Disclaimer: I don't own VK or its characters! Only in my dreams. Now, onto the story!

From Ashes to Dust
Chapter 1: Body and Blood

Yuuki sighed heavily and sunk her face into her palms. She was seated at the kitchen table of the Chairman's residence, math homework splayed around her. Pencils and erasers littered her makeshift desk. A trail of crumpled pages led to the trash can in the corner of the room. Yuuki's Prefect duties had caused her to become so far behind in math that she could never dream of catching up. She had somehow convinced her teacher to extend the due date to tomorrow. Despite the looming deadline, she couldn't force herself to focus at the moment. Math was the least of her concerns.

Yuuki and Zero often spent their weekends at the Chairman's to spend some quality family time together. That family was becoming rather dysfunctional as of late.

Weeks ago Yuuki was shocked to witness Zero's transformation into a vampire. The brother she grew up with was no longer a human like her. For years Yuuki poked and prodded him with her infectious personality, trying to reach out to him and learn more about him. Lately it seemed as if their relationship had regressed to the day he first stepped foot inside the Chairman's home.

Zero was even more difficult to converse with in light of recent events, and Yuuki couldn't blame him. He was now one of the creatures he so openly despised.

Yuuki's lips curled downward into a slight frown. She doodled on her math homework as she brainstormed ways to cheer up Zero.

She heard a crashing noise behind her and her reveries came to a screeching halt. The pencil in her tiny hand slipped from her fingers and rolled away on the floor. Yuuki whipped her body around and her eyes quickly found the figure hunched over in the kitchen doorway.

Zero clutched the doorframe and stepped out of the shadows.

"Yuuki…I…" he faltered and collapsed onto his knees. She immediately rushed over to him and his desperate crimson eyes glared up at her. She knew what she had to do, and she also knew how much he abhorred himself because of it.

"Zero," she gritted between her teeth, "I've told you that I'm always here for you. But you need to help me help you!" Her arms enveloped his sweltering body in attempt to help him up, but he wouldn't budge.

"Chairman….is he –"

"He's not here," Yuuki quickly responded. Sweat trickled down his scalp to the end of his silvery strands of hair. Yuuki extended a finger to brush the hair out of his eyes and pressed a palm to his forehead. She was alarmed at how hot he felt. He was burning up.

"Now let me help you," she insisted.

Yuuki wasn't quite sure how she managed it, but one heave later and Zero was standing on his feet. She helped him down the long hallway that led to the bathroom. Once inside, she locked the door just in case.

Zero slid down the wall and rested his palms against the cool tile floor. This did nothing to alleviate his pain. His breathing was labored, and he was about to open his mouth to speak when Yuuki beat him to it.

"Don't even think about arguing with me this time," Yuuki warned. "I know you hate everything about this, but I'm going to do whatever I can to ease your pain, if only for a little while. I refuse to accept your fate. We're going to beat this together."

Before Yuuki knew it Zero had pinned her against the wall. His claws dug into her wrists, holding them in place. The length of his lean body closed the gap between them.

"You're stupid, Yuuki," he breathed as he yanked off the coat of her school uniform. "Caring so much about someone like me when I slowly deteriorate into a Level E by the day. I've already caused you enough pain, but do you truly understand what I can do to you? I crave blood so much that I could suck you dry without a second thought." He hissed and revealed his fangs.

"I'm not scared of you," Yuuki retorted and looked at her reflection in his eyes. Who was she trying to convince? Zero, or herself?

Zero undid the top two buttons of her stark white shirt and pushed her collar back to reveal the supple part of her neck that his fangs immediately grazed. Yuuki shuddered in spite of herself and grasped his arms. She wanted to give him her blood, needed to give him her blood. Hell would freeze over before Yuuki allowed Zero to be in any more pain than he already was. But there was always something so….intimate about these moments, especially since they hid them from the Chairman. No, she visibly shook her head, Zero was like a brother.

Yuuki let out a muffled cry as Zero's fangs sank deep into her flesh. Her vision blurred and her thoughts danced madly. This was the only solution for now, and Yuuki was committed to it. No, it wasn't ideal for either of them, but what other choice did she have? His body wasn't tolerating blood tablets, and she wasn't going to leave him there throbbing in pain.

Zero's hands gripped Yuuki's shoulders tightly as he drank in the delicious liquid his body craved. She whimpered softly and tears welled in her eyes from the pain.

Little did she know that Zero had access to her innermost thoughts and memories when he sucked her precious blood. He felt her concern for his wellbeing, the pain his fangs caused her, and her fear of what the future had in store for their family. Memories they shared together flitted before his eyes. There he was, wide-eyed and drenched in blood as Chairman Cross helped him into their home. A miniature Yuuki dabbed the blood from his neck and coaxed him that everything would be okay now. Next, he saw Yuuki smiling widely at him as the two of them killed time on prefect duty. Moments later he saw himself lurching from the shadows and latching onto her neck just after he had become a vampire. He was disgusted with himself. She had been so kind to him over the years, and this was how he repaid her.

Zero reeled suddenly as images of Kaname flooded her vision, putting as much space between them as possible. He spat out the remaining blood in his mouth on the floor and scowled at her. "I'm not the one you want drinking your blood," he said cruelly and strode out the door.

Zero hadn't even looked at her. She fell to the floor and pulled her knees to her chest. Her bottom lip quivered and tears got caught in her eyelashes before falling down her cheeks. He left her there without cleaning her up or tending to her wounds like he usually did. She surveyed the damage. The front of her shirt was soaked in blood due to his harsh departure from her skin. She sat there unmoving even though the blood continued to drip further down her shirt. Yuuki sobbed and resigned to stay in the bathroom for a good long cry.

He didn't know why he did it. He wanted to push her away and stop causing her physical pain, but he knew it would just hurt her more emotionally. Yuuki adored Kaname since she first met him. He should be used to that by now. But every time Zero saw Kaname's gentle gaze linger on Yuuki, he filled with rage and wanted nothing more than to destroy the Pureblood. What the vampire wanted with a human girl he had yet to understand. The possibility that Kaname wanted to turn Yuuki made his blood boil.

Zero clenched his fists as he walked to the one place that could calm him down besides the stables. Yuuki knew about the stables and could always find him there. This place was his and his alone. He trudged through the narrow path behind the stables. It could hardly be called a path; the grass had been flattened over time by his footsteps.

The cool wind whispered his silver locks back and forth over his forehead. The full moon shone like a beacon in the blackness of night, leading his way. He walked for a few more minutes and felt his breathing return to normal as he neared his location. Zero was about to emerge from the clearing when he suddenly froze.

He heard her before he saw her. That poignant melody would haunt him for the rest of his days. The dark sound of a violin murmured through the night air. The notes pushed and pulled, creating tension. They reached the tune's climax at an agonizingly slow pace and then raced back down again.

The figure's legs dangled dangerously off the cliff that jutted out over the serene lake. Zero could make out long hair flowing to her hips. The instrument was nestled between her collarbone and neck. Skillful fingers leapt between the strings, sounding the emotive melody.

Zero had not heard anything so beautiful his entire life. He was too hypnotized to be annoyed that his clandestine spot had been infiltrated. As he listened he felt a whirlwind of emotions – despair, regret, shame, emptiness. It was as if the player understood how he was feeling at this exact moment in time. He unclenched his fists and lowered to the ground, taking in the resonance completely.

Almost a week later, Zero and Yuuki headed back to the Chairman's after an uneventful night of Prefect duties. The two had barely spoken all night.

"I guess all is right in the world," Yuuki mused. "I can't remember the last night that was this quiet." They had encountered no bloodthirsty night students and no rebellious day students stalking the night class. In fact, they had come across absolutely nothing out of the ordinary during their watch.

"Don't jinx it," Zero said after a moment. "That just means they're plotting something for tomorrow."

Yuuki stuck her tongue out at him. "Not all vampires are bad, Zero," she said. "I really don't believe the night class is out to get us." Yuuki truly supported the Chairman's dream of peace between vampires and humans but had never been able to convince Zero to join their team. "I can even see myself befriending some of them!"

Zero snorted.

"Well, sure, Aido can be a little arrogant and Ruka definitely isn't the most pleasant of the bunch, but they have some potential! It's not like we're without our faults either," she rambled on. "You know me, sometimes I just don't know when to shut up." She flashed him a toothy grin.

Zero, however, was not amused. He gently placed his much larger hands on her shoulders and looked down at her. "Like me, they are still vampires, Yuuki," he said seriously. "Regardless of how kind they may be. One drop of blood is all it takes. Not even vampire nobles are immune to these things." He moved her hair behind her shoulder and solemnly traced the faint outline where his fangs had pierced her neck.

Yuuki pulled back, startled by his touch. "I – I can take care of myself!" she exclaimed, more flustered than she would have hoped. She patted her thigh for good measure, the place where her Artemis Rod remained hidden.

He looked at her. "If you say so." Zero resigned to silence for the remainder of the walk.

"Hey, Zero?" Yuuki asked shyly.

Silence.

"Hey ZERO!" she shouted in his direction.

"Yes, Yuuki?"

She paused. "Are you….okay? It's been almost a week since –"

"Yes, Yuuki. I'm fine. Thank you." Zero was not ready to tell Yuuki that he no longer wanted her blood. He honestly had no idea how she would react, and he also had no idea how else he would get blood for that matter. Zero had no desire to enter Yuuki's thoughts again anytime soon. Her thoughts that were swimming with her newfound fear of him and her lust for Kaname.

Yuuki opened the door to the Chairman's home and started towards his study with Zero in tow.

"You're impossible, you know that?" Yuuki fumed without looking at him.

Zero figured it was best to remain silent as he followed her down the hallway. He decided he really didn't understand girls. Especially Yuuki.

"This is the most you've spoken to me all week! And even then, you ignore me half the time or lecture me! It's absolutely infuriating!" She grasped the doorknob to the study. "You know, all you had to do was say sorry and – Chairman! Kaname-senpai!" Yuuki blinked. She had developed the terrible habit of barging into the Chairman's study without knocking. She really had to stop doing that.

"Yuuki-chan! Zero-chan! My beautiful children!" the Chairman beamed. "Please, come in! I have been waiting for your return. Kaname and I were discussing preparations for tomorrow night's ball."

"Sorry dad, er, Chairman," Yuuki fumbled. He squealed in delight upon being called dad and the mistake had already been forgotten. Yuuki noticed Kaname's lips curl upward slightly. He seemed amused by the whole exchange. Yuuki cursed herself as she felt a slight blush creep up to her cheeks.

Kaname was seated on the other side of Kaien's desk. His legs were crossed and his hands clutched the sides of the armchair, allowing him to sink back into its depth. Yuuki was not used to seeing him so at ease. He had traded his night school uniform for a fitted pair of khakis and a casual black button up. His shirtsleeves were rolled up messily and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone. Yuuki made a mental note to control her eyes in order to avoid further embarrassment.

Kaname rose from the chair and seemed to float over to Yuuki. He bowed down to kiss her hand, which only caused her blush to deepen. "Yuuki," he murmured as his elegant fingers gently caressed her hand. This went unnoticed by the Chairman and Zero. They were already deep in conversation at the other end of the room.

Kaname knelt down after kissing her hand and now held it in his own. "I hope Zero is treating you well," he said softly.

She almost jerked her hand away, but he held it tighter. Yuuki looked down into his endless chocolate eyes. She realized she literally had gotten lost in them and had stared into their depths for a few seconds longer than socially acceptable. "Um…yes," she answered lamely. "It was just a misunderstanding."

"I certainly hope so, Yuuki," he said as he eyed her neck suspiciously. Yuuki tensed at his realization. "Will I be seeing you at the ball tomorrow night?"

"Of course. A Prefect's watch never ends," she said dutifully.

He was towering over her now and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I was hoping to see you in a more….relaxed setting," Kaname almost smirked. "I'm sure your father won't mind if you enjoy yourself a little."

Yuuki knew her body had betrayed her because she could tell her cheeks were still flushed.

Kaname said suddenly, "I never tire of seeing it. Every time you blush I want to –"

"Yuuki-chan!" the Chairman clapped his hands. "Now that you and Kaname have had a chance to catch up, I need your help with something!"

What Yuuki's father had saved her from she was not sure. But she was certain it was something. Kaname straightened himself and shared a look with Yuuki. He smiled at her softly. She tried to discern the meaning of his last words, but his secretive eyes gave away nothing.

Zero excused himself from the room but not before glaring at Kaname, whom he had never addressed in the first place. Yuuki absolutely loved them both but hated nothing more than being in the same room as the two of them.

"I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, dear," the Chairman said as he clasped her hands, "but we have a new transfer student starting tomorrow! Actually, she's waiting in our kitchen right now. I was hoping you could show her to her room, which also happens to be your room. She'll be your and Yori's new roommate."

"Um…what?" Yuuki gaped. "She's here, at this hour?"

"Well, yes," he frowned and waved it off. "Her train arrived much later than expected, but no matter. She seemed rather averse to studying here, and I'm worried she may have a difficult time adjusting. If anyone can get through to her, I know it's you, Yuuki! Please try your best."

If anyone can get through to her, it's you? Yuuki started to wonder exactly what arrangement her father had gotten her into. "Yes Chairman, I will do what I can to make sure she is comfortable here."

"Back to Chairman?" he cried as tears rolled down his face.

"Goodnight Chairman, goodnight Kaname-senpai," Yuuki bowed. She stole a glance at Kaname on her way out, who had yet to take his eyes off her.

"Well, this should be interesting," the Chairman stated once he had his emotions back under control. "Her guardian is the powerful –"

"Yes, I am well aware," Kaname interrupted. "And I think it best to keep that quiet for now. I will not be sharing that information with the night students until I can figure out her intentions." He frowned. Something about her scent seemed so familiar to him, and he was going to stop at nothing to unravel the mystery.

She tapped her fingers on the kitchen table out of boredom. She had actually arrived much earlier in the day but had lost track of time exploring the school and its surrounding territories. The truth was she wanted absolutely nothing to do with Cross Academy. Her feet carried her to the Chairman's only after imagining the punishments her guardian would inflict on her if she didn't go. Her guardian was very keen for her to attend Cross Academy and wouldn't take no for an answer.

Yuuki bounded into the kitchen and rested her gaze on the slender frame arched over the kitchen table. Her long auburn hair cascaded down her back in waves. A narrow, sculpted face looked downward to the floor. Her eyelids twitched, floating between states of consciousness. She looked utterly exhausted. Two deep plum orbs snapped into awareness to meet Yuuki's.

Yuuki was stunned by her dark beauty. The girl in front of her looked like she belonged in the night class, not day school. Yuuki remembered her words. "Nice to meet you! I'm Cross Yuuki. You must be –"

"Suzuki Ayako,"she said as she picked up her bags and headed out the door.

"Hey, wait up!" Yuuki gasped as she ran to catch up with her new roommate. "Where are you going?"

"The Chairman insisted it was too dangerous for me to walk alone at night. Now that you're here to protect me, let's go," Ayako said without looking back. Yuuki detected a note of sarcasm in her voice while she struggled to keep up with Ayako's long strides. Ayako was nearly a head taller than Yuuki.

"I'm not your personal servant!" Yuuki seethed. "And it is dangerous. Day students aren't allowed outside at night."

"My father warned me about you," Yuuki continued after she received no response. Their footsteps echoed loudly on the cobblestone path. "It's pretty clear to me that you have no interest in being here. But you're stuck with me, at least as a roommate! And I'll have you know that I'm not so easy to get rid of."

Ayako's eyes twinkled in amusement. "Well, thank you for guiding me here, Cross Yuuki," she said as they reached the girl's wing of the Sun Dormitory. Yuuki led her up the stairs to their room and mentally braced herself for the introduction she was about to make between her two roommates.

After finishing his conversation with the Chairman, Kaname retreated to the Moon Dormitory. His Pureblood powers could have whisked him there in an instant, but instead he chose to walk in an attempt to calm himself down. He trembled. He needed blood tablets, and he needed them soon.

He silently damned himself and his yearning for Yuuki. Why did she hold this power over him? In no world was it appropriate. He was a Pureblood of the highest stature, and she was…just a human. He hated himself even more for not caring about that. How could it possibly work out? His fellow vampires would never approve of their relationship. He already noticed their condemning glances when he spent time talking to Yuuki during the class change.

Besides, the Vampire Council would never allow such a cursed relationship, and their decision was absolute. Kaname might be a powerful and royal pureblood, but the Council's verdicts overruled his own. His family had once governed the vampire populace, but he himself had little political power since the monarchy was abolished centuries ago. His parents' last decree was to outlaw the creation of any new human vampires. He couldn't attempt to overturn that law for his own personal gain.

Kaname's thoughts drifted from Yuuki's blushing face to Ayako's emotionless eyes. He was startled by her earlier appearance at the Chairman's home. Her amethyst eyes bore into his soul as if she knew all of his secrets. But how could that be? She was a human, after all. How could she know anything about him? What troubled Kaname the most was her sweet scent. He couldn't place the subtle aroma of honeyed cherry blossoms, yet it seemed so familiar to him. Could it be related to his missing memories?

Kaname finally reached the Moon Dormitory and headed upstairs to his private quarters, ignoring the welcoming cries of his peers. He could hear Aido muttering about his piousness and how he wouldn't even spare the time to greet them. Kaname would deal with Aido later. He certainly did not want the night class to witness his current condition. Years of self-discipline enabled him to easily conceal his tremors, but one wrong move and he thought his entire being would explode into dust.

Kaname reached the doorway to his room and stopped dead in his tracks. He could sense another presence mere feet away from him. He had no need to strain his vision; his Pureblood powers allowed him to see wholly in the blackest night.

Two taut, creamy shoulders peeked out above his chaise longue. Loosely curled, sandy brown hair tumbled over the back of the chaise and nearly reached the floor.

"Souen," Kaname said between gritted teeth, "How many times do I have to tell you I'm not interested in your seductions?" Addressing her formally did not help quench his needs or desires.

Ruka tiptoed across the room and stopped when she was a foot away from him. She was scantily clad in a black nightgown made of the finest silk. The nightgown barely extended past her thighs. Its deep V was trimmed with delicate lace and revealed the tops of her luscious breasts.

Ruka abruptly used her powers to slam the door shut. Her hungry eyes drank him in desperately. His soft features seemed torn between right and wrong, self-loathing and desire. He ran a hand through his disheveled locks and avoided her gaze.

Her love for him had only grown since childhood. She had always been a loyal companion; Kaname never thought of her as anything more than that. She had attempted advances on him in the past, but never anything this drastic. Especially not at a time when he was so weak to his own desires.

"Kaname," she purred, tracing the outline of his jaw with a slender finger. "We're much more familiar than you suggest. Wouldn't you agree?"

"How dare you not address me as your superior, Ruka?" Kaname questioned, sounding much less authoritative than he intended. He clenched his fists as his body began to quake from bloodlust. A tiny crack appeared in the window at the opposite end of the room and continued downward until it shattered into hundreds of tiny shards. Lavish vases shook in his power; aged books toppled to the floor from their shelf.

The smell of blood inundated his senses as Ruka paced back to the other side of the room, her bare feet crunching over the glass shards. Ruka noticed this and immediately gained confidence. She smiled tenderly. "Lord Kaname. You need something that blood tablets can't give you," she reasoned, "and I want to be the one you take it from. I don't care if I'm not the one you want."

Kaname's body and mind were screaming at each other. What was she even saying? She knew he didn't want her. Was she doing this out of loyalty for him, or did she have another motive? And what about Yuuki? Kaname didn't care anymore. His body won and he violently shoved the chessboard off of his desk, pinning Ruka on top. Chess pieces flew throughout the room.

Seconds later Kaname sank his gleaming fangs into Ruka's pale neck without hesitation. She arched her back and let out a soft moan, which only encouraged him.

He sank deeper and deeper into her flesh without regard to her pain. She hissed and writhed wildly beneath him. He used one hand to grab her wrists and pin them above her head. The other crept beneath her nightgown. He felt her firm thighs, the soft curves of her hips, and her tight stomach. His hand trailed further upward. His fingertips teased a breast before thumbing a hardened nipple.

Kaname couldn't help but imagine Yuuki's flushed face and the unspeakable things he would do to her if she too were a vampire. He suddenly yanked his fangs out of Ruka's neck, dripping blood all over her decollete. He was on his knees above her and looked at her sincerely. His crimson eyes were slowly fading into their usual deep brown. He debated tearing her nightgown in half with his bare hands.

"Is this what you wanted, Ruka? Is this the side of me you wanted to see?" he demanded. "I may be your Lord, but that makes me no less of the monster that I am."

He thought he smelled a tinge of fear. "Growing up, you locked yourself away and dealt with your pain and bloodlust by yourself. You don't deserve to be alone," she said as she brushed a lock of hair behind his ear. "I want to see every side of you. I've watched silently all these years. It's about time I did something about it."

"If by silence you mean trying to jump me every chance you get," Kaname said with a raised eyebrow. He was surprised to see her cheeks redden slightly. He didn't know if he acted on the longing in her eyes or his own carnal need, but the two of them were somehow transported to his bed. He frantically pulled her nightgown above her head, revealing her naked form.

Ruka had spent plenty of time imagining this moment, and this was not how it played out in her head. She regained a little composure and tumbled on top of him, switching their previous positions. She retaliated by disintegrating his shirt to dust before their eyes. Her hands roamed his perfect chest and traced his firm abs.

He couldn't help but let out a low chuckle. "Ruka," he murmured. A sudden wave of passion hit him and he forced his lips against hers. He was instantly granted access to her mouth and their tongues danced wildly. Ruka unclasped his belt buckle and slid his khakis below his knees. They both gasped for air when she broke the kiss to pull his pants off completely. All that remained between them were Kaname's silky red boxers.

"If you dare destroy these, I may have to punish you," he said as he ogled the body suspended above him. "I will give you only one chance to leave, Ruka," he said gruffly. "If you don't, I can't promise what I will or won't do."

Ruka didn't care. She took his jest as a challenge and a moment later, his boxers were gone. She didn't even have time to admire his elongated member before he was on top of her again. In an instant he was inside her, thrusting. She was already wet for him, so he moved in and out of her easily. He let out a deep groan.

Ruka's fingernails clawed his back, marking his perfect skin. He pierced her neck again, this time gently. She was reeling from the blood loss and her vision began to cloud. Kaname continued thrusting into her at an excruciatingly slow pace as he released her neck and trailed butterfly kisses down her neck and chest. He examined the trail of bloody kisses and latched onto a nipple, his tongue circling around it.

Ruka's moans became louder and more frequent. Her eyes begged him for more. Kaname's powerful hands forced her hips into the bed, allowing him to control the thrusting. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take it. He released her and she returned his thrusts, which quickened fervently and created friction. Her hands grasped for his hair, pulling his face towards hers and inviting him to another passionate kiss. His lips pulled away from hers and uttered a name that may or may not have been hers as he spilled his seed into her. Ruka came immediately after; his pulsing shaft and the sensation of his semen gushing into her were too much for her to bear. She clung onto him tightly and whimpered his name in pure ecstasy.

Kaname stayed inside Ruka for a few moments; he could tell she didn't want the feeling to end, and he didn't either. He finally rolled off of her and they both stared at the ceiling, panting haphazardly. Ruka let out a long sigh as their mingled juices trickled down her thighs.

Kaname's mind was still screaming at him even after the fact and he continued to ignore it. He knew the guilt would hit him tomorrow, but he dare not think about it now. He pulled Ruka toward him and gathered her in his arms. For this moment, Kaname felt content and closed his eyes to the world.

A/N: If you made it all the way to the end of the chapter… Wow! Congratulations and many thanks! This is my first fic and I'm a little nervous about it. So sorry if you think something's lacking. I would not say no to some suggestions or a little constructive criticism ;)

Stay tuned for some dramallama and possible lemony goodness at the ball! Until next time.