Chapter Fifteen: Storm on the Chessboard

Authors Note: I bet you weren't expecting Ichiru to be the mysterious transfer student. Who do you think is going to be Shion's companion under the mask? I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. If this can get up to ten reviews, I'll give shout-outs every chapter for those who leave one. Let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight. If I did, I would be married to both Kaname and Zero. Every fan-girls dream XD

Zero P.O.V.

The man held me in his arms, his clothes still covered in my and my family's blood. "Make hatred your nourishment and become and adult quickly...my lovely Zero. You want to kill me...this "Shion Hio", don't you...? I want to watch you closely forever...those eyes of yours...that are filled with hatred are just mine..." he smiled down at me while I glared. "I am happy that you and I are connected by the bond that can never be broken."

My eyes shot open as I woke up from the dream, no, the memory of that day.

This is...a game.

Yuki P.O.V.

I picked up my chess piece, thinking of what my next move will be as I examined the board until the door opened. I looked up to see Takuma and Ichiru walk in.

"Yuki, Ichiru says he's uncomfortable sleeping in the dorm in he's in now..." Ichijo said.

Ichiru had a small smile on his face. "I want to be excused from living in the dorm for awhile, and also, to keep the Night class peaceful. I heard that there's a dorm that was used when they were establishing the night class. I want to go there."

I didn't look at him. "Fine...I'll discuss it with the headmistress."

"Eh?! Is it really okay?" Ichijo asked, nervous.

Ichiru turned around and walked out. "Thank you."

I could sense Aido nearby.

Kaname P.O.V.

"Huh? A dance?"

"You forgot about it?" Shiro asked as we made our way to class.

"Ah..." I chuckled. "I'm not really interested in dancing with anybody...more importantly, I feel nervous about the final exam that's coming up. Right, Zero?" I looked over at her and saw that was wasn't paying attention.

"Huh? Well..." She said, trailing off.

A depressing aura came over us from Shiro. "You really did forget about it...traditionally, Cross academy dance party...the rule is that the class who scores the lowest has to work during the ball."

"I'm worried, Kaname Cross..." a menacing voice said from behind us. I shuddered and the three of us turned around. "You are the one always lowering the class average..."

"Don't you think that's a bit harsh, class president?" Shiro asked.

The class president glared at us as she gave off a dark aura while something rumbled around her. "The ball is a formal event. In which the day class and night class attend together...if I lose an opportunity to dance with Ruko from the night class, I'll hold a grudge for all eternity!" She stormed past us.

Now I was terrified. "I better study as if my life depends on it..."

Shiro looked worried. "Why don't you ask your mother to get you a tutor..."

I looked at Zero and noticed she was looking in the other direction. "Zero? What's wrong?"

"YOU CAN'T GO THAT WAY!" We all saw the student, Ichiru, wandering around with Ichijo following close behind. "Day class is still in session there. Ichiru!" She looked around and saw the students watching them. "I think this is going to be a problem."

Ichiru looked over his shoulder at her. "I just wanted to look at the cafe terrace." He looked at us and chuckled. "This is fun..."

Zero had an odd look on her face and Ichiru ran off. "ICHIRU!" Ichijo yelled after him.

I stood there for a minute then started to follow. "Uh...that's not right...why is the Night class..." I felt Zero grab my wrist and looked at her.

"Don't go near that new student. leave him alone. The vice president can handle it."

"Okay..." Zero...?

"Kaname-kun." I turned around when I heard someone say my name and Hana Aido came up and hugged me from behind. "Hello! This is the second time we met during the day, isn't it?"

"AIDO?!" I couldn't believe my luck.

The day class boys started yelling. "AIDO'S HERE, TOO?! NOOOOO! SHE'S HUGGING HIM!"

Aido had a mischievous grin on her face and whispered in my ear. "The boys will get jealous and bully you...Kaname Cross..." She said darkly.

I glared at her and she let me go, giggling. "Aido," Zero said, coming over. "May I talk to you for a moment?"

"This is convenient. I wanted to discuss something with you, too."

I just stared in confusion. "Huh? Wait, Zero..."

Zero and Aido walked past us. "Kaname...be careful around Ichiru Kurenai."

"You two better not fight!" I yelled after them.

"I'm worried..." Shiro said after a few minutes.

"She'll be fine...I think."

"No, I'm worried about you." He said and both of felt the glares from our classmates.

I chuckled nervously before throwing my books to Shiro and bolting. "SORRY, SHIRO! TAKE MY TEXT BOOKS!"

"HEY, DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE, YOU GOT SOME EXPLAINING TO DO!" The day class boys chased me until I rounded the corner and jumped, grabbing the bars of the railing on the terrace. I pulled my legs up so they wouldn't see me as they ran by. I let out a relieved sigh and pulled myself up and over the railing.

"I see you're having a hard time being chased, too."

I looked over and saw Ichijo kneeling there. 'What happened to Ichiru?"

She sweat dropped. "You see, while the boys were chasing me, she ran away..."

"Ran away..." I hung my head. "You must have a hard time being vice president of the night class..."

"Actually, it's not that...you see...if Yuki asks...not just me, but everyone from the night class would probably do as she says...there are countless abilities pureblood vampires can use...and one of them is to make other vampires, that aren't purebloods, obey." She smiled as she talked about her. "But, although she seems superior, Yuki won't do such a thing..." Takuma rested her chin in her hand. "That's why i'm doing these unfavorable duties."

I couldn't help but smile. "Ichijo..."

Zero P.O.V.

Aido and I stood on the roof, the day class students chattering below us since they wouldn't come any closer. "Huh...when you are with me, boys can't come near because they are scared." She said, peering over the edge. "It's convenient at a time like this." Aido turned towards me. "So...?"

I didn't waste any time asking this. "Is Ichiru Kurenai somehow related to 'that man'?"

Aido narrowed her eyes. "Who is 'that man'...?"

I didn't hide the venom in my voice. "Shion...Hio."

She had an amused smirk. "That's disrespectful...referring to our lady pureblood without using an honorific. But it's understandable. She did butcher your family. Oh, well...the Kurenai's and Hio's are distant relatives...that's it. Is there a problem?"

I didn't say anything right away. "Isn't the reason why no one has found him yet is because his appearance changed?"

Aido gave me a strange look. "I don't know. Only purebloods know the full extent of their powers." She balanced herself on the edge. "What's more important is how you are feeling, right? I also want to know that. Only you would know...because you have...a blood bond with him..."

I sensed something nearby as she said this and I looked over my shoulder to see Ichiru standing with his back against the wall, his gaze on us until he left without saying a word.

Kaname P.O.V.

I was with the headmistress in our private quarters and she was trying to help me understand the equations. "Yes, yes. You replace the value of X with this."

"Huh? Why?" I asked, confused.

"You don't know why?" She asked and both of us looked up to see Zero come in. "Oh, Kiryu, you just came in time."

"Zero?!" I couldn't believe she was here.

"This is good. Can you tutor Kaname for me? I have to go on patrol during exam time." Katrina said, smiling nervously.

I sweat dropped. "Eh...Zero's going to tutor me?"

Zero didn't answer right away and that must have made the headmistress scared. "Eh...it's okay if you don't want to..."

Zero finally replied after a few more minutes. "I'll do it..." she sat in the chair the headmistress was just in.

"Then, I'll leave it to you. Hey..." she pulled on her gloves and looked back at Zero. "Zero, did you come because you needed to discuss something with me?"

"No...it's nothing."

Katrina smiled before leaving. "...okay."

-A Few Hours Later-

I tried to figure out the equation while it felt like a dark cloud was hanging over my head. "You made the same mistake as last time. Solve it carefully." Zero said, her chin resting in her hand.

I looked down and saw that she was right. "Oh, yeah. Uh, this is , if I remember right..." I quickly fixed the error I had made. "The, use this number...right?" I looked over at her.

"Right..." She had her hand pressed against the side of her neck.

I just sat there and watched her, waiting to see if she would say anything but Zero remained quiet, too. "Does your neck hurt? You were holding it earlier, too."

She didn't look at me. "The wound...that man made is throbbing." That man... "There hasn't been a night I forgot about...that man who played us sisters like pawns and made a sea of our parents blood four years ago. And yet...the reason I was able to live on..."

Zero stopped when I reached over and placed my hand over hers. Zero...what's wrong with you today?" I smiled at her. "I'm worried because you're too quiet...or are you just sleepy?" I stood up and went towards the kitchen. "A cup of coffee will..." I was cut off by a chair clattering and I felt her come behind me. We stayed like that, her hands resting over mine. "Zero...what's wrong?"

Yuki P.O.V.

I dropped my chess piece and looked over at the boy. "That appearance...that name..." I picked it up. "I was not sure about the answer at first...what your intention was."

"Oh..." His voice changed, it was deeper than before. "I was trying not to embarrass you."

I scoffed at his comment. "What a vulgar taste you have. I think you just wanted to play." I held the chess piece between my fingers.

He smiled and I could see his true face right then. "Just play? Since when have you come to have such a conscientious way of looking at things," he turned around and left with his companion. "When you are the same way?"

Kaname P.O.V.

"...Zero?" I asked when she didn't say anything. "Do you want...my blood...?"

She tightened her grip on my hands when I asked that, almost as if she wasn't expecting it. "I think I was able to live on...because you were there with me..." She let go of my hands.

I was taken by surprise and turned around. "Zero...?"

"Don't forget the stuff I taught you." She was already at the door, her uniform jacket over her shouder. "I'm going back to the dorm."

"Uh, good night...Zero." I said, smiling. "Thanks for tutoring me."

"Good night." She said and left. The smile left my face as I stood there, trying to figure out what was wrong with her.

Zero P.O.V.

As soon as I left Kaname, instead of heading to my dorm, I changed direction and went to the empty building that served as the temporary dorm for the Night class. I made my way down the stairs, my footsteps echoing off the walls. The door creaked open and I saw him standing in the middle of the room. I finally made my way over to him.

"That's right...you are able to sense me." He said, his voice or expression showing no fear. "Because there is a bond between us." He smiled as I grabbed him by the back of his neck and pointed Bloody Rose at his chest, aiming for his heart. "Right now, that is filling up the emptiness in your heart...finally..." He said, a smirk on his face as I glared at him. "You've come to kill me..."

Yes! Chapter fifteen is finally done! I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far as it's progressing.