It's finally here! It seems like it took me forever to finish. I had some stuff to do so I haven't been working on it as much as i usually do but it's posted now. Enjoy(:

Chapter

6

In less than a week the whole school knew we were a couple (even the Headmaster.) Neither Zero nor I told a soul yet somehow people found out. Sure, there was talk going around that we were 'together' before but this was the real thing. Jealous and angry Day Class girls were spreading rumors saying that it was 'incest' but mostly everyone knows Zero and I aren't actually siblings. I expected there would be some controversy though. I mean, I am dating the hottest guy in the Day Class.

It was a Thursday afternoon and Zero and I were walking through town. Headmaster had sent us to the store to buy a few things for dinner. He claimed that he was too 'busy' to go himself when in reality he was too lazy.

He gave us a simple list and some yen to spend. We walked into the closest grocery store and split up so we could finish faster. I had the easier things to find like eggs, milk, and produces. We met up at the front of the store and picked the shortest line which was still a few buggies long. The cashier worked promptly and we were up quickly. It was girl with bob-like blonde hair and she looked about a little older than me.

"How are you two doing today?" she asks cheerfully.

"Good," I answer for the both of us.

She ringed up our items swiftly and tells us the amount. I hand her the correct bills and she punched in a few keys.

"I couldn't help notice your uniforms," she observed. "Are you students from Cross Academy Boarding School?"

I nod. "We're both second years."

"Are you two, by any chance, in the Night Class? I heard they were some kind of noble elites."

I looked over at Zero to see if he was going to respond but he just clenched the paper bag in his hands silently.

"No, we're in the Day Class."

"Oh." Disappointment was apparent in her voice.

She gave me my change back and the receipt then gave me a kind smile. "Have a nice day?"

"You too."

I took the other bag in my hands and we left the store.

"I can't believe she thought we were in the Night Class," Zero spat as we walked down the street.

"Relax Zero. It's no big deal. People make that mistake all the time."

"She called them noble elites."

"Well…they kind of are."

"If only she knew who they really were. If only she knew that they were actually disgusting creatures that_"

I stopped abruptly, cutting Zero from his anti-vampire rant. "Zero…where are we?"

It was a part of town I haven't seen before. There were no people here or active businesses. There were only abandoned buildings and overflowing garbage cans.

A wailing sound erupted from one of the ally-ways and before I could stop myself I when looking for the source of it. Behind one of the empty warehouses, in between two dumpsters, there were two young girls crying.

"Are you two okay?" I asked approached them slowly.

They kept crying.

"Are you lost? I can help you find you way."

"We lost our mother," the taller girl explained, "at the market."

"I want my mommy," whined the shorter girl.

They both came over to me and continued to weep.

The taller girl lifted her head. "Doesn't she smell good little sister?"

"Yes, she does big sister."

The two girls looked up at me. "She's perfect."

A feeling of de je vu washed over me. The language they used. The actions they made. It all seemed too bizarre, but my mind was too distracted by their innocent and helpless cover to figure out what they were.

Suddenly they're eyes turned blood red and they're teeth and fingers grew sharp and pointy. Then it hit me. These girls weren't humans they were Level Es.

I let out a scream and made a run for the street but the taller one blocked my way. I was trapped. The only thing I could do now is flight.

The shorter one made the first move attempting to jump at me, but I pulled out my Artemis Rod and smacked it into the wall before it could get me.

"You killed my little sister," the taller one said furiously. "And now I'm gonna kill you."

I swung my Artemis Rod at it as fast as I could yet I was still too late. I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes. I was sure about to die. My last memory: being slaughtered by an animalistic inhuman monster.

Bang.

A bullet flashed past my head straight behind me. It hit the Level E straight in the chest creating an immediate explosion. I was frozen in shock, my eyes glued to the puff of smoke coming from Bloody Rose. Zero just saved my life.

"Are you just going to stand there or what?" he asked.

His words took me out of my shock.

"You have to be more careful Yuuki," he told me. "You could've died."

I nodded. "I will." If wasn't for the grocery bags occupying our hands I would've hugged him.

We walked out of the alley and navigated ourselves out of this part of town. But even though we were far away from there I still felt odd. I felt as if eyes were prying at me, watching me; big red ones that were lusting for blood.

Just then a figure jumped out of the shadows and aimed its claws for Zero.

"ZERO WATCH OUT!" I yelled, I pulling out my Artemis Rod and shocking it with a bolt of electricity. Zero was alarm now and shot it once to make sure it was dead.

For a second I thought we were fine until hysterical cackling sounded from in between the buildings. Soon dozens of pairs of glowing eyes appeared.

"Show yourself you disgusting creatures," Zero commanded.

He loaded him gun and aimed it upward. I expanded Artemis and took a responsive stance.

Stillness took over the air as Zero and I stood back to back waiting for the first attack. After a few moments I heard a gunshot and I knew the fight was about to begin. Two came charging at me and I smashed their heads in. Long minutes of gunshots and electric bolts passed and they were still coming. Zero might be use to this but I wasn't. My arms were getting tired and I was losing strength with every swing.

"There's so many of them," I said despair clear in my voice.

He didn't respond but his fires became more frequent and unfortunately so did the attacks. Suddenly, the gunshots stopped and I knew why.

"This is it," I think. "We will die right here and now." The ammo was gone and my strength to fight had dissolved. Zero could use Artemis and fight but it would do much with only one person. There were just too many of them.

Boom.

A crashing sound came out of one the buildings and a grayish-brown cloud surrounded me, blinding me.

"Zero!" I called out.

"Yuuki!" I heard him yell out.

Boom.

There was another crash and I started feeling around for Zero.

"Zer_" some dust entered my lungs and I started coughing violently. Soon after me I heard Zero coughing too.

"Damn you Level Es'," I heard someone curse. "I hadn't planned on having a slaughter party today."

"Stop complaining Shiki," someone else said. "This is our job. The Vampire Council sent us here."

"I know but I still don't want to do it."

When the dust finally cleared I took in a couple breaths of fresh air.

Zero came up behind me and patted my head. "Are you alright?"

I cleared my throat. "I'm fine. What about you?"

He answered with a slight nod.

Takuma and Shiki walked over to us and I gratefully bowed to them. "Thank you for saving us."

Takuma withdrew his sword and smiled kindly then gave Zero and me serious looks. His easy going and cheery mannerisms were long gone as he said "Do you want to know what just happened here?"

It was a hypothetical question that wasn't meant to be answered and we all knew it. Takuma and Shiki, according to their conversation, were sent here to slay these beasts. It wasn't a coincidence that they were there and it wasn't a coincidence that dozens of level Es were in town. Something bizarre was going on and I wanted to know what it was.

They lead us back to the school and to the Moon Dorm. None of us said a word the whole way there. When we entered the gate they took us around the back where there was a garden. I've never been to this part before. Now that I'm thinking about it, I haven't been past the front room.

"Take a seat," Takuma insisted. Zero walked over to a table on the patio and I followed him. I usually sat across from him when we sat at tables but right now I wanted to be next to him. Soon after we sat down a maid came over carrying a tray of tea and cookies. It wasn't until I started eating did I pay close attention to where I was. I knew it was a garden right away but it had a dainty look to it. The grass was green and lush, the pathways were cleanly swept, and stunning roses were dotted everywhere. But they weren't ordinary roses. The pedals were way too red, the stems were way too green, and the smell was way too intoxicating. No, these were Kaname's roses.

If only for a second my mind was totally detached from the actual world. I forgot about the Level Es and the fact I almost died. I forgot about the fact that I was in the Moon Dorm and might be delivered potentially devastating news. The only thing on my mind was the roses. They were taunting and teasing me.

"How could you be that stupid to think that you could get rid of me that easily?" the roses said.

I was being stupid, wasn't I? I thought that if I burned the ones I picked they would all somehow disappear. They're still here in this garden and in the garden behind the school. They still existed in my life and so did Kaname. I can't forget Kaname no matter how hard I try. He was the first to save my life and he introduced me to my father, Headmaster Cross. He will forever be in my heart and soul whether it's because of love or resentment.

Out the corner of my eye I saw Takuma take a seat across from us. My body started shaking and my heart started racing. "What was he going to say?" I think. "How severe is the problem? What are the plans to solve it? Does this have anything to do with Kaname and is he doing anything to help?"

I involuntarily reached over took Zero's hand. I wanted to feel his while Takuma told us.

"How do I put this?" Takuma wondered.

"Don't hold back," Zero told him. "I want to know everything."

Takuma lets out a tense sigh and I tightened my grip around his hand.

"The Vampire Council is doing everything they can but the Level E population is rising too rapidly. We think this could be the beginning of an apocalypse."

"I thought that only purebloods can turn humans into vampires," I said.

"That's true. We know that a pureblood is behind it and we think its Shizuka Hio."

"Shizuka…Hio." That name sounded so familiar to me.

"Yes, she is the only pureblood aside from Kaname whose death is not definite."

Zero stands up abruptly. "I thought that bitch was dead."

"I'm afraid that's not true. After the killing spree 4 years ago she went into hiding. Apparently she is striking again and purposely creating these Level Es."

"What does she hope to get out of this?" Zero questioned, anger invading his voice.

"We don't know yet, but Kaname was sent to hunt her down."

"What about the Level Es?" I asked standing up next to Zero.

The Vampire Council and the Vampire Hunting Association are doing all they can to help this problem but they keep increasing and getting even harder to catch by the day."

"Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Just be aware at all times because they are everywhere and Zero, you might get called by the VHA to hunt down a few Level Es in the area."

With that the conversation was over and Zero and I made our way back to the House. Right when I walked through the door I broke into tears.

"Yuuki," he called out walking towards the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

I didn't answer.

"Yuuki?" He turned around and when my eyes met his, I couldn't look him in the face any longer.

"Yuuki?" I felt his hand pat my head, gently. "What's the matter?"

What's the matter? The real question should be what isn't the matter.

"I'm scared…" My voice was weak and raspy.

He threw his arms around me and pulled me close. "Don't be scared. I will protect you."

"But what if you die in the process?"

"I promise that I won't die."

"That kind of promise can't be made Zero."

He took a deep breath. "I won't let anything happen to me or you so don't worry, Yuuki."

I nodded my head against his chest. "I love you, Zero." I was mumbling through the sobs and I wondered if he could understand me.

He kissed the top of my head. "I love you too."

That night I lay in bed thinking only of happy thoughts. I trusted Zero when we said he'll protect us and I believed Takuma when he said that the VC and the VHA was doing all they could to help this apocalypse problem. But I can't say that I'm not scared. I still fear that something bad will happen.

What feel fear for Kaname? I know he's hunting down Hio but will he be able to beat her? He can defeat an inferior vampire with ease but how will a pure on pure match turn out? And I can't seem to let go of the roses either. It seems foolish to be worried over some stupid flowers when all this commotion is going on yet I am and it left my mind wondering for most of the night.

I've noticed that this is slowly veering off of the subject I was hoping for so I think I might change the title but I'm not sure yet. I'm not that good at titles so I might just leave it. Maybe I'll change the summary. But anyway, I hope you liked it and and will read my next chap.