Chapter 5: Condemnation.
Akane's POV
As I sat in class, the events of last night replayed in my head, over and over again. I couldn't stop thinking about Zero digging his fangs into Yuuki's neck.
Why did it bother me so much? All he did was drink her blood... Was I jealous? No, no. It's not like he kissed her or anything, so I have no reason to be jealous... Ugh, I just don't understand myself sometimes. It's ridiculous to sulk about something so pointless. I should just forget about it.
I just wish I could have given him my chocolate... I worked so hard to make it, I even skipped patrolling duties to make it...
Just then, Zero walked into the classroom and sat down in his desk, which just so happened to be right in front of mine.
I sighed silently to myself as I looked out of the large window to my left.
Zero turned around to face me as he spoke. "That chocolate heart you made me was better than I expected it to be. It was a bit sugary, but I'm not complaining."
Heat instantly spread across my face and all of my worries had vanished. "I always have until next year to improve my skills." I mumbled as I continued to stare out the window.
He chuckled softly and turned back around.
As I was walking back to my dorm, Zero stopped me.
"Hey, Akane..." He said quietly, "About last night... Yuuki hit her hand and it started bleeding, and I couldn't help myself. I just... lost control, like one of those beasts..."
I smiled halfheartedly in an attempt of reassurance. "There's no reason for you to explain yourself to me. It's not really any of my business anyways."
"You're only saying that because you know he doesn't care for you." The voice inside my head scoffed.
He sighed, "But-"
"It's fine." I interrupted, "We should be patrolling the campus right now."
He nodded, "You're right... lets go."
We walked around the campus together looking for any Day Class students out past their curfew.
I noticed a rosebush and walked over to it. "I didn't know there were rosebushes here..."
Zero walked up behind me and looked at the bush. "Me either. I've never noticed them before."
I smiled as I kneeled down in front of it. "I'm sure no one would mind if I took just one."
Zero shrugged, "Don't hurt yourself."
I rose a brow as I reached for a beautiful red rose. "How am I gonna hurt myself?" I asked, then of course, cut my finger on a thorn. "Ouch..."
He sighed heavily as he crouched beside me. "I warned you. Give me your hand." He mumbled as he pulled out his handkerchief and ripped a thin strip off of it.
I did as he said and pouted my lip. "You're so mean..."
When I gave him my hand, his eyes widened and started to glow crimson.
My voice was no louder than a whisper. "Zero?"
Why was I so frightened this time? I willingly let him drink my blood last time...
He dropped the ripped piece of the handkerchief, and grabbed my hand. He jerked me towards him and spun me around, my back now pressed against his chest. He leaned into me and pierced his fangs through the delicate skin of my neck.
How could such a small cut make him lose control like this?
"He's only with you when it's convenient for him. You're nothing but a meal to him." The voice inside my head chuckled bitterly.
It felt as if he were draining my entire body of its blood. My legs started to feel numb and my vision became blurry.
Out of nowhere, Kaname appeared. He pulled me away from Zero as he gently placed his hand on my back to keep me on my feet.
His sad gaze turned into a sharp glare directed towards Zero. "You're nothing more than a blood-thirsty beast, Zero Kiryuu."
If I don't do anything soon, Kaname will surely hurt him.
I somehow managed to lift my heavy legs and get in between the two boys. "Kaname, it's fine, just-" I couldn't finish. It felt as if all the energy was drained from my body, and I started to sway back and forth. My world began to shift, and I was quickly consumed by the darkness.
Kaname's POV
Akane stumbled between Zero and I as she spoke. "Kaname, it's fine, just-" She stopped mid-sentence. Her body began to sway, and she fell right into my arms.
"You devoured her mercilessly. So much, that she can't even stand up." I huffed as I lifted her delicate frame into my arms. "So how was it? Was her blood delicious?"
He stood there in shock, probably just realizing what exactly he had done.
Fortunately, she wasn't dead, only unconscious. I sighed and walked away from Zero.
I carried Akane all the way back to the headmaster's office, "Headmaster..."
He sighed as he lowered his gaze to the floor. "Yes, I know..."
I continued walking with Akane in my arms until I made it to the infirmary. I carefully laid her down on the bed and began tending to her wounds.
The moment her eyes fluttered open, her hand immediately went up to the bite mark.
"The bleeding has stopped." I spoke, "But his fangs went into you rather deeply..." I looked into her glistening blue eyes with a hint of dread in my tone. "Akane... Does it hurt?"
She avoided my gaze as she shook her head.
"Kaname, would you mind heading back to class? The smell of blood seems to have gotten the Night Class into a bit of a fuss..." The headmaster said.
I stood up and nodded. "Yes, of course."
Akane's POV
Once Kaname had left, the headmaster sat beside me on the bed.
He put a band-aid on the bite mark and looked down at me sadly. "I took Zero back to his dorm and got him settled in. He's calmed down a bit since earlier." He paused as he furrowed his brows. "You knew about him being a vampire, didn't you?"
I nodded meekly, still a little uneasy from when he had bit me. I didn't understand why it hurt so bad this time. It wasn't really a big deal the first time he had bit me...
The headmaster stood up, "I assume he knows that you're one as well."
I nodded once again.
He looked away, "Zero has been enduring this ever since that vampire attacked his family four years ago. He was the only one who managed to survive that attack, however, he didn't come out entirely unscathed. He had deep fang marks on his neck, just like the ones that were found on you when that vampire had attacked your family."
I looked up at the headmaster as tears threatened to form in my eyes. "I understand what you're saying... There's no need for you to continue..."
He pursed his lips together as he gave me a curt nod, exiting the room.
"So... who will experience the sad fate of becoming a Level E first?" I asked myself quietly.