The next class was an awkward and tedious affair. I had missed a few classes on the pretext of headache just to avoid Kaname. But of course I could not run forever. So, here I was facing the vampires and their unsolicited questions while ignoring the proverbial elephant in the room, which was a brooding Kaname at the back. And the irony was that I had the mother of a headache today. Though that could be attributed to the lack of sleep I had for the last couple of nights.

"Are you really a Calix Sanguinis, sensei?" came the umpteenth question. I reclined by the table in front of the writing board and considered the class. Even from this distance, that irritating smell of roses was driving me mad.

God Kaname! Was he determined to torment me so? After I started avoiding class, he started appearing for the chairman's breakfast! So, I avoided coming down for breakfast too. But could I avoid his voice, his smell? No. The smell of roses would permeate the house even after he was gone.

"I have been told that," I said concentrating on the students. "That I was a Calix Sanguinis. Though there is no way for me to know for sure."

"You must be." "We haven't smelt blood like that, ever." Came the chatter.

"My father was at the Shiki mansion party. He said Kaname sama acquired one."

"What's a Calix Sanguinis like anyway?" drawled a voice at the back. "Is it better than premium grade organic blood?" That was Haku, the council's stooge here. 'Premium grade organic blood'? Where was that sourced from again? Oh, I knew. I had been with those unfortunate souls for some time before being hunted by the vampires for 'cultivation'.

"Oh Haku, you wouldn't find that in the Blood Markets," said another. This was so dehumanizing. Vampires had the power to reduce you to the value of your blood. Strangely, none of the 'Inner Circle' participated in this. Then I realized why. The anger I was feeling was not only mine.

"Sensei, would you mind sharing your blood?" said a brave soul or an idiot one.

Suddenly all the voices in the class stopped. There was an oppressive aura and everyone was trying very hard not to look at the back where Kaname was sitting. Oh great! Someone had to poke the sleeping bear.

Realizing this might precipitate into bloodshed, I intervened.

"Drinking human blood in the campus is prohibited," I chastened him, thus saving him from further retaliation from his dorm-head. Then I looked at the back where Kaname had a brow raised. Yea yea, I was a hypocrite, but I meant to enforce it from now on, what did you know?

xxx

Later that night, I stumbled on Yuki feeding Zero in one of the guest rooms. It was rude to intrude, but I couldn't take my eyes off of them through the crack of the door. Did I look like that, when he was feeding on me? I hope not. Such abandon was so… so… wrong? Salacious? I felt hot all over. I needed to get out of here. It appeared I wouldn't have much sleep today too. Maybe the fresh air would help.

The lakeside was peaceful by moonlight. The cool air was pleasant against my flushed skin. After some aimless wondering in the wilderness, the smell of roses brought me towards the cobbled pathway. God! Was I imagining this smell frequently? But this time Kaname was actually there talking with Yagari. What were they butting heads over? Ah, Kaname had learnt about Yuki feeding Zero and was upset about that. The hypocrite!

"You're upset over Yuki feeding Zero, when you yourself partake in other's blood," I said emerging from the woods once Yagari was gone. "Pretty self-serving, isn't it?"

"Jane," he said. "You do not look good," he said coming near. His hand on my forehead felt soothing. I wanted it to touch all over my burning skin. Too soon he removed it, then cupped my cheeks to make me pay attention to his words.

"Jane, you need to let me drink your blood," he said, "if not for your stubbornness, we both would be in better shapes." I finally noticed the dark circles under his eyes. Did vampires get dark circles?

"My stubbornness?" I said. "You really expect me to let your fangs anywhere near me after seeing that? I… I saw you eating my heart in the vision!" I lashed out.

"That was a hallucination, your paranoia. You know that."

"It was so real," I said looking up at him. His eyes were troubled. "I saw myself- same eyes, same hair and you were there."

His hold became painful, like he was afraid I would vanish if he let go. Why did he look so distressed? All because I could think so low of him?

"I will never let that happen to you," he said, "even if… even if…" he closed his eyes.

He seemed to get out of it finally.

"You don't understand," he said composing himself, "You are going through withdrawal."

"What are you talking about? I am not the one who is addicted to blood."

"Not blood," he shook his head. "It's… It's a predator thing," he continued, "Our saliva contain addictive agents. Makes the victim pliable." What?

"It's one of the reasons I generally refuse offers of blood from other vampires," he said. "The results are not pretty." Did he mean Ruka? But Ruka loved him, didn't she?

"What do you mean? Did you just say you drugged me?" I said. Was that the reason for the lack of sleep, the restlessness? Was that why I was having those dreams? Dreams that involved drinking… and other activities? I blushed to the tip of my ears. He couldn't know, could he? "And this addiction, how long will it continue? Do I have to feed you till I died?"

"Don't worry," he said. "You will grow immune to it. I on the other hand… well you need not worry about that."

That was reassuring. "I am a human though," I said. "I don't have unlimited supply of blood."

"I won't take much. It's just that it has to be directly injected into blood."

I nodded.

He turned my face, removed my hair, then bent down to put his lips on my bare nape and gently broke the skin with his fangs. Before I could process the barely there sting, a wet tongue swiped over it and suddenly my nerve-endings came alive all at once. That had some unfortunate effects. Wow! Was that from last night's dream? Tangled bodies, sweat dripping over naked flesh. Kaname bent over my naked form.

"Control yourself!" Kaname bit out pushing me away.

Shit! Did he see that? He must! Oh God! Let the ground break apart and swallow me whole so I could hide this shame!

"Keep out of my mind," Kaname was saying. Wait, did he just say…?

"This is not my thought," I said. "It's yours, isn't it?"

Kaname looked at a loss for words. I pushed my advantage. "No wonder I looked different in it. Now that I think about it, so was yesterday's 'vision'. It was from your mind. You were thinking about killing me!" Let's ignore for a moment that he was also thinking about screwing me. There were more pressing matters.

"Side effects of blood drinking," he shrugged. Then looked at me pointedly. "There are many desires that our minds may conjure during such act, that doesn't mean we will ever act on them."

That was surely a rebuke to my own base desires that I must have betrayed by now. Point noted, Kaname Kuran, point noted. Ours is a transactional relationship after all.

"But you lied to me," I persisted. "You said I was hallucinating. What more lies could you be spinning?"

"I just didn't want to alarm you," he said.

"So, how did I see into your mind? I wasn't the one drinking."

"Calix Sanguinis," he just said.

xxx

The next morning we had a surprise during breakfast. No, Kaname didn't appear. I mean that wouldn't be a surprise. Though Yuki looked crestfallen. I was downstairs taking advantage of his absence having a peaceful breakfast for once. Though my mind was significantly calm too and I had a good night's sleep. Maybe his words had some value.

"Kaname kun has sent a feast for us Yuki, Jane kun," the chairman's enthusiastic voice let us know. "All filled with blood-replenishing food." Apparently that was mentioned on the accompanied note!

What was this? A bribe to let him drink more frequently? I did mention about needing time to replenish my blood last night. Was this supposed to be a joke on that?

Yuki and Zero shared a look over the table. She blushed tellingly. Right they didn't know about my connection with Kaname Kuran or our discussion about blood replenishment. Then again Kaname might have sent this for Yuki after all. She definitely looked chastened and Zero looked indignant. Anyway, Kaname had no ground to judge others when he himself was breaking the rules in this regard.

"Ok children, enough procrastination," the chairman began. Did he just include me in 'children'? Granted he is two hundred years old, but even with the shawl and glasses, he didn't look beyond his thirties.

"Guests will be arriving today onwards," he was saying. "Both vampires and hunters. And I want you on your best behaviors."

Right, guests! The purebloods who will make my life more difficult.

"Ah chairman, you said you'd arrange a hunter weapon for me." I said.

"I have it," he said. "You needed a long range weapon. How's your aim with a gun?"

"It could use some improvement," I said chewing my eggs. "A lot actually."

"Fine, Zero would help you."

"I would?" Zero said.

"Yes, in your spare time," the chairman said. "But before that, you have an assignment from the Hunter association." He brought out a letter for our inspection.

"I am afraid you have no choice but to accept it," he said.

"What? Zero is going where?" Yuki said.

"Now now Yuki," Kaien Cross said, "you have other things to do like escorting the guests."

xxx

Later that day I found my students unusually quiet and well behaved for once. The reason of that became quite apparent when I found a beautiful blond haired woman, the blonde who was at the Shiki mansion soiree, seated at the front row.

"Hello Night class," I said. "And you must be Sara san."

She didn't reply. Only kept observing me with that irritating half-smile on her face.

"Well, I hope you find my class useful," I said when the silence stretched too long and turned back to the board.

"And you are very rude," I could hear her sing-song voice at my back. I turned back and found her sitting with the same expression. "Don't you know how to treat your superiors, little Calix Sanguinis?"

"I see, and how would that be?" I said. I didn't like her tone.

Faster than I could blink, she was in front of me and had her fingers around my neck. I could feel the weight of my newly acquired weapon on my thighs. But would I be fast enough to draw it before she snuffed my life out of me? And the sight of a weapon would be provocation enough to do just that in case I failed.

I decided not to do that, instead composed my face and calmly stared her down. I was leaning by the table in front of the board with one hand keeping balance behind me. With the other hand I reached out. I didn't try to pry her hand, instead I cupped her face gently to convey my intention that I didn't want confrontation, but neither will I cower before her.

At the touch of my hand, her expression changed. The fury disappeared and she leaned into my caress. Then she turned her face and… did she just kiss my palm? I tried to snatch it back, but she held it firm and went on kissing the pulse point at my wrist. Fortunately, that meant she had to release my neck and I could breathe properly again.

Just when I thought she would chomp on my hand, Kaname appeared and separated us. Finally. Where were you dude? Why are you always so fashionably late to class?

"Shirabuki san, what do you think you are doing?" he said.

"Kuran san," Sara said finally coming to herself. "Your pet does not seem to have been trained into our customs." And the haughtiness was back.

"Really?" Kaname narrowed his eyes. "You seem to have forgotten the customs regarding another pureblood's possession." Did he just call me his possession? I was not about to let this competition reducing me to a possession to go on.

"Kaname, Sara san, please remember you are at Cross Academy," I said in my best teacher voice. "And while you are here, please follow the rules of this Academy. Which means, unless you want to sit here and respectfully listen to my class, you are welcome to get out of here."

"We will attend the class… sensei." Kaname said. Sara looked at him indignantly, but complied. I went back to my usual teaching routine. But I could feel her glare at my back for the rest of the period.

The Night Class had one more period today. So, I didn't expect anyone following me outside. So when Takuma stopped me in the dark hallways, I was surprised to say the least.

Really, what's wrong with the lighting of this place? Right, the vampires preferred it this way. In my class, I could enforce human lighting requirements, but not in the hallways apparently. The chairman was only too happy to be able to cut cost! And electricity was costly in this place. I don't think they even knew thermal electricity generation. Though I did see the wind and water turbines.

"Miss Jane, I was afraid for you in class today," Takuma said. "To challenge a pureblood like that, that was foolish."

"If you mean I should have groveled before her, then I'm sorry, I couldn't do that." I kept walking towards the moonlit lawn and he followed.

"You handled yourself fine though. I mean we were in awe to see even a pureblood reduced to that. Such is the allure of a Calix Sanguinis' blood. Even a pureblood is not immune to that."

"You don't approve?"

"You see Miss Jane, purebloods are the pillars of vampire society. They used to be our kings, their wishes laws." He had a distant look on his face. "If they are unduly influenced by others, misery befalls the vampire society," he said. Was that the Senate's opinion? But didn't they want to control the purebloods? I guess they mean someone other than themselves.

"Unduly influenced?" I asked.

"Purebloods are unflappable, unconcerned, acts with intent and ruthless efficiency." Moonlight and shadow gave a harsh look to his profile. "Being carried away by emotion, desire or lust befits the lower classes, not the apex of our kind."

"I see."

"Anyway. I wanted to give you our chief scientist's business card." He gave me the card. "You know, the one we talked about earlier. We could go meet him anytime you want."

Then he listened for something, though I couldn't hear anything. "Oops! The professor is in class," he said. "See you later." And he went back to class.

I toyed with the card a little, then put it into my pocket and left for the chairman's house.

xxx

The door to chairman's study was ajar. I could hear voices inside. A visitor, this late? It couldn't be Kaname Kuran, since the Night Class was in session at the moment. So, who was that? I crept near.

"I am glad you came." The chairman was saying. "The academy is going to descend into chaos. We could use some help."

A blond guy was sitting in front of him. "How couldn't I come?" he said. "I have a blood debt to pay."

"You are exaggerating, my friend."

"No exaggeration. I killed your father and you let me go." What?

"He paid for his sin," the ex-hunter seem to ponder for a moment. "Besides, I couldn't have stopped you."

"True," said the stranger, "I doubt I could have stopped myself."

What was going on? Who was this guy? Did he just say he killed the chairman's father and was still welcome here? A noise of distress issued from my throat before I clamped my mouth.

"I think someone is at the door." What an acute hearing! Must be a vampire.

"Miss Jane, is that you?" the chairman said.

I stepped inside. "Come inside. I want you to meet someone."

The stranger turned towards me. He was beautiful. Definitely vampire.

"This is Isaya Shoto. He was very eager to meet you."

"Isaya Shoto as in the pureblood?"

"The same."

The vampire got up from the chair, caught my hands and shook them in greetings. "Miss Jane, it's an honor to meet you." I was dumbstruck. A pureblood was saying that to me? What manners, what grace!

"No no, the honor is mine, Isaya san." I said and meant it.

After some small talk, I was about to excuse myself, when Isaya san suddenly looked troubled.

"What is it?" the chairman asked.

"I sense some vampires by the lake. They are not the ones from the academy."

The pureblood and the ex-hunter stood up, nodded to each other and as if by a silent agreement gave pursuit. I struggled to keep up.

The lakeside was crowded. In the middle was Zero and Yuki back to back weapons drawn. Surrounding them were the unknown vampires and beyond them were Kaname and the Night Class. Moonlight made everything eerie. I could smell burnt flesh. Bloody Rose? What was going on?

"Kaname Sama, you must let us apprehend the ex-human." One of the intruders was saying. They were on their knees with hands at the heart. "It has committed the unthinkable. The pureblood Shizuka Hio was found dead with hunter cartridges all around where this guy was seen earlier today."

What? Wasn't Zero on a mission today? Could he have… no, he couldn't kill Shizuka at this stage even if he wanted.

"Kiriyu Zero is under my protection," Kaname said. He had a frown on his face. Did he kill her then? Already? "As is this academy," he was saying. "Hunting students here without my permission, you have overreached yourselves, you dogs of the council!"

"But Kaname sama-" one of them tried to protest. The other one stopped him with a hand.

"You are right Kaname sama," that one said paying obeisance, "the school is under your protection and so is the town."

Then he paused adjusting his glasses. "How would that look like I wonder, you shielding the murderer of a pureblood that happened in an area under your protection?" Wait, was he insinuating…? No way.

Kaname's eyes flashed and the atmosphere suddenly charged with impending violence.

The intruder quickly looked around towards Isaya san. "I see there are other purebloods around," he said. Clever guy. Diffuse the blame after accusing the most dangerous man around.

"I only meant that if we don't execute a scapegoat there would be chaos in vampire society," he had a desperation in his voice now. "People would fear we are back to the days of internal feud among purebloods."

"Is that so?" Kaname said. "And you dare to remind me of consequences in my own territory while threatening my own people. Disappear before I forget the value of your being a messenger."

The intruders disappeared. The Night Class dispersed. Kaname noticed Isaya san and came to greet. I excused myself to go after Zero and Yuki.

"Did you meet Shizuka Hio?" I didn't beat around the bush when I caught up to him.

"I didn't kill her," he bit out. Looks like he had been telling that for all night.

"Zero wouldn't do that, Miss Jane." Yuki said. "How could you think that of him?"

"Of course you didn't," I said ignoring Yuki. "But did you see her there?"

"No, I didn't." He looked thoughtful. "I just went to the place the Association mentioned, found the Level E, did my job and came back."

"And you saw no one there?"

"None."

"That association note, keep it. Might come in handy."

"You think the Association had something to do with this?" he said. "What would they gain by implicating me?"

"What indeed." I said and thought about tracking down Yagari some time. Now that I thought about it, neither Yagari, nor Sara was present here. Yagari missing the excitement of hounding vampire intruders, what were the odds?

xxx

That night I could not fall asleep. But unlike the last few nights, it was not because of my problems with Kaname Kuran. I was simply bursting with curiosity. Did Kaname kill her? Did he get the blood for Zero? I decided not to torture myself any further and visit Moon Dorm instead where all my answers were.

Unlike last time, this time I was properly dressed in the shirt I wore to class earlier and shorts. And having a pass to the Moon Dorm etched to my neck also helped. What, did you think it was a mark of possession? Of my prison? May be. But as I found out, it also opened doors, literally.

Learning from my mistake last time, I avoided the front door and went for the back door. But who knew it was latched from inside? I was not about to turn back however.

So, here I was beneath Kaname Kuran's window overlooking the lawn and throwing pebbles at it. Considering vampire hearing was so acute, one small pebble should do. And true to my guess, Kaname appeared by his window soon after.

"What do you think you are doing?" he said. "Is this some childish prank?"

"Trust me, I considered that too," I said. "Now come get me."

He came down, picked me up and dropped me into his study. The lighting hadn't improved since my last visit, but at least his attitude had since then, although barely.

"So, are you here for an evening snack?" he said.

"I am not here to offer you blood, if that is what you mean," I said.

"Pity, and here I thought my thoughtful gift this morning would improve your disposition towards our arrangement," he said pouring a glass of wine and offering it to me which I declined.

Our arrangement? What was that? I didn't remember agreeing to anything. And were we ever going to talk about what I saw in his mind? Nope, never. Not unless I wanted to talk about why I confused them as my thoughts.

"So why are you here then?" he said arranging himself by the table and crossing his hands.

"Did you kill Shizuka?" I came straight to the point.

"Why do you think I would kill her?" His voice was calm, but his posture was taut. Because of the power, because Zero, your weapon, would need her blood to face Rido blah blah.

"The council guy insinuated today," I said.

"Ah, he did," Kaname said relaxing. "But I didn't kill her. That is what you wanted to know, wasn't it?"

He turned to pour himself a glass with a suspiciously red liquid. "Now go before everyone starts to wonder why you are in my room, well, wonder more than they do."

Wait, that's it? I needed the full story. What was he going to do now that he didn't get Shizuka's blood for Zero? Zero would be useless for him. How would he deal with Rido? How would he save Yuki? And what would happen to me when Rido attacked? Was he even telling the truth?

"Dammit Kaname! Just tell me the truth," I cried out. "It doesn't make sense. What are you going to do with Zero then?"

He was at my throat faster than I could blink. Really? What's with today and purebloods going for my throat? Pun intended. Meanwhile, I was pressed to the divan with Kaname bent over me.

"Are you in league with the people who killed Shizuka?" he said. So he really didn't kill Shizuka. That was a serious setback to his plan.

"I am not," I said. "Now unhand me, so we could talk civilly."

He released the pressure, but didn't remove his hand.

"But you have figured out my plan. And so have the killers, it would seem," he said. His thumbs charting the expanse of my neck. That was very distracting.

"If I could figure it out, then someone else could too," I said trying to concentrate on my words. "But I am not related to them." The top two buttons of his shirt was open and his exposed chest that was right on my face, was distracting too.

"That is the problem you see," he said. "I need to know how someone could know my plan. No one had all the pieces of this story." Then he bent down and started kissing my neck. God! He should stop that, right now.

"I would tell you," I panted. "But you wouldn't believe me." What was I doing? I should stop that line of enquiry immediately.

"Try me," he purred. "I would believe anything if it would lead me to them. They have effectively neutralized my only weapon to be free of Rido."

"That's not true," I said. Finally! Lead the query away from your origin to his problem.

"Oh?" he said pausing his ministrations.

"There is the other twin, isn't there? And he has consumed Shizuka's blood for long now."

"Hmm… Seiren is already on his trail," he said getting up. "I guess we need to find him before your friends." What? He manipulated me, didn't he? To know what all I knew about this, the bastard! Did I mention how I hated him?

"What friends," I bit out. "They are not my friends."

"We shall see," he said.

As I adjusted my clothes, I found the top two buttons of my shirt open. God! Will the humiliation not end tonight? I can't believe I acted like a needy bitch when he was just toying with me. I buttoned up an extra hole just to make a point.

Then I ran to the window without caring about what he was saying. But it was a ten feet drop to the bottom and there was no way I was going through the front door in such a disheveled appearance. I felt him come up behind me and put his hand on my waist.

"Let me get you down," he whispered in my ear and I couldn't help the shiver that ran down my spine. Don't touch me, I wanted to shout. Then thought better of it. I mean if he thought so little of our encounters, then maybe I shouldn't attach importance to them too. I calmed my breathing and hopefully, the burn of anger on my cheeks too.

"You blow hot and cold," he said after we came down. "I don't know what to think of that."

"You're disappointed that I didn't blow your fuse?" I said incredulous. "The thing is that I don't expect much of anyone. That's why I couldn't be angry with you."

"Must be lonely for the people who care about you," he said.

"Then it's a good thing they are not here," I said and didn't wait for his reply.

I was on my way. Just my luck the one person who could have intercepted me would be Ruka.

"Miss Jane," she said. Then noticed my disheveled appearance and the direction I was coming from. Her face contorted as she came to the obvious conclusion. Then she composed herself and collected her airs.

"Of course, you are the Calix Sanguinis," she said. "It's an honor to serve Kaname sama in such capacity."

"Yes," she continued, this time with a satisfied look, "In fact, you should take your cue from Seiren and devote yourself to Kaname-sama and later his future wife when she appears." There was a sudden pain in my stomach and my face froze in an awkward expression.

"Ah, ok, sure" was the only thing I could say and run out of there.

The pain in my stomach had spread out to my chest, but no need to pay heed to that.

These aristocrats and their presumptions! I would be long gone before any such wife arrived on the scene. The joke's on them.

The night was coming to an end but the moon was still on the horizon when I came back to my room. I almost tore out my shirt and got hold of a slip. That is till I got to the content of my pocket.

Right, the business card that Takuma gave me earlier. Should probably throw it away. It's not like I would seek this scientist out. God! Everyone wanted to use me. Though, at least that guy had appreciation for my talents. No harm in giving it a look.

Except the next moment my eyes popped out of my sockets. That couldn't be right. My heart was beating up a staccato. I held the card in the light. There was no doubt about it, that logo on the card was the one I woke up to in this world.

xxx

A/N: Please read and review. Let me know what you liked, where you fell asleep! Also if the romance is working, or if you are falling down from bed laughing! My first time writing that. And your encouragement is the only thing that keeps me going.