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

Chapter 34 - Preparation for Battle

Elizabeth's eyes flashed a menacing red and Level E reduced to dust, "I hate killing them…" she whispered as she turned to her classmates. Ruka, with her mind control, turned two Level Es on each other and killed each other instantly by impaling each other on each other's hands.

"Erisabesu-sama," Aidou screamed as a Level E launched itself at Elizabeth. Elizabeth turned around and Kuro was about to launch himself at the Level E but jumped back when Aidou conjured up some ice and froze the crazed vampire in his tracks. The ice shattered and Aidou turned to Elizabeth with a frown.

"You shouldn't be fighting," he said sternly, "You are Kaname-sama's lover and fiancée; he does not want you dead."

"We've been through this before," Elizabeth replied, "I will fight…for my parents, I will fight."

"But their dead aren't they," Ruka asked, "What's the point?"

"I am fighting to kill the man who killed my own family," Elizabeth replied darkly, "I will not be stifled."

Aidou looked around at Ruka who sighed tiredly. Seiren stepped forward and gave Elizabeth an icy stare, "Erisabesu-sama, it has been made explicitly clear by Kaname-sama that you're to be kept safe from the impending war. You have a connection to the one has invaded this school i.e. he is your master and he awakened your pureblooded genes and vampire self. He is after both your blood and Yuuki-sama's blood. That is why you must be kept safe."

Elizabeth scoffed slightly, "There is a difference between myself and Yuuki. I have been a vampire a little longer that she has…say about ten thousand years? I am sure that you are aware of my position as one of the progenitors."

"Yes, we are," Akatsuki replied, "There was no need to tell us…we could feel it."

"Well, don't you think reason enough to let me fight," Elizabeth asked, "I may have been born a human but there is no doubt of who I am. Besides, Yuuki has only been a vampire for a few hours. I understand that you have concerns for her but not for me."

"Well, if she wants to fight, we have no choice but to let her," Ruka stated reluctantly.

"It will be hard and even more terrible than anything you've seen before," Aidou said as he walked towards her. Elizabeth nodded.

"I don't think anything is more terrible than seeing one's parents die in front of you, especially when it was I who was forced to kill them. I am now fighting for atonement, for this school and for vampire and human kind alike."

"Well, if it's what you want, Erisabesu-sama," Aidou said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "We will follow you."

"Thank you, Aidou," Elizabeth replied but then frowned, "Aren't you supposed to be protecting Yuuki?"

"Well…yeah…I was but she ran off…." Aidou replied sheepishly. Elizabeth shook her head in annoyance.

"You know that Kaname will kill you if you if anything happens to her," Elizabeth pointed out. Ruka growled.

"And he'll kill us if anything happens to you," Ruka said with a growl her voice, "You're his lover after all."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "Yes, yes, I've heard it all before…"

Suddenly, they heard a scream and a cackle come from another part of the campus, "That sounded like Yuuki-sama," Aidou said as he raced towards the other location. Everyone else followed him and it take them long to find Yuuki being attacked by two level Es. Once again, Aidou conjured up some ice and destroyed the Level Es in a heartbeat. As the ice shattered, Yuuki stared at the Night Class students, dumbstruck.

"Yuuki-sama, what are you doing out here? You're supposed to be resting," Aidou shouted.

"You're completely insane," Ruka hissed, "Where is your Artemis rod?"

"Well…I can't use it…" Yuuki responded sheepishly, "Since I'm a vampire now."

"You shouldn't be fighting if you cannot use Artemis," Ruka growled, "You have no idea how to control your powers!"

"I hate to admit this but Rukia is right," Elizabeth added, "You are a new vampire…you could be considered a baby. Don't get full of yourself just because you have found out that you are a pureblood vampire."

Yuuki cast a sad glance at Elizabeth, "I'm sorry, Erisabesu-sama…I didn't realise," Yuuki bowed her head. Suddenly, there was gun shot near the front gate, "Come on!"

The others nodded and quickly ran in that direction.

BANG

BANG

The shots of a rifle echoed throughout the whole campus. Yagari growled as his bullets ran out, "I should have brought my sword…" he muttered under his breath. He was faced with another huge crowd of Level Es.

He then heard running footsteps behind him. It was his Night Class students they found Yagari kneeling on the ground, in obvious pain, "Mr Yagari," Yuuki cried, "Are you all right?"

"It's nice to see that you have come to your old teacher's aid," Yagari said brusquely and a little sarcastically.

"Well, at least we're here…" Elizabeth answered under her breath. The Night Class turned to see the Level Es coming towards them.

"We're going to have to stop them," Yuuki cried. Suddenly, Kaien walked towards them and his expression was serious. This was a change from his usual happy go lucky façade. He turned to Yuuki and his caramel gaze softened.

"Do you remember Juuri, Yuuki? Your real mother," Kaien said as Yuuki nodded.

"Yes, Headmaster," Yuuki answered. Kaien nodded and took one massive leap up onto the high wall.

"Leave these ones to me," Kaien said as he turned to the Level Es. Yuuki rushed forward and cried out.

"No, Headmaster, don't do it," Kaien turned to her again.

"Not "Headmaster"…it's "Father"," Kaien said seriously. Yuuki's eyes softened and nodded.

"Yes…Father…" Yuuki said with a small, sad smile. He stabbed the wall with his sword and it immediately cracked, crumbled and fell to the ground, rubble and dust falling to the ground.

"Everyone, protect Yuuki…or rather…protect Cross Academy," Kaien said as he jumped down off the roof and drew his sword, charging at the crowd of Level Es.

"No! Father," Yuuki cried, "Don't do it!"

"Your father is one crazy old man," Yagari said with a small scoff. Yuuki gave him a glare out of the corner of her eye before turning to her classmates.

"Let's do it, Night Class, let's face Rido Kuran…and save Cross Academy," Yuuki announced. Elizabeth turned to Yuuki and walked towards her.

"Are you sure," Elizabeth asked, "It's going to be dangerous."

"I know," Yuuki replied, "Stand by me, Erisabesu-sama…I know you are connected to him in some way…he is your master, right?"

"Yes," Elizabeth answered, "And I vow to destroy him."

Yuuki nodded and smiled, "Well, let's go."

"You may not be blood related…but you really are his daughter," Yagari said as he stumbled to his feet, gripping his apparently wounded shoulder, "Don't worry; I won't let the old man fight alone."

"Thank you, Mr Yagari," Yuuki said, "Let's go."

"Right," everyone said as they ran in the direction of the school building. As they did so, Senri, Rima and, to everyone's surprise, Kisetsu, was standing in front of the school building.

"Did you find Rido," Akatsuki asked. Rima gave him a lethargic look.

"Yes…it wasn't that hard…just saying," Rima pointed up, indicating that Rido was on the roof.

"He has really bad taste," Senri added. Kisetsu stepped down and walked towards Elizabeth. She embraced her in a hug and whispered in her ear,

"I think Takuma's gone…" Kisetsu pulled away and tried to conceal her sadness. Elizabeth blinked and realised what she meant. Choosing not to discuss it, Elizabeth turned to her fellow classmates.

"Well, shall we go in and face the devil," Elizabeth proposed. Her classmates nodded and they ran inside. As they did so, Senri gently tapped Elizabeth on the shoulder.

"Forgive me," he said emotionlessly and Elizabeth frowned.

"For what," Elizabeth replied, clearly puzzled. Senri looked down at the floor and then back up at the confused pureblood.

"For…Rido attacking you in my body…as Rima said….I should learn to love myself more," Senri said pensively. Elizabeth blinked at her descendent for a moment before smiling at him compassionately.

"It wasn't your fault," Elizabeth said kindly, "I do not blame you for something that you had no control over. There is nothing to forgive. However, Rima is quite correct about you needing more love in yourself, Senri."

Elizabeth then turned on her heal and rushed inside the school building. Senri and Rima turned to look at each other before following Elizabeth inside.

When they caught up with rest of the group, Yuuki was preparing to open the door to the roof top terrace. Elizabeth and the rest of the group could already smell the scent on blood in the air from the dying bodies which lay on the staircases and from the other side of the door. When Yuuki finally plucked up the courage to open the large wooden door, the smell of blood rushed past them and knocked them for six.

Running out onto the terrace, the sight before them was horrific. Level Es and Ds fed on each other greedily and there was a large mound made of the dying and the suffering. Sitting on top was Rido, quite casually and without a care in the world. Blood stained his mouth as he

"Well, you have finally come to me, Princesses," Rido drawled, "Ready to give your blood to me?"

"Rido, stop this," Elizabeth ran forward, "If it's my blood you want, the blood of the progenitors, then you can have it! Just stop turning humans into vampires! It isn't necessary."

Rido looked down at her and smirked lazily at her. Gracefully, he stood up, standing on the people he had been sitting on, and jumped down in front of her. He leaned down and whispered in her ear.

"All in good time, my dearest Princess Erisabesu," Rido bit her earlobe and caused Elizabeth to jump back in fright.

"Don't try that with me, Rido Kuran," Elizabeth said with disgust. Rido threw his head back and laughed.

"You belong to me, Princess," Rido said as he grabbed her arm tightly and painfully so.

"I belong to no one but Kaname," Elizabeth hissed.

"I gave you life as a vampire…you do belong to me and will continue to do so for all of eternity, my dear, so get used to it," he shoved her back and Elizabeth found herself in Aidou's arms as she fell back.

"Thanks, Aidou," Elizabeth said quietly. Aidou shook his head in despair before letting go of Elizabeth. Rido smirked again.

"I'm going to enjoy drinking your blood…but I'm not going to act like a selfish cad so please help yourselves to the famous Night Class's blood," he said as the aristocrats in the Night Class froze, unable to move. The Level Es and Ds all stood up and slowly approached the frightened Night Class and began to drink their blood.

Yuuki then ran forward.

"Rido, that's enough…don't taunt Erisabesu-sama and the Night Class anymore," Yuuki cried. Rido suddenly disappeared from where he was standing and reappeared behind Yuuki, wrapping his arms around her.

"I will enjoy drinking your blood, Juuri," Rido said as he breathed in Yuuki's scent, "Go on, cry out to the one you love. It's all right; Juuri did too…she called out to Haruka to save her," Yuuki struggled against him. Elizabeth picked up a discarded stone, throwing it at his head.

"Oi, Rido, fight me," Elizabeth said, "I want a rematch…a fight to the death."

Rido arched an elegant eyebrow, "A fight to the death you say, huh?"

"Yes…"

"You can't kill me, Erisabesu, I am you master," Rido tauntingly reminded.

"Perhaps," Elizabeth said as she casually walked towards him, "But I will try my darn best to bring you down so that you can't fight anymore…I'll leave the final blow to somebody else."

Rido laughed again, "Well, bring it on, little lapdog…I am up for some entertainment."

Frustrated by his mocking of her, Elizabeth's glowed red…

To be Continued…

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