Chapter Nineteen: A Spoke in the Wheel

Authors Note: I finally got around to writing chapter nineteen. It took almost two months to get this far. There might be some KanamexYuki moments in the later chapters but you'll just have to wait and see! This is going to be told mostly from Maria's point of view.

Kaname P.O.V.

I stood behind Zero, watching Shion and the girl, Maria, carefully. She called Zero big sister... I held onto Zero's arm. The person with the same face as Zero...

Maria P.O.V.

I watched my sister closely. "How long are you going to play with Zero, lord Shion?" The thought made me twitch. "Could it be that you plan on leaving that devil's spawn as she is?" I moved so I was standing in front of him, my body shielding his. "No, that's wrong, Lord Shion. You need to get out of here before the hunters catch you."

"...humph." He walked to the door. "I still have something I need to do. You don't have to worry. I don't plan on dying here." With that, he left, not looking back.

"SHION!" Zero rushed forward but I held my out, stopping her from going any further.

"It's rude to ignore me like that...Zero." I waited until she was facing me. "I'm...I'm sure you want to talk leisurely with the person you haven't seen in a long time. We used to get along so well back then."

-Four Years Ago-

I watched as our master left and I waited until she out of sight and ran over to Zero, grabbing her in a hug. "Zero!"

Zero looked surprised as she grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back so she could look at me. "You have fever. You should go back in and lie down, Maria..."

I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead against hers. "I don't have a fever. I lied. You should know that."

"You didn't want to come to see master off?" She asked.

"No, because at best, I'm a bothersome student." I hugged her. "It's alright...I only need Zero's love." I looked up when I saw something drifting on the wind. "Snow?"

"No, look...Maria." She looked over and I followed her gaze. "The cherry blossoms are blooming out of season."

Both of us looked at the cherry blossom tree and saw a man standing there. He had short silver-white hair, his eyes were the color of the cherry blossoms and he was wearing a loose white shirt, black pants and a black jacket. We could also see that he was crying.

"What a handsome person." I said, watching him.

Zero took my hand and started to pull me away. "Let's hurry back, Maria. I'm sure mother and father are looking for us."

Something was bothering her. "What's wrong, Zero?"

Zero kept her back to me. "He's a vampire."

I just watched her for a few minutes before soeaking. "Oh...I couldn't tell." I hugged her from behind, pressing my forehead against her shoulder.

She was surprised. "...Maria?"

"Zero is really strong...whatever I lack in, Zero can always do."

"Ichiru..."

-Later That Night-

I had snuck into Zero's room and climbed into bed with her even though she was asleep. I was panting and my whole body was burning up. Zero woke up and saw me lying next to her.

"Maria, you do have a fever..." Zero pressed her hand against her cheek. "It's because you were outside walking around in the cold today..."

The door opened and mother was standing there. "So, she snuck into your bed again. How is she, Zero?"

Zero sat up. "Mother, she has a fever. Can you stay with her while I get the ice pack?"

I gripped the sleeve of her nightgown. "Don't go, Zero!"

Mother smiled. "It's okay, Zero. I'll get it for her. She really loves you, Zero."

I waited until she was gone. "Maybe, it's impossible for this kind of weak body to become a hunter. Hey, Zero...that vampire we saw today...do you think father or mother...or one of the other hunters will kill her?"

Zero laid back down beside me. "Who knows...but I think if she's been placed on the list, someone will take care of it."

I didn't looked at her. "Zero also has a future in hunting vampires...but can you do it? Zero's so gentle..."

"Maria...you don't need to worry..." She smiled a little and closed her eyes. "That's why master is here to teach us."

"You talk as if it were an obligation, Zero." I must have surprised her because her eyes shot wide open. "Aren't you overloading yourself to cover up for me?"

Zero put her arm around me. "That's not true...Maria."

-A Couple Hours Later-

I climbed out of bed because I was thirsty and wanted to get something to drink. I had just reached the door when Zero woke up. "Maria...?" She asked, sleepily.

"Go back to sleep. I'm just gonna get a glass of water." I said and walked out of the room. I had just reached the landing when I heard father's and mother's voices.

"Zero and Maria? Yes, you're right..."

"Zero is so superior that we get our tongues tied."

"Besides, it's the destiny in the blood of the hunters. That's why we hunt vampires."

"But Maria..." Mother sounded concerned.

"Yeah...in any case, she won't be able to stay with Zero anymore...even though they're so close...I understand that for the kid's sake, we don't have any other choice." Father sounded defeated. "Yes. We have to report to the association that Maria is not fit to be a hunter."

I couldn't believe what I just heard. I was so shocked that I just stood there until I felt a slight breeze. I turned around and saw that the windows had blew open.

I climbed over the windowsill and stood at the top of the stairs and that's when I saw the man from earlier sitting in the tree, even though he was still crying. He must have saw me there because he looked down. "We meet again..."

I looked up at him. "Why are you crying in a place like this? Did something sad happen to you?"

He didn't answer my question. "...What about you...? Why are you crying?"

-Hours Later-

"Are we moving again?"

"Yes, of course." Mother said, taping the box closed. "It would be better if the vampires didn't know where we were."

Me and Zero just stood there. I didn't say anything so Zero must have known something was bothering me. "Maria?"

I turned away from them. "It's nothing...not all vampires are bad, you know. You're overly suspicious!" I stormed out of there and grabbed my jacket from where it was hanging up by the door.

Zero followed me out of the room. "Maria. You've been acting weird lately."

"I'm fine! I'm going outside to get some fresh air."

"Maria!" Zero grabbed my hand.

I looked over my shoulder and raised our hands. "What...?"

She just stared while I glared at her and ripped my hand out of hers and walked out the door.

Zero P.O.V.

I went back into the living room and mother stood up. "Where's Maria?"

"She said she'll be right back." That's when I felt it. A very strong, ominous presence that gave off a deadly aura. I looked towards the door, my eyes wide.

"Zero...?" Mother sounded worried.

I brought my hand up to the side of my head. "A vampire...is baring it's fangs..." I dropped my hand and turned to the front door. "Maria..."

"ZERO?!" Mother shouted as I ran out of the house. I flung the door open and saw him standing there, tears rolling down his face. "You..."

"Sharp girl...you were aware of my presence even before your parents. Twin daughters of the cursed hunters. Would it thanks to your sinful blood?"

I watched him. "What are you talking about?"

He disappeared and I whirled around to find him standing behind me. "I'll give you...an even more damned destiny." He grabbed me and jumped away from the house, his hand resting on my neck.

"MARIA! ZERO!" Father and mother yelled as they ran outside. "Shion...Hio."

"Hio...?" I knew that name.

Father raised his sword as mother grabbed her wire string. "What does a pureblood vampire...want with us?"

He glared at them as he leaned down. "You killed her. It's time you pay with your sinful blood."

"ZERO, NO!" Father and mother screamed as they rushed forward. I felt a sharp pain pain in my neck and the smell of blood was overwhelming.

Maria P.O.V.

I stood in the doorway, watching as Shion shook the blood off his hand. Zero was gripping to his jacker until her strength gave out and she collapsed. She saw me standing there. "Maria...RUN!" She fell to the floor, her face and nightgown soaked in blood. "If you try to lay a hand on Maria, I'll kill you." She fell unconscious while Shion and I stood there.

-Present Day-

"At that time, do you know what I was thinking? Zero..."

"Maria..." Zero started.

I cut her off. "Do you want to know? Ah, I see..." I thought back to that night. "Really, you've known for a long time, huh? That inside my heart...darkness was born."

Yuki P.O.V.

The sscent of blood was coming closer as I heard it dripping onto the floor until he waked in. "Terrible wound, isn't it, Shion?" I asked, leaning back against the windowsill with my arms crossed. "Against troublesome vampire weapons, even our enhanced healing power is limited."

He looked over. "Daughter of Kuran..." We watched each other. "Why are you here?"

"This is the bedroom that I occupied when I first came to this school."

He smiled. "I like it here. There is nobody to nag me."

I smiled back. "Yes."

"Well then. Let me ask you one more time." He turned around and took off his jacket. "What brings you to this school?"

My expression darkened and I pushed off the windowsill and walked up behind him. To keep a promise...and also because this an appropiate place to get what I want..." I slipped my arm around his shoulders from behind. "Actually, I would probaby have done the same as you. Shion." I looked away as I pireced my hand through his chest. "I'm like you, Shion..." I said, thinking of Kaname. "I'd do anything to protect the one I love."