N/A: Well, it took me long enough.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight

Chapter 4

Light…A cross shaped red light…Blood and dust mixing together. Agony.

Snow woke up with a scream, sweat trailing down her temples.

"Snow-chan?" Karin opened sleepy eyes to look at her.

Snow was breathing hard, eyes wide, trying to stop her hands from trembling.

"Are you okay?"
"I'm…fine…" Snow let her head drop on the pillow. "Just a nightmare."

"Oh…good night then." Karin said, drifting off to sleep.

"Good night." Snow replied, although she had no intention of sleeping. She was afraid the dreams would come back to haunt her.

She had no idea what significance these nightmares held, but the same themes kept repeating…the color red, blood and…a sort of forbidden attraction.

Snow sighed, embracing the pillow. Maybe the dreams were the expression of her loneliness…She was all by herself in a foreign country and the only one she had contact with…hated her for some reason.

Snow clutched the pillow tightly.

Why does he affect me like this? It can't be that I'm beginning to fall for him…

His eyes were gorgeous…a color she had never seen before. The light purple entranced her and his cold demeanour seemed to hide something. He seemed sad and she wanted to comfort him…but he wouldn't accept it.

Snow shook her head, chasing the thoughts away.

He was rude and violent and he knew nothing of a girl's feelings. He should've known she didn't give Kaname the chocolate on purpose.

It was far from daybreak and she felt as if the room suffocated her. She got up, still unsure of what to do. After all it was prohibited to go out at night.

"Snow-chan?" It seemed Karin was awake again.

This time, though, a devious thought crossed Snow's mind and she smiled at her roommate.

"Karin-chan! Want to go out and get some fresh air?"
Karin looked at Snow with interest.

"It's not allowed, you know."
"I know. Maybe we can see what the Night Class is doing." Snow winked. She knew Karin was such an avid fangirl she wouldn't miss out on such an opportunity.

"You're evil." Karin giggled. "Just let me get dressed."

Snow put on her uniform and so did Karin, after which they both exited the Sun Dorms.

"Snow-chan…the Moon Dorms have a guard that only lets prefects in." Karin said.

"Oh…" Snow's shoulders lowered.

"But the Night Class aren't at the dorms right now, they're studying in our building."

"Really? This late?" Snow asked.

"Why do you think they call them "Night Class"?"

"I didn't think they'd learn at 3 AM!" Snow shot back.

"Well they do."

"Weird…"

Snow and Karin walked down the quiet hallways.

"It's sort of spooky." Snow said, feeling a chill up her spine.

"Don't be such a cry-baby…there's nothing spooky about it, it's just empty classrooms." As soon as Karin ended her sentence, she found herself face to face with a blond-haired, blue-eyed student.

"Idol-sempai!" she squeaked.

Snow instinctively took a step back.

Aidou turned his eyes to her, instead of Karin.

"Akai-san…Is it?"

Snow nodded nervously as Karin shot her a glare.

He stepped closer, taking her hand.

"Do you find these empty hallways frightening, Akai-san?" he asked, his blue eyes locking with hers.

Snow tried to pull away, but her body wouldn't respond to her.

"Or should I call you Snow-chan. May I?" his tone was polite, but his gaze was intense, dominating her.

"Oh, don't mind her, Idol-sempai…she's easily frightened." Karin stepped in.

Aidou turned to look at her and his oceanic eyes showed despise.

"Sometimes it's better to be cautious." He replied and Snow thought his eyes looked like a predator's.

Taking advantage of his lack of attention, she pulled her hand away.

"We have to be going now, Aidou-sempai." she stated, trying to walk past him.

Aidou's brows knitted for a split second and he caught her wrist gently. His expression was now playful.

"Won't you stay a bit longer?" His eyes were mesmerizing in a dangerous way, but Snow found herself unable to deny him.

A bit longer wouldn't hurt, would it? She heard words inside of her mind.

Unconsciously, she got closer to him.

"That's it…" he spoke, his voice soothing, as if talking to a child.

Snow looked into his eyes, getting even closer, as if a superior force was pulling her towards him.

"Snow-chan!" Karin's angry voice made her snap out of it.

Before she could pull away, Aidou released her wrist. She only saw a blur of movements and Karin was lying on the floor, blood trailing from her neck.

Snow's eyes widened and Aidou's hand clasped over her mouth before she could scream.

"Don't be afraid…" he spoke in a soft tone. "It won't hurt, I promise."

Her chest rose and fell in the rhythm of her breathing as his other hand stroked her hair.

"Don't be so nervous…You'll like it." He whispered into her ear as his mouth got closer to her neck.

She swallowed hard, feeling a sort of dizziness overwhelming her. His lips were so close, she could feel his breath on her skin.

Snow closed her eyes, feeling her knees weaken. His arms supported her as his lips touched her neck.

A loud sound echoed in the empty hallways and his support disappeared, making her fall onto her knees.

She felt the cloud that covered her consciousness dissipating and looked around to see what was happening.

A red…cross?

Her eyes widened as the strange light disappeared, inches away from Aidou's head.

Kiryuu Zero was holding a gun, this time pointing it at Aidou's heart.

"Aidou-sempai. I believe you're aware of this Academy's rules." Zero's voice was ruthless.

Snow saw Aidou hesitating between fear and pride as he glared at the prefect. Was there a chill in the air or was she imagining things?

"I don't plan on repeating myself." Zero said in a cold tone.

"We'll meet again, Kiryuu." Aidou replied, turning his back on the prefect.

"I'm counting on it." Zero spoke.

Snow got up, hurrying to Karin side.

"Karin-chan!" she yelled, trying to take her into her arms.

Suddenly, she let go, looking at the blood on her fingers with a horrified expression. Her hands were trembling.

"Karin-chan…" she spoke in a lower tone.

"She'll be allright." Zero told her, hauling her up.

Snow's legs were shaking and she couldn't take her eyes off the blood on her hands.

"Snow!" Zero's voice echoed in the dark hallway.

Snow was breathing heavily and her small fists clutched onto his uniform.

"Blood…red…cross…" she managed to whisper, horrified.

Zero was having a hard time controlling himself, with the overwhelming scent of blood filling the premises.

Snow's eyes rose to his and her heart rate accelerated.

His fuchsia coloured eyes widened, seeing her like that. There was such fear in her eyes, that he felt the need to protect her and it was stronger than his urge for blood. He pulled her closer, his hands tightening around her in a soft embrace.

"It's ok now." he told her, feeling the girl in his arms becoming limp like a rag doll.

She had fainted.

Zero took her into his arms, looking at the one lying on the floor. Aidou hadn't bled her badly, but she had probably fainted from fear.

A purple haired girl landed in front of him out of nowhere. He narrowed his eyes. Kaname's faithful lapdog, Seiren.

"I will handle her." She spoke, looking at the crumbled girl. "Her memories will be erased."

Zero shot her a look filled with despise, before turning to leave.

"Kaname-sama will handle Aidou." He heard her saying.

He didn't dignify her with a response, as he carried Snow away.

"Akai-san must also have her memory erased." Seiren spoke.

Zero turned around in a split-second, his eyes red.

"You don't touch her."

Seiren regarded him, impassable.

"None of you…ever touch her again." he spat, his hands tightening around the unconscious girl.

Seiren looked at him with something akin to pity in her usually emotionless eyes. She made no move to stop him as he walked away, holding her.

A figure materialized in front of her and she bowed.

"He took her…" Kaname said, more to himself.

"I did not fight him, as you ordered."

"You've done well, Seiren." Kaname told the purple-haired vampire.

Seiren bowed again, and her hand touched Karin's head, emitting a violet light.

Kaname looked out the window, sighing. Aidou had complicated things again. Snow was bound to find out about them sooner or later, with her vampire hunter instincts…he just hoped it would be later.

Kaname controlled his anger, but the eyes that opened were now blood-red and the window glass shattered to pieces in front of him.

"Kaname-sama?"

"Take this girl back to the Sun Dorms." Seiren nodded and lifted her like she weighed nothing. "And bring me Aidou."

"Yes, Kaname-sama." Seiren disappeared from his sight.

Ruby eyes stared into the distance as Kaname surrendered to the memory of a brown haired girl with a smile brighter than the sun.