A/N: Sorry for the lateness and yet rushedness of this chapter…harhar… I didn't want to take any more time to edit it so you'll have to forgive the way it is.

Disclaimer: Don't own VK…yet… 8D

"Hurry up," Aidou snapped, agitated. Yuuki couldn't blame him. She wasn't sure what Kaname-sama would elevate his punishment to after this newest offense. Considering what he had done to her for drinking Zero's blood, she wasn't sure she wanted to know. Still, she wasn't going to back down. She had made her decision.

"Okay," she whispered, adjusting the shoulder strap of her small bag and following him to the window.

"Don't speak, not even a single word, until we're down the road. I don't expect that we'll escape Kaname-sama's notice, but it's better if no one else notices us leaving. Someone might try to stop us."

She nodded. Better to start the silence now. Aidou gave her a tight smile of approval, and opened the window soundlessly. She wondered if alarms were going off right now in some secret room. She wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

But she knew she had to go. She had to see Zero. She had to know. The person she really loved…who was it? She had to see him to know for sure, even though she was almost certain that she already knew the answer.

This was her best chance. A masquerade ball. And a single chance to put all her seething doubts and questions to rest. With determination, she let Aidou lead her away from the manor and back to the place where all of these feelings had been born.

Yori leaned against the wall, watching the dancers twirl by her with contained, almost bored impatience. Aidou had promised her that he and Yuuki would be here, but there were still doubts gnawing inside her. What if Kaname had discovered their purpose? What if something had gone wrong? Yori wasn't one to overly worry, but there were too many possibilities for something bad to happen.

She was both excited and relieved that the dance was here at last. Excited, of course, because she was looking forward to seeing Yuuki and Aidou again, and relieved that she didn't have to put up with the other girls pestering her if she and Zero would be dancing together. Because they were, of course, secretly dating. She inwardly rolled her eyes. Her and Zero, secret lovers? Yeah, right. Still, it was better to let them think that than for them to know the truth.

Movement caught her eye, and she turned her head to see a slender form in a scarlet dress heading towards her. The mask was stunning; a crimson butterfly. Behind those wings, chocolate eyes peered out at her, sparkling with pleasure. The footsteps were measured to avoid drawing undue attention, but Yori could sense the rush behind them.

In a few steps, she had hurried forward to meet the stranger in red, throwing her arms about the other girl happily. "Yuuki!" she whispered in the girl's ear, giving her a squeeze.

"I'm so glad to see you! You look beautiful," Yuuki whispered back, grinning.

"I see you escaped the jail master successfully."

Yuuki gave a little huff. "He's not a jail master."

"Really? He's better at role playing than half the people here, then. He had me fooled."

Yuuki smacked her arm, but laughed. "How is the dance going?"

Yori surveyed the dance floor for a moment. "Well, this one is going rather smoothly, but the one before was a little rough. We've already had one or two people get sick and one girl leave in tears, but all in all it's not going too badly."

Yuuki shook her head. "It's weird though, to be here without the Night Class."

"It feels different, but… You did bring one member, I think?"

Yuuki smiled broadly. "I left him to park the car. He's coming."

"What, you didn't turn into bats and fly here?" Yori asked dryly.

Yuuki giggled and put a hand on her hip. "I was going to, but Kaname-sama revoked my bat-license and I couldn't find the spare under my coffin."

It was Yori's turn to giggle, now. "I hear they put garlic in most of the food. Better not eat it."

"And I should probably leave before it gets too late. I don't want to burn to a crisp when the sun comes up."

Both girls laughed, and then Yuuki's face became more serious. "Um, have you seen…"

Yori smiled, and supplied the name, "Zero-kun?"

The vampire bit her lip and nodded.

"He's here. Look, the balcony is closed off because of the cold. Why don't you head out there to wait for him?"

"What if he doesn't come?" She looked nervous.

Yori thought for a moment. "Do you think he'll come?"

"He already knows I'm here, probably… Even with so many people around… He'll probably come, even if it is to tell me to go away…"

"Then he'll come. And if he doesn't, I'll find him and tell him to go see you."

Yuuki nodded. "Thanks, Yori. I'll talk to you more later, okay?"

Yori gave her a quick hug. "Okay. Good luck."

"My lady," a familiar voice asked near her ear, "May I have the honor of this dance?"

Yori´s heart fluttered happily, a smile breaking out like dawn across her lips as she turned to face a handsome man in a well-tailored suit with a matching blue mask and tie. His hair was slicked back stylishly, darkened from blond to almost brown by the product that was keeping it in place. Still, she would recognize this man anywhere.

"You might, if you would honor me with the gift of a name.¨"

Beneath the royal blue mask, Yori could see signs of a smile playing across Aidou´s features. He kept his expression impassive, however. He was, after all, nothing more than a mere phantom here at the dance; a specter for which these halls had once been a common haunt. Stripped of his mischievous smile or trademark curls, at a passing glance even Yori could have been fooled momentarily. His eyes however, sparking with fire despite the icy outward appearance, gave him away. And of course, for Yori, there was much more that identified him to her: his presence, his hands, the set of his shoulders and his stance, even his walk.

"Well then," he said as he took her hand and led her onto the dance floor, "you may call me Mr. Perfect." He winked at her.

She suppressed a grin, raising an eyebrow at him. "Mr. Perfect is boring, something that I don´t believe you are. Why don´t I call you Mr. Right?"

He grinned. "And what should I call you?"

She thought for a moment. Then, "Yori would suffice."

"Then why not call me by my name?"

"I thought you were undercover," she asked, matching her steps to his as he began to move with the music. "Hana-kun."

He laughed at that, leaning closer to murmur against her ear, "Be careful what you call me. I might like it."

She grinned. "Even if it's a girl's name?"

"As long as you're the only one who calls me by it. When you say it, it's cute."

She smiled at that, leaning her head against his shoulder and relaxing as he led the dance. The rest of the school was forgotten. In the back of her mind, she was aware that Yuuki and Zero were also here, hopefully progressing beyond their problems, but for the moment she was entranced by Aidou's presence and oddly pleased that for once they did not have to hide in her bedroom. This was the first time they had been able to interact openly as a couple in public. She hoped it wouldn't be the last. It was comforting to be in a room full of passing acquaintances and strangers with him at her side. She felt relaxed by his touch, his voice, the warmth that seeped through his suit into her skin. It was an unexpected feeling. A few short months ago, she would have never believed herself to be in a relationship at all, and now… Now, she didn't want to imagine life without it.

As he turned and began to walk over to the large spread of snacks and drinks, Aidou saw a tall, mousy looking girl approach Yori. From the way her eyes continuously flicked to him, he was pretty sure she wasn't a friend of Yori's. Moreover, she probably didn't even notice how absolutely gorgeous Yori looked tonight. Yori was wearing a dress that he'd brought for her, a pale sky-blue with a delicate mask to match, complementing his own darker blue ensemble.

Seriously, Hanabusa? You have it bad for her.

He ignored the petulant voice in his head, grinning momentarily like an idiot in the middle of the room. Yeah, he did. He did have it bad for her. Which was why he'd refused to hear even one argument about the expense of the dress. And why he was going to set this mouse-girl straight. It was Yori she should be looking at, not him.

"Oh my God, Yori, who is that?" Aidou heard the girl ask as he carefully selected a rather full glass.

"I suppose it couldn't be my boyfriend," Yori replied dryly. He grinned to himself before carefully erasing the expression and turning around to head back.

"Come on, who is it? You have to tell me!"

His arrival saved Yori from having to make a droll response. He barely spared the mouse-girl a glance, using his free hand to pull Yori against him, mouth claiming hers in a heated kiss that was better kept behind closed doors. He pulled back just barely enough to allow her to breathe, eyes piercing against hers as he murmured against her lips, "Sorry for leaving you alone."

From the glint in Yori's eyes, she already knew what he was doing. She kept her expression serious, however, sliding her arms around his neck and answering, "I'll forgive you this time."

At last he allowed his eyes to flick over to the girl, who quickly closed her gaping mouth. He lowered his lashes a little, giving her the sultry gaze that had won a thousand hearts before at this school. That seemed like a lifetime ago. Now he had the only heart he wanted. Or more accurately, he had exchanged hearts with the only girl who mattered.

"Excuse me," he purred, "would you mind holding on to this for me?" He extended the glass towards her, which she seemed to take automatically on reflex. "I think we might be leaving a bit sooner than expected. I haven't seen my girlfriend in a few days and I'm feeling…" He paused here, allowing a thousand insinuations to creep into his tone. "…a little neglected." He crooked his lips into a one-sided smile.

At least mouse-girl had the grace to blush.

"Thanks," he told her dismissively, returning his gaze to Yori. "Shall we?"

Despite the telltale quirk of her lips, she managed not to crack a smile, instead simply nodding. He led her away quickly. Her "friend" certainly wouldn't be able to give chase with that full glass, even if she wanted to. There was no way she was going to regain her wits and demand to know who he was or harass Yori anymore while carrying that. At least, not if she wanted to keep her dress clean.

Once he had safely steered his date to a secluded corner of the ballroom, her shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. He grinned at her, leaning against the wall and then pouting, "Now I have nothing to drink."

"You're going to give me a bad reputation, Hana-kun."

"Are you mad?" he asked seriously, a little worried.

"If you did it a lot I might be, but this time I'm not. Actually, her face was…" She giggled. "Priceless."

"I'm getting annoyed again just thinking about her face," he muttered. "'Who is that?'" he mimicked. "As if you couldn't have an amazingly sexy boyfriend." He winked.

"Well, apparently I can't." Her tone was wry. "Since I'm stuck with you."

"Don't be jealous," he teased. "Not everyone can achieve this level of perfection."

"I thought we agreed perfect was boring?"

"Yeah, you're right. Except…" he trailed off.

"Hm?"

"You're not boring…so maybe we agreed wrong?"

She flushed slightly, and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her ear against his chest to hear his heart. "I'm not perfect either, but…"

"I think I know what you're going to say." He smiled.

"I'll let you say it, then."

"We're perfect for each other."

He could feel her smiling, too. "And there's nothing boring about that," she whispered.

Even without possessing heightened senses or being able to see his face, she would have recognized him no matter where he was or how he was dressed. What was a face, anyway? What was a face when a person had eyes that looked straight into your soul and consumed all of you with violet radiation? The rest didn't matter. Not the broad shoulders or the wary, alert stance. Not the hands or the hint of a tattoo peeking out under the shirt collar or the silver earring that matched that soft hair. Not even the scent that nearly drove her to madness with longing. None of it mattered, save those eyes, and the volt of electricity that passed through her system as soon as they bored straight into hers, drilling a path that tunneled straight to her heart, and beyond.

She inhaled slowly, nerves vibrating with pleasure as they satiated themselves on his presence. She loved Kaname-sama, that much was true. But she was addicted to this person so entirely that she couldn't live without him. It was an addiction she never wanted to cure.

In a moment, the soft click of his shoes crossed over the balcony towards her. The breeze carried his scent closer, and she felt the needy clamoring in her throat arising. She shut it down swiftly. Not here, not now. She couldn't risk exposing herself to the students.

"Ze-" she began, only to be silenced by fingers quickly placed against her lips.

"When wearing a mask," he said coolly, "isn't it etiquette to keep names to yourself?"

She paused, watching him, attempting to gauge his mood. His hand moved to the rail. The last time she'd seen him, he'd offered her his blood. She had seen there with vivid clarity the emotional tumult inside of him. She had seen that, however buried, however much he fought against it, he still loved her.

So where did that put them now?

With a little breath, she readjusted her own mask and smiled. Right. At the beginning, again. "Nice to meet you. This is the first time we've met, right? Who might you be?"

She laughed a little, feeling silly, and then added, "Just kidding."

It wasn't quite a smile, but she saw the lines of his mouth relax. He extended his hand toward her. An offer. Her heart was pounding with hope. She slipped her hand into his and was surprised when he pulled her against him, feet moving in time with the music. Zero didn't dance. He'd never danced. She peered up at him in the darkness, but in the dim lighting all she could see was the glimmer of mystery in his eyes.

"What's this?" she teased. "So you can dance after all."

"I thought you didn't know me?" He was playing along, it seemed.

She ducked her head to hide a smile. "You're right. I've seen you before, though. You never dance."

"Not usually. But…you look a lot like the girl that was very important to me… She died some time ago…"

Her chest panged in painful resonance. "You also look like the boy I cared for and wanted to protect. But…in spite of that…I unintentionally hurt him… However, you aren't the same person. He…isn't someone who would dance with a vampire." The last word came out tasting acrid. Vampire. If only vampires didn't exist… If only everything had been different…perhaps, in another lifetime, without them, she would have never hurt this person she loved so much.

She tried not to think about it, but the images poured into her brain. Everything she had lost. Everything she was scared she might never regain. This person, before her now. She had thought Kaname-sama had been the center of her world, but he had only been the center of what she had been consciously aware of, a bright star her eyes had automatically been trained upon. It was this person, this man, who had truly been the center of her world. Her foundation, her joy, her everything. How had she let him slip away from her? How had she let Kaname-sama twist his life into this bitter, broken mess?

She hadn't realized it, but her hand was trembling in Zero's. They weren't dancing anymore. She tried to smile, to reassure him that it was okay to continue, but instead all she could think was: Why? Why did it end up this way between us? Why was she so oblivious to the world that she hadn't noticed the things that were most important to her until it was too late? Why had she let everything crumble to ash? Why, when she had only wanted to cherish this man?

The movement of his eyebrows drawing together caught her attention, bringing her back to reality. He was close, so close that the world had become tinted in shades of purple. Her fingers twitched against his hand uselessly. She wanted so badly to pull him against her, to hold him close and tell him everything, but she was terrified that if she tried to do so she might drive him away again. So she held still, eyes begging him desperately to stay. To please, please stay. Because if he left her, she might never be able piece herself back together again.

She felt his arms slide around her, and felt the heat of his breath as he paused, lips hovering a centimeter apart from hers. She froze as if suddenly turned to ice, save her heartbeat, which battered its wings wildly against the bars of its boney cage. And then, she felt the gentle pressure of his mouth against hers. A soft kiss, a tender one. A first kiss, for a new beginning.

At last, she allowed her arms to return the embrace, kissing him back, willing this moment to never end. Even when the kiss must end, she didn't want the feeling to. She wanted to keep it, to nurture it. To start over again by making the right choices this time, because she had realized the truth. She loved him. She had always loved him, and always would, forever.

Their lips parted, and in the space between them she saw the gleam of thirst. She could feel her eyes echoing that desire, fueled by the sight of the hunger plainly written across his face. Her own desire had become so pure, so single-minded that she could not hide it no matter how hard she might have tried. There was no war within her now. The part of her that had longed for Kaname-sama no longer vied for possession as it had before.

The vampire within her was whispering sweetly, tempting her. If you don't devour what you desire, you'll be driven insane. She did want to drink in his blood. Every drop. She shuddered. But no, today she was not going to give in to the feral creature that lurked under her skin. Today, she wanted only to return the favor Zero had given her before.

"Zero," she murmured, shattering the illusion of their game by uttering his name. "How did you endure the thirst all this time?" She paused, searching his eyes. A dark veil had been pulled over them, but he wasn't pushing her away. "I heard your body is able to accept the blood tablets now, but once you've experienced being sated by blood, abstaining from it is extremely painful. I understand that now better than ever…"

He glanced away, straightening and increasing the distance between them, though he allowed her to hold onto his arms, fingers woven into the material of his jacket. When he answered, his voice was measured. "At night…I went to hunt vampires. And occasionally, I drank their filthy blood." His mouth twisted grimly. "It was blood tainted with madness…"

"In that case-!" she started, breaking off when she realized she didn't know what she wanted to say. If she wasn't careful she would drive him away forever. This fragile moment was perilous. It could splinter at any moment. Instead, she grabbed his hand and yanked him after her into the shadows beside the doors, out of sight of the grand hall where the students danced and mingled.

"In that case," she repeated, "take mine." Her fingers grazed against the skin of her neck, causing blood to well there in open invitation. "Although it isn't much better…"

She saw him convulse, pulse going erratic in his throat. He wanted it. He swallowed. She knew he was fighting with himself, but she wondered if he could really refuse this offer. Only she knew how much Zero thirsted. Especially after she had read it in his own blood.

Sheltered by the darkness and hidden from sight, she felt the sweet slash of his fangs as they sunk deep into the flesh of her neck. She inhaled sharply, fingers tightening against his arms in that first bittersweet moment of simultaneous pleasure and pain. She shuddered, trying to hold still, despite the terrible ache in her arms to wrap themselves around him and hold him close for a moment, however brief.

She remembered this bite. It was agonizingly familiar, a sensation of the tattered past that hung about her mind in fraying rags. She remembered this moment, repeated so many times back when she had been far more innocent, protected by a shell of oblivious bliss that had only hurt her and the man standing before her now.

How naïve she had been, then. How naïve she was now. To think for even a moment that she could live peacefully with the decisions she currently felt trapped into. Her heart was crying and she was trying to solider on despite that, when the choice was still hers to make. There was nothing final. She had made no vows. She knew what she wanted, now more than ever, with this silver flame warming her skin from within and without. There was nothing she wanted so much as this presence, this heat, this touch…this love.

I love you, Zero. It's you I love.

The true desire of her heart.

The words vibrated through him, the tremor of a soul Zero had thought lost to him forever.

I love you, Zero. It's you I love.

Every muscle in his body jerked as he was drawn into the power of her thoughts, her memories. Every drop of emotion that had welled within her, contained behind a dam that had been worn out to the point of bursting. Those images and emotions tumbled inside of him now, slipping and sliding through the battered cracks of that dam, filling him.

The touch of his hand against her skin.

A simple smile, barely more than the faintest twitch of a jaw movement.

The only word he ever cared to utter, resonating through her ears. "Yuuki."

The look of his eyes, feral, those first moments that they had met.

The feel of his arms around her, holding her tightly, holding her together.

The deep ache inside that shoved against her heart like a knife every moment that they were apart.

His hand, warm against her skin, as he'd led her away from the Night Class mansion so long ago when they were still so young.

All those nights spent together on homework, on chores, on meals, on everything, but always together.

That first kiss that had sent her reeling into confusion; warm and soft and full of love.

Himself asleep on the couch after a long night waiting for her to come back from her day with Kaname-sama. She brushed his hair away gently, carefully. The flicker of affection, the first bloom of love, bubbled in her chest.

The horrible thirst that drove her into darkness with every breath. That secret, malevolent whisper, incessantly taunting her for his blood.

The images came faster now, a cacophony of sound and color.

The hungry kiss as they parted ways and the agony ripping through her as she walked away. The feel of his fangs in her flesh, painful and sweet at once. The long days, imprisoned in the mansion, staring out into the cold and dreaming of the time lost. The disgust welling in her every time she saw her brother's face. The yearning when she saw him again at the ball. The despair as he walked out on her later. The guilt. The horror of what she had become. The simplicity of times before this, when they were both young. When they could comfort each other easily.

The fear. The grief. The confusion. The turmoil. The silver. The violet. Always silver and violet to drown out the red. Red like blood, red like death, red like betrayal. The silence that screamed at her from the empty corridors of that haunted mansion. She was crying for him, and she had no way to reach out to him. The longing. All of it, silver and violet.

Violeteyessilverhairwarmthandtouchandfangsandkindnessandeverythingthatsheeverwantedeverything sheeverlovedandlostandmouthandhandsandeverythingeverythingallofhimeverysecondwithouthimwas likedyingpoisonouslyfromtheinside.

His eyes flew open, mind reeling as the memories jarred and jostled against one another, scraping and pounding at every inner recess of his mind. For a moment, all he could see was the spiral of years leading up to this moment, crashing and colliding against one another as they vied for entrance into his head. For the barest of moments, he caught a glimpse of one of his own memories. Ichiru was telling him to live on and fulfill his goal. He had been afraid, but he couldn't hide behind those excuses anymore. Not now, not after feeling her love for him as strongly as he felt his love for her.

He had felt barren for so long, devoid of life, but somehow she always managed to breathe it back into him. Yuuki. His guiding star. How long he had spent running from her… He should have known it was useless from the start. He couldn't stay away from her. For him, the world was only Yuuki. He loved her. He had always loved her and always would. And now he had only to tell her to keep her by his side forever.

Abruptly, his mouth was gone from her neck, his eyes feeding from her now instead, draining every drop of emotion from her gaze. His brows were drawn together, lips colored slightly from the stain of her blood, expression intense. It was an expression she was instantly tangled up in, swarming with unspoken thoughts that threatened to overwhelm her.

His lips moved brokenly, wordlessly, stumbling over a mere two syllables, "Yuuki…"

His eyes fumbled against hers now, unable to express any coherent thoughts. Something had sparked there, and for a moment she was overcome by the surge of raw emotion that emanated from him. Something had changed within him. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when they reopened, she saw the glint of purpose there.

His arms were around her then, clutching her tightly, lips pressed against her ear as he whispered hoarsely, "Geez, all these things that are hurting you… Let them go. Everything from these past few months. Say that you'll be with me." He took a breath, arms slipping a little further around her, pulling her a little closer still. "I'm not running away anymore. You shouldn't either. It's okay to take your time and think about it." He pulled back now, looking directly into her eyes. "Knowing you, you have a lot to deal with since you always blame yourself for everything. It´s fine, even if it takes you years to say it. Even if a few decades have passed. But please say it, before I turn to ash."

He leaned forward, lips gently touching the corner of her mouth with the promise of a kiss that did not take anything from her. He was asking, as he always asked; sweetly and patiently. Asking for her love, and for the kiss he wasn't sure she could give him.

His words echoed through her ears with a clattering cascade of silver, drowning out everything else within her head. "I love you, Yuuki."

The silver stabbed through her heart, sent tears to prick against the backs of her eyes. Suddenly her frame was far too small to hold in the press of her emotions. He loved her. He loved her. She wanted to cry, to laugh, to throw her arms around him and kiss him until her mouth went numb. She thought maybe she should do all three.

And then the shadow descended upon them both, tearing them apart. The hand that gripped her arm was like a claw, or an iron fetter. She gasped with the pain of those leaden fingers, trying feebly to hold on to Zero even as she felt herself being drug away. Desperately, she rooted herself in place, reaching for him. For a moment, she was winning the struggle, long enough to lean forward and touch his cheek gently with the seal of a promise. A promise that she would return to answer his words.

And then the world was whirling and dissolving in a mad whirl of liquid black. She tried to cry out, but her lips were sealed shut as inky wings carried her away on the wind. Zero blurred into the landscape, a speck of shocked and enraged color that was helpless as the man who she had once believed to be her brother bore her away.

A/N: -Insert Darth Vader theme music here-

Or would Jaws be more appropriate?

DUN HATE ME PLZ =P

Also...thinking about it…which VK person would make the best Jedi? O_o