Tsukune had never spoken with the Chairman who ran Youkai Academy. He was a mysterious figure who was often talked about but rarely seen. Tsukune had seen him only once before, at the opening ceremony. Then, as now, he had been dressed in what looked like white priestly robes with a gold Rosario draped around his neck. His eyes had an eerie glow to them like the bus driver's.

Ruby had taken him to a private mansion hidden not far from the school. She had then ushered him into a large private office and shut the door behind him. Standing there behind a cluttered desk was the Chairman, looking at him with an amused grin. "Welcome Mr. Aono, I've been meaning to talk to you for a while now, but important business has kept me away. You know you've caused me quite a bit of trouble."

"I have sir?" Tsukune said nervously. There was something about this man's scent that put him on edge. Something very old, and not even remotely human.

"You have, do you have any idea how many people you have put in the infirmary over the past two months?"

"Oh! I'm very sorry about that sir, but, ah, I didn't really have much choice. People kept challenging me to fight."

"I'm sure they did," the Chairman came out from behind his desk. "The way you flaunt your vampire strength would be a challenge to any self respecting male. That was another reason for that rule. The main purpose of course is to prepare you for life in constant human disguise. But it was also to help avoid unnecessary fights by not allowing students to show others their true forms."

"I'm very sorry about that," Tsukune said honestly. "But my putting on a human disguise wouldn't help since people would still know what I was thanks to my aura."

The Chairman leaned back a bit and eyed him curiously. "Odd though how that wasn't a problem for you during your first semester. No one suspected you to be a vampire then. In fact Kuyou believed you were human." The Chairman looked at him intently. "A silly notion, eh?"

Tsukune forced out a laugh that sounded just that. "Ha! Me, human? That's silly, I'm vampire obviously!"

"You are a vampire," the Chairman agreed. "So why was hiding your aura not a problem until just a couple months ago? Why, one would almost believe you were made a vampire. Silly isn't it?"

Tsukune got the very definite impression that behind the Chairman's friendly demeanor he was laughing at him. "Heh, yes that is silly!"

"Then please tell me what changed from the beginning of the semester to cause you to lose control of your aura." The Chairman asked politely.

"Well, uhm, you see, I, ah…" His mind was racing to come up with some plausible explanation.

The Chairman's grin widened. He seemed to be enjoying Tsukune's discomfort. "You don't need to answer, the truth is obvious. You simply must have had a Rosario earlier and somehow lost it. That is what happened isn't it?"

"Ah, yes, yes it is."

"Well then the solution is simple," he reached to his neck and removed his rosario. "You can borrow mine."

Tsukune's eyes widened. "I can?"

"It is only temporary, until the end of the semester." The Chairman explained. "You will have to have one of your own by the start of the next school year."

That means I'll still need to meet Moka's dad then. He thought. But at least for now things were looking up.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ruby looked up when the office doors opened. "How did things," she saw him and gasped in shock. "Tsukune! What happened?!"

He took a step back as he was caught off guard by her. "What? Oh! Isn't it great?" He held up his left wrist. At the end of a chain was the rosario of judgment. "The chairman gave me a rosario to use. Now I can suppress my vampire nature."

"Oh," she cast her head down.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said dully. She still loved Tsukune, but after getting used to the sexy and powerful vampire seeing him back in his original form was a letdown. And I really was hoping to be tied up and punished by my vampire master.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ruby was not the only one disappointed.

"Oh, you're back to being human again," Kurumu sighed sadly.

"But you're still a vampire right?" Mizore asked hopefully.

Tsukune nodded. "Yeah, my powers are just being suppressed, the same as Moka's."

"Take it off Tsukune!" Yukari said and tried to grab his rosario.

"Hey! I just finally got this!" He pulled his arm back. The Chairman had told him her could remove it himself whenever he wanted. But he was very glad to be back to looking human again. He looked at the three downcast girls. "What's wrong with all of you? I thought you'd be glad I won't have all the problems of being seen as a vampire."

"We are glad Tsukune," Kurumu said. "It's just… well, we like you better as a vampire."

Mizore and Yukari both nodded. "You are just so much sexier as a vampire! Desu!"

"So you guys don't like the real me anymore?"

"Of course we do!" Kurumu said.

"It's just that we like the vampire you much better," Mizore said.

"I want the vampire Tsukune to make me his sex slave and keep me chained to his bed!" Yukari declared excitedly.

"Shut up!" Kurumu shouted. "If anyone is going to be chained to his bed it's going to be me!"

Feeling more than a little disturbed he turned to Moka hoping for some support. "What do you think Moka-san? You haven't said anything." She had just been standing there sort of staring at him this entire time.

"Tsukune…" she slowly came up to him with an odd look on her face. A look he hadn't seen there in a while.

When he recognized the look he took an involuntary step back. "Oh no."

"Tsukune… you smell wonderful!" She jumped on to him and sank her teeth into his neck.

"Ow! Ow!" He'd forgotten just how much this hurt. "Hey!"

"Ahhhhh! Your blood tastes as superb as ever!"

When she let go of him he slapped a hand to his neck and stared at her as she greedily licked her lips.

"Oh thank you Tsukune! You can't imagine how much I've missed this! Your blood is sooooo much better that Gin's there's just no comparison!"

"I thought you said a vampire's blood was too bitter to stand!" Tsukune complained.

"It is," she confirmed. "Normally, but I guess when a vampire's body is being suppressed by a rosario it tastes like human blood would."

"Wait a minute, so you're saying a vampire's blood is o.k. to drink as long as that vampire is wearing a rosario?"

Moka nodded. "I hadn't realized until just now."

With an evil look on his face Tsukune began to slowly walk towards her.

"Uh Tsukune? Why are you looking at me like that?" Moka took a nervous step back.

"Moka-san?"

"Yes, Tsukune?"

"You smell wonderful too."

Chomp!

"Ow! Ow!"

"Hey!" Kurumu shouted jealously. "You're only supposed to drink my blood Tsukune!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Kiria approached Hokuto as he was walking through the festival. As usual he had a book in his hand and spoke without ever looking up from it.

"I have some interesting news," he said quietly. "The Chairman no longer has the, 'precious object.'"

Hokuto looked at him startled. All of his plans had been centered around getting the rosario of judgment. "What do you mean?" He asked sharply.

"It looks like he has given the rosario to Aono Tsukune in order to let him suppress his vampiric nature."

"He just gave it to him? One of the most powerful magical artifacts and he just gave it to a student?" Hokuto frowned. "The Chairman must be up to something."

"What do you want to do? The plans for us to attack the mansion don't really work now." Kiria asked idly. "Do we call off the operation?"

"No," Hokuto said. "I've put in way too much to just stop now. We'll go ahead but with some changes. What I want is…"

XXXXXXXXXX

The next day was the third and final day of the cultural festival. Tsukune had met Moka and was walking with her through the stalls, enjoying the final day. With his rosario on people were not paying any special attention to him. When people looked their way it was because of Moka not him.

They were both enjoying some ice cream and walking through the crowds hand in hand. Anyone who looked at them might have thought them a nice ordinary high school couple. And they sort of were.

Except for the whole drinking each other's blood and being vampires thing.

"Do you think Kurumu and the others are mad at me?" He asked.

"I doubt it," Moka said. "You know Kurumu; she's quick to get angry but quick to forgive too. And the others weren't upset at all."

"Then where are they?" He asked. "I really wanted to see everyone today, since this is the end of the festival."

"I'm sure they'll show up eventually," she smiled at him and giggled a bit. "We can't stay away from you."

"Even when I'm like this?" He asked.

She took a lick of her ice cream. "Human or vampire, Tsukune is Tsukune."

And sure enough not long after that Kurumu came towards them.

"Hey Kurumu-chan! I'm glad to see you!" Tsukune said. As she came near though he saw something was wrong. "Kurumu-chan, what's happened, why are you crying?"

"Tsukune…" she seemed to shake. "Ru… run."

"What?"

Without warning Kurumu's claws and wings came out. She slashed at him. Caught by surprise and with human reflexes she hit him and could have killed him with ease. But her own hand shook and rather than a lethal blow she only sliced into the top of his chest.

That was still enough to cause him to cry out in pain and stagger back as blood poured out.

"Kurumu what are you doing?!" Moka shrieked. She caught him as he fell back.

"I… can't…" Kurumu shook but then came forward again with her claws ready to strike.

As she did so there were two tiny 'clinks.'

A gold rosario and a silver one dropped into Tsukune's hand. Demonic power swirled about both of them as they transformed into their true selves. The people around them all took off in a sudden panic as two S-ranked monsters appeared before them.

Once transformed it was Moka moved first, throwing herself at Kurumu. There was murder in her eyes as she delivered a ferocious kick straight into her chest. "How dare you hurt Tsukune!"

The succubus smashed into a ring toss stand demolishing it and knocking her out.

Moka stalked over to her with her fists clenched and quivering. "I don't care what your ridiculous excuse is Kurumu you have gone too far! For hurting Tsukune I really will rip off your tail and wings!"

"Wait Moka-san!" Tsukune was at her side. There was blood staining the front of his school uniform but he seemed all right. With a vampire's constitution he could shake off even serious wounds. "Don't hurt her anymore."

Moka turned to face him still angry. "She could have killed you Tsukune!" She deliberately pressed a hand to his wound making him wince. "I don't care if she is jealous or has some other ridiculous reason. Drawing your blood, wounding you, is going too far."

"But I think something weird is going on," he said and tried to ignore the pain. "She was definitely acting strangely."

Moka was about to answer when she spotted incoming objects. "Look out!" She threw him to the ground and dived away.

Where they'd been standing spears of ice and a swarm of razor sharp cards flew. They stabbed into the wooden stall behind them.

Tsukune looked up to see Mizore and Yukari standing there looking on, both of them had tears in their eyes and seemed to be moving rigidly.

"Yukari Mizore what are you doing? Why are you attacking us?" Tsukune called. What did I do to make them this angry with me?

Moka growled. "I don't know what is wrong with you two and I don't care!" She flew at them, giving them no chance to react. "Know your place!" She slammed a spinning kick into Yukari's stomach sending the little witch flying. She then smashed her fist into Mizore's face knocking her completely out.

Tsukune was quickly back on his feet and at her side. "Something is wrong here. No way would our friends turn on us like this."

"That's very true," a woman's voice called. "They fought my control as hard as I've ever seen, not that it made any difference." A woman with long dark hair appeared. All around the two of them others also appeared, they were students in school uniforms but they had all transformed into their monster selves. The bunch of them carefully surrounded Tsukune and Moka.

"Who are you?" Moka demanded.

The woman smiled and replied cheerfully. "I am Yakumaru Mako, number three within Anti-thesis."

"Anti-thesis?" Tsukune asked in surprise. "But why are you guys coming after me again?"

"That was not the plan," a man said and came to Mako's side. "I wanted to leave you out of it. That's why I kept you busy with the festival and sent that invitation to your cousin. It was all to keep you preoccupied and out of my way." He chuckled and shook his head. "And then the Chairman gave you the rosario of judgment and just like that I had no choice but to involve you."

"President Hokuto? What are you doing here?"

He smiled. "Isn't it obvious Tsukune? I am the leader of Anti-thesis. All this time I've been playing the part of the friendly student body president I have been working behind the scenes to destroy this place."

Tsukune stared at him. Hokuto had spoken of trying to build a better academy, one based on peace. He had wanted to change this place forever and Tsukune had wanted to help him.

"Why are you attacking so brazenly now?" Moka asked suspiciously. "Why come out into the open when you have been hidden all this time?"

"Because the time for the final end game has come, I mean to destroy this wretched place and set both the monster and human worlds to war with each other."

Behind them explosions rocked the earth. Both Tsukune and Moka looked to see fire pouring from the academy roof. People were running out of the building screaming as more explosions could be heard.

"As you can see there's no point in me pretending to be president here anymore, as there won't be an academy." Hokuto said.

"Why are you doing this?!" Tsukune demanded furiously.

"For revenge," Hokuto replied. "For revenge on this place and on all monsters and on all humans. I was weak once and I was abused by my own family and by monsters of this place, so I am going to take revenge on all of them. I am going to bring the barrier that separates this school from the human world down. When people see the creatures here for that they really are a war will begin between monster and human. A war that will bring the mutual slaughter both sides deserve."

"But we need just one thing before we can bring this noble dream to fruition," Mako said.

"That's right," Hokuto said. "I need the Rosario the Chairman gave you. With that I can bring the barrier down and plunge this world into war. If you hand it over to me Tsukune I will let you and your girlfriend walk away."

Tsukune deliberately put both rosarios into his pocket. "You don't really think I'll give it to you and let you start a war do you? You've hurt my precious friends and I don't know how many innocent people. I won't let you hurt anyone else!"

"Think carefully about what you say Tsukune," Hokuto warned. "I have a hundred rogue monsters here with me. If you don't…"

Moka cut him off with a loud yawn. "You are boring me. There's no point in threatening us, Tsukune is too noble to be threatened and I find you more annoying than frightening. So let's get on with this so I can let you all know your places." With that Moka dashed tot eh nearest monsters and knocked them both down with a pair of kicks. Tsukune went straight for Hokuto, knocking aside the monsters in his way with ease.

XXXXXXXXXX

Fifteen monsters lay down on the ground in less than a minute; clearing his path to the man he had admired and wanted to help.

"I believed in you!" Tsukune roared and delivered a single punch with all his might to Hokuto's face. It sent him rocketing into a nearby stall, destroying it and bringing the flimsy construction down burying him.

"I don't know what you suffered, but the answer isn't to bring more suffering and destruction to others! The answer is to reach out to people and help them! I know what it's like to suffer and be persecuted. But I survived because I had friends! People who cared about me. And to protect those people that are so important to me I'm going to stop you."

The wreckage stirred, chunks of plywood and aluminum were cast aside as Hokuto rose to about twelve feet. His body transformed to a weird and monstrous shape. His twisted body seemed to not be made of flesh anymore but of bone or horn. In one of his massive claws he tossed aside what looked like a small lock. "Can you really be that stupid?!" He drove a scythed claw down smashing Tsukune to the ground and ripping open and wound over his shoulder. "You've been here long enough to know that there is no such thing as friendship! The strong use the weak and that's the end of it! Those girls who worship you! Do you think they would feel the same if you weren't powerful? If you were weak?" If you were powerless do you really think they would still pretend to be your friends?"

Tsukune laughed, infuriating Hokuto. "As a matter of fact I know they would be my friends even if I were just a human."

With an angry shout Hokuto kicked him with a boney hoof into and though a game stall.

"What the hell would you know you piece of trash!"

XXXXXXXXXX

So this is an S-rank monster's power! Mako thought. Even surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered the vampire didn't even seem to realize she was in trouble. With blatant contempt she smashed wave after wave of the rogue monsters who attacked her. Piling up their unconscious bodies in the street. Mako had stayed out of it so far. She had hoped using their friends would have been a bigger advantage than it had been. Tsukune had held back from attacking the girls but Moka had shown no hesitation the instant she saw Tsukune hurt.

Now with most of her people down she knew she had to take a chance. With Moka fighting some others she ran at her back with her fingers transformed into needles. If she could pump some of her blood into the vampire she could use her ability and take control of her body.

She had almost reached her and was aiming to stab her in the back when a round house kick caught her in the side of the head.

Moka looked down at the woman's unconscious form. "A vampire is not so easily surprised." There were only a few enemies still standing, she hurried to finish them so she could then help Tsukune.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hokuto had a bloodied and beaten Tsukune pinned to the ground beneath both his claws. "Enough of this! You've wasted enough of my time. Now give me the rosario of judgment!"

"Never," Tsukune said though a bloody mouth. "I won't let you win."

"Idiot I'm more powerful than you are!"

Tsukune looked behind him and grinned. "But I have something you don't."

"What?"

"Friends."

Though his body had radically transformed his head had remained the same. His face was suddenly under attack by a flock of angry ravens. To drive them off he was forced to release Tsukune.

"Tsukune!" Ruby shouted. She dove down with four black wings coming out of her back. "Are you all right?" She grabbed him and took him into the air.

Despite the pain he smiled at her. "Never better."

XXXXXXXXXX

He finally drove the birds away and looked around to see Tsukune escaping. "You won't get away!"

But as he turned to follow he fell, his feet were encased in ice. Pots appeared and fell on him as a murderous succubus dived at him aiming her claws at his throat. "How dare you use us to hurt Tsukune!" Kurumu screamed.

Hokuto brought an arm up and deflected her away. He watched as she banked back around to come at him again. He looked at her threateningly. "You can't possibly beat me."

"She does not have to," Moka said. "She only needs to distract you."

Hokuto turned but it was already too late.

"Know your place!" She cried and delivered a single powerful kick to his one vulnerable point, his head.

Knocked out by the force of her blow the huge transformed monster collapsed defeated.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I hope you'll forgive me for using you Tsukune," the Chairman said. He had on another gold Rosario that looked exactly like the one he had given Tsukune. "I suspected Hokuto was up to something that involved the rosario of judgment. I needed to draw him out and force him to show his hand. So I gave you an ordinary rosario that looked like the artifact he wanted. You and your friends did a marvelous job. Hokuto and Anti-thesis are finished once and for all."

Moka glanced at the still burning academy and the wreckage of the festival. "Your victory seemed a bit costly."

The Chairman frowned. "Yes, I didn't think his actions would be so wantonly destructive."

"So you used me and put me and my friends in danger?" Tsukune asked angrily.

The Chairman nodded. "I am sorry, but it was the best way in my opinion. As a sign of my thanks please keep the rosario I have given you. And I'll also ignore the little fact that you were human when you first came here."

"How did you…"

"I have my ways," the Chairman said with a grin.

Tsukune wanted to ask more questions but Moka grabbed a hold of him and began dragging him away. "He used you Tsukune, and here's nothing we can do about it, let's just go."

XXXXXXXXXX

She took him a short distance away where they were alone. She then looked at him calmly. "Are you all right? You took quite a beating from him."

He nodded easily. "I'm fine Moka-san, I've survived worse."

"I am glad," she answered simply. "Now if you'll give me my Rosario I will go."

Tsukune reached into his pocket and produced her rosario. She reached out to snatch it from him, but he refused to let go of it.

"Is there a problem?" She asked coldly.

"Moka-san," he asked quietly. "What would you do if I kissed you right now?"

Though she covered it quickly he could see she was startled by the question. She paused for a moment before answering him in a deadly serious tone. "I suppose if you did something like that I would have to either kill you or kiss you back."

"Heh, I don't suppose you'd tell me which way you're leaning?"

"No," she said. Her face was a calm mask.

She waited as he looked at her hoping for some sign of how she felt.

Finally she gave an annoyed sigh. "Is asking that question as far as your courage will take you? Either do something or else release your hold on my rosario."

'You have to show me! Show me that you want me!'

In his dreams that was what she had said to him again and again. She is probably going to kill me for this, he thought.

Taking his life in his own hands he acted. He put one arm around her back and pulled a surprised Moka close. Then before she could react he leaned in and eagerly kissed her lips. If he was going to die for this it was at least going to be a good kiss.

He felt her stiffen, and for a second thought she was going to start beating on him.

But she didn't. Instead she let go of the Rosario and wrapped both her arms around him.

She was kissing him back.