He was stubborn. And masochistic. And malevolent. And vile. And a womanizer. And was just downright gorgeous so people forgot everything else.

That's pretty much how they got into the parties and hotels and restaurants.

"Stop scowling," he muttered from beside her. She did her best not to look up at him because she knew what she would see: the mask he put on for everyone else and she, not being a naive child anymore, wouldn't stand to be dazzled by it any longer. "You can't honestly say that you've never been anywhere like this."

Although she didn't look up she knew he was gesturing to the ancient stone city of Verona. They'd stepped outside to get some air and 'admire' the night when really it was just an argument session. The Italian Pureblood prince here was caring and kind and, as his fiancée commented, they made a beautiful couple and said they were a true vampire Romeo and Juliet -them being from different ancient grudged families and all. Yes Aldo and Isabel were quite the pair.

Yuuki could have laughed at the irony of their story. She knew Zero loved her, but did she love him? Absolutely not.

Couldn't they see that? Couldn't they see the suffering and loneliness in her eyes? Did they not see how wherever she went her captor followed to be sure she couldn't make a getaway?

"Alright...can you pretend to be happy?" Zero asked, the princess had been in a sour mood since Moscow and he was trying not to lose his patience with her. If he wanted to win her heart he'd have to be kind to her -so he's heard.

"I'll try." She muttered, grabbing a glass of wine off a waiter's tray as he went by. She downed it quickly and turned back to her escort/kidnapper who was watching her with raised eyebrows.

"What was that all about?" She swallowed and ignored the little voice in the back of her head telling her to spit it out. Slamming the empty glass down on the waist high stone wall, they were leaning against.

"You wanted me to be happy; you're going to get drunk happy." Another waiter past by and Zero grabbed two glasses and handed one to Yuuki.

"You're underage." He warned, but couldn't keep the smile off his face. He raised his glass to her and waited for her to do the same.

She glared at him and a growl was audible from the back of her throat. "Zero, don't baby me." She raised her glass as well.

Zero's eyes roved over her. She didn't look like a 'baby' anymore. When he'd first met her she had worn a knee length dress that covered everything -she also had white stockings covering her legs- and her long hair was curled into childlike ringlets.

Now she wore a curve hugging red, silk dress that brushed the floor and had a cut running up to about mid-thigh, it was strapless and drew more attention to her exposed neck with a velvet black chocker with a red rose pinned on it. Her hair was down, dead straight and wild.

She had been trying, and succeeding, to torture him.

"Sorry," he said after a long silence. He clicked his glass with hers. "But just so you know I won't be dragging your drunken ass home at four in the morning." She took another gulp of the wine-blood mix before setting it down next to the other one.

"Fair enough, but it is your fault." She lifted the trail of her dress, obliviously exposing more of her long legs to him as she hurried up the long staircase in those red, sharp heels.

Kuran

"Ruka-san, Akatsuki-san I want you to two proceed to Italy and try and pick up a train there."

"Hai, Kaname-sama." Ruka and Akatsuki said in union. Both of them were dressed for a long trip, but hadn't known where they were going until this evening. Ruka picked up her suitcase and brushed invisible lint off her coat, looking anywhere but the Kuran Pureblood's languid gaze.

"Kain-san, please step out for a moment." Akatuski hesitated for a moment then grabbed his own suticase before give Ruka a quick glance and leaving the room. As the great wooden door shut, the Pureblood spoke. "Ruka-san?" She had no choice but to look now.

"Hai?" She squeaked, making herself a statue.

"I know you were once a lover to the Kuruizaki prince, tell me and do not lie; do you still have feelings for him?" Elegant fingers played with a chess piece on the black-and-white board.

Ruka's face paled and painful images flashed before her, pictures she'd thought she'd burned away from her memory. "Kaname-sama...I..."

The Kuran male raised his head and kept his face an emotion mask. "Yes, Ruka-san?"

"Forgive me, but I still have feelings for him. But my love for him died when he told me to leave him, so as a kindness I will save Yuuki-sama from him."

Kaname's eyes narrowed. "Save? Although Zero has his reputation I do not believe he would harm her."

"That's not what I meant, Kaname-sama," Ruka bowed her head slightly. "You can't forget a love like his." Ruka let her words sink in and then continued. "He is addictive, graceful and tempting...Violet eyes that read into your soul and with all his connections he could get him and any number of guests into any party. I don't see how any sane woman can resist him. ."

The chessboard piece snapped in Kaname's hand and Ruka fought the smile that wanted to grace her features.

"Get. Out."

"Kaname-sama," Ruka bowed and left without another word, relieving herself of what she wanted to say the weight of those words were lifted from her shoulders.

And placed directly on to Kaname's.

Kuruizaki

Maria repeatedly tapped her long, red finger nails on the polished wooden table.

"So...Onii-sama has kidnapped the Kuran-hime?" Her maids nodded as they relayed the gossip onto her. "Leave." The maids ran for it and Ichiru looked at his fuming fiancée.

"Maria?"

"Yes, Ichiru, my darling?"

"What are you going to do?"

Maria hesitated and stood from her chair and grabbed the back of her brother's head; pulling him down to her eyelevel.

"We and going to wait for our dear, sweet Onii-sama to return and then..." She pulled him closer so that her ruby lips just brushed his. "I'm going to rip that princess limb from limb."

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Maria...play nice.

Please review I got only 4 of them last time I checked...Don't make me cry!