Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or any characters

As the Headmaster began gathering up the dishes, Yuki started to make her way to her own room, but then stopped at Zero's door. She hesitated a moment, knocked softly, and then let herself in.

Zero had been lying on his side away from the door. When the light in the hallway suddenly crept into his room, he rolled over onto his back and murmured, "Who is it?"

Yuki closed the door behind her and then sat down on the edge of Zero's bed.

"Miss Kuran, what are you doing?" Zero questioned as he sat up.

Yuki was silent for a few moments. Then she said, "I just wanted to tell you that before dinner, when we were talking and you thought I wanted to drink your blood…that's not what I was actually doing…"

"Then what were you doing?" Zero demanded.

"I was trying to apologize," Yuki said.

"Apologize for what?" Zero wondered.

What am I doing? I want to tell him everything, but, will it even make any sense? I thought he was going to have Level E attack for a minute there! I don't want to provoke that again!

"Look, I'll be honest. I am not happy about having to be your personal escort or body guard…or whatever you want to call it," Zero started. "But don't feel like you have to apologize. Like I said, this is just work. I don't want any personal feelings to get mixed up in all this."

"Okay, but I feel like the least I can do for you in return is to offer up my blood to you," Yuki explained. "I mean, I know you're not in any real condition to be working so hard so—

"I take it the Headmaster told you about me then," Zero interrupted. "Look, I don't want you feeling sorry for me either!"

"It's…it's not about that," Yuki lied. "I'm just saying, the least I can do to repay you for your services is to let you drink my blood."

"I see," Zero murmured, as he eyed the young, smooth flesh on the back of her neck glowing in the moonlight peeping through the closed curtains. While his stubborn pride made him want to pick Yuki up and throw her right back into the hall, the temptation of this moment was simply too great for him. He choked and gasped a little bit as he told himself to resist. His eyes grew red, and then, without a moment more of hesitation, Zero grabbed Yuki's shoulders and bit into that soft skin.

And so we return to this…Zero secretly drinking my blood in the dark.

Yuki kept her mind focused on Kaname in order to keep herself from revealing memories about her and Zero. She forced blurred moments of Kaname's comings and goings, sneaking kisses in the rare moments they had actually spent together. For a brief moment, as she thought of Kaname's lips against hers, the intimacy of the present moment took her back to Zero and she unwittingly began to reminisce about the kiss they shared. She shook that thought out of her mind and instead thought of her own thirst and the desire to drink Zero's blood crept its way through. She tried to move past it, to think of Kaname's blood, its taste, its temperature…

…Zero jerked away just then.

"Your mind is a rather disturbing place," Zero commented. "You long to be back at your fiancé's side and yet you are tempted by the warmth of another's body…a complete stranger's body."

So…he thought those were awkward fantasies rather than actual events…?

"This is just work. Don't let yourself become vulnerable to me or anyone else. I promise, you will be back with the one you truly need soon enough." Zero explained. "You should go now. I've had more than enough of your blood tonight."

Yuki stood up and wiped the remaining blood away from her already healing neck. As she did she replied, "Well, feel free to have all you want later on. There is no limit to how grateful I am to you, so there is therefore no limit to how much blood I am willing to offer you."

"No limit?" Zero questioned. He was almost humored by her statement. "You would even allow me to devour your life?"

"No," Yuki replied sharply. "If you ever become that hungry, I will simply have to take another course of action to satisfy you."

"Such as…?" Zero asked.

You can trust me, Zero. I will relieve your suffering. I will grant your ultimate wish.

"Good night, Mr. Hunter," Yuki spoke, blatantly refusing to answer his question. She stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

Zero continued kneeling on his bed, his expression blank. He couldn't make heads or tails of what this woman was trying to do. She had held the mouse by its tail and dangled in front of his feline teeth. He wiped his mouth, ashamed of how much control the beast had over him. He was baffled by Yuki's romantic desire to drink his blood, but also her adulterated desire to be intimate with Zero.

Kill Kaname Kuran and that girl will be all yours…

He was even more baffled by his reciprocated desires towards this pureblood vampire…

Yaguri sat down in a chair next to Serine's bed in the infirmary. She was lying on her back, staring up at the ceiling. This was how she'd been ever since she woke up from her coma. Whenever she tried to sleep, she'd wake up screaming. And so, she had opted not to sleep anymore. She hadn't sleep in almost a week. Her cold persistence amazed even Yaguri.

"The Association has decided that it's time to let you go," Yaguri spoke. He was holding her neatly fold clothes and as he placed them on the bed, he explained, "They've been washed. You can change into them anytime. We'll, of course, give you a hot meal before sending you off and also send you with some basic supplies for your journey home. That is, of course, if you have no intention of rejoining the Night Class…"

Even though the Head Master's orders were to send Serine on her way as soon as possible, Yaguri felt such a strong obligation to her that he simply couldn't stand the thought of casting her away with no place to go. While he felt she would go to the ends of the earth to find Kaname, Yaguri believed there was no way even Serine knew where Kaname had disappeared to. He didn't know whether even Kaname was terrified that he'd mindlessly start butchering those to closest to him, or whether Kaname had some other insane reasoning for abandoning them. All he knew that each that they had in fact all been abandoned—Aidou, Yuki, and Serine included.

When Serine remained silent, Yaguri spoke, "I know you have no intention of revealing your plans to me. I think you're wise in doing so. And I know that I am a fool for revealing ours. I don't think I have much other choice, though, and I know there's only way you'll believe me."

Serine turned her head as Yaguri began to roll up his sleeve. He extended his forearm in her general direction. She said up and stared down at his bare flesh. Then, she looked him in the eye and whispered, "Why would you do that? Why would you blatantly betray the Association?"

"Just do it!" Yaguri snapped. Serine's face scrunched up for a moment before she buried her fangs into Yaguri's arm. Yaguri focused his thoughts on the Headmaster's plan to have Yuki and Zero follow Serine after her release in hopes of leading her back to Kaname. Serine tried to lift her head after this message became clear, but Yaguri placed his hand on the back of her head to keep her from doing so. He wasn't finished. His hand still on her head, he tried to convince her that she was in no condition to be wandering about on her own. He pleaded with her to rejoin the Night Class. He also pleaded with her to reveal any information she might have in regards to the whereabouts of Kaname. He told her that they were in on the same side. He reminded her that she had almost died because of Kaname. She should be longing for the same revenge that Zero and the other hunters were seeking.

He took his hand of off her head and she released his arm from her jaws. Yaguri stood up then and announced, "I'm going to find the nurse and get a bandage put on this thing. In the meantime, you should think carefully about what I've just said to you."

He walked away then, leaving Serine's face blood stained and frozen in a twisted pain.

"Oh, Zero, Yuki, is that really all you're taking?" The Headmaster asked as he eyed there very small bags, which couldn't have contained much more than toothbrushes and a few changes of clothes.

"We're going a hunt, not a luxury cruise!" Zero snapped. "You really think we want to haul around a bunch of luggage while we're trekking on foot all the way to god knows where?"

"I see, you have a point," The Headmaster agreed. There was a knock on the door then. When the Headmaster called for the person to let themselves in, Yaguri's suddenly appeared.

"Oh, my, what a surprise," The Headmaster spoke. "To think the great Toga Yaguri would honor his bright young pupil by coming to see him off."

Yaguri's bandages were hidden under the sleeve of his coat. Even so, Yuki and Zero immediately caught the scent of blood still lingering on his skin.

"Master!" Zero choked and ran to Yaguri's side. "Did you get hurt?"

"Pipe down, get off me!" Yaguri snapped and jerked his arm away from Zero. "Whiny little brat still fawning over every little scratch I get…"

"What happened?" The Headmaster demanded, his eyes growing serious.

"Do you even have to ask?" Yaguri grunted.

"No…I suppose not," The Headmaster sighed. Zero's eyes grew large as he suddenly realized it himself.

"You didn't…" Zero hissed.

Yuki, still in the dark, asked, "He didn't do what?"

Zero explained, "He let Serine drink his blood. She knows everything now."

Yuki demanded, "Why? Why was would you do that? She was our only hope of finding Kaname!"

"No!" Yaguri snapped. "She just a helpless child being forced to play the Association's sick game. If you want to find Kaname, then get off your pureblood, princess ass and start looking for him yourself!"

The Headmaster shouted above the two, "Enough!"

Yaguri just grunted and said, "I came to tell you that she will be joining the Night Class, so you should go and prepare the necessary paper work."

Yaguri turned to leave and when he opened the door, he found Kaito standing outside.

Kaito cut the chase, "We've got a problem."

"What?" Yaguri demanded.

"When the nurse came in to serve that vampire her breakfast, she was gone. She didn't even bother to change into her own clothes." Kaito explained.

"Damn," Yaguri hissed.

Zero pushed passed Yaguri and Kaito then and took off running. When Kaito called to ask where Zero was going, Zero called back with even stopping, "To find Serine! She couldn't have gone far!"

Yuki started running after Zero then.

"It seems Serine knows something after all," The Headmaster considered. "Our plan worked after all."

"And I had to let that beast drink my blood just so you could prove to yourself that you weren't sending your precious children out on a wild goose chase," Yaguri muttered, "And I to go and cover it up for you just so you wouldn't lose their trust."

"Yuki and I are already at odds regarding her future with Kaname. I just couldn't risk losing her," The Headmaster said. "Not mention, Kiryuu is Kiryuu."

"Just don't ask me to dirty my hands again!" Yaguri snapped and walked out of the Headmaster's house.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Kaito murmured, "He was really hoping Serine would join the Night Class, wasn't he?"

"Yes," The Headmaster replied. "To think, the great Toga Yaguri, would find himself attached to a vampire…"