A/N I don't own Vampire Knight nor do I make any profit from it.

Chapter 20 – Pain

When Elizabeth returned to school, Kaname had returned to being aloof and distant from her. She was felt angry that Kaname would seduce her and bring her back to school. Her heart felt played with. Why was he putting up such a cold front? Was he ashamed that he had lowered himself to kiss me, a far below his station and status? Elizabeth just didn't know. But something had occurred to her. Kaname had bitten her. In her dream, the woman had told her that if she was bitten by him and received his blood, she would regain her pureblood powers and become who she once was. Elizabeth didn't feel any different or any more powerful. It didn't make any sense.

Kisetsu, being Elizabeth's best friend, was apprehensive about any relationship forming between the pureblood prince and her best friend. Kisetsu didn't was Elizabeth to get hurt and Kaname's cold behaviour was hurting her.

As Elizabeth made her way down stairs towards where everyone was waiting. Kaname took one look at her and turned his head away, his facial expression devoid of any warmth. Elizabeth looked down at her feet. She felt pretty foolish for believing that Kaname cared for her. Kisetsu silently glared at the male pureblood.

Kaname ignored her and walked towards the door. The light was bright that day and everyone had to shield their eyes. Elizabeth cast her eyes to the floor. She couldn't forget the way he'd kissed her and the way he'd completely subdued her. She couldn't forget the way his fangs had effortlessly sank into her skin. It hadn't been too rough; just pure gentleness and nothing else. It was so different to the way Rido seduced her. She wondered where he was. He'd disappeared and not once had he come to drink from her. She knew that it was twisted, but she felt unwanted and lonely without her master coming to her every night.

As they walked, she noticed that Yuuki had been pushed by the hordes of girls wanting a closer look at them. Zero stopped her from falling by her bumping into him.

"I'm so sorry, Kana-" Yuuki had thought that it was Kaname, not Zero, who she had bumped into. She looked immediately regretful as Zero glared at her for calling him Kaname, "Zero..."

"What are you doing, Yuuki," Zero asked brusquely. As everyone walked by, including Elizabeth, Kaname had stopped and it caused everyone else to stop. Elizabeth huffed.

"Why are we stopping," Elizabeth asked bitterly. Kisetsu rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Riji-chan, let's go," She said, swivelling around on her heal in the opposite direction. Elizabeth sighed softly before following her friend. Takuma ran a hand through his blonde hair before walking inside also.

When everyone arrived in class, Elizabeth slipped off into a daydream. She had never felt so angry in all her life. She suddenly wished that she had tightened her fingers around his neck. She stared out at the moon. Why did she have to fall for him of all people? He was unattainable, but for a moment, he had come within her grasp.

Kisetsu, who was becoming worried about her, squeezed Elizabeth's hand to wake her up, "Hey, Riji-chan, feeling all right?"

Elizabeth remained silent. She swallowed and turned her gaze towards Kaname, who was reading a book. He ignored her completely.

"I thought that I was this man's past lover? He treats me as if I am the dirt under his feet," Elizabeth thought. A bitter smile made its way to her lips. Kisetsu gazed at her with concerned eyes.

"Riji-chan…what's wrong with you tonight?"

"Nothing…" Elizabeth muttered. Kisetsu wasn't satisfied.

"Is it to do with…you know….him?" She gestured towards Kaname. Elizabeth growled and stood up, startling everyone, including Kaname.

"I have to get out of here," She shouted. Elizabeth stormed away. Kisetsu growled and turned to Kaname. He looked up at her with the disdain.

"You know what your problem is, Kaname," Kisetsu growled. Kaname turned to her.

"I don't know but I am sure that you're going to tell me," Kaname replied blandly.

"You're so damn arrogant," Kisetsu screamed at him, "Not just that, you're a jerk too: an arrogant one at that!"

Kaname stared up at her blankly. Kisetsu had hoped to get some sort of reaction from him, but there was none. He was coolly staring up at her…almost as if he was made of ice. She growled before gracefully running after Elizabeth. The rest of the Night Class stared in shock, open mouthed. Aidou looked about ready to murder them for disrespecting his precious Kaname. Kaname eventually stood up.

"I shall be back in a moment," Kaname murmured, "Ichijo, you're in charge until I come back," He gracefully walked out, leaving everyone shocked and confused.

"You can tell that girl is a Level C," Aidou growled, "And why would Kisetsu-sama talk to Kaname-sama that way?"

"I don't know why Chairman Cross admitted such a vampire," Ruka said aloofly, "She's way out of her depth here in a class full of aristocrats."

"Now, now, Ruka," Takuma said sternly, "Don't say such things. Riji-chan is trying her best and she's having a very hard time at the moment. Kisetsu is only defending her."

Ruka glared at him before sitting down, muttering about wanting to kill Elizabeth. Takuma sighed softly. While it was true that Elizabeth had a lot to learn about their society, there was no reason for her class mates to bully her. He wondered what Kaname was going to do. Punish her? Perhaps that would be the case.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth had escaped to an abandoned classroom. She had summoned Kuro with her powers, wanting someone to talk to and her trusted cat was the only person she wanted to talk to. She opened the window when she saw her loyal cat.

"Hello, Kuro-kun," she sniffed. Kuro leapt into her arms.

"What's wrong, Riji-sama," He asked. Elizabeth sat on one of the steps that led to the desks.

"I don't know anymore, Kuro-kun…I feel so confused," She sobbed in his fur. Kuro turned his head towards Elizabeth and nuzzled her neck. Kuro wanted to take away Elizabeth's pain and suffering. If he was in his human form, he'd hold her in his arms and tell her that he loved her. In his original form, he was a pureblood vampire. He wanted to show Elizabeth who he was but it was possible at that given moment.

Suddenly, the doors were thrown open. Kisetsu had finally found her.

"Riji-chan, I've been looking all over for you!"

Elizabeth didn't answer her; she continued to stroke her cat's fur. Kisetsu crouched down in front of Elizabeth and gently caressed Kuro's fur, "What's wrong?"

"That jerk…" Elizabeth growled, "I can sense his aura coming this way…"

Kisetsu turned her head to see Kaname standing in the doorway. She narrowed her eyes at him, "Can't you see that your cold attitude is hurting her? Don't you love her? Isn't she supposed to be your lover?"

"I have a reason for everything I do, Kisetsu, as well you know," Kaname replied, "The only reason why I am acting coldly is because I don't want you to get hurt."

"Hurt? Can't you see that this is hurting her? She is not a doll you can just pick up and throw away whenever you feel like it! She's a person!"

"I'm protecting her from the rest of the Night Class. The likes of Ruka could easily kill Erisabesu if she wanted to. I know that Shiki and Touya are indifferent and perhaps Kain too, but Aidou and Ruka could quite easily kill her in a fit of jealous rage," Kaname reasoned. Kisetsu turned her head and noticed that Elizabeth was rather pale. Vampires were pale anyway, but Elizabeth most definitely wasn't as a human turned vampire. Her skin was creamy and lightly sun kissed, almost like honey and cream. It looked abnormal. Was this Elizabeth's first step to becoming a pureblood vampire? Kisetsu didn't know.

"What about Yuuki? What do you feel about her," Kisetsu asked. Kaname remained silent. Kisetsu 'hmphed' and turned to Elizabeth. She grasped and plucked Kuro out of Elizabeth's arms, "Kuro-kun, we're going out while these two sort out their problems."

"Is that a good idea, Kisetsu-sama," Kuro asked.

"Yes," with that, Kisetsu walked out of them room, closing the door behind her. Elizabeth sat very still. Kaname walked over to her and leaned on a desk.

"Riji, I don't want to hurt you," Kaname whispered. Elizabeth clenched her jaw.

"As I've said before, you have a funny way of showing it," Elizabeth replied emotionlessly.

"You think this is easy for me," Kaname said with a slight growl in his voice. Elizabeth shivered and turned her back on him. Within a matter of seconds, she felt hot breath on the back of her neck. Elizabeth shivered again, "I cannot bare to be away from you, Riji. It kills me to act the way I have been. Now that I know who you are…I cannot keep myself away from you…"

"Correction, I am not that woman…I am Elizabeth Watson…born in England to Alan and Pauline Watson."

"That's where you're wrong…" he breathed in her ear, "You were born to fulfil your destiny as a developing pureblood vampire and to fulfil what your past self could not."

Elizabeth dug her sharp nails deep into the wide, wooden windowsill. Kaname didn't move away from her, continuing to breathe his sweet, warm breath on the back of her neck. He placed his hands on either side of the windowsill, caging her in. Elizabeth turned her head towards him against her own will. She bit her lip. Kaname gently nibbled on her ear, making her moan and pant slightly.

What was happening to her? Why did she want this man so much?

"Kaname…" she whispered. Eventually, her whole body had turned to him. Kaname placed a hand at the bottom of her back and pulled her too his body. Elizabeth tried to resist, placing her hands on his chest, trying to put some distance between them, "No, Kaname…"

"Resist all you like, Riji, but you won't be able to do it for long," Kaname whispered. Elizabeth frowned and shook her head.

"I will not submit to you," Elizabeth whispered furiously, "Never!"

"Don't you want what to have what we once had? Don't you want to have it again? Do you wish to leave me again," he whispered the last question with sadness laced into it.

Elizabeth bit her lip and turned her head away, "I will not listen to this."

She successfully pulled herself away, wrenching herself out of his grip, "What happened the other day…it should never have happened," she cried, "I am too far below your station. Leave me be."

With that, Elizabeth ran from the room, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. It had been a mistake to fall in love with him. Why had she let herself fall for him in the first place? Elizabeth ran away from that room, not turning to give it a second glance. She sped past Kisetsu and Kuro. Kuro leapt onto Elizabeth's shoulder whilst Kisetsu ran back to the room Kaname was in. Kisetsu stormed into the room.

"Kaname, what did you say to her?"

She noticed the change in Kaname's aura. He was angry, no, angry wasn't the word. He was livid. He wasn't going to lose Elizabeth that easily. Losing her wasn't an option he wanted to take, not after losing her once, "Kaname, what happened?"

Kaname turned to her. All the wood furnishings splintered violently. Kisetsu squealed and took a step back, "Kaname! Get a grip!"

Kaname didn't say anything back to her. He strode out of the room in Elizabeth's direction, "Kaname, where are you going?"

Kisetsu growled slightly in frustration and ran after him. Kaname and Kisetsu ended up outside. Elizabeth was hiding outside and her scent was strong. However, there were strange, new scents as well, puzzling the two purebloods.

"Who's there," Kisetsu whispered, "It couldn't be…the council…could it? They smell like vampires!"

"We'll have to look for Elizabeth later, because she's around here somewhere," Kaname said, striding away. Kisetsu nodded slowly and followed him into the night. Meanwhile, Elizabeth had hidden herself in a nearby tree. She knew that Kaname knew she was there and he would have pursued her further if it hadn't have been for something more important. Kuro clung to her shoulder. Elizabeth adjusted herself so that she had her legs dangling on either side of the branch and so that her back was against the trunk.

"Riji-sama, what happened?"

"It's nothing, Kuro-kun…"

He knew not to push Elizabeth too far, but something about her didn't feel right. He could sense a change in her that was physical and it didn't feel right.

"Kuro-kun, why do I have to love him," she whispered tearfully, "It's destroying me…"

Kuro leapt, with agile grace, in front of her and he stood gracefully on the branch. He placed a paw on her hip. Looking her straight in the eye with his wine coloured ones he spoke, "Don't worry, Riji-sama, you'll work this out and when you do, you'll be much happier."

"That's easier said than done," Elizabeth whispered. Her thoughts turned back to Rido. He'd disappeared completely. He was alive, she could tell that much, but his whereabouts were unknown to her. She didn't want him to come back for her though; she was quite happy to live her life the way it was.

"I maybe out of line in saying this, Riji-sama, but…" Kuro moved closer to and curled up against her, "I love you, Riji-sama…I really love you."

He was expecting to be thrown off, but he felt a gentle hand stroking his fur. He nuzzled her gently, "I love you too, Kuro-kun, you're my best friend."

Well, that wasn't what he expected but…he hadn't expected her to return his feelings in the way he wanted in the first place due to his appearance. He just had to say it and get it off his chest. He had never felt love. He had been killed brutally before he could even talk, walk or even love. He was then reincarnated as a cat, only being able to regain his true form as an adult vampire if the man who killed him was dead or if he gained love of a young vampire maiden. He had hoped that would be Elizabeth, but his hopes looked bleak.

Kuro's wine coloured eyes gazed up at the melancholy girl and wished that he could take away her pain and suffering. He smiled to himself as Elizabeth leapt down from the tree, landing as gracefully as a cat landed after having leapt down from a wall.

"Let's go back to the Moon Dorm, Kuro-kun, I cannot return to classes now," Elizabeth whispered. Kuro nodded and Elizabeth strolled back to the Moon Dorm, basking in the light of the full moon.