I felt tired after letting Zero drink my blood, but I felt relieved knowing that he was going to be ok. The wounds would heal quickly since I had Kaname's blood coursing throughout my veins. Ok, I don't exactly hate Kaname for what he did, since it is helping me and all, but I am still suspicious of him. He cares about me a bit too much, considering the fact that I barely know him. I guess the way he feels for me could be similar to how I feel for Zero, but that's besides the point. He's a Pureblood, and that means that he is capable of anything.

I spotted Zero in class today, and God did he look gorgeous; it was the first time I ever saw him look so healthy. Sitting down on the seat next to him, I flashed him a smile, but he did not recuperate. Instead I copped a glare and a him avoiding me the whole lesson.

I didn't get it. I was saving his life, not ending it. Doesn't he appreciate it? It saddens me; it's like he's condemning himself to hell or something. What could be so despicable to make him think of himself like some cold-blooded criminal? He can't control his urges, it's not his fault. I wish he would just see the light for once, like I'm beginning too.

I tried talking to him in the hallway, but he wouldn't look at me, his silver hair shading his eyes, his shoulders slouched like he couldn't be bothered with anything.

"Please talk to me." I said, touching his shoulder, hoping he would say something, anything to keep me from guessing.

"You think you're doing the right thing-" He broke off, his voice only just loud enough for me to hear through the high-pitched chatter of gossiping girls.

"-but you're only making me more of a blood-sucking monster." He turned his back on me.

"No. You're misunderstanding." I replied, my voice as soft as a feather.

"No, you're the one who is. You think you empathise enough to fully understand me. You think that this reckless sacrifice is going to work. But you're wrong. You're so wrong, Valeria. Why can't you see that? The more you try to help me, you're only going to get hurt. I'm a danger, I'm a beast, I'm a ravenous vampire that cannot be tamed. Now that you've been captured by my fangs, there's no way out for you now, and I just don't want to be the vicious killer that I am...I don't want to hurt you..." This was the longest speech I'd ever heard from Zero, and it mesmerised me. His tone was harsh, but filled with weighted emotion and sympathy that I doubt very few people have witnessed from him.

"Please...I don't deserve your kindness...You don't need to care for me so much-" He trailed off, his voice cracking like he was about to cry.

Although his tragic words had touched my tender heart immensely, I felt like slapping him. He did deserve my kindness. What he didn't deserve was the life that had been bestowed upon him.

"Love yourself more, Zero." I whispered, my cheeks becoming numb from the now-absent tears.

It seemed as though I had finally begun to put bits and pieces of my life together. I know where I stand now; Zero's suffering was one of many things that I could not endure. He needed to take from me what he needed to survive, and I was willing to give up as much as I possibly could to do so. My purpose is not being an invisible girl with a basket of complications, I am a girl who has a responsibility, an obligation, one I have so willingly brought upon myself. No matter what, I will always be there for Zero when he needs me. If he needs blood, I'll give what I can. If he needs a helping hand of support, I'll do that.

I have nothing else at this point in time to really live for.

Surprisingly, I didn't get a whole bunch of homework that night, so I got the opportunity to acquire some head-space. I could breathe with ease.

I decided to go for a stroll outside the gates of the academy for a while, just to get a feel of what it's like to not feel like I'm constantly behind bars. The wind was like a faint whisper calling out to me, icy and foreboding, the flock of pine trees swaying like they were dancing, free and wild and without fear. I always envied the night sky; stars twinkling like lights against the midnight sky, decorated with grey spiralling clouds that barely obscured the full moon.

It was beautiful, and it made me forget about a lot of bad things for a while.

"Lone wolf." Zero's husky voice ruined the moment, but at the same time I was happy to not be alone. A smile crept across my small lips, a feeling of joy replacing the strange foreign feeling I had in my stomach.

He came up to me, hugging me tightly, protectively, fiercely, like I was the only one he desired. Our eyes locked in a romantic gaze once again; his eyes were a lustrous lilac that burned into my swirling pools of turquoise, pulling me in a seductive manner.

The warm pit of fire exploded in my heart again, this time literally burning me to the core, making me feel a bit light headed, but it was a good light headedness, the kind that made you want to feel that way so you'd be swept off your feet like a princess would in a fairy-tale.

But this was no fairy-tale. It was reality. But for once, it didn't bother me.

With his hands entangling themselves in my hair, then trailing down my neck, my breasts, my waist...A raging desire surged forth, and something powerful took my mind over.

I touched his chest with my pale hands, reaching up to his neck, only just then realising that he had a tattoo crest there. Pushing aside that curiosity, I yearned for more of this feeling, this electric current of ecstasy; my heart was on fire, and I didn't intend on putting out the flames.

I guess to feel this way, I guess I can finally admit it.

I love him.

This is what I've been living for, breathing for, fighting for ever since I first promised myself that I would be there for him. What we are now doing may be a sin against the world, but I couldn't care less. He was mine, and that's all that matters to me now.

When our lips touched, I swore that I was in heaven. Our soft, gentle movements synchronised perfectly with each others; this was more breathtaking than our first, his tongue now running wild with mine. We were both losing control.

Pulling back, I was gasping for breath, burying my face into his head, heat still overwhelming my senses. It was incredible. He held me like I was the most fragile and beautiful thing that ever existed. We both stood amid a breeze of ice in silence and in happiness; I was sure he was thinking the exact thing I was.

An abrupt scent filled my head. It was sweet, like sugar, like snake lollies and cinnamon doughnuts. I wondered what it was, I mean it's not like we were anywhere near a bakery. My face was implanted in his throat now, my tongue sliding over his pale flesh. What the hell was I doing? Stop, stop it, you lunatic! I was screaming inside my head, praying that I would just cut it out.

"V-Valeria!" Zero said, grunting in pain as I began to bite him despite the fact that I had no sharp teeth...or so I thought. I could taste a drop of blood, and I had to admit, it was absolutely delicious, almost intoxicating.

I was sucking now, gulping it down like I was famished.

"Shit, what the-" Zero held my shoulders with an iron grip, throwing me to the grassy ground in disgust. I was trying to contain my ragged breathing, trying to hold myself together as I realised what I had just done. I couldn't control it, it was like my sub-conscious was taking me over, like something was awakening inside me.

"Oh my god..." I shuddered in fear and guilt and rage and so many other emotions that were cracking me to pieces. I wiped my bloody mouth with my palm, examining the damage I had done.

Maybe I'm not worthy of life after all.