Chapter Four

A damp cloth was pressed against her forehead. Ayama couldn't feel her arms or legs. There was a dull throbbing pain within her head, and she groaned, feeling the aches all over, yet unable to move. She forced her eyes open, slowly crawling out of the dark cave of sleep, of near death. Bright fluorescent lights pierced her eyes with a stinging pain.

Moaning and closed them once again, the cool, wet cloth gently wiped her eyelids.

"Hiro-Hi-Hiroshi?" she croaked, finding her voice scarce.

"No." It was the deep, rumbling voice of Yagari.

Forcing her eyes to open once again, squinting against the light, she asked, "Wh-what are….you doing-"

"I was worried. You've been out for three days now." He placed the cloth back on her forehead. "There are many who are worried. That Hiroshi boy especially. Chairman Cross was forced to put him in a temporary…..detention cell."

"What?! Why?!" she cried, still unable to sit up or even move.

Yagari sighed, "He hit Kaname, and now all the Night Class students are calling for his head."

"Why?" Ayama whispered, the back of her throat sore and scratchy after she had raised her voice.

"Kuran had you locked away in his rooms for some time. He would only let the guardians, the Chairman, and I in to see you. This Hiroshi boy, as I understand, is your servant, and K-"

"No. He's my friend."

Raising his hands in defense, he replied, "Either way, Kuran would not allow him to see you. Hiroshi blew up and hit him. For his protection, of course, Chairman Cross had him placed in a detention cell. If he hadn't, the other vampires would have torn him to pieces. They are quite furious."

"Oh." She swallowed a lump in her throat, wishing for Hiroshi. She had to get him out. But why would Kaname keep her in his rooms? Did Yagari say she had been asleep three days? "But….why are you here again?" Ayama's mind was spinning on an axis and wouldn't stop. "And, where am I now?" The room, she noticed, was completely white.

"I brought you into the infirmary, against Kaname's wishes, but the Chairman overruled him. The Night Class was beginning to become….rowdy. I understand there are mixed feelings about you there…But I am here because, as a part of the Hunter's Association, it is my job to figure out what happened."

Slowly the feeling was coming back to Ayama's arms, fingers, legs, and toes. Staring up at Yagari, who gazed back at her expectantly, she allowed herself to remember. Of course she remembered. Ayama simply wasn't sure if she remembered correctly.

Had that all really happened? Had she really done those things?

"I-I was ambushed by a vampire disguised as a Night Class student. He had others with him, and they wanted…" What had they wanted? She carefully and gingerly rose up on her elbows. "My blood, I think." She bit her lip, feeling so lost and confused. It was all jumbling inside her. Ayama wasn't sure if she could hold it all in. "They attacked me, and I ran, but they caught up, and I…."

He waited. "And you caused several earthquakes. Well, at least, the earthquakes' epicenter was exactly where we found you, or so Kaname and the Chairman say." Running his fingers through his wild hair, Yagari said, "Now, Ayama, I need you to tell me what happened. What caused the earthquakes?"

The power, the force that had run through her body….Ayama could feel the ghost of it through her veins. She felt weak, which was what made her lay back down. Sighing and closing her eyes, sleep drawing her in with its soft arms, she murmured, "I caused them. I-I don't know how." She yawned. "I'm so…sleepy."

There was the sound of a chair scraping against tile. Ayama opened her eyes momentarily to see Yagari stare down at her with a serious expression.

"Ayama, I think you need to know, I am on your side. You have unknowingly been thrust into a chess game. You are the king, if you consider the chess meaning, and someone is out to capture you. I don't know why, but I feel I must protect you. You are the most human vampire I have ever met. I want you to stay that way, and I want to make sure of it." She could feel his fingers on her cheek.

But her mind was already slipping, unable to fully comprehend the true and deep meaning of his words. So, she replied while yawning and rolling over onto her side, "I don't like chess that much."

--

Ayama sat on the plush window seat of her newly assigned room. Her new room had dark red walls and cherry wood furnishings. Her bed was covered in black silk, the canopy of it black lace. The room was so much darker, gloomier. Ayama missed her old one.

Donning only a white fluffy robe, which had been lain at the foot of her bed when she had awoken in her new room, Ayama stared down at the garden to which her room now overlooked. It faced the growing moon and endless forests beyond.

There was a knock, and then her door opened. Turning slightly, her heart jumped, excited to see Hiroshi once again.

And he stepped in wearing the uniform's black buttoned down shirt and stark white pants. Her eyes couldn't help but notice the few loose buttons that exposed a sinewy chest.

Ayama made a move to jump up and run to him, but she was too late. Already Hiroshi had her in his arms, cradling her like a precious doll. He pressed her firmly against himself, burying his face in her long, raven hair.

She giggled and kissed his forehead. "Put me back down, Hiroshi!" And he did so, a relieved expression on his soft face.

"How are you feeling?" he asked immediately. "Did they treat you well? Are you thirsty? When was the last time you fed? Do you need my blood?" He tilted his neck towards her.

A moment came where Ayama could sense the blood running through his veins like wild horses on an open plain. Licking her dry lips, she replied, "Now that I think of it, I am sort of parched." She wanted to feel the sweet, warm blood on her lips, trickling down her aching throat. Her fingers brushed his neck lightly, until she snapped out of it.

Shaking her head, she smiled apologetically. "No. I'll be fine. What about you? Are you thirsty?" Ayama gathered her long hair and moved it to her opposite shoulder.

His gentle eyes widened for a moment as his body tensed. Ayama could see the vampire float through his eyes and then disappear. "No, but you should drink. They probably gave you blood tablets as you slept." He shook his head. "Those are hardly filling. Please, Ayama. Drink from me." Hiroshi moved to sit across from her, still offering his neck.

And she knew he was right. Moving onto her knees, Ayama scooted closer to him. Hiroshi, in response, placed his arms around her waist, leaning his head against the wall and raising his neck towards her.

Holding his head carefully in her hands, she lowered her lips to his neck, feeling the delectable scented blood rushing through. The vampire within her, not the powerful, terrifying one from the night before, was aroused and hungry. She slowly sank her teeth into his neck, savoring the liquid as it came running past her lips, down her throat.

Hiroshi sighed and held her tightly, as if he was clinging onto something he was afraid of losing.

Just then the door opened. The knock, if it had existed, had been unheard. Ayama ripped herself away from Hiroshi's delicious blood, feeling full and energized. Blood trickled down her lip and chin. Hiroshi, much to Ayama's surprise, immediately licked the stray droplet from her chin just as her parents and Kaname stepped into the room.

Her parents instantly came rushing at her, their only daughter. Four long arms wrapped around her, dragging her away from Hiroshi and kissing her cheeks repeatedly.

Her mother clung the tightest. "Ayamie!" She kissed both of Ayama's cheeks. "Darling! Are you alright?"

Her father, done with his hugs and kisses, unwrapped Ayama's mother from her. "Chiyo, give the child space. I'm sure she's fine. She just fed by the looks of Hiroshi." Her father gave a respectful acknowledging nod to Hiroshi, who rose form his seat and bowed.

Chiyo Wakahisa frowned. "I thought you were supposed to be drinking blood tablets?"

She blushed and rubbed the back of her neck absentmindedly, "Ahhh, well…."

Hiroshi stepped in, "It was my fault. I am sorry." He bowed low.

Akemi, uncaring as to how his daughter fed, as long as it wasn't on humans, simply dismissed Hiroshi, declaring he had important business to discuss with Ayama. Hiroshi reluctantly left, not without growling at Kaname, Ayama noticed, on his way out.

Her father wrapped an arm around Ayama's shoulder and guided her back to the window seat. "Now, your mother and I have important news…."

Ayama was a little surprised. How come they weren't bombarding her with questions about what happened? She imagined that Yagari, after talking with her, would relay the information to the Chairman and then the Chairman to her parents. But, wouldn't they ask to hear the story from her? "Father, don't you want to hear how-"

"Sshh!" Chiyo Wakahisa patted her hand to silence her. "Listen to him."

"But-"

"Be quiet, Ayama! We have thrilling news!"

Confused as to why they weren't dying to hear her tell the story and puzzled as to what could be so thrilling, Ayama silenced herself, gripping the folds of her robe. She glanced at Kaname, whose expression was one of content and, almost, it seemed, victory.

Taking her hand in his, Ayama's father then said, "Ayama-san, we understand that you would like to pick your own husband, but circumstances have changed. Now, formally there would be a ball, but since this offer came so quickly, your mother and I chose not to deny it."

She was frozen to her seat, already predicting what he would say. Her heart lodged in her throat as she waited for him to finish.

"We are proud to inform you, Ayama-san, that your fiancée is Kaname-sama!" He grinned madly and waited for her excitement.

It was a smack to the face. Feeling lead weigh down her heart, Ayama pasted on the best smile she could muster. Standing, she faced her parents and bowed, saying, "Thank you, mother and father. This is overwhelming." And it was. Facing Kaname, she bowed again, "And thank you Kaname-sama."

Her parents, giddy with their own self-accomplishment, stood and began walking out of the room, muttering about how the new couple would have to get to know each other, and that they would be staying down the hall for the night.

Ayama turned away from Kaname, so lost and jumbled. She wished for Iku, her best friend. She needed someone she could talk to, someone that wasn't a vampire. She found herself missing human interaction, the simple and easiness of it all. It was uncomplicated and so refreshing.

She could sense Kaname hovering behind her, just a hair's breath away.

Whispering, he said, "This is best for the pureblood kind. Feelings can grow, Ayama. Feelings can develop." He lowered his face to her neck, kissing the nape softly. "You will love me in time."

Ayama didn't respond. She stood there, gazing out into the green world beyond, wishing she could collapse in tears or fly far, far away. She was so dumbfounded at everything, all she could do was stand and stare.