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

Chapter 27 - Vampire Duel

"Challenge accepted," Elizabeth couldn't believe her own words. She stood with Rima facing Takuma and Rido, ready for, what could quite easily be, mortal combat. In other words, there would only be one survivor.

"You are a foolish girl," Rido smirked, "Don't you know that you cannot kill your master?"

"Master," Rima frowned deeply, "Is he your master?"

Elizabeth nodded, "I am Kaname's original pureblood lover and I was awakened from my human form by Rido Kuran and by Kaname's blood. I am not a Level D."

Rima stared at her for a moment before turning back to Rido. She noticed that Takuma was stood behind, with his head turned away from them, as if trying to detach himself from the whole thing. Rido smirked as a drop of blood dripped onto his face.

"Ichijo, have you heard the legend of the cursed twins? Apparently Ichiru and Zero Kiryuu are the cursed twins…" he scoffed slightly, wiped the blood from his cheek and placed a hand to his throat, causing everyone to look alarmed.

"Please, stop it," Takuma cried, "Don't do it!"

"Are you unhappy about me taking over Shiki's body, Ichijo," Rido taunted, "Heh, you are, aren't you?"

"You're so arrogant," Rima hissed, "Don't think you can get away with this? Well, no, you can't. Riji-sama and I will make sure you are driven out!"

Rido chuckled sardonically and walked forward towards the two girls, "Oh, you are, are you? Well, that will be a hard task because Riji-chan cannot even kill me and neither can you, Rima-chan, you're still an aristocrat."

"We'll see about that," Rido said with a sardonic smile. It was then that a strange presence made itself known to them, making them pause.

"What is that presence," Elizabeth asked, "Why is there such a strong smell of blood?"

Meanwhile, Kaname carried a small figure in his arms to a room in the Moon Dorm. This figure was in fact Yuuki but not Yuuki Cross, no, but Yuuki Kuran. He walked inside the room and placed her on the bed.

Yuuki squirmed and placed a hand to her throat, gasping and breathing raspy breaths, "Ka…na…me…what's happening to me," Yuuki asked, "Why do I…crave…?"

"Hush, It's okay…Yuuki…I know what you want," Kaname said as Yuuki sat up and her long, lusciously brown hair tumbled down past her shoulders and face. Her wine coloured eyes were now a threatening blood red with bloodlust. Yuuki pushed him down onto the bed and straddled him, bending over to each his neck. Kaname closed his eyes as Yuuki plunged her virgin fangs into his neck. Blood gushed into her thirsty mouth and eased the ravenous hunger that burnt within her.

Yuuki soon pulled away, blood dripping from her mouth and onto Kaname's cheek. Kaname gazed up at her as Yuuki gazed down at him, "I taste your love for that girl," Yuuki said in an emotionless tone, "I am almost jealous."

"Yuuki," Kaname whispered, "Yes, I am in love with her. I have waited for her for so long as I have waited for you. I have my family back."

"Ah, I see," Yuuki said, "Well, I saw you at that vampire ball that night when you bit her in front of all those nobles….you exerting dominance over her. I can tell that you have consummated your union as well…her scent is all over you."

"I see you as my sister," Kaname said, "Erisabesu is my fiancée."

Yuuki sighed and climbed from off on top of him, "I must be a strange one," Yuuki said, "I was in love with you…but I am your sister and it's what beasts do and…I suppose it's only right that you are in love with a woman who is not part of our family. It's natural and not wrong. You're not siblings."

Kaname gazed at her with saddened eyes and Yuuki pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, Kaname's eyes fluttered closed at the contact. Yuuki sat back against the wall and closed her eyes, "I wish my parents were will still here. They were such good people but father and mother went out to protect me from the bad people. Mother came back…and…turned me into a…human."

Her pureblood powers rose with her grief and caused the walls to crack and the windows to shatter. Kaname sat up and held her close. Yuuki quivered in her brother's arms, "I did that…?"

"Don't deny your existence, Yuuki," Kaname said, "This is what you are and yes you did do that."

Yuuki clenched her eyes shut and wriggled away from Kaname as he stood up, "Stay in this room, Yuuki," he said as he grabbed his coat, "I'll be back soon."

Yuuki gazed at him for a moment before turning her head away from him and gathering her legs against her chest. Kaname sighed as he pulled his coat on and walked through the door. Seiren, who was standing outside, turned to him as he walked out, "What are your orders, my lord," she asked. Kaname turned to her.

"I want you to protect Yuuki for now," Kaname said.

"What of Princess Erizabesu," Seiren asked, "What do you want to do about her?"

"Elizabeth is perfectly fine but I want to you watch her movements closely," Kaname said. Seiren nodded, "I will also post Night Class students in the town in order to protect her human parents. They may become targets."

"I will see to it for you, my lord," Seiren said as she teleported away. Kaname turned to Yuuki's door and noticed that Yuuki's presence was no longer there.

"Such a troublesome girl," Kaname said as he walked away.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Rima were faced with reality that they had a fight on their hands. Elizabeth knew that her powers had increased since her true awakening.

"I will force you to come out of your vessel, Master," Elizabeth mock bowed to him. Rima moved closer to Elizabeth and whispered.

"What do you have in mind, Erisabesu-sama," Rima asked, "I cannot hurt Shiki."

"You're going to strike first," Elizabeth replied. Rima frowned but nodded and walked forward.

"Watch out, whoever you are," Rima said, "Because, I'm coming for you."

"That's what you think, my dear," Rido said teasingly, "But try if you will."

Rima growled and a static electrical charge zapped threateningly around her hand. Rido pierced his finger with one of fangs and he formed his signature attack that his son shared: his blood whip. With expert precision, Rido aimed his whip directly for the livid aristocrat. Rima leapt up and into the air in order to dodge it.

Landing nimbly on her feet, she had found that Rido had in fact touched her arm and face, causing her to narrow her eyes with a sardonic smirk, "You fiend…don't you think it's cruel to harm a model's face and body. Well, luckily, I'm a vampire and I heal really quickly."

When Rima was about to attack, Elizabeth placed an arm in front of her, "Erisabesu-sama," Rima looked at her, clearly confused.

"I will take care of this," Elizabeth said, "It's my fight and I need to take care of it," Elizabeth stepped forward, "Rido, it's me you want to fight so let's get this over with. You ruined my human life and now I want my revenge for it."

"My, you've grown into such a strong slave," Rido commented, "And such big words are coming out of that mouth of yours. Tut tut, Riji-hime, you're so naughty."

"Don't taunt me," Elizabeth hissed, "I am not a little child!"

"Oh, I know that, my dear," Rido said, "You're a woman and a very beautiful woman at that."

Elizabeth eyes widened but her expression hardened in anger, "You are trying to distract me! Stop it!"

"Awww, having a temper tantrum, are we," Rido taunted. Elizabeth growled and the ground beneath them cracked and continued to crack in Rido's direction, so of the bricks from the path they were standing on levitated to act as weapons in themselves. Rido leapt into the air and released his blood whip, "Ha, do you think that will hurt me? You're pathetic!"

Elizabeth quickly moved out of the way with a clumsy forward roll. However, just as she was about to stand up, Rido's blood whip wrapped around her ankle and she was flung, like a rag doll, into a nearby tree. The sensation of the rough bark against her back and the force at which she had been thrown at was pure agony as she tried to stand up. Takuma and Rima gasp and winced as they watched helplessly. However, the whip was still wrapped around her ankle had not let go and she was dragged across the ground and eventually into the air. Rido stood in a tree and had Elizabeth dangling in front of him helplessly. Elizabeth glared at him but that the same time trying to keep her skirt from revealing too much.

"Well, how the mighty have fallen," Rido taunted, "Helpless now, aren't you?"

Elizabeth growled, "I know harming a models face is a grave sin, but you know what? At this moment in time…I couldn't give a damn," Elizabeth screamed as she aimed a punch at Rido's eye. Rido cried out and his whip loosened it's grip on Elizabeth's ankle. Elizabeth fell with a scream and Takuma ran to catch her as she fell, "Thanks, Takuma," Elizabeth said as Takuma put her down.

"No problem," Takuma replied. They looked up and saw that Rido had disappeared and then they looked back at each other. Takuma and Elizabeth turned their heads to see if he was in front of them or in the trees. What they saw next made Rima run forward with panic in her electric blue eyes.

"Please…" they didn't hear Rido; they heard Senri, "Ah!"

The trio stared at Senri as he tried to battle for dominance with his father over his body, "Shiki," Rima screamed, "Please! Don't give up! Please, have more love for yourself, Senri! PLEASE!"

However, her desperate pleas for him not to give up did not help him at all, "Don't defy me, Senri," Rido growled. As soon as he regained complete control of his chosen vessel, he growled and rereleased his blood whip, heading right for Elizabeth. Just as she was about to dodge, something jumped in front of her, taking the attack.

Elizabeth screamed when she realised who had taken the attack for her.

"KURO-KUN!" her scream echoed loudly and eerily.

Kuro fell to the ground as Rido's blood whip retracted, "Only for you, Riji-sama," Kuro whispered faintly. Elizabeth screamed angrily and agony as she lunged for Rido, knocking him to the ground and her hands clasped around his throat.

"How dare you do this to me," Elizabeth screamed at him and she slapped him sharply with her nails digging in at the same time. Takuma walked over to her and lifted her off Rido.

"Take Kuro-kun back to the school," he whispered into her ear, "Rima and I take care of everything from here."

Elizabeth was tempted to rip him limb from limb but she wrenched herself out of Takuma's grip and turned on her heal out of the situation. She picked Kuro up and cradled him in her arms as she walked silently away. As she walked into the Moon Dorm, she walked into her bedroom and placed him on her bed, her own cuts and bruises meaning nothing to her.

"Why did you do it, Kuro," Elizabeth asked in a hushed whisper.

"I did it for many reasons," Kuro answered her; "I couldn't let you die because I love you, Riji-sama."

"I love you too," Elizabeth whispered in his silky fur. She nuzzled him gently before dragging her nail down her palm, drawing blood. When Kuro saw what she was about to, he looked up at with his panicked, wine coloured eyes.

"No don't do that," Kuro said but Elizabeth shook her head.

"Don't protest; I need you alive," she said as she drizzled her blood into his mouth. Kuro lapped up the blood and swallowed it gratefully.

"Thank you, Riji-sama," he said as he felt his wound close over, "I am permanently in your debt."

"No, Kuro-kun, I did it because I love you and that you saved me from an injury that could have done some serious damage. So, thank you, Kuro-kun."

Kuro nuzzled her cheek softly before like playfully licking her cheek. Elizabeth giggled and gave him a tickle behind the ears, "Aw, no fair, Riji-sama!"

"You deserve it for all you've down for me," Elizabeth said as she hugged him to her chest.

Please Review!