Nineteen reviews, not bad. I'll continue it because you guys love it so much!


VAMPIRE QUEEN

Ch. II

Close Calls and Level E's


Bonk!

"Zero!" Yuki screamed. "Why did you come into the bathroom?!"

"You're the one that's taking too long," Zero retorted.

"But . . . but . . ." Yuki blushed. "But I'm a girl! Guys can't just come in!"

Zero stayed silent. Yuki suddenly remembered that she was supposed to show the new transfer student around this morning and hurriedly dressed in her Day Class uniform before running out the door.

Yuki opened the door to the Headmaster's office. "Headmaster, I'm here," she announced, spotting her adopted father and the transfer student conversing quietly at his desk.

Kaien brightened when he saw Yuki and stood up, gesturing to the female student. "Yuki, please show Kagome around the school grounds," he said. "She'll be wearing her hooded cloak because we still want to keep this a secret from Zero, alright?"

Yuki nodded. She took the girl's hand and walked out of the office, beginning to explain which parts of the place were which. Kagome nodded at her explanations and memorized all the names and whatnot.

As they rounded the corner of the building to head to the Moon Dormitory, Kagome suddenly stopped and put a hand on Yuki's shoulder, halting the younger girl in her tracks. "There is something in town I must take care of. Will you show me the rest later?" she asked.

Yuki looked confused. "What do you need to take care of?" she said.

"I'm sure you know of the existence of Level-E vampires, correct?" Kagome said crisply. When Yuki's eyes widened in shock, Kagome knew that the younger girl understood.

"I see. All right, I will inform the Headmaster of your duty," Yuki said, bowing once and leaving.

Kagome watched her escort head back into the building. When she was no longer in sight, Kagome quietly melted into what shadows there were and vanished from the school grounds without a trace.

She reappeared in the shadows of a dark alley way in the town not far from the Academy. Closing her eyes, she first used her olfactory senses to sniff out the rotting smell that Level-E vampires seemed to possess. She found it within minutes and tracked it down.

However once she appeared at the scene, two vampires from the Night Class and Zero Kiryuu also emerged from different directions. We're all hunting one vampire? Kagome thought skeptically.

An eerie, mad cackling interrupted her thoughts. All their attention was snapped to the left, where a vampire clung to the wall, filthy, dirt-mucked beige rags hanging off its body, a crazed, blood-lusting crimson gleam in its eyes.

"Blood . . . I smell it. I must have it," it whispered, its eyes darting around, finally landing on Kagome. "You, girlie, your blood smells so good! So demonic and powerful, eyahahahahaha!"

The crazed vampire leaped towards Kagome, claws outstretched, elongated fangs bared. However, Kagome was fully prepared. With speed that left Zero and the two vampires astonished, Kagome whipped a blue energy whip out of her fingertips and turned the Level-E into dust, its dirty clothing fluttering to the ground.

"One down," Kagome whispered, walking away and ignoring the curious looks she received from the two vampires. "Four to go."

"Excuse me, you're the transfer student, right?" one of the vampires asked. "My name is Takuma Ichijou."

Kagome paused and looked back over her shoulder at them. "Pleased to meet you, Ichijou-san. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have four more vampires to catch," she said politely.

A fierce gust of wind barreled into them, blowing Kagome's hood off. Before Zero could see her, she quickly pulled the hood back over her head and slipped into the shadows, melting away. Her heart pounded momentarily at the close call. I don't want Zero to know it's me yet, she thought to herself, a small part of her heart eating away at her in guilt. Zero was her childhood friend, therefore he had the right to know it was her, but . . . there was always something that stopped her from telling him.

She materialized out of the shadows where she could sense the next Level-E vampire. This one was much cleaner than the last one, indicating that its descent into Level-E had been not too long ago. It turned and faced her, a solemn look on its face.

"Kill me," it said simply, making Kagome raise an eyebrow. "Kill me before I take any innocent lives with me."

"As you wish," Kagome said, dashing towards the vampire and plunging a claw through the vampire's heart. The Level-E coughed once and whispered a quick thank-you before it was reduced to dust.

"Two down, three to go."

Kagome raced to her next destination, but when she got there, she heard a loud bang! from a gun. She peered around the corner and found Zero standing there, shoving his Bloody Rose gun back into his jacket pocket.

How ironic. A Level-D vampire hunting Level-E vampires, she laughed inwardly.

"Three down, two to go," she whispered, walking away. Not noticing that Zero was staring at her retreating back as she departed from the scene.

Why does it feel like I know her from somewhere? Zero thought. She seems so . . . familiar. But why?


After Kagome had finished off the other two Level-E vampires, she returned to the school, barely a hair out of place and looking as though she'd merely gone for a casual stroll.

She went to Kaien's office and informed the Headmaster that she had finished her duties and would now return to the Moon Dormitory.

Just as she was about to open the door, it swung outward, revealing Kaname standing in the doorway. "Hello, Kaname-san," Kagome addressed the Pureblood vampire curtly.

"Likewise, Higurashi-san," Kaname replied smoothly, moving aside to let the demoness pass. She brushed past him without a sound and disappeared down the hallway.

"Oh, Kaname!" the Headmaster motioned him over. Kaname faced him with a serious look, placing himself at eye level with Kaien by leaning part of his weight on his palms on the desk.

"Headmaster Cross, what other information do you have concerning this Kagome Higurashi?"


Twilight approached rapidly. The throngs of screaming fangirls were once again chattering to each other in front of the gate. Some of them even whispered that there was a new student that had transferred in last night.

"I wonder if he's cute?"

"Hey, I heard that the student was a girl!"

"No way, really?!"

"Yeah!"

Suddenly the gates began to slowly open and the girls started squealing as soon as Aido came into view. The blonde vampire grinned charmingly, enjoying all the attention he was receiving (though he was careful not to show his vampire fangs).

The entire Night Class passed through, but a silent hush befell the Day Class girls as they stared in wonder at the hooded figure at the end of the line, wearing a black, hooded cloak over the recognizable Night Class uniform.

"Isn't that the transfer student?"

"Why's she wearing a cloak?"

The murmurs followed Kagome as she walked down the pathway created by the Day Class girls. One girl stepped forward and asked shyly, "Can we see your face?"

"In due time," was her mysterious reply as she continued to walk. "Now is not."

The girls groaned.

Zero narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Yuki looked away, knowing why.

I wonder if we're hurting Zero more by keeping this from him? She thought sadly. He has the right to know. She looked discreetly at her partner from her peripheral vision. He already looked so distrustful of her.

I hope he forgives me.


Yuki and Zero were once again upon the terrace, examining the Night Class and school grounds for suspicious activity. Yuki constantly looked at Kaname, who was leaning against the window. She noticed that Kagome was also leaning against the window, but on the other side.

Zero turned his gaze from the grounds to window as well, noticing that Yuki was once again staring at Kaname, her savior. "How's your hero doing, Yuki?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.

Yuki blushed at being caught and turned back towards her partner, "I-I wasn't just looking at Kaname!"

"Really? I could've sworn that the vampire you were eyeballing a second ago was named Kaname Kuran," said Zero.

Yuki's face went red and she stammered, "Um, well, yes, but I was also looking at Ka –" Yuki immediately stopped herself from speaking the name out loud.

Zero gave her a sideways glance and asked, "You were saying? Just Kuran, right?"

"Um, yeah," Yuki replied, laughing nervously. Whew. That was too close. I need to watch myself from now on.

They turned their attention back to the classroom and the grounds. Yuki panicked when she saw Kagome take off her hood and start talking to someone, but when Zero averted his gaze to the window, Kagome's back had already been turned.

Black and silver hair? I don't know anyone like that, Zero thought. She turned partially to speak to Kaname, but the shadows shrouded her face so that Zero was unable to see the specific features. When she put her hood back on, he turned away, wondering.

And so the rest of the night passed by in tranquility.


I feel like this was shorter than the last chapter, because of the word count, but it's still good enough, right? Right?

Okay, once again, no flames please. Do review, I shall be a happy authoress knowing that my readers care.

MangaFreak15