Chapter Ten
Troubles in Town

A week flew by, and the three "children" of the Chairman had fallen into routine once more. And just like normal, Yuuki and her roommate were running against the clock to not be late to class. Kagome sat in her usual seat next to Zero, but now they were sitting in the top row closest to the door. Why? She was not sure. But she couldn't complain. Now whenever she needed to use the bathroom, the door was closer.

She watched with a smile as Yuuki came bursting through the door with her roommate. The teacher had not arrived, so she was safe. From what Kagome could hear from the other students, was that they were getting a new ethics teacher. She was curious, because she could not remember her father telling her anything about that. She shrugged it off as him being forgetful, or it not being very important. Because he also didn't tell Zero or Yuuki.

Her thoughts came to a stop as the door once opened once again. Kagome studied the new teacher for a few seconds before she turned her attention toward Zero when she saw his shocked expression. She could also see a look of recognition in his eyes. Looking from Zero to the teacher, Toga Yagari as he had introduced himself, and back again to Zero, Kagome pondered at their relationship. As the class started to ask the new teacher various questions, Kagome watched as Zero stood up and left the room. Not wanting to leave him by himself, Kagome followed a second later through the classroom doors. She caught up to him and the two of them began to walk through the halls and to the outside. Yuuki caught up with them a few minutes later and together the three of them made there way toward the school gate.

The Chairman was standing there waiting for them and in his hand he held a shopping list. Kagome ran toward him with a smile and gave him a hug. She stepped back a moment later and listened as the Chairman told Zero and Yuuki to go get changed so they could go to town for him. The Chairman handed the list off to Zero and waited for them to leave. Kagome looked up to him with pleading blue eyes. With a small smile on his face he nodded and watched as Kagome beamed at him before giving him one last hug and following Zero to his room. She had to change as well, and most of her clothes were there anyway.

They had been shopping for a good hour before Kagome expressed her desire to eat. Zero suggested ramen, and Kagome was about to agree when Yuuki pulled them into another small restaurant. Kagome later found out that Yuuki had visited before with Yori and really liked their parfaits. Kagome was still trying to figure out how a parfait could be considered a meal, but brushed it aside when hers came. She may not have been in the mood for ice cream, but she would eat it to make Yuuki happy. Besides, it really was pretty good.

Kagome sat between Yuuki and the wall. She would have sat beside Zero, but the groceries were there and Yuuki didn't want them beside her. They ate in relative silence until the waitress came over and asked Zero if he was from the Night Class at Cross Academy. Needless to say, he was not to thrilled. Kagome watched worriedly as he excused himself and left the building. She would have followed if it weren't for Yuuki sitting next to her and blocking her escape. Besides, she couldn't just leave Yuuki alone. Zero could take care of himself, but Yuuki... sometimes had problems doing so.

As soon as Yuuki was finished, the two of them left to find Zero and head back to the Academy. When they arrived outside, Zero was no where to be seen. Kagome took a moment to try and locate him, but was interrupted when Yuuki grabbed her hand and took of in the direction she thought Zero went. Somehow they ended up in an abandoned part of town and while running through the streets, Yuuki caught her arm on some metal. Her jacket was torn and she had a small scratch, and from her spot standing next to her, Kagome could clearly smell the small amount of blood.

Kagome sensed the vampire heading for them from above right before Yuuki pulled out Artemis and blocked his attack. Yuuki pushed Kagome behind her – even though Kagome tried to protest – and stood protectively in front of her. The vampire jumped back and began to talk about drinking Yuuki's blood. Yuuki froze up in fright as the vampire started running toward her again. Before he could get close enough to touch Yuuki, Kagome ran in front and made a diagonal slashing movement with her arm.

The vampire froze for a moment with wide eyes, before disintegrating into dust. Kagome stood glaring at the spot where the vampire's remained

"Nobody hurts my family," Kagome whispered coldly to no one in particular.

Yuuki had already collapsed from shock and remained frozen on the ground, staring listlessly at the clothes on the ground. A moment later and Zero appeared around the corner behind Yuuki, he stood staring in shock at the remains of the Level E vampire he had sensed near Kagome and Yuuki. He looked from Yuuki to Kagome and down to the remains of the vampire. Before he could ask what happened, Shiki and Ichijou appeared in front of them.

Ichijou was holding his sheathed sword and looking in shock at the tiny pure-blood in front of him. Shiki looked half asleep as he gazed dispassionately at his surroundings. A tense silence followed in the next few minutes, and was only broken when Shiki spoke.

"I guess... we weren't really of need."

Yuuki knew that from their appearance they were there to kill the Level E vampire, but she didn't know why. She understood why Kagome did it, even if she was still surprised that she did, but she didn't understand why Ichijou or Shiki would come to town to kill a fellow vampire. And as she questioned them on it, the only response she got was for her to come to the Moon Dorm tonight if she wants answers. After they left, Zero turned to Kagome and found her looking at him with a relieved smile on her small face.

Understanding that, though she killed the vampire, she was still a bit scared. In a rare show of affection, Zero slowly opened his arms and waited for Kagome to jump into them, which she did a second later. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shirt, taking in the scent that was entirely his. As they made their way back to get their forgotten groceries, Yuuki filled Zero in on what happened after he left, which she scolded him about. He just ignored her and continued on his way, Kagome sleeping peacefully in his arms. As they came closer to the Academy, he couldn't help but think about what would happen tonight at the Moon Dorms. And what he would do with Kagome while they were gone.

Kagome awoke from her nap to find herself no longer in Zero's arms, but back in her bed at the Academy. Looking out the window, she saw that it was dark out, and most likely time for her to go tot bed. But she just woke up and she wanted to find Zero. Scooting to the edge of her mattress, Kagome slowly slid off her bed as she tried to think about where Zero and Yuuki were. She knew that they were not on patrol, it was the weekend and they had no class. So she didn't know why Zero wasn't in his bed.

Realization dawned on her a moment later and a second after that Kagome was running out her door and heading toward the Moon Dorm gate. She would not go outside, but she would be there when they came out. She had a feeling that something was going to happen, and she wanted to make sure that her brother and sister were not hurt. If they were, someone else was going to be hurt as well.

Her hunch was correct and not ten minutes from when she arrived at the gate, did Zero come stumbling through. She looked worriedly at him as he stumbled toward one of the ponds. He was in so much pain from trying to get his bloodlust under control, that he didn't notice Kagome following closely behind him. He made it to one of the larger concrete ponds, and leaned against the rail surrounding the area. Breathing deeply to get himself under control, Zero stared blankly at the ground as the mark on his neck glowed and throbbed and his eyes began to glow red. Kagome ran toward him just as Yuuki came around the corner and saw Zero.

Hugging him tightly around the neck, Kagome subconsciously sent her aura out to calm his. All the while, Zero took deep breathes and began to calm down. He breathed in Kagome's scent and once he had enough control. He hugged her back, holding her tightly, but not painfully, to his chest. Yuuki reached them a few seconds later and knelt down besides them, making sure they were all right.

Kagome pulled away when she felt his breathing slow down back to normal, and when she felt his need for blood lessen. Gazing into his shining purple eyes, Kagome brought her small hand up and brushed his left cheek. He leaned into her touch, and she took it as permission to continue, so she brought her other hand up and ran in through his silver hair.

The whole time she was doing this, Yuuki watched with silent awe at the way Zero was reacting to Kagome's touches. He was never too fond of people touching him, but somehow Kagome was able to touch him and he seemed to accept it. Welcome it. Want it even. And as she watched the tender moment between the two siblings, she couldn't help but smile at the precious scene.

The "precious" scene was interrupted by the sound of a gun being drawn and the safety unlocked. Zero and Yuuki looked up, and Kagome turned around to see who made the noise. She found the school's new ethics teacher standing over them with a gun pointed dangerously at Zero. Kagome stood up and blocked his view of Zero as much as she could with her small body.

She glared at him and said coldly, "What are you doing with that thing?"

Toga blinked as he looked to the tiny girl trying to protect his former student. As soon as the words registered in his brain, he blinked again before letting out a low chuckle. When he saw her eyes narrow a bit more, almost making it so her eyes were shut, Toga stopped laughing.

Ignoring her question, Toga said, "Little girl you should move out of the way before you get hurt." Toga remembered the Chairman and himself talking about her earlier. She was his newest adopted daughter. She was also the one who had killed the Level E he found in town earlier. She was a vampire, a pure-blood from what the Chairman said, but she never acted like one. And she appeared to be fiercely protected of those she considers family.

"I am not moving until you leave!"

"Hn." He would not hurt her, but she could end up getting in the way.

Before anything else could happen, they were interrupted by a yell from the trees followed by the sound of flesh hitting flesh.

"Pervert!"

SLAP!

"Ah! Sango-chan, why did you hit me?!"