Blood Candy 5- Nature's Call

"I heard that it was one of the purebloods, gone crazy."

"No way."

"What happened?"

"Oh, Kuran-sempai! What are you doing here?"

"What happened? Tell me."

"You look like you're still grieving over six years ago." I glare at them.

"What happened?!"

"Sorry. It was the Kiryu family. They were wiped out." I drop my folder of reports and back up.

"No. That can't be…I would have been told. Someone would have contacted me."

"It's true. This branch just got a copy of the crime scene report."

"Show it to me!"

"Why do you care?"

"The Kiryu have always been my close friends! I want to see the report for myself!"

"Okay, okay, calm down. Here." The guy hands me a paper and I read it. I finish reading the page and drop it. I stare at the floor, in total shock. No survivors…Zero-kun. Only the corpses of the parents, dust littered the area, about the amount that two boys would make…Shizuka drained them until they turned to dust.

No. It wasn't supposed to happen like that! What about the prophecy? That man's visions and prophecies always came true! Always! Why…no, how, can this happen? First Hahaue and Chichiue…and my baby sister that I only saw twice…now this. I realize that I'm crying when someone touches my shoulder.

"Oy, Kuran, you okay?" I shake my head and pick up my folder and the scattered pages of my reports.

"Here. Please give this folder to the Director. I'm going home." I shove the folder and the report from the Kiryu scene and hurry out of the office. I get home and lock myself in my room, crying into my pillow.

"Hana-sama. Hana-sama! Wake up." I sit up and look around. Just a dream. "Are you okay? You're flushed, Hana-sama." I nod and get up.

"What time is it?"

"Only twilight. We're about to leave for classes. Usually you're awake beforehand, so I was worried. But you're fine now, so that's alright."

"Sorry for worrying you, Maru-chan." She shakes her head and smiles.

"It's okay. I always worry about you, Hana-sama. Because you're my most precious person. I love you, so of course I'm going to worry." I smile at her and grab my uniform.

"You should go ahead. Or you'll be late for classes. I don't want your studies delayed by me anymore."

"Hai." Maru leaves and I change clothes. I notice something on my bedside table and pick it up.

"Maru-chan…did you put this here?" My Hunting Knife. And the staff that accompanies it. I set the knife down, but pick it up again and strap it to my upper leg, hidden by my skirt, and the staff on my other leg. I sigh and leave the dorm. "What to do tonight? I'm definitely not going to class."

'Then why are you here? Is it because of your brother? Well?' I glare at my reflection in the window.

"Shut up. It's none of your business anyways." I get away from where I can be reflected and notice the sounds of a fight. Oh great. I get to the area and notice that Akatsuki is on the ground. "What's going on here?" All eyes turn to me and everyone except Zero bows, hand over heart.

"Hanami-sama."

"What are you doing here, Hanami-sama?"

"I heard the sound of a fight and came to investigate. Shouldn't you guys be in class? Unless, of course, you want to make Kaname angry. Or get in trouble. If I'm not mistaken, fighting is prohibited." They nod and leave.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make them do just whatever you tell them. I'd bet they'd jump to their deaths if you asked them."

"It's the fear of the Purebloods. Most of them treat the word of a pureblood as the word of God. Though we can make them do what we want simply by making eye contact. Just like I could force you to take blood tablets if I wanted."

"It wouldn't work. I tried. My system rejects them." My eyes widen.

"But…that's not good…if you can't take blood tablets then…"

"I'll survive. I've managed for this long." Zero turns and leaves. I follow him into the school. "Why are you following me?"

"Because…I wanted to apologize to you…last night…but I couldn't bring myself to."

"What do you need to apologize for?"

"I…I wanted to apologize for not coming when I heard about your family. It was the first time that I hadn't attended a funeral of the Kiryu family. I should have been there…if I had been there…maybe it would be different, in some way."

"You're talking nonsense. I didn't even go to that." I catch up with him on a landing and grab his hand.

"Zero-kun…you won't be able to go much longer without any blood. It's not a big deal for someone like me, who was born like this, but for you, who was human before, you could lose your sanity…and become a Level E."

"Why do you care? If you love me, and I fall in love with you, all it'll do is kill you. And I wouldn't put it past Kuran to kill me if that happened. You should hate me for that! Why do you keep trying?"

"Because…" I pull him towards me and tilt my head. "I can't explain with words. Because I don't fully understand it myself." Zero tries to push me away, but I'm stronger than he is.

"Stop this. I don't want to hurt you."

"Then…" I concentrate and make eye contact. "I'll make you…drink." Immediately, though reluctantly, he bends his head and bites me. I gasp in shock at how hard he bit me. Agh.

The blood loss is making me thirsty. That's the problem with being a vampire. When I'm bitten, it makes me uncontrollably thirsty. I twist my head and bite Zero. This is…this is…what I've longed for...for so long. Zero's blood. Someone screams and I lift my head, so does Zero. We both look up towards the source of the voice.

"Yuki-chan…" She runs down the stairs towards us.

"Don't come closer, Yuki!" My ears prick.

"Oh no. They've smelt my blood in the air…"

"How? Since when was Zero a vampire?" I start up the stairs.

"I'll go try to calm them. Yuki, you should get back to your patrols."

"You can't calm them when you're covered in your own blood." I stare at my shoulder and notice that my white uniform is blood red.

"And this is why I hate wearing white damn it." I look down when Yuki squeals.

"Zero?"

"Zero-kun, what are you doing?" Oh no…did I drink too much from him, that he's still thirsty? He bites Yuki and I start down the stairs again. Kaname's going to be pissed about this.

"Zero!!"

"Zero-kun! No, stop! That's enough." I grab his shoulder and pull his head back gently. Yuki gets back and stares at Zero, gripping her neck. "Zero-kun, calm down."

"Yuki…"

"Why…?" I hug Zero. He's shaking.

"I'm sorry…"

"Yuki-chan…I'm sorry that this happened. It's partially my fault."

"How?"

'Onee-sama, what happened? Why do I smell both yours and Yuki's blood?!' Kaname!

"Yuki…I…"

'Kaname, calm down. Don't be rash. Nothing major happened.'

"No…"

'Like hell it didn't.'

"Oh dear."

"Yuki?! Onee-sama?!" Kaname hurries up the stairs and I stay in front of Zero protectively.

"Kaname-sempai…"

"Have you been reduced to a blood thirsty monster…Kiryu Zero?"

"Kaname-kun!" He pushes Yuki behind him and approaches Zero. Yuki joins me in front of Zero, trying to protect him from Kaname.

"No, Kaname-sempai!" She swoons and I catch her. Zero is shocked.

"Yuki-chan?"

"Yuki?"

"You devoured her mercilessly. She can't even stand up." Kaname takes her from me. Yep, he's definitely pissed, but he also notices that part of the blood on Zero is his own, a small trail leading from the spot I bit him. "Was her blood so…delicious?"

"Kaname. Take her to the infirmary. I am partially to blame here. I will…take responsibility for this. If I hadn't given in to my own thirst, this wouldn't have happened." I bow. "I'm sorry." Kaname leaves and I sigh.

"Take responsibility? You don't have to…"

"Yes I do. Because it's my fault. I'm sorry for forcing you to drink my blood. And I shouldn't have given in to my own thirst and bitten you. Because I drank from you, it increased your own thirst…because I'm a pureblood. Yuki-chan was there and I have to admit that she does have quite the tantalizing scent. When plagued like that, I doubt even the most controlled vampire would be able to resist that wine. Come on. You have to calm down."

"Exactly."

"Kaien-kun…"

"If you don't clean that out Hanami, it'll never come out." I glance at my shoulder and nod.

"I know. Please, take care of Yuki-chan. I'll take Zero-kun to his room."

"Don't you think you're being a bit overprotective?"

"Who better to handle this than me? I don't think of this as being overprotective." I take Zero's hand and he points the way to his room. We walk past Kaien and head to Zero's room. We go inside and Zero sits on the bed.

"Why…?"

"Zero-kun…you should clean up. Your neck is already healed." I turn and start to leave, but he catches my hand.

"Wait. I understand…from your blood…but…how can you already love someone that you know is eventually going to kill you?"

"Because…to die at the hands of the man I love is better than to die simply at the hands of another. A pureblood vampire has an even longer lifespan than normal vampires. Because our blood is not mixed with humans, we stop aging after a certain time and never grow old. We cannot die from accident or illness.

"It is impossible for us to die of natural causes of any sort. It's either suicide or murder if we wish to leave this world. If I am to die, I would much rather my last sight to be my lover or my last thought to be of my lover holding me as I die than for my final memory to be of someone else."

"Is it possible…to fall in love the moment you see a person for the first time?" I nod and turn towards him.

"Of course. Why?"

"Because…now that I think about it…I think…it's the same for me."

"What exactly did you see when you drank from me?"

"Fragments…mostly memories I would think you cherish. From your days training my ancestors…and also part of the thoughts behind your feelings for me." I nod. "Then…when, exactly…?"

"I first saw you on the day you and your brother were born. Your father had called me the moment your mother went into labor. I got there shortly after I was called. I had been in the area because I was visiting Kaien. I've been friends with him for a while. I ended up helping your mother give birth to you and Ichiru-kun. Somehow, I knew that you were…"

"The one from that prophecy?" I nod.

"Yea. Then…I dragged Maru this way and took care of you and Ichiru when your parents were busy. Then…when my parents died…I couldn't stand to be anywhere that was near that place…because I was staying with them during that time. I didn't want to bother your parents by staying with them, so I moved back to my mansion in France. And then…four years ago…the only reason I didn't commit suicide then was because Maru needed me."

"Who exactly is Maru anyways?"

"My…servant. I suppose you could say she was my servant. As in most cases, a former human serves the one that made them a vampire, without any reservations."

"You mean…?" I nod.

"Maru is…like you. A former human."

"But…why isn't she…?"

"Level E? Those of us that don't carelessly turn humans into vampires stick around and give them our blood, preventing that descent."

"You mean…what?"

"If you drink that woman's blood, you won't become a Level E. Though it won't be a problem for a while. Because I'm a pureblood. And as I'm older and stronger than that woman, she has no hold over you except that. If you could get even a swallow of her blood, you wouldn't have to worry about losing yourself." I touch Zero's hand with my free hand and smile at him. "You're upset now. Is it because I've been talking about her? Or your brother?"

"Both." I nod.

"I'm sorry. I'm not very good at mincing words. I inherited my father's straightforwardness. And speaking of which. I need to clean this jacket before this blood stains." His grip on my hand lessens and I back up. "I'll see you tomorrow night, Zero-kun."

I leave the room and head to the dorm, going straight to my room. I take off my jacket and fill the tub with water. I put the jacket in the water and take off my shirt, putting it in the water as well. Slowly, the water in the tub turns crimson from blood. I wash my neck and get into my kimono. The blood isn't all out of my jacket yet. I sigh and sit down at my desk, with a book.