Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rosario Vampire. I am merely twisting the creators vision into my own dream. If the supernatural, sexuality, or violence is offensive to you, then you should not read this.

Chapter 12

"Tsukune," Mizore leaned into him as they walked to class Monday morning. "How often does Inner Moka drink your blood?"

"Ahh," Tsukune tugged at his collar, blushing. "I guess about every other week."

"Damn."

On the other side of Tsukune, Moka giggled.

The Trio was almost at the school gates when the next member of the group caught up to them. Yukari gave a happy cry as she launched herself at Tsukune's back. He managed to turn into the glomp attack and keep from being knocked down.

"Good morning Yukari," Tsukune said, suppressing a groan. He wondered if it was possible to get a bruised kidney.

"Yukari," Moka said. "Good morning to you, but you should not be so hard on Tsukune."

"He can take it," The little witch relaxed her hug of Tsukune enough to slider her arms up and down his torso. "He has such strong, hard muscles," She purred.

"Yukari!" Moka blushed to her hair line.

"Anoying," Mizore said, wrapping large ice claw around Yukari's head. She pulled the little witch from Tsukune's side and pushed her out of the way.

"You…" Yukari whipped out her wand but her concentration was broken by a burst of icy.

Mizore blew hard against the ground, the blast of frigid cold ricocheted up, lifting Yukari's skirt and almost blowing the witch over. Because the little witch had chosen to try to hold down her skirt the blast of wind knocked her hat off.

"No-o-o," Yukari chased after her hat.

Tsukune and Moka shared a small, embarrassed chuckle.

"Good morning Tsukune," Kurumu's voice rang out from ahead of them.

Kurumu practically strutted into view. She had her bag bad slung across her body, the strap passing between her breasts, making them a little more prominent, not that they needed it. She had her uniform on as close to regulation as possible for something that Tsukune suspected was at least one size too small. Around her, male students watched her with lust-filled eyes. She walked towards Tsukune with confidence and determination.

"Kurumu," Tsukune smiled weakly as he nervously scratched at the back of his head. He could feel her attention on him, making him feel like staked out goat. "Did you have a good weekend?"

"Not really," She pouted as she drew close enough to press her chest against his. "I didn't get to see you all weekend," She fluttered her lashes up at him. And I had so much trouble studying because I couldn't stop thinking of you about you."

"Ahhh. I'm sorry."

"You'll take responsibility wont you?"

"Wha-a-a?" He said feeling a moment of alarm.

"If I can't graduate then I won't be able to get a good job. I will need someone to support me," She stroked his upper arms. "I'll take good care of your house, and you…"

"That's enough," Moka said as she put her hand in front of Kurumue's face. She pressed her palm against her and forced her back a step.

"You," Kurumu turned to face Moka with fire in her eyes. "I think it's time I showed you…"

The succubus was cut off again. This time it was by a row of icy javelins that fell from the sky, making a tidy fence between Moka and Kurumu.

"We will be late," Mizore said, starting towards the school.

XXXXXXXXX

The group gathered at their usual table for lunch. Moka sat at the table across from Tsukune, with Yukari close to her side. Mizore sat at Tsukune's left hand, but kept her head down on concentrated on her food. Kurumu was close to Tsukune's right, asking a stream of questions about the morning classes.

"Because I have such a hard time paying attention in class," She insisted. "I can't stop thinking of you." Any time Yukari or Moka volunteered to answer he questions she glared at them harshly, but declined their help in a sweet voice.

Moka frequently frowned at the succubus, but she also kept Yukari from doing anything petty. She had nearly lost Mizore's friendship the day before, she didn't want to provoke a fight where the snow maiden would be honor bound to take her side. Moka didn't want her new link to Mizore to be discovered yet.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tsukune was thoughtful as he attended the Newspaper Club meeting. He had written a new article over the weekend and had submitted it to his fellow club members for review and possible inclusion in the next edition. Thinking about the underclassman that had asked him for relationship advice, Tsukune had written an advice article about how a boy could approach and try talking to a girl. The article spoke of being honest and polite, and the importance of being prepared. It also warned against being fake or insincere. In his article Tsukune denounced chasing after physical attributes or other shallow actions. The piece emphasized the importance of getting to know the person you wanted to have a relationship with.

In the human world what was considered important information, the article said, depended upon who you asked. Boys wanted to know a girl's three measurements, and if she could cook. Girls wanted to know a boy's birth date and astrological signs, blood type, and favorite foods. A boy's parent's would want to know about the girl's family, social status, and domestic education. The girl's parents would want to know about the boy's family and social status, his academic performance and goals, and his career prospects and ambitions. In the would of Youkai some of that was still true. But it was also important to know someone's monster side as well. While it was forbidden by academy rules to reveal your monster self on campus, it could be vital for the relationship that such information be shared.

As the girls reviewed Tsukune's article he watched them thoughtfully. He remembered his blunder with trying to make Moka join the Swim Club. He was also aware of his well meant but almost friendship destroying actions with Mizore. Tsukune realized that that he needed to follow some of his own advice.

The girls approved of the article be added to the next edition. They made some editorial comments in red so that Tsukune could clean it up a little before the committed it to print. Kurumu volunteered to write a companion article for girls, but was voted down. So was Yukari. Moka was given the task instead. The group spent a little time on the rough layout for the next edition to make room for the advice articles then called it a day.

"Tsukune," Kurumu called to him before he could leave the club room.

Moka, Mizore, and Yukari frowned as the succubus presented herself bust first to Tsukune. Each one tensed for their usual little match up.

"Kurumu," Tsukune smiled shyly at her. "Can I walk you back to the dorms?"

All for girls froze in surprise.

The club room was dead slient for the span of three heartbeats.

"I was hoping," Tsukune explained. "That you would tell me more about what it means to be a succubus. What kinds of things do you consider important?"

"Tsukune!" Kurumu cried happily. She grabbed his arm and held it between her breasts. "I would love to tell you anything you want to know." Together the walked out of the club room.

Moka and Mizore shared a knowing look and a sigh of relief. They understood that Tsukune was trying to avoid another misunderstanding.

"No way," Yukari protested. She started for the door. "Tsukune, wa-Alk!"

Mizore and Moka had each caught a corner of Yukari's short cape. The little witch nearly strangled herself in her eagerness to chase after Tsukune. As it is he legs got ahead of her and she ended upon the floor.

"What did you do that for?" Yukari demanded once she had recovered.

"Tsukune is just getting to know a friend a little better," Moka explained. "There is nothing wrong with that."

"But but but," Yukari looked panicked.

"We trust Tsukune," Mizore said. "So should you."

"That's right," Moka agreed.

"But what about the boob monster?"

The atmosphere in the room became charged and the older girls tensed. The looked at Yukari with determined eyes and tight jaws.

"We trust in Tsukune," They said in unison.

XXXXXXXX

"So what do you want to know?" Kurumu asked happily, looking up at Tsukune as they walked together.

"We have known each other for over a year and a half," Tsukune said, carefully looking ahead as they walked. "I know you like things you consider cute, and that you like to bake. You are outspoken and strong and loyal."

Listening to Tsukune made Kurumu warm inside. She felt like she was glowing. He had been paying attention to her after all, and now he was even praising her.

"I know who you are," Tsukune continued. "And I know that you are a succubus. But I don't understand what that means in terms of what you find important or what values you have."

"That's not really important," Kurumu evaded. "I am happy that you know me as a person."

"But it is important," Tsukune insisted. "I want to be able to understand you better."

"But why?"

Tsukune stopped walking. He pulled his arm from Kurumu, with a little difficulty. And turned to face her. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her face.

"Tsukune?" Kurumu suddenly felt nervous.

"Kurumu," He said firmly. "I had a misunderstanding with Mizore that almost ruined our friendship. Not just between her and I, but the friendship between her and Moka as well. Kurumu, I don't want to make a mistake like that with you if I can avid it. You are a precious friend."

Kurumu almost wanted to cry. There was the "F" word again. Again! The glow from just a moment ago faded. She looked up at Tsukune and saw the earnest expression of concern on his face. She knew she would not be able to refuse him anything, but whay did he have to ask her this.

"What do I get?" Kurumu looked off to her right, avoiding his face.

"What?"

"If I share this with you," She sniffed. "You have to give me something in return."

"That is fair," Tsukune agreed. "Is there something you want?"

"Not here," She said curtly. She looked up into his face again, her eyes shining. "Will you come up to my room?" She asked him. It was an invitation that Tsukune had always refused. It was her best chance of avoiding his question without flatly refusing.

"Alright," Tsukune said.

All the way back to her door Kurumu had to fight the urge to run away. Her stomach felt cramped into knots and her heart was fluttering. She was nervous about what she was about to do, but Tsukune was willing to come into her room, alone with her. It was something she had only dreamed of before. The only time he had ever been in her room he had been under the influence of her Charm, and she had to drag him physically through the door to get him there. Once they reached her door she had to calm her breathing down. She was surprised she could fit her key to the lock she was so nervous.

"Please forgive the mess," Kurumu said. She slipped off her shoes and moved to the middle of the room.

"Please forgive my intrusion," Tsukune said politely as he entered. He neatly placed his shoes next to hers and set his bag on the floor. As he entered he felt more then a little uncomfortable. Kurumu obviously had not expected him to accept her invitation. He never had before.

The room reflected Kurumu's personality. Cute plush toys sat on the shelves. The pillows, cushions, table clothes, curtains, and coverlet all were adorned with ruffles and lace. Even the tissue box on the desk had a frilly cover on it. The coverlet and pillows were crooked, having been thrown into place and not neatly made up. By the foot of the bed, under a small side table a small basket held laundry. Draped over the top of a full length mirror were sets of lacy undergarments left out to dry after being hand washed. With the curtains open and the sunlight shining in, the room looked bright and cheerful.

Tsukune only had a moment to take in the details of the room. Kurumu had watched him enter then followed his eyes as he looked around. She turned bright red and started tidying up.

"I am sorry," She rambled on nervously. "I didn't think my room was this messy." She snatched her undergarments off the mirror and stuffed them into a drawer, slamming it shut. She smoothed out the coverlet and straitened the pillows on her bed. "Please don't think badly about me. I really can keep a proper home. It's just that this is so unexpected and I have been busy." She rolled out and set up her low table. It was round instead of square so that a couple could sit together without being crowded by the legs. Kurumu set a pair of cushions together next to the table. "Tsukune, please have a seat. Can I get you some tea?"

"Please," He said gently as he sat on the offer cushion. He tried hard not to smile as he watched Kurumu. The normally confident succubus was acting more like a little girl then anything else. It was very cute and charming.

"I hope you don't mind," She said as she set out a plate of cookies. "If I had known I would have baked a fresh batch."

"It's fine," Tsukune took on of the ghost shaped cookies and bit its head off. "They're good."

"Thank you." Kurumu busied herself in her kitchenette "I really should have gone shopping this weekend, but I forgot. I was busy with everything and I didn't realize…"

Tsukune listened to Kurumu ramble on. She kept apologizing for anything she imagined he might find fault with. Alternately, she insisted that she was very good at cleaning and cooking and keeping a home in order. The amused smile finally escaped him and settled across his face.

"Thank you for waiting," Kurumu said as she brought the tea service to the table. "What is it?" She said when she saw Tsukune's smile.

"It is nothing," He said. "I just couldn't help but think how cute you're being. I'm sorry.

Kurumu blushed at his honest words. She set the service on the table and sat down beside him to pour. The sipped the tea quietly for a moment.

"I am glad you came over," Kurumu said carefully.

"I am sorry I have not visited your room sooner," Tsukune said. "I don't know what I was afraid of, but as your friend I should have trusted you more. I'm sorry."

"So I am just a friend?" Kurumu sighed in frustration.

"Kuru…"

"Don't," She cut him off. "I know. And I am happy to have that much."

"Thank you," Tsukune said gently.

"Tsukune," She looked him in the eye. "Why do you want to know about Succubi?"

"Huh?"

"Sucubi," She said. "It is the plural for Succubus."

"Oh," He felt a little foolish. "Well," He paused. "It's like I said. I want to understand you so I don't do something stupid."

"Why would you be afraid of that?"

"Kurumu, it's me?" Tsukune said. "I let my feelings and my pride get me into trouble. The moment I found out what this place really was I should have run away and never look back." He held up his right arm ad gave it a small shake, making the holy lock jingle. "Even if I went home today, I would have to spend the rest of my life afraid of what could happen if I lost my temper." He lowered his arm. "I could never leave all of you behind, and I don't want to hurt you or drive you away because I crossed some line I didn't know about."

"Baka," She muttered. "Tsukune, what do you know about Succubi?"

"Nothing really…"

"What have you heard about us?" She spoke firmly.

"Promise you won't get angry."

"Tsukune."

"Well, I tried to look up information after the school festival last year," Tsukune said. "And what there was about, Succubi?" He wanted to make sure he had the term right. "What I read was that they seduce men, sometimes in their sleep. They do it to drain the man's life and feed upon them. Sometimes they even kill them."

"That is all true," Kurumu said.

"What? But there must be more to it then that."

"Unfortunately not," Kurumu said sadly. "Do you know what my mother does for a living? She works in a 'Gentleman's Club.' She spends her nights taking her cloths off, dancing on a stage, and talking up business men for money." She made a sour face. "She lets them buy her expensive gifts, and if the offer her enough she will go out on a date and hang on their arm. All the while she is feeding off of their lust."

"That is what is means to be a Succubus," Kurumu explained. "We need to be desired, to be lusted after. When a man looks at a woman, when he thinks about her he gives off energy. The monster that can read minds are sensitive to that energy. Lust is a strong desire, it carries a lot of energy. A Succubus is a kind of psychic vampire. We can draw in that energy. We seduce men to ignite their lust, so we can feed. Everything that we are comes from our need to feed."

"A psychic vampire," Tsukune mused. "So you are like Mo…"

"No!" Kurumu cut him off sharply. "This is my time with you and I don't wat to bring her into this."

"I'm sorry," He said. "I was going to say that you are like other vampires. Like Kokoa?" Tsukune guessed that name would be safe to bring up.

"No," Kurumu shook her head. "Vampires are all proud and arrogant. They spend their lives amassing power so they can lord it over each other. They are the oldest of the human type monsters, almost as old as humans themselves."

"To be a Succubus it to be desired. To be sought after. We do not have some noble tradition or high position in monster society. We are things," She said bitterly. "We are servants, sometimes even slaves. When left to ourselves we are animals"

Kurumu got up from the table. She deliberately stood in front of the door, blocking the exit. She turned towards Tsukune and started to remove her clothing.

"Kurumu!" Tsukune scrambled to his feet in alarm.

"Don't, Tsukune," Kurumu said in a commanding tone. "You wanted to know what it was to be a Succubus. I am going to show you." She had tears in her eyes as she continued to strip down.

Tsukune turned his back, trying to preserve her dignity and his own. Kurumu didn't want that.

"Look at me, Tsukune." She demanded. "Look at me!"

"Put your clothes back on."

"No!" Kurumu cried out. "You owe me, Tsukune. You said you wanted to know about what I am. This is what I am. Look at me Damn it!"

Feeling disgusted with himself her turned around slowly. He had wanted to avoid hurting her, to avoid hurting their friendship, that he had done just the opposite of what he had intended. He turned back to Kurumu and looked at her.

Kurumu stood in her lacy black braw and panties with her arms stretched out. The nails on her fingers and toes had transformed into long talons. Her wings were unfurled and her tail lashed back and forth. Tears steamed from her eyes and her jaw quivered.

"This is what I am, Tsukune," She cried. "I have wings so I can reach high windows and cover long distances in search of prey. I have claws so I can defend my territory from other predators." She brought her tail up and held the end still. For the first time Tsukune saw a dangerous spine sticking out of the tip. "I can even paralyze my prey so he cannot escape or cry out for help." She lowered her arms and tail and crossed the room. She stopped when only the low table was between them. "Do you understand what I am now, Tsukune?"

"Yes, and I am sorry. I was so qurious about you being a Succubus that I lost sight of what was important. You are my friend," He said with tears running down his face. "And I was wrong to treat you so badly. I'm sorry."

"After all of this," She sobbed. "You still call me your friend. What is wrong with you?" she wailed. "Why can I not feel any lust from you.?"

"I'm sorry," Tsukune cried. "I was wrong to push you this far, I know. But I still don't understand what you want from me." He cried freely as he sank to the floor. He buried his face in his hands. "I only wanted to get to know you better. I wanted to understand you so that we could all trust each other and be close to one another." His body shook quietly for a moment. "I'm sorry. I'm Sorry."

Kurumu looked at Tsukune and could feel the grief rolling off of him. She could feel it even if it wasn't the energy that she was evolved to draw in and feed upon. As a Succubus she wanted to be desired and lusted after. She was everything that she had told Tsukune that she was. But as a person, as a woman, what she desired was to be seen as more then a thing, to be desired for more then just sex. She had laid herself bare to Tsukune and he had not run away. He had not suddenly made some empty promise or confession. Instead the human boy had broken down and cried over what he had done.

'Even when he didn't do anything wrong at all,' Kurumu though to herself. She had read his rough draft for his article. He wanted to advise others to be open and to communicate with the people they liked so that they could have a strong friendship. 'That was why he had asked her about herself,' Kurumu reflected as she walked around the table to him. He had asked because he cared, and she had lashed out because she was ashamed of what she was.

Kurumu pushed the table back and discarded her monster form. Tsukune desired her for the person that she was, not the body that she had. He had seen through her the very first time they met, she just had not come to understand it yet. She knelt down beside him.

"Tsukune," She said gently. "I'm sorry."

"Huh?" He looked up at her, his face a mess to match hers.

"Thank you, Tsukune," She hugged him tightly. "Thank you for being my friend."

Tsukune hugged her back, more then a little confused by what had passed between them

"I guess we're even now," Kurumu saud.

"What do you mean?"

"You finally got to see all of me," She explained. "And I got to see all of you."

"Huh?"

"I have seen you when you were being strong. I even saw you when you had become possessed by your youki and became a monster. Today you showed me your most human side. Thank you."

"I'm sorry," He said.

"It's alright," She whispered.

A short time later Kurumu and Tsukune separated. She stepped into the kitchenette and brought back a wet towel and offered it to Tsukune. While he cleaned his face she took her clothes and closed herself in the kitchenette so she could compose herself. Tsukune was thinking about leaving when Kurumu reappeared, fully clothed, with a frilly apron tied on.

"Dear," She said sweetly. "What would you like for supper?" Her eyes were still a little red and her face was a little flushed, but she was acting like her usual self.

Tsukune couldn't help but laugh. He and Kurumu had weathered the emotional storm and come out friends. They shared an early sinner of instant noodles and did their assignments together, as friends often do.