Vampire Knight 1. Prologue

Blood Oath

By: Kitty McGonagall

_**Note: This is a rewrite of a old story of mine called A New Academy.**_

**A young girl wakes to find herself somewhere new, and is told she is a vampire. She grows up as an average young vampire but raised by a human. Only thing is she has no memory before she woke. But a few years later when she is sixteen things start to come to light about her. A love she feels is unheard of, her existance is a mystery, and all the while she wishs to be a normal vampire.**

**Prequel**

The rain beat down on the figure as they ran through the trees, their katana in one hand, a bundle of some kind at their side. The figure wore a leather coat with a hood up around their face and a half mask on the lower part of their face. Their black knee high boots splashed in the muddy puddles as they ran but they did not care. _'I have to get her to somewhere safe since she is no longer safe being with me!'_ he thought as he continued to run as he could sense the beasts that were giving chase.

_'Damn vampires! Don't know when to give up!'_ He cursed in frustration in his thoughts as one caught up and bared its fangs and claws at him. The man shifted as his blue eyes were hard and narrowed on his adversary that had appeared. "I will give you one chance, vampire. Leave and I may spare your life for the time being." he said in a cold tone.

The vampire reered it's head as it let out a sadistic cackle. "I think not!" the vampire said as he leaned forward his red eyes gleaming in the stormy darkness. "I will only leave when you hand over what you are carrying." the vampire said only to lunge at the man.

He stepped to the side only to bring his katana swinging down as he cut through the vampire, from back to stomach only for it to turn to dust before even hitting the ground. "I am not about to give her back to a monster like your master." he said as he glanced around only to hear a faint movement as he backed a step, ready for another fight. But he soon saw it was nothing more than a squirrel running across the ground then up the nearby tree. He sighed in relief as he soon turned and kept running as fast as he could through the storm.

About an hour later he reached his destination as he walked up to the large building that had one of the lights on the lower level lit, so that told him that someone was home. Be it the man he needed to speak to or someone who might come and help him with the upkeep of his home. "Just a moment longer, little one." he whispered looking at the covered bundle at his left side as he walked up the steps to the door and gave a forceful knock. He did not have to wait long before the door opened to show a former aqaintance of his, Kaien Cross.

"Satsu?" Kaien asked after a brief moment as he looked at the man, Satsu, through his glasses. But Satsu merely shoved his way in past his old aquaintance. "W-what is going on?" Kaien asked as he followed Satsu into the sitting room of the house.

"Stop calling me that stupid nickname." Satsu said in a slightly annoyed tone as he walked over to the couch and put away his katana only to shift the bundle he was carrying to where he was craddling it before placing it on the couch. "I need your help, Kaien." he said looking back to Kaien who still stood by the door looking like a weak old man compared to how he was once the Legendary Hunter. He had traided his black clothes for some tan colored long coat and pants and some green shawl around his shoulders. His light colored hair was drawn back, making him look much softer than he ever had before.

"What do you need help with Satsu?" Kaien asked ignoring Satsu's earlier demand.

"I need you to hide," Satsu said shifting the leather covering to reveal the pale face of a sleeping girl with long white hair. "Her." he said with a gentle look in his eyes as he looked down at the sleeping girl.

"Whatever for? Was her family killed or something?" Kaien asked thinking surely Satsu would not randomly bring a child to him.

"Yes. But she is not human. I am sure you can sense it, that this girl is a vampire." Satsu said as he moved the covering off of her only to drop it to the floor despite protests from Kaien as he even drapped a blanket over the girl. "I cannot tell you the details, just that I must leave her with you and draw away those who were chasing us here." Satsu said grabbing a large pillow and a heavy blanket before going to wrap them in the cover so that the vampires outside would think he still had her.

"I-I will but what is this about? It is not like you! Especially since you disappeared two years ago only to return with this girl! Satsu, tell me what is going on!" Kaien said as he was worried about Satsu. He seemed to be in over his head, but at the same time he looked to have no regrets.

"All I can tell you is that necklace she is wearing," Satsu pointed to silver moon pendant hanging from the girl's pale neck. "Is the only possession she has. And she will be a blank slate when she wakes tomorrow morning." Satsu said as he finished positioning and wrapping the pillow and blanket. "And her name is Ame Hoshi." Satsu said before heading past Kaien to leave but Kaien ran after him.

"Satsu! Wait!" Kaien said as he caught up to Satsu at the front door. "Why not stay since it is obvious that you have some ties to this girl." he said finding it odd that Satsu was doing this but his friend merely shook his head.

"She is safer with me not around her anymore." Satsu said as he opened the door. "And if she ever asks, do not tell her of me or how I was the one to leave her here." Satsu said before closing the door in Kaien's face and leaving.

Kaien stayed by the door for a short while only to head back to the sitting room to check on his new charge. She looked so frail, she could not be any older than eight years old at the most with how tiny she was. But he soon settled onto one of the armchairs as he waited for the young girl to awaken.


	2. Chapter One: Blank

**Blood Oath**

_I forgot to add this note in the Prologue. But any characters recognized from Vampire Knight are not mine. I only own those not recognized from the manga series or the anime._

**Chapter One: Blank**

There was nothing but darkness, not that there was much of a change there. Darkness was something that she had grown used to. She lived in a world shrouded in darkness that was splattered with crimson. All due to how she was a vampire, a beast that drew her own strength from the blood of humans that she managed to sink her fangs into. She at times wondered if blood was the only way to substain a vampire, but how long has she wondered those thoughts? She had nothing in terms of memory before...well this very moment. She wished she could remember when her world began, but it was no use.

Not long after, she opened her cerulean eyes as she glanced around without moving her head for the first few moments. She was in a room with tan colored walls, to the side there was a fireplace with a gentle fire burning in the hearth. Slowly she started to sit up only for a white blanket to fall away from her as her eyes went to it wondering what it was doing there. She shifted on the couch so that her legs were dangling over the side of it revealing she was barefoot at the moment and the skin on her legs was beyond pale in color. She lifted up her hands to see they were just as pale as she wondered why she was this pale.

Though she was torn from that thought as she could hear the heartbeat of someone close by. She slowly stood as her baggy shirt and tattered knee length blue skirt shifted only to rest about her as her eyes took on a crimson glow to them. That of a starving or thirsty vampire. She slowly walked toward the door as she was following the sound of the heartbeat that she heard. '_So thirsty, I must have some blood...'_ she thought as she soon found the source in the kitchen.

She could feel her fangs become more pronounced as she was longing to bite the man who had his back to her. _'Blood...I need blood!'_ she thought as she walked closer, her posture was tense from how she felt like she was parched but this man before her had an ample supply of blood and would allow her to not feel this way anymore. Though as she got close he turned and smiled at her causing her to freeze as she looked at him with wide glowing crimson eyes.

"Good morning, Ame!" he said in a cheerful tone as he had his eyes closed only to open them a moment later. "I am guessing you are thirsty." he said as he took note of her eyes and how her fangs could easily be seen. "I will allow you to have blood this once, but after this, I want you to only use blood tablets." he said in a stern but caring tone as he got out a bag of blood that he had obtained earlier that morning. He could tell the young girl was longing to sink her fangs into something, so he poured the bag into a bowl and got a sponge to soak in it. "If you promise not to bite me I will feed the blood to you so that you do not make to big of a mess." he offered as the girl nodded but her eyes never left the bowl of blood.

A few moments later they sat at the table facing one another as the man soaked the sponge in the blood before moving a plate under it and handed the sponge to the girl who took it greedily only to bite furiously into the sponge and suck up the blood as she was showing what he already knew. That despite the girls sweet appearance, she was a beast.

But he put that thought aside as he soon reached for the sponge when he saw the girl had gotten all the blood she could from it and put it in the blood again only to repeat the process until the girl had drank all the blood in the bowl and even used the sponge to soak up the blood that had dripped to the plate.

"Feel better?" the man asked as he saw the crimson die away in the girl's eyes only to be replaced by a gentle cerulean as she nodded at him as there was a bit of blood on her face but she reached up and wipped it away herself. "That is good." he said with a cheerful smile only for the girl to give him a confused look. "Can you talk?" he asked wondering if the child might be mute.

The girl gave him a confused look for a moment before her lips moved but no sound came out for a moment before she tried again only to get a single syllable to come out. "T..." she said before she got a determined look on her face as she soon pronounced every letter in the word before she said it all together. "Ta-lk." she said before she smiled innocently at the man.

"Yes." he said with a smile before he continued. "My name is Kaien Cross. And your name is Ame Hoshi."

"Ah...may..." Ame said as she was once again pronouncing her name by the sound of the word. "Ho...she..." she then smiled at Kaien in a very innocent way where Kaien almost forgot for a second the child was a vampire due to how pure and innocent she appeared.

"That is right." he said figuring encouragement and praise would help her adjust even faster since Satsu had told him the night before she was a blank slate.

Later on that day, Ame went to Kaien still wearing her tattered clothes since he had sent someone who helped him out once in a while, Misaki Kuren, to get a few new clothes for Ame. He had thought it was to unsafe to take her from the house since she had looked ready to attack him as soon as she woke, meaning she was not the most stable of vampires. So taking her out in public would be far to risky since if she attacked a human she might be put down on the hunters list for execution. But at the moment Kaien looked up to see her staring at him with questioning eyes as her eyes took on the crimson look again.

"Thirsty again?" he asked as Ame nodded. She certainly was a needy young vampire to need blood again so soon since some could go hours without another bit of substance from blood. But then again she was still a child. "Well you cannot have blood." he said as Ame glared at him as her eyes took on the crimson glow. "But there is a blood substitue that I can give you."he said as he stood and started toward the kitchen with the young vampire following him.

Once they were in the kitchen he grabbed a container that had some small circular pills in it only to grab a wine glass and add water to it while Ame stood to the side watching him intently. "Once the water is at the amount you want, you add one or so tablets in and it turns the water into a blood substitue." Kaien explained as he did so to demonstrate. No sooner had the tablets he added disolved did Ame snatch up the glass and go to drink it only to drop the glass and start making faces.

"Icky!" she said showing she had never been introduced to the blood tablets but allowed blood after she had gotten old enough to not rely on the life force of others.

"I know, but you need to give it a try if you are thirst." Kaien said as he prepared another glass and handed it to Ame as she accepted it only to sip at it while Kaien busied himself with cleaning up the mess from the previous glass. "It may take some time but I am sure you will develop a taste for it." he said as he looked toward her to see she was still making faces.

Misaki got back after Ame had been put to bed for the evening, so the next morning found Ame being fit into her new clothes to be sure all of them fit properly. Though it did not help that every so often Ame's eyes would go crimson and they had to take a break to allow her to take a tablet, more so with Misaki had cut her finger. But Ame had shown good restraint as she looked at the young woman. She noticed how Misaki had dishwater color hair that was grown out but in a long braid down her back. She wore a casual grey dress that fit loose past her waist and a white apron over it. Her eyes were a cloudy haze something that seemed to have Ame fascinated.

But after all of the outfits were confirmed to fit, Misaki picked out a loose fitting blue dress for Ame to wear and little white shoes. Though Ame had bits of blood on her from spilling the blood she had been given and the water from the tablets all over her clothes and even on her face. That and Ame's hair was matted from having not been washed since at least she had been there. So Misaki led Ame into the bathroom and ran a warm bath for her before helping Ame to wash out her hair and leaving her alone to get cleaned up as she went to talk to Kaien briefly before returning to see Ame playing in the water.

Though it was not splashing but rather her staring intently at it as some of the water shifted and even lifted up and formed into different shapes in front of her. However once she sensed Misaki had returned she broke her eye contact with the water and it fell back into the tub with a splash as Ame looked toward Misaki with a smile.

Not long after Misaki helped Ame out of the tub and got her dried off and into the dress before setting to brushing through Ame's long white hair. She could see in those moments what Kaien had meant. This girl may be a vampire but even so she was still so innocent, like a newborn or a toddler with her behavior. The only times she seemed to be what she truly was, a beast, was when she was taking the tablets or from what Kaien had said, when she had taken blood with by a sponge.

Misaki was taken from thinking on that when Ame asked if they were done since she wanted to go play for a bit in the other room. So Misaki nodded and let the child run from the room to go play while she thought about the child for a brief moment. She was developing her vocabulary more and more just from hearing herself and Kaien speak around her, which meant at this rate she would be speaking more full sentences and with more of a vocabulary in general very soon.

Ame ran out to the sitting room where she had a few dolls from Misaki laying on the couch as she set to playing with them for a while before she became curious as to other ways to get rid of the thirst she felt. She glanced to her small pale arm as she thought _'I have blood, so surely if I drink my own it will make my thirst for blood go away like the blood that Kaien gave to me.'_ She then brought her small arm up as her fangs became pronounced in her mouth a bit more before she sank her fangs into her pale arm before she went to drink some of the blood from her arm. However she soon found it was not the same, it felt...empty.

So she removed her fangs from her arm as they became less pronounced for the moment as she watched the twin bite marks fade away as she licked the remaining blood from her arm as Kaien came in and started to freak out.

"Ame!" he yelled in shock as he rushed over and went to examine her small arm. "What were you doing?"

"Thirsty." Ame said showing she was thirsty for blood again as she thought saying that one word would suffice for her reasoning for trying to feed off of herself even though it did not work.

"That does not work that way, Ame." Kaien said as he shook his head at her since the harm was gone since she healed at an accelerated rate due to her being a vampire. "I will get you another glass for a tablet so that your thirst can be dealt with." he said as he stood to leave the room.

Ame sat there waiting for a breif moment before she got an odd feeling coming from outside the walls of the house she was in, so she stood and headed to the door and opened it since it was not locked and stepped out into the chill of the early spring. Her dress shifted about her as she stepped down from porch and looked around as she was beyond fascinated by what she was seeing around her, not noticing the pair of crimson eyes watching her from within the trees.


	3. Chapter Two: New Home

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Two: New Home**

Ame kept walking around the yard as she looked around with wide eyes since she had only seen the outside world through windows. But as she was walking around a sound met her ears as she turned toward it to see a male with brown hair there staring at her. "H-hello?" Ame said nervously as she noticed the man had crimson eyes, those of a vampire like herself. She went to go toward the vampire but he lunged to go toward her. "No!" Ame screamed only for the vampire to stop abruptly as though it were obeying her as it was only a few feet from her. She looked toward the vampire as he seemed to have a straining look on his face before the barrel of a gun appeared beside her only for it to go off. Right before her the male vampire turned to dust and was no more.

"You should not have come outside, Ame." Misaki said as she put the gun so it was at her side being held by the strap of her apron as she took Ame by the hand and led her back inside as Kaien came rushing toward the door. Before he could say anything Misaki spoke. "A vampire was outside and approached her." she said as Kaien had a worried look even as he saw Ame stiffle a yawn since she was still easily drained at times.

"Put her to bed then we will talk." he said as Misaki took Ame and put her in the sitting room on the couch and proceeded to tuck her in, noting that Ame was asleep before she had finished. With one last glance at the sleeping vampire on the couch, Misaki left the room and headed to the kitchen where Kaien was waiting for her. "What should we do?" she asked since what she had seen was odd since the vampire had tried to attack Ame and then to stop when she yelled...something did not add up.

Kaien looked at Misaki with a sad look on his face as he was deep in thought for the moment. "There is only one course of action since Satsu asked me to keep her safe. We have to hide her away somewhere." he said as he hung his head since he knew Ame was just starting to get familiar to her surroundings but they had no choice. She had to be moved.

"But who will take her? You cannot be thinking of sending her to the hunters! They will either kill her or force a mark on her to tame her even though she is only a child!" Misaki protested, showing she had developed slight feelings for the young vampire.

"I never once thought to send her to them. If Satsu had wanted to go that route I believe he would have taken her there himself." Kaien said as he looked toward Misaki for a moment before he started to pace around the kitchen for a moment. "We could put her in the night class, but that would be risky since she is so young and not adept enough yet to be safe around humans or possibly even other vampires. Because despite her being one, it seemed that Satsu wanted her kept away from them along with humans for the time being." he said as he stopped walking and looked toward Misaki. "We have only one option open to us." he said as he looked at her with a stern look on his face.

"What?" she asked wondering what he had come to decide. More so because of how the look on his face it was a last resort type of decision.

"Until she is old enough to join the night class and be under the safety of Cross Academy, you are to take her and raise her in secret somewhere. I will give you anything you need." Kaien said.

By the following evening, Misaki had taken to wearing a casual grey dress and had even packed all of Ame's new clothes, along with some for herself. While Misaki was going over everything, being sure they had everything they needed, Kaien was having a little talk with Ame.

"You will be going away with Misaki tonight. So be good and if she says to stay indoors, do so. You should not go out without her, or possibly at all until you are older. Do you understand?" Kaien asked as Ame nodded. With a faint smile, Kaien slipped a cloak onto Ame's small shoulders and drew up the hood. "I will see you again in a few years when you enter into Cross Academy." he said as Misaki came in and took Ame's hand before leading her outside to where a car was waiting for them.

Kaien watched them from the porch as they got in only to be drove off into the distance and out of sight. Part of him was deeply saddened to see Misaki and Ame go, but he knew it was for the best. More so since he did not know the extent of what Ame's story was, only that she had been brought there and placed in his care until it was deemed to be to unsafe for the time being. He just hoped his friend would understand him sending away the child.

Misaki and Ame rode in the same car until near midnight before they got out. While Misaki was paying the driver of the car, Ame glanced around seeing what kind of area they were in now, as it was somewhere completely new to her. They were in a large city somewhere. But all of the buildings were dark, something that struck Ame as off since from the few books she had glanced through while still living with Kaien for a very short time had shown some pictures of cities with their windows lit up like the sun.

"Ame, we need to keep going." Misaki said as she gently took the child's hand again since she was sure that if she did not hold her hand that Ame would venture off. Soon they got to where another car was waiting and got in as Misaki told the driver where they wished to go. While Ame was sitting in the back she stared out the window with wide cerulean eyes. Where was Misaki taking her? Why had that other vampire attempted to attack her?

They were in the car until the next night when they pulled up to a small two story house in the middle of the woods. The pain was done to help it blend into the lush green surroundings, with a warm colored porch out front with a swing for two. Out in the yard was a swing hanging from a high branch of a tree not far from the porch. Ame had wanted to get out right away but Misaki got out first and glanced around before she turned and held out a hand so Ame could take it and slide out of the back seat.

"Stay put." Misaki said as she went to the trunk of the car and got their bags out of the back before returning to Ame. "Come, lets get a look around our new home." Misaki said as she took Ame's hand in her own and they walked up to the front door as the car drove away. But once inside Misaki gave a disapproving look. "This may be a safe house but you would think they could have kept it up better!" she said in a disapproving tone due to the thick dust on everything. "Go a head and look around, sweetie." Misaki said as she remembered one thing Kaien had suggested to her. To treat Ame as he own daughter since with how Ame was no more than a newborn in some ways that it would be best she grow up thinking Misaki was her mother.

"Okay." Ame said in a simple reply as she walked up the stairs to glance around. At the top of the stairs was a long hall with three doors. Two were good sized rooms and the third was a full bathroom with a deep tub with a shower built in. Once she was done looking around, she headed back down the stairs to see Misaki was fussing about there being nothing in the pantry located in the kitchen.

"I will have to go to the village not to far from here to get a few things." she said shaking her head at the thought of that, but it had to be done. Though when she took note of her 'daughter' being in the doorway she went over to her to give her more of a tour. The downstairs had another bathroom, a door to the basement right before you got to the kitchen, and a vast living room. "Though it is going to be dawn soon, and it is time for one little one to be in bed." Misaki said as she picked up Ame since she was so little and carried her up to her room and put her down. "Even here too!" she fussed as she removed the dust covered blue comforter and tossed it out of the room before determining that it was far to dusty in there for Ame to sleep. "How about we sleep down in the living room after I put up some thick blankets to block out the sun for you?" she asked as Ame nodded only to yawn showing she was starting to get sleepy.

An hour later Misaki was knelt before the couch that she had gotten almost all of the dust off of and placed down a plush blanket for Ame to lay on and she had a second plush blanket over top of her that Misaki was smoothing over her tiny frame. She had already given Ame a blood tablet disolved in water so she would be fine while she rested. But soon Misaki leaned over Ame as she drifted off. "Sleep well, my little one." she said.

Once Ame was fully asleep Misaki moved to the other couch and sat down watching the young vampire sleep. She could not help but wonder why Kaien had decided that Ame would be safer with her, except for how Misaki had wished to have a daughter for a long time only to be denied a child due to her being unable to concieve any. But was it right for her to care for this young vampire? Surely she had family out there that would want her back someday and Misaki knew that should that happen she would have no right to deny Ame to be able to go with her family.

_'But until then, I will raise her as my own and give her a good home.'_ Misaki thought as a smile graced her face. _'My little Ame.'_


	4. Chapter Three: Mother and Daughter

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Three: Mother and Daughter**

In the few years since Misaki had come to live in the woods outside of a small village with her daughter, not much had changed. The main difference inside of the house was that every wall had pictures of the age progression of the young girl as she aged. She had gone from being a small frail child of around what Misaki guessed was eight years of age to how now she was fourteen. Ame had become more fluent with talking, and she was full of energy and growing stronger every single day. Her hair was still long and a gleaming white while her eyes were a pure gentle cerulean. She had grown some from her small four foot five frame to be five foot five frame. Though despite the truth of her nature, Misaki raised Ame as though she were a average human child.

She had managed to do that by giving Ame the blood tablets disolved in water saying it was a drink mix added to water. So that had kept Ame from finding out or as far as Misaki could tell, even remember her true nature. Though it helped that Misaki did not let Ame go into the village to play with other children, so as to not have a slip up should one get hurt and the blood draw out Ame's true nature. All due to how Misaki was decieving herself into believing that her and Ame would be able to live like this forever, as mother and daughter.

But deep down there was a part of her screaming that she should be ashamed for loving a monster like Ame. That no matter how sweet and innocent she appeared to be, that Ame was still nothing more than a beast in a human form and nothing would ever change that. She was the same as the monster that had slaughtered her family leaving her nothing but their corpses and the blood stained home she had burnt to the ground. Though the thought that Ame was anything like that deranged monster, it was never a thought that lingered for to long since Misaki was sure that Ame was a gentle one.

However at the moment, it was night time and Misaki was in the kitchen enjoying some tea as she was waiting for her daughter to get home. She had woken to find Ame was gone on one of her little night runs again, so it was no surprise that the child would be in trouble upon returning.

Ame ran through the trees as fast as she could as she could feel the material of her grey shirt shift with her movements along with the material of her baggy shorts that she was wearing that hung down to near her knees. Sure it was not girly for her to wear these things along with ratty tennis shoes but she did not care. She felt free when she wore casual clothes and was allowed out of the house and out from under her mothers watchful eyes. Well not really allowed because Ame had snuck out yet again.

She ran dodging around the trees as a musical laugh escaped her lips at how this was the only time she was allowed to be herself. But she knew better than to venture toward the village since her mother had always told her that if she did that the other kids in the village may pick on her for how she could run faster than any others that her mother had seen playing in the village. Though it did not make Ame wish to go to the village one day any less. Sure she loved her mother very much and loved the time she got with her, but was it to much for Ame to wish to meet kids her own age?

She did not think that was to much of a wish to have. Soon she reached a small lake hidden several miles into the woods as she stopped at the shore of it as the moon rose high above the clearing. "Hello, my friends." she whispered since to her her friends had always been the moon and the water. Two in perfect harmony with one another. "How about a little practice tonight." she said as she knelt down and placed her hand on the surface of the water as she froze it out so that it was solid enough to walk on. "Do not worry, I will be sure to free you from this when I leave." she promised to the water as she stood and stepped onto the ice.

Ame kept walking until she was at the center as she looked toward the moon with a smile on her pale face. She knew this was the only place she could do this at. She closed her eyes as she moved her hands up from her side as some of the ice at her sides molded up into small sculptures of birds before she knelt and touched them only for them to turn to water and take flight. She smiled as they flew around her leaving trails of water that encircled her.

She continued doing the dance with the water by forming multiple birds and even butterflies to fly around her as she skated, ran and slid along the ice before she saw first signs of light as her celestial friend began to take their leave, meaning it was time for her to head back. She headed to the edge of the frozen water and as soon as she stepped off the ice disappeared and the water gently brushed against the shore behind her. "I will see you again when I can slip away from mom." she said glancing over her shoulder at the small lake. She then turned her attention to the setting moon. "Have a nice rest!" she said in an excited whisper before she took off through the trees again.

Sure the sun did not harm her but it was just easier for her to be out during the night because the moon was much kinder to her eyes for some reason. She had wondered about that but her mother would never give her a straight answer when she asked about it. So she decided for the time being she would merely accept it as she continued running through the trees only to soon get back to the house despite it being miles away.

Ame slowed down and went to climb up the steps to the porch as she hoped her mother was asleep or had not noticed her absence even though it had been a few hours. Once she got to the door she opened it and slipped inside and closed the door behind herself as she went to tiptoe toward the stairs only to hear a voice from the kitchen.

"Ame Kuren!" her mother called from the kitchen as Ame froze.

_'Busted!'_ was the only thing running through Ame's mind as she kept her right foot on the bottom step as she spoke. "Yes, mother?" she called hoping that her mother would not be to upset with her this time.

"Come in here right now." Ame's mother, Misaki Kuren ordered.

Ame sighed as she lowered her right foot from the stair and turned before heading toward the kitchen as she stopped right inside the door and gave her mother an innocent smile. "You are up early, mom." Ame said but her mother did not look like she was buying the innocent act this time.

"Where were you? You were not up at that lake again were you?" her mother asked after taking a sip of her tea she was drinking.

"Yes, but it's not like anyone is ever up there at this time of night and I came back before anyone could see me." Ame said not seeing what the problem was since her mother was in her opinion just being over protective since she did not even like Ame leaving the house even in the dead of night. "I don't see what the problem is! I am fourteen years old. I should be allowed to go out!"

"I have my reasons for keeping you here away from others." Misaki said in a stern tone before nodding toward the glass with red liquid in it. "Drink that and go to bed, you must be tired after having been out all night." she said in a short tone.

Ame gave her an annoyed look as she walked over and downed the red liquid before turning and storming out of the kitchen to the stairs and up to her room. She opened her door and shut it before turning on the light as it showed the pale blue walls, surrounding her with warm light colored trim that complimented the sky blue walls. In her room there was a dark brown desk with a matching chair, a wardrobe that held her clothes, and a double bed with a plush clear water. There was a room where thick curtains were drawn over the window so as to not allow the light of the sun into the room. The window was located over the desk, which made it one of Ame's favorite places to sit at.

She crossed over to her bed as she fell onto it and burried her face against her feather pillow. _'Why is mom so over protective? She acts like there is something about me that needs to be kept hidden away from the world for some reason. Though that makes no sense since I am just a normal teenager...'_ Ame thought as she fell asleep within moments.

Down in the kitchen, Misaki sat up for a while longer as she heard the one she had been raising as her daughter shut her door and by all assumption go to bed. She allowed a sigh to pass through her lips as she thought of how for the last six she had raised the young vampire left at Kaien's house by a man who had once been an aquaintance of his. During the six years she had tried to keep from actually growing attached knowing full well that in time she would have to return the girl to Kaien and allow her to go to the school he ran so she would have to part ways from Ame.

_'Just how long can we live in this dream before the truth of her fangs comes to light?'_ Misaki thought to herself. She knew that as far as Ame knew she was a human girl who had to avoid the light due to her absent father being albino. But it was a lie. Misaki did not know anything of Ame's birth parents, except without a doubt they had been vampires since it was obvious she was not a former human.

_'You got yourself in too deep, Misaki.'_ she thought. _'Kaien said to get close to her to the extent she would be able to be hidden appearing to be a human girl being raised by a single mother, not to actually grow to care for her as though she were my own child.'_

Misaki sat up thinking of that only for her thoughts to venture to how Ame did not even remember her short time with Kaien where Misaki had been his assistant or more like maid that helped care for the house. So when they had moved to this place it had been easy to get Ame to accept Misaki's last name in order to conceal her further from any vampires that may seek her for any reason. A measure Misaki had seen as a good step after the vampire that had attacked Ame and how Kaien had told her that his friend had left saying he was leading any who persued him away so that Ame would be safe.

Misaki leaned back in her chair as she glanced toward the ceiling toward Ame's room where she figured she was already sleeping peacefully. _'But what would anyone want wth her? She was a sweet kid, so what could he have been wanting to hide her from...?'_ Misaki thought to herself as she knew for the time being she was to just protect Ame until Kaien or someone from the school came. At which time the truth would come out and Ame would be forced to awaken from her peaceful dream she had been in for the last six years.


	5. Chapter Four: Pieces Align

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Four: Pieces Align**

It had been around a week since when Ame had been busted by her mother for sneaking out of the house after dark to go for a run and to do something she assumed her mother knew nothing about. Mainly due to as far as Ame knew she was a average girl with telekinetic abilities when it came to water and even ice. But tonight, her mother informed her that she would be away for a few days, and Ame was to stay inside the house and not open the door for anyone. Though as Ame walked her mother to the door, Misaki reminded Ame to drink a glass of the red water left for her at night when she woke, again around midnight, and another before she went to sleep around dawn. Ame promised her mother that she would do that, and that she would see her in two days time when her mother was to return at dusk as Ame would be waking up.

Once the door was shut, Ame moved almost instantly over to the window in the living room to watch her mother walk away down the path to where there was a car waiting for her. Ame could not help but wonder where her mother was going, though at seeing her turn to face the house again and wave, Ame raised her pale right hand and waved in return until her mother got into the car and it drove away. Once the car was out of sight, Ame drew the curtains shut so that the house was in darkness, but within seconds the light was back on as Ame stood over by the switch.

She looked paler as she drew a deep breath trying to push her fear of the dark away. She was not sure why it was that way, more so since up until two nights ago she had loved it in the dark, but she had started having unsettling dreams while she slept during the day. Ones of her being a small child walking around with a man whose face was always cast in shadows in her mind. But while they walked she would soon be alone and then the sounds of a fight taking place in the darkness as her senses were flooded with a sweet scent that she had a feeling was blood.

Though she had no idea what the dream meant, just that it was the same dream over and over again each time she went back to sleep. Could the man have been her father? There was no way to know for sure since her mother never spoke of her father, and when she used to ask her mother would just say that he had walked out on them.

After a few moments of calming herself, Ame headed to the kitchen to drink her usual drink and then put the glass in the sink and wash it before putting it away. 'I am sure that it was just a dream so no need to worry about it.' Ame thought as she leaned against the sink while she was thinking about the dream still, but she soon forced her thoughts to what she could do until her mother returned home. 'I should clean the house as a surprise for mom.' she thought with a smile on her pale lips as she soon set to cleaning the house.

Misaki had not wanted to leave, but she had recieved a letter from Kaien that said that it was urgent that he speak to her. She had a suspicion on what this was about, he would want to talk to her about when she was to return Ame to him and wake her from her dream of living with a mother who was only pretending to be her family. 'I will be strong. I will not allow this to phase me because I knew this was temporary.' Misaki thought to herself for the millionth time in the last few days since she had gotten the letter. She looked out the window at the passing trees thinking of how soon the truth would be revealed.

Around dawn she arrived at the house of Kaien Cross. She went up to the door and before she could knock he answered but he had a somber look on his face as he stepped aside to let her in without a word and shut the door behind her. "Has something changed?" Misaki asked looking at Kaien as he nodded.

"Yes. The Association is starting to inquire about the young vampire that disappeared as soon as she appeared." Kaien said as he led Misaki to the living room and gestured for her to take a seat on the couch as he sat in the arm chair.

"You mean my Ame?" Misaki said before she could catch herself.

Kaien's brows shot up and disappeared behind his hair. "Your Ame?" he asked questionably. "You did what we decided was best that you not do, didn't you?" he asked in a worried tone more so since they were in the final days, weeks at the most before they would be moving Ame and telling her the truth.

"I did not mean to! It's just that she was in need of a mother, and the first time she called me 'mom' I told her 'yes' because she needed a mother figure." Misaki said in a hurt tone. "But I know that once the truth comes out I will not be allowed to see her again due to how she is a vampire and I am one who hunts ones like her." she said since in truth Misaki was a Vampire Hunter for the Association but had left on a personal leave. In truth things in the Association before Satsu had shown up had been odd, so Misaki had acted as an informant to Kaien on the inner workings of the Hunters.

"This will make it even harder when you are to leave her." a new voice said as Misaki's haze colored eyes shot to the source of it to see a male wearing a black trench coat with matching shirt and pants walk from the corner of the room. His arms had been crossed over his chest but moved to rest at his sides as Misaki took note of his face, he had a faint tan to his skin, shocking blue eyes and blond hair that was grown out slightly but spiked. "Maybe I should have found a way to keep her with me than risk how you have screwed things up, Kuren." he said with a disapproving tone.

"Who are you to say such a thing! I have been raising her and guarding her for the last six years on my own!" Misaki snapped as she stood glaring toward the male with blond hair.

"I am the one who originally saved the child from a nightmare I still fight to protect her from." he said as Misaki gave him a shocked look. "I am Satsujin Akira, a former hunter." he said looking at her with a dull expression.

"One of the Associations best hunters before you went missing eight years ago." Misaki said as she had read the records of how Satsujin rivaled Kaien as one of the most lethal and cold hearted hunters. Where they had once shared a common view that vampires were nothing but beasts in human form that needed to be wiped out completely. But something had changed for both of them. She knew what had changed for Kaien but that was a long story within itself. What she wondered at the moment was what could have changed for Satsujin.

"Yes, before I had a change of heart. I will leave it at that since what happened is of no concern to you." he said as though he could tell just by looking at Misaki that she was wanting to ask him about what had happened, but he did not feel like going into detail for someone like her.

Before Misaki could say anything Kaien spoke up. "Misaki, I am sure you know that the reason I sent for you to come here is because of it being close to time for Ame to learn the truth since I assume you raised her as we had planned, as though she were a human and keeping her on the blood tablets so she can be more stable." he said as Misaki looked toward him and nodded.

"Yes, even though there were a few close calls more so when she was still young. Where at times I accidentally got a paper cut or cut myself cleaning up a broken plate or glass and she would come at me wanting my blood but I calmed her with ease." she said since she knew vampires could not turn someone unless they were a pure blood. Though to allow Ame to get into the habit of seeking blood when she smelt it would be a problem.

"So you did something right." Satsujin said in a low tone.

"Not that it would matter to you! You abandoned her!" Misaki said losing her temper slightly again since she was defensive when it came to Ame.

"I did what I had to, that is all that matters. And she has gone this long without being found so that is all I wanted for her." he said in a low tone as there was a hint of something in his blue eyes.

"You mean by other vampires or the Association?" Misaki asked wondering just how bad it was for them to have resorted to such measures.

"Both. There were vampires after her the night that I brought her here, and as you already know the Association is looking for her since she is a vampire they lost track of." Satsujin paused for a moment. "But there have been many close calls with vampires almost finding her while she has been under your care, and as such even the Association has started to put two and two together. It will not be long before they figure it out and come for her."

All three were silent for a while before it was determined that Ame would be moved to Kaien's and then after that enrolled into the academy since Satsujin had yet to find the one who he was after. So as much as he hated, he would use the child as bait to find him so that he could free her from any traces of a nightmare. So by noon the following day, Kuren left so as to not leave Ame alone for to long, as she knew that she would only have a matter of days with the one she had grown to love as a daughter. But as Satsujin had said it was time for Ame to wake from this dream they had all fought to keep her in.


	6. Chapter Five: Shattered

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Five: Shattered**

The road leading to the house seemed to stretch on for eternity as Misaki rode in the car to the end of the long driveway. She told the driver she could walk from there and paid the driver before she got out and situated her bag that she had so that she was holding it before herself as she turned her back to the care only to listen to it as it drove down the road to go to its next destination. Now it was time for her to do so as well. But she was near reluctant to do so after how the discussion had gone. She would soon be loosing the one she had been raising as her own child for the last six years, but would she be able to let Ame go?

Part of Misaki seemed all for letting Ame leave when Satsujin and Kaien were to come and get her. All due to how the hunter side of Misaki saw Ame as a vampire, one of the worst kind. Faking being a human even though she was no longer aware of the truth since Misaki had wished to raise the girl as her own.

_'But it does not change what Ame is. She is a beast that should not exist!'_ Misaki thought as she slowly started walking up the long path. _'Even if it was due to my selfish choice to know what it was like to be a mother, Ame will never be more than a creature I will one day have to kill since humans and vampires cannot live in harmony!'_

Though at that thought Misaki stopped walking as her haze colored eyes widdened as she thought back on the first week that she and Ame had been at the place they had called home for six years. Ame had come to Misaki crying shortly after nightfal about a nightmare she had been having during the last hours of daylight and Misaki had comforted the young child. That had in truth been when Misaki had decided to fool herself into the dream of her and Ame being a family.

_'Just cut ties with her, send her away! It has been planned to be that way since the night Satsujin left her with Kaien!'_ Misaki thought as she started walking again.

Though after only a dozen steps, the other side of her started to argue that she should be allowed to keep Ame. _'You are the only family your daughter has ever known. To cut ties with her to such an extent that you are planning, it will devistate that poor child!'_ Misaki thought as she soon shook her head.

"Ame will no longer be my problem after another week or two depending on when Satsujin and Kaien show up. After that I can get back to my life and put this behind me." she said to herself as she walked.

Soon Misaki reached the small house hidden by the trees as she slowly approached she could see the curtain at the front window shift, meaning her 'daughter' had been waiting there anxiously for her to return. _'Just maintain the dream a little longer...'_ she thought to herself as she stepped up onto the stairs as the door opened to show Ame there smiling at her.

"Welcome home, mother!" Ame said in a happy tone as she stepped closer and offered to take Misaki's bag, and she was allowed as Misaki and Ame then stepped back into the house as Misaki closed the door behind them. "Did you have a good trip?" Ame asked as she looked toward Misaki as all she got as an answer was a nod. Something that caused alarm in Ame. "Is something wrong?" she asked as she sat down the bag and stepped closer to her mother.

"I am fine. Just tired from the trip." Misaki said as a near automatic response to Ame's questions. "I am just tired and need some rest." she said before she glanced toward the kitchen. "You already drink your water?" she asked as Ame nodded.

"Yes, I drank it at the usual times while you were gone, and am good until midnight before I drink the next glass." Ame said in a slightly worried tone as she gave her mother a worried look. "Though why do I have to drink that red water?" she asked, a question she had asked multiple times in the past but she was never given a straight answer, that or her mother dodged around, and one time had flat out said for Ame not to ask about it. Then there was the time she insisted it was medicine for Ame when she had seen her mother drop a tablet of some kind into the water that dissolved almost instantly.

Misaki sighed at hearing her daughter speak that question. "I told you before, it is medicine. Something for your immune system since as a young child you were prone to fall ill easily." she said a lie she had decided to use whenever the question came up after how Ame pressed the issue at times.

Though Ame caught the slight hint of annoyance in her mother's voice as she stepped back slightly sensing that her mother did not want to be around her at the moment. "I think I am going to go read for a bit." she said cautiously before she turned and walked out of the kitchen to head back up to her room to read more from a book she had been reading. One dealing with legends around the world since it was the only way that Ame got to see the world. Though the pages of books and also by looking at maps since she wished to know about the world beyond this house and beyond the lake she ran to at times.

About a week later, Ame woke not long before nightfall as she got dressed in her shorts and a t-shirt that matched before pulling her long white hair back into a ponytail except some of the front that she let hang down about her face. She knew her mother always woke around nightfall so she had about an hour before that happened, so tonight, the night of the crescent moon she planned to go and up to the lake again for some time out of the house. All due to how she felt she was being pulled there, and how at the moment her mother was not one to visit with her that much, so she figured chances were this would be alright.

As Ame walked over to leave her room she held her crescent moon necklace in one hand as she closed the door to her room before heading down the stairs and out the door, careful to close it quietly. She had to shield her eyes slightly from the bright light of the fading sun as she wondered if there was something wrong with her since she was so sensitive to the light. But now was not the time to think about that, so she took off through the trees toward the lake, getting there as night completely fell over the land.

She slowed to a walk at the treeline only to slowly walk to the edge of the lake. "Sorry I have not been back in so long." she said in a soft tone only to hear a faint sound as she turned and looked toward the shadows. "W-who is there?" she called since she did not see anyone until a second later when a young male with nappy brown hair stepped out from behind a tree.

"I did not mean to startle you." the man said with a twisted smile as he revealed fangs within that smile.

_'A vampire?!' _Ame thought in shock as she stepped back slightly as ice formed on the ground from her being startled.

"I knew there was a reason your blood smelt so irresistible. And why my master would want you all to himself." the vampire said as Ame stepped back due to the vampire starting to walk toward her.

"I don't know who your master is but I am not about to go with a vampire or be claimed as property of one!" Ame said in a firm tone only for the vampire to let out a sadistic laugh.

"My master said that you would be resistant to come with me, just like you were eleven years ago." the vampire said as Ame's cerulean eyes grew wide since she had no idea what the vampire was talking about. From what her mother had told her, she had a horrible accident where she hit her head which was the cause for her amnesia up to when she was eight years old. Though in her moment of shock the vampire moved behind her and put one arm down around her middle pinning her arms at the same time as Ame began to struggle.

"Let me go!" Ame cried out as the ice on the ground solidified and shot up forcing the vampire to release her and move back as water from the lake even moved up and formed into the width of only two inches as it formed a full circle around Ame and moved with such speed that it was a almost perfect defense.

Though as the vampire caught sight of this he merely laughed. "Just what is to be expected of the Kōri no ōjo." he said as he stepped forward and held out his hand to her.

"What did you just call me!" Ame demanded as she took a step back not wanting the vampire to be anywhere near her.

"I merely called you by your title, my lady." he said taking another step closer. "Though does this mean that you have not been told the truth about yourself?" he asked as he still held out his hand. "The reason you can mold water and ice to your will, why you can near communicate with the water in the very air." he said as he saw a faint faulter in the water defending Ame. He almost had her all he had to do was a little more and he would be able to fulfill his masters greatest wish. "I can take you to my master, a wise man who can help you be who you were meant to be." he said as he took another step closer but before Ame could say or do anything the vampire was struck with a katana like blade from behind through the chest then cut in half as the body turned to dust.

When Ame looked to see who had done it, it was to see a male with blond slightly spiked hair and the most amazing blue eyes she had ever seen. But before she could say anything he spoke in an order. "Lower the water, Ame." he said in a low tone.

"Why should I? How do you know my name? How do I know I can trust you?" she asked as the water moved at a strong current once more around her.

"I just saved you from that vampire, show some gratitude." he said as he glanced around. "Now drop the water, we have to move before more show up!" he said as Ame hesitantly returned the water to the lake only for the man to walk closer and grab her small wrist and start to drag her along behind him.

"H-hey!" Ame said as she was being dragged. "What is going on!" she asked as she looked up at the man who was dragging her as this felt oddly familiar to her for some reason.

"It is time for you to awaken from the dream within a dream that you have been in for the last six years." he said. "And others know it as well, so now vampires will be coming after you, meaning that it is time to move you to another safe point, the place you were at originally before some found you even there." he said as he picked up his pace.

"Wake from a dream within a dream? What are you talking about!" Ame demanded as she tried to pull her wrist free only for the man to tighten his grip. "Ow! That hurts!" she complained as he ignored her.

"It will be explained when we get you back to where you have been kept safe for the last six years, but then we will be leaving from there to get you to safety once again." he said. "Now be quiet so I can hear better if there might be any following us." he ordered as Ame was silent for the rest of the light jog to the house.

Thirty minutes later, Ame and the unknown man approached the house as another with light brown almost sandy hair rushed over to meet them and fell into step behind Ame as the other continued to drag her. "It is good that we decided to move up moving her the new location." the one dragging her said. "Is all of her stuff gathered and ready, Kaien?" he asked as they stepped up onto the poarch only to open the door.

"Yes." the other that was named Kaien said as the one holding Ame's wrist shoved her into the house and then followed her in along with Kaien as the one who shoved Ame shut the door behind them.

Just as Ame was about to try yet again to demand what was going on, she heard her mother from the stairs. "This is the last of her things in this bag." she said stepping into view as she no longer wore the casual attire Ame had grown used to seeing her mother in. "You better get going." she said handing the bag to Kaien as Ame rushed toward Misaki and grabbed her wrist.

"Mom! What is going on? Who are these men? Why are they talking about taking me away from you?" Ame asked in a frantic pleading tone since she did not want to leave her mother, especially not with a couple of men who she had never met before.

But Misaki had made up her mind, and she yanked her arm forcefully from the creature that she had pretended to care for. "I am not your mother, so never call me that should we cross paths again, _**vampire**_!" Misaki said in disgust as she looked back at Ame with a hard look on her face as Ame gave her one of pure confusion.

"B...but..." Ame said as she felt that her whole life was being thrown into chaos. In near desperation she cried out. "I am **not** a vampire! You know I am not!" she said as Misaki gave her a look of disgust.

"You are the purest example of why I hate vampires. You have surely realized the truth. I know what you do up at the lake when you go there, you use abilities that no human would ever have, not even a hunter." she said in a disgusted tone. "That and how you are sensitive to the light of the sun, you prefer the night, the time of the vampire." Misaki said with even more disgust in her voice, which caused Ame to flinch and step back a little with each word. "But you still doubt it?" Misaki asked as Ame nodded with tears in her eyes. "Then I guess the best proof is in your sickening lust for blood." she said drawing out a section of very fine silver colored wire as she held one end in her mouth between her teeth, the other in her left hand as she quickly moved her right hand along the wire, slicing open her palm as blood came to the surface.

Ame tensed as the scent of the blood flooded over her. She felt her throat tighten and start to even burn as she felt beyond parched while here entire body tensed as she went rigid as she felt something weird in her mouth. Like her teeth were changing, lengthening. She wanted it, even more so as she saw blood drip in near slow motion from Misaki's closed palm, but before she could move Kaien stepped forward and grabbed Ame to keep her from attacking since it was obvious being given only blood tablets that the sight of real blood she was like a starved animal. But Misaki ignored that as she held up a mirror for Ame to see herself.

In that moment Ame was still as she saw what she really was staring back at her. Her eyes a deep crimson with a lust she did not even know she had harbored, fangs protruding from her mouth...she really was the creature she had read about at times over the last six years. A vampire.

Though soon Ame was pulled from her thoughts as she heard Misaki speak again. "Proof that you are nothing more than a beast." she said in utter disgust before looking to Kaien and the other. "Take her away, I never want to see this damned beast again." she said as Ame was pulled along by Kaien out of the house as the other followed behind them, shutting the door as Ame looked back, seeing Misaki for the last time. Once she could no longer smell the blood as much, when they were down close to the end of the path walking away from the house, did her vampire senses calm so that her eyes were no longer crimson.

Not long after, they reached the end of the trail to see a car sitting there waiting. "Get in!" the male with blonde hair ordered as he got into the driver seat while Kaien opened the door for Ame.

"Ladies first." he said in a kind voice, something that Ame felt she did not deserve to hear after the bit with her...with Misaki. But Ame did as she was told and slid into the car to the far side only to find the door was locked so that she could not make a run for it, almost like the two men had anticipated that she might consider trying. But not even two seconds later Kaien got in and put the bag on the floor board between him and Ame as he shut the door and spoke. "Go!" he said to the one in the front as the car's ignition roared to life before the one in the driver seat floored it as the began to speed away from the only place that Ame had ever known.

Though even as the trees flew by due to how fast the man in the front was driving, the one in the back seat with her, Kaien, spoke to her in a concerned but kind tone. "I am sure this is shocking, Ame. But for your own safety, I am going to need you to drink this, something I am sure you are familiar with." he said holding out a water bottle that had the familiar red liquid in it.

"Not until you tell me what that is. Since moth...Misaki told me it was supposed to be medicine but now that the truth has come out, I assume it is not as she claimed." Ame said as she looked at Kaien, hurt and betrayal reflected in her clear cerulean eyes as she looked at him.

He shook his head at her. "It is not. It is actually water turned into a blood substitute for vampires, like yourself. With the use of an invention called a blood tablet." he said holding it out but Ame still made no move to take it. "I know you are upset, but I am sure the thirst is still effecting you since it was a sense long held in check. So once you drink this it will calm you and help you." he said as he smiled when Ame reached out and accepted the bottle from him only to seconds later remove the lid and start to drink it.

After a moment she lowered it as she looked down at the half empty bottle with a sad look. "You know, I never really realized before, but the taste...it's almost sweet." she said before a single tear fell down her pale face. "But I guess that because I savor the taste of such a thing, even if it is a substitute that I am nothing but a beast..." she said in a sad tone as she fought back more tears.

"Ame." Kaien said in a caring tone to draw the young vampire's attention. "You have never harmed another living thing." he said as neither noticed the man in the front seemed to shake his head ever so slightly as Kaien continued. "The ones who attack humans, they are the beasts. They are the reason that humans fear vampires usually." Kaien said. "Though with you, you are a different kind of vampire." he said as Ame looked at him in confusion as he soon continued sensing what her question was. "You are different because it is obvious you are not a former human vampire. You display skills of a aristrocrat vampire, but there is something different about you." he said.

"What are the different classes?" Ame asked.

Kaien thought for a second before speaking again to answer her. "There are level E vampires, that are fallen former human vampires that have lost all of their humanity and just savagely hunt for human blood. Then there are average vampires that hold no abilities at all. Then there are aristrocrats that make up the senate, the governing body of the vampire society. But above even them, is the pure bloods. They are rare, and the strongest of vampires." Kaien said before the man in the front interrupted.

"That is enough of a lesson on what she is." he said coldly. "She will learn more in due time since I am sure that she will be taught the basics once we get her to the new safe location." he said as there was silence in the car while Ame idly sipped at the substance in the bottle she was still holding.

It was nightfall of the following day when Ame woke again after falling asleep near dawn. But it soon became apparent that they were nearing their location as the car was slowing down, so she shifted in her seat to glance out the window to see her new surroundings. Though even as she was looking out the window on her side she could feel the watchful eyes of Kaien on her, but she did her best to ignore it.

Soon the car pulled up to the bottom of a large staircase as the man in the front spoke. "Get going, get her to your house and quick. Do not stop!" he said as Kaien nodded and grabbed Ame's bag and got out only to hold out his hand to her as she slid out but did not place her hand in his since she saw no need to do so since she was just and average girl...well average vampire.

She glanced around seeing that at the top of the stairs was a archway with some symbol on it as she did not get to think on it long before Kaien grabbed her hand and started to lead slightly pull her up the stairs toward the archway as the car was drove away by the other man. Ame looked back toward where she was being led as soon they reached the top of the stairs as she saw the design above the arch was a a crescent moon with a design around it. "Um...where are we?" she asked as they walked through the archway but Kaien did not slow down.

"We are at Cross Academy." Kaien said as he picked up his pace. "The night class is in session right now, so it is best to get you to my house on the grounds." he said as soon enough they reached a modest house nestled on the grounds of the school. Though as he was leading her up to the door Ame stopped and looked around in confusion as her hand slipped from Kaien's only for her to turn and look back at where they had just come from as she looked as though she was in a daze.

"I..." she said as suddenly a scene unfolded before her eyes. Her as a young child venturing out of the house only to be attacked by a vampire before Misaki intervened and took Ame back inside.

"What is it, Ame?" Kaien asked stepping back over by her.

"I have been here before...haven't I?" she asked looking up at Kaien as she had a scared look on her face. "Last night...it wasn't the first time that another vampire has attacked me. One attacked me here six years ago..." she said in a low tone.

Kaien gave her a worried look as he nodded at her. "Yes, six years ago you were left here in my care. But after that one vampire found you here, I sent you away with Misaki for your own protection since you had to be kept safe." Kaien said as Ame gave him a confused look.

"But why? Why did I need to be kept safe? Did I do something before I was left here?" she asked in a panic. "I cannot remember!" she said only for Kaien to pull her close into a hug as Ame started to cry. "Why are other vampires after me...the one last night even said that he was to deliver me to his master..." she said in a low tone as she cried. She continued to cry even as Kaien led her into the house and shut the door behind them.


	7. Chapter Six: Meeting the Pureblood

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Six: Meeting the Pureblood**

Ame followed Kaien as he led her into the house only to lead her up to the second floor and going to the far door at the end of the hall on the left only to open the door for her and smile at her while he held the door open. "This will be your room while you stay here, Ame." he said in a kind voice but his smile faltered when he saw the sad look on Ame's face.

"There is no need for you to force yourself to be kind to me, Kaien." she said in a empty voice but there was a faint hint of sadness in it. "Since from what you said, my stay here will be temporary so there is no reason for you to go out of your way to be kind to me." she said as she went to walk past Kaien into the room only for him to put his arm out stopping her.

"Does this have to do with how things happened with Misaki before my friend and I brought you here?" he asked as Ame nodded, but her face was angled down so that her hair hid her eyes but that did not stop Kaien from noticing the trail from the single tear that fell from Ame's right eye. "Ame, I am not forcing myself to be kind to you. I actually am one of few humans who wish for vampires and humans to live in harmony with one another, to put an end to the bloodshed between our two species." he said as Ame looked up at him as tears were still evident in her cerulean eyes.

"Is that even possible?" Ame asked granted she did not know the history between humans and vampires. "The way that mot...Misaki spoke it will never be possible to erase what has happened between vampires and humans." she said in a sad tone as Kaien gave her a sad look.

_'Misaki over did it with pushing her away. She now wants no one close to her.'_ he thought with a sad tone as he could tell just by looking into Ame's eyes that she had already built a wall around herself to keep others out. Though he soon shook his head as he realized she was still waiting for him to speak. "Some see it that way, but there are a very few from both vampires and humans that wish to coexist. And you will be meeting some of them when you are moved to the dorm."

"Dorm?" Ame repeated in confusion as she tilted her head to the side slightly.

"Yes, you will be entered as a student of the night class once things are finalized." Kaien said even though she had been entered to be a student since the morning that Satsu had left her with him six years before.

"I...see..." she said looking away only for Kaien to lower his arm to allow her entrance into her temporary room. So Ame stepped into the room and looked around to see a simple double bed over in the corner with a light blanket on it along with a desk across the room, a small dresser not far from the desk. Then there was a night stand beside the bed on the side not against the wall. Soon after glancing around she glanced to the window to realize that the material that hung there was heavy and thick. "To block the sun?" she asked as she looked toward Kaien and he nodded. Ame went to the bed and sat her single bag down on the bed before she looked back to Kaien. "About how long will I be staying as your guest?" she asked.

"Just until you are sworn in as a member of the night class, then all that you will need to do is meet the pureblood in charge of the class and then he will determine when to move you." Kaien said before he looked like he suddenly remembered something. "Oh! And while you are in this school, you will have to use these for your hunger for blood." he said pulling out a small container with a crest on it that matched the crest she had seen on the archway when they had entered the grounds. He walked over and handed the small case to Ame as she opened it to see that it was several small tablets. "Blood tablets, the same thing that was given to you over the last six years." he said as he caught the look of disgust on Ame's face. Something he guessed was partly due to how she had been kept in the dark only to find out that she was being kept under control by use of blood tablets without her knowing.

"I suppose that is fair enough..." she said as she tossed the container onto the bed beside her bag. "Is there anything else?" she asked in an off hand type of tone.

"Just one thing." Kaien said in a calm tone before he took on the look of what Ame thought was a complete crazy man with how wide his grin was. "I want to introduce you to my daughter and son!" he said in a happy tone. "They are going to be guardians of the academy when class starts up soon." he said in a happy tone.

"I'll pass!" Ame said since she was not much of a people person.

"But!" Kaien said in a voice that sounded near childish. "It is for the better that you get to know them! My darling Yuki is such a nice young girl, and Zero...well he is sometimes something different with how he is very moody." Kaien said as Ame sighed.

"If I meet them, will you leave me be until I am ready to?" she asked giving Kaien a bit of an annoyed look as her eyes took on a faint crimson look due to how she had grown used to having blood tablets at certain times but she had missed a few doses of them so she was a little on edge.

"Yes. Though before I go, you need to take at least one of the tablets to calm yourself. You have been through a traumatic ordeal and you have not had any since we moved you from the safe house." he said as Ame scoffed at him slightly only to go over and open the container and grab out one tablet and pop it into her mouth as she swallowed only to start to feel calmer. "Alright." Kaien said as there was a hint of relief in his voice. "I will leave you alone, but until you are moved again you will need to stay inside." he said before he turned and left the room shutting the door, sending Ame into complete darkness.

Ame had gone to bed somewhat early that night since she had not wished to think on what had happened, only for her to have a strange dream of a woman with long white hair and soft red eyes but that were full of sadness. She was speaking as tears fell down her face onto Ame's face as she was looking up at the woman. She was very beautiful as she wore a light blue yukata that accented her pale skin as she smiled sadly at Ame.

_"My precious, Ame. I am sorry that choices have been made for you and not left for you to make for yourself. Know that each choice that all of us have made was out of love for you." The woman said in a gentle tone as she was all but petting Ame's head by resting a pale hand ont he top of Ame's hair only to bring her hand down the length of Ame's long hair._

_"What do you mean? Who are you?" Ame asked as she looked up at the woman in curiosity but she just gave her a sad look. "Why are you sad?" Ame asked._

_But the woman merely shook her head only for her lips to move but no words came from them..._

Ame woke with a start as she sat up gasping for breath as she glanced around frantically due to how she could have sworn she felt another presence in the room just then. Though as her bright eyes scanned the room there was no sign of anyone having been in there. Once Ame was convinced that she was alone, she brought her right hand up to her forehead and rested it against her palm. _'Who was that woman...'_ she thought to herself as she had the odd feeling that she had seen her somewhere before.

After a few more minutes of sitting there, Ame threw off the blanket revealing her white knee length night dress that hung loose on her small figure, almost matching her pale skin. Soon she moved her legs so they were over the edge of the bed as she shook her head feeling beyond shaken as though someone had been calling to her. _'It was just a dream...'_ she thought as she shifted and planted her pale feet on the soft dark carpet in the room and walked over to the desk where she had left the blood tablets. She opened the container and got one out only to add it to a glass of water, that she guessed that Kaien had brought in for her, and waited for it to dissolve before she brought the glass up to her lips and went to drink it before she thought of how the tablets had been used to control her for six years. A thought that resulted in her throwing the glass across the room as it shattered upon contact with the wall, staining the wall and carpet with the fake blood.

By the end of the second night, Ame felt that her want for blood was growing but she refused to take the blood tablets since to her they were a means for people to control her. That and it seemed her hunger had been a trigger for the dream she had, and deep down she had wished to see that woman again, to try and find out who she was. So Ame remained locked in her dark room, even resorting to pacing to keep her mind off of her want for blood. It was not until she fell asleep around dawn that she was at peace in her thoughts as she had a dream of a happy scene.

_Ame was a small child, maybe around five running around the garden outside of a large estate house. Flowers of every color were around her as she played before she saw the woman once again walking toward her. She felt beyond happy as she ran over toward her as the woman knelt down with her arms open to Ame as she ran into the hug. The two remained like that for a long time, as Ame wished it would go on forever. For her to be able to know a loving touch..._

Ame woke about an hour before sunset only to find a very disappointed Kaien sitting in a chair beside her bed. She rolled over to her side so her back was to him but he reached out putting a hand on her shoulder. "I know you have not taken a blood tablet in a few days, either you take one or I will have to make you so that you do not push your limit." he said in a tone that was serious as Ame looked back toward him with a crimson glare as she sat up.

"Why should I keep taking them!" she snapped. "For six years they were used to keep me under control, but I was never given a choice in taking them! They were **forced** on me!" Ame said as she bared her fangs at Kaien.

"Ame, they are meant to help you supress your hunger nothing more. I would never use that to control you because you are your own person." he said as he held out a hand with a single blood tablet. "Take it and then I wish to talk to you about the dreams you have been having." he said as Ame gave him a shocked look but reluctantly she reached out and took the blood tablet from Kaien's hand and put it in her mouth only to swallow a second later.

Ame felt herself calm almost instantly since her hunger was held off yet again for the time being, but only barely since for some reason she was starting to crave something more. "What do you want to talk about them for?" she asked looking toward Kaien as she soon stood from her bed and went over to the window and shifted the curtain to peek out at the setting sun as Kaien lit a candle for his own use since Ame could see in the dark. When he was silent she let the curtain fall back closed as she looked toward him with a curious look.

"I was wondering if they are the reason that you have been starving yourself. Because you took the tablet willingly the other night but last night I heard the glass shatter and when I looked in this morning I saw the broken glass and the stains from the substitute blood on the wall and the carpet." he said in a serious tone.

"No, it is because I feel that the only reason I was given the tablets to begin with was a way for me to be controled since I was still young and I guess that made me a dangerous vampire to where Misaki thought it necessary to give me the tablets in secret to control me." she said in a hurt tone.

"I am sure she did not use them for that reason. She was just doing what she thought was for the best. Because to insure you remained safe, we had to make it appear you were a human since other vampires were after you." Kaien said as he could tell from just looking at Ame as she turned to look at him, that she was wishing to know more on what was going on so he spoke again. "But sadly we do not know why they were hunting you." he said as Ame nodded in understanding. "Though, about the dreams you have been having..."

"They are nothing." Ame said looking away from Kaien not sure if she should share anything about the woman she had seen in two of her dreams now.

"I find that a bit hard to believe, Ame. Because when I first came in here you looked beyond happy where as last night you looked troubled." he said in a worried tone watching Ame closely.

"It was nothing. Just dreams of my time with Misaki." she said even though she knew full well that the woman in her dreams was not Misaki.

Though it seemed that Kaien knew or at least suspected that he was not going to get the truth out of Ame about the dreams so he stood from the chair. "I see." he said as he started toward the door. "Please stay on the blood tablets, and I expect that you will be ready to meet my son and daughter tomorrow night?" he asked as Ame nodded absently figuring the sooner she got it over with, the better. "Great!" Kaien said in his cheerful tone that made Ame wonder if the man was bipolar with how one second he was calm near somber but then the next second he was like a hyperactive child.

The next evening as night fell, Ame changed out of her night dress into a casual knee length light blue dress that matched her eyes, and white slipper like shoes that slipped easily onto her feet. She used the single candle for light that Kaien had left for her as she stood before a mirror that he had brought in the night before right before she had gone to bed saying that way she could brush her hair that was a bit of a mess since she had not bothered to really brush it out since she was brought here. So she picked up her brush that lay on the desk and then went to start brushing her long white hair only to while she was looking in the mirror see the image of the woman from her dreams standing over her shoulder.

Ame turned and looked around almost frantically only to see that no one was there. She turned back to the mirror as she continued to brush out her hair and then pull the sides back so that the front hung about and slightly in her face and eyes while the back hung down her back as she tied back the two sides into a small ponytail near the top of the back of her head. _'Like this...I almost look like that woman in my dreams, except she is far more beautiful than I am.'_ Ame thought to herself before she heard the door opening behind her as she turned to see Kaien there wearing what she thought was a very silly smile.

"Ready, Ame-chan?" he asked as Ame looked at him with a raised eye brow.

"Chan?" she asked in confusion.

"Yes. It's a way for one to address someone who they are fond of or a friend." he said before gesturing for her to come more over into the light since she was still mostly in the shadows. So Ame did so as Kaien gave her a shocked look only to make Ame feel uncomfortable.

"What? Why are you giving me that look?" she asked as he shook his head.

"Sorry, it's just that even the first time I saw you, you were dressed in what some vampires would classify as rags. But dressed like this you look more like a princess." he said before turning to head down the hall before Ame could say anything. "It is time for you to meet Zero and my darling Yuki." he said in a happy tone while Ame sighed and followed behind him.

The two walked in silence as Ame wondered what Zero and Yuki would be like since Kaien had only spoke of them as Yuki being a kind girl and Zero being moody. Sounded like his kids were just as opposite as their father's personality. Not surprising in Ame's opinion.

When they reached the edge of the living room, Kaien stopped and turned toward Ame. "I want you to wait right here until I tell you to come in. That way i can let them know you are out here and be ready to see you." he said as Ame was on guard almost instantly at hearing that he had to warn them of her despite how she had done as he said and taken a blood tablet earlier before he got her from her room.

"Alright." Ame said with a sigh as Kaien smiled before walking away, leaving Ame in the dark hall way as she leaned against the wall listening to the conversation taking place in the living room.

"What is it, headmaster?" a calm voice of a young man, who Ame assumed was Zero, asked not long after Kaien had gone into the room. "I thought you said that there was a new girl you wanted us to meet." he said in a near bored tone.

"I do want you to. But I figured it would be best I let you know she is not like some other students here." Kaien said in a slightly nervous tone.

"Is she part of the night class?" a girl, Ame assumed was Yuki, asked as she sounded far more gentle than Zero.

_'So how he described them was accurate from what I am able to gather from their voices...'_ Ame thought to herself as there was silence for a brief second.

"Yes." Kaien said as there was a faint sound as he cleared his throat and spoke. "Ame! Come in here please." he said as Ame leaned away from the wall and walked over to the edge of the door frame and took a deep breath before stepping so she was in the door way looking toward Kaien before she looked toward a young girl with short cut brown hair and large brown eyes. She looked very kind, and very innocent. Ame even took note of the black uniform the girl was wearing that was was a fitting top and a black skirt, knee high black stockings and brown boots that laced up. Soon Ame looked from the girl to the boy only to see he had beautiful silver hair that hung in his face and in his violet eyes that were wide at the moment staring at her.

_'She...she is no normal vampire!'_ Zero thought in a near panic at seeing the young girl who was except for her eyes a near younger mirror of the woman who had attacked and killed his family and hurt him. Without any further thought Zero slipped his hand into the pocket on the inside of his shirt and drew out his Bloody Rose and aimed it right at the girl who looked unphased as she gave him the neutral look to rival the one of that woman.

While Ame gave him a neutral look Yuki had rushed to get between Zero and Ame as Kaien went to go at Zero but they were to late. The Bloody Rose went off as a symbol appeared but where Zero had been aiming there was nothing but a blasted away part of the door frame where Ame had been standing as he rushed to look around only to see Ame had moved over near the fire place. "Die you vampire!" Zero said as he went to turn his gun on Ame again but Yuki grabbed got between the two and Kaien grabbed the Bloody Rose away from Zero.

"You cannot just go shooting at her because she is part of the night class, Zero!" Yuki scolded Zero before she turned while Kaien took Zero from the room to talk to him. "I am sorry about how Zero acted, I don't know what got him so worked up. He tends to not like vampires but I have never seen him aim to attack one like that." she said as Ame shook her head.

"I am used to it." she said since Zero's words and actions reminded her of the last time she had seen Misaki. "He obviously harbors a deep hatred for vampires, and because I am one he sees it as that is all I am without bothering to give me a chance." Ame said as she closed her eyes. "This was a mistake for Kaien to try and introduce me to you and Zero." Ame said as she walked around Yuki only for her to run after her but Ame was already up the stairs and going into her room shutting the door, a universal sign that she wished to be alone.

A few hours later, Ame left her room and headed to where she guessed Kaien's room to talk to him about the events earlier. Without knocking she opened the door and walked in to see Kaien standing by the window looking out at the night sky. "I was starting to wonder when you would come out, Ame." he said as Ame was happy he had dropped the 'chan' from her name since right now was no joking matter.

She walked over to the couch in the room as she sat down and looked toward Kaien. "I want the truth." she said in a stern tone. "What was that gun that Zero tried to shoot me with? Why did he show instant hatred for me when he only just met me?" Ame asked. "Because looking into his eyes, I got the feeling that there is more to it than just a hatred of vampires." she said as she kept her eyes on Kaien as he turned and walked away from the window to sit in an arm chair to her right.

"I will answer your questions as best I can in the order you asked them." he said as he sat down. "First off, the gun that Zero tried to shoot you with, is known as the Bloody Rose. It is an anti vampire gun and as such it is meant to harm or kill vampires in a single or sometimes few shots depending on the accuracy of the one firing the gun." Kaien said figuring a simple answer would justify. "Before you ask, I allow Zero to carry it for a just incase for if anyone from the night class should try anything to harm anyone, or if a Level E should be nearby so that he may handle it without the risk of anything going wrong, as it is also a birth right for him to have a anti vampire weapon since Zero is from a family of vampire hunters."

"That would have been nice to know!" Ame snapped since had she known that one of the two she was being introduced to was a vampire hunter like the woman who had pretended to be her mother she would have not bothered to meet with Zero.

"I did not think that he would react in such a way. Because he is not one to do so unless he feels very threatened since he does not attack the night class without justified reason. At least he is not supposed to." Kaien said in a thoughtful tone.

Ame merely nodded as she thought over what Kaien said as she decided to hold off on her new question until he was done answering the other one she had asked.

"As to your question about his hatred toward you...I believe it is from how his family was attacked by a vampire four years ago. An attack that only he survived." Kaien said not going into details as Ame looked down in understanding.

So he had been orphaned by a vampire that had killed his family. No wonder he hated vampires so much. The hatred she had seen in his eyes...it had been a deep hatred that looked like he had been nursing it ever since that event had happened. Though with that in mind, Ame decided to forget about the last question she was going to ask as she stood as she spoke. "Thank you for answering my questions, Kaien. But now I need to go have a talk with Zero." she said as she went to head toward the door only to hear Kaien stand abruptly.

"A-Ame! But that would just be fanning the fire at this point!" he said in a borderline frantic tone.

"Maybe it will, but there is something I wish to talk to him about." she said as she had gotten an odd feeling from Zero that she wished to confront him on. Mainly due to how she had a feeling his hatred went much..._**much**_ deeper than Kaien had been saying. So with that Ame walked out of Kaien's room and shut the door behind herself before she headed to the room down the hall right at the top of the stairs.

Once again, without knocking she opened the door only to see Zero stand from his bed and aim his Bloody Rose at her once again as she stepped into the room and shut the door since he had the light on at the momnet so it was beyond easy for the two to see one another.

"What do you want, vampire?" he asked in a low tone full of hatred as he held the Bloody Rose steady.

"I wanted to ask you why you hate me so much when I am not the vampire that changed you." Ame said bluntly only for Zero to fire a shot at her that made her hair by her right shoulder shift but she remained where she was.

"How do you know?" Zero asked as his eyes hardened even more as he clenched his teeth as Ame could see his fangs were there but not that pronounced at the moment. "Did the headmaster tell you?" he asked in a low tone.

"No. All he told me was that a vampire attacked and killed your family but that you survived." she said calmly. "But I guess you could say it was intuition that you are a vampire too but we are different. Because from what I gather you used to be human." she said as Zero glared even harder at her.

"And with you, you were born one of those disgusting beasts!" he said as Ame smirked.

"Do you call me a disgusting beast in an attempt to provoke me so that you have a justification to kill me, Zero?" she asked giving Zero a neutral look but that had authority behind it. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I am used to being called a beast in human form. Though you should learn to accept that you now are one too." she said before she turned and opened the door before walking out and shutting the door behind her before heading back to her own room.

Ame had gone to bed around dawn since she had been worked up after the encounter with Zero since how he looked at her the whole time during the encounter had unnerved her. It was as though he saw someone else within her, but how was that? Surely it couldn't be anyone she might be related to, or could it have been? She had no memory of having a family, but they had to be vampires since from what Kaien had told her she was a vampire but just of unknown origins, and it would have been known if she were a former human vampire like Zero.

_'I am thinking to much into this! Why should it matter if he sees someone else when he looks at me? It's not like even if I said anything further to him or even asked him who he thought he saw in me that he would answer. He is just like Misaki...'_ Ame thought as she changed into her night dress and fell onto her bed as a few tears fell down her face. _'But if he would tell me...then maybe I would be able to find out who I really am...'_ she thought as she soon drifted off into sleep.

_Ame walked behind a man wearing a black trench coat as he was leading her through the trees. But she was no more than six years old as she glanced around laughing and pointing at different things, more so when she saw a firefly as she ran over to it to look closer at it. "Look! Isn't it pretty?" she asked as she was knelt by where it had landed near the bottom of a tree trunk. "Don't you agree Atu?" she asked in a innocent voice as the man walked over closer to her and knelt down as she saw he had blonde spiked hair but his eyes were cast in shadow._

_"Yes, though do you know what that one is called, Ame?" he asked in a gentle tone._

_Ame looked back at the firefly as she blinked a few times while deep in thought before she looked back at Atu. "A light bug!" she said with a laugh as Atu gave her a surprised look before chuckling at her and resting his slightly tanned hand on her head._

_"Not quite. It is a firefly. They light up the nights during late spring through mid fall." he said as Ame laughed._

_"But why not all year? They are so pretty so they would look very pretty lighting up a snowy night in the winter." she said as Atu chuckled yet again._

_"That may be, but the winter is far to cold for them." Atu said before he stood and held out a hand that Ame took and stood before she hugged Atu's leg..._

Ame woke with a start gasping for breath as she sat up and rested her hand on her head slowly calming herself only to look toward the blood tablets on the desk only to figure going without them for the rest of the day would be fine. She would just take one after she woke from sleeping more toward dusk. Though after a second she shifted and stood from her bed as she walked over to the window to peek out to see it was only around noon as she let the curtain fall back into place because it was far to bright out for one like her who was used to the darkness. _'Guess I should go back to sleep for a few more hours.'_ she thought as she was tired. So she walked over to her bed and laid back down and pulled the blanket up onto herself before letting her head rest on the pillow as she soon drifted off to sleep.

Three days later Ame was pacing around her room shortly after dusk as she felt like her throat was burning due to how she had been denying her hunger in desperation to see the calm dreams involving the man with blonde hair. He was so gentle, and even if it was only a dream, she wished to hold to any kindness she could get since she was not willing to accept it when she was awake due to how she thought any who acted kind to her had alterior motives like Misaki. But as such, Kaien had come in only for Ame to yell at him to leave due to how sensing his blood so close had made her want blood more than ever but she had contained her hunger long enough for him to leave the room. But through the door he yelled for her to take a blood tablet or at least half of one to calm herself a bit since she was to have company in the next hour.

She was not sure who it could be so she merely dressed in a pure white dress she had and the shoes she had worn the other night when she had met Zero and Yuki. However she refused to touch the blood tablets since she figured if she did then they would calm her so that she would not see that man again until she deprived herself for a short while again.

Within the hour there was a light knock on the door as Kaien's voice sounded from the other side. "Ame? The guest I mentioned to you is here." he said before the door opened and Ame looked toward the figure in the dark since she had not bothered to use the candles that Kaien had placed in her room to help her adjust to the light gradually as she woke. But within a second the light in the room was turned on and Ame closed her eyes due to the sudden shock before she slowly opened them as her vision was blurry for a brief second before clearing as she looked toward the male at the door. He was much taller than her since she could tell even from the other side of the room she only came up to his chest at most. He had brown hair that was well kept but it fell into his brown eyes that had a red like tint to them. He wore a uniform identical to the one she had seen Zero wearing, except the colors were inverted except the shoes were the same deep brown. "This is Kaname Kuran." Kaien said only for Kaname to speak.

"Headmaster, I think it would be best if Ame and I spoke just the two of us." he said in a calm voice that seemed to hold wisdom beyond his years from what Ame could tell. "If that is alright with you." he said as he even seemed to be refined in manners as well as how he seemed to carry himself it was as though he were of royalty.

"Of course. I will be downstairs if you need anything." Kaien said before he shut the door leaving Ame and Kaname alone.

"I see that you have not done as you were instructed before I came by." Kaname said in a gentle tone but it also had a hint of authority to it. "You should take a blood tablet to calm your hunger so that we can talk." he said only for Ame to scoff at him.

"Why should I? I do not like taking them." she said crossing her arms over her stomach as she looked toward him with a defiant look in her eyes.

"I would rather not order you to, but I will if need be." he said giving Ame a stern look.

"Fine." she said not really wanting to argue as she walked over to the desk and picked up one of the tablets and put it in her mouth and swallowed feeling herself calm a bit almost instantly. "Though why did Kaien want you to talk to me?" she asked looking back toward Kaname as he was still standing in the same place.

Though a second later he smiled ever so slightly where it was almost unnoticable. "It is because he thought it best for me to tell you when you will be moved into the Moon Dorm with the other vampires in attendance at this academy." Kaname said as he walked over to the desk near Ame and looked her over as she felt nervous and adverted her eyes from him. "But there is something different about you compared to the other vampires." he said in a low tone as Ame looked back up at him as he was curious as to why she was not showing signs of respect or fear toward him.

"I know, Kaien already told me that while I am a vampire, there is no telling which class of vampire I fit in besides that I am not a former human vampire or anything lower." she said casually.

"And your last name is Hoshi?"

"Yeah...I guess it is." Ame said looking away as she heard shifting only to look and see Kaname sat in the chair before the desk while looking at her with a unreadable expression but she caught the hint that he wanted to know why she answered that way. "I only recently found out that is apparently my last name since for the last six years I was going by the name of Ame Kuren since the woman I believed to be my mother had that last name." she explained.

"So you were raised by Misaki Kuren, a hunter?" Kaname asked casually.

"Yes. But she never told me until the night I was taken away from her by Kaien and another man that I was a vampire and not her real daughter." Ame explained.

"Well that is in the past. For now we need to focus on getting you ready to enter the night class. I am sure once you move into the moon dorm tomorrow night-"

"Tomorrow? That soon?" Ame interrupted Kaname in shock.

"Yes, the sooner the better. I would ask the headmaster for you to be moved tonight but I figure that right now it is best that tonight you remain here and then tomorrow night at dusk we handle you taking the oath to enter the night class. Then you will be escorted to the Moon Dorm where you will meet the rest of the night class." Kaname explained. "And I am sure that once there you will come to better understand your true self and maybe find some truths about yourself." he said calmly before he stood. "Though for now," he reached into his jacket and pulled out a few papers, "this is the oath so I suggest you spend tonight reading over it and also familiarizing yourself with the rules for the night class." he said as he handed the papers to Ame before he turned and walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Ame looked down at the papers that had been handed to her as she knew that this meant that once again her life was going to change. But this time she would be moved from the care of humans into the care of those who were like her. She would for the first time in her known life be living amoung her own kind. Amoung vampires. She gripped the papers tight to her chest as she wondered if she was ready to live amoung them and learn to be one.


	8. Chapter Seven: Moon Dorm

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Seven: Moon Dorm**

After leaving Ame's room, Kaname had closed the door and glanced back at it for a brief second before he headed down the hall to where Kaien's room was and knocked lightly. "It is me, headmaster." Kaname said briefly before opening the door and letting himself in and shutting the door behind himself.

"Ah, Kaname." Kaien said from where he was sitting behind his desk. "I take it your talk with her went well?" Kaien asked with a cheerful smile but it fell within a few seconds of him seeing the somber look on Kaname's face. "What is it?"

Kaname walked over and sat on the couch letting a faint almost unnoticeable sigh escape his lips as his fangs could be faintly seen. "I doubt that I have to say it since I am sure that you of all people know what that girl is." He said looking toward the headmaster only for him to nod. "Then you know that now it is to be a rush to get her moved to the moon dorm as soon as possible and insure that she is even safe to have at this academy." Kaname said in a matter of fact tone. "More so because I can already guess that Zero did not take kindly to her." He said turning his full gaze to the headmaster.

Kaien reached up taking off his glasses as he got out a small cloth from his pocket before starting to clean his glasses as he spoke. "You are right. I had my suspicions but I thought that Zero would not react in such a way." He admitted as he placed his glasses back on. "Mainly due to how Ame is just a child." He said.

Kaname shook his head. "She may be a child but she is very dangerous at the moment." He said as he stood. "She has been refusing blood tablets and only took one while I was in her room speaking to her so she is calm and tame for the time being." Kaname paused as he walked over to the desk and rested his hands on the smooth wood. "I plan to move her to the dorm tonight. So wake her early and I will be by shortly before dusk for her to take her oath and then I will take her with me." Kaname said as Kaien nodded.

"Of course. And I take it she will from that moment on be under your care?" Kaien asked as Kaname gave him a look that confirmed it. "Though you do understand that she has never in her known memory lived around other vampires so she may not fit in to easily at first." Kaien said but Kaname shook his head.

"She will learn to fit in so that is of no concern at the moment. For the time being she needs to be put back into the world she was born into and taught to be a vampire." Kaname said before he leaned back so he was standing up straight as he turned his back. "I will see you at dusk, headmaster." He said before he walked out of the room and shut the door behind himself again as he stole a glance toward the end of the hall to the door where the young vampire lived. 'I wonder how long it will be until she fully awakens…' he thought to himself as he turned his back to that part of the hall only to start walking toward the stairs to leave the house. He knew he would need to speak to the other night class students about the new transfer student so that they would even if only vaguely understand her situation. Though he knew there was no need for anyone to fully know it, especially since the girl did not know it herself.

_Ame was running through the dark as she felt beyond frightened before she came to a room only to see the man with the spiked blonde hair sitting before a small fireplace reading a book of some kind. "Atu!" Ame cried as she ran over to him and climbed up onto his chair as he sat the book to the side and turned his full attention to the child._

"_What is wrong?" he asked in a worried tone as his face was still obstructed by shadows but Ame could feel he was looking toward her._

"_I saw the scary vampire in my dreams again then I woke and my throat was burning." She said in a terrified tone as Atu gave her a worried look before pulling out a knife from inside of his trench coat. "Atu…?" Ame asked in a confused tone._

"_I know that giving you some of my blood will calm the sadness in you, but you are not to use your fangs, but just drink the blood from this cut until I tell you to stop." He said in a stern tone as Ame nodded at him as he cut open his palm and offered it to the small Ame as the sight and smell of the blood flooded her other senses._

_It smelt sweet, but also full of harshness, like a fire. But as the blood came to the surface she reached out and caught his hand in her small pale ones and pulled his hand closer as crimson overtook her eyes. "Atu…blood…" she whispered as she started to lick at the blood on his palm being careful to not let her small fangs pierce him since it was part of the agreement for him to feed her in such a way. She felt the taste was bitter but at the same time it was something she craved above all else even though it was not enough to fully contain her hunger._

_This continued for several moments before Atu spoke. "That is enough for now, Ame." He said in a stern tone as she reluctantly let go of his hand and leaned back while she had blood from his hand on the lower part of her face. She did not seem to notice as Atu pulled out bandages from his pocket and wrapped them around his hand and then looked toward Ame with a smile. "You really are a messy when you feed." He said in a loving tone as he pulled out a torn cloth and used it to wipe away the blood from the lower part of her face. "There you go, all better?" he asked as she nodded at him with a smile. "Now, how about I tuck you back into bed so you can try to get a few more hours of sleep?" he asked as Ame nodded at him only for Atu to stand and cradle Ame close as she stifled a yawn only to already be asleep by the time he placed her down on the bed…_

Ame woke with a start around noon as she glanced around to see she was still alone in her room, but she was slightly shaken due to how the dreams seemed random, but at the same time it felt as though memories or something were returning to her. 'But I have never known anyone by the name of Atu…' she thought to herself as she sat up and drew her knees up to her chest only to rest her forehead behind her knees as she was feeling lost only for her feel even more lost, like what she knew was a lie.

'It is nothing but a lie!' a voice in her head screamed at her only for Ame to lean back abruptly and look around the room frantically. 'Everything around you has been a lie and yet you seem perfectly content to live in ignorance.' The voice said as Ame stood from her bed and glanced around to be sure there was no one else in the room.

"I had no idea I was living a lie until Kaien and that other man showed up…" Ame whispered to herself. "I had no idea that I was really a vampire and not a human." She whispered only to hear the voice speak again in a skeptical tone.

'How could you not know? Because you were tamed by that woman who revealed her true colors of actually being one to hate you instead of being what she pretended to be?'

"No! Misaki…" Ame trailed off as she now stood in the middle of her room glancing around with tear filled eyes.

'Lied to you?'

Ame stood in stunned silence for a moment before she sank to her knees as she hid her face in her hands trying to conceal from the world that she was in tears. "She did what she thought was for the best…" Ame whispered in a shaking tone.

'Oh? So lying to you and then doing that to you was for the best? How do you figure that?'

"I…I don't know…" Ame whispered feeling more and more broken as the seconds ticked by.

'Even with all of this, you still do not know the truth. Though if you seek out the vampires who have been trying to get close to you then maybe you will get the answers that dwell in the darkest depths of your heart.' The voice said in a smooth tone as Ame shook her head.

"NO! I will not do that! I will trust Kaname and those close to him and those who are showing me kindness right now!" Ame declared in a loud tone as she felt like something had left her as the door to her room was thrown open and there stood Kaien with a worried look on his face at the sight of Ame on the floor in her night dress with fresh tears on her face.

"Ame-chan!" Kaien said in a worried tone as he rushed over to her and knelt down beside her. "Are you alright?" he asked as he reached out resting his right hand on her left shoulder.

"Y-yeah…" Ame said in a shaking tone. "I just had a nightmare, nothing more." She said as the look on Kaien's face showed that he did not fully believe her, but the words he spoke showed he was going to take her word for it.

"Alright, though you know if you need to talk about your nightmares, you can talk to me." He said since he already had a suspicion on what it could be. All due to the talk that he and Satsu-kun had on their way to pick her up from the safe house.

"I know, and I appreciate it, Kaien." Ame said in a low tone before she looked to the side. "Though I think I am going to try and get a little more sleep before Kaname gets back since he told me last night that he would be back to get me." She said as Kaien nodded at her.

"Alright, though maybe take a blood tablet since you look shaken." He said as he glanced toward the desk where there was a glass of water that he had placed early in the morning after Ame had gone to sleep.

"Okay…" Ame said in a near automatic response as she slowly stood and walked over to the desk while Kaien stood as well. But when she got over to the desk she picked up the glass and sipped at it feeling herself calm ever so slightly but the taste she had in the dream made the water mixed with the blood tablet taste beyond bland. It was then that a question came to mind. "Kaien…?" Ame spoke softly as Kaien walked over with a gentle smile on his face.

"Yes?" he said as he stood a few feet from her.

"Why is it that I have to drink the tablets like this? They barely contain my hunger…" she said as Kaien's eyes narrowed at her as Ame did not notice since her gaze was still on the substitute blood in the glass.

'So she has drank actual blood more than a few times before otherwise she wouldn't be able to distinguish how the two contain or tame her hunger…' He thought to himself as he could not wonder who since from what Satsu had told him… But he forced that thought away since apparently it was from before she had been placed in his care. At least that was his guess since surely if she had bitten anyone while with Misaki she would have said something to him about it since that would have been a very bad deal since they had been aiming to hide the fact that she was a vampire for the last six years. Though due to his taking a few moments to answer Ame had looked toward him with a curious gaze as he laughed a little before he spoke.

"The reason it does not do so is because it is a substitute for the blood that vampires crave. It is meant to help you be able to fit in among humans since humans have legends about vampires feeding without restraint on the blood of humans." Kaien said hoping that would explain it well enough for Ame but the look on her face said that she was still not willing to accept that.

"So that is why Misaki forced it on me for six years and kept me away from humans? She was afraid that should I realize that this substitute does not fully take care of my hunger that I would attack any humans around me?" Ame asked in a hurt tone as she looked away from Kaien as her eyes did not take a crimson glow but just remained cerulean as she still held the glass in her pale hands as it was as though she had forgotten it.

Kaien shook his head ever so slightly as he wished yet again that Misaki had not been so hard toward Ame when the truth was being revealed about her being a vampire. "No, Misaki did it because as you remembered when I first brought you back to this house, another vampire had attacked you. Though we do not know why one would have attacked you since you are also one. But then again if it was a Level E then they do not differentiate between their victims by what they are." Kaien said but Ame shook her head at him.

"Neither of the vampires that targeted me were Level E." she said in a low tone. "Yes they were former human vampires, but they were acting under the orders of someone else." She said as she looked toward Kaien to see him giving her a shocked look.

"Of someone else? Do you know who?" he asked but Ame shook her head at him.

"No…but I have the feeling that the answer lies in the past I have forgotten." She said in a sad tone before she sipped more at the substitute blood in the glass before she spoke again. "Though I am going back to sleep, Kaien." She said in a way dismissing him from her room so she could rest as she finished the last of the blood substitute in her glass and went to sit it on the desk. She could feel him still watching her as she let the glass rest on the wood top of the desk before he walked out and closed the door behind himself. Ame was not sure what was going on but she was sure that something was going to happen.

In the moon dorm, shortly before dusk, Kaname sat in his room looking over the file that had information on Ame as he felt there was more to her than what the file stated. Mainly due to how it only said that she was a vampire, raised by a human woman named Misaki Kuren up until about a week or so ago. 'Something is not adding up.' He thought to himself as he heard a knock on his door. "Yes?" he said in his neutral tone only for the door to open and the dorm vice president, Takuma Ichijou stepped in. He did not look his usual carefree self, no tonight there was a hint of worry in his green eyes. "Is something bothering you, Ichijou?" Kaname asked casually.

"Not really, Kaname." He said as he was one of the few who would at times refer to Kaname with just his name and not add the title of 'Lord' to it. "Though I am curious about the new student that will be joining the dorm tonight." He admitted as his eyes went to the file.

"There is no reason to be curious about her." Kaname said as he held out the file. "Everything is there. She is a common vampire who is also apparently an orphan." He said as Takuma took the file and glanced over it. "Though due to how she has not been around any vampires besides random Level E's I doubt she will socialize much with the rest of the class so I plan to place her in a private room until further notice." Kaname said as he watched Ichijou closely.

"Do you wish me to keep a close eye on her?" Takuma asked as he sat the file down on the desk not too far from where Kaname was still sitting.

"If you could. Because I am not certain how she will take being around those of her own kind." He admitted as he stood and glanced toward the window to see the light starting to fade. "That and I would like you to relay a message to Aidou for me." Kaname said as he looked back to Ichijou. "Since from what I was told she has abilities similar to his, I want Aidou to also help keep an eye on her and even help with instructing her on how to use her abilities." Kaname said as Ichijou nodded.

"I will go and tell him now. And I take it you are preparing to go and get Ame?"

"Yes. She is taking her oath tonight and will be returning with me within the hour." Kaname said as he straightened the tie of his school uniform and headed out of his room heading to leave the dorm as he knew the others were starting to wake.

Ame woke shortly before dusk that day as she had managed to somehow not have any more dreams during the last few hours of her sleep. But she lay in bed for a few moments longer thinking of how in just a short while that Kaname would be there to witness her oath and then take her away to the Moon Dorm. Was she ready? Did it even matter? 'I am never given a choice with the course of my life. Not as far back as I can remember so why should I be trusted to make my own choices now?' she thought to herself as she sat up letting the blanket fall from her to rest on her lap.

'At least this time they did not allow me to stay somewhere for long. This way I can move to a new location with no attachment to the previous one.' Ame thought as she moved the blanket fully off of herself and got up from the bed and walked over to where her already packed bag was resting as she got out her blue shirt and blue skirt to wear as she put on her white shoes again before putting her night dress into her bag and shutting it again. 'Might as well finish up so that when Kaname gets here once the oath is done, we will be able to leave.' She thought to herself as she picked up the brush by the mirror and brushed her hair only to a second later pull back her hair so that it was out of her face slightly since the sides were pulled into a ponytail that still let her hair fall with the back part.

As she looked at her reflection she could not help but wonder to herself. 'I wore my hair this way the night I met Zero and Yuki.' She thought as she looked at her reflection wondering a few bits since she had no memory of her family so who was it that he had seen in her that night? 'Though I guess there is no point in me wondering about it since there is no way he would tolerate my presence for me to ask him about it again…especially after how I spoke to him.' She thought to herself before she put away the brush in the side compartment of the bag that was more like a backpack that she had been using to move her few possessions.

She had just picked up her bag and turned toward the door as it opened and there stood Kaien as he looked at Ame with a slightly sad look. "I see you wasted no time in getting ready to move into the dorm." He said as Ame shrugged hiding her emotions behind a mask she had taught herself to wear.

"Yes, well this was just temporary before I was to be placed back among my own kind." She said as she went to walk out of the room into the lit hallway. "Are we to meet Kaname somewhere or is he coming here for the oath to be done?" she asked as she stopped just outside of the door while Kaien pulled the door closed.

"He is already downstairs in the living room waiting for us." Kaien said as he started to lead Ame toward the stairs. "Though before you go with Kaname, I must warn you." He said as Ame looked toward him with a curious look while following behind him. "Most if not the entire night class calls Kaname by Lord Kaname because he is a pureblood and it is customary for other vampires to address purebloods with the title of Lord or Lady." He said as they stepped off of the stairs.

"Got it." Ame said in a neutral tone since she felt like she was being thrown into a whole new world even though in truth this was the world she had been born to be part of.

"And if you ever need anything-"

"I won't." Ame said in a short tone since she had come to accept that because the one she had thought would keep her was turning their back on her, just like Misaki, that she was determined to not let anyone in ever again.

Though as Kaien noticed that Ame was determined to shut out others, he was a bit sad and worried about that. But he understood her reasoning, as far as she knew everyone at one point or another abandoned her. So he started walking again and led Ame to the living room where Kaname stood once again in his white school uniform as his brown eyes looked at Ame as she felt like he was trying to look through her at the moment. "Alright, let's get started." Kaien said as he walked over to the table where a file lay while Ame stopped a few feet from the couch and waited for Kaien to turn to face her. "Ready to take the oath?" he asked as Ame nodded. "Repeat after me." He said as Ame nodded again to show she understood what she was to do.

"I, Ame Hoshi, have read and understand all of the rules put into place here at Cross Academy meant to insure the safety of the humans of the Day Class, and the secrecy of the true identity of those in the Night Class. I will not feed on the blood of the Day Class students but use the approved blood tablets to help me resist any urge. I will not openly show any of my abilities that could give away that I am a vampire. During the day I will remain in the Moon Dorm with the rest of the Night Class unless given permission of the Dorm President, Kaname Kuran, or the Dorm Vice President, Takuma Ichijou."

Once the oath was read to her, Ame repeated it perfectly before signing the bottom of it only for Kaien and Kaname to do so as well since Kaien was the headmaster and Kaname was apparently in charge of the vampires and the dealings of the night class at the academy. As Kaname added his signature to show he accepted how she took the oath, he told Ame to say her farewell to the headmaster so she did so not because he had ordered her but because of how she had already accepted that she was being moved to yet another location.

After a brief farewell, Ame followed Kaname out of the house and out across the grounds of the school while she glanced around wondering if things would be the same at the Moon Dorm. But as though he had sensed her thoughts, Kaname spoke up.

"There is no need for you to be worried about the others in the Night Class." Kaname said as he stopped to turn to face Ame as he looked down at her since he towered over her.

"I am not really too worried about joining the class since I already figure that there will be no point in getting to know anyone." She admitted as she looked down clenching her fists at her sides since her bag was resting over her right shoulder.

"Because of how everyone that you have ever let in has betrayed you?" Kaname asked in a casual tone while Ame looked at him with a shocked look. "I know about your story that you have been moved around since you were left at the headmaster's home six years ago. Though you will find living back among our kind will be different since I doubt that any will treat you the way that woman treated you." Kaname said as he gave Ame a faint smile.

"I am still unsure on if it would be wise to let anyone in…" Ame said keeping her gaze lowered as she remembered what she had been told by Kaien. "Lord…Kaname." She said as it felt weird to say that title since she had never in her life done so.

Kaname gave her an unreadable look at hearing how she had addressed him, but Ame paid no mind to it as he turned his back to her and continued walking while she followed suit. A short while later they were crossing a bridge and passing by someone who looked to be a gatekeeper to the dorm. An old man wearing a brown cloak of some kind who only looked up as they passed and wrote down something not saying anything. But as they walked into the grounds Ame looked around as something about this place, it felt a little bit more like home to her.

'Maybe because here I am among my own kind.' She thought to herself as she kept walking behind Kaname as a building appeared ahead of them. It looked beyond enormous to Ame since she was used to small houses, but nothing like this. She actually stopped and looked at the building with a look of awe on her face before she heard a faint chuckle that snapped her back to the here and now. She looked toward the source of the sound to see it had been Kaname. "What is so funny, Kana…Lord Kaname?" she asked knowing she would take time getting used to calling him Lord.

"The look on your face. One of pure awe." He said as he turned. "Though think nothing on that, for now just focus on being yourself." He said as he started walking again while Ame started walking once again behind him. When they reached the steps and climbed up them, Ame glanced from side to side as she wondered about those in the night class with what kind of vampires they were. Though she did not get to linger long on that because the door opened to reveal a blonde vampire male.

"Ah! Welcome back, Kaname." He said as Ame figured he and Kaname had to be good friends for how he called him just his name with no formal title. But soon the green eyes of the blonde found their way to her as he smiled warmly at her. "You must be the new transfer student. Ame right?" he asked.

Ame stopped while she was still outside as she nodded and kept her gaze lowered. "Yes." She said as the blonde stepped out while Kaname walked inside.

"Here." He said as he held out his hand for her bag. "Let me help you with that." He said as he slipped it from Ame's pale hands. "Oh and my name is Takuma Ichijou. I am the vice dorm president, so if you need anything you can feel free to come to me." He said in a happy tone as Ame could not help but return the smile he was giving her.

"Thank you." She said as Ichijou gestured for her to go inside as he followed her and shut the door behind them. Though once inside she saw another male with slightly darker blonde hair and eyes that seemed to be like clear ice, the most beautiful shade of blue that Ame had ever seen.

"Aidou!" Ichijou said as he gestured to the other male with his free hand. "Come meet the new student." He said in a happy tone only for the other to walk over with a slight air about him that Ame felt a bit cautious about him right away. Though when he was closer, Ichijou spoke again. "Ame, this is Hanabusa Aidou. Aidou, this is Ame Hoshi." He said handling the introductions.

"Why was it necessary for me to be the only one to greet her?" Aidou asked as he yawned a little as Ame figured it was due to him having just woke up not long before.

"Because Kaname said she is like you with her abilities and he wishes for you to teach her to handle them better since up to this point she has been living among humans and as such she has not been allowed to properly learn to use her powers." Ichijou said as Ame looked at him in surprise at the thought of how Kaname had gone that far as to try and secure a instructor for her.

But Aidou seemed hesitant about it. "But she looks old enough to be able to work on them on her own." He protested.

"Yes, but Kaname said that he would rather not order you to do so. That and she needs a friend and he thought you best to fill that position." Ichijou said in a low tone only for Aidou to hear as he looked toward Ame regarding how she was small almost weak looking. "Kaname has a keen interest in her training in her ability so it is best to do as he asked and help her." Ichijou said as Ame looked between them.

'Maybe I should talk to Kaname and ask him to not force anyone to be in my company since it is obvious that no one wants to be around me.' She thought before Aidou spoke.

"Alright, I will do it." He said in an off handed tone since he was doing it just because of his great loyalty to Kaname.

"Excellent!" Ichijou said with another smile before he looked toward Ame. "Follow me, Kaname asked me to show you to your room once you were introduced to Aidou and if need be help you get settled." He said as Ame nodded before she looked toward Aidou as he was looking at her with a questioning gaze while she figured she would at least speak to him.

"It was nice to meet you, Aidou." She said figuring since she had only just met him that she did not have a right to call him by his first name yet. That and as far as she knew, he was higher up than her in vampire society, so best to show him respect. She bowed slightly to him to dismiss herself before she ran to catch up with Ichijou half way up the stairs to the left of the vastly open room on the first floor.

'There is something about her…especially with Lord Kaname taking in interest in her when she is a vampire that is obviously not even an aristocrat.' Aidou thought to himself as he watched as Ame followed Ichijou around the corner and out of sight.

Ame followed Ichijou down the hall to near the end before he opened the door on the right side of the hall for her and stepped back to let her in before turning on the light so that she could see easier. "Is no one else in here?" Ame asked as she looked back at Ichijou.

"No, Kaname said that you were to be given a private room since you are not used to being around others." Ichijou said as he walked over to the enormous bed and put Ame's bag down on it.

"I…see…" Ame said glancing around taking in her surroundings. There was of course the large bed with what looked like a very plush blanket on top of it. Beside the bed was a night stand that was a light colored wood and made to shine as though it had recently been polished. She walked around the bed to see that there was a gorgeous grand desk she assumed for her to do any work on school work or anything else that she might choose to work on. There was also a wardrobe against the far wall, so that was where Ame headed as she opened it to see that it was stocked full of a girl version of the uniform that Kaname wore. "Is this the school uniform?" she asked Ichijou as she looked back at him.

"Yes, so each night when we are in class you will be required to wear it." He said as he was just watching while she got acquainted with her new surroundings. "And through that door is your own personal bathroom." He said as Ame glanced toward where he indicated to the door a few feet from the right side of the desk.

"Okay." She said before she looked down then back at Ichijou with a slightly sad smile on her face. "Though if you have other matters to attend to, I can handle getting settled in." she said as Ichijou nodded before he let himself out of the room as he shut the door behind himself. Ame let the mask she wore slip as she let a few tears fall. She was alone yet again.

She soon forced the tears away due to how she figured there was no point wasting her time crying as she went over to the bed where her bag was as she opened it and got her clothes and other things out before arranging them around the room and in the wardrobe. But when she got to the bottom of the bag she found an old looking photo so out of curiosity she picked it up and flipped it over only for her eyes to widen at the sight of it.

This was a picture that Misaki had used the timer on her camera to take a picture of the two of them together with Ame sitting in the kitchen with Misaki beside her. Misaki had her arms around Ame as the Ame in the picture looked beyond happy. Completely unaware of the truth that Misaki had only been faking her happiness to keep Ame from running off. But Ame knew exactly when this had been taken, right after her tenth birthday.

But after a few seconds Ame's eyes flashed a crimson red as she ripped the picture in half and then proceeded to rip it to pieces in her grief at how the woman she had viewed as her mother had betrayed her. Once the pictures were nothing more than a bunch of torn pieces of paper, she walked over to the trashcan and threw them in before she turned her back.

"You are nothing to me!" she said in a low tone before she went over to where she had left the blood tablets on the desk as she grabbed one and put it in her mouth as she felt herself calm as more tears flowed down her face at the thought of how she felt that no matter what she did or how she might try, that no one would ever really want her. She walked over to the bed and fell onto it as silent tears cascaded down her pale face as she closed her eyes.

'I am only here because of how I am a vampire and it is believed that after spending my whole life away from them that it was time to reintegrate me into vampire society…' she thought to herself. 'I don't think I will ever find somewhere I belong…' she thought as she soon drifted off after crying herself to sleep.

_Ame walked alongside Atu as she glanced around, a bit timid about things while she walked. She was cautious since Atu had explained to her that she needed to exercise caution even though she was a vampire she was still only a child. But she soon glanced up to him as she smiled at him only for him to smile in return. "Where are we going?" she asked in an innocent tone._

"_We are going to a town to the north where you will be safe." Atu said as Ame gave him a curious look before he knelt down and adjusted the cloak on her and even drew up the hood around her pale face while her wide cerulean eyes watched him closely. _

"_From the bad vampire?" she asked timidly._

"_Yes, and from other vampires in general. Along with even some humans." He said as he stood and held out his hand for her to take. "Take my hand, we have a long way to go." He said as Ame smiled and reached up putting a pale hand in his._

Ame shifted slightly as a faint sound met her ears but she did not wake. It was a sound she knew, it was a door opening and then closing. "…Atu…" she whispered not realizing that the one who had entered her room was right by her bed. But she woke faintly as she saw a blurry outline before she fell back to sleep…

_Ame had been traveling with Atu for a while now, only at night since during the day they stopped to rest mainly for her sake since she was nocturnal. But it was now the third night of their traveling north, but something was not right. "Atu?" Ame asked in a timid tone. "What is wrong?" she asked only for Atu to suddenly dive at her and shield her from something as there was a crash of something hitting the ground. When Atu leaned up Ame saw what looked like a giant scythe on a chain embedded in the ground where she and Atu had been a second before._

"_Come out!" Atu demanded as he stood with Ame still in his arms as he looked around only for a young man with black spiked hair to step out of the shadows as he yanked at the chain pulling the scythe loose as with another strong gesture the scythe went up into the air and landed in his outstretched hand. "What is a dog of the association doing here?" Atu demanded._

"_Like you do not know. I am here because of how you are suspect of being turned into a vampire since you have been keeping the company of that vampire in your arms." The male said as he watched Atu and the girl closely with steel cold eyes._

"_Well I have not, so you can go." Atu said in a low tone._

"_I cannot, because you are not the only reason I was sent here. Our president is very interested in that girl in your arms." The male said as Atu held Ame closer._

"_Especially since you vanished after your assignment to kill all vampires involved with that long blood bath, yet from what we were told you spared her. Now why is that?" the male asked as Atu drew his katana with his right while he balanced Ame on his left arm while she had her pale arms up around his neck._

"_I have my reasons that I see no point in revealing to you." Atu said as the other stepped forward but Atu raised his katana in a defensive posture before himself and Ame. "And even if the president has ordered for this girl to be brought to him, I will not oblige since she is not to be in the hands of one like him who is corrupt." Atu said as the other charged at him._

_Ame screamed as the weapons clashed only for sparks to issue from the two weapons. She did not want anything to happen to Atu yet there was nothing she could do as he whispered for her to just hide her face against his shoulder, that he did not wish anymore harshness to be reflected in her. So she did as she was told but after about ten minutes of the fight going on Ame could not take it anymore, she had do to something to help. She leaned back as she glared at the one who was charging at Atu again. "YOU WILL NOT HURT ATU!" She screamed as ice shot up encasing the male as she could feel it seep into his pores along with through his mouth and ears freezing him from the inside as her eyes glowed crimson only for the man to shatter to pieces as Atu stepped back due to the blood._

"_Ame…" he whispered as Ame slumped against him since she had not had blood yet that night. She felt Atu shift as he dropped his katana as he cradled her close to his chest. But as she looked up at him her vision faded as she knew no more…_

Ame sat up right into the arms of a figure in her room that had been sitting beside her on her bed as she screamed at what she had seen in her dream only to feel herself slam into whoever was sitting on her bed. Before she could lean back she felt a pair of arms move up and go around her as whoever it was held her against them as she was shaking, as she even cried into the white jacket they were wearing.

Note: I know this is the first time I have done this, but this is a long time overdue. I want to thank Myra K Kuran for being the first to review this story. That and one of my friends who has been reading this story. I hope that everyone is enjoying this story so far. Though does anyone have any guesses as to who was in Ame's room at the end of the chapter? I will try to not take as long with the next chapter. Until next time!


	9. Chapter Eight: Lesson with Aidou

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Eight: Lesson with Aidou**

Ame continued to cry into the unknown person's chest as she was careful to keep her sobs silent due to how she was not sure who it was, only that the presence she felt was calming. But being so close to the person, she could feel their heart beating as she found her throat was starting to burn causing her breath to come in shallow short gasps. "B…blood…" she whispered as the one who had been holding her leaned back and rushed from her bed before she could stop them only to return a moment later to offer her a glass that had the familiar red liquid of a dissolved blood tablet.

"Drink!" a male voice ordered as Ame reached out and took the glass before drinking it feeling her hunger for blood subside to a level that allowed her to think straight in terms of not only thinking of wishing to devour the blood of whoever it was in the room with her. Though as the male saw the red color in her eyes subside they sat down on the bed near her again and spoke. "Are you alright? You were talking in your sleep." He said as Ame looked up as her eyes focused she saw that it was Aidou!

Ame shifted to move away from him as she shifted up among the pillows on her bed as she drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "Y-yes. Though why are you in my room?" she asked in a shaking tone since she was not sure what was going on only that she had fallen on her bed earlier and then woke up to find Aidou in her room.

"I was passing by and I heard you speaking and crying in your sleep so I thought I would check on you." He said as though it were obvious.

"There is no point in you looking out for me. I am used to looking out for myself so you can go." Ame said as she was trying to continue distancing herself from anyone to avoid being hurt again.

"Why are you lying?" Aidou said leaning closer. "I can see the tears brimming in your eyes at your own words so why do you insist on being alone?" he asked giving Ame a hard look.

"I…I am not!" she said as she reached up to wipe away her tears but Aidou reached out and caught her hand as she looked at him with wide eyes.

"No one ever wants to be alone, so stop trying to fake wanting to be." He said to her as he felt there was something about her even more as he looked into her wide eyes. They were gentle but they also held a strong presence within them and were drawing him in before he saw something in her eyes which made him lean away letting go of her as he could feel her watching him in confusion. "I do not know what it is about you, but dorm president Kuran seems to think there is something about you that warrants for you to be handled a certain way." Aidou said as Ame moved away from her pillows only to slide so her legs were hanging off the bed before her pale feet found the floor as she stood feeling the material of her clothes she had worn when brought to the dorm shift with her movements.

"What do you mean handled a certain way? Kana…Lord Kaname is not having me treated any different." She said as she looked at Aidou who looked back toward her over his shoulder.

"Oh, but hasn't he?" he challenged her. "He placed you in a room on your own instead of placing you with another one of the night class. That and how he said I am to teach you how to use your own abilities which makes no since because typically by the age of ten or so vampires are fairly adept in their own abilities and develop them as they age." He said giving Ame a cold look.

"Well, I was never allowed to develop my abilities, which might be why he wants you to show me how to use them more because for the last six years I had to keep them secret." Ame said as she looked at Aidou with a hopeful look that he would do as he had been asked to.

"I don't see the point in doing it, but I guess it cannot be helped." Aidou said as he went to walk toward the door but Ame rushed over to him and grabbed the hem of his left sleeve as she was shaking a little. "What is it?" he asked looking back at her thinking her behavior was a bit odd, but from what he had been told she was not like any other vampire in the night class.

"C-can you please stay…at least until I fall back asleep?" she asked her voice shaking due to the nightmare she had been having so she hoped if she had someone with her that maybe that would keep the nightmares at bay.

Aidou looked at her in confusion as he sighed. "Fine. But you should change into your night clothes first. I will wait outside, just open the door or say when it is alright for me to come back in." he said as Ame released the hem of his sleeve and he stepped out into the hall and shut the door behind himself.

He walked across the hall to look out the large window that looked out over the grounds around the dorm as he could not help but be a bit curious about Ame. 'But who is Atu? Someone from her past?' Aidou thought to himself as he glanced back toward the door wondering what the presence he felt around her was. More so because of how from what Ichijou had told him, Ame was a normal vampire but that she had the powers of an aristocrat. She was definitely something different and that peeked Aidou's curiosity.

Inside the room Ame watched as Aidou closed the door before she went over to the desk where her bag was resting to find her night dress before walking back to her bed where she proceeded to remove her clothes and change into her night dress as she even brushed her long white hair and drew it into a braid that fell down her back so that it would mostly be out of her face as she went back over to the door and opened it. "It is alright for you to come back in." she said as she stepped back only for Aidou to walk back in and stand there stunned for a second before closing the door behind him.

Though he did not waste any time as he walked over to the desk and retrieved the chair and placed it by the bed. "Go ahead and lay down and I will stay until you fall asleep to be sure that you are resting peacefully." He said as he sat down while Ame laid down on her bed not bothering with the blanket or the sheets, something that brought an annoyed sigh from Aidou. "You need to cover up or you will wake feeling cold especially with you wearing that thin night gown." He said as he stood and pulled the blankets over Ame as she looked at him in shock since not even Misaki had ever really fussed over Ame like that.

"Sorry…I guess I am just not used to falling asleep with a blanket over me." She said since there were times she would just lay on the bed and just use a coat to cover up with or a rare time or two she actually used the blankets on her own.

"It is alright, just keep that in mind." Aidou said as he returned to the chair. "Well, go ahead and get to sleep." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest as he looked away from her so he missed the hurt look on Ame's face since she had been wondering if maybe Aidou could be one that she could become friends with, but apparently that was not to be the case.

'I have been alone since the day I woke in Kaien's house when I was only eight years old so I guess I will forever be alone.' She thought as she closed her eyes soon faking being asleep, at least for the first few minutes before she actually drifted off into sleep.

Aidou had looked at the wall as though he was fascinated with something there until he felt it had been long enough but it had only been about ten minutes when he looked back toward Ame who was now sound asleep again on her bed. He wondered about her since something, almost like a gut feeling told him that Ame was not a common vampire like what they believed. Though there was no way to prove it at least not at the moment. So pushing that thought aside, Aidou went to stand from the chair only to notice a single tear falling from Ame's left eye. He gave her a surprised look as he reached out and gently brushed it away since he was not sure if she was a light sleeper or not. Though to his relief she did not wake or even stir as he held the tear on the end of his finger before flicking it away and then turning and leaving Ame's room to let her sleep peacefully.

After he closed the door behind himself he headed to the room he shared with his cousin, Akatsuki Kain. Though as Aidou walked in it was to see his cousin lounging on his own bed reading a book, only looking up with his orange eyes that had a burnt tint to them as he sat down his book on his bed. His orange hair hanging slightly in his eyes as he turned to face his cousin more. "Where were you Aidou? You said you would just be a few minutes." Akatsuki said as he sat on his bed watching Aidou.

"The new girl seemed worked up so I helped her to calm." Aidou said as Akatsuki shook his head at his cousin for once again doing the opposite of what everyone in the night class had been told to do in regards to Ame.

"You know that dorm president Kuran said for no one to get close to her." He said as a slight reminder since his cousin had a habit of doing the opposite of what he was told at times.

"I know that!" Aidou snapped as he gave Akatsuki an indignant look before calming. "But there is something about her. She seeks attachment." He said in a low tone.

"Probably because she doesn't understand various things because she was raised by a hunter." Akatsuki said in a tone that showed he could care less. "Just don't go doing the opposite of what the dorm president said." He cautioned once again. "Because there has to be a reason that he said for no one to get close to her."

Aidou nodded as he walked over to his bed as it was near dawn and about time for him to try and get some sleep. "I know…" Aidou repeated as he ignored his cousin while getting ready for bed before he sat down on his bed for a brief moment looking down at his hand that had only a short while before held the tear of a girl that confused him. Figuring he would be better of looking into the mystery surrounding Ame the next night he allowed his head to find his soft pillow as he pulled the covers up allowing himself to become absorbed in the lavender scent as he drifted off into a light but troubled sleep.

/

_Ame ran along a long dark path as she felt like there was something or someone chasing her before she got to a clearing that was lit by the full moon overhead. "What is going on?" she spoke as she looked around only to feel something right behind her but she could not turn around._

"_A blank slate, just what I always wanted." A male voice she had never before heard spoke in her ear. It was low but it had a very dark sinister tone to it. _

"_W-who are you?" Ame asked as she tried to move but found she could not._

"_Try as you might, but you will never be able to escape what you are." The voice said as the lifeless body of Misaki appeared at Ame's feet. "Wasn't her blood delicious?" the voice asked as Ame's crimson eyes widened as she found she could move a little as she looked down to see her white dress along with her hands and arms were covered in Misaki's blood!_

"_T-this is…I would never hurt her!" Ame cried out as she brought her hands up to her face unintentionally smearing Misaki's blood all over her face._

"_But you have. And her blood was something that you know you have craved ever since you met her. She abused you by using the tablets to curve your hunger when she should have felt honored at the thought of having your fangs pierce her skin." The voice purred in Ame's ear. "All you need to do is drink a little more and your long deprived hunger will be appeased." The voice whispered as a shiver went down Ame's spine._

_She lowered her hands and looked at Misaki before shaking her head as tears flowed down her face mingling with the blood on her face. "I cannot do that because she…" Ame started but the voice behind her cut her off._

"_She did nothing other than basically hold you prisoner and then she shattered your trust and cast you away to be handed from one person to another. So she deserves punishment does she not?" the voice whispered as Ame's eyes lost some of the light in them as she thought back only on the night Misaki had turned her back on her. Misaki had betrayed her. She deserved death!_

_Ame was free to move as she knelt down by the form that was Misaki while she felt her fangs become more pronounced as she gathered up Misaki and went to sink her fangs into Misaki only for there to be another voice screaming to her from far away._

"_DON'T DO IT! IT IS A TRICK!" the voice called as a shadow appeared before her as she looked up at it. "You once promised me that you would not be broken so easily, so break free of this and wake up before that monster consumes you!" the male voice within the shadow ordered as the light returned to Ame's eyes as the dream shattered around her only for her to fall through darkness._

Ame woke with a start only to see a figure not too far from her but she could not make out their features as they were wearing all black and had a hood up and a black cloth tied over the lower part of their face. But there was one thing she could see in the darkness, shining blue eyes with blonde hair hanging down in the face slightly from under the hood. "W-who are you?" she asked only for the figure to rush toward the door and pull it open and run out.

Ame was out of bed in less than a second as she ran out of her room not caring that she was barefoot and only wearing her night dress, she was determined to find out who the figure was. She following them down the long hall then down the stairs to the vast sitting area before following the figure out the front doors of the dorm. She stopped for a second on the top step not caring that the stone was ice cold against her bare feet as she glanced only to see the figure running toward the trees to the right of the dorm. "Wait!" Ame called as she leap off of the stairs onto the grass as she landed gracefully before taking off after the figure as fast as she could.

She chased them around in the trees for a while before she lost sight of them as she stood in the trees glancing around as she thought she could have sworn she had seen them run this way but then again maybe she was wrong. Deciding to do something desperate she spoke up again. "Please! Come out if you can hear me!" she pleaded as she walked a few more steps then stopped as she looked down her hair slightly in her face as the bit in the braid was a bit of a mess but she did not care.

As she heard no response, not even the rustle of the leaves she felt loneliness creep up around her as she spoke again in a small weak tone. "I know you are the one who woke me up from that nightmare…but I do not know who you are. And yet you spoke as though you knew me, saying I had once made a promise to you." She paused as she glanced up from the ground and around the trees hoping to see the figure again. "What did I promise you? Why can I not remember that or anything before waking up at Kaien's six years ago!" she cried softly. "Just…just who am I?" Ame asked in a shaking voice since she did not know what to think at the moment because there were so many odd things going on around her since she had been moved to the academy the dreams had started and now this.

Though when nothing but silence graced her ears for several moments, she sank to her knees as tears fell down her face as she wished that she could just find out what it was about her the drew other vampires to her, who their master was, and just who she was. "Why can I not remember…" she whispered as she brought her arms up around herself while she was trying her hardest to remember anything about her life before she had woken in Kaien's care six years ago but nothing came to her.

It was not to long before she heard footsteps approaching her as she looked toward the source of the sound to see that it was Aidou and he did not look happy at her. Something that was proven when he spoke.

"What are you doing out here!" he asked as he walked closer and offered a hand to her while giving her an annoyed look. "You should not just run out of the dorm like that without a reason!" he said in an even more annoyed tone, if that was even possible.

Ame hesitated but she reached out only to hesitate further and let her hand fall to her side as she stood on her own only for Aidou to let his hand fall back to his side. She did wish to have help but she was not sure if she could trust anyone to help her so she went to walk back toward the dorm but Aidou grabbed her arm right above her left elbow. "Please, I just want to go back to the dorm…" she said as she avoided looking back at Aidou.

"First tell me why you came out here when it is almost dawn." Aidou said since as he spoke there was pale light appearing over the trees.

"I…I just wanted some fresh air." Ame lied as a few tears fell down her face, something that did not go unnoticed by Aidou.

When he had seen her tears, Aidou gave her a startled look since he had not thought he had been harsh enough to her to lead to her shedding any tears. "H-hey no need to cry!" he said as he thought that Lord Kaname might scold him if he found out that Aidou had made the new student in the night class cry. "Why are you crying?" he asked as Ame shook her head at him.

"All I can say is that it may be best if you not get involved with me…" Ame said not noticing the confused look that Aidou was giving her at what she had said. "I am used to being alone since there is a good chance I have been since I was born." She admitted to Aidou as his hold on her arm lessened ever so slightly.

"What do you mean?" he asked as he pulled her arm lightly to get her to face him even though she kept her face angled down. "You can tell me." He said in a kinder more gentle tone than any he had used toward her so far since he had first met her.

Ame thought for a moment, could Aidou really want to help her? Was he really being kind of his own accord and not to gain something from her or to try and control her? Though after a second the part of her that had been wishing for someone to care about her won out as she allowed herself to speak ever so slightly. "How much do you know about my history?" she asked in a low tone barely more than a whisper.

Aidou thought for a second before he answered. "I just know what everyone else in the night class would know. That you are an orphan and that you were in the headmasters care until you were enrolled in the night class." Aidou said before glancing to the sky again as it was getting to be daybreak. "How about we go back inside and talk there." He suggested as Ame nodded and Aidou shifted his hand so that it went down to Ame's hand as he started to lead her back to the dorm.

But unbeknownst to the two walking, a black crow had been watching them closely with a near unnatural interest for an average bird. It remained there watching only to take flight once Aidou and Ame had gone back into the dorm and shut the door behind them…

Aidou continued to lead Ame even once they were inside as he led her back to her room and walked her over to her bed and told her to sit down on it and put the blanket up so that it rested on her lap to warm her back up since there had been a faint chill in the air and he was not sure how long she had been out in the cold barefoot in only her night dress. Once she was situated Aidou took a seat on the chair he had used only a few hours before as he spoke. "Is there more to your story?" he asked trying to gently nudge Ame into telling him.

Ame nodded at Aidou as she looked down at the blanket resting on her lap as she brought up her pale hands only to fidget with the soft material. "Yes there is…" she whispered only to soon speak again. "I have no memory before the age of eight…but recently I have started having odd dreams that I think are vague memories from my life before I woke in the care of Ka…I mean the headmaster." Ame spoke in a weak voice as a few tears brimmed in her cerulean eyes. "I woke knowing I was a vampire even more so when I was given some kind of blood to calm me down since I was worked up a bit from hunger." Ame explained as for her the entire series of events were playing through before her eyes.

She remained silent for a second to see if Aidou wished to say anything but he remained silent so she continued. "I was only here at the academy a day or so before another vampire attacked me when I went outside. And because of that I was sent away with a woman who was helping the headmaster at the time. I was moved to a small house concealed in the woods far from here, where no one would think to look for me. Though soon I forgot about my life before once again and thought the woman who was watching over me was my mother, but in truth she was a vampire hunter." Ame clenched her fists as a small sob escaped her lips.

"Not long before I was brought back here, she left me alone with the simple instructions of staying inside where no one could see me, and to drink a strange red liquid she gave me at set times. I did not know that it was from blood tablets since I was being brought up for six years to believe I was human."

Aidou stared at her in shock as at this point he felt he had to voice the question he had about the entire situation. "But if you are a vampire, surely it had to be obvious since even while on the blood tablets, we hunger for actual blood. And what about your real parents?" Aidou asked as he felt bad for this young girl before him.

Ame shook her head at him. "I did not crave blood because she gave me tablets to the point it curved my hunger to the point I did not even notice it. That and how I was kept far away from any humans besides the hunter so there was no risk of me attacking any humans since if I ever got out of hand I assume she would have not hesitated to kill me." Ame said in a hurt tone as she thought about the other bit Aidou had asked about before shaking her head. "I do not remember anything about them." She admitted as a few tears fell down her face as she kept her face angled down and even closed her eyes only for her to feel her bed dip down slightly and then for a pair of arms to encircle and pull her closer.

"I am sorry." Aidou whispered as he knew now that he had been wrong about Ame with thinking that there was something wrong about her. But now he was seeing her for what she was, a frail young vampire who was seeking to just fit in with her own kind. Though as he felt her cry a bit more he held her tighter to his chest as he felt a deep desire to protect her growing within him. "Even if your past is forgotten, I will help you form a happier future so that you can smile." He whispered as a promise to her as he held her.

The two remained like that for a while longer before Ame cried herself to sleep in Aidou's arms since he had allowed her to cry the tears she had been hiding from the world for so long. But Aidou did not move from where he was for a good hour after he had felt that Ame had fallen asleep as he thought about what she had said. She was an orphan that was possibly starting to remember her past or having random nightmares, but he got the feeling there was more to her than what even she knew.

When Aidou started to feel tired he shifted and placed Ame down so her head was resting on her pillow before he pulled the blanket up to tuck around her. "Sweet dreams…" he whispered to her as he brushed a stray lock of her hair out of her face before walking over to the door and turning out the lights and shutting the door behind himself before heading back to his and Akatsuki's room to get some sleep.

/

By that afternoon Ame woke after managing to sleep peacefully for the first time in a while only to find what she had suspected. Aidou had left at some point to go get sleep in his own room. Though she got up from the bed and went over to the wardrobe and grabbed out one of the uniforms and went into the bathroom attached to her room to get a shower since she had been running around the night before bare foot. Once she was done she used her ability to separate the water from her hair before getting dressed in the skirt, button up shirt and over shirt. Her white hair seemed to blend in with the uniform since it was almost all white. Shaking her head, Ame grabbed her brush and ran it through her hair only to decide to leave it all down so it hung down about and behind her shoulders and down her back.

She went back to her room and saw Aidou was there sitting in the chair once again as she could not help but smile weakly at him since she was happy that he had come back again. "How long have you been waiting?" she asked as she sat on the edge of her bed and pulled on the stockings that were part of the uniform that went up almost to the bottom of the skirt, before lacing up the boots that went half way up to her knees.

"Not long, but you should drink this after the night you had." Aidou said as he held out a champagne glass that had the familiar red liquid. He watched as Ame reached out and took it only to sip at it before shaking her head a bit as he smiled. "It is the only way we are allowed to have blood while in this academy." He said as Ame nodded.

"I know, but once I found out the truth of myself, I find that it isn't as filling as it was before." She admitted to him as he nodded at her in understanding before standing only to walk closer to her and reach up and tie the ribbon part of her uniform for her.

"That might be because you were not aware yet." He said before stepping back and smile at her. "There, now you are ready for your first night of class." He said before he remembered something. "And then after we are done with classes then I will start teaching you how to control your abilities more." He said as Ame nodded at him. "Oh and as a warning…when we head to the academy's main building, beware the day class students." He said since he knew that the day class was already outside the gates of the dorm waiting like usual.

Ame wondered about that but figured she would see in due time as she picked up her books that were on the nightstand as Aidou gestured to lead her from the room only to see Kaname walking toward the room from the right.

"Good morning, Ame." Kaname said before looking toward Aidou with a bit of a strict look. "Aidou, what were you doing in her room?" he asked as Aidou got a nervous look on his face since he thought he was going to be punished until Ame spoke up.

"He was checking on me because he wanted to make sure I was adjusting to being in the dorm." She said which wasn't a complete lie because she was sure that had been Aidou's intention.

Kaname looked toward Ame as though studying her features as his expression softened ever so slightly as he nodded. "Alright. Though we better get going since the gates will open soon and you do not want to be late to your first class." Kaname said as Ame nodded at him as he walked past and around the corner at the end of the hall as a female had joined him with short silver almost light violet in color.

"Thanks for helping cover for me." Aidou said with a sigh but Ame shook her head at him showing it had not been a big deal. "Though he is right we need to get going." Aidou said as he led Ame down the hall and down the stairs to see all of the others were on their way out the door as Ame and Aidou picked up their pace only to take up the back of the group as the gates ahead opened only for the sound of screams and yelling to crash against Ame's eardrums only for Aidou to smile and say. "It is just the day class." He said in an amused tone.

Though once they walked through the gates Ame heard numerous female voices yelling 'Idol' which she assumed meant Aidou since the two were close in pronunciation. But once they had noticed her walking close to Aidou the yelling turned into talking as Ame caught a few bits of the conversations.

"Who is that girl?"

"A new student?"

"She looks to be in the night class!"

"What is she doing next to Idol…I mean Aidou?"

Ame drew more and more within herself as she heard the onslaught of what the day class girls were saying only to feel an arm drape over her shoulders. She looked up to see that it was Aidou who was giving her a gentle smile as they kept walking even though that gesture had started up a near riot from the day class as two she recognized as Yuki and Zero kept the riot at bay. Well Zero did by merely looking at the girls but Yuki was having a bit more trouble with it. Ame felt bad for Yuki but figured she could handle herself as she kept walking beside Aidou toward the building up ahead and then inside.

"A bit overwhelming?" Aidou asked with a chuckle as the door closed behind them.

Ame nodded at him. "Yeah, I was not expecting something like that." She admitted as they followed the others toward the classroom.

Aidou had been lounging in his chair after the lesson involving minor history in the development of the blood tablets, something that Ame took an interest in due to how they had been slipped to her secretly for six years. Though it seemed that none of the other vampires were as keen to hear the stories of how they worked, and yet for some their bodies rejected them, which was seen mainly in very rare cases of the former human vampires. Though soon after the speaker walked out of the room, Ame looked toward Aidou to see that he was still lounging idly in his chair. It was several moments before Ame was able to figure out the proper way to go about asking the question since she did not wish to offend anyone who may overhear what she was about to ask Aidou.

"So the tablets were developed to be a substitute for blood, and yet they do not work to the fullest to fully remove our hunger?" she asked as Aidou looked toward her and nodded.

"More or less. But a way had to be made to allow vampires to better hide what they are so that we do not attack humans due to our hunger." he said as he shifted in his chair and stretched his arms up above his head as he soon looked to Ame again. "However at the same time, it can also be a bad thing since if we deprive ourselves for to long we begin to lust for actual blood more so we are able to barely abide by having to use the tablets." he said only for another voice to speak up from the end of the isle that they were seated in.

"It may not fully dull our hunger, but we have to do what we can with it since it is one of the rules in place for this academy to even exist in the way it does." came the voice of Ichijou.

"I don't see how this even matters." came the voice of Akatsuki from where he was sitting in the row behind Ame and Aidou. "We all know that the tablets only curve our appetites so why bother talking about it?" he asked as Ichijou sighed.

"We were because Ame is still learning the full importance of them." he said only for Ruka to speak up.

"If she doesn't already then isn't that her problem not ours? It is simple. We are to take the tablets so that we do not pose a problem for the humans or expose what we really are." she said sending a slight scoff toward Ame as Ame gave her a hurt look for how she was so cold to her.

"Ruka! You need to not be so harsh!" Aidou said before Ame could even speak up, as he was not hesitating to rush to her aide.

But before Ruka could speak, the voice of Kaname was heard from his chair over to the side of the room. "That is enough. Ruka, everyone is to do their best to help Ame learn about our kind, even if it is with something as common as a blood tablet and their full purpose." he said as Ruka looked beyond ashamed as she soon apologized to Kaname and took her seat as the next lessons started, this one about the history of vampires along with the structure of the vampire society. Something that seemed to annoy everyone but one look from Kaname quieted their groaning as Ame suspected he had talked to the instructor and had this added to the lesson for her benefit. She made a mental note to thank Kaname later for doing so when he was not surrounded by everyone else.

As the class progressed, Ame felt dread and even horror rising inside of her at hearing the dark history of vampires in great detail. How at the lowest point of history is when the first vampires emerged and from there some had kept their lineage pure, they were known as the purebloods. Then that was when the war with the humans began. As the teacher went into detail, Ame felt like she was going to be sick as she closed her eyes only to see vivid images that she was sure was nothing but a trick of her mind as she saw the battles. Countless corpses and some turning to dust.

Ame felt lost in what she was seeing before she felt a hand rest on her shoulder only for her to jump slightly and look to see that it had been Aidou. He gave her a worried look as she merely gave him a weak half smile as she then turned her attention back to the teacher for the rest of the lecture.

Around one a.m. the class concluded completed so the class was dismissed. Everyone went their own way since some wanted to go walk about the grounds before returning to the dorm, but Aidou led Ame out of the room and toward the exit to the building as he noticed something weighing on her after that lecture on the history and structure of the vampire society. Once they were approaching the gate to the dorm Aidou spoke up. "What is wrong?" he asked in a casual tone looking down at Ame.

"It's just that from what the history explained...it is no wonder humans fear and hate us..." she said in a hurt tone due to how when she heard how vampires once forcefully turned humans into vampires, she felt in that moment that she deserved all of the hatred that Misaki had directed toward her when she was sending Ame away to return to Cross Academy.

"Yes, but we are not the ones who did it." Aidou said in an off hand tone bringing a startled look from Ame. When he saw her go to speak he beat her to it. "No matter what happened in the past, all of us wish for a different future. That on top of a request form Lord Kaname is why all of us are here." he said as Ame merely nodded at him as he took it that she understood for the time being which is what he had been aiming for so it was good. Though once that was settled the two started walking again as they soon reached the dorm where they dropped off their books and Aidou led her through the woods surrounding the dorm where he had found her the night before. They walked in silence a while longer before they came out of the trees to a beach where the waves were idly brushing against the shore.

Ame smiled as she ran forward as she felt more at peace hearing the gentle waves against the rocks as she went to step on the water not realizing what she was doing as the water froze below her feet as she went out a few feet only to spin in place with her arms raised as she was beyond happy to be back around the water.

Back on the shore Aidou watched her as the moon reflected off of Ame's soft pale skin and her long pure white hair as she looked almost like a spirit with how she moved with near unnatural grace even on the ice below her feet. As she stopped and spun in a circle he was almost hypnotized by her fluid movements as he thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen as there was a mystifying property behind her movements. Though he was pulled from his dazed state as he noticed how she had stopped spinning and now faced him with her hands behind her back with a shy smile on her face as her cerulean eyes held nothing but kindness.

"Are you sure you were never taught how to use your abilities?" Aidou asked once he had found his voice after several moments.

"Yeah." Ame said almost shyly. "I was never trained, but water seems to just react to me without me having to even try." she admitted as she held out her hand to show Aidou what she meant as the water shifted up and formed into a staff that froze at her touch as a chain hung from the top that had a ice crystal crescent moon hanging from it to just a few inches down the staff. "I do not even know why I have these abilities just that I do." she admitted to him as Aidou gestured and she walked back over as the staff returned to water falling back into the water where it originated. And once she stepped off of the ice the water returned to it's natural state as she stood facing Aidou.

"That is a bit odd since from what I saw you are beyond the point of a natural, doing with mere instinct what it takes vampires with the ability to manipulate water and ice years to master." He said as he looked toward her with a surprised look.

Ame looked down slightly. "Yet another thing that makes me odd…" she said in a sad tone, not noticing that Aidou gave her a surprised look before stepping closer to her.

"No, no. I didn't mean it that way Ame." He said as he stood before her. "Just that you seem to be naturally gifted." He said trying to reassure her that he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Even if it is due to me being naturally gifted it does not matter." Ame said in a sad tone. "I don't know why I am different or why it is that people seemed to think it was necessary to hide me…" she began to shake slightly as ice began to form under her feet as a few tears fell only for the waves in the water behind her to become less gentle. "Because I am naturally gifted?!" the temperature of the air seemed to take a chill to it as Aidou stepped closer.

"Ame, you need to calm down." He said but she was still lost in her thoughts.

"Is it because I was meant to be a weapon?" she cried as shards of ice formed in the air around her in response to her emotions and how she got worked up.

"Ame!" Aidou called out as he got closer only to be cut on the cheek and the hands by shards of ice as he got closer and pulled her close to his chest and held her there. "You need to calm down, don't let the ice you are able to control freeze you." He whispered as he felt her shaking stop as the shards of ice hovered in the air around them. Once he felt she was calm enough to register more of what he was saying he spoke again. "Ame, I do not know the answers, but I promise to stay by your side and try to help you find out the purpose behind why your life has been the way it has up to this point." He whispered as Ame was still against him only for her to soon bring her arms up and hold Aidou tightly as she kept her face against the material of his jacket.

"Please…don't abandon me like everyone else has in my life…" she pleaded as Aidou nodded and held her close while rubbing her back with his left hand while his right moved up to rest on her head as he moved it down to her shoulders then put it back only to repeat the gesture.

"I won't, I give you my word." He promised her as he remained where he was with her as neither noticed the eyes of a bird watching them from a nearby tree.

/

In an estate in the mountains a young girl sat in an overstuffed chair as she laughed, a laugh that reflected in her grey almost purple eyes that easily matched her hair that fell down past her shoulders. "Oh! Those two are so interesting. Looks like I will get to have even more fun when we go to Cross Academy." She said in an innocent voice as she looked back over her shoulder at a young man with slightly grown out silver hair that slightly hid a mask he was wearing over his eyes. Though as she looked at her body guard her expression hardened as she stood, the crow that had been on the arm of the chair shifting out of the way as the girl stood while the black material of her dress moved slightly with her movements as her black boots barely made a sound on the floor.

"More so with how the look in that girl's eyes." She said in a more mature voice as she looked to the male who was dressed almost like a butler. "Are the preparations complete?" she asked as the male brought up his right arm to his left shoulder and bowed ever so slightly.

"Yes, my lady." He said as the girl smiled.

"Good." She said as she spoke in a more carefree tone again as she skipped over to the window and looked out at the approaching dawn. 'There is something about that girl…I will need to get to know her because if my suspicions are right then she…'

A/N: Sorry it took a little longer than a week to get this up, I hope it was worth the wait. And on a little note, I cut the chapter off here because I did not want to give away certain bits until a certain point in the story. I plan to have the next chapter up soon. Just wondering does anyone have a guess as to what was being hinted at in the last part of the chapter?


	10. Chapter Nine: Another Transfer Student

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Nine: Another Transfer Student**

It had been two weeks since the night of Ame's first lessons with the night class, as well as the first lesson she had with Aidou. In that time she had found her dreams and nightmares had been near nonexistent besides repeats of the ones she had already had so she decided to pay them no mind. She had been taking the blood tablets but it became more and more obvious that they were not enough for her, she had been craving actual blood. But she did not dare voice it even to her only friend, Aidou. Mainly due to how she thought it would make it seem even more so that she had no self-control to be craving blood like she was.

Though as she sat in class she felt as though she was in a haze from how she craved blood but she was unable to fulfill her desire to drink some. She closed her eyes and shook her head as the lecture was now on recent history of the vampire race, with how purebloods who had once been in great number had dwindled down to a very small number. 'I have to pay attention…' she thought to herself as she soon opened her eyes and tried to focus on her notes but she failed as she was soon in a near daydream like state.

"_Ame." Atu said to her with a smile as she looked up at him in confusion as she could feel something cold all over her skin as she glanced down to see she was wearing a torn and tattered white dress that hung down to her knees and she was covered in blood. Her throat began to burn as she lifted her small pale arm thinking of licking the blood from her right arm but Atu knelt before her and stopped her. "No. You should not taste that tainted blood." He said as Ame looked at him as she was trying to register more on what he was saying to her as he reached out and but his hands on her sides under her arms and lifted her up. "How about I take you and we go get you cleaned up. How does that sound Ame?" he asked as Ame just stared at him…_

"Miss Hoshi!" the instructor, Mr. Fujito yelled from the front of the room as Ame snapped out of her dazed state as she glanced around to see that everyone minus Kaname and Aidou were giving her either very annoyed or semi annoyed looks.

"Uh…I'm sorry for that Mr. Fujito…" Ame said as she looked down at her notes that were a blank sheet before her.

"Glad you could rejoin us." Mr Fujito said as he walked up to stand before her desk she was sharing with Aidou as he towered over her with black hair that fell to the middle of his back but he had drawn into a ponytail as his crimson eyes glared down at her. "You would think that you would wish to pay attention since this lesson is intended for you." He said in a smug tone as Aidou went to speak but the voice of Kaname came from the side of the classroom.

"Mr. Fujito, why not call it a day with the lecture." He suggested as he looked at the teacher who looked like he was about to say something but instead nodded before looking at Ame with an unreadable look that Aidou found he did not like. Mainly due to how there was near the point of a lust in his eyes, something Aidou thought meant that Mr. Fujito was wishing to scold Ame without Kaname around to keep him in line. Though as he turned he spoke.

"We will resume the lesson on Monday." He said since it was Friday so that meant it was now the weekend for the night class. With them being dismissed almost everyone filed out of the room following Kaname but Aidou lingered to help Ame up and even grabbed up her books for her.

"Ame, are you alright?" Aidou asked as he walked beside Ame and even remained ready due to how Ame looked like she was about to go into a daze or pass out again. "You have been like this for a few nights now." He said as he was not sure but if he had to guess he would almost think that she was not getting very much sleep.

"I will be alright…" Ame said as she stopped walking as she looked around in a daze. All due to how before her eyes she was seeing herself as a small child covered in blood walking down the hall. She remained frozen in place before Aidou stepped in front of her and put his free hand on her shoulder and shook her.

"Ame?" he spoke in concern as she shook her head as she tried to ignore the feeling she had been having that was getting stronger. That something was about to happen, and it was linked with her past. "How about we skip the lesson for today so that you can get some rest?" Aidou suggested as Ame nodded at him.

"Yeah…" she said as she walked along side Aidou not noticing that they were being watched by a figure in the shadows.

They walked together up to when they got to the dorm only to see that Ichijou, Akatsuki, Shiki, Rima and Ruka were all there but they stopped talking once Aidou and Ame came in. Before anything could possibly be said, Aidou put his arm around Ame's shoulders as he held her to his side and led her toward the stairs and up to the hall where the rooms were. But as they reached the top of the stairs Ame heard the voice of Ruka.

"Why would Hanabusa be more attached to that girl? He acts like she is more important to him than Lord Kaname!" she said as her words stabbed at Ame like white hot blades.

But when they got to Ame's room, Aidou opened the door and held it for her as she walked in and he followed her only to shut the door before placing both of their books on the table beside her bed. "Maybe a blood tablet will help you." Aidou said as Ame nodded as he went over to her bed and sat down on it as she shook her head while Aidou busied himself with preparing blood tablets for the two of them.

After a moment Ame decided to speak up about what was bothering her. "Aidou?" she said drawing his attention as he added the blood tablets to the water in the wine glasses only to look back over at her with a smile showing she had his attention. At seeing that Ame continued. "Why do you look out for me so much?" she asked figuring to find that out before she told him what she had overheard Ruka say, that is if he did not hear it too.

Aidou's smile fell as he had a surprised look on his face as he thought over it. Why did he protect and watch over her so much? Lord Kaname had only ordered him to help her learn her abilities better so she could use them at will instead of them reacting to her emotions which made it far too unpredictable. But during that time he had been feeling a deep connection with Ame, and a want…no a need to protect her. Once he thought he had it figured out at least to be able to explain it ever so slightly he picked up the two wine glasses and walked over to her bed and sat down beside her as he offered one of the glasses to her that she took and merely held on her lap as he spoke. "I do it because I want you to be safe, and I want to see you truly smile." He admitted think that was the most direct way to explain it. "Why do you ask?" he asked in a gentle tone as he had found she responded much better to kind words and even small bits of affection but nothing more than putting his arm around her shoulders.

Ame looked up from the wine glass as she thought for a second before speaking. "I…it is just that I heard what Ruka said as we came up the stairs." Ame said shifting the wine glass ever so slightly as she looked back at the glass seeing the pseudo blood move around within it only to feel Aidou put his arm around her shoulders and pull her over closer to him so her head was resting on the side of his chest just below his shoulder.

"Do not pay any mind to Ruka. She can be cruel at times so it is best you just ignore her." He said before sitting his glass down on the floor before taking Ame's from her pale hands as he held it up to her lips as he smiled at her. "Come on, drink at least a little to see if it helps you." He encouraged in a whisper so only Ame could hear, not that it mattered due to them being alone in her room. Ame watched Aidou for a brief moment before she opened her mouth and drank from the glass as Aidou tipped it so that she could drink from it.

/

That morning Ame went to bed after Aidou had left saying that he wished for her to have pleasant dreams. So she changed into her night dress and decided to wear her hair down as she went over to the bed and decided to sit on the bed for a few moments as she looked around the room as she got a sinking feeling of loneliness since even though she had only been in Aidou's company for a short period of time, she had grown to enjoy it since when she was around him she felt that he was able to help keep her from being lost to her nightmares.

Shaking her head Ame forced that from her thoughts as she allowed herself to lay down on her bed on top of the blanket while she stared at the ceiling. 'Am I wrong to even consider Aidou as my first and only friend? Does he feel the same about me? Or am I being foolish to allow anyone in?' she thought to herself as she shook her head only to feel herself drifting off into what started as a peaceful sleep.

_Ame was alone in darkness as there was a figure there who looked similar to the woman she had seen before. She had long white hair and gentle pink eyes as she wore a formal white yukata with a pink obi. "My dear ..." the figure said as they knelt before Ame who was only at most a toddler as she looked up at the figure in confusion. "I wish I could stay to see the type of lady you will grow up to be, but instead I will grant you a gift so that I may be with you in spirit." The woman said as she pulled Ame close. "I wish I could do more, but I hope that this gift will grant you a life you deserve." The woman said only for everything to fade to nothing._

Ame woke with a start as she felt like her head was pounding as she reached up resting her pale hand against her forehead as her hair fell about her face and her small shoulders. "W-what was that about…" she whispered as she shook her head before she felt herself drifting off once again as she fell back against her pillows as she slipped into another dream.

_A figure with long black hair and glowing crimson eyes walked toward Ame as she backed away from them as there was a strong scent of blood in the air only for the figure to reach for her as his blood soaked fangs could be seen within his mouth in the pale moon light filtering into the room. "You will be mine!" the figure said only for the dream to shatter and Ame fall into darkness._

"_What was that? Who was that figure?" she asked herself as she was falling._

"_It is best you remain in this dream a while longer." A kinder male voice said as she continued to fall. "But why do you fight staying in the dream? Are you not happy with your life as it is?"_

"_I…I just want to remember who I am. I want to know the truth."_

"_At this point the truth is far too dangerous for you to remember." The voice said as the crescent moon around Ame's neck began to pulsate slightly as she stopped falling and just hovered in the darkness. "It is for the best that you remain in this dream, little one." The voice said as Ame opened her eyes to see that she was on her back suspended in darkness._

"_But I want to know who I am. I want to know why so many seek to protect me, and from what. I want to know why that vampire said he was to take me to his master." She said as the darkness below her rippled only for her to begin falling again down into ice cold water that stole the air from her lungs as she sank deeper and deeper into the water. She tried to struggle as she felt her lungs begin to burn as they needed oxygen._

"_Stop before you break." The voice said as the figure she had seen in her room a few weeks before standing on top of the water looking down at her. Ame continued to struggle before the last bit of strength left her and she went limp within the water and darkness took her vision as her eyes soon closed…_

/

The following evening found Ame in a slight daze since she was trying to avoid sleeping and she felt had tried to drink down some blood tablets but her hunger refused to subside. Something she thought was due in part to how every time she closed her eyes she saw a scene, usually a lavish room, soaked in blood. She shook her head as she soon stood and got dressed in a casual light blue dress that matched her cerulean eyes. It hugged her small figure to the waist then it hung loose, but at the moment as she looked down at it she thought seemed like a very dark color, a complete contrast to her white hair and pale skin. But she did not linger on that as she soon slipped on her white slippers that fit snug around her feet only to remain sitting on the bed for a moment longer wondering if she would be able to slip out before anyone else woke up because she did not wish to deal with anyone, and she did not want Aidou to see her like this.

'Well won't know until I go…' she thought to herself as she stood from the bed and crossed to her door and opened it before stepping out and shutting the door behind her. She did not hear anyone so she headed down the hall making no sound as she walked as she soon was descending the stairs and walking to the door that was the entrance to the dorm. Once she pushed it open she stepped outside and stepped away from it as it closed behind her with a soft click of the handle.

Looking toward the sky she saw that the light was beginning to fade away, meaning the others would be waking soon. She walked down the steps to the dorm as she walked away from the dorm as she headed toward the trees heading toward a place that had been a peaceful spot for her since she had joined the Night Class.

/

Aidou woke after a peaceful sleep as he slowly got up from bed and looked to see that Akatsuki was sleeping in a little bit. Not that he really cared what his cousin did, all due to how lately the two had not talked much since Aidou had been spending all the time he could with Ame. Though with that thought he went about getting dressed in a casual black long sleeve shirt with a white sweater vest over it and black pants and polished black shoes before running a comb through his hair as his thoughts were centered on Ame.

'What has been with her lately…' he thought to himself as he set his comb down as he closed his eyes thinking over how for the last week he had noticed her seeming to grow more and more weary and having a hard time focusing on anything, even their lessons. 'Could she be having a reaction to the blood tablets?' he wondered as he walked over to the door of his and Akatsuki's room and opened the door before stepping out and shutting the door not noticing the pair of orange eyes watching him.

Aidou walked down the hall to where Ame's room was before raising his hand to gently tap on the door as he spoke. "Ame? It's Aidou." He said since she knew him by his last name. "I'm coming in." he said when he did not hear a response as he figured it was due to her maybe still being asleep. Though when he slowly opened the door and looked in it was to see that Ame was not there. He felt worried due to the state she had been, more so when he stepped into the room and glanced around to see some of her blood tablets on the floor along with water that looked like it had been coughed up. 'She is starting to want actual blood…' Aidou thought in worry as he turned and rushed out of her room leaving it open behind him as he did not notice another watching him from the end of the hall as Aidou rushed out.

/

Kaname had just walked out of his room and saw Aidou rush from Ame's room as he could not help but wonder why Aidou had been in there since he had not said for him to go into her room, just to train her with her abilities. 'If he is getting close to her, he is playing with fire and he will get burned.' Kaname thought as he walked over to Ame's room and glanced in only to see the tablets on the floor and the water nearby. 'How much longer will you be able to hang on, Ame? Or has the shattering begun already?' he mused as he shut the door so that no one would dare go into her room as he kept walking since he planned to talk to the headmaster.

Not long after Kaname had left the dorm, ignoring Ruka and the others as he walked out going straight to the headmaster's office to speak to him. He had a feeling that the way things were progressing it would be increasingly difficult for Ame, more so now that she was refusing tablets to the extent he had seen, it confirmed what he had suspected. She was who he thought.

When Kaname got to the headmaster office he knocked on the door only to hear a faint 'come in' so he opened the door and let himself in. "Headmaster." He said in greeting as he shut the door behind himself and walked over to the desk as Kaien looked up at Kaname smiling until he saw the look on his face, and Kaien's smile disappeared.

"Is something wrong, Kaname?" he asked as he had known Kaname for a long time and he knew the look on Kaname's face could mean either he was troubled or that something was about to happen.

"You could say that." Kaname said as he looked down at Kaien. "I need to talk to you about Ame." He said as Kaien nodded.

"I figured that you would come in to speak to me about her sooner or later. Because she is not a typical vampire." He said as Kaname rested his hands on the desk.

"I want the truth, headmaster. Just what is her story?" Kaname asked but when Kaien hesitated Kaname spoke again. "I already know what class of vampire she is, but what I do not know is how she came to be here because…" Kaname spoke in a hushed tone to the headmaster as afterward, the headmaster told Kaname about how Ame had been left in his care and then taken away for her own safety and brought back. That besides that he knew nothing of her past.

"The only one that would know the full story is a friend of mine that is nowhere to be found." The headmaster said as he sighed. "All he said before he left was that he was leaving her in my care and protection, and because you able to do more, I entrusted her to you since you would understand her better than I do." The conversation shifted after that as Kaname told the headmaster about the state Ame was in before they then talked about a new student that was to be joining the night class soon.

/

Ame soon reached the place where she and Aidou had been doing their training, the one place she found to be absolutely peaceful. She walked out of the trees over toward the edge of the water and sat down on a boulder that rested not too far from the water as she drew her knees up to her chest as the memory of the nightmare she had while sleeping during the day was beyond terrifying her since she had seen flashes of what appeared to be her attacking people and doing so savagely during the one time she had actually nodded off. It was to the point that she was having a harder time waking and not screaming or crying out. So she figured to get out of the dorm for some fresh air would clear her head, and that maybe being in such a peaceful place may help put her mind at ease. So while she sat there she rested her forehead on her knees as she closed her eyes only to see a flash of a person. A man with slightly grown out black hair that hung slightly in his face and glowing crimson eyes.

Ame leaned up and let out a small startled cry as she was gasping for breath only to hear a soft voice near her as her wide eyes turned toward the sound to see that it was Aidou.

"Ame...is something wrong?" he asked giving her a worried look since she had been more jumpy lately.

Ame stood and gave a half smile to Aidou as tears were evident on her pale face in the light of the moon. "Y-yeah. I am fine." she said in a shaking voice. "Why would you think otherwise?" she asked innocently but Aidou walked closer and put his arms around her pulling her close so she was against his chest with her arms held down to her side while he hugged her. "A-Aidou..." she said as a faint blush formed on her face.

"I can tell something is bothering you, and has been for a while. I want to help, because I do not like seeing you cry. Though the fastest way for a vampire to calm is to drink the blood of another vampire or human." he said as he angled his head to allow her to see his neck. "I know the tablets only hold off the hunger for blood for so long, so I am willing to help you by giving you my blood. And that they have not been helping you at all." he said giving Ame a worried look. "So drink my blood." he said as Ame shifted so that her arms moved up so she could hold the front of his shirt in her pale hands pulling him a bit closer to her level as once he was in range she opened her eyes revealing they were crimson instead of their usual cerulean as she sank her fangs deep into his neck only to start to drink from him as Aidou held her tightly.

While Ame drank Aidou's blood she felt something, almost like they were blending into one being. She knew this was due to how when a vampire fed they took not just the blood but the person into themselves. To feel this close to Aidou made her beyond happy, but then there was something in his feelings that she was tasting. It was sweet, definitive and warm. As she drank more of his blood she felt it fill her almost to the point she thought it would overflow before she felt Aidou shift so she drew back as some of his blood lingered on her lips and even dripped down to her chin in a single trail.

"You felt my true emotions through my blood, didn't you?" he asked in a whisper as Ame nodded a faint blush on her face as Aidou leaned down close again and licked the trail of blood on her face as he felt a shiver go through her at that touch. "Those feelings of love toward you, I have felt but I was afraid to express them. But I am no longer afraid, I want to be by your side." Aidou said as he pulled Ame closer and held her gently but protectively to his chest as he looked down into her cerulean eyes with his teal eyes. Soon he leaned down closer as he could feel her heart skipping as their faces grew closer together only for his lips to soon meet hers as both of their eyes closed as their lips were locked together.

/

Ame felt more at ease that night after she had drank Aidou's blood, and he had not seem to terribly phased besides needing to sit and rest for a second since she had drank a fair amount from him in her hunger. Though now they were sitting by the edge of the water resting against the boulder as Ame looked shyly toward Aidou as she felt more resolve in her own feelings for him, but she was afraid to admit them to him all due to how everyone she had ever cared for had left her. Though it was not to long before Ame felt herself start to drift off as she was at peace only for Aidou to shift her so that she was using his lap for a pillow as he knew the bite marks on his neck were long sense healed. Though he felt like he could still feel her gentle fangs within his neck and feel her lips caressing the nap of his neck while she drank.

Though as Ame was sleeping using his lap for a pillow he looked down at her and even reached up with his right hand and gently run his hand over her hair and even move some stray strands out of her hair out of her face as he could not help but think that she looked like a peaceful princess laying there. 'She is so peaceful in her sleep.' He thought, but not realizing just how wrong he was.

_Ame stood before a woman who was kneeled before her as blood was coming out of some of the pores on their face and even from their eyes as tears. Ame cried at the sight of the blood but the woman held her close. "Do not cry, my little one." She whispered in a kind voice as Ame found she recognized her from another dream. But she was unable to voice it as soon the woman spoke again. "I am doing this for you to have a bright future." She said as Ame figured out this was a continuation of her earlier dream. "Though I am going to make it so that it will be almost impossible for you to be brought back to yourself." She said as Ame leaned back to look at the woman's shadowed face in confusion. "You will only ever awaken when your fangs grace the neck of one that you love..." The figure said before everything went to darkness as Ame in the dream was falling to sleep. "Live a full and happy life, my precious…" but the name was not heard as Ame knew no more._

Ame's eyes shot open as she sat up as she felt like her head was pounding as she brought her hands up only for Aidou to reach out and slowly help her to sit up as he spoke gently. "Ame?" he asked in concern only for Ame to look at him in confusion as her headache slowly died away, but her breathing was still coming in short quick gasps for several minutes. Once she seemed to have calmed a bit more, Aidou spoke again. "Did you have a bad dream?" he asked as Ame shook her head.

"I…I don't think it was a dream." She said in a shaking tone. "It felt more like a distant memory." She admitted as Aidou gave her a worried look.

'Just what has happened to her?' he wondered as he was soon brought from his thoughts as Ame had shifted and threw herself against Aidou's chest as she clung to him shaking out of fear. It took only a second before he recovered and he brought his hands up around her and held her close. "I promise, I won't let anything hurt you, and I will do what I can to grant you a peaceful sleep." He said as he knew he could use an ability he had, but to force her back to sleep might cause more harm than good.

/

Monday evening arrived all too soon for Ame as she sat in her room already in her uniform, her white hair falling about and in her face since she had gotten dressed but not much past that due to how she kept having the same nightmares over and over and she was feeling more and more drained from it. But when she heard a knock on the door she did not even move as Aidou opened the door to see Ame sitting there as though she was in a daze or a trance again.

Aidou walked over and sat down beside Ame as he knew that she had seemed better after drinking his blood. Though before doing that and chancing anyone noticing, he spoke to her to see if he could get her to respond. "Ame? Ame?" he said reaching up to her face and gently brushing his fingertips against her cheek as her eyes came back into focus as she look at him and smiled but he knew it was not a true smile.

"A-Aidou." She said as though surprised that he was there.

"We need to head downstairs and go with the others to class." He said as he then took note of her hair that was a mess as he sighed at that. "But first…" he went over to her wardrobe and grabbed her brush from it as he walked over and started to brush her hair for her. "We need to pull your hair back so it is not in your face so much." He said as he got out something he had actually been meaning to give her as a small gift. A cerulean colored ribbon with crystal crescent moons hanging from both ends. He pulled her hair back so that the sides were pulled back into a ponytail while her bangs hung about her face and a little in it but not that much as he then used the ribbon to tie back the section of hair he had pulled back. "There, much better." He said with a smile as she reached back only to feel the ribbon as she then turned her cerulean eyes on him.

"What is it?" she asked wondering what it was that he had put in her hair.

But because the ribbon hung down past her shoulders, Aidou reached out and moved it so she could see one of the ends. "It is a ribbon for your hair so that you can use more than a rubber band." He said as he smiled at her before offering her his hand. "Though we do need to get going." He said as she placed her small pale hand in his as he helped her to her feet only to soon walk from her room with her and down to where the others were already walking out of the dorm.

Once they reached the gate and it opened, Ame's ears were assaulted once again by the screams from the day class girls. She moved closer to Aidou while still holding his hand as they walked, something that seemed to enrage the day class girls due to how Ame was walking hand in hand with one that they had crushes on.

"What is that girl doing!"

"How dare she hold Idol's hand!"

"He is mine!"

"Idol!"

Were four of the things being yelled that Ame heard as Aidou squeezed her hand to help reassure her that everything would be okay. Something that led to her smiling up at him since him doing that one small gesture meant a lot to her. Though as they got away from the day class students Ame looked up at Aidou with a gentle smile on her face as she thought of how now, finally she had someone she could be close to. She had no memory of anyone actually being close to her, except Misaki who had only been faking the entire time. As they walked together toward the building she ignored the looks she was getting from Ruka and even Akatsuki did not seem to have an approving look on his face, but their looks were nothing to her.

She was with the one she felt she was meant to be with and she knew he cared for her just as much as she did.

Though that night they sat in the classroom since Mr. Fujito was running late. So during that time Aidou sat beside Ame visiting with her, as it became apparent he was ignoring the disapproving looks from both of his cousins. "Ame, you didn't take a blood tablet when you woke did you?" he asked since he had suspected even earlier that it had been partly due to hunger that she was in a daze when he had gone to get her from her room.

"No." Ame said shaking her head at him as she looked down after admitting that. "I was a little out of it when I woke, so I only managed to get dressed for class, and taking a tablet completely slipped my mind." She said as she spoke in a very low whisper hoping no one else would hear that she had forgotten.

"No worry." Aidou said as he pulled out a small container that had the crest of the school on it. He opened it and got out a tablet and handed it to Ame since they were doing what they could to try and conceal that they were becoming closer than friends, but Ame suspected the rest of the class could see it just with how they were almost always together.

After Ame took the tablet she felt a little better, but nowhere as much as when she had drank Aidou's blood. Compared to his, the tablet was beyond bland, making her crave his even more but she forced that thought away since she had to try and resist her wanting for his blood. She shook her head only to a few seconds see that a new student with long silver purple hair that was pulled up on one side in a slight bun. Her matching eyes were looking around the class, but Ame felt her eyes linger on her.

"Who the hell is that?" Aidou asked only for the girl to leap up from where she was as she landed lightly before Aidou and held his face in his hands as he looked at her with an expression that bordered on fear.

"The hell, boy?" she asked in a tone that Ame felt sounded vaguely familiar before the girl turned her attention to Ame when she shifted only for the girl to move so she was standing before Ame as she reached out brushing her face and then down her neck to the collar of her shirt as there was an odd look in the girl's eyes as she kept them locked on Ame as she stood there unsure if it would be wise to move.

"Perhaps you should introduce yourself before taking offence to a question from Aidou, Maria Kurenai." Kaname said as the girl pulled her hand back from Ame only to go over to the table in front of Kaname and kneel down on it and grab his hand and proceeding to nuzzle it.

"I cannot believe I finally get to meet a pureblood!" she said in pure excitement like a child who just got what they had always wanted. This action resulted in almost the entire class minus Ame getting worked up as Maria soon left to avoid anything, at least Ame suspected that was her reasoning for it. But as Maria passed her, she gave Ame a look that seemed almost familiar to her. Though before she could think more on it, Maria was gone and the door at the top of the room closing behind her with a soft sound.

Not long after that, everyone was still worked up as Aidou remained over by Kaname asking him why he had allowed Maria to behave in such a disrespectful way, as even when class started he remained over by Kaname, leaving Ame alone. Through the lesson from Mr. Fujito, it had been a struggle to remain focused due to how Ame kept seeing the way Maria looked at her, which got her into a lot of trouble when Mr. Fujito caught her not paying attention again.

"Miss. Hoshi!" he yelled as he threw a book at her that she barely managed to dodge, earning a laugh or snicker from everyone in the room except for Kaname and Aidou. "Pay attention! This lecture is supposed to be strictly for you and I will do one on one lectures with you should you dare to not pay attention again!" he yelled but Ame was not the only one he lashed out at as another book slammed into another desk as Ame looked to see that it had almost hit Aidou. "Mr. Aidou! You sit down!" he said but Aidou spoke up in annoyance.

"I was going to move back over to my seat by Ame-" he started but Mr. Fujito cut him off.

"No! Stay in your seat over there." He said as Kaname looked at Aidou and said for him to listen to the instructor, so Aidou reluctantly sat back down shooting Ame an apologetic look since he felt it was his fault that she was having to deal with the verbal onslaught because he had not stayed with her to help her focus on the lecture.

Though after the lesson Mr. Fujito tried to make Ame stay, but Kaname intervened saying that she needed to rest since it seemed obvious that she was unable to focus due to lack of sleep. So the teacher relented and told Ame she better be ready for class in two nights since the next night was ethics with Mr. Yagari. Ame promised she would be as she gathered her stuff and went to walk out but Aidou stopped her right outside of the room as everyone was going their own separate ways.

"Ame, come with me." He said as she did not seem to respond, but she also did not put up any fuss as she allowed herself to be led by Aidou back toward the dorm and even to where they had been training together to increase her own control of her own ability with water and ice. Though as they got to the shore Aidou took Ame's books from her and sat them down along with his own as he turned to face her. "The tablet did not help any did it?" he asked as she shook her head.

"It barely held off my hunger, more so because after taking it I realized just how bland it is." She said only for Aidou to undo his jacket and lay it on the boulder where Ame had sat the night before. "Aidou?" Ame asked as she saw him even shift his collar to the side. "It is not allowed for us to drink blood on school grounds!" she said as she backed a few steps from him as she fought to try and force back her lust for Aidou's blood.

"It is forbidden for us to bite and drink from the human students. But it is not for us to feed off of one another." He said as he walked closer while he reached out only to pull her closer to him. "I do not want you to lose yourself in your hunger, and if that means I have to feed you my blood to allow you to remain you then so be it." He said in a determined tone.

Though Ame shook her head at him. "You are speaking as though you think that I am a Level E that is slowly losing what is left of me." She said as she allowed herself to rest against Aidou while she rested her ear against his chest only to hear the steady beating of his heart tickling at her ear.

"I know you are not, but I can see the hunger in your eyes, and to deny it will make you seek blood like a level E. Where you will bite anyone to get it, especially since the tablets do not seem to hold back your hunger the way they are supposed to." He explained in a worried tone.

"It might be because of how I was given them for so long…" she whispered as Aidou just held her closer.

"Drink what you need from me." Aidou whispered as he leaned down while Ame shifted his collar a bit more out of the way.

"But won't this make you hunger for blood?" she asked timidly.

"I can use the tablets." He said as he did catch what Ame had been trying to hint to, but he saw it if he drank from her then it would just make her hunger more in a vicious cycle. "So do not worry." He said as he closed his eyes with a smile on his face.

Ame's eyes took on a crimson glow as she leaned in closer hearing the beating of his heart as her fangs became more pronounced before she sank them into Aidou's neck slowly so that he let out a sigh at the feeling before she started to feed on his blood, feeling herself flooded once again by the feelings of love that Aidou held for her in his heart.

/

Close to dawn, Aidou and Ame headed back to the dorm, neither noticing that they were being watched as they walked hand in hand back into the dorm. Though the one watching let out a small laugh as they went into the building as Maria spoke to the man who wore a long trench coat and a mask over the upper part of his face.

"That girl is learning the cruel nature of vampires, and yet she seems un phased by it." Maria said as she let out a laugh. "Though that might be in part due to how so many are shielding her from the vampire's true nature." She said looking back at the male with her as he spoke.

"But why do you seem amused by it?" he asked since he did not understand Maria's fascination with the girl since to him she was just an average vampire.

"That will be revealed in time." Maria said in her carefree voice before her expression shifted to one that was not carefree at all as her voice even lost the happy tone to it. "When that girl comes to me." She said as she turned to look toward where Ame and Aidou had been before as she knew that in due time everything would come to light. She could already see it in Ame's eyes. She had seen the cruelty of the vampire race, and something in her was slowly breaking. But Maria forced that from her mind as she smiled toward the one with her. "Time to go inside, Ichiru." She said as she near skipped toward the door, Ichiru in tow.

/

After Aidou had left Ame alone she removed her jacket only for an envelope to fall out of her jacket. 'What the…' she thought to herself as she knelt to the floor by it to see that her name was written in a very tidy hand on the envelope. Ame was unsure about it, but her curiosity soon got the better of her as she gingerly picked up the envelope only to find a folded up letter inside. She pulled it out and carefully unfolded it as she remained knelt on the floor as her cerulean eyes scanned over the letter. As she read her eyes grew wide only for her hands holding the letter to move down to her lap as she stared at the letter with confusion evident on her features.

/

A/N: I will put the contents of the letter in the next chapter. Though I want to give a very special thanks to someone, a person I am dedicating this chapter to. Myra K Kuran. Myra has been following this story since the beginning and was the first to review this story. That and Myra has been helping me with some bits that are to come. So once again, a very special thanks to Myra K Kuran.


	11. Chapter Ten: Betrayal

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Ten: Betrayal**

Ame,

I know that you are seeking answers about your forgotten past, and I can help you. I know who holds the key to your past, and I am willing to help you for a small price. All you need do is meet my servant in two night's time as the others leave for class at a place that holds significance to you, he will bring you to me.

Ame stared at the letter find it almost too good to be true since she had never told the others besides Aidou the extent of her memory loss. But she had a feeling that Kaname knew since he had insisted that the basics of the history be taught so that she would understand how the vampire society worked. 'But now someone is offering to give me answers.' She thought as she read over the letter again. 'Should I go? Should I tell Aidou?' she wondered as she looked down at the letter and noticed a part she had missed before since it was written toward the bottom as a note.

And do not tell anyone about this.

Seeing that made Ame skeptical since she did not want to keep it secret from Aidou, but with how the dreams were getting worse, maybe she should hear this person out. She put it in the night stand beside the bed before she finished changing into her night dress and got into bed pulling the covers up around her as she thought about the letter. 'But who put it there…?' she thought as her eyes drifted closed and she was soon in sleep's unforgiving embrace.

_Ame ran as fast as she could from someone who was chasing her, but she was not able to cover very much ground due to how little she was. She could hear the figure getting closer only for her to dive behind a tree and lean against it only for the figure, a man with long black hair went just past the tree._

"_Come out, little __Kōri no ōjo." The male said as he glanced around only to soon spot the young Ame who was only seven at the oldest as he was before her in less than a second and picking her up by the front of her tattered white dress._

"_Put me down!" she cried as she kicked out and even slapped at his hand that was holding her up so her tiny bare feet were several feet off of the ground._

"_Looks like you need to learn your place." The male said as his deep crimson eyes glared down at Ame causing her to be still out of pure fear. Though he did not seem to care that she had ceased her struggling because he pulled her away from the tree only to slam her against it as hard as he could as the back of her head hit hard enough that she felt blood on the back of her head. "Ah." He said as his voice trembled as though he was aroused by the mere scent of her blood. "You will forever be mine, and do not forget it." He said as he leaned in close to Ame and sank his fangs greedily into her neck as she cried out for him to stop but he did not listen but instead drank like a starved beast from her bleeding neck._

Ame woke with a start due to how the dream had been even more real than some of the other ones since she had seen the face of the man. She thought he almost resembled Mr. Fujito but the man in her dream had a more savage look about him and his voice had been far more sadistic than the teacher.

"It was just a dream…nothing more…" Ame whispered to herself as she sat on the bed drawing her knees up to her chest as the dream kept playing over and over in her mind. After several moments she thought of something as she reached up with her right hand only to lightly touch her head and bring her hand back around only to see blood! Ame let out a scream unable to help herself. Before the scream could die on her lips her door was opened and there stood Kaname still dressed in his school uniform minus the white coat.

Kaname walked over to Ame and sat down on the bed putting his hand on her shoulder. "Ame!" he said in a stern voice to get through to her as her cerulean eyes came into focus as she saw Kaname but she pulled away from him huddling into a ball at the far corner of her bed shaking in fear. "Ame, come here." He said in an authoritative tone as she slowly seemed to register who it was and slid closer to him as he put an arm around her shoulders holding her to his side. "You need to calm down." He said.

"I…there was blood!" she said holding out her hand only to see that it was no longer there. "I-I…I swear there was blood on my hand from the back of my head!" she said in a panic since even though she was a vampire the sight of it after the dream had scared her. Before she could say more, Kaname pulled Ame close so she was against his chest. "K-Kaname…" she started but something felt odd due to Kaname resting his hand on her head only to put her to sleep in his arms as he looked down at her.

"I will grant you this, because I do not know what you are beginning to remember, but for the time being, forget." He said as he placed her back down on the bed and tucked her in before leaving the room.

/

Maria walked toward Ame's room as she suspected that something had happened earlier in the day due to a scream she had heard. So she walked toward the room with Ichiru following behind her as she stood before the door not hearing anything within as she reached out for the door as she spoke to Ichiru. "Do not let anyone enter, this is to be between me and little Ame." She said as Ichiru nodded before she turned the handle and stepped in before letting the door close behind her with a soft click. Maria smirked ever so slightly as she walked over closer to the bed through the darkness in the room, though she found she did not mind it since she was used to the dark.

When she stood beside Ame's bed she looked down at the sleeping girl as she seemed to be at peace but anyone who knew suffering the way Maria did, she could see that the girl's soul was deeply troubled. "Seems that boy had decided to spare you the pain of what you are seeing each night." She mused to herself as she reached out brushing her finger tips against Ame's left cheek as she remained asleep. "But it seems he did too much since blocking out what you have remembered has made you a puppet." She said in a low tone as she gave a disapproving look at the young sleeping vampire.

"Even though you are young, you have seen the vampire's true nature." Maria said in a voice that was not the one she had used the night before in class. "Though, I think I will keep you as my own before the son of Kuran can claim you." She said as she lifted up Ame's right hand as her fangs became more pronounced.

/

Aidou woke and started getting around before Akatsuki had even got up, something he had been doing more and more lately to allow him a few moments alone with Ame. So once he finished getting dressed he buttoned up his coat and walked out of the room closing the door behind himself only to head down the hall to where Ame's room was only to find a male he could tell was a human standing outside of her room. "What are you doing here?" Aidou asked in a defensive tone since he was not sure who this man was with but he did not like that he was standing so casually outside of Ame's room.

"I do not feel like answering you." The male said as he looked toward Aidou but he wore a silly mask over his eyes.

'What is with that mask?' Aidou thought before he stepped forward but the male stepped to block the door. "Let me pass or I will force my way past you!" Aidou said as there was a furious look in his eyes as he was worried about why this man was not letting him go in to see Ame.

"I cannot, because the occupant of this room is still sleeping." The man said which was only a half true since he knew the one he was with was in there to gain something from Ame.

Though Aidou refused to be held up any longer as he froze the floor holding the man there as he ran past him and forced the door open to see Maria about to but Ame's wrists. "Stop right there!" Aidou said as he went to send ice along the floor toward Maria but she merely released Ame's wrist as she seemed to wake.

"I ran out of blood tablets and I thought she would not mind." Maria said in an innocent tone looking as though she was truly sorry, but Aidou did not believe that look for one second as he walked over and even stood so that he was between Ame, who was just sitting up, and Maria.

"I suggest you leave this room. And I will be reporting this to Dorm President Kuran." He said as Maria merely let out a small laugh as she left the room shutting the door behind her. Though Aidou turned to Ame and sighed in relief. "Sorry that you had to wake in such a way." He said but Ame looked at him with a blank look on her face. "Ame? What is wrong?" he asked.

But Ame was trying to figure out why this man seemed familiar to her as she stared at him feeling beyond lost as she soon spoke. "Who are you?" she asked in a confused tone as she looked toward him with a look that showed she was not playing around.

Aidou could not believe what he was hearing as he grabbed her hands and looked into her wide confused cerulean eyes. "Ame, it's me, Aidou." He said in a pleading tone since he was not sure why she suddenly forgot who he was.

"Ai..dou?" she asked unsure of the name but it seemed very familiar.

"Yes, Aidou. I am your…your friend." He said trying to encourage her to remember who he was.

"My friend? But I don't have any." She said giving him a confused look more so since he looked as though someone had ripped his heart from his chest. "Why do you look so hurt?" she asked reaching out and placing her pale fingers against his pale cheek.

But Aidou shook his head as he reached up holding her hand to his face. "I promise I will help you through this." He said as he soon stood only to answer the question he felt that Ame was going to ask. "I am going to go alert the dorm president that we are not going to be able to attend class tonight." He said before leaving the room to go talk to Kaname.

Though once the door closed Ame got up from the bed and walked around the room trying to remember where she was, but it was no use. Everything was a haze as she felt that she had forgotten something or someone important. 'Could it have been that person…Aidou?' she wondered as she found the ribbon on her night stand. She reached out touching it as she thought it was beautiful but the second her pale fingers touched it, something flashed in her mind.

Images of the one who had been in her room just a moment before. Of him when she first came to the dorm, their first lesson together, him giving her the ribbon, and their first kiss.

Ame stumbled back from the ribbon as she held her head unsure as to what was going on as the memories of Aidou came rushing back to her. 'How could I have forgotten him?' she thought as she sank to her knees on the floor. Was her nightmares tied to this? She was not sure as she remained on the floor holding her head as her white hair fell about her face and shoulders.

Aidou had caught up to Kaname just before the gates were to open as he asked to speak to him in private, once they were to the side Aidou spoke up. "I do not know what is going on, but when I went to check to make sure Ame was ready for class I found Maria in her room about to bite her, and when I spoke to her, Ame had no memory of me." Aidou said as worry was evident in his voice.

Kaname nodded at him as he knew full well what was wrong with her. "Very well." He said in a calm voice. "Stay with her for tonight and I will have a talk with Maria tonight after class about her needing to not do that again." He said before walking away from Aidou who bowed to him in thanks before turning and heading back toward the dorm as he got inside just as the gates opened and the rest of the class headed toward the main building of the academy for class.

Once Aidou got back to Ame's room he knocked to announce himself as he opened the door only to see Ame sitting on the floor as he rushed over to her and dropped down to his knees beside her. "Ame?" he asked as he went to rest a hand on her shoulder only for Ame to throw herself against him to where he barely managed to keep from falling over as he gave her a surprised look. But before he could speak she cried into his jacket.

"I am so sorry Aidou!" she sobbed as her whole body shook from her crying. "I don't know what came over me that made me forget who you are!" she cried as she held onto the front of his jacket as though it were a life line and if she let go he might disappear.

As he listened to her crying, Aidou brought his arms up around her and held her close so that his right arm rested on the back of her head on her silk like hair while his left was around her waist holding her to him. "It is alright, but I will admit you had me worried for a moment." He said as he was just relieved that she remembered who he was.

The two of them stayed like that for several long minutes before Aidou moved to stand and shifted Ame so that he was cradling her small form to his chest as one hand was under her knees and the other near her shoulders as he carried her over to her bed and sat down with her and letting her rest on his lap. A smile played at Aidou's lips as Ame leaned against him and rested her head against his chest only for him to feel her tense.

"You are hungry?" he asked as he noticed that he had never seen her really eat anything besides the tablets and blood. But he felt her nod as he closed his eyes. "Do you want to try eating food or do you want my blood again?" he asked as Ame looked up at him with confusion in her innocent cerulean eyes. "Have you really never tried actual food?" he asked only for her to shake her head.

"No. Even when I was with Misaki she only ever gave me the tablets since I did not ever really want anything else." She said as she found looking back on it that should have been a red flag for her right there that she was not human.

"Then how about we give it a try!" Aidou said with a smile on his face, something that was contagious since seeing that smile had led to Ame smiling before nodding. Aidou shifted Ame so she was sitting on her bed as he stood. "Go ahead and get dressed and I will be waiting outside." He said as he went to walk from the room only to stop for a second. Something was bothering him but he could not put his finger on it. Something felt off about Ame, like she was even more troubled than she had let on but he covered it up by speaking. "Do you want to try eggs and toast? It is a typical breakfast that is really good." He said figuring a simple meal would do for her first actual one.

Ame smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good." She said as she was actually curious about what that would taste like. She was sure it would not be as sweet or delicious as Aidou's blood but she was willing to give it a try. Once he walked out of her room she changed into her casual blue dress and slipped on her white slippers before running a brush through her hair only to look at the ribbon resting on her night stand. She went to pick it up only to open the door to the night stand to see the letter was still there, as she had remembered a moment before that she had found that in her coat the night before. 'Even if just for tonight…' she thought since she was not sure what the mystery person might be able to tell her or where it would lead her.

Ame pulled her hair back the way it had been the night before and tied the ribbon up in her hair letting it fall down with her hair. She smiled slightly as she then headed to the door and opened it to see Aidou was there waiting for her. A few minutes later found the two of them walking down to the kitchen on the lower level of the dorm. When they got in there, Ame looked around a bit curious since she doubted it was set up like the kitchen that had been in the house she had lived in with Misaki. She did not get to linger on that thought due to Aidou walking away from her toward the fridge.

"Just as a warning, this will be the first time I have cooked." He warned with a nervous look but Ame shook her head with a smile.

"I am sure it will taste great." She said with a genuine smile on her face, one that Aidou in that moment thought made the smile of any pure blood princess he had met to shame.

"Well one way to find out." He said in a determined tone as he got out a deep pan before getting out a few eggs to try and cook. Over the course of the next hour, Aidou had managed to burn the toast, somehow get flour on himself and set the eggs on fire. He had gone to scrap the eggs but Ame stopped him.

"I still want to try it because you put your best effort into it." She said in a gentle voice and a smile that made Aidou not even argue as he hesitantly walked with her over to the table and sat down the plate.

To say that it was a disaster was a horrible understatement. The bread looked like lumps of charcoal and even had the odor of it since he had accidentally burnt it to such an extent, and the eggs…well there was no way to tell that they had once been eggs. They were charred and in pieces, worse than scrambled, they were near the point of being mush.

Ame picked up her spoon and went to scoop up some of the mush since she was very curious about what actual food tasted like but Aidou stopped her. "You do not have to eat it." He said nervously since he was worried that his try at cooking would make her sick.

Though Ame looked at him with a hint of an innocent laugh in her eyes. "But I want to." She said with a reassuring smile. She got a bit of the mush onto her spoon as she brought it up to her mouth and found it had a scent like nothing she had ever smelt before. She lingered like that for a brief second before she opened her mouth and put it in her mouth as she chewed and tasted the food while Aidou waited holding his breath only for her to swallow and smile at him. "It is delicious." She said as she took another bite with a smile before she offered him a bite to try his own first attempt at cooking as he seemed surprised from his own success.

/

After class that night, Kaname found he did not have to call Maria into his room to speak to her since she had gone to Ichijou and asked that she be allowed to speak to Kaname. So he was sitting behind his desk that had a chessboard on it facing her, a male with silver hair, and Ichijou who was by the door. "So you want to be allowed to move to a different building for your stay here?" Kaname asked seeing if he understood her request as Maria nodded. "And this wouldn't have anything to do with how another caught you trying to bite another of the students without their permission?" he asked in a low near dangerous tone.

"Of course not. I just do not feel it is for the best that I stay in the dorm with everyone since there is obvious tensions…" she said in her innocent voice before Kaname looked to Ichijou.

"Wait outside, I want to talk to Maria in private." He said as Ichijou stepped out but Maria's body guard remained, not that Kaname cared since he was of no threat or consequence at the moment. Once the door shut, Kaname took on a more serious air. "Why not drop your act." He said as he gave Maria a look that bordered on annoyance.

"My, it seems the son of Kuran has a hint of a temper that is not becoming of a pureblood." Maria said in a tone that was the opposite of the one she had been using before as her eyes even reflected the change in her.

"Tell me, what was the purpose behind that stunt?" Kaname asked as Maria chuckled ever so slightly, hinting that she would not say. "You are planning to somehow use that girl, aren't you?" he asked since in truth he had seen it from the beginning that Ame would be an excellent tool for whoever got to her first.

"It is possible. Though I can tell you do not care in the slightest what happens to that girl." Maria said as she could tell there was only one at the academy that Kaname really cared for, the young girl from the day class. Yuki Cross.

"You may be right, but still, you acted in a way not befitting you." Kaname said as he looked at Maria who seemed un-phased.

"Oh? Who is the one not acting in a way they should, son of Kuran. I know what you did to that girl." Maria said casually as she had a faint smile on her lips. "What is it that you were trying to shield her from? The fangs that are slowly tearing her a part from the inside?" Maria asked as Kaname allowed a faint smirk to form even though he said nothing. "As I thought." She said turning her back to Kaname. "I will be moving to the old dorm." She said before walking out as her servant followed behind her while Ichijou came back in.

"What was that about, Kaname?" Ichijou asked as Kaname seemed to be fascinated by the queen on his chessboard.

"Maria was wanting to move to the old dorm that we used when we first started here." Kaname said in a casual tone. "And I am allowing it." He said only for Ichijou to give him a confused look at this.

"But why?" Ichijou asked his confusion leaking through every syllable of what he had said.

"She said she thought she would do better living separate from everyone else since she doesn't feel that she is getting along with anyone and so I see no harm in it." Kaname said since that was not a full truth, not that Ichijou needed to know since he was just another pawn in this game. One that answered without hesitation to his king.

/

The following afternoon, Ame woke and got dressed having decided that she would go and meet the person who had given her the letter two nights before. 'I have to find out the truth.' She thought as she wore her white dress and white slippers since she did not intend to go to class. She did her hair up in the ribbon since that had been a way that Aidou had told her the night before looked very suiting for her. Though as it started to get to the time when everyone would be getting up, Ame left her room and headed to where the letter had specified for her to go.

As she walked out of the dorm she did not notice a pair of eyes watching her from one of the windows on the second floor of the dorm. But as the eyes of Kaname watched her he did nothing or even entertain a thought of stopping her. 'I will not intervene, this is your path to walk that will either lead to you finding your past, or it will lead to you shattering, Kōri no ōjo." He thought to himself before he turned away from the window to start getting ready for class.

Ame walked along the path through the trees as she soon reached the shore where Aidou and her had been training since she had started at the academy. She wondered as she glanced around if he would be upset with her for doing this alone.

**No, what reason would he have for being upset? This does not concern him.** A voice in her mind sounded as Ame shook her head.

'Because he cares for me and I…' Ame thought hesitantly.

**You love him?** There was sarcasm in the voice. **He is of a high ranked class and you are nothing but a low no class vampire.**

'I…I know but…'

**You were thinking if you found out your past that maybe that would open a door to allow the two of you to be together?**

'Yes.'

**It won't. Who is to say even if you do recover who you once were that you won't change and it lead to him no longer being able to be with you?**

'We will find a way.'

**Because of love? You know full well in vampire society that those of the aristocrat class only marry to gain something. They are all the same, even Aidou has been seeking to gain something in being close to you.**

'He wouldn't do that! He isn't like the others!' Ame thought as she shook her head as tears brimmed in her eyes.

Though before the argument could continue, Ame heard someone approaching as she turned to see that it was a male with silver hair wearing all black, even a trench coat, along with a mask over his eyes. "I take it since you are here that you have chosen to find out the truth?" he asked as Ame nodded at him. "Then come with me." He said without another word he turned and started to walk away while Ame rushed to walk behind him and follow him to their destination.

As the final rays of light faded on the horizon they came to a building that stood on its own on the grounds as the male kept walking toward it with Ame in tow. She wondered if the person who had given her the letter was inside or if the male was the one who had given it. She went to speak but the attitude about the male made her hesitate and fall silent again as they walked up the steps to the doors only for the male to push it open and let Ame go in first. Once inside he shut the door as she heard a faint click meaning they were locked in. "This way." The male said as he walked past Ame and up the stairs as she followed wondering who was in the house since she got a vague feeling that there was someone else there, and that they were a vampire like her.

At the top of the stairs they turned to the left and headed down a hall to a room near the end before reaching another set of stairs. The male raised his right hand and knocked lightly on the door as there was a voice from within that said for them to enter. The man opened the door and stepped in only to bow. "My lady, I have brought Ame to you." He said as Ame remained in the hall.

"Send her in." the female within the room said as her voice sounded vaguely like Maria's. Before Ame could think on it the male was gesturing her into the room before he shut the door behind her as Ame's cerulean eyes widened at seeing that it was Maria.

"Maria?!" Ame asked in shock. "You were the one who sent the letter?" Ame asked as Maria stood as she was wearing her night class uniform at the moment as she walked over to Ame and stood before her.

"Yes, I was the one who sent that letter to you because I could tell from the first time I saw you that there is something about you, something special." She said as she reached up brushing Ame's cheek with her fingertips as Ame stood there giving her a confused look.

"Something special?" Ame asked as Maria smiled at her.

"Yes, though from the look of confusion that is pure in your eyes, I take it that everything has been taken away from you." She said as she moved her other hand to Ame's and gently took it in her own as she started to guide Ame's hand up. "But there is one way for me to know for sure what has been taken and what may still linger in the recesses of your mind." She said as she brought Ame's hand up toward her lips only for Ame to pull her hand back. "You do not wish to learn the truth?" she asked in a blank tone.

"I-I do want to, it's just…" she started but Maria's expression shifted as she gave her a cold look.

"It's just that you do not want any fangs to pierce you other than that boy." She said as Ame looked toward her in confusion. "Oh, do not be so surprised. The way he acts around you and you around him in turn, the two of you make it beyond obvious that there is something more than just friendship growing there. Even though it is a place where it is forbidden."

"Why would it be forbidden? Because I am a common vampire while he is an aristocrat?" Ame asked letting her hand fall back to her side.

"You really have no idea." Maria said as she stepped closer as she held out her hand to Ame. "I will tell you what you seek, but for a price." She said as Ame gave her a hesitant look. "Give me a taste of your blood. That is all I ask, and then I will help open the way to allow you to find out the truth of yourself."

Ame stood there thinking for several minutes while Maria remained where she was, almost like a statue as her eyes seemed to be analyzing every detail of Ame as though trying to read her thoughts. 'I did come here to get answers…' she thought after a few moments of internal debating before she slowly stepped closer to Maria. "I will give you a taste of my blood." She said as she lifted her hand to Maria and put it in her hand. 'Besides this, I do not want anyone else's fangs to pierce me unless it is Aidou…' Ame thought to herself as Maria guided her hand up to her lips only to nip Ame's finger with her fang before licking the blood.

Maria closed her eyes using that drop of blood to search through Ame as she was using it to try and recover what she was after. Proof. Proof of who this girl was since she had the gentle eyes of someone she had once known and the resemblance was there in other forms to. And that is when she started to see faint glimpses of things through Ame's eyes. An older man with blonde hair and shocking blue eyes, another with glowing crimson with long black hair. 'It all makes sense…' Maria thought to herself as she let go of Ame's hand as she turned her back and walked over to the window. "What do you know of your family?" Maria asked.

When Maria was done, Ame watched her in confusion as she wondered had it confused Maria with the jumbled mess that was all that Ame had left. Though when she heard what Maria asked she gave her a confused look. "I do not know anything of them. I was just told that I was a common vampire that other vampires seem drawn to, which is why I had to be put into hiding for six years." She admitted as Maria kept her back to her.

'Six years…though that does not add up from what I saw.' She thought as she looked back over her shoulder at Ame before facing the window more as she folded her hands behind her back. "Your mind is a jumbled mess, it will take time for me to sort through all of it." Maria admitted even though she had a good idea of what it was about Ame that drew others to her. "But for now, you should avoid Kaname Kuran." She said as Ame gave her a confused look.

"Avoid him? But why? He along with Aidou are the two who have looked out for me since I was brought here." Ame said as Maria turned and walked back over to her until she had backed Ame against the wall and their faces only inches apart. "Because, he hungers for you. He wants to keep you as a docile lamb so that he can prey on you." She said as Ame's cerulean eyes grew wide in shock. "He had not planned on the son of Aidou to be so protective or close to you, so he is now going to try and bid his time." She said turning her back to Ame.

"He… he wouldn't do that!" Ame said since the Kaname she knew was one to be caring and even sympathetic toward her for how she did not remember anything of her past.

"Oh but he is." Maria said as she reached up catching Ame's chin between her thumb and index finger. "If you do not believe me, then go to him tonight and it may be best that you have Aidou with you since that is the only thing that will keep Kaname from making his move to devour your blood. Because he wishes to keep you from remembering the truth, for he is the one with the key to your memories." She said as Ame felt that there was only one way, and that was for her to go to Kaname and prove Maria wrong. "I can see that you still doubt me." She said with a faint smile. "Not surprising." She said as she moved back. "Though go the school, confront him and ask to speak to him in the dorm." She said as she left out to tell Aidou since this was all for a purpose, and she had Ame right where she wanted her same as with the others.

"I will!" Ame said as she moved away from the wall and rushed to the door but before she could open it Maria called after her.

"And if I am right, you should move to this building with me to be safe." She said as Ame glanced back at her before rushing out of the room and from the building, not seeing that the male with silver hair had gone back inside the room as the distant sound of the main door closing behind Ame.

"Are you sure it was wise to let her go like that, Lady Shizuka?" the male asked as Maria looked toward him with a smile.

"Of course, I already know how this will play out and that girl will come to me by dawn. For she carries with her a terrible curse and Kaname like all others, even the son of Aidou will seek to destroy her once it awakens." Maria said as she walked to the window watching the retreating figure of Ame run through the trees. "And this happiness she knows, it is best to shatter it now before she grows attached to that boy." She said with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"But isn't she to be the bait?" the male asked as Maria looked back at him.

"Yes, she is. Though by the time this is done she will either be devoured or she will awaken to the worst nightmare." Maria said as she walked over to the male. "So for now, I need you to go prepare the room next to this one for her, Ichiru." She said as Ichiru bowed and left to go do as Maria had instructed even though he had no obligation to listen to him.

/

Ame rushed to go find Kaname to see him walking toward the headmasters office as she called to him as he stopped and looked toward her with his usual neutral but gentle expression. As she got closer he spoke to her. "I was beginning to worry if you had fallen ill since no one has seen you since last night." He said which was a lie but there was no reason to reveal to her that he had in fact seen her leaving the dorm just before sunset.

Ame shook her head at him not catching that he had lied to her. "I am sorry, I had something to look into." She said as she fidgeted a little with the sides of her dress she was wearing. "But I was needing to talk to you about something important." She said as she looked up at him as he nodded at her, something that surprised her.

"Go wait in my room at the dorm and I will be there as soon as I finish talking to the headmaster about something." He said as Ame nodded and went to go find Aidou only to run into Ruka.

"Watch where you are going!" Ruka said in annoyance as she glared at Ame.

"Sorry, I was trying to find Aidou." She admitted as Ruka gave her a disgusted look.

"He left to search the grounds for you." She said as it was obvious that she hated even being near Ame.

"Oh…" Ame said as she knew that her going like she had must have worried him. "But if you see him can you ask him to meet me at Lord Kaname's room?" she asked as Ruka shook her head.

"Tell him yourself." She said as she walked past Ame only to shove her so hard that Ame fell to the floor against the wall.

Ame slowly got up as she glanced after Ruka as she wondered why Ruka hated her when she had not done anything wrong to her. But pushing that aside, she stood and headed toward the dorm, hoping that Aidou would not be out to long looking for her.

It did not take long for Ame to reach the dorm as she headed inside only to head to Kaname's room only to stand outside waiting as she began to wonder if she should instead go to look for Aidou, but she did not get the chance as a shadow fell over her as she turned to look up to see that it was Kaname.

"K-Kaname. I did not think you would be back so quickly." She said as Kaname shook his head as he regarded her with his distant cold eyes.

"I hurried back after having a word with the headmaster to just let him know the old teacher's residence is in use again." Kaname said as he reached past Ame to open the door. "And you said you wished to speak to me?" Kaname said as he opened the door and gestured for her to go in as she nodded. "Very well." He said as he followed her inside.

/

Out on the grounds Aidou walked around as he was beginning to really worry about Ame. She had not been in her room when he had gone to check on her earlier, and no one had seen her. Surely nothing had happened. 'Maybe she woke from another nightmare and decided to go for a walk to clear her head.' He thought to himself for the millionth time since he had gone with the rest of the class to attend their ethics class with Mr. Yagari. Though when she was not even there, Aidou became even more worried as he had rushed from the class after the lecture was concluded. He had searched over the grounds multiple times as he was beginning she had left due to how she was having a hard time fitting in with anyone but him and Lord Kaname.

That was when it occurred to him. Lord Kaname!

If anyone would know where she was, surely he would! With that thought he turned and started back toward the dorm since he was sure that Lord Kaname would help him find her. More so since Lord Kaname seemed to look after her almost as much as Aidou.

Though once he got to the dorm it was to see his cousins, Akatsuki and Ruka sitting on the couches. He could feel tension in the room almost immediately due to how he had not really spoke to them much since he had not approved of how Ruka treated Ame, and how Akatsuki was indifferent and saying for Aidou to not get involved with her since Lord Kaname seemed to have special interest in her.

Pushing that aside, he walked over toward his cousins only for Ruka to speak up. "So you were unable to find her?" she asked in a snide manner.

"No." Aidou said fighting back his urge to punch his cousin in the face since she was beyond insufferable. "Though have either of you seen Lord Kaname?" he asked as this time it was Akatsuki who answered.

"He went to talk to the headmaster and then he went to his room saying he did not wish for anyone to disturb him. Something about the transfer student needing to talk to him." Akatsuki said as he leaned back against the couch with a bored look on his face.

"Thanks." Aidou said to Akatsuki as he figured the transfer student meant Maria since she was the newest one, as he headed up the stairs making his way to Lord Kaname's room.

/

Ame stood in the center of Kaname's room as he walked past her and sat on the couch that was to one side near a giant window that let in the moonlight from outside as the curtains were fully open, so Ame thought that chances were they were only drawn closed during the day to block out the sun so that he could sleep. But she soon shook her head as she forced that from her mind as she focused on why she was there. To prove Maria wrong. Sure Kaname was kind to her and looked out for her, but it surely could not be for the reason that Maria had said...could it? No! He was just being kind and nothing more. At least she did not think there was more since as far as she knew there was nothing between the two other than that Kaien had placed her in Kaname's care when she had been placed in the night class not long after being brought back to Cross Academy. Though due to her silence, Kaname spoke up again since he had started to wonder what was going on since she was acting a bit strange, and how at the moment Aidou was not with her and it was growing more and more rare to see them, one without the other. Something he would have to put an end to because he could see how close they were getting.

"You said you wished to speak to me in private?" he asked as Ame nodded as she looked down from his piercing eyes. "What is it that you wanted to talk about?" he asked as Ame steeled herself as she looked up at him.

"I want to know why you treat me different. You are distant and cold at times towards the others, yet you seem to go out of your way to help me. I want to know why!" she said in the strongest voice she could manage while standing in Kaname's intimidating presence. "I have been getting the feeling lately that you know something about my past." Ame said as she stood her ground even as Kaname stepped closer.

"And if I do?" he asked as Ame's cerulean eyes widened revealing shock only for Kaname to chuckle. "You are the same as you were back then, which is how it should be." he whispered as he rested his hand on Ame's shoulder but she reached up slapping it away while stepping back.

"If you do then you should tell me! I am sick of living not knowing who I am!" Ame said as she glared up at Kaname as he closed his eyes and chuckled faintly resulting in Ame raising her hands slightly in a defensive posture.

"It should be obvious." he said as he reached out grabbing Ame's small wrists in his hands as he looked at her while his eyes took a crimson glow to them as Ame struggled trying to pull her wrists away from him.

"Let-" Ame started to yell but Kaname was quick as he moved his hands so that both of her wrists were in his as he used his other hand to cover her mouth as she let out a muffled protest from behind his hand but his hand was clamped over the lower part of her face holding her so she could not speak or yell.

"You should know your place better." he whispered as he as he looked at her with his crimson eyes. "Do not make a sound." he ordered as Ame felt no obligation besides fear of what he was possibly going to do since she was afraid if he drank her blood he would see what Aidou and her had been doing together, with how Aidou had been allowing her to drink his. Though she was not able to do much as Kaname shifted and picked her up against his chest and carried her over to the luxurious couch that was in his room as he leaned down over her as he leaned down as he held her hands resting on her small chest as her breath came in shaking gasps.

"K-Kaname please let me go." Ame pleaded as she knew that she only wanted one person's fangs to pierce her, something she had already betrayed by allowing Maria, even though he resisted doing so since he had said he was not wanting to further break the rules and risk trouble.

But Kaname leaned down as he used his free hand to brush Ame's pure white hair away from her neck as he lifted his right leg and placed it on the other side of her hip so it rested between her small hip and the side of the couch. "I can hear your heart skipping and then racing." he whispered as he leaned down close to Ame as he shifted his body ever so slightly to insure she was unable to move away from him as his nose was near the side of her neck. "Your blood, has an alluring scent that I am sure others have noticed." he whispered as Ame went to plead again only for Kaname to lick the side of her neck as Ame was unable to hold back the gasp that escaped her lips.

"P-please..." she pleaded as she clenched her hands where they were pinned down against her chest.

However Kaname did not listen as his fangs soon pierced the skin on the side of her neck as Ame let out a faint cry at having felt someone besides Aidou sink their fangs into her. She closed her eyes as tears came to her eyes as she willed Kaname to to stop but he did not as he drank her blood freely as she felt something but it didn't feel right as he drank her blood to the point of her not even being able to move or even voice protests as the sound of approaching footsteps met her ears as she remembered something. Aidou was supposed to be coming to check on her in her room! But if he did not find her there then he...he...he would be heading here!

She went to voice for Kaname to stop but she was not able to as Kaname continued to drink to the point she had no strength and felt herself losing consciousness as the door opened and there stood the blurry image of Aidou who looked beyond shocked.

"Lord Kaname!" he yelled in shock at seeing one he saw as his friend and leader on the couch feeding on the girl he deeply cared for.

Kaname leaned up as he looked toward Aidou as Kaname even released Ame's hands so that one slid so that it hung off the side of the couch as Ame slipped away into nothing due to the amount of blood Kaname had drank from her body.

A/N: This is the longest chapter so far! Once again, I want to thank Myra K Kuran. For how one specific bit I was undecided about including, you helped me by encouraging me to include it. Though now for a question to those reading this. Right now I am thinking of breaking the entire story up into a two story set or a trilogy to tell Ame's story, and maybe one or two short ones to go more into detail with character relationships. I want to know what the readers think of this. Please review and let me know.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Loyalty

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Eleven: Loyalty**

Ame remained asleep even as she felt herself starting to wake, she kept screaming in her mind the events that had unfolded the night before were nothing but a horrible nightmare. That Kaname surely knew that she cared for Aidou and only Aidou. So surely he wouldn't have bitten her! She was going to wake and find it had not happened, but rather that Aidou would be sitting beside her and speak softly to her.

She hesitantly let her eyes open as she saw that she was alone in her room as she looked down seeing blood all down her white dress she had been wearing. At the sight of it, her cerulean eyes grew wide at the mere thought of what had happened not being just a nightmare. That was when she threw the covers off of herself and ran from her room not caring that she got annoyed and disgusted looks for how she was covered in blood as she did not stop until she was outside of Aidou and Akatsuki's room.

She reached up hesitantly as she thought that surely Aidou would allow her to talk to him, to explain that she had not consented in any way for Kaname to drink her blood. 'He has to listen!' she thought as she gently tapped the door only for it to open a second later to reveal Aidou but his normally carefree eyes had a dark shadow now.

"Aidou…" Ame said in worry but he did not even let her say more.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as Ame's eyes went wide. "You should go get changed for class." He said regarding how she had blood on her as he went to shut the door but Ame stepped closer and raised her left hand to stop it as she looked up at him with pleading eyes.

"Aidou, please let me explain!" she begged as he looked away.

"There is nothing to explain." He said as he kept his eyes away from her and went to close the door again but Ame kept her hand where it was.

"Yes there is! What happened is not what you think it was!" she said as a few tears fell down her face.

"Just go. Lord Kaname has claimed you as his, so it is unsightly for you to show tears." He said his voice shaking from anger. "And never come near me again." He said as he ignored the heart broken look on Ame's face as her hand fell away and he managed to shut the door with a faint click but to Ame it sounded like a clap of thunder.

Ame stood there staring at the closed door in a daze as she felt like something was missing, like that door closing in her face had cut away part of herself. It was not until several moments later that she finally forced herself to turn and walk away from Aidou's room. He had not allowed her to explain, instead he had done what she had hoped he would not ever do. He said he did not want her around him again. Though as she walked she did not realize she was walking toward someone else before she walked into them.

"A little out of it?" a calm but cold voice asked as Ame's eyes widened and she looked up to see that it was Kaname. She stood there in shock as he brought up his hand to brush her cheek only for Ame to step back and slap his hand away from her face only for Seiren in that moment to appear beside her with her hand angled at the side of Ame's neck. But Ame paid no mind, she just glared up at Kaname with pure hatred in her eyes.

The three stood like that for several moments before Kaname raised his hand and ordered Seiren to go down and wait with the others to go to class so he could talk to Ame alone. But Ame wanted nothing to do with him as she went to walk past him only for him to speak up.

"I would keep that temper in check." He said as she stopped without looking back at him.

"Why should I?" she asked in a low tone since in truth she was planning to go to her room, pack her bag and leave since there was nothing there for her anymore.

"If not, then others may pay the price." He said simply as he started walking again as Ame clenched her fists as she ran back to her room and slammed the door, not caring if she was acting like a spoiled or distraught child. She ran over to her bed and fell on it as tears streamed down her face as she wished that for once in her life that she could hold onto what gave her joy rather than to lose it as soon as she started to feel that she loved the person.

/

Around ten that night, Ame's door opened without even a knock as someone walked in but Ame did not move since at this point she wanted to just die there since it seemed she had only been born to feel misery. Though it seemed the one who came in had a different plan because they sat down on her bed only to start stroking her long white hair, drawing Ame's gaze as she saw it was Maria.

"You were right, Maria. You were right about everything." Ame said in a weak voice as Maria gave her a sympathetic look as she continued to stroke Ame's hair.

"Shh…there there." Maria said in the more mature tone she seemed to talk in at times. "I am sorry that I did not do more to stop you from confronting him even though I knew what his plan was." She said as she slowly coaxed Ame into sitting up only to see she was still covered in blood. 'He really was vicious to her to have spilt that much blood.' Maria thought as she felt a pang of worry but dismissed it. No reason to grow attached to this girl who would be dead all in due time.

"Does your offer still stand?" Ame asked still in a weak tone since she felt that Maria was the only one who could help her now. "For me to move into the building you are using and stay with you and you help me recover my past?" Ame asked as Maria nodded.

"Of course. Why don't we head there and I will have my body guard move your things for you so that we can get you cleaned up and if you are up to it, we can start with recovering your memories tonight." Maria offered coming off as a caring individual which was just what Ame needed at the moment.

Ame nodded at her as Maria helped her up from the bed as continued to hold her hand lightly in her own knowing that she would not try to get away with how broken she was at the moment. Though as they walked out the door Ame saw the man from the night before as Maria stopped.

"Ichiru, gather her things and bring them to her new room." She said as Ichiru nodded before going inside while Maria gently led Ame down the hall only for Ame to stop. "What is it?" Maria asked looking back at Ame since Maria was a step and a half down while Ame was still on the landing.

"I was just thinking of how I came here with the hope almost longing, for a chance at happiness and I thought I had found it in Aidou…" she admitted as Maria gave her a neutral look.

"You will learn in time, that wishing for your happiness to be with another is foolish. It is best your make your own happiness no matter the path to obtain it." She said as she started to lead Ame down the steps and out of the dorm. "Just forget that boy." She said as they walked through the trees.

Ame was still in a daze and did not respond even as they got to the building where she was to be staying with Maria. Once inside, Maria led Ame to a room that was identical to the one she had back in the moon dorm. She walked in and looked around Maria watched her thinking everything was going according to the plan.

But she soon spoke saying "I am going to go check to be sure Ichiru is getting all of your stuff with no trouble. Go ahead and get cleaned up, there should be fresh linens and a robe in there for you." Maria said indicating to the door leading away from the room. Then without a word, Maria turned and left without a sound.

It was then that Ame took this chance to look down and see just how bad off she was as she saw that she had blood all down her front side and she even suspected there was some on her back and in her long hair. Without any further thought she went into the bathroom to see that it was sparkling clean, and as Maria had said there were fresh linens laying on the sink and a robe hanging by bath. She walked over and stripped herself of her clothes not even realizing what she was doing as she ran the warm water in the tub before climbing in and slowly sinking down into the water as she let the water keep running as bubbled began to fill the bath as she suspected the water was set to produce bubble bath after so long, that is until she felt a pair of hands massaging her scalp and lathering soap there. She wanted to open her eyes but she did not as she imagined that it was Aidou.

But as faint sounds met her ears after whoever it was ran water over her hair so as to rinse the soap from it, whoever was there leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Do not let yourself be used again."

Ame's eyes shot open as she looked toward where she thought the figure would have been standing only to see no one there. She drained the bath as she got out and grabbed a towel to dry off before throwing the robe over herself as she ran from the room only to see the retreating figure. "Wait!" Ame called as she ran after the figure but they ran out of the building as she followed, still barefoot as the rocks on the ground tore at the sensitive flesh on the soles of her feet but she did not care as she kept running until she lost sight of the figure.

'Just what is going on…' Ame thought as she looked around not seeing the figure. She glanced around one last time only for her to admit to herself that the figure was probably gone so she slowly turned and headed back to the dorm.

/

Satsujin had been unable to force himself to fully leave Ame behind, not after how things had been going for her, but he had thought that in the night class maybe she would feel she belonged at long last. 'The child deserves happiness more than anyone else.' He thought as he had been watching over her only to see the night before that it was ripped away from her yet again, and by one who had been looking out for her since she had come here.

He had been tempted to intervene, but he knew his place was watching over her from the shadows. 'I gave up having much say in her life when I left her behind.' He thought to himself as now there was not a single day that went by that he did not in one form or another regret having left her when she had needed him. 'It was a good idea at the time but now she has been thrown to the wolves.' He thought as he felt disgusted due to how the pure blood Kaname Kuran had forced himself on her in that way.

It had taken every ounce of Satsujin's self-control to keep him from murdering the pure blood right there for his sin. Though at seeing another there interacting with Ame and even leading her away, he recognized the vampire instantly. Maria Kurenai, but there was something different about her. Once he pinpointed it he followed the two and waited for Maria to leave before he slipped in to see Ame only to do what he could to soothe her pain by doing what he had once done when he had acted as a near father figure for her when she had been a small child.

Though he knew he could not stay with her for too long as he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Do not let yourself be used again." Before he had turned and rushed from the bathroom as he made his escape. He had not thought she would following him so determined to see who he was but once she finally gave up and went back he moved from where he was hiding behind a tree as he watched her go with sadness in his blue eyes.

He reached up with a gloved hand as he pushed his blonde spiked hair out of his eyes. 'Something is not right here.' He thought before he let his hand fall back to his side as he turned and headed to Kaien's office to speak to him. Though as he made his way there he stuck to the shadows since he was not one who wanted anyone to know he was there out of fear that any who might be trying to pinpoint Ame again would use his whereabouts to find her.

Within thirty minutes he was stepping into Kaien's office only for the idiot to give him an over joyed smile. 'When did he become such an idiot…' Satsujin wondered as he walked over closer to the desk.

"Satsu-kun!" Kaien said in a over joyed tone that gritted on Satsujin's nerves.

"I have told you a million times to stop calling me that, Kaien!" Satsujin growled as he planted his hands on the desk and leaned forward. "More so since I am not in the mood for foolishness!" he said as Kaien sighed.

"You are here about something regarding Ame?" Kaien asked as he dropped the idiot act.

"Yes. You do know what the pure blood did to her don't you?" Satsujin asked in a low tone.

"I suspect he did something, but I am not sure. All I know is that Yuki came by and told me that neither Ame nor Maria were with the other students when they headed to class." Kaien said as he took off his glasses and opened a drawer in his desk to get out a cloth to start cleaning them.

"Kaname forced himself on her and drank her blood like a savage beast!" Satsujin said as he was shaking in rage. "What are you going to do about it!"

"You are speaking not like a hunter, but a concerned parent." Kaien said as he sat down his glasses and looked at Satsujin as he wore them mainly for show since it was a way to help remind himself that he was no longer who he used to be. "When if I remember right it was your idea to enroll her in the night class so that she would be safer."

"Yes, but I never thought that Kuran would go so far as to do that!" Satsujin said. "That and how right now Kuran and Kurenai are up to something, and it involves Ame!" Satsujin said as he was beyond worked up from his own frustration at the situation.

"We cannot do anything." Kaien said as he held up a hand to hold off his friend's anger that he was sure would end with his desk being flipped out the window or over on top of him. Satsujin had always had a horrible temper. "Because Kaname is in charge of the workings of the vampires in this school." Kaien said but that only seemed to anger Satsujin even more.

"So we are to just leave Ame to be used for whatever those two are up to? You cannot tell me that you see that as alright! She is just a child!" Satsujin ground out in pure frustration.

"She may be a child but she is a vampire, meaning she is bound by the rules of the vampires, which sadly means she is to be at Kaname's beck and call.

"She never will be. You know that as well as I do, or have you forgotten?"

"No. I have not."

/

Maria had gone to check on Ichiru to find that he was doing just fine since there was not much to pack up in Ame's room since all she really had were some spare clothes, her uniforms, a few necessities, and a ribbon that was resting on her nightstand. Maria had ordered Ichiru to leave it since it had been from the son of Aidou. When she left him she told him to go to the building they were using and keep watch over Ame to make sure that she did not try to leave at this point since it was crucial that she remain there so that the plan could move forward.

Maria could not help but smile as she headed toward the school where the night class was taking place as she went to the roof of one of the side buildings and caught the eye of Kaname through a window and nodded to show that she would meet him in the court yard once he got out of class. 'I cannot believe I am working with that boy.' She thought to herself as she jumped down from the roof landing lightly as her hair fell back into place at her shoulders and tickling at her back. "At least it is only until this is done." She mused as she headed to the court yard knowing that Kaname would be there very soon.

Maria sat on the rim around the fountain as she listened to the water gushing behind her. 'Just a little while of acting like a friend to some common vampire and one more enemy of the pure bloods will be destroyed.' She thought since she knew the story of what had happened at one point when one pure blood had wished to gain untold power, from another but instead had taken interest in a common vampire that from what she had found out had been Ame. 'What is it about her?' she wondered to herself before she heard footsteps approaching as she turned her attention to the approaching sound to see that it was the one she had been waiting for. Kaname Kuran.

Once Kaname was standing a few feet from Maria he stopped and spoke. "I take it the plan is going ahead as scheduled?" he asked getting right to the point.

Maria smiled as she nodded. "Yes, I went to the girl earlier and she was broken beyond repair, so it will be easy to manipulate her by claiming I wish to help her. More so since that boy she had grown attached to seems to have severed ties to her." Maria said with a hint of a laugh in her voice.

"Just make sure she remains in the same state she is, that way she can be effective bait when the time comes." He said only for a sound to meet both his and Maria's ears as Kaname glared toward it as his eyes flashed in anger. "Come out!" he ordered.

Aidou had gone after Kaname wishing to talk to him about the night before, to confirm if what he had seen was what he thought. But in his heart he hoped it was not because he had fallen in love with Ame and yet with how he had treated her earlier did he have any right to try and be with her after making her cry the way he had?

Though when he followed Kaname to the court yard he stayed behind a tree only to hear Kaname and Maria talking. As he listened his blue eyes grew wide as he was unsure if he had heard right. 'They are going to use Ame as bait for something!' he thought in panic as he went to move from the tree thinking he had to find Ame and leave the academy with her and protect her from Maria and Kaname. But as he had stepped, a twig snapped under his shoe only for him to hear Kaname's order as he did as he was told.

"Son of Aidou…" Maria said in a tone that sounded nothing like the usual one that she used.

"Tell me what did you hear, Aidou." Kaname ordered, something that surprised Aidou since before Kaname had never been one to use his power of being able to order others around. But due to it being an order, Aidou had no choice but to do as he was told.

"I…I heard the two of you talking about how you are planning to use Ame as bait for something." He said wishing he were able to defy an order since he was not sure what they would do now. And if something happened to him, no one else would protect Ame from these two or whoever or whatever they were going to use her as bait for.

"This is going to be a problem, Kaname." Maria said as she stood from where she had been sitting. "I would almost say it would be easier to dispose of him so that he does not try anything." She said looking at Aidou with a hint of blood lust in her eyes.

"No, because he is a pawn I wish to keep on the board even if only a little longer." Kaname said as he looked toward Aidou to see that he was looking at him in shock, or was it fear. Kaname did not care which it was, so long as Aidou did as he was told. "Aidou, I order you to repeat nothing of what you have heard here tonight to anyone." He said as Aidou thought he was getting off easy only for the next part to come. "And you are to keep your distance from Ame, and keep pushing her away." He said as Aidou felt his heart sink at that last order, but he had no choice but to obey.

/

Later on that night, shortly before sunrise, Maria returned to the building to find Ichiru at the door waiting for her. "There was no trouble?" she asked as Ichiru shook his head bringing a faint smile to Maria's face. "Good, that means that we can move on to the second part of the plan." She said as she went to walk inside as Ichiru followed her and closed the door only to go to a different room while Maria headed up to Ame's. She wiped the smile from her face as she knocked. "Ame, it's Maria." She said as she pushed the door open to see Ame sitting on the edge of her bed with an even more upset look than when she had left. In that moment for reasons that Maria did not understand, she felt a pang of worry for the young vampire. "Did something happen?" she asked.

Ame looked up and nodded at her. "Someone was in here while I was washing the blood off and when I went after them, I did not see anyone…" she said as she looked down not noticing how Maria's eyes narrowed for a brief second before she calmed her expression.

"Do you have any idea who it could have been?" she asked as Ame shook her head. "Well no need to worry, because I am going to look out for you now." She said as she reached out and tucked some of Ame's long white hair behind her ear. "I just ask one thing in exchange." She said as Ame looked at her.

"What?" she asked since at this point she was desperate for someone to help her piece together her shattered past.

Maria moved her hand so that her finger tips brushed against Ame's neck as she shuddered at the subtle contact. "I require your blood." She said as she leaned closer. "Because I am sure that you do already know that vampires are able to see the memories and feelings of other vampires through their blood." Maria said as Ame nodded only for Maria to lean even closer. "Shall we begin tonight?" she asked as she was close enough that she the sound of Ame's heartbeat was flooding her ears.

Ame sat there completely still trying to calm herself as she thought of how her wish that Aidou's fangs would be the first to pierce her neck was shattered the moment that Kaname had forced himself on her. And now how Aidou hated her, there was no reason to hold out any longer. "If you require my blood…" Ame angled her head a bit so that her neck was even more exposed as Maria moved closer and enjoyed the sound of Ame's heart before opening her mouth as her fangs became more pronounced as she sank her fangs in earning a shudder from Ame. When Maria began to drink the two shifted so that Ame was on her back on the bed while Maria was over her and licking the blood from her neck only to start seeing things play through her mind.

_Shizuka followed a young Ame running through a hall that looked oddly familiar only to watch as she ran up to a man she recognized, but she convinced herself that there was no way it was Kiyoshi. But when she heard his voice through the memory just saying a greeting to the young Ame, Shizuka's pink eyes grew wide._

Maria leaned back as she looked down to see that Ame had opened her eyes and looked toward her with confusion. Before Ame could say anything, Maria moved away from her as she reached up touching her own lips as she was thinking on what she had seen. "We will do more later, for now get some rest." She said as she turned and was out of Ame's room before she could say anything.

'Who exactly is this girl!?' Maria thought in anger. 'What is her ties to Kiyoshi?' she thought in pure frustration as she walked to her room and shut the door as she went over to her bed and sat down on it her eyes narrow as she was going over each detail of what she had seen in that memory she had gained through Ame's blood. 'Could she be…' Maria thought as she calmed as there was a hint of hope in her thought but she shook her head and stood from the bed going over to the window and looked toward the rising sun. 'There is no way she could be. She died that night with Kiyoshi and Sachi.' Maria thought as she bit her bottom lip with one of her fangs as a little blood flowed from the small puncture mark.

/

_Ame was running as fast as she could through a dark room only to soon run into a solid body as she threw her tiny arms around the figure as she cried into them only to feel a hand rest on her head causing her to look up at a figure with long white hair and a gentle face even though she could not see the lower part of her face._

"_What is the matter my dear …" the woman asked as she held Ame against her as Ame buried her face against the soft material of the woman's pink yukata._

"_Scary dream." Ame said as she hid her face even more only to hear a soft almost bell like laugh as the figure shifted Ame so that she let go of them and the woman knelt down in front of Ame._

"_What was so scary?" she asked in a gentle tone as she used her right hand to brush away Ame's tears from her large cerulean eyes._

"_I saw a hunter." Ame said as she brought up her small hands to her face as small hiccup sobs escaped her lips only for the woman to pull her close.  
_

"_Your father was telling you scary stories again, wasn't he?" she asked as Ame nodded at the woman only for her to sigh and shake her head. "I swear. He should know better." The woman said as she stood with Ame in her arms._

Ame half woke not feeling as worked up as usual for only a brief second as she glanced around only to see abundant light filtering past the curtains that were drawn shut. Which meant she still had a few hours before she had to be up and get ready for class. Something she was beyond dreading due to how it meant she would have to face Aidou again. With that thought a few tears brimmed in Ame's eyes as sleep claimed her once again.

"_Where is she!" a blood chilling voice demanded._

"_We won't let you take her!" a woman's voice sounded in the distance._

"_Who said I was going to give you a choice?"_

"_Leave and never come back!" another male voice ordered._

_Ame was in darkness hearing the voices from all around her as she went to try and go closer for her to find out who was speaking only for a sharp pain to pierce through her in the center of her chest as she looked down only to see her crescent moon necklace was shocking her…_

Ame woke screaming out in pain as the crescent moon necklace was still shocking her only for her door to be thrown open as Ichiru rushed in and lifted the necklace so that it stopped shocking her as Ame lay on the bed limp but gasping for breath as the sparks stopped issuing from the necklace. He looked down at it in confusion since the necklace was something that was obviously from a hunter, possibly a hunter family heirloom, so why did a vampire have it?

Maria had woke to the screaming and came to the door to see Ichiru holding a necklace or at least the pendant up off of Ame as she soon walked in and lifted Ame's limp hand and brought it up to her lips as she pierced Ame's finger and licked the blood from it only to see the dreams that Ame had been having. Once the dreams played through her mind she let Ame's hand fall back to the bed as she stared at her in confusion. "Come with me, Ichiru." She said not even looking at him as she turned and headed toward the door as Ichiru let the pendant fall back to rest on Ame's night dress as he followed his master from the room and shut the door behind himself.

"What is it?" he asked as they walked into Maria's room.

"Tonight, we are not going to class, but instead, I am going to show Ame a truth about myself to see if it brings to light some bits about her." Maria said. "So when Ame wakes, tell her that we are not going to class and to meet me downstairs." Maria said as she dismissed Ichiru as she looked toward the window.

'Tonight, I will find the truth about you.' Maria thought since she recognized the two in the dreams she had seen. Except the voice that had been very demanding in the final dream she had seen through Ame's blood.

A/N: Thank you once again to Myra K Kuran for your review, and for your help with this chapter. I hope it is to your liking, as well as the liking of any others reading this story. With how things are right now, I am aiming to get chapter twelve up soon, and I hope that everyone is enjoying this story so far. Until the next chapter.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Shizuka Hio

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Twelve: Shizuka Hio**

Aidou had felt beyond horrible for how he had pushed Ame away, and he had not even been able to go to her room since he was under near constant close watch of Kaname. He knew he had to find some way to break free of Kaname's hold on him, otherwise Ame's life would be in danger since Maria and Kaname were going to use Ame for bait for something. That night when he thought no one else would be up yet, he dressed in his school uniform and headed to Ame's room in hopes to find some hint as to where she was being kept now, but to his horror, Kaname was there waiting for him.

"What are you doing, Aidou?" Kaname asked in a voice that had a dangerous touch to it.

"L-Lord Kaname." Aidou said nervously as he bowed avoiding the question for as long as he could.

Though Kaname could tell what Aidou was up to as he spoke again. "I asked you a question, now answer me." He said in a low tone.

Aidou tensed as he remained bowed to Kaname as he spoke in a defeated tone. "I-I was going to check on Ame, the way I always do…" he said since it was the truth.

"And?" Kaname demanded glaring at Aidou as his eyes took a crimson color due to him being frustrated with the young vampire before him.

Aidou wished he could disobey with every fiber of his being but he soon answered the order from the pureblood standing before him. "And I wished to talk to her."

Kaname's eyes narrowed as he glared at Aidou. "Have you forgotten my order?" he asked as Aidou shook his head. "Then consider this an addition to it. You are to not go near her, but should she approach you, you are to do everything to insure she continues to remain in the state she is now." Kaname ordered as Aidou reluctantly nodded showing he would do as he was told. "Now go wait for class to start." Kaname said as he watched Aidou straighten and go to head back down the hall.

/

Ame remained asleep until after nightfall due to the fact that she kept seeing the same dreams over and over almost on repeat in her mind. But when she finally woke it was to see Ichiru standing just inside of her room. "Is something wrong?" she asked as she could not help but wonder what he looked like under his mask.

"Maria asked me to let you know when you woke that she wants you to meet her downstairs, and that for tonight you are not going to class." He said as Ame nodded as she was secretly relieved because tonight was Mr. Fujito's class.

"Okay, I will be right down." She said as Ichiru nodded and walked out before shutting the door behind him. Though as she stood she felt a bit odd but she dismissed it as she went ahead and dressed in her uniform seeing no harm in doing that as she was soon lacing up the boots for the uniform. As she went to walk out of the room she thought of how her hair was falling in her face but she decided to leave it be as she just reached up tucking it behind her ears before walking out of the room and heading downstairs to see Maria standing there waiting for her.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Maria asked knowing that the answer would be no after how Ame had woke both Maria and Ichiru with her crying out at one point during the night.

Ame nodded as she gave a weak smile. "Yeah, I only had one really bad nightmare, so not as bad as usual." She said as she did not notice the look on Maria's face.

'Yet another way she is like her. She seeks to conceal the suffering so as to not worry others. Or am I reading too much into this…?' Maria thought before she spoke. "Good, though as Ichiru told you, we are not going to class tonight. But there is something I need to show you." She said as she turned and indicated through her action for Ame to follow, something she did without any hesitation.

"Um…Maria?" Ame asked after almost ten minutes of silence with her following Maria across the grounds.

"Yes?" Maria said as she was once again speaking in the tone that did not hold any innocence or even playfulness.

"Where are we going?" Ame asked as she glanced around.

"I am going to show you something." Maria said as she soon stopped as Ame did the same. "But first, tell me what do you believe is happening to you?" Maria asked as she kept her back to Ame.

It was several moments before Ame spoke since she was not fully certain on how to answer. "I am not sure. All that I know is that I am a vampire of an unknown class, and that for some reason Level E or former human vampires have targeted me since I was very young." She said as Maria remained silent for several minutes.

"So you do not even know what family you are from?" Maria asked as Ame nodded before voicing that was right. "What if I told you that I believe I know what family you might be from?" Maria asked as Ame stepped closer.

"You know?" she asked almost pleading since that was one thing she had wanted for a while, ever since Misaki had said she never loved her. Ame had wanted to know where she belonged so she could be with her family.

"It would only be a guess, but," Maria started walking again as Ame followed, "from what I saw in your memory last night in your past you had some ties to a family of purebloods that are now dead." Maria said as Ame gave her a sad but shocked look, something that Maria ignored. "They were both murdered, along with their young daughter." Maria said as they approached a building.

"And you think that I have some kind of tie to that tragedy?" Ame asked almost hesitantly as Maria nodded.

"Yes, from the few dreams I have seen through your blood, you may have some information to put their murder to rest. I am not sure on the extent, just that from what I saw, you witnessed the murders." She said as Ame gave her a shocked look.

"Is there any way to confirm or disprove it?" Ame asked as Maria walked up to the door only to stop.

"Yes there is, which is part of why I have brought you here." She said as Ame stepped closer while Maria opened the door and gestured for Ame to go in first. Once she was inside, Maria glanced around making sure that no one was following as she closed the door as the lock slipped into place so that no one would be able to get in behind them.

During that Ame glanced around in the cold darkness as she wondered what was in this place that Maria would want to show her, only for Maria to step in front of her and speak saying for Ame to follow, so she did so without any objection. Though as they walked further and further down into the earth, Ame glanced around nervously. "M-Maria…" she asked as they came to another door.

"Go through the door." Maria said as her hair was in her face ever so slightly so that her eyes were almost fully hidden as Ame nodded at her.

Ame walked forward off of the last few steps and toward the heavy wooden door. 'What is down here…?' she wondered to herself as she soon put her pale hands on the door and pushed as the door opened, only for a bone chilling air to escape from behind it. The cold bit at Ame as she closed her eyes and kept pushing until the door was fully open. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked up to see something that made her mouth hang open in shock. Above her, encased in ice was the woman from her dreams! At seeing her Ame's eyes went wide and then out of focus before she fell to the ground unconscious from shock as some bits of her memories were piecing together even more.

/

Around three in the morning, Ame woke to find that she was on a couch, she assumed back in the building that she and Maria were staying in. She went to sit up only to hear a voice from a plush arm chair to the right as she looked to see that it was Maria. "W-what happened?" Ame asked as she sat up and shifted so her legs were hanging off the side of the couch as she leaned back against the couch. "I feel like my head is pounding." Ame said as Maria nodded as though she had expected this.

"From what I saw when I drank a little of your blood after Ichiru carried you back here, some of your memories are starting to piece together slowly." She said as Ame nodded.

"I think it is because that woman you showed me, the one encased in ice…that was the woman from my dreams…or I guess my memories." Ame said as she closed her eyes, not seeing the look on Maria's face that reflected discontent.

"No, the woman from you memories was not that woman." She said as Ame gave her a confused look, but Maria held up her hand to silence any questions that may be forthcoming from Ame. "The woman I showed you was Shizuka Hio, a pureblood princess." She said as Ame gave her an even more confused look. "But I believe the one from your memories is actually Shizuka's sister." She said as she was watching Ame very closely.

"H-her sister?" Ame asked as Maria nodded.

"Yes. Very few actually remember the sister, since she lived a very peaceful life. While her older sister was taken away and caged when they were both still young, because Shizuka was to marry a pureblood from the Kuran family, named Rido. The man was more of a monster than any other living vampire." Maria said with anger seeping into her voice. "Meanwhile, Shizuka's younger twin, Sachi Hio, she was set to be engaged to another pureblood. One by the name of Kiyoshi." Maria said looking at Ame's face to see she had her undivided attention. "The two were wed and after some time, they had a child together, a young princess. But when the child was only four, she along with her parents were murdered when their mansion burned to the ground during a hunter raid."

"But if that is true, then what makes you think that I could know the truth to it?" Ame asked as Maria stood and walked over to sit down beside Ame.

"Because of how you have memories of both Kiyoshi and Sachi before they were murdered, and the memory I saw through you last night, hints that you may hold the key to finding out the truth." Maria said as Ame looked down.

"The only way to find out for sure is for us to keep doing what we started last night?" Ame asked as she did not see the smirk tug at the corners of Maria's mouth as she spoke.

"Yes." She said as she quickly dismissed her smirk due to Ame looking up.

"Then I am ready to do it again. Because if it helps put to rest the murder of purebloods and helps me find out the truth of my past then I will do anything." Ame said as Maria smiled at her as she leaned closer as she lifted Ame's wrist up only to sink her teeth into her pale skin and begin to drink the blood seeing a flood of memories from Ame, all of them only fragments but it drew up more questions for Maria, until she saw one bit in particular.

/

A male stood on the roof of the academy looking toward the building where Maria and Ame were as a sadistic smirk formed on his lips. He could smell the sweet scent of the blood he had been craving for so long. "Hurry and awaken to the nightmare we began together, Kōri no ōjo!" he said with a delighted smirk as his fangs glistened in the moon light, as the only other distinguishable feature was his lust filled crimson eyes.

/

Ame went to her room shortly after sunrise as Maria had told her to rest since she had drank a fair amount of blood from Ame to delve even further into the truth of her past. But as Maria watched Ame walk up to the room, she could not help but have a soft expression due to what she had come to realize. She had to meet with Kaname and call off their plan. She knew now the truth about Ame, and she wished to insure nothing happened because even through vague glimpses into her past, Maria had seen that Ame had already been through hell and back. So once she heard the lock on Ame's door click, Maria stood as she spoke. "Ichiru." She said as the young man walked in and bowed to her. "Keep watch over Ame, and do not let anyone in, and do not let her leave." Maria said as Ichiru nodded in understanding before Maria left the building and headed to the Moon Dorm.

When she got there she was greeted by a tired looking Ichijou. "Is Lord Kaname still awake?" she asked as Ichijou nodded.

"Yeah, but he has retired to his room for the day." Ichijou said as Maria smiled.

"Thank you, Ichijou." She said as she went past him and headed up to Kaname's room, not meeting anyone on the way as she soon stood outside of the room and did not even bother to knock as she walked in to see Kaname had just finished buttoning a casual long sleeve shirt that she guessed was his night shirt as he wore dark colored pants.

"What brings you here, Maria?" Kaname asked as he sat down on his couch eyeing Maria with a near amused look on his face. "Has our plan hit a snag?" he asked since from what he knew the only thing that could cause trouble was now a pawn for his use.

"I want out of our plan." Maria said getting right to the point as she spoke in a voice that sounded much more mature than the one she had used toward Ichijou at the door.

Kaname's eyes narrowed as he looked at her with a hint of annoyance. "And why is that? If I remember right, you were the one who suggested since that man has already shown interest in the girl that she would make perfect bait to draw him out so that we can dispose of him." Kaname said as he leaned up so he was sitting up straight.

"That was before." Maria said in frustration since it seemed there was not going to be any talking sense into Kaname since he seemed beyond dead set on using Ame as the pawn to be sacrificed.

"Before what?" Kaname asked as he eyed Maria knowing that he could not order her to tell him, but he had a feeling that she had made the mistake of actually getting attached to the bait.

"Before I found out that she is one I thought to be dead for almost eleven years." She said as Kaname actually let out a soft chuckle, putting Maria on guard instantly.

"So because of that small fact you think that we should not remedy the fact and make it so that she is dead for real this time?" he asked since Ame's life was nothing to him. He thought it would be for the best if she was dead for reasons that were his own.

"I refuse to let you sacrifice her!" Maria said in a low threatening tone but Kaname stood and walked closer to her as Maria gave Kaname a defiant look since she was not one he could order around. "Even with you changing your mind, it is too late. He is already here." Kaname said as Maria hid her reaction to that.

"Doesn't matter." Maria said as she turned to walk from the room. "I will not let him steal anything else from me." She said as she opened the door and walked out slamming the door behind her forgetting that with her strength the smallest thing could cause a more emphasized reaction to the things around her.

Maria rushed from the dorm as she went straight to the building she was occupying with Ame as she found Ichiru was in the entrance waiting for her. "Ichiru, retrieve my body by tonight from where we have it hidden and bring it here." She said since she knew in this form she was in there was no way she would be able to fight the one who was already making their move for Ame.

/

Ame was tossing and turning as she was dreaming about Aidou with the happiness she had with just being near him.

_Ame was standing beside Aidou as they were walking and talking only for her to start to feel like her throat was burning due to how she had not fed at all since Kaname had fed on her. "Ai…Aidou…" she said her voice rasping as she looked at him with her eyes going crimson as she could see every vein in his body as they were all pulsing in time with his heartbeat._

"_No. I will not give you my blood." He said as he slapped her away from him as she stumbled back, her left cheek burning where he had struck. "I do not love and letting you drink my blood when you are nothing but a burden was the worst mistake of my life."_

_From there her dream shattered as Ame found herself alone in darkness only to see Kaname up ahead as she went to back away only for him to turn and then appear in front of her. "You should have known better than to drink the blood of another when there is a reason you were only ever allowed tablets." Kaname whispered as he went to bite her but before her eyes his appearance melted away as it showed the man who haunted her dreams, the one with long black hair and lust filled crimson eyes. "You belong to me!"_

Ame woke with a start as she sat up screaming as her breathing was uneven as her cerulean eyes showed nothing but horror as she sat there trying to calm herself. When she was unable to calm herself that way, Ame slowly drew her knees up to her chest as she continued to cry silently into the blanket that was still over her knees.

'How much longer until this is resolved…' she thought as she was worried that she was slowly breaking from the extent of her nightmares. Though at that thought her throat burned as she leaned up grasping at her throat. "Ack!" she tried to speak but her voice caught in her throat as she felt her throat was burning even more as she craved blood, more specifically Aidou's.

/

It was close to dusk, but Ichiru had already moved the body of Shizuka Hio from where they had been hiding it to Maria's room so that when she woke, Shizuka could move back to her true form and allow Maria to be herself again. Though while he was walking around the building he spotted a male there with long black hair that looked familiar to him but he could not place it as he walked closer gripping the katana he carried with him. "You! What are you doing here!" he asked of the stranger as he got the feeling the person was a vampire, something that was confirmed when they smirked and showed their fangs.

"You must be the escort of the woman in the skin of another vampire." The male said turning his crazed crimson eyes on Ichiru.

Ichiru decided to ignore what the man was saying as he got an uneasy feeling from him. 'Could this be the vampire that Shizuka was intending to use Ame as bait for?' he wondered as he kept his eyes on the man from behind his mask. "I suggest you state your business and leave." He said as he was prepared to if need be kill this vampire since if it was the one that Shizuka had been seeking to eliminate he would be doing her a great service.

"I will." He said as a scream was heard as Ichiru tensed while the male laughed in a way that sent a chill through Ichiru's body. "Very soon, and then Kōri no ōjo will be mine." He said as he turned only to vanish.

Ichiru glanced around before rushing inside to Maria's room only to find that Shizuka had already returned to her own body as Maria was now laying on the bed in a deep sleep. "Lady Shizuka." Ichiru said as he stopped and bowed to show her respect even though he was under no obligation he did so anyway. "Someone was just outside, and I believe it was the one that you were waiting for." He said.

Shizuka walked over to the couch and sat down, the bell she wore jingled with her movements as she sat down with a thoughtful look on her face. "Is that so? Then I guess that me switching back to my own body was done just in time to keep him from getting any closer." She said as she looked at Ichiru with her piercing pink eyes. "Go and fetch Ame and bring her to me." Shizuka ordered as Ichiru nodded and bowed before turning and leaving the room to head to Ame's room.

Once he got there he opened the door to find Ame sitting on her bed still in her night dress. "Get dressed." He said shortly as she looked toward him with obvious hints of tears in her eyes and on her pale face. But she nodded as he shut the door and Ame got up from her bed as she changed into a clean uniform since she was not sure if she would be going to class tonight or not. Once she was done she headed out of the room as Ichiru led her to the room only for him to knock and then open the door gesturing for her to go in as she did so only to stop dead just inside the room as she faintly heard it close behind her. The woman from the ice was sitting on the couch only a couple of yards in front of her!

"Hello, Ame." The woman said in a calm voice as Ame remained where she was. "I am sure you have many questions, and I am willing to answer them once we address something of upmost importance." Shizuka said as she held out her wrist. "I can tell just by looking at you that you are being ravaged by hunger. I know my blood will only be a temporary fix, but drink." She said in a tone leaving no room for argument.

Ame walked over and knelt down in front of Shizuka and took her hand pulling it closer as she could see the veins and feel their pulsing as a crimson overtook Ame's eyes as she opened her mouth, her fangs becoming more pronounced as Ame sank them into Shizuka's wrist earning no reaction as Ame even went on to drink Shizuka's blood. Ame allowed herself to be fully focused on the blood as there were so many tastes to it that she could not identify all of them, but there was sadness along with relief and happiness in the blood. She tried to pry deeper but she was forced to stop when Shizuka spoke to her and even gently moved her wrist away from the young starving vampire.

"That is enough. The amount I gave you should suffice for the time being." Shizuka said as the bite marks on her wrist healed over. "Though I imagine you have a lot of questions." She said as she kept her pink eyes on Ame who was still knelt on the floor before her only to see that there was a bit of blood in a trail from Ame's mouth as her eyes grew soft as she wiped away the blood.

Ame sat there staring at Shizuka in shock, still trying to fully process how the woman who had been frozen in ice the night before was sitting before her. After several moments, Ame finally found her voice. "Why do you look like the woman from my memories?" she asked as Shizuka patted the couch beside her in a gesture for Ame to join her, something she did with a little hesitation. She stood and moved by the couch and sat down so there was a small distance between her and Shizuka.

"I look like the woman from your memories because the woman you keep seeing is my younger sister." Shizuka said as she sat there looking toward Ame with a casual look on her face. "And the man was her husband." She said before Ame could voice her question on that.

"And they are somehow tied to my past?" Ame asked as Shizuka nodded figuring that the answer had to be obvious to her but the child seemed to be hiding from it.

"Your past is tied to theirs because I believe that you are their daughter, but I cannot be certain." Shizuka said as Ame gave her a startled look.

"But if I am their daughter then wouldn't I be a pureblood not a low level vampire?" Ame asked as Shizuka shook her head.

"No, because from what I saw, my mother did something to insure that you would not grow up with the burdens of being a pure blood." Shizuka said. "She did some kind of spell so that only when…" she started but Ame cut her off.

"When my fangs pierce on that my heart has felt love for." Ame said as she looked down. "But then it should have broken because…" she started but looked down at her lap as a few tears fell down her face at the thought of how biting Aidou had not released the spell.

"There was more that I believe you blocked out." Shizuka said ignoring her niece's tears since there was no point in acknowledging them. "That your fangs must pierce the flesh and you must taste the blood of one who you have felt love for, but they cannot be a vampire." Shizuka said leaning back on the couch slightly. "So that is why you feeding on the son of Aidou did not awaken you to yourself." She said as Ame looked up at her since Shizuka had said there was no way to know for certain if she was actually the daughter of her sister or if it was just some odd coincidence that she had memories that were resurfacing that had Shizuka's sister in them.

"And that is the only way to awaken me to my true self?" she asked as she saw it as more and more likely that she was the daughter of Shizuka's sister.

"Yes. But you do realize even if you awaken, you still will not be able to be with that boy you love." She said looking toward Ame with a blank look. "Because if you are my sister's child, you are a pure blood princess, and I am sure that my sister and her late husband would have arranged for you to be wed to another pureblood." She said as Ame shook her head as she clenched her fists.

"So either way, either I am not good enough for him, or I am of too high of standing to be with the one I love!" she said as she was getting worked up but Shizuka made no move to calm her since this was a test to see the extent of the power that her possible niece had. Though as Ame sat there the wall behind the couch began to splinter and crack as at the center was Ame.

'The spell is weakening for some reason…' Shizuka thought as she watched before she caught sight of something from the corner of her eye as she stood and moved before Ame only for the window to shatter in as Shizuka removed part of her obi as it seemed to be slightly suspended in the air around her as a man stepped lightly into the window wearing all black as his long black hair hung down about his face but his crimson eyes were easy to see as they were locked on Shizuka while Ame stood behind her.

"Thank you for doing all that you could to weaken that annoying spell." The man said as Ame froze slightly behind Shizuka as her eyes began to go hollow. "Yes, that is right little Kōri no ōjo. Your master has returned." He said but Shizuka shifted the obi and sent it at him as a whip as she then turned and gathered Ame close to her as she rushed from the room finding Ichiru.

"Come!" she said as she left as quickly as she could from the building with Ame still in her arms as she saw it as completely confirmed. Ame was her niece. The princess that had been thought dead for eleven years was actually alive and in her arms. But she felt horrible at the thought that what she had been doing alerted the one after her of what her location was as Shizuka fled to an old building on the campus while Ichiru went inside first to make sure it was empty before Shizuka walked in with Ame and down to the lowest level that was about half a mile underground as she placed Ame down on a cot that rested in one of the corners.

"Lady Shizuka, what happened? Was the one who showed the one who you and Kaname were trying to draw out?" Ichiru asked as Shizuka nodded.

"Yes, but something has come up, so we will hide here for a while and then in a few days time we will make our move to take Ame away from this academy with us back to where we were with Maria." Shizuka said before looking to Ichiru. "It should be safe for you to go back and retrieve Maria now since that man has no interest in her she should be unharmed." She said as Ichiru nodded as he bowed and left only to return a short while later carrying Maria only to place her down beside Ame on the cot.

"Why are we going to wait?" he asked as he turned to Shizuka who was sitting on a tattered couch to the side of the room.

"Because, I wish to allow my niece the chance to free the one she loves before we leave so that if need be he can accompany her if he so chooses." Shizuka said as she looked toward Ame who was still asleep with a soft expression.

"But I was always told there is no way to break a vampires hold over one that they have ordered to do something." Ichiru said as he looked toward Ame wondering just what was so special about her that she could do something about that.

"That is generally the case, but my sisters child was born with a strange ability that I believe is beginning to awaken. Because while she possesses the power to order lesser vampires to do what she wants, she also holds a dark gift. One that some will seek to destroy or control her for." Shizuka explained to Ichiru.

"What exactly is the ability?" Ichiru asked as Shizuka allowed a faint chuckle to escape her lips as she looked toward her niece then Ichiru again.

"She has the power to release other vampires from the hold of a pure bloods power." She said as Ichiru gave her a look she was sure was one of shock, even with that mask in place.

/

Kaname stood before the window in the classroom looking out as a feeling struck him, as he barely kept from smirking. 'So it has begun.' He thought as he slowly walked over to his seat and sat down as he knew what had just happened since the feel in the air had changed. 'The flower you have awaited is finally in bloom.' He thought as he sat down as the Ichijou walked over and stood before Kaname.

"It looks like Maria and Ame are both no shows again." He said as Kaname nodded.

"Yes, though I believe that Maria might be transferring out soon, same for Ame." He said as he opened a book that was sitting on the arm of his chair and idly opened it and turned the page. 'And soon even the troublesome pureblood, Shizuka, will be no more.' He thought to himself as he glanced up toward Aidou to see that he seemed docile and still fully under his control.

/

About an hour later, Ame started to wake as she sat up only to glance around to see Shizuka sitting over on the tattered couch on the other side of the room. "What happened?" Ame asked as Shizuka held out her hand in a gesture for Ame to join her, something that Ame did without any hesitation. As Ame got up from the cot she noticed that Maria was there but she was still asleep, so Ame left her be as she got up and even headed over to Shizuka and sat down beside her before Shizuka spoke.

"A man that we were planning to try drawing out to do away with showed up and so I removed you so that you would be safe." Shizuka said as Ame gave her a confused look before Shizuka continued. "Because truth is that the son of Kuran and I were both planning to do it together but things have changed, and now my main priority is to get you away from this academy." Shizuka said fixing her pink gaze on Ame.

"But why? What is going on? Does that man have something to do with my memory loss?" Ame asked as Shizuka nodded.

"Yes, the man that got into the building we were in, he was the one that I saw when I was drinking your blood to help you recover what is lost within your own memories." Shizuka said as she was watching Ame very closely for any sort of reaction but all she saw was worry, but looking a little further into it, Shizuka saw it was not worry for herself that Ame had, but rather worry for others that might be drawn into this.

At least until Ame looked down as she spoke in a shaking small voice. "Is there more?" she asked only for Shizuka to reach out and rest a hand on Ame's hand that was resting beside her on the couch.

"Yes." She said as Ame looked up at her. "At dusk we will be leaving this academy so that Ichiru and I can take you away to somewhere safe." She said but Ame stood and shook her head.

"I cannot just leave him!" she said as Shizuka gave a faint smile.

"You mean the son of Aidou?"

Ame felt a blush grace her pale cheeks as she nodded only to look down as her long white hair fell about her face. "Yes…because even though he was cold to me, I still feel that there is a bond there."

Shizuka nodded at Ame even though her face was still angled down while Shizuka stood as the bell she wore jingled softly even as she stepped over closer to Ame and reached out with her right hand. She hesitated for a second before catching a lock of Ame's hair and with a gentle movement, she tucked the lock of Ame's hair back behind her ear. In that small gesture she had drawn Ame's gaze up to her. "You still feel it because of how you have tasted his blood and you know the true feelings that lie in his heart. Though getting him back will not be an easy task, because the son of Kuran has used his powers as a pureblood to make the one you love his obedient servant." Shizuka said as Ame looked at her in shock.

"But why!" she asked as a few tears fell.

Shizuka lost her composure for half a second at seeing the tears only to calm herself and let her face return to being emotionless as she moved her hand to wipe away some of the tears. "He did it because Aidou heard us talking when we were planning to lure out the one that is after you. So to keep him quiet, Kuran used an ability that all purebloods hold. To force lesser vampires to do whatever they want." She explained as Ame turned and went to run from Shizuka but Shizuka's voice made her stop. "What can you hope to do? You are nowhere near strong enough in your current state to even have any hope of breaking the hold that Kuran has over that boy. That and if you go out, then the one after you may take that chance to trap you back in your nightmare!" Shizuka said in a stern tone as she decided to use the one thing she knew Ame would not be able to defy. "I order you to stay here!" she said in a commanding tone.

Ame remained by the door as she listened to Shizuka and even the order as for some reason she did not feel an obligation to follow it as she looked back over her shoulder at Shizuka. "I am sorry, but I cannot leave Aidou to suffer any longer at the hands of Kaname." She said before she turned the handle and ran from the room and up the stairs. 'Hang on Aidou! I will find a way to free you!' she thought as she reached the top of the stairs seeing that it was still night meaning it would be easier for her to move about.

Down in the room as the door half closed and she listened to the footfalls on the steps growing more and more distant, Shizuka could not help but smile. 'The spell is weakening.' She thought with a hint of happiness since it meant that Ame would not be easily manipulated, she would come into her own very soon.

A/N: Okay, this chapter is not as long as some of the others, but I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did writing it. The next chapter is already in the works and I hope to have it up soon.


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Truth Through Blood

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Thirteen: Truth Through Blood**

Ame kept running until she got to near where the moon dorm was, as she knew right now was the time for her find Aidou and try to free him. She knew that she could not afford to fail him because if she did then he would remain in Kaname's control. But as she stood beside one of the trees looking to see if she might see him on his way from the class to the dorm she could not help but think. 'What if Shizuka is right? What if I am not strong enough to free Aidou?' she wondered only for her to hear footsteps approaching her. She turned to see a male standing in the shadows wearing all black.

"You have grown so much, Ame." He said in a blank voice but Ame could hear the emotion leaking into it.

"Who are you?" she asked as she felt she had seen him before only for him to step closer so she could see his features a little better which revealed he had spiked blonde hair, and eyes that rivaled Aidou's. "You are the one who was with Kaien when he brought me here!" she said as she recognized him as the one who had driven the car.

"Yes. But there is more to our intertwined history together." He said as he shook his head only to walk closer as he stood before her and reached out lifting her necklace she wore, the crescent moon. "I was the one who gave this to you. The night I wished to place you in a peaceful dream rather than living on the edge of the nightmare you had been forced to live for the two years you were with me." He said as she looked at him in confusion. "I know you have started to remember." He said letting the crescent moon fall to rest on the front of Ame's jacket.

"…Atu…?" Ame asked hesitantly as looking at him the face in her memories began to become clearer.

"Yes, though my actual name is Satsujin." He said as he gave her a faint smile. "Though what are you doing out here? Why did you come out of where you were hiding?"

"I have to find Aidou." Ame said in a determined tone as she looked up at Satsujin as though almost daring him to challenge her resolve to find him.

"You are better off going back to where you were taken for safe keeping." Satsujin said as he stepped forward and went to grab Ame's arm intent on taking her back to where she had been before so she would be safe since he had been in the process of looking for the man who he had thought was dead all this time.

"I am not going back until I find Aidou and free him!" Ame said as she moved away from Satsujin. "I cannot leave him in the state he is right now!" she declared in a determined voice as she clenched her pale hands into fists at her side. "Once I free Aidou I will go back into hiding since you and Shizuka seem to agree that is where I should be since there is someone after me." She said as Satsujin gave her a startled look.

'Shizuka?! As in Shizuka Hio!' he thought in shock as he decided to dismiss it since sure he was a hunter and it was an order to kill her on sight for her slaughter of the Kiryuu family, but he was loyal to no one but himself. And his instincts told him to leave Shizuka be since she seemed to have the same goal as him in mind. "Very well, but I am going with you to insure you remain safe." He said as he saw Ame give him a confused look so he knew right then that he would have a lot of explaining to do since he knew that there were still vast gaps in Ame's memories.

Ame smiled at Satsujin as she went to look past the tree to see that Aidou was walking their way. 'I can do this!' she thought as she ran from the tree to the middle of the path blocking Aidou as he looked at her with a cold expression that made her falter and step back due to how the look alone seemed capable of freezing the air between them. 'This is not him! This is just how he is forced to act because of Kaname!' she thought as she shifted to stand her ground as she looked up at him. "Aidou, you need to snap out of it!" she said in a determined tone.

Satsujin watched from by the trees as he brought up his right hand and lightly smacked his own forehead in a face palm gesture as he could not believe that Ame was trying that route. 'He is under the control of one of the most powerful purebloods alive and she tries to free him by saying _that_!' he thought as he seriously wondered about her with that.

Aidou looked at Ame with the same cold look all due to how Kaname had ordered him to be cruel to her. But on the inside he was trying to fight the control to let her know he was not meaning to be so cruel that is until he heard her speak as he was a bit surprised even though he did not show it in his expression. She knew! She somehow knew that something was not right! But his body acted on its own. He stepped toward her and went to push her to the side but she pushed him back so that he stepped back two steps before stopping as he glared at her. "Out of the way, Hoshi." He said in a cold tone as on the inside Aidou was screaming at himself for how he was being manipulated by Kaname's order.

"No! I am not going to let him keep you as his pawn! You are stronger than this, so I know you can break Kaname's hold!" Ame said as she was hoping her voice was getting through to Aidou as she saw his expression shift before he looked to the side with annoyance plastered all over his face.

"I am not being controlled." He said but Ame glared at him as her eyes flashed dangerously.

'That look…' Satsujin thought as he leaned away from the tree with shock on his face as he had seen it once before. In a pair of pink eyes that had usually been gentle but when angered, he had seen those eyes give that same look that Ame was giving Aidou. 'It couldn't be…' he thought as he figured he would talk to Shizuka later on to see what she thought of this.

"I know you are!" Ame snapped as she was beyond furious at the extent of the control that Kaname had over Aidou.

"Just leave me alone." Aidou said as he glared at Ame. "No one wants you so why don't you just go." He said as he went to go past Ame but she never let him have the chance.

She had been shocked that he would say something like that. She knew his true feelings because she had tasted his blood. He was the only one to have ever loved her and wanted her around, so she did not buy what he was saying. When he went to step forward Ame's cerulean eyes took on a near savage crimson glow as she lunged her small body against Aidou's with enough force she knocked the wind out of him and the two fell to the ground as she was on top of him with her knees on either side of his hip and her hands on his wrists holding them down and to steady herself as she was leaned over him.

Ame leaned up slightly as her long hair hung about her and down even in Aidou's face slightly as she glared down at him with her eyes still glowing crimson. "There is only one way I will believe that you do not love me anymore!" she said as she leaned down quickly as her fangs became more pronounced as she opened her mouth while Aidou struggled under her. "Because as you once told me, a vampire's true feelings can be expressed through their blood being drank!" she said in a low furious tone before she sank her fangs deep into Aidou's neck as she then proceeded to drink.

As she drank his blood she searched for the true feelings that she knew were there as she saw through his eyes how he had felt betrayed by how she had been bitten by Kaname. She wished to convey to him that it had not been what he had thought, that she had been forced to let Kaname do as he wanted with her. She delved even deeper past the shroud that was around Aidou's emotions due to how he was under Kaname's control. But as she sank her fangs in deeper the shroud disappeared and she was flooded with the love that Aidou felt for her.

Aidou lay there as he felt Ame's fangs pierce deep into his neck only for him to feel her sincerity as he felt her delve into his memory of the night that he had seen Kaname drink her blood. He felt her try to assure him that it was not what it had appeared to be, but due to the control over him he could not accept it, that is until a few seconds later the veil over his eyes was lifted as he felt his love for her return to the surface as the influence from Kaname's control dispersed from him as he closed his eyes only to open them as he felt a haze lift.

While he lay there he felt Ame withdraw her fangs only for her to fall against him, limp. At feeling that Aidou rushed to sit up as he brought up his arms to support her as he looked down at her to see that she had blood on the lower part of his face, something he always thought was adorable with how she seemed unable to master drinking from another without making a mess. Though when he saw her eyes were closed he began to panic. "Ame!" he called to her only to hear another approach as he glanced to see Satsujin walking over. "Who are you!" Aidou demanded as he held Ame's limp form closer to him as the bite marks on his neck healed over but he paid no mind to it since he was beyond used to his accelerated healing.

"Give her to me." Satsujin said but Aidou only held Ame closer, something that annoyed Satsujin. "I am not going to harm her. But with her in this state we need to get her and now you as well, into hiding." He said as without hesitation he reached down and snatched Ame from Aidou and cradled her to his chest. Something to Aidou looked like a pure princess being carried by her dark knight. But he did not get to linger on that as Satujin turned and spoke. "Follow me!" he ordered as he headed in the direction he had seen Ame come from before as Aidou followed him.

The pair walked in silence until they came to a building that was falling apart. But as they approached, Satsujin saw a male with slightly grown out silver hair wearing black clothes with a long coat to match and a mask over his eyes. The youth went to reach for a weapon until he had caught sight of Ame who was still unconscious in Satsujin's arms.

"Follow me." He said in a calm tone as Shizuka had told him to allow any to pass except for Kaname and the man from before. So Ichiru opened the door and ushered Satsujin and Aidou inside before closing the door. "This way." He said as he slipped past them down a narrow passage that led to a narrow stair way. On the way down they were in near complete darkness.

Aidou tried to see what their surroundings were but it was difficult even with how he was used to being in the dark. All he could make out were earthy walls mixed with bits of stones to help hold up the passage. Though as they approached a door, Ichiru moved and opened it to reveal a dimly lit room with a cot to one side where Maria was still resting, and to one side was a worn couch where Shizuka Hio was! Aidou's eyes widened as he went to move before Satsujin to block Ame from the insane vampire princess.

"No need to be so defensive, son of Aidou." Shizuka said as she stood as the bell on her jingled. "I am no longer working with the son of Kuran to sacrifice this girl." She said as she idly brushed Aidou to the side so she could stand before Satsujin as he looked at her with narrow blue eyes. "Satsujin Akira. It has been far too long." She said in a casual tone as though she were greeting an old friend, but Satsujin was anything but an old friend to her.

"Drop the pleasantries." Satsujin said in a cold voice. "I want to know what exactly is going on because what I just saw showed that both spells on Ame are weakening to the point they could break any time." He said as Aidou looked between the two more shocked than anything. More so when Shizuka stepped closer only to ease Ame out of Satsujin's arms and carry her to the couch and lay her down.

"It is true, one spell on her is weakening and one will soon break all together." Shizuka said as he brushed some of Ame's hair out of her face. "But the one that I am more worried about is the first one that was placed on her, because if that one breaks things will only be worse." She said as Satsujin nodded at her in understanding. "So for now, I am sure you have already figured out that I plan to take her away from here." She said only for Aidou to interrupt.

"Take her away? But why?" he asked since he did not know the extent of the danger that Ame was in at the moment.

Shizuka looked toward him as Aidou tensed at being held under the stern gaze of the insane princess. "I am taking her away because another pureblood like myself is targeting her and will stop at nothing to have her again." She said as she allowed a sigh to pass through her lips. "He has already made a try earlier this very night." She said as Satsujin nodded since he had been in pursuit before the man had disappeared.

"Then why have you not already moved her?" Aidou demanded as he clenched his teeth in anger.

"Because of you." Shizuka said with a harsh look on her face as Aidou gave her a startled look. "Ame was dead set against going anywhere with me so long as you remained under Kaname's control because she was worried about what he might do to you when she ran away with me to safety rather than stay here and be his bait." Shizuka said in a cold tone before she heard a faint sound that drew the attention of everyone in the room.

Ame started to slowly come around as she fought waking to soon since she was worried she would wake only to see that her attempt to free Aidou had failed. But at the same time she was confused as to what had exactly happened. She had never done anything like that before, but she had just acted on instinct only to have once again felt the emotions she had longed to ever since Kaname had ripped her and Aidou apart.

Aidou got a feeling that told him that Ame was resisting waking because of him, her worry for him. So he walked over closer and knelt down beside the couch and took her pale hand in his as he spoke softly. "Ame. It is safe for you to wake." He whispered while the other three in the room watched as Ame opened her gentle cerulean eyes only to look toward Aidou as she sat up and lunged at him throwing her arms around him in a fierce hug that he readily returned as he had one arm around her back and the other up on the back of her head resting on her hair.

/

Soon after dawn Ame and Aidou fell asleep on the couch together, with Aidou holding Ame in his arms against his chest as they slept. Ichiru was resting against the wall on the cot near Maria while Satsujin and Shizuka sat up keeping watch to be sure no one found them. During that time they spoke very little until a certain subject came up.

"So what made you decide to reveal yourself to her?" Shizuka asked as she looked to Satsujin since she had sensed that he was there since she had gotten there but he had remained hidden in the shadows up until tonight.

"I saw that I would be able to better protect Ame beside her rather than from the shadows. And with how Yukiro has resurfaced, she needs to be protected since she is still not ready for the battle that is soon to happen." He said as he glanced to Ame to see she was smiling while she was asleep, something that brought unmeasurable joy to his heart. All due to how her smile was innocent, pure, a true smile.

"You love her?" Shizuka asked as Satsujin looked toward her with a glare in his eyes.

"I am not the one meant to break the curse on her!" he said in an annoyed tone only for Shizuka to shake her head.

"One way to know. If you let her bite you and feed on your blood since you seemed very against her doing that when she was young." She said as she thought maybe if they awakened Ame now before they left it would be for the better, it would give her a better chance of defending herself.

Satsujin glared at Shizuka for what she had said. "She is better off remaining in the dream that so many have fought to keep her in. Even if just for a little longer, I want her to keep smiling." Satsujin said as he looked over toward Ame once again to see that her smile had faded ever so slightly. "Something one like you would never understand even though you are of blood to her." He said only to earn a death glare from Shizuka.

"I know better than you think!" she said in a low dangerous tone. "Right now the spells on her are weakening and with that man having returned, it is just a matter of time before she is forced to awaken from this dream. Because I am sure you always knew that the dream was only to be short lived." She said as she allowed her pink eyes to move from Satsujin to rest on Ame who was becoming restless.

"Even if that happens, I will not allow her to be used or locked away which is what your kind seem to seek to do with her just because she is something new to you." He said as he stood only to see Shizuka move before him as her hand gripped at his neck.

"Like you have any room to talk. I know the hunters have targeted her despite three of their own actually working to hide her away from the Association." She said as Satsujin just glared at her with even more hatred in his eyes.

"I do not care that the Association wants her, nor do I care if anyone else does. So long as I am able, she will never be forced to go anywhere." He said as Shizuka smirked at him while she removed her hand and turned her face to the side as she closed her eyes as she let out a laugh that started like a whisper then increased ever so slightly in volume before she looked toward Satsujin with a cold look in her pink eyes.

"So you will defy your own kind and the fate of the vampires to protect her?" she asked as Satsujin nodded without hesitation. "You along with the son of Aidou, the two of you combined may be the most dangerous pieces in the coming battle." She said calmly.

/

Inside the moon dorm Kaname sat in his room as he had noticed that Aidou had not come back from the class the night before, that he had gone on his own to return to the dorm only to disappear. 'He could not have gotten too far, not that he can do anything while he is under my control.' He thought as he smirked and lounged on his couch waiting for night to fall since he had woke early.

Though while he lay there he allowed his eyes to go over to a chess set on his desk as he had a single white piece in the corner, a white pawn, standing before the black rook. 'Very soon, you will be sacrificed so that the other can be taken out.' He thought to himself as he smirked only to close his eyes just relaxing.

/

_Ame was running as fast as she could through a garden of flowers as she found one that was the most beautiful blue rose she had ever seen. "Pretty!" Ame said as she went to pick it only to prick her finger on it. "Ow!" she cried as she looked at the blood that pooled on her fingertip only for a woman in a maid outfit to come rushing around the wall of flowers twenty feet away._

"_Lady …? Oh no! Are you hurt?" the maid asked as she rushed over and knelt before the small Ame as she looked at her with vibrant green eyes from behind her mahogany colored hair._

"_I just got an ouch." Ame said as she held up her finger only for the maids eyes to flash crimson for a second before she shook her head and got out a cloth from a pocket on her apron as she wiped away the blood._

"_There you go, all better." She said with a smile only for the dream to fade to nothing as Ame stood alone in darkness as her current self._

_**Time is running out. The time is drawing close for the battle that will set destiny in motion.**_

'_What are you talking about?' Ame asked as she looked around trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from only to see the woman who resembled Shizuka but she was covered in blood as the sight of that made Ame's throat burn with a lust for the blood. She fought it back as she sank to her knees only to reach up grasping her neck as she gasped for breath as she averted her eyes from the woman._

_**I am sorry that I could not do more to protect you … **_

'_What do you mean? What is going on?' Ame asked as she fought back her hunger as her eyes that had gone crimson for a brief second returned to cerulean._

_**We only wanted what was best for you. But soon the battle will begin and you will have a choice to make. I only hope you can forgive us for our selfish acts, we only ever thought of you.**_

Before Ame could ask anything further she sat up gasping for breath as she had accidentally woken Aidou in the process as he sat up and rubbed his eyes trying to wake only for him to notice that Ame was visibly shaken. "Ame?" he asked but he could not get through to her so while it appeared that the others in the room were resting, Aidou wrapped his arms around Ame and pulled her close as he whispered. "Drink from me." He whispered.

Ame looked up at Aidou as her eyes went crimson before she reached up shifting his collar out of her way before she leaned closer and bit into the side of his neck before she started to drink as she felt herself calm as she felt his emotions flood into her as he even held her close the way he always did.

As she finished and leaned back to look at him it was to see him smiling before he leaned down and licked the blood from the side of her face before he rested his forehead against hers while she smiled in return. They remained like that until they heard a jingle only to move away from one another in a scramble of movement as Shizuka smiled at them finding it amusing how they were obviously in love yet they seemed shy about their own emotions when around others. Though once they had calmed Shizuka spoke. "We are to prepare to leave as soon as possible." She said but Ame spoke up.

"First I want to know what all is going on because I have the feeling that you are hiding something from me. Like why Kaname is involved." She said since she still had a hard time seeing Kaname as one of the master minds behind this but how he used Aidou was beyond proof enough for her but she wanted the full story.

Shizuka sighed as she thought about where to start while Aidou and Ame watched her with anticipation since Aidou knew at least a bit of it but not the full story. So after several minutes of silence, Shizuka spoke. "I guess this begins with your birth, Ame." She said as Ame's cerulean eyes widened. "You were seen as a dangerous vampire, even from birth." Shizuka said seeing no reason to hold back the truth since Ame was not a child. "So many pure blood vampires and even the Senate thought it would be for the best that you were destroyed or caged, like I was." She said as Ame nodded but Aidou had seen fear on her face so he put his arm around her shoulders to show her support.

"So you were hidden away until one found you and sought to use your powers that were still developing." She paused figuring for now cut that part off. "And for several years you were believed to be dead, but when Kaname heard from the headmaster that you were alive he saw fit to use you as bait. But he knew that to keep you in line, he would need to be kind to you, to gain your trust, and then to trap you even more, he had the son of Aidou become your friend." She said as Ame looked toward Aidou in shock.

"Ame, I swear I had no idea what was going on." He said as Ame looked at him as though searching for something before she moved closer and snuggled against his chest for a moment only to whisper.

"I know you did not." She said in a whisper before looking toward Shizuka to wait for more of the explanation.

"But he never counted on the two of you actually falling in love." She said as a faint tint appeared on both Aidou and Ame's faces. At this point Satsujin sat up having woken up, same with Ichiru but they remained silent to allow Shizuka to continue explaining.

"Though he soon came to realize it so to make it so that he could keep both of you in line he allowed the two of you to remain together, but upon my acceptance here as Maria, he suggested we work together and use you," she looked to Ame, "as bait to draw out one of the most dangerous vampires to exist. I at the time accepted, until I saw the suffering you had already endured." She said in a tone that had an undertone of sadness.

"But before I had even started trying to help you, Kaname had decided that you being close to Aidou would only cause a problem since to him, he did not wish to loose Aidou as one of his followers, so he forced himself on Ame knowing that Aidou would be heartbroken to see that. But when Aidou had gone second guesses on if it had been intentional, Kaname had then decided to use his power as a pure blood to force Aidou to be his servant." She said as Aidou nodded.

"He ordered me to not tell anyone what I had heard, and he said I was to avoid you and he even went so far as to say I was not to go near you but if I ran into you, I was to do whatever I could to make sure you remained in a broken depressed state." He said.

But no sooner had he spoke, Ame looked down shaking from anger as she could not believe that Kaname was only kind to her to use her as a pawn, and how he had even used Aidou to that extent. Without a second thought she moved away from Aidou and was on her feet running to the door only to force it open as she ran up the stairs before anyone could stop her.

Aidou had stood to try and stop her but by the time he could even utter her name, Ame was gone as he heard the distant sound of the door into the building being flung open, smacking against the side of the frame only to slam shut again. "You don't think she is…" he started to ask looking at Shizuka.

"Go after her!" was all Shizuka said as Aidou nodded and ran toward the stairs to go after her while Satsujin went to go. "No, you need to stay here." She said as Satsujin glared at her.

"I am not one you can order around!" Satsujin said but Shizuka shook her head at him.

"I am not ordering you, but if you want I can make it one." She said in a harsh tone before she looked toward the door. "This is something that Aidou has to do alone. He has to do this in order for the two of them to be ready for what is to come." She said as Satsujin sighed and leaned against the wall to wait.

/

Aidou ran up the stairs and out of the building not hearing what was said down below in the room due to the door having closed as he was just focused on finding Ame before she did anything reckless. 'Ame…' he thought to himself as he saw the state of the door where it was actually barely in one piece but instead it was in splinters as though it had exploded. 'This level of power is something I have only ever seen in a pure blood…' he thought as he shook his head figuring now was not the time to think about that as he took off out away from the house as he hoped he got to Ame in time.

/

Ame kept hearing what Shizuka had said over and over in her mind as she ran in the direction of the dorm figuring that would be her best bet at finding Kaname. She did not care that he was a pure blood, he had hurt the one she loved and had aimed to use her as a pawn to sacrifice. He was going to pay for what he had done! It was not long before Ame reached where Kaname was walking along the path near the moon dorm. "KANAME!" Ame yelled as she came to a stop glaring daggers at Kaname as he turned and gave her a gentle smile.

"Ah, hello, Ame." he said as though it were a plain casual conversation. "What is it?" he asked still keeping to his act.

"Drop the act! You are going to pay for what you have done!" Ame said as she ran at Kaname drawing water from nearby plants as it formed into a sword as she went to slash at him only for Kaname to move out of the way only to appear again by her right side as he grabbed her wrist and gripped it so that she was forced to let go of it before he pulled her closer to him while twisting her arm up behind her.

"Seems you need to learn your place again." he said as he leaned down by her neck as he inhaled her scent deeply only to be interrupted.

"Let her go!" Aidou yelled as he was glaring at Kaname his arm raised ready to send ice at Kaname but he merely chuckled.

"Stand down, Aidou." Kaname ordered thinking that Aidou would do as he said only to not see Aidou back down as he became frustrated. "I order you to back down!" Kaname said before Aidou sent some ice at Kaname but moved to the side and sank his fangs into Ame's neck as she cried out for him to stop.

"LET HER GO!" Aidou yelled but Kaname moved with Ame again as he drank her blood finding what he wanted.

'So she is the one with the ability.' he thought as he leaned back while Ame was limp before him since she was weakened from having her blood drank. "Time to do away with you." he said sending a gust at Aidou knocking him back as Kaname made his get away with Ame to the roof of the school as he dropped her to the roof and looked toward her with hatred since her power even though it was not fully awakened was a dangerous thing. "No wonder he wants you, because with you he could start another war." Kaname said in a low tone as he started toward Ame as she was slowly pushing herself up. "I will not allow your power to fall into the wrong hands." he said as Ame stood only for her to send ice at Kaname as he brushed it off. "You are no match for me." he said as Ame sent yet another wave. "Time to finish this."

With that Kaname moved behind her as he put one hand around her waist holding her arms down slightly while his other went around in front of her and traced from the center of her collar bone up her neck as she screamed for him to let go of her but he secured his hand over her mouth as she squirmed as best she could and even kicked back at him but he paid no mind to it as he lifted her up so her feet were dangling off of the ground. He leaned forward as he nuzzled her neck as she let out a muffled plea for him to stop. "I will make this quick." he said only to lick her neck feeling her shudder due to his touch and how her body could not help but react to the simple touch. He then went to bite her only to hear footsteps approaching as the door opened and Aidou stood there as Kaname smirked only to sink his fangs deep into Ame's neck as he drank greedily from her neck.

Ame saw Aidou as he rushed forward only to send ice at Kaname as she felt he was still drinking from her even as her vision faded and she knew no more only that she was falling only to hit something solid. She could feel everything slipping away from her only to taste something beyond sweet in her mouth as she soon recognized it as blood, but she was not able to swallow as she felt her life slipping away since she had been drained of far too much blood. Though soon the person feeding her blood was rubbing her throat gently as they got her to swallow the blood in her mouth as she let out a cough and a shuttering breath. She was still too weak to open her eyes as she soon felt the soft skin of anothers lips against hers and then the sweet taste of blood in her mouth again as her strength was slowly returning as the lips leaned away as she opened her eyes to see Aidou there but the blood coursing through him was screaming in her ears as she could hear every beat of his heart.

Aidou shifted his collar to the side as he helped her sit up. "Go ahead Ame, but do not drink too much." he said as he looked into her crimson eyes as she soon latched to his neck drinking only a little, just enough to start feeling more of her strength returning as she soon leaned back gasping since she had barely breathed while feeding off of Aidou. He shifted his arms as he picked her up while she leaned back only to show she had blood on her face as she looked up at him with her eyes that were slowly transitioning from crimson to their normal cerulean. "Feel better?" he asked as Ame nodded at him as he carried her back to the building that he had moved into that was where he, Ame, and Shizuka were staying.

/

Not long after, Aidou carried Ame down into the room that was where the small group had been staying to keep Ame hidden from the one that was after her. Once he stepped into the room, Satsujin rushed over and went to take Ame from him but Shizuka brushed Satsujin to the side only to take Ame from Aidou with ease as she seemed to glide over to couch as she sat down and cradled her close while Satsujin put a hand on Aidou's arm.

"What happened?" Satsujin asked only for Aidou to tell him that Kaname had tried to kill Ame and had managed to drink almost all of her blood and how she only drank a sip from him and that he was worried that with how much she had lost that she would not make it even with her accelerated healing.

"Ichiru, you go with Satsujin and Aidou and check the perimeter to make sure that man and Kaname are not nearby." She said as Ichiru nodded before leading a reluctant Satsujin and Aidou out. Once Shizuka was sure that they had privacy, she looked down at Ame. "You crave stronger blood." She said as she could feel Ame's heart beat growing weaker. "You were foolish!" she said in a harsh tone. "You are so much like her!" Shizuka said as she closed her eyes only to see the image of her younger twin sister who had once been beyond reckless even when they had been small children. "Is it even worth it for me to protect you when you only rush off into danger when you know that you are no match for the one you go after!" she asked as she felt Ame's heart beat grow a little weaker.

Something that drew out a worried expression on her face as she continued to cradle Ame to her as she brought up her right wrist and sank her own fangs deep into the flesh so that the bleeding was good and steady before she put it to Ame's slightly parted lips only for her to begin drinking while Shizuka could feel Ame's heart beat growing stronger while Shizuka thought to herself. 'Yes, it will always be worth it, because you are all I have left of them.' She thought.

Ame tasted the second sweetest thing she had ever tasted in her life. She brought up her hands holding it closer as she continued to drink from the source of the sweet liquid. It was blood, the taste and smell were familiar as she soon pinpointed it as she opened her crimson eyes to see that it was as she had thought. Shizuka! Though as Ame drank the blood flow lessened but she was not satisfied with the sweet blood yet, so Ame's fangs became more pronounced as she sank her fangs deep into Shizuka's wrists as she closed her eyes and focused on feeding on the blood of the woman cradling her.

"Go ahead and feed to your heart's content." Shizuka whispered as she held Ame closer only to without meaning to, she allowed a memory to slip through her blood into Ame.

Ame felt something within the blood as she continued to feed only for an image to form in her mind, as it was like her memories she saw through her dreams, but this one was not shrouded in shadows as she could clearly see the faces of those in her dream and everything in bright detail.

She walked behind Shizuka as she walked along a long hall, her bell jingling with each and every step as she followed her down the open bright hallway to a door that was at least twenty feet tall. As Shizuka approached a butler standing by the door bowed. "Are they inside?" Shizuka asked in a calm tone as the butler nodded.

"Yes, they are Lady Shizuka." He said as he straightened and went to open the door. "Lord Kiyoshi and Lady Sachi are eagerly awaiting you inside." He said as he pushed the door open for Shizuka to go in as she looked toward a vast bed that was against the far wall as there was a man with slightly grown out white hair and slightly soft cerulean eyes sitting on the bed beside a woman who was Shizuka's mirror image only she had a much softer expression. In her sister's arms, there was a tiny bundle. It had happened! Her sister had finally given birth!

"Shizuka!" Sachi said as she looked up at up at her older twin as she had entered as Sachi had a wide smile on her face. "Come meet your niece!" Sachi said with a beaming smile as Shizuka walked over as the soft jingle echoed through the room as she sat down on the bed on her sisters other side to peek into the small bundle to see a small sleeping baby.

"What is her name?" Shizuka asked only for Sachi to shift and hand the small bundle to Shizuka as the small baby woke and stared up at her with wide cerulean eyes before cooing and even giggling.

"Her name is Ametsuki." Sachi said with a soft smile as the baby got her hands loose and reached up toward Shizuka only for her to feel a rush of emotions. She stared down at the child before shifting the bundle so that it rested on her left forearm as she moved her right hand close only for the young vampire to nibble at Shizuka's finger making her smile.

"She is beautiful." Shizuka said as Kiyoshi laughed only to earn an annoyed look from Shizuka until Ametsuki cooed yet again drawing her attention to the small bundle. Before she removed her right hand and shifted the baby up closer as she held her young niece over her heart, holding her securely but gently since she was so tiny. "I will always look after you, my precious Ametsuki." She whispered as the memory faded away into nothing.

Shizuka continued to hold Ame close as she knew the memory that had slipped through to Ame in her blood, but she found that she did not care. Ame deserved to know the truth even if with the spells she did not have all of her memories, Shizuka would allow Ame to at least see that she had once had a loving mother and father.

Ame slowly released Shizuka's wrist as she opened her crimson eyes that slowly faded over to cerulean as she looked up at Shizuka as though she was seeing her for the very first time as Shizuka shifted the sleeve of her yukata and gently wiped away the blood from the lower part of Ame's face while her wide cerulean eyes remained fixed on Shizuka. After several moments, Ame managed to find her voice. "W…was that?" she asked still staring at Shizuka as she had a gentle smile on her face as she nodded.

"Yes, the two others in that memory I showed you were your parents." Shizuka said in a gentle tone as she continued to cradle Ame to her. "On the day that I first got to meet you, not long after you were born." She said since in truth she had forced her way out of the prison that Rido had kept her in since she refused to accept that he was her fiancé and she had gone to see her sister and brother in law and to have the chance to meet her newborn niece before she had been locked away again for a while.

As Ame listened to Shizuka the memories that had been shrouded cleared as she was able to even in her own memories see the faces of her birth parents. Something that caused Ame to start crying silently until Shizuka shifted her and allowed Ame to bury her face against her shoulder.

"There is no reason for you to hold in your tears right now." Shizuka said as she held Ame tightly. "You were robbed of them before you could have fully understood just how much they loved you." She said as a small sob escaped Ame's lips as Shizuka stayed there holding her long lost niece close as Ame continued to cry before she calmed after near thirty minutes. When Ame shifted, Shizuka allowed her to do so as Ame even went so far as to shift so she was not on Shizuka's lap but beside her on the couch.

"That means…that I am actually a…a pureblood vampire?" Ame asked as she looked toward Shizuka as tears were still glistening in her eyes.

"Yes, but your powers as one were sealed by your grandmother. At the cost of her own life." Shizuka said as Ame's eyes widened at that.

"She sacrificed herself to seal my powers as a pureblood? But why?" Ame asked as she was starting to visibly shake before Shizuka reached out catching Ame's chin with her hand as she then moved it so that she was cupping Ame's cheek to gently get her to focus on her.

"She did so because even from birth, you were seen as one who would grow up to be very strong, so some in vampire society thought it was too risky to allow you to live. So in an effort to remove their reason to hunt you down, my mother sealed your pureblood abilities away to turn you into a normal vampire." Shizuka said in a firm but gentle tone.

"Is there a way to remove what she did?" Ame asked in a shaking tone as Shizuka nodded.

"Yes. The spell has only one way to break it and return you to who you were born to be." She said as she paused for a brief second. "You have to sink your fangs into one that you love who is not also a vampire." She said. "That is why you have been able to bite Aidou and not awaken, because he was born a vampire." Shizuka said as Ame nodded as she looked down while Shizuka's hand slid away from her face. "But for now, just continue in the dream that my mother sacrificed her life to allow you to live in." Shizuka said as she kept her eyes on Ame. "Once Ichiru, Satsujin and the son of Aidou come back you will need to say your farewell to the boy so we may leave." Shizuka said as she knew this would tear her niece a part, but she was doing what was best for her. And at the moment it was for the best that unless the son of Aidou was willing to fully cast aside his loyalty to Kaname then he did not belong around Ame at the moment.

/

Before the others got back, Ame slipped away into the bathroom connected to the room they were all saying in as she removed her night class uniform and changed into a light blue dress that Shizuka had given her saying she had sent Ichiru to get it a few days before in preparation for the move. As Ame looked at her reflection in the mirror she could not help but see bits of her own reflection that were from her parents. She had her father's eyes, but besides that she was all but the spitting image of her mother in several ways. But at that thought Ame sank down before the sink as fresh tears stung at her eyes as she thought of how because she was a pureblood she would not be allowed to be with the one she loved.

**Are you going to give up so easily?** A voice inside her mind asked as she recognized it as the voice of the woman who Shizuka had identified as her grandmother. **I gave my life so that you would be free from the chains that bind all pureblood vampires to a destiny that is not their own.**

'I know…but what if I do find the one who will break the spell…then there will be no way I can be with him…' Ame thought as a few more tears fell down her face.

**You may not ever find them, meaning you will be able to happily live with him.**

'I guess you are right…' Ame thought to herself since so long as she did not break the spell on her then she would remain the regular vampire she was. But then would Aidou's family not approve since she was not of any class of vampire? 'No! You are not!' Ame thought as she cried silently. 'Even if I remain like this, we will never be able to be together!' she thought before there was a soft knock on the door.

"Ame?" Shizuka's voice called through the door as Ame rushed to get back to her feet and wipe away her tears as she answered only for her aunt to speak again. "It is time to go." Shizuka said as Ame nodded.

"Alright." She said as she went over to the door and opened it to see that everyone minus Aidou was there. Ichiru was carrying the still unconscious form of Maria. Satsujin was adjusting his katana at his side as Shizuka smiled at her and then turned and led the way from the small room up the narrow steps and then out of the building. The cover of darkness was still on their side as they crossed the deserted grounds toward the archway that marked the edge of the grounds. 'I guess in his heart, Aidou knew that we were not meant to be…' she thought before she heard a distant voice.

"Ame!" a voice she knew all too well as she turned to see that it was Aidou running toward them as he was no longer wearing his school uniform but a casual white shirt and tight form fitting blue jeans and a long black coat over the shirt. He had a pack on his back as he ran toward them while the small group stopped as he did as well a few feet away as Ame looked at him with a sad expression. "I am coming with you!" Aidou declared only for Ame to shake her head.

"You can't. You will be safer here…" she started but Aidou interrupted her.

"I do not care. I want to be with you!" he said as he walked over toward her as Ame looked to the side because she knew in her heart even if they were allowed a little while longer that in the end they would not be together. As he got close enough, Aidou reached out and pulled Ame close to him.

"Ai-Aidou…" Ame said but Aidou shifted his arms to let her lean back ever so slightly so that she was looking up at him with tears brimming in her wide cerulean eyes.

"I want to be by your side and protect you. Not as someone's pawn, but as your protector and if you accept, as your lover." Aidou said knowing his words were bold even more so with those standing not far from him and Ame. But he did not care, he wanted her to know his feelings. "I love you, Ame." He said as he leaned down as before his eyes closed, he saw Ame's slowly close just before their lips met in a gentle yet passionate kiss while unknown to them the first rays of sunlight were starting to appear on the distant horizon.

The two remained in the kiss for a while longer before Aidou broke contact as he opened his eyes and looked down at Ame as he could feel her heart beating quickly, something that brought him great joy. Now if only she would say the three words that he longed to hear more than anything else, then he would be the happiest vampire.

Ame slowly opened her eyes as she looked up at Aidou as a blush hinted on her cheeks because even though they had kissed before, this one had been very special. With this one he had declared his feelings for her which to her was also his way of denouncing his loyalty to Kaname for his hand in everything that was going on. After a brief moment her lips parted as she spoke. "I love you too, Aidou." She said as Aidou leaned down and rested his forehead against hers as he whispered gently to her.

"Hanabusa. Call me by my first name."

A/N: Okay, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. It was the longest one yet at over 9,000 words and 17 pages in length (well the top portion of page 17). I know I ended a serious chapter with a bit of a cute scene but it was a critical bit I had to put in because things are going to pick up more from here until the end of Blood Oath and then resume in the sequel. And I want to give a very special thanks to Myra K Kuran as she is the one who has been reviewing the story for several chapters and even helping me along with my next time.


	15. Chapter Fourteen: New Alliances

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Fourteen: New Alliances**

The small group headed down the steps leading from the academy as Hanabusa walked hand in hand with Ame, something that was being closely watched by Satsujin and Shizuka. All due to how both thought there was no way the boy could put aside his loyalty to Kaname since he had been loyal to him for so long. Though after a few moments, Satsujin looked to Shizuka as she gave him a look conveying that she felt the same way, so for the time being they would allow Hanabusa to remain with them but if they saw his loyalty waiver then they would send him away or if need be dispose of him.

When they got to the bottom of the steps there was a car waiting as Ame turned and looked toward Shizuka as though to ask her about it but Shizuka spoke before her niece could even speak. "I sent Ichiru to secure it before returning." She said casually as what few bags the group had went into the very back before Ichiru and Satsujin got into the front since they would be switching off with driving through the day. Meanwhile Shizuka got in and placed Maria down on one of the plush seats before gesturing taking a seat and gesturing for Ame to sit beside her as she turned a cold look to Hanabusa. "You will sit over there." Shizuka ordered as Ame sat down beside her.

Though once she was situated, Shizuka reached over and put her arm around Ame's shoulders as she pulled Ame closer to her side. "I can tell you are tired, so go ahead and rest." Shizuka said as Ame nodded as her eyes slowly closed due to how she was tired since it had been a long night but while Ame rested against her Shizuka rested her right hand on Ame's head and gently ran her fingers through her hair.

Hanabusa felt frustrated at seeing how Shizuka was acting toward Ame, all due to how it seemed that Shizuka, like Kaname, were purebloods that wished to just control Ame. Because even with how Shizuka had explained things earlier, Hanabusa still did not trust her as he soon found the courage to speak bluntly with her. "What exactly do you want with Ame?" he asked only for Shizuka to give him an annoyed look.

"If you are trying to accuse me of wishing to use her, you are sorely mistaken, son of Aidou!" Shizuka said in a low dangerous tone. "You best keep that tongue in check if you wish to stay with us." She threatened as she felt Ame shift as she became restless only for Shizuka to hold her tighter which helped Ame calm. "If you ever dare to think that I am helping her to use her," Shizuka started, "I will personally kill you." Shizuka said in a low threatening tone as she continued to hold Ame to her side.

All the while, Hanabusa could not help but wonder as to what could have changed. From what he had heard, Shizuka had gone insane after she had lost her former human lover and yet here she was before him, seeming to be sane again. And even protective of the one that he loved. Did Ame have the ability as a vampire to calm people back to sanity? Or was there something else behind Shizuka's change in behavior? Because even that night when he had come across Shizuka and Kaname talking, Shizuka had been ready to use Ame.

Meanwhile during the conversation between Hanabusa and Shizuka, Ame drifted from a semi aware state into a deep sleep. Something that led to her starting to dream.

_Ame was falling through darkness as she was not sure if her eyes were open or closed due to how at the moment it was so dark there was no difference between the two. She wanted to call out for someone, anyone to help stop her from falling but instead she felt herself slam into ice cold water knocking the air from her lungs as she opened her eyes after the impact to see bubbles of oxygen escape her lips. She clamped her mouth shut as she was desperately trying to hold onto what oxygen she could as she tried to move her arms to swim back to the surface only for her arms to not respond._

'_Someone…please…' she thought in desperation as she sank deeper and deeper into the ice cold water in darkness. 'I…can't…' she thought as her eyes began to drift shut only for her to hit something and it shatter under her as she fell until she was suspended in the air with her arms up and to the sides as she was coughing up water from how she had accidentally breathed in some. When she glanced up after a second it was to see she was in a vast cavern with columns all around that were made from smoothed stone. "What…" she mumbled as she tried to move her arms only to find she could not so she looked to see that the reason she could not was that her pale wrists were encased in shackles!_

_Ame started to struggle as much as she could but it was no use as she could barely even move with how her arms were held out. "Help!" she cried out only to hear someone walking closer. "Please help me!" she cried out as a figure with long black hair and glowing crimson eyes walked out of the shadows as torches danced to life in a circle around where Ame was chained_

"_Soon." He said as he smirked revealing fangs showing that he was a vampire, but his mere presence brought fear into her as Ame was still besides shivering in fear. But he held up his fingers and snapped them as the chains attached to the shackles lowered Ame so she was closer to the ground but where her feet still could not touch as she was helpless before the other vampire. "I have awaited this for so long." He said as he stepped closer and caught a bit of Ame's long white hair that was hanging over her shoulder as he lifted it and smelt it. "Ah! The sweet scent of rain under a full moon!" he said as he let her hair fall back to rest at her side._

"_Who are you?" she demanded as she tried to force away her fear that she was feeling but there was something about this man that she felt was very familiar._

_At hearing what Ame had said the man let out a sadistic laugh. "I am the one who is your master." He said stepping closer as the chains rattled moving Ame up a little so she was at the same height as the man before her. "I am the one who owns everything that you are." He said as he reached up caressing the side of Ame's face while she turned her face away trying to force him to stop touching her. "Resist all you want, little __Kōri no ōjo." He said as he let out a small chuckle at the thought of how he had Ame for himself as he leaned in, opening his mouth to show his fangs becoming pronounced before Ame closed her eyes._

"_Aunt Shizuka!" Ame cried out only for Ame to feel the man before her move away as there was a sound of stone breaking followed by the sound of a soft bell. Ame's eyes shot open as she looked to see none other than Shizuka there walking over as her purple obi that she wore as it was angled like she was about to use it as a weapon as she walked over to stand before Ame only to glance at her as the chains and shackles shattered dropping Ame to the ground on her knees before she stood behind her aunt._

"_You are a lowly vampire, Yukiro." Shizuka said. "But all the same, I will not let you have this girl." Shizuka said as before Yukiro could say anything, she moved her obi up and struck the ground and walls as everything shattered and began to fall away as Shizuka turned and pulled Ame into her arms as she jumped away from the shattering dream as even Yukiro seemed to shatter as Shizuka and Ame were in darkness before something soft brushed against Ame's face as she opened her eyes to see they were in a vast field with a single cherry blossom tree with cherry blossoms dancing endlessly down to the ground. Once Shizuka had her feet firmly on the ground she released Ame as she stood there as she looked at her with worry while Ame looked at her in confusion._

"_How did you get into my dream?" Ame asked as Shizuka allowed a faint smile to grace her face as she walked over closer to the cherry blossom tree and looked up at it._

"_It is one of the powers you have that is suppressed and how we are bound together in blood since we have both drank one another's blood." Shizuka said. _

"_So if I had called out to Hanabusa…" Ame started to ask but Shizuka looked back at her with no traces of the former smile._

"_It would not have worked. It only works because as I said we have drank one another's blood and how I am a blood relative." Shizuka said as part of her wished that her niece had not found love for reasons that would only come to light should both spells be broken that were on her._

_Ame had a sad look on her face as she nodded in understanding of what her aunt had told her but she understood that blood was something that was the strongest tie for a bond between two vampires and to the present, Hanabusa had never drank her blood even though he was one she wished to feel sink his fangs into her neck and drink deeply from her._

"_I am sure I know your greatest wish, something that will never come to pass." Shizuka said as she kept her pink eyes on her young niece. "You wish for that boy to drink from you like you have from him so that he might learn your true feelings." Shizuka said as Ame nodded with a shy yet ashamed look on her face. But after a brief second Shizuka closed her eyes for a brief second before opening them as she spoke. "That will never happen because of how you, even while in a sealed state, you are the pure blood princess of the Hoshioko family and my niece, so you are in essence the young princess of the Hoshioko and Hio families since you have the combined blood coursing through your veins. And because of that, the son of Aidou is forbidden to ever even sink his fangs into you or he would be seen as committing the greatest crime and taboo." Shizuka explained as Ame had a sad look on her face but she knew her aunt was right as she nodded._

"_I understand…" Ame said in a sad tone as Shizuka sat and gestured for Ame to join her at the base of the cherry blossom tree, which Ame did so as she sat with her legs to the side as she kept her face angled down only to feel her aunt's hand on her face and angling it so that Ame was looking into her eyes._

"_I know this is still a hard transition for you, Ametsuki." Shizuka said as Ame felt weird, yet right at the same time being called her birth name. "But in time when the spells break on you and allow you to be the one that you were born to be, you will understand more." She said as Ame nodded in almost a numb gesture. "Do you want me to show you more of your past?" Shizuka offered but Ame shook her head._

"_Not right now…" she said as she closed her eyes and leaned against Shizuka. Though due to her eyes being closed she did not see the look of surprise in Shizuka's eyes before she wrapped her arm around Ame letting her just rest there only for things to soon fade around them as the two were returned to the waking world._

/

Around nightfall Satsujin, who had switched with Ichiru around midday, pulled the car over and turned to see that Hanabusa, Shizuka and Ame were awake. "Get out here and stretch for a moment." He said as he got out to gas up the car only to stop Ame but he gave Hanabusa a look to go elsewhere since he wanted a word alone with Ame. But when Shizuka lingered he accepted the fact that a word alone with the girl he protected meant a word with her over bearing aunt.

After Satsujin started to put gas into the car, he looked to Ame. "I take it that you know bits of the truth now?" he asked as she glanced at Shizuka who nodded before Ame looked at Satsujin again and nodded. "Yeah, Shizuka showed me bits of the truth and she explained to me what I am." She said in a near whisper. "But in truth I still find it hard to believe because of how I lived as a human not even knowing I was a vampire for so long after forgetting my past and then everything that has happened…" she said as she looked down shaking a bit visibly.

Satsujin felt bad for how he had rattled her with such a simple question, but he decided that he should make it right as he reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder causing her to look at him with gleaming cerulean eyes as he knew that she was almost to the point of tears. "But you do understand what is going on?" he asked as Ame nodded.

"Yes, I understand that this started when I was still very young, and that the vampire who keeps haunting my dreams is after me…" she said as she fought to hide her own fear at the thought of how another vampire was after her for reasons she was unclear on besides that he seemed to think that she was his and his alone.

Satsujin nodded as he let his hand fall from her shoulder. "Yes, and you do know why that is right?"

Ame shook her head. "No, only that each time he appears in my dreams he says something along the lines of 'You are mine Kōri no ōjo' or something like that." She said as Shizuka sighed drawing Ame's attention.

"Of all the names for him to call you…" she said with a hint of frustration in her tone.

"Why? What does it mean?" Ame asked.

"It means ice princess. It was a name that your parents used to call you out of affection because of how even when you were far too young to show any talents as a vampire, you still showed that you inherited the Hoshioko power to control and make ice and water from thin air." Shizuka said before a faint smile formed. "Something you used to use to mess with the butlers and maids that served your parents, and every nanny that was ever assigned to you." She said with a hint of laughter in her voice as Ame got a sad look on her face because she wished she could remember, but Shizuka shook her head. "I am sure once the seals on you break then you will remember more if not everything." She said in a reassuring tone while Ame could only faintly nod even as she heard Satsujin clear his throat drawing Ame's attention back to him.

"As I was saying." Satsujin said as Ame was looking at him, as was Shizuka as the gas finished pumping into the car as he removed the gas pump before looking at Ame again. "The reason that Yukiro is wishing to possess you is because of an ability you displayed with Aidou." He said since he and Hanabusa were not on a first name basis since they had only just met. "In a single bite, you have the power to grant vampires free will to defy the orders and influence of other pure bloods. A power that you were suspected of developing when you were very young and you bit a nanny who was a former human vampire and she stopped obeying your parents."

"It was shortly after that," Shizuka picked up. "That my mother sealed you since you were so young but displaying powers that others would think too dangerous in the hands of a child." She said only to hear shifting in the car to look to see Ichiru was waking up. "Though we should keep going so that we can make it to our new destination as soon as possible." She said as they got back into the car as Hanabusa got back and climbed into the back along with Ame, Shizuka and the sleeping Maria.

Ame glanced at her aunt who had once again insisted that she sit beside her, something that made Ame suspect that it was just in case they got attacked on their way so that Shizuka could protect her. But as the car started to pull away Shizuka looked toward Ame and soon offered her wrist to Ame. "You should feed." She said as Ame nodded and reached for Shizuka's wrist only for Hanabusa to protest.

"But it is taboo for the blood of a pureblood to be spilt!" he objected as Shizuka sent him an annoyed look as she spoke to Ame.

"Go ahead." She said while still glaring toward Hanabusa as she felt her niece slowly place her fangs into the pale flesh of her wrist. After a second she glanced toward Ame as she was drinking the blood coming from the bite marks. With her other hand, Shizuka reached up and rested it on the back of Ame's head and lightly stroked her hair as Ame continued to feed bringing a smirk to Shizuka's face as she saw out of the corner of her eye that Hanabusa was furious. "What? Are you jealous that you are not permitted to drink from a pureblood?" Shizuka asked as Ame leaned up having drank what she wanted as she felt herself calming due to the blood.

"No! I am just worried that her breaking the taboo will cause trouble!" Hanabusa said while glaring at Shizuka who merely scoffed at him.

"The only ones who know that she is feeding off of my blood and I in turn on her blood are those in this car." She said as to demonstrate she reached out catching Ame's chin angling it to expose her pale neck as she leaned closer only to sink her own fangs into Ame as she gasped at the feeling of her aunt's fangs in her neck before hearing her drinking. It only lasted a few seconds before Shizuka released her as she appeared to kiss the side of Ame's neck only to heal the bite marks on the side of her neck. Though as Shizuka leaned back she spoke to Hanabusa. "And you are not planning to run off and tell the Senate or the son of Kuran are you?" she asked looking toward Aidou as she moved to pull Ame closer to her in a gesture that she saw lead to anger flashing in Hanabusa's eyes.

"Of course not because for breaking the taboo she would be hunted down and killed which as it still stands is to be your fate for what you did." He said while still glaring at Shizuka but in hearing that Ame looked up at her.

"For you how you attacked the Kiryu's?" she asked since she had seen what had happened through Shizuka's blood that she had drank. Though when she saw what had led to it she did not blame her aunt since she had acted out of grief for how the Kiryu's had killed her former lover.

"Yes, because of that I am seen as one who has gone insane." Shizuka said as she gave Ame a gentle look, something that to Ame said that her aunt spoke the truth. That and how she had seen it, how Shizuka was forced to go into hiding and even cast off her own body in an attempt to avoid being captured by the hunters or the Senate.

/

The rest of the night passed with no incident as the car continued to speak along the road, as soon they pulled over around midnight so that Satsujin could switch with Ichiru for the last increment of the drive from what he had said. Ame wanted to see where they were going but when they stopped, Shizuka insisted on Ame staying in the car because that way her trail would be lost to any who might be trying to follow them under the orders of Yukiro.

So as the car continued to speed north, Ame leaned against Shizuka as she wondered just where they were going but she remained silent as she looked to see Hanabusa had nodded off, that or he was just resting his eyes. 'I know that I love him, but from what Shizuka told me, either way we will never be able to be together. Because if I remain as I am, his family would never approve of him being with a common vampire like me…' Ame thought with a hint of sadness playing at her expression. 'And if or I guess when, I awaken as my true self, I will not be allowed to be with him because I was born to be a pureblood princess.' She thought as she closed her eyes and even moved a bit closer to Shizuka only for her aunt to shift her arm to hold her closer as Ame started to drift off.

But during that time, Shizuka looked down at her niece, knowing that something was on her mind, and she was sure it was the son of Aidou sitting across from them. In her opinion it would have been better had he stayed behind or just faded away from Ame's life since she did not need the extra stress of having him around at the moment. But it had been Ame's choice to bring him along. Though the love between the two of them reminded Shizuka of her love for a human she had once allowed herself to love. The one she had turned into a vampire only for him to be killed. Sure there were differences, but both were loves that were not meant to be. She knew in her hart that the time was fast approaching that Ame would be forced to no longer see Hanabusa.

/

_Ame walked through darkness as she was searching for something only for her to come upon a small pond as she walked closer only to see Shizuka was there. "How are you here?" Ame asked. "Last time I called to you but I have not done so this time." She said as Shizuka looked at her and smiled as she walked over to the water, gesturing for Ame to join her which she did as she sat on the budding grass that was around the edge of the pond._

"_I am able to meet you in your dreams even without being called because our bond is growing strong and stronger." Shizuka explained as Ame nodded only to look toward the water._

"_Though I get the feeling that this is not a random setting for my dream." Ame said as Shizuka nodded at her even though Ame only saw it out of the corner of her eye. "So what is the point to this spot?" she asked looking back at Shizuka._

"_This is a place that will allow you to see what memories I have cleared up for you. All you need to do is go over to the water and focus and it will act as a mirror for you to see the truth of the night that started all of this." Shizuka said as Ame nodded and stood as she walked over the the edge of the water and focused on the darkness of her own memory as the water glowed and shimmered as though it had turned to blood before it cleared to allow Ame to see._

_Within the water she saw herself at age four laying on a lavish bed in a vast room, one she wondered was too big for such a small child. Though while she was wondering that Ame felt something pulling at her as she fell into the water down into the memory as her current self combined with her younger self as she woke on the bed. There were voices from down the hall in the study so she shifted her covers before crawling on them to get to the edge where she eased herself down off of the bed only to head over to the door as her floor length night gown moved with her small movements. "Mommy?" Ametsuki called as she went out of the room. As at the moment Ametsuki was the one in control and Ame was just there as a subconscious form watching from within her younger self. _

_When Ametsuki got no response, she turned and headed down the hall only to hear yelling from her mommy and daddy and a male she did not recognize. She continued down the hall wondering who it was that she was hearing only to reach the door to see her daddy on the floor just before he was no more since his body shattered into millions of pieces as Ametsuki let out a scream at seeing her daddy die. _

"_Daddy!" she screamed as she ran forward but in a rush of movement her mother grabbed her up and turned to flee the room with her child in her arms as Ametsuki caught a glimpse of the other, a male with long black hair that hung loose and down to the center of his back and eyes that had a crimson lust that seemed to only intensify when they fell on her._

"_No more! I can't take it!" Ame cried out as the dream shattered around her as she felt herself being pulled back to the surface of the water as she could see Shizuka on the other side before she lost consciousness._

_A few minutes later she woke laying on the grass with her head resting on Shizuka's lap as she felt her heart racing at what she had seen as she looked away only to speak. "I am sorry I forced my way out of the memory before it was complete." Ame said with a shame filled tone only for Shizuka to shake her head before speaking._

"_It is alright. That night was very traumatic from what I saw through your shattered memories." Shizuka said as she truly did not blame her niece. "Just take your time with it and do this one step at a time." Shizuka said as she gave Ame a reassuring smile trying to convey that she had her support if nothing else._

/

Ame woke around dusk the following night since after the shared dream with her aunt, Shizuka had done what she could to insure that Ame had peaceful dreams as she had kept the bad ones from getting through her subconscious. But as Ame opened her eyes it was to see that Hanabusa was already awake but that Shizuka was still resting. Ame could not help but wonder if for her aunt to enter her dreams if it was something that strained her. Though she did not get to linger on that because Hanabusa spoke as soon as he had seen that Ame was awake.

"You alright?" he asked in worry. All due to how during the day he had woke to her crying softly but had not dared to try and comfort her because of the woman who seemed to be determined to keep Ame all to herself. He was not sure on what exactly was going on, but something did not seem to add up to him.

Ame looked at Hanabusa and smiled. "Yeah, I just had one nightmare, so not as bad as usual." She said as she felt the car slow down as she shifted to try and look out the window but the arm around her held her in a gentle but iron like grip. She moved her eyes from Hanabusa to look at her aunt to see that she had woken and was now making sure she once again stayed close to her.

"We are almost there." Shizuka said as she gave Hanabusa an annoyed look but her eyes softened when she looked to Ame.

/

About thirty minutes later the car came to a complete stop as Shizuka went to move from the car, pulling Ame alone with her only for Hanabusa to go to get Maria, but Ichiru climbed into the back and snatched up Maria away from Hanabusa. But outside of the car, Ame glanced around as they were at a decent sized estate as it felt oddly familiar but she did not get to try and figure it out as Shizuka spoke.

"This was once the home of the Hoshioko's." she said giving Ame a gentle look as she realized that this was her childhood home. During that moment, Shizuka looked to Ichiru. "Take Maria to one of the guest rooms inside and put her to bed so she can continue to rest peacefully until she wakes." She said before looking to Satsujin. "And you show Hanabusa to his room and then do as you wish." She said as Satsujin sent her a harsh glare only for him to do as she said while Shizuka led Ame away into the garden that was overgrown at the moment.

"I used to play here…" Ame said due to how in some memories she had recovered she had been playing in this very garden. She moved away from Shizuka as she walked over to a bush that still had vibrant red roses growing. "I used to love this rose bush. I used to always try to pick a flower to take to my mother, but I always got hurt when I tried to remove one." She said as tears came to her eyes.

Shizuka walked over closer as she had listened to her niece and moved her arms around Ame from behind holding her young niece to her chest as she felt her shake a little from crying silently. "I am sure that had you ever been able to pick a flower from this bush, that my sister would have loved it, but it would have been fleeting, unlike the love that Sachi and Kiyoshi shared for you." Shizuka said as Ame nodded ever so slightly.

"I just wish that I could remember them more." She admitted as she felt Shizuka hold her tighter.

"It is alright, do not rush in remembering. If you do, it will shatter you." Shizuka said as she continued to hold Ame close. The two of them remained like that for a short while before Shizuka spoke again. "Though there is one thing I do wish to talk to you about." She said as Ame shifted to be facing Shizuka as she moved her arms from around Ame.

"What?" Ame asked since she was worried about what Shizuka could want to speak to her about at the moment.

"I want you to not be alone with the son of Aidou." Shizuka said as Ame gave her a shocked look but Shizuka held up her right hand to halt any forthcoming protests. "I have my reasons. Just for now trust me." She said since the reasons she had were not fully justified but she had her reasons to believe that Hanabusa would seek to harm Ame. "If you must be around him, I want at least Ichiru or Satsujin or myself with you to be sure that everything is alright." Shizuka said as Ame soon nodded but she was not fully sure on why Shizuka was asking this of her.

/

Back at Cross Academy, Kaname was walking the grounds after speaking to the headmaster about how Maria, Ame and Aidou had all disappeared. Though as he walked he could barely contain the smirk that was playing at his lips at the thought how soon everything would happen as it had been planned, even with Shizuka backing out of going through with the plan. Though while Kaname walked he came to a stop as he was on one side of a tree with his back to the side where he had seen a shift in the shadows of that tree. "I take it you have done what you intended to do before they departed?" he asked to the one in the shadows.

From the shadows, a figure with long black hair drawn back into a ponytail at the nap of his neck, and lustful crimson eyes stepped from the shadows. "Yes, when the time comes, the son of Aidou will betray them and bring the one he believes he wants to protect to me." The man said as he smirked revealing white fangs in his mouth. "And with her I am sure the one you want to do away with will come of her own free will." He said in reference to Shizuka since at the moment Kaname had modified his plan to allow him to have a chance to assassinate Shizuka.

Kaname smirked as he was manipulating this man just like everyone else since they were all ones that were nothing but problems so it was better he do away with them. "Very well, Mr. Fujito." He said glancing back over his shoulder at the night class teacher for history. "I will leave it to you for the time being to lure the two we want back here." Kaname said before he continued walking heading to the moon dorm.

A/N: I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. It was a little tricky to write with the dream scenes between Ame and Shizuka. In the next chapter there will be more Shizuka and Ame bonding, Ame talking with Hanabusa while being watched, and a few other bits. This story is winding down but as I have said I have at least one sequel planned and I have even been considering a small in between, along with a prequel because there are so many bits with this story that can explore.


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Desires Fulfilled

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Fifteen: Desires Fulfilled**

Zero had been walking around the grounds doing his usual patrol, as it had been somewhat peaceful for once since there was no one from the day class out and about. That or they were just avoiding him. Though as he walked for some reason a certain person would not leave his thoughts alone. The transfer students. Ame Hoshi and Maria Kurenai. 'Just what is it that links the two of them to that woman?' he thought to himself as he leaned against a nearby tree as he was trying to figure it out. All due to how Ame had the appearance of that woman, and when Maria had been around he had a feeling that he could not even explain. And yet now both of them had left two weeks before from what the headmaster had said before Zero and Yuki had come out on their nightly patrols.

However he was pulled from his thoughts as he heard someone approaching as he reached into his coat since he was not sure who it was, though he soon saw that it was Yuki as she walked out from a grouping of trees. In her eyes there was a hint of tears in them, something that worried Zero right away. He moved his hand from inside his coat as he went to lean away from the tree as he looked toward her. "What is wrong?" he asked as he was sure he knew what was wrong from the times he had fed on her blood it had shown him what he had always suspected, that she was in love with Kaname Kuran.

Yuki looked toward Zero as she reached up brushing away her tears as she calmed herself before she spoke. "I…I just overheard Kaname speaking to someone, I think it was a teacher of the night class, about something they have planned in regards to Ame and Aidou." She said as Zero gave her a surprised look.

"What did you overhear?" he asked since he was starting to think that things were not adding up at the moment, but something told him that somehow that woman was involved since she seemed to love messing with people's lives.

"Just that they have left and that things were progressing as they had planned. And that soon they would have what they both wanted." Yuki said as Zero walked over only to grab her arm. "Zero!" she said in shock but he merely dragged her along behind him.

"There is one way for me to find out exactly what you saw if you permit me that much access through your blood." He said as he pulled her over to where they were more hidden while he turned to face her. "Because you are always saying as guardians we have to protect even the vampires, and if there is something going on we need to do our best to keep it from happening." He said as Yuki nodded at him before she moved her hair to the side to expose her neck as Zero latched to her neck as his fangs became pronounced and his eyes went from their cold violet to a lustful crimson as he sank his fangs into her neck. He felt her shudder as he withdrew his fangs and began to drink from her.

He searched for a few moments before he found his way past the emotions of confusion and hurt that he found within her blood. He knew the connection between her and Kaname was damaged if not almost fully destroyed at this point. It was a moment before he found what he was searching for. Zero found himself within the memory alongside Yuki as he was observing only to hear what she heard.

"_Very soon the son of Aidou will fulfill his purpose and bring __Kōri no ōjo to me and that in turn will as I promised before, deliver Shizuka to you so that you may do away with her as you see fit. Because her fate does not concern me." A man whose voice Zero recognized as the night class instructor, Mr. Fujito since he had run into him a few times while patrolling around the school._

"_Of course." The voice of Kaname Kuran said as Zero caught a hint of something in his tone that suggested that he might have been smirking. "So long as you think you will be able to handle the one you are after since you said you were striving to awaken her, in which case she will be a danger to every vampire with that power she has already displayed."_

"_No matter. Her power only protects from certain bits as I demonstrated when I hypnotized the one she is in love with to use as a pawn."_

Zero leaned back from Yuki as he removed his tie and wadded it up to use to apply some pressure to where he had bitten her as he kept his hand there until she brought up her own hand to keep pressure there to help stop the bleeding. Though the two of them stood there in silence for a few moments before Zero spoke. "We have to go tell the headmaster that Kaname is conspiring with someone to hurt some of the night class." He said as sure he hated vampires but at the moment he was willing to put that aside because of how Shizuka had been mentioned and if anyone was going to kill her, it would be him!

/

A short while later, Yuki had gotten gauze for her neck and was standing alongside Zero before the headmaster, having told him what Yuki had witnessed. All the while the headmaster seemed unsure of what to say or even think from the expression on his face as he slowly stood up to speak. "This is very troubling…" he said as he turned his back to his son and daughter as he was deep in thought. 'And I guess Satsujin has gone along with them.' He thought before looking back to Zero and Yuki. "Both of you return to your rooms and pack what you need and come back here right away!" he ordered since he had a feeling at the moment his best course of action was to send his children to help out since when he had taken in Ame he had promised Satsujin that he would help protect her.

Zero and Yuki left both feeling confused since they had never seen the look on the headmasters face before. Though as they walked, Zero escorted Yuki to her room to be sure she would be alright before he left to go to his room to gather his things. He knew Yuki would be find because her best friend shared the dorm room with her. So Zero walked out across the grounds from the girl's dorm to the boys to go inside and to his room. He went in and shut the door behind him still thinking on what all was going on, and how Shizuka seemed to be at the heart of it. 'Whatever her ties are to this, she will die by my hand!' Zero thought as he put a few things in his duffle bag before closing it and changing into blue jeans, a white shirt with a loose collar and a dark long coat. He then walked over to his door and opened the door and walked out of his room without even a glance back as he headed back to the girl's dorm only to catch a very distinct scent in the air.

'This is…Yuki's blood!' Zero thought as he dropped took off running toward the scent only to find Kaname there holding Yuki who was looking at him with beyond a look of shock on her face. Though Zero faltered in his step due to how he now sensed two vampires before him! "Kaname!" Zero yelled as Kaname looked at him with an amused look on his face as though he had just done something beyond funny. "What did you do to-" Zero started but Yuki had pulled out the anti-vampire gun that Zero had given her when she had found out he was a vampire. What happened next shocked both Zero and Kaname.

"You bastard!" Yuki yelled at Kaname as she fired at him as she managed to shoot him through his right shoulder before he fled. Though Yuki started to feel like her head was spinning as her brown eyes closed only for Zero to rush over and catch her as she fell.

"Yuki?" he asked only for her to not respond as he could sense she was a vampire now. "Yuki!" he yelled only to hear someone approaching as he turned to see that it was the headmaster who looked beyond shocked at the sight before him. "Kaname turned Yuki into a vampire!" Zero growled between gritted teeth as the headmaster looked saddened more than anything as he walked over and went to take Yuki from Zero but Zero merely stood cradling Yuki to him.

"Come with me." The headmaster said as he turned and headed to his home and led Zero inside only to speak once the door was closed. "As soon as she wakes, she is going to want to feed." He warned but it was a little late because Yuki had woken up right then and moved so she was up by Zero's shoulder as she sank her new vampire fangs deep into Zero's neck and proceeded to feed from him but Zero just stood there feeling heartbroken that the girl he loved was now what he had strived to keep her from becoming.

Yuki continued to drink from Zero as she could feel all that he was, even his feelings for her flood into her body as the boundaries that separated them faded away as she continued to feed before she realized what she was doing as she leaned back away from him as she looked at Zero in pure shock. "Zero I…" she started but Zero shook his head and could not help himself as he leaned down closer to her and licked the blood on the lower part of her face as he realized that they were the same, until he noticed something different about her.

"Yuki…you are…" he started as he gave her a look of shock only to put her down on her own two feet as her once short brown hair now easily reached to her waist.

"She is a pureblood, Zero." The headmaster said as he looked to Yuki with a sad look on his face that was outlined in worry due to how he was sure Zero was going to pull out his bloody rose but he did no such thing but instead he shook his head.

"She is not a pureblood, headmaster." He said in a low tone. "Because she was not turned into one by her own choice." He said trying to justify it to himself due to how he loved Yuki and her actions that he had seen showed that she was going to never be with Kaname.

"But I am Zero. I am actually Kaname's sister." She said as Zero shook his head at her.

"Even if you are, you are not like him or that woman." He said as the headmaster was relieved that Zero's view of Yuki was still the same, at least for now.

"Zero, Yuki." The headmaster said as he drew their attention. "Now that Yuki has been forced to awaken, you need to go since it will not be safe for her to be around the other students at the moment until she gets a better handle on herself." He said as Yuki looked saddened but the headmaster smiled at her. "Do not worry, I will be close behind you should you need me." He said as Yuki smiled slightly before she went upstairs to get her things from the room she had in the house while Zero and the headmaster stayed downstairs to talk.

"So she really is a pureblood?" Zero asked in a low tone since part of him wanted to kill Yuki for what she was born as, but the other part wanted to protect her from beasts like Kaname.

"Yes. She is the daughter of the late Haruka and Juri Kuran." The headmaster said as he noticed the hatred that Zero had worked so hard to conceal before when in Yuki's presence. "But Zero, you better not do anything to Yuki!" he warned.

"I won't." Zero said as he reached up to his lips as he thought of how it made sense now why Yuki's blood was so sweet. "Because at the moment we need one another, and as I said, she is still Yuki to me." He said since he loved her and would allow his hatred to be toward all other vampires but not her.

/

By dawn, Yuki and Zero were walking down the steps as Zero was carrying his duffle along with Yuki's backpack that had a few things in it that she needed. As they even had blood tablets tucked away in both of their bags as a precaution since the headmaster had insisted on it. Though when they got to the bottom of the stairs they found a car there waiting that the headmaster had arranged. When they got to it, Zero opened the door and held it for Yuki as she got in and sat on the seat while fidgeting with her knee length skirt she was wearing as she even had on a long coat to keep herself warm since the headmaster had insisted on it because they were going north and up into the mountains. Though soon after Zero had put away the bags in the trunk he got in and the car started to drive away from the academy as Yuki remained silent, but Zero decided to break the silence.

"It will be okay." He said as he was doing his best to ignore how she was now a vampire.

"I know, but you are not forcing yourself to say that are you? Because I want your honest answer on what your thoughts are about me as a vampire." She said as she looked at him not realizing that she had unintentionally given him an order that he could not defy.

"I am not happy about it, because of how vampires are beasts in human form, but to me you are still you because I can still see bits of the human Yuki when I look at you." He answered honestly as that answer hurt and relieved Yuki all at the same time.

"Thank you, Zero." She said with a smile that Zero vaguely returned to her.

/

_Ame fell through the darkness again as she was going through the dream once again to remember what had happened the night that her parents had been murdered by a mad vampire, Yukiro. As the scene took shape around her she was this time outside of her younger self while she watched her mother, Sachi, run from the room and pick her up only to keep running as she soon hid in a room with Ame's younger self. "Shhh, Ametsuki." Sachi said as she noticed the tears flowing down her daughters face. "You have to go through the passage and get away. Your nurse is waiting down the passage for you, now go!" she said as she sat Ametsuki down but the child stepped closer and clung to her._

"_But I want to stay with you mommy!" Ametsuki cried as she was trying to make sense of everything only for Sachi to pull her closer as the door was forced open sending the furniture that had been blocking it across the room as Sachi moved while shielding her daughter as she soon put Ametsuki down as she turned to face Yukiro. _

"_I will not let you have my child!" Sachi said as what happened next was a blur of attacks only for Yukiro to get close enough as he sent his hand through Sachi's chest, sending blood onto her child that was behind her._

"_Mommy!" Ametsuki cried out as Sachi went to keep fighting only to be stabbed in the stomach by a blade that had sparks around it._

"_You bastard, using a hunters weapon…" she said as she sank to her knees as she felt the wound she had received right before getting worse since she was not able to heal normally._

"_Mommy!" Ametsuki cried again as she rushed over beside her mother as Sachi only turned toward Ametsuki and pulled her close only to sink her fangs into her child as Ame heard her mother's voice inside of her mind causing her cerulean eyes to go wide._

"_My precious Ametsuki. I know that this is the last thing I will be able to do for you, so I will seal away the memory of this night so that you will not remember all of the events. I pray that one day you will forgive me for how I did not flee down the passage with you, since I am now sure that your life will be full of hardships, more so because even with you being sealed, you are still the pure blood princess." Sachis voice spoke inside of Ame's mind as before her Sachi shattered and there was nothing as the memory shattered along with her mother._

"_MOTHER!" Ame called out only for within the darkness the form of her mother appeared before her, as Shizuka appeared beside her. Though Ame did not take full notice of her aunt being beside her as her cerulean eyes were wide at seeing her mother in the only way that she would ever see her again. "Is…is it you?" Ame asked hesitantly while Sachi smiled and nodded._

"_Yes, it is me." She said as Ame ran over to her mother and hugged her tightly only to feel a hand rest on her shoulder as she leaned back ever so slightly to see her father standing there as well._

Ame slowly woke to find herself in the room she had been sharing with her aunt as she sat up as Shizuka moved to the bed and sat down on the edge. Before Shizuka could say anything, Ame shifted and threw herself against Shizuka as she cried silently into the front of Shizuka's yukata due to how seeing her parents, and feeling them holding her had meant more to her than words could even begin to describe. The two remained like that for a moment before Shizuka moved back slightly and offered her wrist to Ame allowing her to drink. Though while drinking, Ame saw something with in her aunt's blood, something she could not make sense of as she leaned back her eyes still glowing crimson as she had blood on the lower part of her face.

"What was that?" she asked as Shizuka gave her a look that hinted that she had wished to keep something hidden due to how she was protective of Ame and wished to shield her from some things. "I saw something in your blood." Ame said when Shizuka remained silent for a moment.

"It is nothing." Shizuka said as she used her other hand to gently stroke Ame's hair as she was doing her best to convey to not worry about it since she preferred to keep her niece in the dark a little longer.

/

At Cross Academy, Kaname walked toward the moon dorm holding his shoulder where Yuki had shot him. It had been something that caught him off guard so he had been forced to flee quickly before she shot with more accuracy. 'I had not expected her to react that way…' he thought as in truth he had thought that forcing her to return to being a vampire would have made her come to him willingly, or at least to feel like she had nowhere else to go. But instead from what he had seen as he had fled was that she had gone along with Zero.

"Looks like your plan did not work, Kuran." The voice of Mr. Fujito said as there was a chuckle in his voice since he found it beyond amusing that Kaname had failed in getting what he had desired.

"She will come back to me." Kaname said as he kept from looking at Mr. Fujito. "Just focus on your part of the plan because it will not be long before the girl you want will be snared in the trap." Kaname said as he kept walking as he thought. 'Hurry and obtain what you wish so that I can destroy you and that girl all in one blow.' He thought as he kept walking toward the dorm.

/

Shizuka sat in her room as night fell only for Ichiru to walk in after knocking as she looked toward him with her pink gaze, Ichiru spoke. "There was a car approaching, and it was my brother, along with the daughter of the headmaster of the academy." He said as Shizuka gave him a surprised look as she went to move from the bed where she had been sitting only to hear a faint mumble and look back to see that her moving had woken Ame.

"What going on?" Ame asked as she was still half asleep due to how during the day they had been once again exploring her dreams to find out what ones were actually memories to piece them together a little more piece by piece. Though as she sat up Shizuka shook her head.

"You are to stay in here until Satsujin comes to get you." She said as she went to leave with Ichiru only to lock the door behind them.

Ame sat up more on the bed as she wondered what was going on since this was the first time Shizuka had left her alone, but now she was locked in a room that Shizuka had told her that only Ichiru, herself and Satsujin held the key to. She could not help but wonder why Shizuka was being so mean to Hanabusa, but she knew she wanted to talk with him. Though there was no telling how long it would be before Satsujin got back because he was almost always out for a good amount of the night due to how he had said more and more level E vampires were trying to get through to the estate.

'Because they are after me…' Ame thought to herself as she got up from the bed and went over to the wardrobe in the room to get a blue loose shirt and skirt as she then went into the attached bathroom to clean up before she got dressed as she soon looked in the mirror as she was brushing her long white hair while she could not help but think about her past since they were in the place that had been her home when she had been a small child. 'How different would my life had been had my parents lived?' Ame wondered to herself as she let her hair stay down as she went to walk back out to the room only to hear the door being unlocked as she looked up as she finished slipping on her white slippers to see someone she did not recognize.

Ame stood from the bed as the one before her stepped into the room and shut the door locking it before starting toward her as she drew water from the air around her as she formed it into spikes hovering in the air around her. "Stay back!" she ordered since Shizuka had said that even as a pure blood with her powers suppressed due to the spells, that low level vampires should still obey her, but it did not work!

The vampire came closer only to lunge at Ame as it tackled her pinning her down to the floor as he seemed to focus on her wrist for a moment before the spikes came down but the vampire moved quickly off of her to avoid the ice while Ame stood and sent multiple small shards at the vampire only to manage to strike him so that he turned to dust while she sank to her knees in shock. She sat there with her eyes closed not noticing that something on her wrist melded with her skin before vanishing.

/

Around an hour later, Satsujin came to the door and opened it after undoing the lock to find Ame still on the ground. "Ame!" he said in shock as he ran over to her and knelt down beside her as he placed a hand on her shoulder only for her to lunge at him and wrap her arms around him. Satsujin barely caught himself to keep from falling back as he then caught sight of the pile of dust on the floor. "A level E got in here?!" he asked in shock only for Ame to nod.

"It got in right after I finished getting dressed since Shizuka said I was to wait for you in here since she and Ichiru had to go and take care of something." Ame said as her voice was shaking but Satsujin soon calmed her and took her from the room, leaving her in the vast library.

"I will be back as soon as I finish taking care of the remains left by that vampire." He said as he left Ame in the library shutting the door behind himself as he headed back to the room trying to figure out how a Level E could have slipped through the perimeter since he had put up anti vampire seals the day before so that only vampires with welcome from those inside the barrier. Though he pushed that aside for the moment as he set to focusing on cleaning up the mess once he got to the room.

Ame sat down on one of the couches in the library finding it to be extremely comfortable so she closed her eyes allowing her mind to venture as she became lost in some of the memories that Shizuka had helped her to piece back together. Though it was not long before she heard the door opened as she opened her cerulean eyes to see it was Hanabusa as she could not help but smile at him since this was the first time she had actually seen him in days because of how Shizuka wished to keep Ame away from him. "Looking for something?" she asked in a gentle tone as Hanabusa smiled at her.

"Yeah, I was going to see if I could find a book to read since there is not much else to do." He said as he soon walked over to Ame and sat down. "Though now that I have a moment with you without Lady Shizuka, I wanted to ask you something." He said as his electric blue eyes met Ame's cerulean as she felt her heart skip a beat under the intensity of his eyes. When she did not say anything he took that as his invitation to continue. "I was wondering why it is that Lady Shizuka has taken such interest in you." He said as Ame looked down as he got the feeling that he would not get a full answer.

Ame sat there thinking over what she would be okay to say, and it was not much due to how Shizuka had said it would be best if for the time being that no one else knew that she was actually a pureblood, and Shizuka's niece. So after a few moments of silence Ame spoke without looking up at Hanabusa. "She promised when I left the dorm after Kaname attacked me, that she would help me to piece together my shattered and forgotten past." She said hoping that would suffice since she could not and did not want to go into detail on how Shizuka and her had found out the two of them were connected.

"Helping you? But why would she help you when she was conspiring with Lo-I mean Kaname?" he asked as Ame looked at him with a sympathetic look knowing that Hanabusa had once idolized Kaname so to adapt to how he was not who he had once thought would take time.

"She is for reasons I cannot say at the moment. But do not worry, she will not hurt me." Ame said as Hanabusa walked over and reached for her only for him to withdraw his hand as Satsujin was behind the couch with a handgun aimed at Hanabusa. "Satsujin!" Ame yelled in shock only for Satsujin to ignore what she had said.

"Return to your room, Hanabusa. You were told to remain in there unless Shizuka said for you to come out." Satsujin said in a low tone as Hanabusa gave Satsujin an annoyed look only to stand and give Ame a sad look before he went toward the door and walked out.

"Why did you do that? He was not doing anything wrong!" Ame snapped at Satsujin while he put away his handgun so that it rested in a holster on his belt.

"I told you to stay in your room, because right now with how a Level E got through and into the house, let alone your room." He said giving Ame an annoyed look. "It is not safe for you to just walk around." He said as he stepped closer only to grab Ame's arm at the elbow. "More so with how your powers are still sealed away. You cannot properly defend yourself." He said as Ame forced her arm from Satsujin's hand.

"You think I do not know that! Because no matter what I try, I cannot get it to weaken any more than it already is." Ame said as she clenched her fists at her sides as she was trying to keep calm but she was failing. "I don't even know fully what is going on, just that we had to leave the academy because of how things were and how Shizuka said that I was no longer safe there, something made true when Kaname forcefully drank from me twice." Ame said as she started to shake only for moisture in the air to start to be pulled and freeze around her as if it were acting to protect her as Satsujin stepped closer only to be cut.

Though as he felt the cut to his arm he ignored it but soon Ame's eyes snapped open at the scent of blood as her eyes glowed a deep crimson only for her to move forward as she grabbed Satsujin's arm as he offered no resistance. He just watched as she had stepped closer and licked from his forearm but she was careful while drinking to not let her fangs pierce him as he could not help but smile ever so slightly. "So you remember the rule we had for when you used to feed on me?" he asked as Ame did not respond but instead continued to drink until the blood slowed and Satsujin pulled his arm away as he was glad that she allowed him to have his arm back without putting up a fuss about wanting more.

While Satsujin got out a roll of bandages, Ame watched him as her eyes returned to cerulean as she looked to the side and sank down onto the couch as she drew her knees up to her chest while her feet rested on the edge of the couch. "Why do you care for me so much? You are a hunter and yet you are one who has protected me for most of my life." She said as she looked at Satsujin with a timid expression. "Even in tasting your blood there is no answers like there is when I feed from Shizuka. With yours all I get is the sweet taste with the emotions of caring, even love. But there is also a slight bitter taste with sadness in it." She said as Satsujin sat down beside her while she kept her eyes away from him, something that unknown to her had worried him.

When he saw that she was not going to look back at him, Satsujin reached over and pulled Ame closer to him so that Ame was resting against his chest. "I care for you because when I first met you, you were a frightened young child who needed protecting. That and I had once thought to have a child, and I guess I sort of saw you as my own when I found you." He admitted while Ame gave him a surprised look. "But it was for that reason I had to leave you with an old friend of mine. To make sure you were safe." He said as Ame and he sat there in silence, but he was sure she was not agreeing with him on it having been for the best for him to leave her behind.

/

Shizuka and Ichiru approached the end of the path that was concealed by trees at the entrance to the estate that they were currently staying at as she spotted the car before Ichiru due to how he was still a human. "They are here." She said casually as the car soon pulled into view where her companion could see it as well before coming to a stop and the two occupants got out only for Shizuka's pink eyes to narrow due to how it was Zero and Yuki getting out.

Though once Zero caught sight of Shizuka he tensed only for Yuki to whisper to him, telling him to not do anything since they were there to offer help and warn them. So Yuki walked up to the gate while Zero got their bags from the back and followed her, though once on the other side of the gate, Ichiru spoke.

"Why are you a vampire now, Yuki Cross?" he asked since he had not known of how Yuki was actually born a vampire.

"Kaname Kuran forced Yuki into becoming a vampire once again, since she was born one but turned into a human only to be returned to being one." Zero said as he now stood right behind Yuki as she looked through the metal bars of the gate at Shizuka and Ichiru.

"Why have you come?" Shizuka asked looking from Yuki to Zero and then back to Yuki.

"After everything that has been happening, the headmaster sent us here to warn you." She said as Shizuka gave Yuki a skeptical look. "And to offer help in protecting you and Ame from Kaname and the one he is conspiring with to kill both of you." Yuki said as Shizuka stepped closer and held up her hand as the gate swung open.

"Come in, and I will hear all that you have to say." She said turning and heading back up the path as Ichiru fell behind her as he seemed to believe his twin might use the moment to try and kill Shizuka for how she was the one to turn Zero into a vampire. Though during the walk, they had no incident as Shizuka led them to the large estate and through the garden that was mostly dead due to no one having tended to the plants in some time, something that led to Yuki having a sad look as she glanced around.

But Shizuka did not allow them to linger on thoughts of the state of the outside as she led them up the steps and inside the vast entry way before leading them off to the right to a sitting room where she took a seat while Yuki sat across from her and Zero stayed behind where Yuki was sitting only for Ichiru to do the same thing but with Shizuka. "So." Shizuka said as she was looking at Yuki and Zero. "You came to offer help and to warn us? We already know that there was a threat at Cross Academy so that is why we relocated here." She said as Zero grit his teeth in annoyance, but it was Yuki who spoke.

"There is more to it. I overheard Kaname talking to one of the night class instructors who was saying that he did something to Aidou and that in time he will do what he must and bring someone known as a Kōri no ōjo to him." She said as Shizuka's pink eyes narrowed.

"Oh?" she asked as she was angered slightly by what was said. "That may be what they are aiming for, but right now, the one that they are after is safely tucked away here where she will remain until it is safe to move her again." Shizuka said only for Zero to speak this time.

"You mean the one who came to the academy before you in the skin of Maria?" he asked as Shizuka gave him an annoyed look before chuckling.

"If it was her, there is nothing either of you can do to help. Because you," she looked to Yuki. "Are a vampire who has been in slumber for ten years and will be of no use in a fight." She said in a harsh truth since she could tell just by looking at Yuki that she was nowhere near the level of a fighter that they would need for the upcoming fight that was on the horizon. She then looked to Zero. "But you, you could be of some help to us." She said only for Zero to draw his bloody rose and aim it right at Shizuka as she just gave him a neutral look. Her only movement was her holding up a hand in a gesture for Ichiru to stay back behind her. "I know that you would be a very good one to help protect the one that I am wishing to keep safe. All you need do is submit to me and drink my blood so that you will not be falling to insanity when the time comes." She said but Zero looked ready to pull the trigger before Yuki stood and blocked him from Shizuka.

"Zero! Go outside and wait!" Yuki ordered as Zero scoffed as he put away his Bloody Rose in his jacket he was wearing before he walked from the room only for Shizuka to dismiss Ichiru at the same time since she could tell from Yuki's actions that she wished to talk just the two of them. More so as Yuki took her seat again and fixed her brown eyes on Shizuka with a look of pure determination that she had seen in her own nieces eyes a few times but not so much lately due to how fear and worry seemed to dominate in them.

"You spoke like there is a way to keep Zero from losing himself to his vampire side. How!" Yuki asked in near desperation since she did not wish to lose Zero to such a horrible fate.

"There is only one way for a vampire who was once human to not be driven insane by the change. And that is for that former human to drink the blood of their master, the pureblood who turned them in the first place." Shizuka said in a casual tone since to her it was common knowledge but she could tell by looking at Yuki that she did not fully understand what she was.

"So he has to drink your blood?" Yuki asked for clarification as Shizuka nodded at her.

"Yes, the blood of his master is all that he needs to stabilize him and make him into a full vampire so that he may never fall to a Level E." Shizuka said as Yuki thought of something only to discuss her plan with Shizuka to give the woman's blood to Zero so he would not fall to a Level E. Once the details were ironed out, Shizuka bit into her own wrist and allowed her blood to drip into a vile before giving it to Yuki before the two left the room and Shizuka ordered Ichiru to show Yuki and Zero to their room that they would be staying in.

/

That night Yuki sat up on the bed beside Zero since there was only one bed, but it was vast enough that there was plenty of space between the two of them while she opened the nightstand beside her side of the bed as she pulled out the vile of blood only to open it as the sweet scent of Shizuka's blood filled the air. 'For Zero.' Yuki thought as she emptied the vile into her own mouth as she crawled over to Zero who was sleeping with his mouth slightly open. 'Our first bloody kiss…' she thought to herself as she leaned down as her lips lightly met Zero's while she let the blood from Shizuka leave her mouth and enter Zero's. She noticed how he swallowed as she felt a surge of relief as she lingered in the kiss enjoying how soft and warm his lips were against her own, that is until she felt him start to return the kiss and even his arms to come up and wrap around her pulling Yuki's small form down on top of Zero's as the two continued to kiss for a brief moment before realization hit Zero.

His thirst for Yuki's blood was not as strong as it had been before, but it was still something he craved to taste again. Though now it was not a near savage hunger for it! He stiffened as his arms fell away from her as she leaned up from him only for him to see blood around her mouth as the sight and smell of the blood he found made him crave more of the blood that was on her face, but at the same time he did not. He felt…satisfied.

"Yuki…" he said after a moment looking up into her brown eyes with his purple as she was giving him a smile of relief.

"I had to Zero." She said as he realized what she had done as his calm expression shifted to a scowl of annoyance only for her to continue. "Shizuka told me a way to save you, and I did not think you would listen, so I did this with her help since she gave me enough of her blood to give you so that you would stop falling to a Level E." Yuki explained. "Because I do not want to lose you." Yuki said as she inched away from Zero back toward her side of the bed as she looked at him with a near nervous expression before she looked down wondering if she had acted selfishly in doing this.

Zero watched Yuki as she had looked down as he shifted and moved closer to her on the bed as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close as he could feel that she was confused yet relieved all at the same time from this small gesture. "I know that you did this because you wished to help." He said as he continued to hold her before leaning back only to angle her face up so that she was looking up at him as he saw tears brimming in her large brown eyes full of innocence. "I am upset that you went to that length but because of how I detest that woman for what she did to my family." He said leaning closer. "But I could never be upset with you nor hate you for what you do, so long as you remain you." He said before his lips met Yuki's in a soft kiss.

A/N: Okay, I know this chapter was a bit heavy with Zeki parts but the next chapter will be back to the parts with more Ame and Shizuka, as well as much more in general of bits with various characters. And I just want to say I will try to update again before next week, but this next week is chaotic (as stated on my profile). And once again I want to give a very special thanks to Myra K Kuran for how she has been reviewing the story so far and even helping me with fine tuning some of my ideas for this story.


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Second Betrayal

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Sixteen: Second Betrayal**

Almost a month had passed since Yuki and Zero had come to the Hoshioko estate, and Shizuka had been spending time with Yuki also trying to help her learn to control herself since Yuki seemed to grow frustrated easily. But Shizuka still made sure she had time for her niece, even though Ame had been distant due to how she did not understand why she was not allowed to be alone with Hanabusa still. That and a week before she had managed to sneak away from Satsujin to meet with Hanabusa who offered to let Ame drink his blood and she had been about to do so when Ichiru had found them and forced Hanabusa away from Ame and then dragged a protesting Ame back to Shizuka.

So at the moment, Ame stood on the balcony off of what Shizuka had once told her had been like a ball room in the estate. The balcony was on the upper floor that over looked what Ame guessed had once been an extravagant ball room made of marble and with a crystal chandelier hanging from above. She looked back toward the large window door to see that she was still alone as she sank to her knees before the marble rail around the balcony. 'I don't know how much more I can take…' she thought since she and Shizuka had hit a dead end with trying to restore her memories due to how Shizuka had tried multiple times in the last week to try and revive more but the attempts had been false trails.

'I feel like I am alone…' she thought as she closed her cerulean eyes as she drew her knees up to her chest as the knee length white dress she was wearing shifted with her movement only for Ame to rest her head against the back of her knees. 'No matter what I do, it is like something does not wish for me to remember.' She thought to herself as she soon heard someone approach as she leaned up as her long hair fell about her small pale shoulders as she looked up to see that it was Satsujin.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he knelt down in front of her as she noted how he was wearing his usual black outfit except without his black trench coat that he wore at times.

"Yeah, I am alright." Ame said as she reached up wiping away tears that had been threatening in her eyes before Satsujin had shown up. "I thought you were still out on patrol around the grounds." She said but Satsujin shook his head at her as she let her hand fall back on her knee.

"I finished a bit ago and came looking for you since Shizuka was starting to get worried since no one had seen you for a bit." He said since he knew that Ame was one to walk around the halls when she was alone due to how, at least what he suspected, she was trying to see if she could force her memories back by going around the place that had been her home when she had been very young. Though when Ame did not speak but looked away, Satsujin got an idea as he stood and offered his hand to Ame. "Take my hand." He coaxed in a gentle tone, one almost like a father speaking to his daughter.

Ame looked to Satsujin with shock evident in her expression since she had never heard him speak in that way, at least not from what she could remember. Though her cerulean eyes shifted to his gloved hand as she reached up and placed her own pale hand in his as he gently pulled her to her feet before moving his hand back and even stepping back from her. Ame felt beyond confused as she went to ask what he was doing only to see Satsujin angle his right arm across in front of himself only to bow at the waist. "Satsujin…" Ame said with confusion in her voice.

Though Satsujin did not seem surprised by her confusion as soon straightened while he spoke. "You may not have awakened yet, but by birth you are a pure blood princess." He said before holding out his left hand to her. "Will you dance with me?" he asked since when she had been little when they had not been on the run constantly, he had danced with her a few times.

Ame looked down shyly as she even fidgeted with the side of her dress with her right hand. "I don't know how to dance." She admitted after a moment only for Satsujin to step closer and gently untangle Ame's hand from the side of her dress and bring it up with his own as his right hand moved out and behind her waist as he pulled her closer.

"Then how about I teach you?" he asked as he lifted her up with ease and rested her so that her slippers were resting on the top of his black boots only as she gave him a confused look. "You may not remember but I used to dance with you like this when you were still just a small child." He said as he held her hand in his own only to start to shift his feet causing Ame to fall against him as she gripped at his shirt with her free hand as he stopped. "Do not worry, I won't let you fall." He said as he shifted Ame to hold her securely but where she was able to lean back as he continued to dance with her as her dress danced along with the movements as Satsujin did a simple waltz with her.

/

_Ame looked down at her wrist to see that it was glowing due to something below the surface of her skin. "What is this?!" She asked only for someone to appear before her, one she recognized as the one who haunted her dreams and even her memories. Ame stepped back from him as she summoned up ice and sent them at him in an attempt to keep him from closing the distance between the two of them, but he merely smacked the ice away with no effort only to walk closer and reach out for Ame. When she went to step back, her right wrist acted on its own as it moved up resulting in her right hand being placed in the males as he looked at her in the eyes._

"_Become mine, __Kōri no ōjo!" he said as his eyes seemed to become like bottomless pits of blood that were drawing Ame in while she tried to fight her way free but she felt that her strength was fading as she was slowly pulled closer to him. "Be mine and only mine." He said as he had Ame so close that he was able to whisper and her hear him with no problem as she felt her free will slipping away from her._

_Though as she stood there and her eyes became heavy a single tear rolled down her face from her right eye only for something to come from her as it forced the man away from her, and even pulled Ame from the dream…_

/

The following night found Ame walking around the garden with her aunt at her side while she was looking around unsure of everything that was going on. More so since she was trying to recall some vague bits, more so with how she had been plagued with a nightmare that was almost always the same. The man was more determined than ever to get his hands on her and she was not sure how long she could hold off him attacking her in her dreams.

"Something is plaguing your mind, Ametsuki." Shizuka said as she looked to her niece with a questioning look on her face. "I can tell just by looking at you that there is something plaguing you."

"I…it is nothing." Ame said as she went to keep walking but Shizuka's hand had moved forward and caught Ame's wrist in a gentle yet firm grip.

"I know that something is wrong, and you know if need be I will force it out of you." Shizuka said as Ame angled her face down. "You are all I have left, the last remnant of my sister and I do not want to lose you. I want to protect you." Shizuka said as Ame turned and suddenly threw her arms around Shizuka. Once she recovered Shizuka brought her arms up around her niece as she spoke softly. "It is alright." She said as she felt worry at how Ame had acted since she was generally not one to attach to anyone, especially Shizuka.

After a few moments of staying like that, Shizuka walked over toward a bench and sat down pulling Ame down with her. "You have not fed yet?" she asked since she suspected from Ame's behavior that she had not, something that was confirmed once Ame shook her head. "Here." Shizuka said offering her right wrist to Ame only to see her niece look at her with lustful crimson eyes. "Do not worry for right now we can hold off trying to delve more into the past." She assured since she had a feeling that was the reason for Ame's hesitation.

Something that was proven once Ame reached out and lightly held Shizuka's wrist in her own hands only to open her mouth slightly allowing her fangs to be seen as she soon sank them deep into Shizuka's wrist and began to drink. While she drank Ame could not help but think, 'Why am I so hopeless?' she thought as she withdrew her fangs fully only to lean up as she released Shizuka's wrist and went to wipe away the blood from her face. "Will I ever stop being so desperate for blood?" she asked since it had been her lust for blood that had caused her nothing but misery.

Shizuka let her wrist fall to rest on her lap as she thought about what her niece had asked while the bleeding stopped on her wrist. "You are proof of the embodiment of what the purebloods are, as well as all vampires." Shizuka said as she looked at her niece with a cold look in her pink eyes. "Because of how the true nature of the vampire, the reason humans fear and despise us, is that we are savage and cruel beings. All due to how in order for us to survive we feed on the blood of living humans or others of our own kind." Shizuka said as she sighed. "And until you awaken and taste the blood of the one you love, you will be plagued with your thirst being near uncontrollable." Shizuka said as the snow began to fall.

Ame looked up at the snow as a single flake fell on her face only to slide away like a tear once it had melted. "First snow of the season." She whispered.

/

_Hanabusa stood before a male who was facing him with an annoyed look on his face only for the man to lash out by slapping Hanabusa across the face so that he fell to the ground. "I am sorry, master! But the hunter and the pure blood Shizuka do not allow me near the target alone so I have been unable to make a move to return her to you." Hanabusa said as he shifted so that he was knelt before his master._

"_I do not care about your pathetic excuses!" Mr. Fujito said in frustration as he started to pace before Hanabusa. "You should be able to get near the one you have claimed to love and in turn do the task I have given to you!" he said in frustration as he stopped only to smirk at the thought that had occurred to him. "If you have to, poison the others and then bring the girl to me." He said as he then looked to Hanabusa as eye contact was made, Mr. Fujito spoke only for Hanabusa's eyes to go wide._

Hanabusa woke with a slight start as he closed his electric blue eyes for a second as he thought back on the dream he had been having. 'Ame is in danger…' he thought to himself as he slowly sat up on the lavish bed that was his own in one of the many rooms throughout the Hoshioko estate. 'I have to get her away from Shizuka and Satsujin before they put her into more danger.' He thought to himself as he shifted only to stand and head over to the wardrobe that held his clothes inside. 'I have to do it tonight!' he thought as he got out a long sleeve white shirt, vest and brown pants to wear before going to the bathroom to get washed up.

/

Ame woke only to feel a dip in the bed beside her as she glanced to see that it was Zero. She slowly sat up as she looked at him with unwavering eyes as she wondered what he was doing there, but when she went to slide toward the other side of the bed he reached out and caught her right arm at the elbow. "What do you want?" she asked looking back at Zero with a neutral look on her face.

It was a few moments before Zero spoke, but when he did, his voice was tense. "I want to know why exactly you look like Shizuka." He said since it had been something that had ate at him ever since he had first met her back at the academy. And it had gotten to the point it was near to the point of a nagging at the back of his mind at all hours of the day and night. "Tell me!" he said as he was just wishing to find if his suspicions were true or not.

"Why do you want to know?" Ame asked calmly as she looked back toward him as she knew she could attempt to order him to release her but she figured she would at least wait to see what his reasoning for this was.

"I want to know because of how ever since I first saw you, I have seen you as a younger version of her, and it is near maddening." He admitted as he clenched his jaw as he looked at her while his violet eyes had a bit more of his inner rage in them. "What is your connection to her?" he asked as Ame looked away from him. "Tell me or I will force the answer from you!" he threatened as Ame looked back at him with a look that rivaled her aunts, something that did not even phase Zero besides seeming to irritate him more. "Tell me!" he ordered but Ame merely tested his grip on her arm to find that it was as she thought, an iron like grip.

"I can see why she chose you, because even the look from one that outranks you as a vampire does not phase you." Ame said calmly as she saw Zero's expression go to that of confusion. "Confused?" she asked in a neutral tone as his expression said it all so she continued. "I may only be a common class vampire at the moment, but in truth I was born a pureblood." Ame said since she saw no harm in telling Zero at the moment.

"A pure…blood?" Zero asked in shock as he tightened his hand and pulled her closer. "You are bluffing! If you were a pureblood then I would have sensed that when we met!" he said in frustration.

"And yet you had no idea that Yuki was one." Ame said only to feel something collide with the side of her face accompanied with a resounding smack that rang through the thick air of her room. "If that is still a sensitive chord for you, you need to get over it. Yuki is a pure blood, just like I am." Ame said as Zero gave her a look of annoyance.

"You are lying." Zero said as Ame sighed figuring there was only one way to allow Zero to see that she was telling the truth.

"Here." She said holding out her wrist to him. "I know for a fact when vampires feed on the blood of others they can see anything from emotions to their thoughts and even glimpses of things that the one offering the blood wishes to be seen." Ame said as she watched while Zero's eyes took a crimson glow as he kept a hold of her other arm and reached out for Ame's other wrist as she closed her eyes anticipating him to sink his fangs in, but it never happened.

"You should know better, Zero." A cold voice said as Ame's cerulean eyes shot open as she looked to the doorway only to see that it was her aunt standing there as Ichiru rushed forward and forced his brother away from Ame as she stood.

"I ordered him to drink my blood, it was not his fault!" Ame yelled as Ichiru had a blade to Zero's throat. "Let him go!" Ame screamed as ice formed around her and shot at Ichiru forcing him to the wall and freezing his arms and legs there as the wall seemed to splinter from an excessive release of power, all the while Ame was visibly shaking as her eyes had gone slightly crimson but with cerulean still scattered throughout it as her fangs were more pronounced in her mouth. Where even her posture was tense like that of a savage beast, but she soon knew no more as suddenly everything went black…

A few hours later Ame woke to find herself in the library on the couch using her aunt's lap for a pillow. She went to move but Shizuka rested a hand on Ame's shoulder while giving Ame a concerned look. Even more so as Ame spoke. "What happened? My head feels like it is pounding." Ame said in a small voice as she brought up her right hand to rest on her temple.

"Your pureblood self is fighting against the spells in place on you, it seems seeing Zero about to be killed triggered something." Shizuka said as she was beyond worried since if Ame fell into the wrong hands at this point she would be extremely dangerous if not lethal.

"I…I think it is because what Ichiru was about to do…it was what that vampire, Yukiro, did to my mother." She said in a timid tone since sure it had been two different circumstances but in that brief moment they had been one in the same. "Neither of them are hurt are they?" Ame asked in a worried tone.

"No, Ichiru is mainly shocked since I do not think he fully realized what you were capable of even though I told him a slight indication for it." Shizuka said as she soon helped Ame to sit up. "But it is more crucial that we find out who it is that can release the spells on you because if we do not there is a chance that the spells may lead to you destroying yourself." She said in worry since she did not wish to lose the only family she had left in this world.

/

Around dawn everyone was sitting in the dining hall as there was some food on the table, but not that much since the onslaught of Level E's had kept anyone from making it to the neighboring village that was several miles away to get provisions. So for the time being they were making due with what little they had. But Ame had taken to not eating, but instead just drinking blood from her aunt or using blood tablets since she saw it as Satsujin and Ichiru needed the remaining food more because it was their only source of substance. Though while sitting there, suddenly everyone minus herself and Hanabusa slumped to the table in a sleep as Ame dropped her wine glass that shattered spilling pseudo blood on the rug. She ran over to Satsujin and then Shizuka checking on them before Hanabusa came over to her and pulled her away from them.

"Ame! You need to calm down." He said to her as he held both of her shoulders in his hands so that she was facing him. "I found out why they did not want me around you anymore. They were aiming to use you still and knew that I would warn you should we be left alone together." He said as Ame gave him a shocked look. "So I am going to take you back to the academy where you will be safe since the headmaster sent Kaname away." He said as it was all a lie. He would be taking her back to the academy into a trap.

Ame looked toward her aunt feeling heartbroken since part of her was screaming it was not true, that her aunt loved her. _**Like how Misaki loved you?**_ A voice inside of her mind challenged as Ame caved at that comparison as she nodded at Hanabusa. "Alright, let's go." She said without even a glance back at her aunt and the one she saw as a father figure.

They did not even gather their belongings as Hanabusa led her out of the estate, through the gardens and through the gates rushing along the path holding her hand in his own. He avoided going to fast since she was wearing one of her knee length light blue dresses and matching slippers. Once they got to the bottom of the trail he turned and picked her up holding her as though she were a new bride. "This way will be much easier and faster than trying to get a car at this time of morning." He said as he was a very fast running, though not as fast as Seiren.

Once day break came it was to Hanabusa's luck that it was overcast so there was no reason to slow his run back toward the academy. Not long before sunset, they got to the academy as he came to a stop at the base of the steps only for a few Level E's to show up along with Mr. Fujito. When Ame saw him she looked at him in horror more so when Hanabusa put her down only to straighten and just stand there as she moved behind him but one of the Level E's stepped closer so she moved back against Hanabusa. Just as she had been about to ask what was going on, she heard Mr. Fujito's voice.

"Well done, son of Aidou." He said as the Level E's made their move but Ame glared at each in turn as ice formed and shot through them turning them to dust, something that brought a chuckle from Mr. Fujito. "So much more fight in you, Kōri no ōjo!" he said with beyond the point of amusement, though Ame ignored him as she moved around in front of Hanabusa.

"Hanabusa! What is going on!" she asked as Hanabusa just looked down at her with a cold expression, something that sent a chill through Ame as she lowered her hands that had been about to grab the front of Hanabusa's vest.

"As you requested, master." He said only to reach out shoving Ame into the waiting arms of Mr. Fujito who caught her and held her in an iron grip while she struggled and cried out Hanabusa's name in confusion but she soon fell silent when Mr. Fujito leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

"He was not tricked, but brought you back here of his own free will." He whispered as Ame's struggles lessened. "So that you could be back where you belong." He said as she was still so he took his chance as he turned her more to look at him as he looked into her wide tear filled cerulean eyes while his glowed a lustful crimson. "You are my Kōri no ōjo, and will obey me and me alone." He said as he watched with sickening glee at the sight of the light fading from Ame's eyes as she was once again under his control. He held eye contact long enough that it strained Ame and caused her to slump against him as her eyes closed. He shifted her so that he was holding her at his side around her waist so her legs and arms hung limp. Once he was sure he had what he wanted he looked toward Hanabusa. "You have served your purpose well, so you are free from my power since you have no further use." He said releasing Hanabusa while he vanished with Ame at his side.

Hanabusa stumbled and blinked several times as he tried to remember why he was down the steps from the academy. 'What…' he thought to himself as suddenly memories came flooding back to him with what had been going on for the last month from the time they had left the academy. "Ame!" Hanabusa yelled but it was too late, she was gone. 'I will make this right…I will get you back!' he thought as he turned and raced from the academy knowing that he was going to need help in getting her back. Even if it meant seeking forgiveness from the insane pureblood Shizuka.

A/N: Just in time for the weekend, here is an update on the story. I have more planned for the next chapter, and it should be out by early or midweek next week. Hope everyone is enjoying this story so far. I know this chapter is short, but I am hoping to make up for it by the next chapter being another long one. The story is winding down since I am thinking five more chapters to this one or so and then onto the sequel.


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Turning Point

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Seventeen: Turning Point**

Kaname stood not too far from where Hanabusa had betrayed Ame only to hand her over to Mr. Fujito, one that Kaname knew was the psychotic vampire by the name of Yukiro. His last name was lost to legend, and Kaname found he could care less what the man's real last name was. All that he cared about was that everything was going as planned, with that Yukiro had gotten what he had been wanting to have again for several years and he would soon have his loyal pawn, Hanabusa back, and then the two remnants of a troublesome family would be no more. Though as he stood there he saw Hanabusa turn to leave as his eyes narrowed in annoyance. He moved quickly as he was soon standing before Hanabusa who only glared at Kaname in pure hatred, something that Kaname brushed aside.

"You know that there is nothing that you can do now. She is in the hands of one who would kill millions just to insure that she remains in his clutches." Kaname said in a cold tone.

Even though Hanabusa knew full well that Kaname had only ever been seeking to use Ame, to hear it from his own lips like that, had only helped to further plant the seeds of anger and frustration that Hanabusa was feeling for the vampire he had once blindly idolized. He clenched his fists at his side as he felt beyond the point of anger as he spoke. "I do not care! I am going to get her back!" he said only for Kaname to shake his head while a faint chuckle sounded from him. "What is so funny!" Hanabusa snapped at Kaname.

"The fact that you think you have what it takes to defeat that man and retake the one that _you_ handed over to him of your own free will." Kaname said as he angled his head up and slowly opened his eyes to look at Hanabusa. "You know full well that even if you go back to where they were all hiding, that you will no longer be welcome. They will kill you on sight." Kaname said in a smooth tone as he watched Hanabusa seeing that his will seemed to be slowly breaking down from what was being said. 'He is like putty in my hands.' Kaname thought as he held out his hand to Hanabusa. "You know your place is beside me, so come back with me and put all that has happened behind you." He said in a near seductive voice.

Hanabusa looked down as his electric blue eyes were wide as he knew Kaname was right. If he did go back even if to try and explain how he had been under Mr. Fujito's control, that Shizuka would not hesitate to kill him, and if she did not then Satsujin would. Would he be smarter to stay there and forget about all of them and not even let them know that Ame was in danger? Could he really turn his back on the one that he loved? 'Do I have any right to claim love toward her after what I have done?' he thought to himself as he soon looked up for a brief second to see that Kaname was holding out his hand to him. He had been about to reach for it before something flashed before his eyes.

_Ame was alone in the dark sitting upright, her dress torn and her shoes gone. Blood covered her skin and was even in her hair as there were fresh and healing bite marks on her arms, neck and part of chest. She was so still that Hanabusa was worried that she was no longer alive, until he heard a voice, her voice. "Hanabusa! Help me!" her voice was screaming while filled with fear that was not shown in her hollow cerulean eyes._

Hanabusa stepped back as his eyes were wide as he stood there only to realize his hand was raised only for him to turn it in the air looking at it as though it was something he did not recognize. 'What was that? Was that Ame? But how?' he thought to himself before he shook his head figuring that maybe if he allowed Shizuka to see through his blood that maybe they might have a chance to find Ame. He then looked to Kaname as his eyes hardened into a glare. "I will _never_ return to your side!" Hanabusa declared as he turned and was gone a second later running as fast as he could to rush back to where Shizuka and the others were. 'I will not betray Ame again!' he thought as he ran.

But back at the base of the steps to the academy, Kaname stood there as he closed his eyes while letting his hand fall back to his side. "Then you are a fool and will die as such." He said in a low tone turning to head back up the steps figuring there was no point in going after Hanabusa at the moment since he had chosen his fate. "Such a waste too. I rather enjoyed you as a pawn." Kaname thought as he continued up the stairs.

/

The following night Shizuka was still in a state of panic and worry due to how there was still no sign of not just her niece but also Hanabusa, something that to her pointed to that Hanabusa had kidnapped her. She had ordered Ichiru to search through the estate while Satsujin and Zero were out searching around the grounds. So at the moment, Shizuka paced the room while Yuki sat on the couch watching her fellow pure blood with concern. It was several moments before Yuki spoke up.

"I am sure they will find her. Surely they could not have gotten too far, right?" Yuki asked trying to do her best to chase away the worry that Shizuka was feeling. More so because just looking at the woman you could tell that she was near the point of either an anxiety attack or wanting to go on a rampage. Something that Yuki was sure may end up happening at the exact same time due to the stress Shizuka was under. When she got no response after several moments, Yuki stood. "Shizuka!" she said in the firmest tone she could which did actually draw the attention of the older pure blood. "You need to calm down before you over stress yourself! Have faith in the others, they will find her and bring her back." Yuki said but Shizuka shook her head at Yuki.

"This is no time to be overly optimistic because each minute that we do not know where she is." Shizuka said as one of the shelves all but exploded as the pages from the books were sent raining down in the room. However she did not even seem phased by what had happened due to how she was typically in good control of herself, but at the moment there was no telling what had happened to her only living relative. "And if that boy is found but not my Ame, then I will torture him until he tells me where she is!" Shizuka said as she clenched her fists at her side just as there was a knock on the door. "Enter!" Shizuka ordered as Zero came in. "Well? Did you find anything?" she asked as Zero shook his head.

"No sign of Ame, but Satsujin has Hanabusa detained at the gate." Zero said as he was suddenly shoved out of the way as Shizuka rushed past him. He then looked over to Yuki with a worried look on his face. Because sure he still hated the woman with all that he was, but at the moment he was putting that aside. "I take it she is still a wreck?" he asked Yuki who nodded. "I understand there is something between her and that girl, Ame, but to think one like her could be so worked up at the thought of losing her." He said since he had not been told anything with how Ame was actually a direct relative of Shizuka's.

"Can you blame her though? One minute Ame was here having dinner with everyone and then nothing until we all woke back up only to find that she was gone, along with Hanabusa." She said shaking her head. "That and after that the attacks from the Level E's ceased so that points more to the fact that the one they were wanting had left or was taken." Yuki said before her eyes went wide. "Zero we need to get to the gate and stop Shizuka! Because he might be able to tell us where Ame is!" Yuki said as Zero nodded and the two of them rushed from the room.

Though from down the hall, Ichiru had heard what was said as he angled his face down as his hair fell about his mask somewhat since he still wore it due to how he wished to conceal his emotions from one who was like his mistress. All due to how he loved Shizuka and did not blame her for what had happened, but now he had failed her. She had told him to help her protect the one person she did hold dear in her heart, her niece. 'If that vampire is allowed to live due to the soft hearted nature of the Kuran girl and my foolish brother, then I will kill him with my own hands for how he has hurt Shizuka.' Ichiru thought before he leaned away from the wall and went about continuing his patrol through the estate.

Outside Satsujin had Hanabusa at sword point against the metal fence when Shizuka approached she looked to be in a pure rage as her usual pink eyes had gone to a savage shade of crimson. Though even at seeing that, Hanabusa showed no fear since he did not care if she killed him, just so long as he could relay what he had seen the moment before he had turned his back on Kaname to come back here to let Shizuka know what had happened. Hanabusa closed his eyes as he half expected to feel his life come to an end but it did not. He ventured to open his eyes ever so slightly to see Yuki and Zero blocking Satsujin and himself from the enraged pure blood.

"Shizuka, you need to at least get him to tell you where Ame is so that we can get her back!" Yuki said hoping that Shizuka would listen to her, but her words only seemed to slightly reach the enraged pure blood standing before her. "If he did take her, he will know where she is, once we get that from him, then you can destroy him." Yuki offered as Shizuka looked conflicted, all due to how she was more for beating Hanabusa until he begged for his life then said where her niece was before Shizuka would end his lowly miserable life.

Though after a moment, Shizuka nodded. "Alright, though either he talks in the next few moments or I will just kill him where he stands." She said in a low tone as Yuki nodded and looked toward Zero who took the indication from Yuki's expression as he walked over to Satsujin.

"How about we torture him some." Satsujin said pressing his blade more against Hanabusa's chest knowing that just a bit more and it would go through his heart. It would be so easy to end him, but Yuki had been right. They needed him to talk.

Zero secretly agreed with Satsujin but he pushed that aside as he looked at Hanabusa. "Aidou, where is Ame?" he asked in a low near emotionless tone since he was trying to be the level headed one at the moment since Shizuka and Satsujin were letting their emotions control every aspect of themselves.

"I do not know where she is." He said as he noticed how it ticked off Shizuka and Satsujin so he continued quickly. "I was not myself when we left here and went back to the academy! I was forced to take her into a trap where Mr. Fujito took her and he was long gone before I came back to myself fully." He said as Shizuka looked even more enraged as Yuki was doing her best to hold back Shizuka while Zero forced Satsujin back only to move closer and bite Hanabusa on the side of the neck as he was using his abilities as a vampire to look into Hanabusa by drinking his blood. Zero was searching for a moment as all other things around him were tuned out as he found something.

_Hanabusa was gathering up his stuff in his room since he had already made up his mind to go with Ame. He knew he would not abandon her or betray her, he would instead become her protector even if that was all he could be._

Zero felt he was on the right track so he continued to drink, delving even further as he met no resistance from Hanabusa. That was when he came to another bit to help explain what was going on.

_As Hanabusa was walking from the dorm a figure approached him, one that he recognized as one of the teachers of the night class. "Mr. Fujito?" Hanabusa said in confusion. "What are you doing here? If you are looking for anyone, I think everyone has already gone to bed." Hanabusa said but at hearing that Mr. Fujito smirked._

"_Oh, I have found what I am looking for." He said as his eyes went crimson while he looked at Hanabusa as he stepped closer. "I believe you will be of some use." He said before everything went fuzzy. But there was one bit resounding in the blurry vision of what was going on. "You will go to meet the girl, Ame. You will act normal, but after you reach your new destination you are to do all that you can to get her away from the pure blood vampire, Shizuka Hio. Once you have done that bring her back to this academy and deliver her to me."_

Zero leaned back for a brief second as he looked to Hanabusa in shock since in truth he had been controlled from the moment everyone had left the academy. Though without a single word he leaned toward Hanabusa's neck and sank his fangs in once again and continued to drink from him as he was searching for the next bit that would help to explain what had happened. It only took a few moments before he found what he was looking for, only this one was a dream.

_Hanabusa stood before a male who was facing him with an annoyed look on his face only for the man to lash out by slapping Hanabusa across the face so that he fell to the ground. "I am sorry, master! But the hunter and the pure blood Shizuka do not allow me near the target alone so I have been unable to make a move to return her to you." Hanabusa said as he shifted so that he was knelt before his master._

"_I do not care about your pathetic excuses!" Mr. Fujito said in frustration as he started to pace before Hanabusa. "You should be able to get near the one you have claimed to love and in turn do the task I have given to you!" he said in frustration as he stopped only to smirk at the thought that had occurred to him. "If you have to, poison the others and then bring the girl to me." He said as he then looked to Hanabusa as eye contact was made, Mr. Fujito spoke only for Hanabusa's eyes to go wide._

Zero leaned back once again as he released Hanabusa who merely sank to the ground from having so much of his blood drank as Zero had some blood coming from his lips as he looked back at those gathered. "He was being controlled since right before he left the academy with you." Zero said as Shizuka looked even more furious at hearing that. "But he is no longer under that man's control, because if he were there would have been resistance when I was looking through his memories." Zero said as Satsujin stepped closer and grabbed up Hanabusa's limp form and carried him toward the house leaving Zero, Yuki and Shizuka.

"There was nothing else?" Shizuka demanded as Zero stepped closer while Yuki stood by her side.

"No, even if there were, there was no way I could continue to delve further into his memories through his blood without killing him." Zero explained. "We need to let him recover a bit before delving further into his memories." He said even though Shizuka looked like she did not agree with him, but she appeared to accept it for the time being.

/

Kaien sat in his sitting room feeling that his house was now beyond empty due to how his son and daughter were away, something he had always known would happen one day due to how they were both vampires. 'At least I have good memories of the two of them.' He thought to himself as he even found himself wondering what they might be up to. 'I hope Yuki is doing alright because her vampire self was sealed for ten years.' He thought before he heard a knock at the door. "One moment." He called as he stood and straightened the green shawl he was wearing before he headed toward the door. Once there he undid the lock and opened the door to see an all too familiar face. Misaki Kuren. "Misaki?" Kaien said in surprise since after he and Satsujin had removed Ame from her care, Misaki had just vanished without a trace.

All Misaki did was look up at Kaien before she pushed her way in only to lower her hood to reveal her dishwater colored hair that was twisted in the back and then pinned up, in place of the customary braid, as her haze colored eyes focused more on Kaien. "Where is Ame?" she asked in a low tone. "I went by the moon dorm and all over the grounds but there was no sign of her having ever been here!" Misaki said as Kaien could not help but notice that the love that had developed in the six years was still there even if Misaki had once claimed it was not ever really there.

"She left some time ago with some others who have taken charge of caring for her due to events that not even I thought would happen." Kaien said only for Misaki to step closer and grab him by the front of his coat and his shawl as she got in Kaien's face.

"Where is she!" Misaki demanded putting emphasis on each word as she glared at Kaien. "I want my daughter back!" she yelled at him.

"There is no point in wanting her back, she is lost now." Said a calm but cold voice from the doorway as Misaki kept a hold of Kaien and turned to see Kaname Kuran standing there with his arms down at his side while his cold eyes looked at her.

"What do you mean she is lost!?" Misaki asked as she was near the point of in a panic at the thought of her child having gotten into something and that she had turned her back on Ame instead of staying by her side to protect her.

"I mean that the vampire who was after her managed to take her back." Kaname said in a cold tone as Misaki had a look of horror on her face due to how she remembered there being times she had comforted Ame due to her having nightmares about her life before. Though Kaname did not care that it had saddened this random woman as he continued. "Cross Academy may become the battle ground soon, so I advise you to evacuate now, headmaster." Kaname said before he was gone almost like he had never been there.

It was several moments before Misaki moved or even spoke, but when she did she turned slightly to glare at Kaien. "Just what kind of school are you running here!?" she cried as Kaien shook her off only to grab her by the arm and shove her toward the sitting room before walking to the door and shutting it as he grabbed an anti-vampire seal from inside his coat as he placed it on the door before going back to the sitting room. All due to how he could not afford to risk Kaname overhearing what was about to be said. Once he was with Misaki he grabbed her arm again and steered her toward the couch and got her to sit down.

"I know you are worried about Ame, but right now, you need to keep yourself in check. Because getting worked up will not help us find her sooner." Kaien said as he hoped that his words would get through to Misaki due to how she seemed to be beyond out of it and not herself. "This is why Satsujin and I advised you to not get to close or involved with Ame because we suspected that this would be the result." He said in a worried tone before the door was heard opening and closing.

Seconds later, a man with slightly grown out black with a single light blue eye visible since the other was covered by a patch from an injury from his line of work as a vampire hunter. He was wearing a white shirt and blue pants under a tan long coat. In his mouth was a cigarette, something Kaien sometimes gave him a hard time about but at the moment there was no need for joking. As the new comer reached up removing his tan colored hat Kaien spoke.

"Misaki, you remember Touga Yagari right?" he saided as Misaki nodded since she knew he was the best hunter at the current moment working for the association. Though to Misaki, Kaien would always be the best hunter.

"I got your letter, so what did you need?" Yagari asked as he looked between the two. "If it is about the three that have missed my lectures in the night class, I already told you my view on those three the other day." He said in a slightly annoyed tone.

"It does have to do with them, but not for what you think." Kaien said as he did a gesture while Yagari took a seat not too far from Misaki. "It has to deal with how right now, one vampire is out of control here on campus and may have been the mastermind behind the kidnapping of one of the students who left for their own safety." He said as Yagari's light blue eye narrowed.

"If you mean that arrogant pure blood Kaname Kuran, why do you not do something about him? You are the headmaster so surely your authority trumps his even if he is in charge of the dealings of the vampires in this so called school." He said as Misaki clenched her fists on her lap.

"That is why I called you here. You know that I am not allowed to due to a promise I once made. But now things are shaping up to become a full blown war between the vampires." Kaien said as Yagari chuckled.

"You should have seen this coming from the beginning. There is no way in hell that humans and vampires can fully coexist. They can at best pretend to want to do so but in truth they are beasts driven by their instincts…" he started but Misaki stood and glared down at Yagari.

"Some of them do wish to coexist! My daughter is one of them!" she yelled as Yagari seemed to smirk as he reached up and removed the cigarette for a brief moment as he exhaled.

"Oh? You mean the one who is at the center of conflict at the moment?" he asked showing that Kaien had told him a fair amount of what was going on. "The one who is the only reason that Satsujin left the association because he fell in love with that young vampire?" he asked in a near challenging tone. "The same vampire that you yourself said that you despised even hated?" he asked as Misaki looked slightly taken aback by his statements.

"I…I only said those things so she could move forward instead of trying to retake what would never be again." Misaki said in a near defeated tone. "I had hoped that by sending her away that she would once again be safe but that is not the case." She said as she regained her confidence and determination by the end of what she had said. "And I plan to find her!" she said as she turned only to rush from the house as the door slammed open only to fall back shut with a deafening sound of it locking back into place in the silence that Misaki left behind her.

"Why did you let her go? You know that in her becoming close to that girl that Misaki's fate is now sealed?" Yagari asked as he slipped his cigarette back between his lips.

"I have known since when she admitted to Satsujin and me that she was close to Ame and actually had grown to love her." Kaien said in a sad tone. "Something that I fear will lead to her death."

/

Ame sat in the darkness as she was limp almost like a doll due to how she was under Yukiro's hypnosis which kept her docile and stole away her will to do anything on her own. Even as the distant sound met her ears she did not even blink her hollow cerulean eyes. But even in this state she managed to mover her lips as she whispered in a voice that was drowned out by approaching footsteps. When they stopped she was still until she heard an order, commanding her to look up at the one before her. She angled her head ever so slightly to look up at the man before her to see the silhouette of Yukiro before her.

"Are you feeling hungry?" he asked with a smirk on his lips as Ame's eyes took on a dead crimson glow showing that she was. "Do not worry, soon I will allow you to feed to your heart's content." He said as it was due to him having a plan in place since one of his Level E servants had said the human who had raised Ame was back in the area. "Though for now, stay here as you are." He said as Ame's head leaned forward as she was once again like a puppet unable to move without her master pulling the strings to grant her limbs movement.

/

Misaki traveled north of the town that Cross Academy was located in as she was following a trail that she had a feeling was the right way to go in order to find her child. When she got to the edge of the woods she glanced around before she headed off into the trees. 'I am coming, Ame.' She thought as she kept going only to soon be confronted by two Level E's. "Stand aside vampires!" Misaki said in a low tone as she held a hand gun in her right hand and sword in her right.

However both vampires ignored her as they charged at her as they spoke. "You will be an offering to the Kōri no ōjo awakening!" the female vampire yelled as Misaki aimed her gun and shot the female before charging at the male and pinning him back against a tree with the tip of her blade to his throat.

"Where is your master and the child he kidnapped?" she demanded in a low tone as the male vampire only laughed at her so she figured she would find out nothing so she pulled her blade back and stabbed him through the heart as he turned to dust like the female before him had. "Mindless beasts…" Misaki said in a low tone before she heard a sinister chuckle from behind her as she turned aiming her gun at the figure and having her sword in a defensive position before her. "Are you the vampire who created the Level E's?" Misaki asked as the vampire did a mocking bow toward her.

"Maybe I am." He said as he straightened his long black hair fell about his face and in his crimson eyes as he was wearing a form fitting long sleeve shirt that matched his hair and the same with his jeans and his long trench coat. The boots he was wearing blended into his pant legs as he stepped not even the boots on the ground made a sound. "Though why would it matter to a hunter like you? No crime has been committed so why would a hunter be out here of all places." He said as he was nearing Misaki who fired a warning shot making the vampire stop.

"I am here for a young girl that was abducted from the school." She said keeping her focus on the vampire.

"Oh? What did this girl look like? Maybe I have seen her." The vampire said smirking at Misaki, something that told her that he knew more than he was letting on about where Ame was.

"I do not have time for your games!" Misaki said in a low growl due to her being frustrated at this vampire. "Either you know where she is or you do not." She said only for the vampire to vanish and appear behind her as she felt him nuzzle the side of her neck causing her to tense up as he spoke.

"You may not, but I think it would be best if you made time for my game, since you are one of the guests of honor." He said as in the next second the movements were a blur due to how Misaki turned raising her blade slashing the vampire across the stomach and lower part of his chest causing blood to pool. Once she had gotten him to move away from her she raised her hand gun and fired off some shots hoping to put a stop to the vampire but each shot missed.

"Coward!" Misaki yelled as she went to go after the retreating vampire but she was caught around the waist by another, as she tried to pull away from them she heard the rough voice of Yagari.

"Stop being such a damned fool!" he said in a harsh tone as Misaki finally stopped moving. "You would be playing right into whatever that vampire has planned if you had gone after him." Yagari said as he shifted Misaki as he forced her blade from her hand and put it back at her side and then grabbed her wrist as he started to drag her from the woods. "If you want to get that girl back, you need to start thinking rationally." He said since he thought it was a bit ridiculous with how Misaki had lost herself to her emotions so quickly. "Or have you forgotten all of your training to be a hunter?" He asked as he led her out of the trees.

"I do not care about any of that!" Misaki said in a low tone only for Yagari to stop and slap her across the face with a resounding smack.

"You are to leave this place and go to where there may be others who can help get the girl back." Yagari said as he turned and continued to drag Misaki until they got back into town where Kaien was standing beside a car holding open the back door while Yagari shoved Misaki forward. "She was about to walk into a trap." He said as Kaien gave Misaki a sad look.

"The driver already knows where to take you. It will be a day's journey at least to get to where you are headed. Once there you will meet with Satsujin and he will surely be willing to help you." Kaien said as he steered Misaki into the car and shut the door before tapping on the hood as the car then sped off and out of sight. Once the car was no longer in sight, Kaien looked back to Yagari. "Was it as we feared?" he asked as Yagari nodded.

"The vampire that is behind all of this, he wants Misaki for something and was trying to bait her into going with him, and I believe she would have had I not been there to stop her." He said as he reached into his pocket only to get out a pack of cigarettes before getting one out and lighting it.

/

The following night the car Misaki was in pulled up to the end of a long path as the driver spoke. "From what I was told you need to go up that trail. Someone will be awaiting you." He said as she nodded at him and slipped from the car and closed the door as the car sped away from her.

She looked toward the path before she started up it. 'Just where is this place? What would Satsujin be doing here?' she thought to herself as she continued up the path only to come to a large metal gate where a male with silver hair wearing a mask stood waiting.

"Misaki Kuren?" the male asked as she neared the gate as she could feel his eyes on her even though she could not see them.

"Yes." Misaki said as she walked closer to the gate.

"Everyone is waiting for you." The male said as he opened the gate and allowed her entrance only to close the gate once she was inside and then lead her up to the large estate. Though as they walked through the garden she glanced around before focusing on following the male. Once inside he led her to a sitting room where he stopped her at the door and knocked.

"Enter, Ichiru." A female voice called from inside the room as the male, Ichiru, opened the door and stepped in closing the door behind himself as Misaki stayed put.

'Ichiru? Could he be Ichiru Kiryu?' Misaki thought before shaking her head. 'No it could not be because of how the Kiryu family was killed and only Zero Kiryu survived that bloodbath caused by the insane vampire princess, Shizuka.' Misaki thought to herself as she tried to listen to what was being sid inside the room only to find the voices were only coming across as mumbles. She had been about to reach for the door when it opened and Ichiru stepped back out and shut the door behind himself.

"Before you go in, I need you to fully disarm." He said as Misaki reluctantly removed her sword from her side and handed over her hand gun along with the ammo that she carried for the gun. "Go in, they will see you now." Ichiru said as he tucked away the ammo and gun in his coat before pushing the door open for Misaki who stepped forward into the room but she stopped dead when she saw the creature who was sitting on the couch facing her.

Shizuka Hio!

Misaki tensed at the sight of the insane vampire, even more so when she noticed Satsujin sitting in an arm chair not too far from where Shizuka was sitting. At seeing that, Misaki slightly lost it as she yelled at Satsujin. "How can you just sit there and not kill her!" Misaki demanded only for Satsujin to speak up before Misaki could get even more worked up.

"I can because right now she is on the same side as the two of us." He said as he gestured to the other arm chair, inviting Misaki to take a seat, but she did not make any move to even go anywhere near the arm chair. All due to how she did not want to be any closer to Shizuka.

"You know, I will not bite so there is no reason for you to stand there petrified." Shizuka said in a strained calm tone. All due to how Satsujin had spiked her blood tablet with something like a sedative to calm her from the murderous rage she had been in since Ame had disappeared.

It was a few seconds before Misaki decided to trust that Shizuka would not do anything as she hesitantly walked over to the arm chair as she was facing Satsujin and slightly toward Shizuka who was to her right at a diagonal angle from her. For several minutes the three of them sat in silence before Misaki spoke, breaking the tense silence. "What happened?" she asked since from what she had understood Ame was supposed to remain at the academy and that she would be safe there. But now it seemed that a lot had happened and now Satsujin was allied with a wanted vampire.

"The one I saved Ame from returned and he managed to get past all the protections we had in place to keep her safe and she ended up falling back into that man's hands." Satsujin said as he rested his elbows on his knees and clenched his gloved hands before himself. "All we know is what we have gotten from Aidou, one that was Ame's boyfriend before this all happened." He said since if he had any say in it, Aidou would never be allowed with Ame again, something he was sure Shizuka would agree with.

"That must have been him…" Misaki said as Shizuka looked toward her with a questioning gaze.

"Him? You saw the one who took Ametsuki!" Shizuka demanded as Misaki gave her a confused look at hearing the name.

"Ametsuki? Who is that?" Misaki asked as Satsujin sighed and did a gesture to Shizuka as she remained on the couch understanding to get worked up right now would do no good.

"Ametsuki is Ame's real name." he said. "She had been slowly remembering bits of her past from her time traveling with me, and even her true parents. All thanks to her aunt." He said leaving it at that but Misaki was not about to let it drop.

"Her aunt?" she asked as she had a feeling she knew who it was but she did not want to accept it.

"Yes, I am her aunt. The older twin to her mother." Shizuka said as Misaki looked at her in horror because if that was true then Ame was a pure blood vampire! Sensing what Misaki was about to say, Shizuka continued. "Her true nature, that of the vampire princess Ametsuki Hoshioko was sealed away by my mother when Ametsuki was still very young. Because of how she was in danger should she have remained as she was born to be, so to grant her only grandchild a happier future, my mother turned Ametsuki into a common vampire at the cost of her own life." Shizuka said as Misaki looked down thinking on how she had actually been raising a pure blood. Though when Misaki still said nothing, Shizuka continued. "But there is one way to free Ametsuki back to who she was born to be."

Misaki looked up at Shizuka in shock. "There is?" she asked wondering what it was.

"Yes." Shizuka nodded. "The way to break the spells on Ametsuki is for her to sink her fangs into one that she loves who is not a vampire." Shizuka said as Misaki gave her a shocked look as Shizuka could see the wheels turning in Misaki's mind as she was piecing things together. "We were informed in a letter from the headmaster that Yukiro tried to capture you before you were sent here." Shizuka said as Misaki nodded.

"Because I tried to go after Ame, because I wanted to get her back." She said only for Shizuka to hold up her hand to silence Misaki.

"What right have you to want anything for her? Or to even want her back after how you broke her heart?" Shizuka asked in a cold tone as her pink eyes were almost like ice.

Misaki sat there in shock as she thought about what Shizuka asked. Was she right? Did Misaki really have no right to even want Ame to know only happiness after how she had pushed her away when Ame had needed her? Sure she had done it with only good intentions but at the same time she had seen nothing but sadness in Ame's eyes as she was taken away. Though after several moments, Misaki spoke. "I may not have any right, but for six years I raised her as my own, I loved her as my own and I know she loved me as her mother." She said as she looked down not realizing the look in Shizuka's eyes.

"Go, Ichiru will show you to your room." Shizuka said as Misaki looked up about to protest but Satsujin shook his head at her as she reluctantly stood and headed toward the door to find Ichiru there as he opened the door to let her go through before closing it. Once Shizuka was sure that Misaki and Ichiru were not in hearing range anymore she spoke. "I believe we may have just been handed the one that we need to awaken Ametsuki." She said as Satsujin nodded with a grim look on his face. All due to how he was sure to break the spells they would have to sacrifice Misaki.

/

Zero walked into the room he was currently sharing with Yuki, so as to make sure she was able to feed whenever she needed since he knew she was still learning to deal with her hunger. And Shizuka had suggested that for the moment that Yuki not be made to drink the pseudo blood because it would not do much good to curve her hunger. So at the moment Zero closed the door behind himself and looked to see Yuki sitting in a chair on the far side of the room as he walked over and knelt down in front of her. "You enjoying that book?" he asked but he knew what she was thinking due to how when she looked at him, her eyes were a bright crimson. Without another word he reached up undoing the buttons on his shirt as he removed it and let it fall to the ground. Once the shirt was out of the way Yuki slid off of the chair and was knelt before him as she was eyeing him with a lust he knew all too well since he too still at times lusted for her blood.

As Zero closed his eyes he felt Yuki's small body lean more against his own as he kept steady so that they would remain upright as he felt her nuzzling and even licking his neck. He said nothing even as he felt her fangs pierce his neck as he could not help but smile as he listened to the sound of her drinking his blood. 'I know she is a vampire, but she is still the same Yuki to me.' He thought to himself as he kept his arms down at his sides for a moment longer before he brought them up and encircled Yuki.

After several moments Yuki leaned back as she looked up at Zero as she did not have blood on the bottom of her face this time due to how she was getting better at feeding without being messy. Though as the crimson died away in her eyes Zero could not help but smile at her. "Feel better?" he asked her as the bite marks on his neck healed.

"Yes, though you are sure you do not mind me feeding on you like this?" Yuki asked as she remained where she was before Zero.

"Of course not." He said since it was the truth, he did not mind. Because in truth it had been something he had longed for ever since he had first started to feed on her, to know what it felt for her to do the same, even when she had been a human. It had been a dream of his to feel her become one with him in such a way. "Though there is something we need to discuss." He said since he had actually talked with Ichiru and had been told that Satsujin and Shizuka were planning to make their move and soon. He looked at Yuki seeing he had her undivided attention as he spoke again. "On if we are going to help when the others leave to go and get Ame back or if we are going to stay behind due to how it would be dangerous for you since you are still awakening and learning your own strengths." He said since he was worried if they went into the fight that Yuki was not experienced enough and she would not be able to help much more so because her artemis rod had been rejecting her ever since she had awakened, but she insisted on still carrying it.

Yuki looked down in thought for a moment as she was thinking it over. They could easily stay behind, and she knew that may at this time be the wise choice to do, but she had grown close to Ame in the time since they had come here before she had been taken. With that thought she looked up at Zero as she smiled at him. "I will go with them to help, because I want to help bring Ame back home where she belongs." Yuki said without any hesitation.

Zero was not in the least bit surprised by Yuki's answer or her choice in the matter due to how she was one to think of others first. Yet another reason he loved her and he wished to protect her. He reached out tucking some of her hair behind her ear before he moved his hand behind her and pulled her close as his other hand came up to fully embrace her. "Then I will go with you, and I will make sure you remain safe." He said as he knew going would mean they would risk running into Kaname Kuran. Though Zero just hoped that if they did that Kaname would leave them be and not try to do anything. 'But knowing him he is even more at the heart of this than we originally thought…' he thought to himself as he was worried about Yuki. All due to how she had once idolized the vampire only for him to betray her when they had been younger and then how he had done this to her without even offering her a choice in the matter. 'I swear if he does shows and does anything or even tries to do anything that might make Yuki upset or cry, I will kill him myself!' Zero thought to himself as he continued to hold Yuki close.

For several moments the two of them remained like that before Yuki spoke in a whisper to Zero. "We should probably get some rest since I am sure they might be heading out or discussing it first thing." She said as Zero nodded as he leaned back but kept his arms loosely around Yuki as he looked down at her. She had pure determination in her eyes, something he hoped would never die away as he stood and helped her to her feet before the two of them headed over to the bed to get some rest.

A/N: Well this chapter was not as long as I had planned it to be, but I hope everyone likes it. The next chapter should be up by this weekend at the earliest if not then some time in the next week. Right now it is looking like two maybe three more chapters before this story comes to an end and then it will be onto the sequel. I am sure the guessed number does not match up with the guess for the last chapter, but it will just depend on how things play out. And once again a very special thanks to Myra K Kuran who has been reviewing this story and following it since the beginning. Until next time.


	19. Chapter Eighteen: A Mother's Love

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Eighteen: A Mother's Love**

Shizuka sat in her usual spot on the couch as it got to be around dawn a week to the day after Misaki had arrived. Not much had happened aside from how everyone had determined they were all going to go and try to get Ame back. And despite how Shizuka did not wish for a certain someone, Hanabusa, to go with them he had insisted on going to redeem himself, to make things right. Though in Shizuka's mind there was no making it right more so because she had a feeling that by the time everything was said and done that Ame would no longer be the one that Hanabusa had fallen in love with.

"You know if you do not rest you will be no good during the fight tomorrow." Satsujin said since that night at sunset they were all setting out to return to the academy since they had a good hunch that was where Yukiro would make his move with Ame as his pawn.

Shizuka closed her eyes as she chuckled ever so slightly as she could not help but find Satsujin speaking as though he were concerned to be amusing. "You know." She started only to open her pink eyes and look toward Satsujin as he was sitting in the arm chair he seemed to have claimed as his favorite place to sit. "If I did not know better, I would almost venture to guess that you are actually worried about me even though you are one of the ones who works with the hunters." She said as Satsujin merely shrugged at what she said.

"I have not actually been a hunter since when I took Ame in when she was still just a small child due to how they said she was a dangerous vampire that needed to be caged or executed." Satsujin said in a slightly angry tone. "Sure just by looking at her I could tell there was something special about her, but that she was a child who just wanted to be accepted. To know the love of a family again." He said as Shizuka nodded at him.

"That is always the purest wish of a child who has lost their family or have an absent family." Shizuka said as Satsujin looked away from her. "I just wish I could have been there for her, then this could have been prevented had I opened my eyes sooner to see that she my precious niece." Shizuka said as she looked toward Satsujin.

"With that in mind, I mean you wishing what is best for her, do you think it will be for her best interest for her to bite Misaki?" he asked since they knew if Ame still felt love for Misaki, that if she bit her then Ame would awaken to her true self. "Or do you think we should just allow her to remain as she is?" he asked since he only knew part of the story with why Ame was the way she was.

"It will be her choice. Ame is old enough to make her own choice, even though I wish she would remain as she is so that she will not be burdened by the troubles that will haunt her should she awaken." Shizuka said as Satsujin nodded in understanding. "More so since if she awakens, that will draw even more attention from the son of Kuran." She admitted since that was one truth she had been holding back in order to further protect her niece.

Satsujin looked toward Shizuka with a raised eye brow as he was a bit confused. "Why would her awakening draw that bastard's attention even more?" he asked but Shizuka remained silent only for Satsujin to stand and walk out of the room. "Go ahead and keep secrets, but you know that despite your personal wish to shelter Ame, that is not something you can do forever." He said as he opened the door before going out into the hall.

As he headed to his room he thought over everything that was going on, with how mostly that he had thought he had killed Yukiro when Ame had been a small child. So how was it that he could still be alive, and he had been at the top of the hunter's execution list for months before he was hunted down by Satsujin that day. So to Satsujin, there was only one way that Yukiro could have faked his own death to such an extent only to come back and be hiding at the academy the entire time.

One possibility was that his old friend had either knowingly or unknowingly sheltered the psychopath. 'Not likely.' Satsujin thought to himself as he stopped and glanced out one of the large windows along the corridor. Sure his old friend was a bit off but surely he would not knowingly shelter a dangerous vampire when he was seeking to foster understanding and compassion between vampires and humans. As Satsujin stood before the window he thought back on when Kaien had been like a brother to him and had sheathed his blade for the last time.

_Kaien stood in the field of dust as the wind blew away the piles that surrounded the hunter that was wearing black clothes that matched with his companion. The only difference was that Kaien's hair was down and hung about and slightly in his face in the front, but in the back it hung down close to his shoulder blades. Without even looking back at his companion, Kaien had brought up his blade and its sheath as he slid the blade in as the air seemed to grow still and silent._

_Satsujin looked toward Kaien as he was confused since sure his friend would always sheath his blade, but there was a different feel in the air around his friend this time. "Kaien?" he asked as he looked toward him with his blue eyes. When no answer came, not even an acknowledgement, Satsujin knew what this meant. "You aren't going to do it are you?" Satsujin asked as he stepped toward Kaien._

"_And if I am?" Kaien asked in a near dead tone not even looking at his friend as he pulled out some seals and set to placing them on the handle and top of the sheath of his blade, almost ignoring his friend._

"_For that __**thing**__?" Satsujin asked since he knew full well that his friend near had a love interest in the pureblood Juri Kuran._

"_She is not a thing. She is a woman who has opened my eyes to the truth." Kaien said as he finished sealing his blade. "And as a sign of my gratitude, I am going to make her dream a reality." He said as he was speaking of the dream to have a gentler world so that her child could know happiness and not be only tied to the duties of a pureblood. "And I have made up my mind, so unless you have anything else to say, this is goodbye." Kaien said as he looked back at Satsujin who was beyond furious._

"_How can you think that __**beast**__ has a good reason for wanting peace when vampires are the enemy of the humans? Nothing good can come from having any sort of dealings with one of them!" Satsujin said as he was near shaking with rage as Kaien stopped only to look back at him._

"_You will one day understand my reasoning." Kaien said. "That things are not always so rigid when it comes to the similar traits that we share with them." He said only to leave._

Satsujin closed his blue eyes as he brought up his right arm and rested his forearm against the glass only to feel the cool of the glass seep through the material of his sleeve as he rested his forehead against the opposite side of his forearm. 'He was right. Vampires are not just beasts in human form…' he thought to himself only to hear some footsteps drawing closer as he leaned back, straightening as his arm returned to his side as he looked toward the sound of the approaching footsteps to see that it was Misaki. "Misaki, what is the matter?"

/

The following night, everyone finished getting their things ready as Satsujin looked toward Misaki with an uneasy look while they set out. Their conversation from earlier had him a little on edge, but he figured push that away from his mind since he needed to focus. So as they all set out heading back to the academy barely anyone said a word due to how they knew this was going to be a rough battle, and there would be casualties. Though the silence almost reminded Satsujin of a funeral with how tense everyone was, that and he had a feeling that the reaper was among them and ready to claim at least one of their number by the time this was done.

/

At the academy, the night class had been disbanded and everyone ordered to leave due to how Kaien was not sure if any of them were safe to keep around. He knew that most if not all were loyal to Kaname which would only pose a problem. By the night after the order had been given, the only one remaining was Kaname, so Kaien headed to the moon dorm, not as the headmaster but as a hunter, with Yagari. As they approached the dorm they saw one room with the lights on. "That is Kaname's room on the second floor." Kaien said in a low tone as he still found it hard to believe that the son of the woman who had opened his eyes was the one behind so much trouble.

"No second thoughts?" Yagari asked as he removed his cigarette and dropped it to the ground before stamping it out with his foot as he looked toward Kaien since he knew that Kaien had been close to the Kuran's for a long time and apparently even raised their daughter as his own until she awakened as a vampire.

"No. I know what must be done." Kaien said as he started toward the steps with Yagari right behind him. 'For you disgracing her memory and her wish, I will show you no mercy!' Kaien thought as he and Yagari entered the dorm.

Kaname stood before his window as he had seen the two hunters enter, something that amused him since that meant his little act to keep Kaien from suspecting anything had come to an end. 'Oh well, it cannot be helped.' He thought as he felt another behind him as he looked back over his shoulder to see that it was Seiren. "What is it, Seiren?" he asked since he was sure he already knew what she was about to report to him.

"The two hunters have entered, and as instructed, those who are loyal to you await your orders but are laying low." She said as Kaname nodded.

"And the preparations?" he asked in a near lazy tone to his voice.

"He has agreed and is expecting you any time, Lord Kaname." She said as Kaname did a gesture dismissing her as she reluctantly left him alone to deal with the two hunters that were coming to either claim Kaname's life or take him to the headquarters of the association.

It did not take long as Kaien and Yagari entered the room not two minutes after Seiren had departed as Kaname looked back at the two of them with a smirk on his face. "Headmaster, and Mr. Yagari. What brings you here?" he asked still playing the role of the perfect honor student for a little longer just to see their reactions.

"Drop the act, Kuran." Yagari said in a low annoyed tone as he raised his gun and aimed it right at Kaname.

"Act?" Kaname asked in an amused tone. "Which act do you mean? The act that I am a docile vampire? That I am your ally?" he asked as he inclined his head ever so slightly while looking toward the two hunters.

"All of it!" Kaien said with a hint of rage in his voice.

"Very well." Kaname said as the look on his face became a more sinister yet calm look. "You have no idea how good it feels to finally drop that horrendous mask that I had to wear for so long." He said as he had a look of immense relief on his face.

"How long were you faking everything?" Kaien asked as he held his blade before himself as he was ready to go at Kaname with the smallest provocation. "Or were you faking the entire time that you believed in harmony between vampires and humans?" Kaien asked in the closest to a neutral tone that he could manage at the moment.

"Yes, the entire time. Well except when I was a child, before I came back to myself after Rido was kind enough to awaken me again." Kaname said as he moved over close to his desk and rest his right hand down on the surface of it beside the chess board where the pieces of the white queen, bishop, knights, and a few pawns were in pieces around the black king. When he noticed the two looking to the chess board in confusion he chuckled. "Confused?" he asked in a near mocking tone.

Yagari was the one to speak as he was beyond annoyed and bored with this game. "I knew you were a twisted beast, but this proves it more." Yagari said only for Kaien to go at Kaname with his sword raised as though to kill Kaname in one strike. "Kaien!" Yagari yelled just as Kaien got knocked back by a strong gust of wind to the ground. In a split second Kaname went at Yagari to end his life but before Kaname could deliver a fatal blow Kaien had moved and got between the two shielding Yagari as he took the blow to his left side. "You fool!" Yagari said in a low tone as he caught Kaien as blood was flowing freely from the gash on his left side as a faint sound met Yagari's ears as he looked to see the large window open. 'He got away…' he thought as he figured for the time being leave Kaname to escape since Kaien was losing a lot of blood and fast.

/

Yukiro walked into the windowless room where his little puppet was to see that she was still fully under his control, something that brought him great joy. He had already sensed that Kaname had fled, but that did not mean that Yukiro was going to turn his back on his plans to destroy this place that was nothing more than a fools illusion of a school. "Kōri no ōjo." He said as Ame inclined her head to look at him with her lifeless cerulean eyes. "You hunger for blood, don't you?" he asked as she nodded due to how he had fed off of her but denied her any blood for herself since he had captured her. "Then come with me." He said as an order which caused Ame's body to act on its own as she slowly got to her feet while her matted hair hung about her face and around her thin pale shoulders.

Without another word, Yukiro turned and walked from the room knowing his little puppet was following behind him. 'Even with the key having escaped, surely attacking random humans will draw that woman back here.' He thought to himself as he walked up the stairs soon getting out of the building where he had been keeping Ame locked away. He could smell beautiful yet tainted blood on the air as he inhaled deep enjoying the scent as he felt his puppet grow excited behind him. "No, not that blood, at least not yet." He said as he looked over his shoulder at Ame with a smirk as he could tell from looking at her that she was lusting for blood and the aroma was exciting her the way it was him.

He turned and started walking toward a building that he knew was a dorm for the day class which meant unless they had all been evacuated then there would be plenty for Ame to feed on to draw out those that Yukiro was wanting. "Go on in and feed to your heart's content." He said as Ame as she went over to the door not even reaching for it as the door was blasted open as she got closer due to how ice had formed beside her and shot at it destroying the door, a sight that made Yukiro laugh like a mad man. "So powerful, and you are all mine!" he said as he continued to laugh.

Ame continued into the building as she went to each door and opened it only to find that every room was empty. Her body kept moving on its own even as inside her mind, Ame was fighting trying to break free of Yukiro since she felt his power over her slip ever so slightly.

"_I won't let you use me the way you did in the past!" Ame yelled inside her mind as her body continued to search the building for any unsuspecting day class students. She continued to fight but it was not until she got her chance._

Ame stopped walking as her eyes started to regain some life in them causing her to stumble while her right hand shot up holding her head. "I am not…" she struggled to say as she sank to her knees while she was fighting with Yukiro's control over her. "Your…puppet!" Ame growled as she could feel that she was slowly regaining herself. 'Aunt Shizuka!' Ame screamed in her thoughts only to feel someone behind her as her fight against Yukiro's control was lost as she was once again his obedient puppet.

/

As the car came to a stop and everyone got out, Shizuka hesitated as her pink eyes went wide due to how in her mind she had heard Ame screaming for her. She closed her eyes trying to reach out in their connection to one another to try and find her but was met by something else.

_Shizuka stood on the roof of the dorm that had been over taken by vegetation. She glanced around only to see Ame over at a mass of vines forming into a solid mass with her wrists up to her sides while Yukiro stood before her. "Ame!" Shizuka yelled but Ame made no movement as she remained limp being held up by the vines while Yukiro turned to look at Shizuka with a satisfied smirk on his face._

"_I knew that you would come for her, Shizuka Hio." Yukiro said doing a mocking bow before straightening. "But I am afraid you will find that she does not respond to anyone other than me anymore." He said as he half turned toward Ame only to reach out and stroke her face as he was trying to get a reaction out of Shizuka._

"_What is it that you want from her? She is just a child so let her go!" Shizuka ordered while Yukiro shook his head at her._

"_You know full well what this girl is." He said looking at her. "And you know that deep down you wish for the same thing as me, for her to awaken and become the ultimate weapon to destroy the hunters so that vampires may be supreme once again." He said only for Shizuka to shake her head._

"_I only wish for her happiness because she is a living person not a tool to be used by someone like you!" she said in a low tone as she took a step back. "I will come for her because her place is with me." She said as she cut the connection._

Shizuka opened her eyes to see that Hanabusa, Yuki and Zero were half way up the steps at the first landing looking back down at her, Satsujin, Ichiru and Misaki. "We need to hurry." Was all Shizuka said as she went to hurry toward the stairs all due to how Yukiro even knew the truth about Ame, something that Shizuka had hoped to keep hidden for a while longer so that her niece might know happiness rather than never ending conflict.

As they got to the top of the stairs Zero caught the scent of blood, one that he knew as he looked to see his former master supporting the headmaster who was bleeding profusely from his left side. Without even thinking of the alluring scent of blood, Zero rushed toward his master to help with the headmaster as Yuki did the same due to how the man had been her father for ten years and was still one she saw as such.

"Mr. Yagari, what happened?" Yuki asked as she and Zero got to Yagari and Kaien. "He is going to be okay, isn't he?" she asked due to how the color was almost fully gone from Kaien's face.

"He will be if we can get him to the house if it has not been destroyed and get his wound bandaged." Yagari said as he stopped for a brief second as he caught sight of Shizuka along with the rest of the group. His eyes lingered on Shizuka as he soon spoke. "Girl's dorm on the roof is where they are. You better hurry if you plan to save that girl." He said only for Shizuka, Misaki, Satsujin, Ichiru and Hanabusa to turn and rush toward the dorm.

As they drew closer to the dorm it was to find that it was over taken by vines and various other plants, causing surprise from everyone except for Shizuka as they came to a stop due to how all the possible entry points were covered. "There has to be a way in." Satsujin said as he went to go closer but a vine shot out and went to smack him in the chest but he brought up his sword and sliced it before it could strike him as there was a laugh from above them, drawing everyone's attention only to see that Yukiro was standing on a vine somewhere near the second level. "Where is Ame?!" Satsujin demanded as he held his sword before himself while Misaki had her twin hand guns trained on Yukiro. Behind them Ichiru drew his blade as Shizuka removed her obi while Hanabusa stood ready to send ice at Yukiro.

"So blunt, hunter." Yukiro said only for vines to snake along the ground and grab up Satsujin and Misaki before the others could do anything to free them. "But seeing as the two guests of honor have arrived, we shall begin." He said as he seemed to vanish as the vines moved fast to take Misaki and Satsujin to the roof while the others were left to contend with an onslaught of vines meant to keep them from getting to the roof.

Once on the roof Satsujin and Misaki were held by the vines the same way that Ame was as both of them tried to call out to her only for there to be no response, at least not until Yukiro spoke. "Kōri no ōjo." He said as she inclined her head as her cerulean eyes went crimson at the mere sight of two offerings from her master. "Feed as you wish from these two that I offer." He said as he knew that in a matter of moments Ame would be forced to awaken, so he freed her as she fell to the ground only to slowly stand as her bare feet seemed to move in a near blinding blur due to how her pale skin seemed to near gleam in the darkness, but not as much as the lustful look in her glowing crimson eyes as she continued toward the two as they were released. "To allow you a little fun." Yukiro said as he allowed Misaki and Satsujin to be free only to jump back and land sitting on a large vine that was as wide as a tree trunk.

"Ame, you need to snap out of this!" Satsujin said only for Ame to go at him and strike him to the ground earning a laugh from her master as she turned on Misaki but before she could do anything Satsujin had shot Ame through her right shoulder with a small anti vampire handgun that he carried. "Snap out of it!" He yelled since he had thought that sudden sharp pain might free her from the hypnosis but that was not the case due to how Ame turned while holding her right shoulder with her left hand. "Ame!" Satsujin said in a stern low tone only for Ame to move quickly as she got close to him only to aim to stab Satsujin through the stomach but instead she got his side leaving a deep gaping gash there as he stumbled back away from her before sinking to his knees while his blood was pooling under him.

Ame looked down at her hand with vague interest there as she brought up her hand only to begin to lick the blood from her hand as she was ignoring Misaki who was standing behind her with a look of shock on her face as Ame was content just licking the blood from her hand.

'That can't be my daughter! She would never do this!' she thought as she saw that Satsujin was slowly losing his battle to remain on his knees due to the blood flow from the wound, and when Ame started toward him in that split second Misaki made her decision.

Ame had been aiming for Satsujin only for another body move in between them as her hand went through the chest of that person. The scent of blood flooded Ame's senses as she snapped out of Yukiro's hypnosis for a moment as she saw her arm up to her elbow was clear through someone's chest. Her eyes moved up only for her cerulean eyes to widen in pure shock. The one she had struck was Misaki who was giving her a sad but relieved look with her haze colored eyes as blood was seen coming from the corners of her mouth. "Misaki...why?" Ame asked as she withdrew her hand and arm only for Misaki to put her arms around Ame and hold her close.

"I w-wished for you to be f-free..." Misaki said her body shaking due to how she was bleeding out as she angled her head to look down at Ame as tears came to her eyes. "I...I may n-not be your birth...mother...but to allow you a new life...I will glady give my own..."

"What do you mean? You said you hated me because I am a vampire!" Ame said in anger and frustration.

"I...never hated you..." Misaki said as she could feel her life fading more and more. "I...l-love you..." she said as Ame's eyes widened. "I...want to be with you...so eat what r-remains of me..." she said as Ame's eyes took a crimson glow but she shook her head. "I...I will die either way..." Misaki said as she smiled. "L-let me do this to atone for my sins..."

Tears flowed freely down Ame's face as she leaned up close to Misaki's neck as her fangs became more pronounced only for her to sink her fangs deep into Misaki's neck before she started to drink Misaki's blood but the second she did she felt something in her shatter.

**A/N: One more chapter to go after this one and then it will be onto the sequel. And I want to say a thanks to the people who have favorited and followed this story. I hope everyone likes this chapter even though it was short. The next chapter I am going to aim for it to be around the same length at least. And I want to give thanks once again to Myra K Kuran who has been reviewing this story for several chapters and helping me by giving me feedback on the chapters and on things that I have planned. Until the next chapter.**


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Awakening

**Blood Oath**

**Chapter Nineteen: Awakening**

Ame felt herself all but being absorbed in the intoxicating taste of the blood that she was tasting from her mother. She found that this was the blood she had craved for so long, more than the blood of Hanabusa, Shizuka or even Satsujin. Her eyes remained closed as she within herself could feel herself being surrounded by a river of blood that was coming from the one she had in her arms, the one that had given her a life of peace only for Ame to repay her by taking her life from her. As she continued to drink she still felt something within herself shattering only for a figure to appear before her, one of the woman she had been told was her grandmother.

"_Grandma Rei!" Ame said as she ran over to her grandmother who merely opened her arms to the granddaughter she was never allowed to see grow up. Once Ame slammed against her body, Rei moved her arms closer and enclosed the small figure of her granddaughter. "Is it really you?" Ame asked as tears streamed down her face._

"_Only in spirit." Rei said as she continued to hold her granddaughter close._

"_But how? Shizuka told me that you died to turn me into a normal vampire." Ame said leaning back slightly to look up at her grandmother. _

"_It is because the part that cost me my life, was to allow me to put a part of myself within you so that when you found the person who would break the spell I placed on you." Rei said as she shifted Ame to hold her at arms length away from her while she looked at her granddaughter. "Because now you have a choice."_

"_A choice?" Ame asked giving her a look of confusion._

"_Yes, to fully awaken which will in turn break the seal that the hunter placed on you in the form of your necklace. Or for you to awaken with that seal still on you because your power has the ability to negate it should you choose." Rei said as she watched her young grandchild think for a moment._

"_I need to fully awaken, because of how everyone I care for is in danger, and I do not want the one who was a mother to me to have died in vain." Ame said as Rei smiled._

"_Very well. This is our final farewell." She said as blood started to flow from her as Ame gave her a shocked look. "The final part of the spell was to be done with me as a spirit to fully release you from my selfish spell." She said only for Ame to step closer and hug her close._

"_You did not do anything selfish. You were doing what you thought was for the best to allow me a better future, a future free of the pressures of being a pureblood. But I cannot hide from what I am any longer if I want to be able to protect those I care for." Ame said only for her grandmother to vanish as the spell was breaking before she saw an image of Misaki before her. "Mother…I am so sorry." Ame said as she looked at Misaki with tears in her eyes._

_However Misaki shook her head and smiled at Ame. "Do not be sorry, I am glad that I could help you find the way to who you were meant to be." Misaki said. "Even if I am no longer with you in body, I will be with you." She said as Misaki disintegrated into dust and was blown away._

_At seeing her mother disappear in such a way Ame felt the rest of the spell break as she clenched her fists at her sides while she screamed as her memories that had not been recovered came rushing back to her as though a flood had overcome her mind._

Shizuka had managed to do the final blows to get through the vines as she rushed through the building with Hanabusa and Ichiru close behind her. She could feel the spell on Ame was breaking and would be no more any second. 'She did it…' she thought since she knew that meant that Ame had drank Misaki's blood.

"What is this new presence?" Hanabusa asked as they continued to run up the final flight of stairs. "It feels like Ame but not at the same time." He said as he was confused since he had not been told anything of who she really was.

However Shizuka did not answer him, but instead kept running since she knew full well what was going on, her niece was awakening and she would soon be very unstable until she gained control of herself. With that in mind when they got to the top of the stairs, she threw the door open only to see what she had feared. Satsujin on the ground gravely injured while Ame was slowly standing still holding Misaki close. In a brief second, Shizuka realized that Misaki was no longer alive. 'She gave her life in full to save Ame…no to revive Ametsuki." Shizuka thought as Ametsuki looked down at Misaki with a pained expression.

"Finally!" Yukiro yelled as he stood and jumped down from the vine he had been sitting on as he had the widest smirk on his face. "Kōri no ōjo Ametsuki Hoshioko has awakened!" he said as Ametsuki remained where she was looking down at Misaki while her hair hid her eyes at the moment.

"Hoshioko?" Hanabusa said in shock as he stared at Ame as he had to admit she had a more powerful presence than she did the last time he had seen her. That and even with the appearance of the surroundings in the area, she had a very regal appearance and her movements were as fluid as water she could control as she knelt and placed Misaki down on the ground. It was a few moments before Hanabusa found his voice again as he yelled to Ame. "Ame!" he yelled as she looked toward him as her hair shifted about her face and shoulders and seemed to dance behind her with the simple movement she had shown. "Satsujin need help!" he said since if she was a pureblood, which he was sure she was now due to how she had the sense of a presence that all pure bloods had.

Ametsuki looked toward Satsujin as she went over to him and knelt not realizing that Yukiro had started toward her only that her aunt rushed forward along with Hanabusa and Ichiru. While Hanabusa and Ichiru held off Yukiro, Shizuka knelt across from her niece who was working on lifting Satsujin up even though she could already feel his life slipping away.

"You have to make him into a vampire, it is the only way to keep from losing him." Shizuka said as she knew she could do it, but it was crucial for her niece to do it. All due to how Satsujin was the final piece to allow her niece to fully release any final parts of the spell that was on her.

Ametsuki looked at her aunt with a sad look before she nodded only to lift up Satsujin so he was sitting before her as she leaned close, her fangs becoming more pronounced in her mouth. "Please, forgive me, father." She whispered for only him to hear, but her aunt had heard it and found it interesting that she would have said something like that only for Ametsuki's fangs to sink deep into Satsujin's neck.

"Ack!" he gasped only for Shizuka to grab his hands and hold them down.

"She is saving you." She said since she knew as a natural instinct Satsujin had been about to try and push Ametsuki away from him. Though she was glad to say the least when he seemed to fully register what she had said as he was still allowing Ametsuki to focus on doing what ws needed to change him from a human to a vampire.

'I do not want him to become a puppet of a vampire, not a loyal servant because that is not who he is.' Ametsuki thought to herself as she kept her fangs in his neck. 'Even as a vampire, I wish for him to remain as himself.' She thought as she withdrew her fangs from Satsujin only to offer her wrist to him. "You must drink my blood now or you will fall to a level E." she said as Satsujin looked up at her with an expression that showed all too well that he was hesitant to do so. "Please! I do not wish to lose you too!" Ametsuki cried as tears brimmed in her cerulean eyes.

Satsujin's blue eyes were locked on Ametsuki as she spoke but when she held out her wrist he could already feel vampire instincts awaken within him. 'Her blood…it is the only blood that I crave.' He thought to himself as he lightly grabbed Ametsuki's wrist while his blue eyes shifted over to a bright crimson before he closed his eyes licking Ametsuki's wrist feeling the pulse of her blood passing through her body. After a brief second he opened his mouth revealing a pair of vampire fangs before they pierced into Ametsuki's wrist causing her to flinch slightly for a second since Satsujin was a bit rough with the initial bite.

"I am sorry…" She whispered as she felt Satsujin begin to drink. She felt that her acting to save him had led to her doing something beyond selfish, as she wished that he might one day be able to forgive him for cursing him to live the existence of a vampire.

During this Shizuka had watched only to look up to see Yukiro rushing over toward where she was with Ametsuki and Satsujin. In one fluid movement, Shizuka stood and shifted her obi only to use it like a whip toward Yukiro. "I will not let you take my niece away from me!" she declared as Yukiro moved about dodging the whip only to get right in front of Shizuka and preparing to strike her through the chest. Just as Shizuka had been about to strike him away, Yukiro was gone knocked back across the roof by an unseen force.

"I won't let you take her away from me, the way that you took my mother and father!" Ametsuki declared as she stood while Satsujin stood behind her left shoulder. "You will have to destroy me before you can harm any of those I care for!" Ametsuki said only for Yukiro to smirk at her.

"No need for that, Kōri no ōjo because once I am done with you, there will be no memories of any of these lesser beings." Yukiro said as he used the vines that shot up knocking Shizuka and Satsujin back away from Ametsuki who turned to try and go to them but she barely made it two steps before Yukiro caught her and held her close pinning her arms down to her sides. "One bite and you will be all mine." Yukiro whispered as Ametsuki was struggling with him, something that only seemed to excite him.

"I will never be yours!" Ametsuki cried out as she tried to force Yukiro off of her as she saw Shizuka and Satsujin stand and start to rush back over to her but she did not get to think on that more than a few seconds due to how she could feel Yukiro about to sink his fangs into her neck. "LET GO!" She yelled only for Yukiro to scream in pain and move away from Ametsuki. 'Did I?' she thought to herself as she saw ice piercing him close to his heart.

"Ame!" Hanabusa said as he appeared beside her and held out his arms to help steady her. "We need to finish him off now before he can harm anyone else." He said as Ametsuki nodded at him.

"Get out of here, I don't know what all this ability will do." She ordered but to her surprise Hanabusa shook his head at her.

"I am not abandoning you again. We will do this together to be sure that you are not hurt anymore." He said as he held her hand.

Ametsuki gave him a look with tear filled eyes before she nodded. "Alright." She said before looking toward her aunt and Satsujin. "Distract him while we prepare the final attack!" she said as the two nodded before charging at Yukiro to keep him back to buy the two young vampire's time.

"We have to hurry so that Ichiru can get medical treatment." Hanabusa said as Ametsuki nodded. Once he told her the plan she held his hand for a brief second before both were ready to fight.

"Satsujin! Shoot him!" Ametsuki yelled only for Yukiro to focus his attacks on Satsujin before Shizuka struck him hard in the side with her obi due to him having lost focus on her, granting Satsujin his opening.

"There will be no coming back for you this time." He said in a cold tone as he took aim and shot Yukiro close to the heart because he had moved at the last second but the desired effect was obtained. Once Yukiro was landed back on the ground again the first wave of ice went at him from Hanabusa forcing Yukiro up into the air.

That was when Ametsuki did what appeared to be near like an intricate dance as she was pulling moisture from the air and even drawing it from the plants that Yukiro had been using. Once she had enough she sent it at him in the form of millions of shards that pierced him all over his body as Hanabusa sent a second wave of ice up encasing Yukiro in it before imploding it so that it destroyed Yukiro.

As the vines began to recede from the roof and from the dorm building in general, Ametsuki sank to her knees only to hear worried yells from Hanabusa, her aunt, and Satsujin, but she merely shook her head at them. "I am fine, I just cannot believe that after so long, it is finally over." She said as her aunt stood before her and offered her a hand up. Once Ametsuki was back on her feet she smiled at her aunt before throwing her arms around Shizuka. "We can finally be a family." She said in a happy tone since that was all she had ever wanted, to be part of a family since hers had been ripped away from her.

It was a few seconds before Shizuka wrapped her arms around her niece and held her close as she held her tears of joy in check due to how she knew it was not wise for a pureblood to show their tears. "Of course we can be." She said as in truth it had been what she had wanted as well ever since she had found out that Ame had been Ametsuki the entire time.

"Hey!" Satsujin called as he was supporting an injured Ichiru who had a deep gash from his left shoulder to his right hip. "He needs medical treatment." He said as Shizuka and Ametsuki broke their hug.

"No, just place him down." She said as Satsujin did as she said before she cut her palm and offered it to Ichiru.

"You cannot be serious! That is sick!" Satsujin said in disgust despite the scent of the blood being near overpowering to him.

"It is the best way to heal him quickly." Shizuka said casually as Ichiru reached up and weakly gripped her hand as he drank from the injury only for his wound to begin to heal over enough to at least stabilize him before she pulled her hand back. "One of the reasons the purebloods are so feared and respected among vampires, our blood and even our flesh has certain healing properties." She said as she stood. "Apply bandages to insure that it does not start bleeding again." She said only for Satsujin to give her annoyed look.

"Love ordering people around?" he asked sarcastically as Shizuka chuckled. "What is so amusing?"

"Just that because you were bitten and then as an added bit received the blood of Ametsuki, you retained your freewill. Otherwise you would be groveling to me if I so chose to say for you to do so." She said as Satsujin gave her a glare of pure hatred.

During the exchange Ametsuki had stood to the side watching as she could not help but laugh a little before she heard a faint sound which drew her attention away. As she glanced around she realized that they were one short. "Hanabusa?" she called as she walked around the roof seeing if he was still there but deep down she got a feeling that he was not.

/

The following day Ametsuki sat beside Kaien who was resting on his bed, though he was still bad off he had regained consciousness and was smiling at the young vampire beside him. "So, you have regained your memories in full?" he asked with a slight solemn tone to his voice.

"Yes, I had already regained some with the help of Aunt Shizuka, but those that I had not regained have all returned to me." Ametsuki said in a sad tone. "But I cannot help but wonder if it was worth the price that was paid for me to regain everything…" she said as she closed her cerulean eyes to hide her tears from Kaien.

"Misaki knew what she was doing." He said as Ametsuki opened her eyes and looked at Kaien in shock. "I think she knew all along what it would mean to fall in love with you, and despite being warned against it, she still loved you with her whole heart."

"But that still does not make it right that in order for me to become myself again that she had to give her life." Ametsuki said looking down at her lap since she was still doubting that it had been right for her to awaken in such a way. "Vampires really do live cursed existences…" she said in a low tone only for Kaien to reach out and rest his hand on her right which was resting on her lap drawing her attention back to him.

"They may or they may not. The only one who can determine if your existence is a cursed one is you." He said with a weak smile toward her due to how he was still in pain. "Just never forget who you are, the daughter of Kiyoshi and Sachi Hoshioko and the niece of Shizuka Hio because so long as you hold to that then you will remain as you are." Kaien said before his eyes closed causing Ametsuki to worry until she saw that he was still breathing.

She sighed in relief as she soon stood and leaned over him as she placed his hand back at his side. "I will not ever forget who I am." She said before she kissed his forehead as a thank you and a farewell as she straightened. "Thank you for all that you did for me." She said as she turned and walked back toward the door only to close it as she left Kaien to rest.

/

By that evening Ichiru had come in and left a simple white dress and matching slippers for Ametsuki to wear, saying that her aunt had sent him to get them for her so that she could discard the tattered rags she was wearing at the moment. Though as Ichiru had turned to leave, Ametsuki stopped him. "Has there been any sign of Hanabusa?" she asked in a near pleading tone as Ichiru turned and looked toward her even though he was wearing his mask.

"No there has not, Lady Ametsuki." He said simply. "Though your aunt has said that you are better off forgetting about that boy and focusing on what the future is sure to bring now that you have awakened along with Lady Yuki." He said as he looked away since he was feeling resentment about how even Satsujin had been turned, and yet even though he had faithfully followed and protected Shizuka she had refused to turn him into a vampire.

"I cannot just forget him." Ametsuki said as Ichiru gave her a confused look, even more as she walked over with grace that rivaled the grace of Shizuka. "I cannot forget him because he is the one that I have given my heart to. And until I can at least say farewell to him, there will be no way that my heart can move on past him." She said as she now stood before Ichiru who she could feel was watching her every move carefully from behind his mask. Slowly she reached up only to rest her pale hands on either side of Ichiru's mask as he remained still, not making any move to stop her as she lifted the mask and slid it away, but his eyes were closed as he angled his face away from her once the mask was no longer concealing his face.

"Why did you want to remove my mask, Lady Ametsuki?" he asked her as he kept his face turned to the side only to hear a faint laugh from Ametsuki.

"I knew that you were Zero's twin, so I guess I was curious as to if the two of you look alike. Though I cannot fully tell with you refusing to look at me." She said as she felt happy when he did not do what she had been hinting to. "Could you please open your eyes and look at me so that I can see them?" she asked but Ichiru made no move to do what she had requested. So after a few moments she reached up lightly placing her hands on the sides of his face to gently guide him to look at her. "Please?" she asked again as she felt Ichiru sigh before opening his eyes to look at Ametsuki.

"Why is it that you wished to see my face, Lady Ametsuki?" he asked as Ametsuki shook her head at him.

"Just call me Ametsuki." She said since she was still not sure about being called by a formal title since her whole life she had never once been called that except by the maids and butlers that had once been at the estate that had been her parent's home until they had been murdered.

"Of course, Ametsuki." Ichiru said as he saw a pure smile grace the face of Ametsuki for the first time, at least the first one she had done around him. "Though can you please tell me why you wished to see my face?" he asked again in a gentle tone.

Ametsuki kept her hands where they were resting on Ichiru's face as her smile faded ever so slightly causing a pang of sadness in Ichiru's eyes. "I wished to see you for who you are, even if just once. I want to be able to see when you smile, that it is reflected in your eyes, to be able to see when you are upset or troubled." She said since she had grown up with everyone around her wearing masks so she wished to not see any more masks being worn by those that she cared for.

Ichiru sighed slightly as he thought of why he had started to wear it. All due to how he had once openly shown that he cared for Shizuka in ways that she never returned or seemed like she would ever do so. All due to how he loved her but she saw him as a child at times. Had he been foolish to ever even feel such emotions for her? But now, seeing Ametsuki before him, the pain he felt he could see it reflected in her pure cerulean eyes, the pain of having loved someone that they could never be with. He because Shizuka did not return his feelings, and her because her being a pureblood princess meant that she could never be with Hanabusa despite the love the two of them shared.

With that in mind, Ichiru allowed himself to smile ever so slightly. "When I am around you, I will not wear the mask, so long as you grace me with your kind gentle smile." He said since it reminded him of happier times, and it was a smile that was rare anymore. To his surprise she granted him another kind smile before he left the room holding his mask in his hand as he closed the door behind him.

/

Once Ametsuki was finished getting dressed Shizuka came to her room and told her that it was time to go, and that the others were waiting. So Ametsuki followed her aunt from the room as they were soon leaving the house that belonged to Kaien and heading toward the archway that marked the entrance to the school grounds. "Ichiru and Satsujin secured a car so that we can go back to the Hoshioko estate." Shizuka said as she walked with Ametsuki trailing behind her.

That is until Ametsuki heard something and stopped, looking to see that it was Hanabusa. She felt her heart skip a beat before she saw him turn to start walking away as she felt nothing but pain at the sight of him leaving for no reason. So she stood there for several moments before she glanced toward her aunt to see that she had stopped and was giving her a disapproving look since Shizuka surely knew what Ametsuki was wishing to do.

"You know that it cannot be, so you would be better just casting him from your mind." Shizuka said as she could see the pain that her words had caused, but she saw it as best that her niece be hurt by words now rather than deal with what was sure to come from her impossible wish to be with the son of Aidou.

"I…I just want to be allowed to say good bye to him, because I think that would at least allow me closure with how I love him." She said as she looked down missing the shocked look on Shizuka's face. All due to how it seemed that almost any time a woman with Hio blood found love it lead to nothing but heartache, almost like a curse upon them.

"I know it is hard, but some things are better left unsaid." Shizuka said trying to convince Ametsuki to not take the more painful route.

"But I have to otherwise I will never know closure and will just want to seek him out later." Ametsuki said as she looked up at her aunt with a determined look in her eyes and on her face since she did feel this was something she had to do. "Please." She said since she knew if she did not have her aunt's permission she could easily stop Ametsuki from going to say farewell to Hanabusa.

Shizuka sighed as she thought for a moment as she saw in the distance that Hanabusa had stopped walking and was looking toward her and Ametsuki. Just from the look on the young vampire's face, Shizuka could tell that there was forbidden love there. 'Why did you have to find love with someone you could not be with…' Shizuka thought to herself as she closed her eyes in thought on if she should allow her niece to go. After several moments she saw Ametsuki look over toward Hanabusa.

Ametsuki glanced around only to see Hanabusa had turned and started walking away from her. She looked toward her aunt almost seeking her approval. When Shizuka nodded showing that she was okay with Ametsuki going, she turned and without a word she ran after Hanabusa since even if what they had been told was true, she would not go through with it. Her heart belonged to Hanabusa and she would never allow it to go to anyone else. Not even if she had to eventually marry, she would do so but they would never have her love. As she ran she called out. "Hanabusa!" she cried out as a few tears fell from her eyes while she only slowed when he came to a stop but did not turn to face her.

"Yes, Lady Ametsuki." Hanabusa said not looking toward her as she could tell he was hiding the emotions that were trying to break into his voice.

"Hanabusa, why won't you look at me?" she asked as she walked closer. "I am still the same one that you love-" she started but Hanabusa shook his head at her.

"It was nothing but a dream. I am not right for you, Lady Ametsuki. You belong with your aunt, Lady Shizuka, another pureblood." Hanabusa said glancing back at Ametsuki only to see tears brimming in her eyes. "You should know, it is not proper for a pureblood to show their tears to anyone, others will see it as a weakness."

"I do not care about that!" Ametsuki yelled at him as she shook her head, tears falling freely down her face. "All I want is to be with you! For you to know that the love I feel for you is true!" Ametsuki cried as she clenched her fists at her sides.

"And if I am unable to return your love?" Hanabusa asked as Ametsuki looked at him with her wide cerulean eyes.

"I know that you do! I could taste it in your blood that night that you let me feed on your blood!" Ametsuki declaired. "That is how you can know my true feelings!" she said as she remembered how vampires were able to read into one another's true emotions through one another's blood. "Drink my blood! So that you may know my true feelings for you." she said in a pleading tone as tears continued to fall.

"It is taboo or any other than the mate of a pureblood to drink their blood." Hanabus said but Ametsuki shook her head.

"I will make it an order if I have to, but I am asking you...please...drink my blood." she pleaded as Hanabusa turned to face her fully and walked back over to her in only a few steps as he brought his arms up around her as he looked down at her. "Even if for this one last moment, I want to be yours...and only yours..." she said in a shaking tone as Hanabusa leaned down closer and rested his forehead against hers.

"I will do as you ask, Lady Ametsuki..." he whispered for only her to hear as there was nothing but sadness in his voice.

"Please...just call me Ame. Because so long as you do, then at least as Ame, my heart can be yours..." she whispered as Hanabusa gave her a sad smile.

"Ame..." he said in a whisper before moving his face down by her neck as he held her close to himself only for his fangs to sink deep into the side of her neck causing her to draw in a deep breath.

"...Hanabusa..." she whispered as she closed her eyes focusing on the emotions she wished to convey to him this one last time through her blood. She could feel him drawing it all within himself for what felt like an eternity but in truth was only a few moments before she felt him withdraw his fangs from her neck and lean back to where he was standing before her still holding her close as the bite marks on her neck healed over due to her accelerated healing as a pure blood. "Now you know. That even if I live until the end of eternity...my heart will always be yours." she said before Hanabusa pulled her closer and clung to her as he shook from silent tears from the emotions and glimpses into her memories of their times together. From how they did not get along at first to when he started to tutor her in the shared abilities they had to them falling in love.

"I...I never knew for sure how strongly you returned my feelings for you." he said as he held her close feeling his heart break more and more at the thought of how he had found his true love but she was promised to another and because he was not a pureblood he was in no position to challenge traditions, that of which that a pureblood princess could only be with a pureblood lord. That is unless her guardian, Lady Shizuka overturned any bit with tradition to allow Hanabusa a chance with the one that he loved. Though deep down he knew that was not to be the case, Shizuka was still angry with him for how he had hurt Ametsuki before so he was not deserving of her hand. But in that moment, Hanabusa leaned back only to lean down as his lips met Ametsuki's in a passionate kiss.

They lingered in the kiss for a few moments longer due to how they both knew deep down that they would never be allowed to be as they were at the moment. Though when Ametsuki leaned out of the kiss she looked toward Hanabusa with a sad look on her face only for him to reach up and brush his fingertips against her right cheek only to whisper to her. "I will find a way to get past the laws that keep us a part." He whispered to her as Ametsuki smiled at him, beyond happy that he would be doing as she had wished for.

"I know you will." She said as tears were once again brimming in her cerulean eyes as she reached up resting her right hand on his that was still gently brushing her cheek as she wished they could stay like they were forever. Just the two of them. But she knew that their time was coming to an end, and that she had to get back to her aunt. "I will love you for all eternity." She said as Hanabusa leaned down closer to her so their faces were only inches apart.

"And I will always love you for eternity." He whispered before leaning back as his hand moved down away from Ametsuki only for her to turn and walk away, leaving him alone in the trees.

Ametsuki walked back to where Shizuka was waiting only to follow her aunt toward the stairs as the last light of day was dying away. As they two walked down the stairs they were joined by Zero and Yuki who confirmed that they were going to stay with Ametsuki and Shizuka so that Yuki could learn to be a pureblood princess alongside Ametsuki. Something that made Ametsuki happy due to how she was not going to be alone. Though as they continued down the steps together, the two souls that could not be together thought in unison.

'_We will be together again…one day…'_

**A/N: **Well that is the end of the first story in the series. I am already working on the sequel and I plan to have it up by sometime next week or so depending on how things play out because part of this upcoming week is going to be very crazy for me. Once again I want to thank Myra K Kuran for how she has reviewed the story for many chapters and has followed it since near the beginning. Also a special thanks to everyone who has favorited, followed and read this story. Until next time.


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