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Chapter 8~ Dark Secret

Hard to believe I've gotten to this point. I thought, sitting on the rooftop. Over a month had passed now since I had come to Cross Academy and I was starting to find myself more at ease around the night class vampires. Although I still tensed up whenever I was in a large group, there were times that I actually enjoyed being around others.

"You've come a long ways as far as trusting us." Hanabusa said beside me, eyes closed, almost as if he had read my thoughts.

"There are times now that I actually forget that I'm a Songblood." I said, setting my ocarina down. "But there are still times that make me remember…." Hanabusa looked over at me for a moment before following my gaze to where the sun was starting to set. We both knew what I was talking about.

It had all started about two weeks ago, when we were coming back from class one morning. The day class students were heading to their own classes, but a few still managed to see us to the gate. I had been walking beside Hanabusa when one of his "fan girls" came over and gave him a rose, blushing.

"For you, Idol." The girls said, dreamily. Being the playboy he was, Hanabusa smiled and took it, winking at the girl, which only caused her to blush harder. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath to sigh, only to freeze. Not all of the thorns had been removed from the rose, and one of them had made a cut in the girl's finger.

"Hanabusa." I whispered, knowing that he hadn't had a blood tablet since halfway through class. He didn't seem to hear me, though, and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. The whole night class had stopped and was watching him closely. Thinking fast, I reached over and pulled the rose from him, making sure I grabbed the thorn.

The smell of my blood seemed to snap him out of it for he turned his now crimson eyes on me. "Looks like you missed one." I told the day class student dryly. I could see Hanabusa trembling a bit, like he was trying to control himself. The day class student bowed apologetically to us before stepping back.

"Quick thinking." Takuma said, nodding his approval, but I could see the effort it was costing him by his own crimson tinted eyes. Once we were out of sight of the remaining day class students, I took out my ocarina and played a quick section of the lullaby, allowing the tension around us to disintegrate. Back at the dorms, I changed out of my uniform and headed up to the roof, wanting to get a little practice in before the cold became too unbearable.

"Ariao." I looked over to see that Hanabusa was already up here. His gaze met mine and he stalked over. Before I could take more than a few steps, he had grabbed my shoulders, pulling me against him.

"Hanabusa! Get ahold of yourself!" I snapped, trying to pull away.

"You only have yourself to blame. Your blood is so tempting." Hanabusa said darkly. Next thing I knew, his fangs had pierced my neck. Eyes closed, I waited, trembling as he drew my blood. After a minute or so, he pulled back, still holding me tight against him.

"Better?" I asked softly, surprising myself to find that I hadn't minded in the least. I felt him tremble a bit before pulling away. When I turned to look at him, his eyes had returned to their usual icy blue.

Ever since that incident, I had allowed him to take some of my blood up here before we left for class, insisting that as long as it kept him out of trouble, it was worth it. Besides, it kept me from seeing those flames anymore and that was good enough for me. I had no desire to keep seeing such visions when all they did was leave me feeling vulnerable and terrified.

"I really can't believe you're so willing with this." Hanabusa told me, getting to his feet. I stood as well, giving my head a shake.

"It's better for both of us this way." I said stubbornly. He still had no clue as to what I was talking about when I said something like that, but he never seemed to push hard for an answer.

"And how is breaking a school rule better?" My blood ran cold as I heard the disapproving tone of the dorm president.

"Dorm president Kuran." Hanabusa said, dropping into a bow. Slowly I turned to look at the Pureblood, casting a quick look at his crimson eyes before following Hanabusa's lead.

"It seems you've forgotten some things." I tensed as Kaname's feet suddenly presented themselves before me. "Ariao, I want to see you in my office. Now." I nodded and got to my feet, unable to bring myself to meet Hanabusa's eyes.

"That wasn't the first time was it?" Kaname asked, standing in front of me. I was sitting in the loveseat in the center of his office, looking anywhere but at him. I could tell by the tone in his voice that he was barely controlling himself.

"No, sir. It wasn't the first." I admitted quietly. The tension spiked and instinctively I reached for my ocarina beside me.

"Leave it." Kaname growled between his teeth, making me freeze. I chanced a glance at his eyes and almost wished I hadn't. The usual maroon coloring was gone to be replaced with the crimson of blood lust and rage. But he wasn't looking really at me, he was looking more at…my eyes.

It's almost like he's directing the rage at someone else! I thought. But who? Hanabusa, maybe?

"There's a reason for it." Kaname said, pulling back. He turned away from me and took a deep breath before returning his now maroon gaze to me. "What?"

I was caught. On one hand, it would be better for someone to know that I was able to see these things. On the other, I was reluctant to tell anyone for fear of what would happen afterwards. Plus if I didn't give him an answer, he would only get furious again. Closing my eyes for a moment, I sighed. "It's a long story."

The whole thing took about 45 minutes to explain. And explain I did. My reason for wanting to join. Every vision I had seen since coming here to Cross Academy, as well as the consequences of having my blood drawn. When I was finally done, Kaname sat back in the chair behind his desk, hand against his head as he tried to make sense of what I had said.

"So let me see if I have this right. You originally only joined because you wanted to learn about your father. Now you've been seeing visions of Cross Academy in flames and these people that call you as a Pureblood rather than the common vampire you are." He looked at me and I nodded. "Are you sure you don't have any Pureblood blood in you?"

"Not to my knowledge." I said, suddenly remembering what Headmaster Cross had said when I was in his office filling out all the forms. He had asked me the same question. "You know something don't you?" I asked, hands balling into fists on my lap. "You and Headmaster Cross and this whole group. Everyone seems to hint at something when they see my eyes. Why?"

Kaname was silent for a long moment and I thought he wasn't going to give me an answer. I was getting ready to just get up and leave his office when he surprised me. "I have an idea who your father is. We all do."

"How is it that I'm the only one left in the dark then?" I asked tightly.

Kaname sighed lightly and stood up again, turning to face the fireplace. When he spoke, I could barely hear him over the crackle and pop of the flames. "If your eyes are the key to go by, then it is true. I hoped to never see that sort of thing again, but peace can never last forever." He turned to me, eyes shadowed. "We believe that your father…was my uncle, Rido."

"Rido?" I asked. The name wasn't familiar, but my mother had never talked much about my father around me. Kaname nodded.

"Rido tried to destroy the peace here at Cross Academy last year. He brought an army of vampires with him in an attempt to take over this academy." I saw Kaname's eyes tint crimson as he continued. "He took over one of our students once, but it's apparent to me that that hasn't happened to you. Which leaves only one option: Rido Kuran was your father."

"Someone that…that evil?" I breathed, my head spinning. Was that why everyone was so careful to be nice to me? Because they feared that this Rido person had taken control of me?! I couldn't bear to bring myself to believe it, but the thought persisted as I stared at Kaname.