Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass

He's walking through Aries Villa, following the sound of laughter. Everything is dark and filled with shadows and deserted. He knows his sister is sleeping, and that he should be too, but something seems to pull him towards the voices. He walks through corridors, until he stands in front of a oaken door, leading to mother's study. He reaches out for the handle and quietly opens the door. Surprisingly, it opens without a sound. With the atmosphere in the house, it should have made a loud creaking-noise, but the servants regularly oil every door, window and everything else that could creak. The study is dark, the only light is the moon shining on the balcony.

On the balcony, sitting in one of the chairs, is his mother. However, something is wrong. His mother is hanging lifelessly from the armrests, eyes closed, unmoving. From where he is standing, he can see a second pair of shoes, although the oddly-hanged curtains prevent Lelouch from seeing anything but white high-heeled boots. The only sound is the hooting of an owl. Then he hears a voice, but he somehow can't keep what it in his memory. It's like the words stay, but the voice is gone.

"Yes yes Marianne, very impressive. Now back where you belong, I refuse to talk to you like that."

His mother stirs, her eyes open, although she's not looking his direction. Marianne jumps up, spins around her own axis with closed eyes before jumping at least five feet, landing on her hands, pushing herself back into the air and landing in the chair as if nothing happened. "I still can't believe how wonderful it feels! You have no idea!" She happily shouts.

The non-voice speaks. "First, you've been like this for a long time, and secondly, I know how it feels much better than you."

Marianne laughs. "No you don't. You've had it for too long, you lost the wonderful feeling, it's normal to you."

The non-voice seems to shrug. "Maybe. More importantly, what are we going to do about the little eavesdropper in your office?" Lelouch freezes, unable to move. He can't run, he can't escape, he can hardly breathe.

Marianne's head snaps towards him. "Lelouch? Why aren't you in bed?"

Lelouch tries to answer, but no sound escapes his lips. Suddenly the heels started to move. "No matter. We can't have him tell stories about what he saw." His mother looks unhappy, but she nods. Lelouch whimpers while the figure enters the room. For some reason he still can't really see the person, even though she is right in his sight, and steadily walking closer. One of her hands moves, comes closer, finally it seems fill his entire field of vision, without him being able to distinguish even her skin-color. Then the world blurred.

Lelouch shot up, gasping for air. He had had that dream again. For weeks now, he was having the same dream again and again, although it was getting clearer every night. And every time he woke up in cold sweat, without knowing why.

"What does this mean? And why can't I recall anything about that woman in the high-heels?"

-0-

"Nii-san, you seem a bit off today. Is something troubling you?" Nunnally asked.

Lelouch smiled. "It's nothing Nunnally, I just haven't been sleeping that well lately. I keep having a nightmare, that's all. It'll pass."

Nunnally frowned. "The one with the dark corridor and the door?" When he had told her about it, he had been at a point where he always woke up the moment the door opened. For five days he woke up in cold sweat because he dreamed he walked down a hallway and opened a door, which really annoyed him, until on the sixth day since he actually got the door to open and see his mother's lifeless body he felt he had a right to wake up from that. He had never told Nunnally what laid behind that door of nightmares. That was his personal hell, and he would not get Nunnally involved and remind her of old pain.

Lelouch gently brushed a few crumbs from her cheek. "Yes. But I have a feeling it's getting better. I've been having them less frequent, so maybe they'll end soon." He looked at Sayoko. "Sayoko."

She bowed. "Yes, master Lelouch?"

He smiled. "Please watch over my sister. I'm hanging out with Rivalz today, and it might get a little later, though I'll try to be back before dinner."

"With pleasure. Is that all for now, or can I do anything else for you?"

Lelouch shook his head. "Not right now. Thank you." He turned to Nunnally "I'll be back soon. Be good." He kissed her forehead.

Nunnally smiled her heartwarming smile. "Don't stay out too long. And you shouldn't gamble so much, Shirley is always yelling at you."

Lelouch snorted. "That reminds me, I have to get new earplugs, she broke the old ones the last time she chewed me out."

Nunnally giggled. "Maybe you should listen to her."

Lelouch shrugged. "Maybe. Bye."

"Goodbye brother."

Just in front of the door, Sayoko waited for Lelouch, who was fixing his uniform, his bag in hand. "Master Lelouch, if I may ask, why do you gamble?"

Lelouch sighed, his eyes got a faraway look. "The Ashford-family was so kind to take us in after the war, despite the fact that they themselves were in financial problems. It actually got so bad that Milly logged herself in her grandfather's account and tried to win money with online chess-gambling, another hobby of the nobles with too much time and too little to do. She didn't do too bad, but she was outclassed. When I stumbled upon her, she was in tears, her grandfather's account was practically empty, and her final match was not going well. I took over and pretty much won everything and then some back. That was really when I realized how easy it was to make money off of nobles. When I met Rivalz, who as a bartender has some connections to rich nobles, it really only went to the next level, as they don't wager as much online as they do in real face-to-face matches. I usually give a fairly high percentage to the Ashfords, which is the reason Reuben Ashford hasn't ordered me to stop yet. And it's not that we can't use a little cash. Clothing, food, the maintenance of Nunnally's wheelchair... it's not free. Not even cheap."

He blinked, apparently only now realizing that Sayoko was present. Those nightmares seemed to have messed with him more than he'd thought. "Sorry, I got lost in thoughts. I know I can trust you Sayoko, the Ashfords trusted you with Milly and I trust you with Nunnally, but I'll have to ask you to keep that between the two of us. Milly's parents would throw a fit if they knew that she basically hacked into her grandfather's account and gambled with his money."

Sayoko nodded. "Of course. This has never happened. Master Lelouch, you should hurry, or you'll be late."

Lelouch blinked and looked at the clock. "Crap! Gotta go! Bye Nunnally!" With that, he ran off, leaving a Sayoko who had suddenly found new respect for him behind.

It was fortunate that his way was short, but he was still breathing hard when he arrived at the gate, before changing to a more regal walk while indoors. "Someday I have to do something about my physical condition." He muttered to himself. He always planned to do that, but somehow, he never found the time. Oh well. Now a few hours of school, then off with Rivalz to clean out some other nobleman who thought he was a chess-master.

-0-

The first period had been boring, and Lelouch was wondering how long he'd have to stay in order to appease the bane of his income called Shirley, when he got a message on his phone. Rivalz looked over his shoulder and whistled.

"An S.O.S. from our own resident headmaster. Well, looks like we just got official permission to skip school. Is it Christmas already?"

Lelouch chuckled. "Stop blabbering and get the bike. And it's not an S.O.S., at least not yet. The match probably hasn't started yet, or they wouldn't let him send messages. And the place is a good half-hour away, so we better get moving, or the match will be over."

Rivalz faked a shudder. "And then we're screwed. Oh my, whatever will we do?"

Lelouch gave him a dead-serious look. "First, you go get the bike."

Rivalz laughed. "On it. Just a sec, then we can race to the rescue of our principal."

-0-

"You're out of time. From here on, moves will be made every twenty seconds." The butler stated.

The nobleman grinned, apparently more worried about his nails than the match. "Fine by me."

The old man seemed even more nervous, unsure of what to do, when the door opened. Reuben Ashford collapsed in relief as he spotted the familiar silhouette of one of his favorite people, Lelouch Lamperouge or, as he was one of the few to know his real name, Lelouch vi Britannia. "Thank heaven, I'm saved. Things are going well at school, I presume."

The noble seemed amused. "Schoolboys? My, you are getting desperate."

Lelouch restrained a sneer. "A nobleman." He looked at the board. Tricky, but not impossible. Considering it had taken half an hour for the man to maneuver Reuben into this mess and that the timer showed that it was now by twenty seconds per move, this man was obviously not a very good player. In fact, Lelouch was willing to bet this whole match had been one tenth skill and nine tenths dumb luck on the nobleman's part.

The man grinned. "I envy you kids, you have so much time on your hands, you might want to use it to regret."

Rivalz stared at the board. "There's no way you can win this one, it's impossible." He always said that when it wasn't a clear win for Lelouch by his time of entry, nowadays more to make the opponent underestimate Lelouch than out of real worry.

"When would we have to leave in order to make the next class?" He asked.

Rivalz mentally calculated. "If we put the pedal to the metal, twenty minutes."

Lelouch smiled. "Well, then it looks like we'll be enjoying the scenery today. I'll need nine minutes."He ignored the mockery and moved the king. After all, who'd follow a king that didn't move? Okay okay, aside from the Britannians.

-0-

Lelouch moved out of the building, Rivalz happily counting their earning, which was 45% of the agreed prize for the winner, 15% of said cash belonged to him, while Lelouch got the remaining 30%. The rest, as even Rivalz easily agreed, was needed for Ashford Academy. Milly's festivals and events were expensive, yet at the same time, they were necessary. Not only was it good PR, it also made a statement to the nobility, claiming 'Look, we can throw all these parties without a problem. We are wealthy enough that it doesn't damage the funding for the school, so send your children here!'

Many parents would be shocked to learn just how much of the academy they were funding with their ridiculous schooling-fees. But as they say, what you don't know...

Of course, Rivalz enthusiastic agreement had nothing to do with the fact that Milly was always overjoyed when new cash rolled in. Nothing at all.

Just as they almost reached the bike, another ghost of Lelouch's past appeared on all screens, rang through every speaker. His pompous half-brother was giving another speech about how it hurt him personally to see all the death caused by terrorism. Lelouch was sure that if they strapped Clovis to a lie-detector, the machine would fry from overload within seconds. The only things Clovis really had shown any degree of interest in were his direct family, and his art. And women. Let's not forget the women. Anyways, Lelouch did what he had usually done, he ignored Clovis.

"Aren't you going to join the silence?" Rivalz asked, when he noticed they were amongst the few who were not standing there with closed eyes like pins waiting for a bowling-ball.

Lelouch raised a brow. "Aren't you?"

Rivalz scratched his head. "It's kinda embarrassing." 'Not to mention I'd look like and idiot, just standing there like some statue waiting for birds to crap on it.' He mentally added.

Lelouch smiled. "And I agree. Besides, even if we do, what's the point? It's not like those dead will return just because we don't move or speak for a while." 'The dead stay dead. That will always be true, and cannot be changed.'

Rivalz gave a fake shudder as he started the bike. "Dark buddy, really dark."

Lelouch shrugged. The world was a dark place, he and everyone else had to accept that. He didn't voice that thought though, as for him, who yet had to truly accept it himself, it would be a hypocritical thing to say.

-0-

Meanwhile, a large truck was driving through the city heading towards the ghettos, a little faster than the law allowed. The driver growled. "Perfect. Thanks to that idiot Tamaki, we've landed in this mess! The fucking Britannians gluing themselves to our heels!"

His redheaded passenger, after shouting at a screen showing prince Clovis' speech, sighed. "Look on the bright side, at least we shook them for the moment."

The man nodded. "Yeah, but they're after us like bloodhounds. Seems we were right and it really is poison gas."

In the back of the truck, locked in the container, the so-called poison gas was biting into the gag that rendered 'it' silent.

'Damn it!' The green-haired woman thought, shutting her eyes from the bright light. Not only was this thing covered with UV-lamps, but also regular lamps that ensured there was no chance of any rest, not that falling asleep was advisable with the mixture of saltwater and different chemicals that were absorbed by the skin and caused paralysis and nausea filling the capsule up to her neck, the driving of whoever was at the wheel regularly forcing her to hold her breath. 'I can handle ultraviolet light, I can handle tranquilizers, and I can handle saltwater. But all at the same time? Sadistic son of a bitch, every single one of them. If I get my hands on that pompous blond idiot who thinks cutting me open will help him live longer, I'll...'

-0-

Lelouch sat in the side-cabin of Rivalz' bike, who was driving while wondering what he'd do with his share. Of course Lelouch got twice as much as he did, but hey, with the amounts that were wagered, it was a ridiculous pay for what was essentially playing chauffeur. Of course being bartender had its peaks too, and the income was more steady, but those burst of large amounts of cash flowing into his account was just a great feeling. He was already wondering if he could use it to invite Milly for dinner, or maybe buy her something nice.

Lelouch on the other hand was lost in thought about his past, back when everything was fun and simple and stable, and how everything had changed because of one man. Lelouch had never forgotten his promise to his first friend Suzaku, and a large part of him still wanted to make good on it.

Then he got an odd feeling. The hairs on his neck seemed to rise and a shudder rolled over him. He spun around in the seat, to see a giant truck blocking the entire road coming closer and closer. "Rivalz!" He called.

Rivalz turned around, and his eyes grew to the size of saucers. "What the hell?" He started to swerve, trying to find a gap between the truck and the end of the road to dodge that simply wasn't there. "We're gonna die!" He cried out, when the truck, which had come almost bumper to bumper took a turn and ended up crashing against a construction site. Rivalz stopped and blinked. "Was that our fault?"

Lelouch looked as well, not entirely sure exactly what had happened these last seconds. "I don't think so."

His gaze wandered to the right, where the mandatory crowd of gawkers had formed, pulling out their cellphones and taking pictures. One woman suggested calling the police or help in general, but everyone was too busy snapping photos to actually do anything constructive. Then, with a burst of self-loathing, he realized he wasn't doing anything constructive either, so either he admitted that he was just like them, or...

He ran towards the truck, still wondering what that odd feeling was that got stronger the closer he got to the vehicle.

Rivalz looked after him. "I know it's the right thing to do, but come on!"

Lelouch gathered his breath. "HELLO! ARE YOU OKAY? IS ANYONE HURT?" He called out. When he didn't receive an answer, he tried to enter the truck. Seeing that the driver's cabin was positioned a bit awkward to reach, he climbed a emergency-ladder on the side. What he couldn't know was that his shouts had woken up those in the driver's cabin, who realized they had lost much of their head-start. The driver cursed, turned the vehicle, and floored the gas-pedal, causing Lelouch to fall into an opening in the ceiling like a golf-ball into its hole.

-0-

After surprising himself by doing an excellent roll to prevent damage from the fall, Lelouch assessed his situation. He was in the back of the large truck, which was a lot more cramped than he had expected, courtesy of a large, red, flask-like container taking up most of the space. The odd feeling Lelouch had had for the last minutes was now stronger than ever, and it seemed to be focused on the container. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of gunfire and a voice demanding a surrender.

"Wonderful." Lelouch muttered sarcastically, realizing he was a blind passenger on a terrorist-jacked truck, and said terrorists would probably not be happy to see him "Why me?" He quickly retreated behind the container when he heard the hissing of the door.

A red-head that Lelouch would have called attractive under less dire circumstances walked through the room, thankfully never looking his way. She shed her coat and moved towards a door in the back, while speaking to someone, probably the driver. "Don't worry, that's what I'm here for. Get ready to open the hatch."

A few seconds later, Lelouch heard the sounds of explosions. He knew there was no way that he could escape, especially not while the truck was still moving. In the unlikely event that he didn't break anything, like his neck, coming out of a terrorist's vehicle would not cast a good light on him, and he'd probably be shot on sight. So he settled down and waited, slightly nervous when he heard bullets impact on the wall leading to the driver's cabin. If the driver croaked, this ride could turn into a highway to hell faster than he could blink. But apparently the driver had made it, as the increasingly bumpy ride told Lelouch they had entered the old subways. He noticed that in the abandoned coat, there was a communicator. He picked it up and put it to his ear. He suddenly had a live feed of what was happening outside, courtesy of the fact that all terrorist's were operating on one frequency, that had conveniently been set on the communicator. Amateurs. Still, Lelouch was helpless to do anything until the truck stopped so, for better or for worse, it was just a waiting-game for the moment.

-0-

Clovis was sitting in his MCC, worrying. Not only had his prized project been stolen from under his nose, the entire affair was already going much longer than the transport was supposed to. With every second that passed, the timer in the container was getting closer and closer to reaching 0 and then, as it was programmed to do, the container would open to let what was supposed to have been his scientists get the subject. But now it would fall into the hands of terrorists, and that simply couldn't happen. Not only would all the work he'd invested into this project be for naught, but those primitive beasts might get control of the subject, and that was not an option. He'd be disinherited if the homeland found out what he had been doing, and possibly executed if the terrorists managed to use what they had taken. He stood up, determined to do what he had to to protect himself.

"I, Clovis la Britannia, command you. Destroy Shinjuku Ghetto, leave no one alive!"

His order was replied with an enthusiastic "Yes, your highness!"

Clovis grinned. Now it was only a matter of time before everything went back the way it was supposed to.

-0-

When the shaking finally ended, Lelouch was willing to praise the lord in any way he wished. He looked at the container that made him so jumpy, and wondered if he'd reach the hole he'd fallen through if he climbed it, not noticing the wall behind him had opened until he noticed a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye.

What Lelouch didn't know was that his body was reacting to the strange vibe out of the container with more than simply putting him on edge. For the entire time since the truck first appeared behind Rivalz' bike, his body had been pouring ridiculous amounts of adrenalin into his body, enough that inside a normal person, all higher brain-function would have been blocked by now. So when the kick came, Lelouch's body was ready and blocked. The impact was stronger than he'd expected, so he was thrown off his feet.

The soldier turned to attack again, the gas-mask dropping to enable him to speak. "Enough mindless murder! You won't use this poison gas on the innocent!" He called, before jumping at the terrorist, intending to pin him to the ground.

Lelouch saw the soldier flying at him, and reacted on instinct. He pulled his legs back and slammed them into the soldier's stomach. It was oddly satisfying to see a Britannian soldier take a fall for a change. He jumped to his feet, facing the soldier, who was currently holding his stomach with one hand, prepared for another attack.

"I'm not a terrorist, I was caught in this mess!" Lelouch yelled at the soldier. "And that poison gas is made by Britannia, was it not? You speak of mindless murder, yet you serve those who craft and use the tools for exactly that! If you want to stop the killing, then destroy Britannia!"

The soldier seemed stunned, before he removed his helmet. "Lelouch? It's me, Suzaku."

Lelouch blinked at the sight of his old friend. "You've joined the military?"

Suzaku shrugged. "Yeah. How did you get stuck in this mess?"

Lelouch scratched his head. "Well..."

He was interrupted by the capsule opening, Suzaku throwing him to the floor, his gas-mask pressed to Lelouch's face. But instead of the hiss of escaping gas, a girl with long green hair fell out of the capsule.

Lelouch fought himself up and gently lifted her shoulders, despite his senses going into overdrive. "Poison gas? Why don't you tell another one. If this is poison gas, then I'm a Sutherland."

Suzaku raised his hands. "It's what they told us in the briefing, I swear."

Suddenly lights flashed up, blinding the two boys, while a cold voice spoke. "Stinking monkey. Being an honorary Britannian will not excuse you for this."

Suzaku jumped up. "But sir, I was told this was poison gas, and..."

"How dare you question orders?" The leader, a man with a scar on his face, shouted, before apparently considering something. "Still, in light of your excellent results in the evaluations, I'll overlook this mess. All you have to do is take this gun and execute that terrorist."

Suzaku's eyes widened. "But sir! He's just a civilian who got caught up in all of this!"

"Insolent dog! Didn't you swear your loyalty and life to Britannia?"

Suzaku hesitated. "Of course, but..." He smiled at his old friend. "But I can't do it sir. I can't shoot a civilian."

The leader looked almost disappointed. "I see. In that case..." He shot Suzaku in the back.

Lelouch stared in shock. The girl in his arms also starting to look up in interest, nobody noticing the almost hungry gleam in her eyes.

Scarface looked at Lelouch. "Well schoolboy, you picked a miserable day to skip class. I'm afraid that in the name of the crown, I can't let you live. Collect the girl. Once she's secured, kill the boy."

Lelouch's eyes widened. 'It can't just end, not like this! I can't just die here, oblivious, without ever having done anything of real value or importance. My life, just gone in a heartbeat. Nunnally! I can't just leave her behind like this!'

To Lelouch's luck, the driver's cabin exploded, sending sharp shrapnel towards the quickly retreating Royal Guards, while Lelouch grabbed the girl and pulled her into a tunnel, the ceiling collapsing behind them, blocking the path for his would-be pursuers. For once, fortune granted Lelouch a smile.

-0-

Lelouch was exhausted, but hesitant to pause. What if the Royal Guard caught up with him? Then he remembered that the soldiers were more likely to look for a different entrance rather than dig themselves through the collapsed chamber into his tunnel, and that it would take a while even if they did, so taking a breather was probably safe. The girl stumbling was a welcome excuse to pause. He glared at her. "This chaos is all your fault, isn't it? Because of you, Britannia killed Suzaku. What are you anyway? And why do I get this strange feeling in your vicinity?"

The woman fought against the gag, surprised but inwardly amused. She had known that Lelouch vi Britannia's and her fate would intertwine, although uncertain to what degree, and now he saved her from a mess that she alone would have been unable to free herself from. Now if he would only remove the muzzle...

Lelouch seemed to read her thoughts, as he undid the straps that rendered her silent. "Who are you?"

She smiled. "I am C.C.." She replied.

"Why were you in that tank? Why are the Britannians committing genocide up there?" Lelouch asked, the sounds of screams and bullets echoing all the way to them.

C.C. smiled her superior smile. "Your brother Clovis was using me as a guinea pig, and now he's afraid of what happens when I land in other hands and the whole thing leaks out."

Lelouch stumbled back as if struck. "Who are you? How do you know who...?"

"Who you are? Lelouch vi Britannia, that is currently none of your concern. And you are in that much grief because a Eleven, this Suzaku, died? Tut tut, your father would be displeased."

Lelouch growled, barely holding back the impulse to punch the arrogant woman in the face. Something about her just put him on edge, he had no idea what. "Charles zi Britannia can rot in hell for all I care! In fact, I'd pay money to be able to send him there myself!"

C.C.'s smile widened. "So you hate Britannia, and your father?"

"Yes!" Lelouch answered, without a moment's hesitation or a sliver of falsehood.

"You wish to destroy them?" She asked further, a plan forming in her head. This could be fun.

"Yes!" Lelouch hissed again.

C.C.'s smile now threatened to split her face, and it was clearly predatory. "Shall I give you the power to destroy Britannia?"

Lelouch stared at her. "What?"

"I can give you a great power that might enable you to topple the mighty Britannia. Not alone, not immediately, but it will make you stronger. The only question is, what are you willing to sacrifice to attain this power?"

Lelouch, true to his name, was suspicious. What was this woman talking about? But he answered. "There are things that are more precious to me than my life, or Britannia's fall." He stated, thinking of his sister. "However, if you speak of personal sacrifice, I will give anything and everything to see the emperor crushed to death by his crumbling empire."

C.C.'s head tilted. "Even your humanity?"

Lelouch snorted. "In a war, that is the first thing one must discard."

C.C. nodded. "True. But will you sacrifice your human existence for a chance at victory? Britannia is a beast so strong that no mortal man can slay it. The ones who wish to end such a creature must become something more than a man, or perhaps something less. A monster, a hero, what's in a name? All symbolize the same thing, becoming inhuman to destroy an inhuman foe, whether that change is for better or for worse, only time tells."

Lelouch looked at her. "You say strange things. But yes, I would sacrifice my human existence to end the emperor and his ways."

C.C. laughed, and Lelouch suddenly noticed that her canines seemed to have grown and sharpened. Before he could make a move, C.C. had flung her arms, still tied together by the straitjacket, over his head and pulled him close with surprising strength. Her lips were touching his ear, and Lelouch involuntarily shuddered. "I'll take you by your word, Lelouch vi Britannia. Remember, you were the one who chose this." she whispered. Then she bit him, right in between his shoulder and his neck, her razor-sharp teeth piercing his flesh. Lelouch's vision faded to black.

Chapter 1 is done. This was going around in my head for a while now. I've read a few 'C.C.-is-a-vampire' fics, but they either ended quickly, never continued beyond the first chapters, or they just seemed too unrealistic for my likes. Fantasy is all good and well, but please, don't just make them gods.

Another reason I'm writing this is because I'm currently having a writer's block for A Different Code, and am hoping to get my ideas flowing by not focusing so intently on it.

As for the story itself, Geass does not exist. The Codes do. I just noticed that the abilities seen in canon all seem to be similar to those Vampires have in folklore, and went with that. But don't worry, Lelouch will need a lot of time before he becomes a full vampire. As for C.C., she is special in many ways. While she would have the power to do some serious damage, she will be content with mostly watching Lelouch work. She is also much older, and received her powers from a jew, not a nun.

So how do you like it? Should I continue this or forget it?

Please Review