a/n: I have risen*

[Shallow]

Naomi was in denial for a while now, she knew that. She knew knowing about vampires existing was going to fundamentally impact her life. She fought and she fought, but it got her nowhere. All it did was fester and spread in Naomi's mind like a plague. But how does one get rid of fear? For she also knew it was fear that was holding her back.

Naomi touched her neck. There was no wound, no blood. She was fine, it was a dream, after all.

She sighed, Glad, no one came in. But she was surprised, she had screamed rather loudly.

Naomi grasped the sheets. She had learned something from the dream,I can't let myself be controlled by fear. I need to act. If that had been real I would've been turned into a vampire.

Fear should be a motivator, a driving force. She would not allow it to detract her anymore, she'd use it and her anger to fuel her resolution.

Yes, Naomi had decided: She was going to kill him, she didn't care that he was a pureblood; a vampire hunter weapon would kill him. Her butterfly knife would kill him if she was skilled enough.

She gripped her knife in her pocket, she sighed.

Naomi slid off the bed and saw a new clean, pressed day class uniform.

I should take a shower first.

Fortunately, for her, there was a bathroom in the room the headmaster let her sleep in.

She slipped off her dirty uniform and turned on the shower. Naomi needed a literal and metaphorical cold shower. She washed the dry blood off her legs as her hand drifted to her neck.

It was still vivid in her head.

Naomi heard the prick his fangs made when they pierced her skin and the gulps he made. They were ringing in her ear.

No, this will not be my fate. She thought, I'll kill him, I'll find a way.

Naomi turned the shower head off and made a quick work of drying herself, then changed into the new uniform. She pulled her hair up into a ponytail and walked out of the room.

Naomi heard voices when she stepped out and found Zero walking down the hallway with a concerned Headmaster chasing him down.

"Zero, your wounds haven't healed yet!" Cross sounded distressed, "you don't have to do the prefect night job!"

Naomi pursed her lips remembering the night. She had told him a lot while she was in her dazed state.

Just lie, it wont be hard to buy.

"I'll be scolded by Yuki, if you don't stay in bed" Cross sighed, "besides it's your fault. Shooting your leg with a vampire hunter weapon... How careless."

Before Naomi could slip away from view and into another hallway the Chairman called out her name:

"Naomi can do your duties for tonight, right, Naomi?"

She rested her hand on her hip when she turned her heel to face them and shot him the nastiest glare she could muster.

Zero merely stared at her.

Cross flinched, "Or not..." His eyes softened, "How are you feeling?"

Naomi crossed her arms, "I'll live."

"I believe we have to things discuss."

Naomi feigned innocence, "What do you mean?"

Cross's eyes widen slightly, "You said some disturbing things when Yuki brought you here."

She waved her hand in dismissal as she turned around to leave, "I wasn't thinking straight, Headmaster."

"I insist we talk." His voice was stern.

Naomi huffed and looked at Cross, "Headmaster, I hadn't slept for three days when I said those things. I thought the world was shaking and spinning, and my head was killing me." She smiled, "What I said was a figment of sleep deprivation."

Zero's eyes narrowed, but he didn't speak.

It's not too much of stretch, plus a lie is better believed when mixed with truth.

"Humor me."

"It was a momentary lapse of sanity." She retorted.

Cross opened his mouth to speak, but Yuki interrupted before he could get a word out.

"Zero?! Naomi?!" Yuki exclaimed.

Zero finally spoke, "Yuki..."

"Are you guys okay?" She said softly.

Naomi answered with her usual bitchy tone, "I'm walking, aren't I?"

Zero hummed in response.

"They're lying!" Cross exclaimed, "He still has a fever and Naomi has only slept for a few hours." He touched Zero's forehead, "They're both so troublesome!"

Naomi rolled her eyes, "Well, this has been fun."

She took a long stride past Yuki and into the next hallway.

"Wait!" Cross called out, "You should rest, you must be hungry. I'll prepare a meal."

Annoying.

Naomi ignored him as she made her way through the Chairman's building. She missed but a dramatic stream of tears poured out of the Headmaster's eyes. She did hear hear him cry out, though:

"She ignored me!"

She also heard the smack that came promptly after.

For an old man, he sure does acts like a child.

Takes one to know one.

Naomi grumbled as she slipped out into the night, Naomi started to wonder whether or not she wanted to deal with Asuna's depressing, yet judging mood; or leave the academy's grounds and stay with Veronica.

It's not like Asuna is going to talk to me, but I don't have deal with her stealing glances from me if I go crash at Ronnie's.

Decisions, decisions.

Either way, psycho vampire is going to haunt my dreams... He said, he craved my blood...

Naomi reached for neck, "Before I was born..?" she whispered.

How is that even possible? My mom told he started stalking since when I a toddler. What connection could he possibly have to know about me when I was in the womb?

Unless, she lied to me.

Why are you surprised? You suspected that she was lying to you from the beginning.

Naomi frowned, Would she even tell me truth if asked?

Don't give her a choice. Demand the truth, you deserve it.

I have the right to know.

Naomi nodded to herself and made turn towards the Academy's gates.

A small rustle came from her left as she quickly turned to face the sound, and came face to face with a strange man.

A sickening feeling nestled in her stomach. She's felt this before.

"This is Cross Academy, I hope." He straightened his tie, "Am I, mistaken?"

Naomi, ever the cautious person, took a few steps back.

He smiled "Oh, I know it's late but I was working overtime-"

Naomi cut him off, "So why are you at an academy, instead of home?"

The man's glasses glinted, "I have business here."

"In the middle of the night?" She questioned.

His smile didn't waver, "Yes, it's quite urgent. Do you happen to know Zero Kiryu?"

A vampire hunter? No, that's not it.

Naomi glared, "What of him?"

The man took a step closer towards her, "Would you be so kind in telling me his whereabouts?"

Naomi instinctively reached for her butterfly knife.

This feeling I felt around the night class. He's a vampire.

"Now, what would a vampire want with Zero Kiryu?"

He pushed up his glasses, "Oh, I see, you're a guardian."

"Actually-," Naomi was going to correct him, but the sight of his inlongated fingernails stopped her.

The vampire barred his fangs as he lunged at her, Naomi unfurled her knife with ease and with an arc she slashed at his incoming hand. He winced back in and before he could recover, Naomi slashed at his throat without hesitation.

That must've killed him, she thought, it would kill a human.

He's not human. Double tap.

But in her flurry of thoughts, the man lunged at her again this time with his unwounded hand. He almost struck, but Naomi ducked, and grabbed his shoulder as she quickly impaled the vampire in his sternum. However, before she could stab him again, she was pulled off and lifted into the air.

"What business do you have with me?"

Naomi gulped, "Zero? When did you get here..?"

Zero did not answer her as his eyes were focused on the bleeding vampire infront of him.

Her weapon still lodged into his chest, the vampire sneered: "Zero Kiryu, for commiting murder of a pureblood, Shizuka Hio. By the command of Supreme Institution of Vampires, the council hereby sentences you death."

Shizuka's dead? Zero killed her... but I stabbed her, could it be that I may have killed her and they're blaming him?

No, it's still hazy but I didn't kill her. She was still alive after stabbed her, and then Kaname came -

Kaname was there too.

There was blood on my stockings. It wasn't my blood... No way.

Naomi's mouth went dry.

Her mouth moving before her mind could process.

"You're wrong," Naomi said calmly. "It was me, I killed Shizuka Hio."

xxx

a/n: fire emblem three houses took over my life, I'm sorry and college has begun #fearthedeer*