Hi, MangaFreak15 is back. At last, the chapter you've been waiting for . . .


VAMPIRE QUEEN

Ch. IIII

Zero's Moment of Truth


The day started off with Zero in a horrible mood. On his way to the Headmaster's office, he had a small encounter with Kaname, the Pureblood vampire he utterly hated. Next, when he opened the door to the Headmaster's office, he came face to face with the mysterious transfer student, who merely gestured for him to move aside after examining him crucially with her cobalt-blue eyes.

After the Headmaster informed him and Yuki of the day's duties, he went to the classroom and took a seat in his usual spot above Yuki's seat.

However, when Yuki took her seat and started to talk softly with Yori, a shudder ran through Zero's body. He flinched lightly, schooling his expression to be blank. When Yuki looked back at him, he put his head down and tried to ignore the bloodlust he felt rising within him. Was it really already time to drink her blood again?

Yuki seemed to notice his distress. She raised her hand and caught the teacher's attention. "May Zero and I be excused? There is something we have to take care of."

When the teacher consented, Yuki stood up, grabbed Zero and dragged him out of the classroom. "Yuki?" Zero rasped.

Yuki reached the Headmaster's bathroom and let Zero go. She grabbed a white towel and hung it upon the broken lock, before dragging Zero inside and shutting the door.

Zero's breathing grew harsh. Yuki gripped his shoulders and forced him to look at her. "It's that time again, isn't it?" she said. She tucked her hair to the right and turned, exposing the pale neck to the gasping vampire.

Zero's pupils dilated and his lilac irises glowed crimson. He placed his mouth upon the junction and pricked the delicate skin with his sharp fangs. Yuki shut her eyes as a sharp stab of pain made itself known when Zero's fangs sunk in and he began drinking.

This is okay . . . this is fine, I'm helping Zero . . . Yuki thought, suppressing her guilt because she had not notified Kaname of this forbidden act.

Suddenly the door opened and both students froze. In the doorway stood the transfer student, her cobalt-blue eyes glittering. "And here I thought it wasn't true," she said, shutting the door.

Zero retracted his fangs from Yuki's neck and both of them stared at the transfer student. "What do you want?" Zero said icily.

"Why so hostile, Kiryuu-kun? Ashamed of your vampire instincts?"

Zero snarled at her. Yuki asked firmly, "Stop it. Why are you here?"

"My brother's orders," she sighed. "Dear brother wants me to turn Zero back into a human."

Both students stared at her in shock. "B-but I thought –" Yuki stammered. "I thought Zero couldn't turn back into a human!"

"Not by drinking blood, no. A Pureblood's blood will stabilize him somewhat, but it is not enough," the transfer student said.

"Do I have to drink a demon's blood?" Zero spat.

"I never said anything of the sort. Besides, I think demon blood would only make a vampire sick," she said. "No, I have special powers that I inherited from my birth family that allows me to purify things. I trained with them and I developed a technique to change a Level-D vampire back to its original form."

"How many times have you used it?"

"Oh, many times," she laughed. "Are you afraid I will fail?"

Zero stayed silent, no longer eyeing her distrustfully. Yuki glanced at him, urging him silently to make a decision. The transfer girl waited patiently.

"I will comply with you," he said finally, "if you show me who you are."

Yuki flashed a quick, worried glance towards the transfer student. But I thought she didn't want to reveal her identity yet, she thought.

The transfer student was quiet, lowering her head so that the hood shadowed her eyes. "Is that all?" she asked softly.

"Yes."

She gave a small sigh and said, "Very well. I accept your terms."

Zero waited with bated breath as pale hands clasped the ends of her hood and tugged it down, revealing a feminine face with black and silver hair, and cobalt-blue eyes. She had a small blue crescent moon tattooed on her forehead that was barely visible between the black bangs. But what was most striking to Zero was how uncannily similar she resembled his old childhood friend, Kagome Higurashi.

"There, I have shown you," she said calmly.

Zero snapped out of his mild shock as she walked towards him. He forced himself to still as she approached, her hands reaching out and grasping the sides of his head gently.

Yuki watched in fascination as a pink glow surrounded her hands. Zero shut his eyes as he felt an invisible warmth flowing from her hands and into his body, caressing his senses.

Minutes ticked by in silence as she purged the taint from his body, returning him to his former state. Zero felt small prickles of pain as his body undid the transformation, but it wasn't as excruciating as turning into a vampire.

At last she lifted her hands from his head and threw her hood back over her head. "I have finished the process. You are free," she said, leaving the bathroom.

Zero stared down at his upturned palms, incredulous and speechless in surprise. He ran his tongue lightly over his teeth and felt only small canines that were slightly sharper than the others. He no longer felt an overpowering hunger and thirst for blood coursing through him when he looked at Yuki or her neck where his bite mark was visible.

Yuki, noticing where he was looking, blushed when she realized she hadn't cleaned the blood off. She walked to the sink and turned the faucet on, using a spare cloth to wipe away the red stain on her neck. As watery red water swirled down the drain, Yuki stared down at the porcelain white surface.

She had really done it. Kagome had really turned Zero back into a human. But the question was: how?

It was then that Zero had a small revelation: I forgot to ask what her name was.


Kagome slid down the wall, gasping lightly. Damn, I forgot how draining that technique was, she winced. I hardly made it back to the Moon Dormitory . . .

"Hey, Higurashi! What's wrong?" a voice asked from above.

She lifted her tired eyes to look at the vampire standing at the top of the stairs. "Oh, Aido-san. I am so very tired, just leave me . . . be . . ." Aido's blue eyes widened as the new student collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

He raced down and lifted her up into his arms. "Ah, she just fainted," he mumbled, carrying her to the couch and laying her down.

"Aido, please explain what happened," the cool, commanding voice of the Pureblood freezing Aido where he was.

"Kaname-sama!" he said, whirling around to face the president of the Moon Dormitory. "I was helping her. She just fainted."

Kaname narrowed his rich, mahogany eyes at her unconscious form. Earlier he had felt Zero's aura dilute so that all traces of being a Level-D vampire were gone. There was absolutely no way that it could have been done except by the mysterious Kagome Higurashi.

"Aido, leave and tell the others not to bother me," he said curtly, picking up the unconscious girl bridal-style and walking back up the stairs.

"What are you going to do with her, Kaname-sama?" Aido asked.

"I need a few answers from her," was the dismissive reply.

Aido bowed and retreated to his room to inform his cousin of the command.


Kagome blinked her eyes sleepily and let out a groan as her muscles protested her movement. She looked around the room, noticing that the bed she was in was not hers.

"You are awake, Higurashi-san."

She recognized that voice immediately. "Kaname-san," she said, inclining her head respectfully to the Pureblood vampire.

He sat on the edge of the bed and leaned towards her. "I want answers," he spoke quietly.

"I rightfully assume that you think I have messed with Zero?" she asked softly.

"Earlier I felt his vampire aura diminish."

"I have cleansed it, of course."

"Does this have anything to do with your childhood infatuation with him?"

She narrowed her cobalt eyes at him. "You should know that I had small feelings for his twin brother Ichiru, not him," she snapped.

"But Zero is the one you saved, spoke to and you are even interacting with now, not the other brother," Kaname said firmly.

"He is my friend – was my friend."

"He does not know?"

"He sees my appearance, but knows not of my name."

"I expect you to reveal yourself today."

She glowered at him. "Why is my appearance so important?" she hissed.

"Is there any reason not to?"

Kagome stopped and thought about it. The whole purpose of hiding herself was to keep Zero from knowing it was his old friend, but now that Zero knew what she looked like – Kaname had a point. Why bother hiding?

"Fine," she grudgingly agreed.

"Name too."

She glared hard at him. "You know very well that my whole purpose was to keep my identity hidden from him until I felt safe enough to tell him!" she burst out. "I'm not ready."

"You can't run forever, Higurashi-san," Kaname replied, ignoring her angry tone. "I'm sure Kiryuu would love to hear it from your lips and not someone else's."

She looked away. His first words stung a bit, because Kagome knew that's all she'd really been doing. I'm such a coward, she sobbed inwardly. I can't even tell Zero who I am . . .

"Do you agree?"

Kagome looked at him with dulled blue eyes and nodded mutely. Kaname smiled, albeit creepily, and stood up. "Then it is settled. At twilight at the gates you will reveal who you are," he said. "Now, you are free to go back to your own room."


Time passed by too quickly for Kagome and soon she was lining up with the vampires behind the great gates. She had her hood up, informing Kaname that she would reveal herself when the Day Class girl asked her.

The gates creaked open and they walked out. The girls screamed and giggled as Aido waved to them, but at the end of the line they fell silent.

The same girl stepped forward again and repeated, "Will you let us see who you are today?"

She shot a small glare at Kaname, which had Ruka bristling angrily, but replied, "Fine, if you so insist."

She let her hood drop.

Beautiful ebony-black tresses spilled over her shoulders, complete with streaks of silver. The Day Class girls were shell-shocked at the beautiful female who almost seemed to glow.

"She's so pretty!"

"Look at that hair!"

"I wonder what kind of shampoo she uses?"

"I want to get a picture of her!"

"Me too!"

Zero studied her again, frowning when her appearance matched his childhood friend, although she looked like an older version of the Kagome he had known five years ago.

A different girl stepped up and asked shyly, "Um, what's your name?"

Kagome closed her eyes, breathing in and out deeply. When her eyes opened, she stared straight at Zero, her gaze unwavering as she replied.

"My name is . . . Kagome Higurashi."


Surprise, surprise, it's a cliffhanger! XD

I'll put Zero's reactions and all that in the next chapter. Anyways, please review! NO FLAMES.

See you in the next installment of Vampire Queen. Hopefully I won't be too busy . . .

MangaFreak15