*Author's Note: It's really getting down there; this fanfiction is almost over! So thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight.
I stood outside the door to the ballroom, enjoying the quiet of the night. I couldn't seem to rip my thoughts away from drinking Yuki's blood. I was such a monster. How could I derive so much pleasure from an act that caused her so much pain and disgust? It was sick. I could not understand how she didn't hate me by this point. The look on her face as she had seen her blood running down my chin was enough to tell me how she felt; yet she continued to allow me to drink from her.
"Zero!" I heard as a finger poked me in the face. There was only one person annoying enough to do that.
"Thank you so much for working tonight," said the headmaster, dressed in a ridiculous frilly robe.
"Seeing as you told me it was an order, I didn't really have much of a choice, now did I?" I retorted.
"Oh my. Zero, you're so scary. And I'd say as of late, you're rather moody too. It's like you've taken it upon yourself to shoulder anything bad that goes on around here. It's not so much an order, but more of a request really. I want to protect our students' right to a peaceful campus life. And then as for you, I want you to enjoy the moment, rather than fear a future that you cannot see," he monologued. After the somberness of his speech, he perked up. "What'd you think? Did I sound cool now or what?!" He asked me cheerily.
"Oh, Zero, I didn't know you were here already!"
I had been about to tell the headmaster that there was nothing on earth that could make him seem cool when my breath was stolen as I turned to the owner of the voice. It was Yuki, dressed in a white gown that was short in the front but long in the back. Her hair was tied into a couple of delicate swirls on her head and she seemed to be wearing some makeup that made her eyes shine and her cheeks glow. Around her neck was a white ribbon with a red rose attached. In short, she was beautiful. I didn't even care as I openly stared at her.
The headmaster gave a girlish squeal. "My sweet Yuki is all dressed up! Please tell me you'll dance with daddy later, my daughter!" he said with a flourish.
"Alright, sure. Later then, a short dance," she told him good-naturedly. All I could think was thank God he didn't want to dance with me.
"Yay! I'll come find you later!" he said enthusiastically, waving at us as he turned to frolic into the ballroom once again.
"Let's go on in! We're on duty, and we should take it seriously. But we should also have fun too!" she said, turning to me now. I raised my eyebrows.
"Really. I thought you told me you weren't looking forward to the ball," I said, hearing the accusation in my own voice but knowing there was nothing I could do about it.
"I wasn't?...Come on let's get to work!" she said distractedly, heading into the ballroom. I followed her, taking in the sight as I entered the room. Mostly, night class boys danced with the day class girls, though I saw a few vampire couples swaying gracefully to the music.
"This looks good, seems like everything is under control and running smoothly," she said taking a look around. When I didn't answer, she came over to me saying, "Come here, Zero."
She pulled my tie up, making sure it looked nice, as she told me, "A guy should wear his clothes properly, at least for tonight. What now? No arguing disciplinary committee member!" She seemed to expect me to argue. "Good," she said with a smile when I kept my thoughts to myself. "And now, a rose in the pocket for the men," she said as she unsnapped the rose from her ribbon necklace and attached it to the pocket of my uniform. "There. You'd look so good if you only smiled!"
I had stood quietly for all of her fussing, but hearing her laugh, my composure broke and I openly stared at her. "I don't get it. How can you keep on smiling like that?" I asked her, the memories of me sucking her blood only hours before coming to my mind.
"Well, that's because I…because what I want is for you to smile too, Zero," she told me tenderly, looking up at me with her deep brown eyes. At the point where I could've been lost in them forever, she bounded away, off to make someone else's day brighter.
Sometime later, I glanced over to where Yuki had been all night, with Kaname, and I didn't see her there. Though the last place on earth I wanted to be was near the wretched Pureblood, I needed to make sure Yuki was safe.
"Kaname. Have you seen Yuki around lately?" I asked him as I approached.
"I told you what your role is. You are to be her shield. It upsets me that you've forgotten," he told me bluntly. Though I hated the fact that his words got to me, I couldn't deny their sting. I hated the fact that he thought he could tell me what my life's purpose was. But I hated even more that I knew that wouldn't stop me from doing it. Before I could say something I would regret, I pulled my disciplinary committee armband off, showing that I wasn't coming back, and fled, jumping off the balcony. I needed to find her. Something in the pit of my stomach told me that soon she would need me.
I ran, going in a random direction. I had no idea where Yuki could be. I was starting to get panicked. I saw two figures in the distance, and headed towards them. As I got closer I realized they were Hanabusa and Akatsuki. Though the fact that they were out here during the dance was suspicious in itself, I knew that there was a chance they had seen Yuki.
"Have either of you seen Yuki?" I asked, breathless. They stared at me for a moment before looking at each other. It was Akatsuki who broke the silence.
"Yeah, as a matter of fact, she was heading in the direction of the old moon dormitory," he told me. I turned, about to run in that direction when Hanabusa's voice stopped me.
"Zero," he said, and his tone made me turn to look at him. "That transfer student…she wasn't at the ball tonight," he said cryptically. Akatsuki seemed to be confused, but I knew what he was implying. I nodded in his direction and then ran as fast as I could towards the old moon dormitory.
As I reached the building, I rushed inside, following Yuki's scent. It was quite strong in here. However, the scent that mixed with it was sickly sweet, almost choking me as I made my way up the stairs. Finding the room where the scents were the strongest, I burst through the door, ready to intervene should I need to in order to save Yuki. What I saw stopped my heart.
"Shizuka! Let Yuki go!" I yelled to the Pureblood, whose lips were just inches away from Yuki's pale neck.
"Zero…you…" Yuki said, apparently surprised to see me here. I pulled out the Bloody Rose, ready to shoot at the Pureblood, but to my horror, Yuki pulled her Artemis Rod on me.
"Please, stay back Zero, I mean it!" she told me harshly.
"Move it Yuki," I told her, feeling the anger rising inside of me. What was she thinking? "Why would you even—"
"You don't understand! She's the only one who can save you Zero!" she pleaded, her voice full of desperation.
"You think she can save me?" I asked her cruelly, as if she were speaking nonsense.
"Yes. She and I already made a deal. Listen Zero: the only way for you to control those urges and for you to stop becoming a level E is for you to drink this woman's blood! Yes I'm scared, but I'm going to be fine! So please, stay back!"
"Even if what Yuki says about your blood is true, I can still beat you within an inch of your life, Shizuka!" I told the Pureblood. I advanced on her, and when Yuki tried to stop me with her Artemis Rod, I took it in my hand, despite the pain it caused me, and held it there. When Yuki realized she couldn't fight me with it, she put her rod away. However, she wasn't done doing whatever foolish thing she believed she must.
"Zero…" she said sadly as she brought her bracelet up to my neck, attempting to incapacitate me. My anger boiled over, and I grabbed her arm quicker than she could've seen it coming. Did she really intend to paralyze me, so that I was forced to watch my most hated enemy turn the only person I loved into a wretched creature like myself? At that moment I was so angry I could have shaken her. But knowing I could easily break her in my rage, I settled for keeping her arm in my grasp.
"Why are you trying to stop me?! She—!" And just like that, my words were cut off by something as simple as her tears. She must have been frightened by my anger, or else frustrated that I was preventing whatever she had been trying to accomplish.
"Yuki…" I said, my rage evaporating into sorrow, making me want nothing more than to hold her.
"This girl has tamed you," Shizuka said from her spot on the velvet couch. A pure rage was in her voice as something flashed in her eyes, and just like that I was unable to move.
"Are you happy to have finally heard you master's voice? You cannot help but obey me, Zero. I'm back in my own body. Now my voice has the power to bind you," she said softly, advancing slowly towards me.
"The power to bind him?" Yuki asked worriedly.
"This is convenient. Keep holding Yuki. You do understand, don't you? I am the one responsible for creating you, and that means I am your master. You simply cannot disobey me, Zero," Shizuka said, her words hypnotizing me.
"Zero, let go!" I could distantly hear Yuki yelling at me, trying to break free of my grasp. However, I couldn't disobey the command I had been given, and without my consent my arms twisted around her body, holding her in place in a solid grip. Shizuka was going to make me the reason Yuki was turned into a vampire. This was without a doubt the cruelest thing she could ever do to me.
"You don't have to force Zero to do this! I will let you drink my blood, ok?" Yuki told the twisted vampire.
"For four years now this body has been ravenous. Did you truly believe that your blood was enough?"
"But you said that…that you only needed my blood!" Yuki cried as Shizuka slowly leaned in to my neck. There was nothing I could do, so ensnared was I in her voice, and there was nothing Yuki could do, as she was completely helpless against my strength.
"Please, stop! You've tortured him enough! Why are you doing this? Why are you being so cruel to him?!" Yuki screamed, and through the fog in my brain I registered that she was crying. Fighting her control of me, I gave it everything I had. I would do whatever was necessary to save Yuki from the fate that I had been dealt.
"I'm punishing him for becoming so attached to you. You're being cruel yourself; don't you know, Yuki? The choices you make are causing Zero to suffer. Even I can see that," the Pureblood taunted.
"I thought…if I was with Zero, things would be ok. I wonder, Zero, if you could ever forgive me someday," she said, just as that woman was nearing her neck. This was one thing I would never stand for. Breaking the control she had over me, I let go of Yuki and in a flash my hand was at the Pureblood's throat.
"You can't do it Zero. Just stay being my puppet for now, alright? You can't even squeeze those fingers around my neck," the Pureblood said hypnotically, trying to force me into subservience once again.
I fought with everything I had. I knew I couldn't strangle her. My body, following her commands wouldn't allow it. But if I could distract her long enough, I knew I might be able to do some damage to the immortal. The only way I could think of to distract her was—I braced myself—
And shot myself in the leg. It worked. Both Yuki and Shizuka turned to stare at me as my thigh bled profusely.
"Don't…take anything more away from me!" I shouted angrily, finally able to tighten my fingers around Shizuka's neck and get in a few shots at her with the Bloody Rose.
"Zero, no!" Yuki yelled, catching my arm in hers and pulling so that I was unable to shoot anymore. In front of us the sadistic vampire erupted into crazed laughter before whipping her sash off to use as a weapon.
"But this is not enough to kill me," she said condescendingly.
"I'll finish it right now. I'll end it all," I growled, charging towards her and escaping Yuki's weak grip on me.
"Zero!" Yuki yelled, attempting to bring me back to her. I didn't listen. Instead, I shot at the Pureblood, barely missing each time as she blocked me with her sash somehow.
"Those eyes say so much: he doesn't even need to think, he knows in his heart he wants to destroy himself with me," Shizuka whispered, but I knew Yuki had heard her by the tiny gasp that escaped her.
Before I could finish her off, a sword came out of nowhere and pierced my forearm. I heard Yuki yell my name as I turned around to see Ichiru standing in the doorway.
"Shizuka, why are you doing this? Why are you playing with him? I will not allow it. I will not have you die," my twin said boldly to the Pureblood.
"Don't interfere," she said, sticking her nose in the air, but to my surprise, she didn't do anything else to the insolent boy. "Zero and I have unfinished business. Besides, you have no need to worry; I have things well under control and I have no intention of dying here," she told him, exiting the room with the haughty air only a Pureblood could possess.
"Shizuka!" I yelled after her, knowing I wasn't about to let her get away with her life. I ignored Yuki's cries behind me and headed for the door only to be stopped by Ichiru.
"Slow down. Don't tell me you intend to leave again?" he taunted me.
"The only one who left, Ichiru, was you!" I growled.
"No, no. What I meant was the vampire world," he sneered.
"Zero…who's Ichiru?" Yuki asked in a panic.
"Aren't you going to introduce us, Zero?" Ichiru asked me coyly. Using my sword tip, I dislodged the ugly mask that covered most of his face so Yuki could see.
"He's my twin brother," I told her grudgingly. A look of alarm flashed across her face as she looked at my identical twin.
"Protect yourself, Zero," Ichiru challenged, drawing his weapon and completely ignoring Yuki's stares. "I'm no longer the old me; the one who followed you around and slowed you down is long gone. You see Zero, I have been allowed to drink Shizuka's blood. The flesh and blood of a Pureblood give you special powers and abilities. I know you crave it too; just admit it."
"That's enough you two! No matter what happened you two are brothers!" Yuki told us, not understanding the depth or our severed bond. Before I could act Ichiru was pointing his weapon at her throat.
"If you get in the way, I will kill you even if Shizuka doesn't want me to," he told her, and though it was not me, Yuki looked utterly hurt, as if I had just told her this. I couldn't bear it.
Raising my gun to point at my brother's head, I said, "That's enough!"
"I thought vampire hunter guns are only effective against vampires," he said wryly.
"I knew it," I spat, lowering the gun. As I did however, Ichiru swung his sword at me, almost slicing my face in half.
"Zero!" I heard Yuki scream.
"Stay back Yuki," I ordered.
We fought, brother against brother, twin against twin, as our weapons matched each other swing for swing. We were too alike; it was apparent even in our fighting styles. Each of us tried to land a fatal blow, and each of us met the clash of resistance from the other's weapon. We were in a stalemate.
"That's it, you're right! This body is still human Zero!" he gasped angrily. "Shizuka did let me drink her blood. But she…she didn't want my blood in return. She never once desired it at all!" he lashed out, clearly hurt by this, though it was beyond my understanding why.
"They wouldn't even look at me! Not dad, not mom, not even our master! The only person who looked at me was you! Then finally, I met her. She's the one who saved me from the depths of loneliness. It was her crimson petals in the darkness that brought color into my life! And still—still it was you who Shizuka chose and not me! Why! Why was it you Zero!" He yelled angrily at me as we continued to fight until he had me pinned to the ground, blocking the tip of his weapon with my blade. Suddenly he lost his grip and the blade went flying, over my head and towards Yuki. I had a moment of panic before the blade landed on the floor in front of her.
Ichiru slumped in his position on top of me, suddenly looking every bit the fragile child who I had used to love. "I have been by her side this whole time, but Shizuka still doesn't look at me. I've stayed closer to her than anyone else," he said, his voice wavering. Somehow, this made me think of Yuki.
I had always been by her side. I could barely remember a time before I had known her, or even before I had loved her. She was the only constant in my wretched life, and the one who brought color to the grey canvas of my story. Yet, even now, the only one she seemed to see was Kaname. It didn't matter what I had done or how close we were, or even the fact that somewhere deep down, I truly believed that she loved me too, though she didn't realize it. Because all it ever came down to was one simple fact: Kaname Kuran existed, and he would always stand in our way.
Suddenly a scent caught my attention. "The smell of blood is strong," I said aloud, mostly to myself. However, Ichiru, upon hearing this, cried out Shizuka's name and ran out of the room to search for his beloved vampire. I stood up as well, intending to follow him.
Yuki stopped me. She clung to my body from behind, refusing to let go of me, as she buried her face in my back.
"Yuki, listen! You don't know what's going on; I have to kill Shizuka! Let me go Yuki!" I yelled at her urgently.
"You haven't told me what you're planning to do after you've killed her! What if…what if what she said is actually true, Zero?" her voice wavered as she stubbornly held me in place. I knew she was referring to Shizuka's words when she said I wished to die along with her.
"Is that really true? When everything is finished do you want to end your life too?" she asked me and I could hear tears crowding her throat as she forced the words out.
"Yes. You see, that's why everything you've been doing was unnecessary Yuki."
"I only did it…because I didn't want you to die Zero!"
I stood staring at her for a minute. She truly didn't want me to die. And just like that, any thoughts of death that had been on the outskirts of my mind vanished, because I couldn't even fathom doing something that would hurt her so deeply. I felt that I truly understood now how deeply she cared for me. Why else would she have willingly given herself to a Pureblood only to save my cursed life?
Without warning I pulled her into my arms and buried my face in her hair. "Yuki, why? Why do you insist on doing this? You don't need to care for me so much. I'm really glad nothing happened to you," I whispered softly in her ear, trying to reassure her that I was incapable of trying to take my own life if that meant hurting her so much. Letting go of her, I turned around to exit the room and look for the Pureblood.
"You stay here," I told her. She didn't need to see what was going to happen.
"Zero— !" she started to say something.
"It's true. I did used to wish that I could die along with that woman. But that's not what I want now. I'll be back, I promise," I told her straightforwardly, trying to put her mind at ease.
As I left the room and ran towards the ever increasing scent of blood, I knew one thing with absolute certainty. It didn't matter that her heart belonged to another. It didn't matter that she would never long for me the way I did for her. It didn't matter that she would always choose Kaname. Because despite that, I still loved her, and there was nothing on earth that could take that away from me.
*There it is! Thanks so much for reading, and please tell me what you think! It's getting pretty close to the end!