, becoming intrigued. "Oh? And why not?"

"Papa says it's not good to show weakness when we're outside the house. Toys are weaknesses."

A dark look crossed her angelic features. As Mother grew irritated, her grip on Snuffles-san became intimidatingly tight. "Really . . ? Papa said that, hmm?" Nodding fervently, I snatched my toys back from her grasp and threw them on the other side of the bed. I may not have wanted to bring them along with me, but I didn't want them destroyed under her haze of agitation. She questioned, taking a breath, "What else has Papa told you?"

"Erm, that red doesn't look good with yellow . . ." My wandering gaze flickered from her scarlet shawl around her shoulders to the bright citrine jewelry that adorned her ears and neck beautifully. Was there some connection to that? The room abruptly felt colder than it had moments ago. "Oh! And to always agree when he says dinner tasted great."

She frowned. "You didn't like it?"

"No, Papa didn't like it either. He said it was like charcoal."

"Huh . . . for how long?"

Recalling the burnt lamb in the middle of the dinner table, along with many other charred pieces that were nowhere near identifiable, I grimaced. My stomach lowly growled from the handful of small bites I reluctantly swallowed down - just to appease my parents. "He told me he would talk with the cook, but that was two weeks ago." Speaking of my father, I didn't have to turn to sense a familiar yet very powerful presence behind the closed door. "Papa!"

With our heightened senses of hearing and smell, I could practically feel his hesitancy to enter my bedroom, especially with having to face his wife's hot-tempered nature. "Come in, my dear," Mother greeted with a hint of sarcasm. Expectant, she had her arms crossed over her chest. "Please, don't stop on my account."

The door slowly opened to reveal the handsome, yet a bit apprehensive, young face of my father. With straight dark brown hair and enticing almond-shaped eyes that were avidly colored in garnet hues, he towered over Mother with his strong and tall frame. I rushed to his side and laughed when he picked me up with ease, his hands on my small waist. "You're getting me into trouble, Tsukina," he teased, more for his benefit than mine.

I beamed. "Are we really visiting friends?"

His smile curved downward for a quick second before he nodded. "It is nearly time. We'll be leaving soon."

"Mama says I can bring a toy . . ."

"I suppose you can," Father yielded after glancing over my shoulder gingerly. He had heard our strange conversation from earlier and was wiser to decline past opinions. Climbing down, I gathered Snuffles-san into my arms and quietly watched the tense couple. He surprisingly acted like a child who awaited a scold under her piqued glare. "Juri-"

"You didn't tell me," she accused, a threatening aura circling her. "You led me to blindly believe the supposed greatness of my culinary skills, and I unwittingly served coal remains to my own children!"

"My love-"

"Two weeks, Haruka! It's shocking that I haven't starved them yet!"

A little embarrassed, Father ran his fingers through his thick short locks, brushing them away from his forehead. "Well . . . I had the chief bring them snacks in their rooms."

Clearly affronted, she stared at him with incredulity and finally noticed the silver platter set on the edge of my bedside table. A small goblet stood next to it, half-filled with water. They had been skillfully hidden through thin layers of silk curtains, their scents covered by the jar of roses behind them. "I never expected such a furtive act out of you . . ." Before he could come to his defense, she turned her attention to me, her indignation softening at my cluelessness. "Tsukina, why don't you look for Kaname? I believe he's waiting downstairs."

"Why?"

Mother sighed at my inquiring personality. "I need to talk to . . . er, Papa . . . alone."

Glancing at my father for approval, I grinned when he nodded a little too eagerly. "Go on. Kaname's on his usual spot in the study. He rarely strays from that place as you know." A playful glint of mischief flashed in his expression when he looked back to Mother. "We won't be long." As a naïve six year old girl, I didn't catch or understand the flustered blush that worked its way to Mother's cheeks, naturally assuming she was still angry.

"Kaname~!" I made a dash through the arched hallways that were filled with lavish decor, my sensitive nose taking in the smells of leather mixed with wood and faint air freshener.

The third and fourth floors of the mansion were usually restricted, even off-limits, to most guests and household caretakers; both top levels held our private bedchambers. A grand staircase made of polished marble connected the four stories of exquisite architecture together, and a second smaller stairway at the back of the house led to the cellars - three separate floors of mystery, all beneath ground level. Not once had my parents allowed me and Kaname to venture there, making me - the unpretentiously curious child of the two - insanely interested with what was kept below.

The maids let out soft cries of surprise at my sudden appearance, hurriedly curtsying as I ran by them. "Tsukina-sama, please be careful!" I heard one of them warn when I jumped from the highest step of the stairs, landing perfectly safe on the second floor with my skirt flowing around me. My heart simply pounded at the absolute rush of it.

The harsh shock of the fall was absorbed by the muscles and sturdy bones of my legs, my limbs belonging to that of an agile predator and not of a clumsy child's. It was very easy for others to mistaken me for a defenseless creature because of my age and my transparent purity, quick to ignore my dominant position as a raptorial pureblood. Curls of my once tamed hair were now loose and wild - just as I liked it, dropping past my shoulders and almost reaching the glossy ground if not for the pair of clips holding most of it in place. Mother would not be pleased later on if she were to see, which she would no doubt.

There was an abrupt crash, trailed by a few yells of shock. Ahead of me, a slim brunette of eighteen years spilled contents of dirty water all over the slick ground. She obviously had been distracted by my stunt; it was written clearly on her face. "Ah, the bucket-!"

Someone of higher position scolded her brashly, "Mind your actions, girl! That has been the fifth blunter this week!"

"S-Sorry, Madame Sato."

"Do you wish to miss supper once more? Mistakes in the presence of royalty will not be tolerated-"

"Tsukina-sama, please stop!" A maid yelled out, unwittingly interrupting her superior, when she saw me approach them queerly. "The liquid will ruin your dress-" Disregarding them, I sprinted down the hallway and jumped gracefully over the puddle, gripping Snuffles-san in a tight hold when I landed.

The girl tensed when I glanced at her with subtle intrigue, her nose diligently picking up my mouthwatering scent. Her icy blue orbs flashed red much to her companions disbelief, signalling that she was hungry for my blood, but to drink the life essence of a pureblood was not a choice given to someone of her poor stature. It was seen as disgraceful for a common level C vampire to expose their hunger toward one so publicly, even more shameful if it was for a pureblood child who had yet to grow her fangs. It was not their place to act so freely.

She bowed her head in shame. "T-Tsukina-sama, my apologies."

Puzzled, I questioned, "Are you hungry?"

She sucked in a sharp inhale, pressing herself as much as she could against the wall in a cloud of humiliation. From how she reacted, did she expect anything worse than an inquiry from me? "I-I meant no disrespect-"

"Eat then."

I sensed the heat of four astonished stares on my body, three burning holes on my back and one meeting my gaze. "W-What?" She gasped, "B-But I-I surely cannot just leave."

"Tsukina-sama," Madame Sato began with a taxing tone, "Ikeda-san will not learn discipline if you merely reward her with food like that."

"She's hungry," I argued softly, comprehending little with the sensation of one's cravings.

When I periodically went through a fast term of blood lust - a more merciful version since I was a child, I was grateful that I had yet to acquaint myself with such unbearable thirst. I could only imagine the pain of tormented longing she was experiencing, all of it just to rebuff her animalistic instincts from attacking me. Our proximities alone must've made her insides whirl in excitement. "You should go to the kitchens."

"B-But my chores are left undone-"

"Does that mean . . . you'll disobey me?" Such big words for a little girl, it seemed, but I stood tall, mimicking the elegant postures of my parents.

Ikeda-san blinked, glimpsing uncertainly past me - to her superior - before standing to her average height. "I-If that is what you wish . . ." Hesitant, she curtsied and scuttled to the stairway.

Madame Sato grumbled reluctantly, "Tsukina-sama is a very gracious princess."

Sparing her a peering look, I continued my way to the end of the hall and slid past the double oak doors. In front of me was the library consisting of two floors - entirely my parents' study. Shelves of informative novels and tattered literature were organized into neat rows, aligned with the curving of the walls; there were pieces of priceless historical excerpts stored within their very bindings. Antiquated furniture of desks, plush armchairs, and floor lamps were placed in the middle of the hall to use.

"Good evening!" Two servants of young age, a boy and a girl, inclined their heads respectfully at my direction, their arms filled with textbooks and the like. They were assigned jobs as librarians to catalogue the volumes in order every week since my parents, more of my father's request than my mother's, shared the same concernment toward preserving worthwhile knowledge.

"Tsukina-sama," the oldest of the two greeted. She was pleasant to be around, I had to admit. Her blond hair was tied into a clasped bun, angling her facial features to be sharper and giving her the misinterpreted look that was full of malice. On the contrary, she was probably one of the handful of hospitable vampires that worked in the Kuran household.

"Oshiro-san," I replied chirpily, noticing the boy behind her shooting me a wary glance. With an innocent smile, I asked with a hint of amusement, "Is something of the matter?"

He blushed and quietly returned to his work at the back room as if he was hiding from me. Oshiro-san grinned at his easy submission, knowing better than to confront a pureblood in any way despite their age. "It's a commendable start for the evening, isn't it?"

I answered casually, clutching Snuffles-san to my torso, "Very much so." My ears twitched as it picked up the steady heartbeat of my brother, and I followed it to the more private sections of the library. There, at the corner, sat the ever refined Kaname with a large yet aged edition perched on his lap. Dark swirls of wavy chocolate brushed over his smooth face, his garnet eyes narrowed in concentration.

Even with our similar birthdays, he acted way beyond what his age called for, and I was secretly worried that he was leaving me behind - in the sense of intellect. While I was off creating devilry and trouble for the servants as most vampire children would, Kaname was visibly calmer than I was, always pausing a moment for careful thought before he acted. He preferred to study than play, an obvious oddity by itself. To be honest, it was a daunting characteristic to watch from a six year old, even if he was a pureblood of exalted caliber.

With a smirk, I skipped to his side and nimbly jumped on the chair's arm. "Kaname~!" I sang to his ear playfully, my curls falling over the pages of his book like spilled ink.

He didn't seem annoyed at my interference as he tilted his head up to meet my eyes, but he remained impassive. "You've awakened . . ." The boundless depths of his slight glare were hypnotizing, so much more opposed to the stare of another charming level A vampire. This further proved that Kaname was quite different, even compared to me.

I wasn't exactly sure how to react to that since we were fraternal twins - two different embryos roughly born at the same time. Our births were a peculiar occurence - a very, very rare circumstance in the vampire race. Putting to thought that pregnancies for pureblooded ladies were seldom successful in continuing past the first few months of incubation, one child was a miracle to conceive. To have two babies endure the sharing of nutrients needed for only one's survival, pureblooded twins had been beyond the bounds of possibility . . . until six years ago.

We were linked. Special.

". . . and you're tardy once again."

I retorted snippily, "So? You're too early a riser."

"That has never changed, Onee-san."

A little exasperated with his constant formality, I poked his cheek with the blunt edge of my nail. "Call me Nee-chan! I've told you this a hundred times already! Say it! It's easy; Nee-chan!" My younger twin didn't reply and stared at me blankly, eyeing the pout that formed on my face. "Say Nee-chan. . . . Hmph."

"I heard what happened in the hallway," he informed me for the sake of making conversation, ignoring my whines.

"Oh. Do you disapprove?"

Kaname frowned. "It was . . . warm of you."

A bit defensive, I poked his cheek again to test his patience and pointed out, "Showing kindness doesn't make me weak. Mama said so herself."

"Never had I called you weak, Onee-san." He caught my raised eyebrow and changed the subject, not wanting to irritate me. If it had been anyone else claiming these things in front of me, I would've burned with outrage. Everyone knew my temper matched that of our mother's. "Are you ready for later? We'll be staying there, perhaps until day breaks."

I practically squeezed into the tiny space left on the armchair and shoved my teddy bear to his face, disappointed when he didn't show any hint of surprise at my antics. Our tiny bodies pressed together tightly, our individual scents conjoining into one. I liked our sharing of warmth, being this close to him; it felt more natural than anything else in the world. "Yep, they're letting me bring Snuffles-san along, and you'll be with me, Kaname. Papa and Mama are upstairs talking, but after that, we'll go."

A disturbed look crossed his face, but I didn't think it was Snuffles-san that upset him. Closing the book shut with a low thud and wearing a thoughtful expression, Kaname reached out and began to twirl strands of my hair in his fingers. "Aren't you wary of these strangers? We haven't met them before."

"They're friends." I mumbled wearily, making myself comfortable and snuggling my head on his shoulder.

He stiffened at my intimate action before relaxing. "You're tired."

Nodding, I couldn't stop the yawn that had been rising up my throat. Our hearts started to thump in synchronization, the sound of our steady pulses lulling me into much needed slumber. "I don't know how you do it, Kaname; reading all night, even after sunrise. You never sleep."

"Onee-san . . ."

"Hmm?"

Unaware, I felt Kaname shift forward and whisper a gentle kiss on my unanticipating lips. An all too familiar spark of electricity buzzed through my curled body, pushing it into a state of rejuvenation and fighting past the fatigue. All my senses of being vivaciously focused on him - smell, touch, even taste and sight. If I could not see him with my eyes, then he plagued my every thought. This was a common reaction to the trading of energy, a bosom deed routinely done between kindred. My eyelids fluttered open when he pulled away a minute later, narrowing at his audacity.

"I wasn't thirsty," I uttered out breathlessly.

His cool breath washed over my face in waves as he replied, "You feel better, do you not?"

I found myself flushed under the intensity of his nonchalant stare. Kaname acted as if he had done nothing wrong - which he didn't, but for some reason, I was the one responding differently tonight. With my pride bruised, I sat up in a hurry and impulsively pecked his cheek in retaliation. When he froze in shock - neither pleasant nor unpleasant, I didn't waste the opportunity and stood. "Thank you, Kaname," I managed to murmur, slightly embarrassed.

We had kissed before in means of exchanging strength so by no means were my lips virgin to kisses like those; I was used to it. Nevertheless, my ears pounded against my excited pulse and my cheeks burned with fiery heat. I was perplexed, for the lack of better words. Why I am behaving this way?

To Cassandra: First of all, THANK YOU! I'm review friendly so I appreciate honesty:) Okay, there are THREE point of views in total. Two are flashbacks (Mihoko and Tsukina), one is the main POV (Kiyoe).

{Her XV Year - quintus decimus} means her "15th year" in Roman Numerals, also meaning KIYOE's age since she's 15 years old. This point of view is during the present. It's about Kiyoe and her life in the academy with all the usual characters like Zero, Yuuki, and Kaname.

The other one {Her XI Year - sextus} means her "6th year" in Roman Numerals, also meaning TSUKINA's age since she's 6 years old in the story. This is the flashback. Kaname and Mihoko, who's now Tsukina, end up as twins since their ages were "reset" at the same time, but Kaname changed Mihoko/Tsukina first before he changed himself and thus making Mihoko/Tsukina the older "twin" of the two. . . . Otherwise, it would've been difficult for a baby version of Kaname to do anything against Mihoko in her pureblooded queen form.

When Mihoko awakened in the tomb {Her XCDXXIV Year - decem milia quadringenti vicesimus quartus}, and as you read (this also corresponds with the manga - a spoiler if you haven't read it), she and Kaname were discovered a few moments after they had been awakened by Rido Kuran. The heartbeat they heard and the person she was about to attack had been Haruka Kuran, Rido's younger brother. He was the one who found them when Kaname and Mihoko changed into babies, and afterwards, the one who renamed her had been Juri Kuran, his younger sister and wife. It's kind of like Mihoko's first memories as a "newborn," faintly recalling Juri choosing her new name - a mark of her new beginning as Tsukina.

If you're curious, XCDXXIV means 10,424 in Roman numerals. That is Mihoko/Tsukina's true age.

Shiri-sama cheers: I'm more than happy to make another update, and I'm impressed with the number of readers this story attracted, even with the lack of comments. A fluff moment between Mihoko (now Tsukina) and Kaname. This would be the time when he's not exactly the Kaname in the present who's overly cautious, silent, and reserved. They're six years old in this chapter - says so in the subtitles - and they're purebloods so they're a mixture of maturity and immaturity, if that makes any sense at all.

I tried my best to make Kiyoe's POV more exciting since I know you guys probably read a million different versions. I made this extra long since I'm not sure when I'll be able to update. Comments would be GREATLY appreciated:)

I do not own Vampire Knight, but my OWN OCs are my OWN and made of my OWN ideas. Also, to those who are strictly anime watchers, this story will make a lot more sense if you read the manga. Enjoy it, read it, and review it if you can!