Chapter Nine: Choices Made

Katrina P.O.V

I stood in the doorway of the president's living area and she looked up when she realized I was there.

"I didn't think you'd agree to come here, Cross." She said, inhaling the smoke from her pipe. "How is Kiryu's daughter doing? Has she now become too much for you to handle?"

"Of course not...Zero hasn't lost her sanity yet." I told her.

"I will wait for a report about the truth of that." She said. "I sent Yagari to your school...she will bet rid of Kiryu's daughter if she decides she's become dangerous."

I turned around to leave. "There's nothing that the hunter society needs to worry about...it's regrettable you're suspicious about the peace at Cross Academy..."

Kaname P.O.V

I'm scared...a vampire...is going to...eat me...I'm scared...

I'm afraid? I thought. Then what about Zero?

Zero retracted her fangs and let me go as she sat back against the shower wall, breathing heavily.

"Zero...are you all right?" I asked her.

She looked at me. "I'm such...a wretched being. Even if I loathe vampires...even if I don't want to hurt anyone...I can't stop myself from lusting for blood." She said and wiped the blood from her mouth. "Just give up on me..." She put her hand over her face. "You know it, too...this is just like the blood tablets. It's only a temporary measure. Please, before I acquire a taste for your blood..."

"You ask me to give up on you. It's cruel of you to ask that of me...but I will keep my promise. I told you that I would stop you. Even if you hate me, Zero...I will tame that beast in you...as many times as necessary. If you haven't completely lost your sanity...I won't let you die. Hate vampires, hate me...at least that means you haven't given up!" I bowed my head.

"How can I hate you?" She asked and I looked at her. "Are you...all right?"

I looked at her for a minute then put my hand on my head. "Oh. Yeah, I'm okay. I'm not anemic-I'm fine as usual..." I smiled. "I can go to school tomorrow, too. Nothing has changed. Zero, please come to school tomorrow. Promise me." Both of us...understand, but neither of us will say it. It's a sin to keep a vampire alive...by offering my own blood as bait. We are doing something that is forbidden...no one must find out about this.

After taking a shower, I changed back into my uniform and walked around the school grounds when I saw Yuki standing in my path and I stopped a few feet away from her.

"Kaname...where have you been?" She asked.

I didn't answer right away. "Um...the Night class lessons..."

"They've finished. I made everyone go home. I need to talk to the headmistress. Is she in her private living area?"

"No." I said, looking at the ground.

"I see." Yuki said and walked over to me. She touched the ends of my hair. "Your hair...is wet..." She looked at me. "What were you washing away?"

I looked at her, panicked. Of course she knows...she realizes what's happened...don't look. She reached for the bandage on my neck and I closed my eyes. Don't look at my neck! I waited for her to pull it off but she hugged me instead. "Yuki...?"

"I wonder when...you stopped telling me everything, Kaname." She said. "In ten years...that's the only thing that has changed." She closed her eyes and let me go. "...Goodnight...Kaname."

"Goodnight...Yuki." I responded and walked away. I will not regret what I made Zero do. Never. But why...does my heart ache so?

Yuki P.O.V

I watched Kaname as he walked away until I heard someone step out from behind the tree.

"The Pureblood vampire holds him so gently in her arms..." Yagari said, smoking her cigarette. "I don't give a damn why you treat that little boy differently...but of course you realize what he's done. You must be seething with rage, right?" She smirked. "Yet you won't do anything, just like a proper honor student. Why is that? Why won't you tear Zero to shreds?" Yagari asked and took a drag off her cigarette as my powers sliced her cheek and hand.

"It's so that I won't lose...my boy." I said, smiling, and walked back to the Moon dorm.

-The Next Morning-

Kaname P.O.V

Zero, you should come to school. I sat at my seat, trying to focus on the lesson. Please...come to school. If you show that woman you're all right...she'll have no reason to kill you.

Zero P.O.V

I sat next to the window as my master walked in, carrying her suitcase. "Why do you have all the windows closed?" She asked and opened the curtains. "How's...your right shoulder?"

"Huh?" I looked at her.

"Even though that bullet didn't hit you, a vampire gun can do great damage. Although vampires heal quickly, it will still take quite some time...unless you drink the blood from a living person..." She said and pulled out Bloody Rose.

Kaname P.O.V

I looked towards the door, expecting to see her. She's not coming. She doesn't want to come? ZERO?! I stood up and ran out of the classroom as the teacher yelled, "CROSS!". Running down the hall, I tried to open the doors but they were locked so I ran down the stairs and jumped over the sign that said No Entrance. I shouldn't have left Zero alone...I thought as I slammed the door to her open and saw Yagari holding Zero's gun, ready to pull the trigger.

"STOP! ZERO!" I yelled just as Yagari fired off two shots. Zero had grabbed the barrel of the gun and moved it away so the bullets wouldn't hit her.

"You decided to stop waiting for me to kill you?" She asked and let go of Zero's gun. "DAMN IT!" She shouted and covered her eye patch. "Don't you remember?! 'I'll make sure you don't regret losing your eye to save my life'. That day, you yourself...made that vow to me. Watching you right now made me want to kill you for real. I have no intention of saving a kid who only wants to take the easy way out. Struggle until you can't struggle anymore. Just now, you've decided to live your life covered in blood." She turned away from Zero. "Don't run away...Zero." She walked over and stopped beside me. "Hey, little boy."

"'Little boy'?! Wh-what is it?" I asked.

"If she starts going berserk again, you stop her. But you'll get hurt if you treat her gently. She won't stop unless you put a bullet in her. It's better for her anyway. Damn, this is heavy!" She muttered that last part under her breath. "After that...it's up to you."

This woman..."Then you shot Zero in the pool because..."

"If I meant to kill her, one bullet would've been enough. You think I'd miss at that distance?! Don't make me laugh." She said. "Hey, send this luggage to me later. I'm done here. I have my next assignment, so I've got to hurry. See, you." She said over her shoulder. "The next time we meet, you might be on my list, too..." She paused in the doorway. "Zero. That man...apparently he's still alive." Yagari said and left.

What man? I walked over to Zero and stood in front of her. "Zero...I really thought you were going to die." I said and lowered my head.

"Kaname..." She stood up and reached her hand out, stopping herself for a second then putting her hand on my head as she walked by. "I won't...run away anymore...so...don't cry." She said and left the room.

I...will not regret my decision.