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

Chapter 29 - A bit of Courage

Elizabeth, Kuro and Kisetsu tentatively walked down a shadowy corridor. The scent of blood was heavy in the air. It was a mixture of different blood, all mixed in with each other. Elizabeth noted that her blood could be detected as Kaname had bitten her whilst they made love not long before. This thought made Elizabeth blush deeply.

"I can see you blushing," Kisetsu said, "Does Kaname really make you feel that way?"

Elizabeth nodded slightly, "I love him."

"I'm glad you have found a mate, Riji-chan," Kisetsu said, "It can be hard to find young men who are willing to commit to one woman or vice versa these days. Kaname seems to love you very much."

"Why is it hard to commit," Elizabeth asked, cocking her head to the side. Kisetsu sighed forlornly.

"It's just the new generation of vampires," Kisetsu replied, "People are settling down later and having children later too. Commitment isn't a word in most young vampires' vocabulary. You're lucky to have Kaname want you as his mate."

"I suppose I am, aren't I," Elizabeth whispered. As they walked, they came to a room which had both Yuuki and Kaname's scents coming from it. Elizabeth looked back at Kisetsu and she shrugged. Elizabeth tentatively placed her hand on the door knob and twisted it until they heard it click. Opening the door slowly, they saw that room was dark. As their eyes became used to the darkness, they saw Yuuki sitting on the bed, her knees gathered up to her chest, "Yuuki, is that you? Are you all right?"

Yuuki looked up at her blankly, "I suppose so."

Elizabeth, Kuro and Kisetsu walked further inside the room. Yuuki swung her legs of the bed and stood up. She was dressed in a fine night gown and her hair was now hip length. Elizabeth picked Kuro up and Kisetsu moved further on.

"Yuuki, would I be mistaken in thinking that you are a vampire now," Kisetsu asked cautiously. Yuuki, almost robotically, turned her head towards them and nodded minutely.

"I am," Yuuki said quietly, "I am Kaname's younger sister."

"I know," Elizabeth said, "Kaname has told me about his relation to you."

Yuuki gracefully glided towards Elizabeth and stopped a few inches in front of her, "And you, Erisabesu, are his lover, no? You are a pureblood…just like me and you were his original lover, no?"

Elizabeth nodded, unnerved by Yuuki's closeness and demeanour, "Yes, I am his mate."

Yuuki's cheeks reddened slightly but she didn't say anything as she turned away from them. She walked over to the window. All the glass in the windows had been shattered and they could see glass shards glistening in the thick carpet. There was also a large crack in the wall, obviously were Yuuki had lost control of her new powers. A gentle wind blew and Yuuki's chocolate coloured hair blew around her, making her appear ethereal and beautiful. Of course, she was a pureblood vampire now and beauty came with the package. Elizabeth was glad that she had her boots on as she slowly walked across the bedroom towards Yuuki.

However, just as she approached the new pureblood, Yuuki climbed onto the window sill and effortlessly jumped out of the window. Elizabeth gasped sharply and ran forward to look down to where Yuuki had landed. To her surprise and relief, Yuuki was talking to Aidou as if nothing had happened.

"Vampires have stronger bones than humans, Riji-chan," Kisetsu said, "We can jump from great heights and never break any bones in our legs. It's fantastic, no?"

Elizabeth nodded and turned on her "I suppose it would be."

"What do you mean "you suppose"," Kisetsu scoffed, "It applies to you too. You also have stronger muscles. If you didn't have stronger everything, you wouldn't be able to have make love with Kaname."

Elizabeth's face reddened, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, Kaname is a vampire and if you were human…you'd be severely injured by now. When you have intercourse you have to use certain muscles, such as your abdominal muscles and your thigh muscles…the list could go on. You might have heard people feel sore after they make love. Didn't you say you felt sore after your first time with Kaname? Even you, a newly awakened pureblood vampire, ached."

Elizabeth nodded, "That makes sense."

"Anyway, enough about that," Kisetsu giggled, "Let's follow Yuuki."

"No," Elizabeth said, "Let's go outside and try to make sense of everything."

Kisetsu raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Kuro, who was still safely nestled in Elizabeth's arms, looked up at her, "Perhaps we should visit Rido's body."

"Why," Elizabeth gasped, "I don't want to see him."

"Perhaps not," Kuro replied, "But you should."

Elizabeth looked up at Kisetsu, "Kuro's right…you might get some answers from Ichiru Kiryuu. He's been guarding Rido's coffin for a while now."

"Why," Elizabeth asked sceptically, "Why would a human be guarding a pureblood vampire's coffin?"

"Well, there must be something in it for him," Kisetsu replied with a shrug, "Why else would a human guard a pureblood? He's after his blood for sure."

"Oh, I don't know," Elizabeth said as she placed Kuro on the floor, "Rido had ruined a lot of lives. He killed Kaname and Yuuki's parents. Kaname even seems to think that Rido was the one who put Shizuka Hiou's lover's name on the Hunter's execution list so that he could break Shizuka so that she would bend to his will. However, she killed Zero and Ichiru's parents and ended up going into hiding with Ichiru by her side."

"If that is true," Kisetsu replied, "Why isn't he a vampire like his twin brother?"

"Well…that's the question," Elizabeth concluded, "But, do you think that she really did love Ichiru? Perhaps she didn't want to turn him because she considered the vampire way of life was a kind of curse. I suppose that could be a reason behind his preserved humanity."

Kisetsu blinked for a moment before nodding, "I've never really asked you this but…how have you truly handled being a vampire? You seem to handle it so well."

Elizabeth looked up and nodded, "I have handled it well. It is a part of me and I have to accept it. Besides, if I had stayed human, Kaname would never have noticed me. I would have been just another Day Class girl…not one of the fan girls though; I get headaches easily. Plus, I would never have met Kuro."

Kuro shook his head, "I would have met you. You are still Kaname's lover, whether you were human or vampire. Your blood and scent remains the same. You are Naomi Kuran's reincarnated soul."

"I know that," Elizabeth replied, "That's why it is my duty to stay by Kaname's side and fight the upcoming battle."

"You're right," Kisetsu replied as she ran a hand through her own flaming red hair, "Well, we should go. Perhaps you should check on your parents. I mean, your father doesn't even know you're a vampire. It's only your mother who knows."

"Kaname told me that I cannot visit my parents now," Elizabeth said.

"Do you do everything that Kaname tells you to do," Kisetsu said, "The Naomi Kuran of the past wouldn't let Kaname order her about."

"I know that but Kaname says that it will endanger their lives if I go," Elizabeth said sadly, "I don't want them harmed."

"Do plan on going back to the Kuran mansion with Kaname if you win the war? What will you tell your parents? They could have the human authorities after you," Kisetsu warned, "I think it is best that you see your parents. I will protect the house whilst you talk to them. How does that sound?"

"I suppose it would be all right if you came with me," Elizabeth whispered, "But first, let's go and see Ichiru. He might have the answers were looking for because he's been hanging around the Senate for some time now."

Elizabeth, with Kuro in her arms, and Kisetsu ran out of Yuuki's room and followed Ichiru's human scent over to the other side of the Moon Dorm. As they approached the door, Kuro squirmed a little.

"What's wrong, Kuro," Elizabeth asked, "Why are you wriggling?"

"I feel uneasy in that man's presence," Kuro said as he attempted to bury himself further into Elizabeth's chest. Elizabeth raised her eyebrows a little but knew exactly what he was talking about. She too felt uneasy in Rido's presence. They swung the door open and saw Ichiru and Kaname standing around Rido's coffin. Kaname had a sword impaled in his hand, his blood seeping into Rido's grotesque body.

"Kaname," Elizabeth said as she placed Kuro on the floor who immediately hid behind Kisetsu's legs, "What's going on? Why have you impaled your hand with that sword? I thought you were going to the Senate."

"I am giving the monster exactly what he wants," Kaname said without looking up. Elizabeth walked further into the room and almost gagged at the smell of blood.

"But you want to defeat him, right? How is this going to defeat him when you're giving him exactly what he wants?"

"As I have said before, I will have Zero kill him because neither of us can do that. He is our master, Erisabesu and there is nothing we can do about it," Kaname said. Elizabeth knelt next to the coffin and pulled the katana out of Kaname's hand and Rido's body, "What are you doing, Erisabesu?"

"I suppose I should also give my master what he wants," Elizabeth said emotionlessly. Closing her eyes and gritting her teeth, she sent the bussing and fizzing katana through her hand and back into Rido's body. Elizabeth screamed in pain and Kaname jumped to his feet. The sight of his mate in pain was intolerable to him. With only a tiny amount of blood trickling into Rido's body, Kaname tore the katana out of Elizabeth's hand. Elizabeth's pained expression softened when she saw Kaname's licking away the blood on her hand.

"Will Rido wake up soon," Ichiru asked, coldly dismissing Elizabeth's pain. Kaname looked up at the silver haired Kiryuu twin and nodded. He could feel Elizabeth quivering in his arms, the pain in her hand not going away. Licking the blood from his lover's hand, the wound closed over. Elizabeth smiled weakly and kissed his cheek.

"When Rido finally awakens, the real war will begin," Kaname stated as he stood up and picked Elizabeth up at the same time. Kuro and Kisetsu watched helplessly as Kaname took over.

"I don't think I should have done that," Elizabeth said weakly, "I don't know why, but I feel faint," her legs went weak. Kaname supported her as they walked out of the room and into his own room that was just down the hallway.

"That was an anti vampire sword," Kaname explained, "I don't really feel the effects of it now but you haven't ever felt them. However, since you are their creator, you had an even worse reaction to it."

"I see," Elizabeth looked down at her hand, "My hand feels numb even though it has healed."

Kaname lightly kissed her bloodied hand and moved up to kiss her on the lips, "You were very brave back there. But don't do it again."

"I cannot promise that, my love," Elizabeth said, whispering against his lips, "I have to play my part. I will help you achieve your goals as your loyal servant and lover. I will not play the part of an idle princess…not when Yuuki is out there and making things happen for herself."

"Where is Yuuki," Kaname asked, pulling away.

"The last time is saw her was in her room and then she jumped out of the window," Elizabeth replied, "I think she went to Zero."

Kaname sighed, clearly aggravated, "I told her to stay in that bedroom."

"You told me not to get involved but here I am," Elizabeth shot back. Kaname subtly glared at her, "Anyway, I want to visit my parents and tell them goodbye. If I don't, I won't be able to live with myself."

Kaname gazed at her for a moment before scoffing slightly, "There really is nothing I can do to make sure you stay safe, is there?"

"Well, let's face it, Kaname, I am a glutton for punishment," Elizabeth giggled, "Forgive me, Kaname, but I cannot leave with you until I have said goodbye to my parents."

"If you must do that, wait until all this is over," Kaname reasoned, "You could put them in danger of being captured or killed if they are discovered to have a connection with you. Is that what you want for them?"

Elizabeth shook her head, "No," She muttered.

"Good girl," Kaname ruffled her hair, "I must go now and leave the grounds. Kisetsu will look after you."

Kisetsu rushed to Elizabeth's side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "I will look after her."

Kaname nodded and then swept from the room, leaving the two girls alone.

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