Nagisa lay deadly still on the makeshift bed in what was usually the staff room. His skin was still deathly pale and his breathing slow. He had woke up earlier but in his exhausted state had quickly slipped back asleep. Korosensei had rounded up members of the class with the same blood type as Nagisa in order to give him a 'blood transfusion'. A clear tube had been inserted right into one of the blood vessels on Nagisa's inner elbow and the thick red liquid was steadily flowing into his body through it. It was the first time Karma and the other members of E class had seen something like this in action. For a maybe-demon, Korosensei certainly did have a lot of medical knowledge around humans.

Karma was currently sat watching Nagisa from the chair next to him. He didn't want to let the other out of his sight but he was afraid to touch him again. Afraid of breaking him. E class didn't want to show it, but after learning that Karma had drained Nagisa's blood they were slightly more wary around the vampire. It hurt more than Karma wanted to acknowledge.

A few of them had been wary about leaving Karma alone with Nagisa until Korosensei stepped in and assured them it'd be fine. Karma felt as if he were being treated like a rabid dog. He felt as if he deserved it.

Karma had relayed the knowledge to Korosensei that the Chairman was a Vampire and he'd without a doubt been experimenting on students. Korosensei said that as soon as Karasuma returned he'd inform him. The Chairman wouldn't be able to hide his true nature from the Government if they investigated him, so he'd likely be captured. Even if he ran away, he would loose all his power as Chairman and have to live as an outlaw.

Something told Karma that it wouldn't be that easy, however. He had no idea what would happen to Gakushuu. Karma somehow doubted the human government had any sort of protocol on creatures that were supposed to be a biological impossibility.

Nagisa stirred and Karma almost jumped out of his seat in anticipation for the other waking up again. But after a moment his eyes didn't open. Karma sighed, glancing out the window and the pitch black sky littered with stars. This is turning out to be a long night.

Due to the evacuation, the academy was thankfully mostly devoid of people. This made it much easier for Gakushuu to sneak back to the hospital wing without being detected. He'd rather not have to answer questions about why he was wondering around in blood stained pyjamas with a sword and a too-big hunter's jacket (He'd have to apologise to Ren for the blood stains). Gakushuu may be used to lying, but he didn't enjoy it and besides, he was starting to feel faint so the less diversions the better.

Part of him wanted to run away and escape the school entirely, especially when he thought about what the Chairman would do when he discovered that he'd helped free his prisoners and thereby exposing his secret. However, he'd learnt once before that running away didn't work. Besides, he didn't want to leave his classmates, his comrades, to face the Chairman alone. He wouldn't be surprised if the Chairman started hurting them in Gakushuu's absence and as an elite it was his duty to protect them.

Gakushuu thought he was in the clear. He quietly stepped into the hospital wing and made his way to his bed only to be confronted by four figures standing around the currently empty bed: the other 'elites': Koyama, Seo, Araki and Ren stood together like a pack, obviously awaiting his return. The four of them had grave expressions on their face.

What now? Gakushuu wondered. He'd honestly thought that he'd have a chance to lie down before facing more of the conflict that would inevitably arrive.

"Where have you been?" Ren asked, looking concerned. "I just woke up and you were gone- and I see you took my shoes and jacket with you. What is going on, Asano?"

Hearing concern was something unfamiliar to Gakushuu- but there was something else in Ren's voice; Suspicion. I suppose I have to lie my way out of this one.

"I went for a walk. I didn't think you'd mind that I borrowed some things since you were asleep." Gakushuu said smoothly.

"I wasn't asleep I was knocked out!" Ren argued. Gakushuu appeared casual, he walked through the group and sat on the bed, looking up at them.

"Are you sure you aren't just over tired?" He said, before glancing between his teammates. Suspicion radiated off them. The atmosphere was heavy. "What are you all doing here anyway? Do you need something?"

"We want you to tell us what's going on, Asano, once and for all." Seo demanded. "We're supposed to all be a team. How are we supposed to work as a team when there are things you don't tell us about?"

Hell, they're more suspicious than I thought.

"I'm not sure to what you're referring to." Asano said, narrowing his eyes and staring Seo down. "Making accusations can be dangerous you know."

"Gakushuu. Please." Ren said, Asano was taken aback at the use of his given name. Nobody called him that. "We've all risked our lives together on missions; That forged a bond between us, whether you acknowledge it or not. We can tell when you're lying- We can tell when you're in danger and trying to hide it. So we're giving you this chance to tell us. So we can help you."

Asano bit his lip; Ren's words surprised him. Asano ha viewed their relationship in purely professional terms, but apparently the others didn't. It was sweet that Ren wanted to help him, but naive; because Asano was sure that if he really did tell them the whole truth, they'd all fear and despise him. Actually, that thought sort of pissed Asano off. Any admiration from his team mates was on a false pretenses. Their whole relationship was an empty one based on lies.

"I don't know what this is about but I don't need your help!" Asano snapped. It was all just words! These humans could never help him! "In case you haven't noticed I'm stronger than all of you. There isn't anything you can do for m- "

Asano was cut off suddenly when Ren grabbed his arm and spun him around so he was suddenly face-down on the bed, his arm forced behind his back at a painful angle. He let out a gasp of pain as his stomach felt the impact. At this point, his whole front was sticky will blood.

"You're right. You are strong. Stronger than a human should be." Ren said, his voice straining from the struggle of keeping Asano down. "But right now you're so hurt that I can fight you on equal terms. You're in trouble with something and you need our help."

"Ren! Get off me- " Asano growled; He managed to get a arm free only to feel someone else's hand grab it. He didn't like that Ren was right. He was weak from blood-loss right now. "What is the meaning of this?"

"After you suddenly disappeared, Ren called us to come and help. We figured you'd gone off somewhere of your own volition since there were no signs of a struggle- " Araki said. "Then we got talking about you, about how we all think you're hiding something; You've never been an open book, Asano, but lately, ever since the Red Devil showed up you've been acting even more secretive; Missing days at the academy, coming to school beat up. And how you performed at the hunting exam- I'm sure that was at the very limit of human capability and you hardly looked tired. And we've all noticed you can't stand to look at blood."

"What the hell are you idiots trying to say?" Asano hissed, becoming increasingly agitated as the true meaning of their words dawned on him.

"Asano." Ren said, his voice heavy with emotion. "You've become a Vampire, haven't you?"

"What?" Asano snapped. Okay, so they kind of missed the mark, but they were dangerously close to the truth. Asano had been so focused on his father and the Red Devil he'd once again underestimated the power of humans. His comrades may not be near his level, but they were elites after all. "Don't be preposterous! I'm the same as I've always been!"

"The Red Devil changed you into a Vampire, just admit it." Koyama said, his voice full of conviction. "And now he's dead you're in trouble. We just want you to own up to it."

"You're all delusional! As if I'd let the Red Devil change me." Asano snapped, feeling increasingly frustrated as his attempts to break free just lead to further dizziness. Yes, they had really missed the mark, but they were still too close. "Unhand me or I'll have you all expelled for treason."

"Asano, while I was sat at your bedside I saw scratches heal faster than they ever would on a human. I saw the lapis lazuli necklace that you wear while you were getting your bandage changed." Ren said. His voice sounded neutral, as if he were attempting to calm his friend. "If you really aren't a Vampire then why don't you take it off and go into the sunlight?"

Asano stopped fighting at those words. He slumped into the bed, defeated. Shit. They really did know. Or at least, they knew enough. Now what? He'd have to leave this town and escape before everyone else found out and had him executed. What if his four 'comrades' had already told people? Guards could be coming any moment and Asano wasn't in any position to fight them off? What if his father knew? Would he kill anyone who knew to protect his prized 'weapon' or would he just kill Asano himself for being a liability?

Truth be told, Asano felt hurt. Seo, Araki, Koyama and Ren were four people who had looked up to him. They were the four humans he was closest too, four people he didn't mind working with. He had helped to train them and cultivate them into the elites they were today. They were closets things to friends he'd had since he was a child. Now they would see him as nothing but a disgusting monster- Maybe it was better they had mistaken him for a Turned-Vampire, at least they only think of him as a monster now, rather than realising that he had been one all along.

"Should I take your silence as an admission?" Seo said sounding smug. Bastard.

"Just try to execute me. I'll defeat all of you." Asano hissed. It didn't sound very convincing when he was already being pinned down by them. "Who else have you told? Should I expect the cavalry to burst in any minute? It doesn't matter how many people I'm up against- I won't let you kill me!"

"Asano, are you even listening to us?" Ren said, raising his voice in frustration. "We said we want to help you! We aren't going to execute you no matter what you are. You might be insufferably stubborn and egotistical sometimes, but you're still our friend."

Asano froze. Those words were so unexpected that it took a good heavy moment for him to process them 'We want to help you.' .. 'no matter what you are'. Ren's words echoed in his mind, and even in the midst of his panic filled him with a unfamiliar warm feeling.

"That doesn't make sense.." he said, quietly. "You're hunters. You're supposed to kill vampires in any circumstance."

"Only you are so pedantic you'd chastise us for not trying to kill you." Seo said with a sardonic grin. Asano felt the hands that were holding him down leave him and slowly he sat up on the bed.

"I still don't understand. Why wouldn't you just kill me?" Asano said, looking up at the four of them with a confused expression. This was not going the way he expected it to.

"How many times do we have to say it- you're our friend." Ren said. "- And you still seem to be in possession of your sanity so it's not like you're a danger to anyone."

Asano hadn't realised the weight the word 'friend' could hold with these guys. Unconsciously a small smile grew on his face despite himself. "Honestly, I must not of trained you four well enough if you were planning on letting a Vampire live." He said quietly. The words came tumbling out. Perhaps it was because he had spent so long- so very long - having to hide who or rather what he was from everyone, he suddenly felt as if he had lost the strength to hide it any longer. What was the point? They basically knew anyway? His life was falling apart at the seams, but for some reason Asano felt a strange sense of relief. "But you haven't quite got it right. I'm not a Vampire."

"Wait- what? We just went through this! We know you aren't human any more." Seo said, rolling his eyes, looking exasperated. Asano looked up at the four of them head on, an intent look in his Violet eyes. This is it.

"You're right. I'm not human.. and I never was."

Nagisa drifted slowly towards the surface consciousness, gradually becoming more aware of the world around him. The first thing he noticed was that he could feel a sharp pain on his inner elbow; Ah, the blood transfusion. He was lying on a mattress of some kind and he could feel sunlight streaming in and bathing him in warmth. Slowly, Nagisa opened his eyes. They felt tired and heavy. For a moment he was blinded by the sudden influx of light attacking his retina, but gradually his sight adjusted. He was lying in a plain room with wooden walls, he glanced at the thin red tube full of red liquid attached to his inner elbow, out the window he could see the dark evergreen trees from the forest.

"You're finally awake again." A familiar voice said. Nagisa turned to see Karma sat next to him. The Vampire looked relieved to see Nagisa was okay, but there was also something else to his expression; Something akin to bitterness, regret or maybe guilt.

"How? How long have I been out for?" Nagisa croaked. He was suddenly aware of how dry his mouth felt- his tongue was like sandpaper.

"About a day." Was Karma's short reply. That mysterious expression was still on Karma's face and it was making Nagisa increasingly uneasy. "Well. You have woke up a couple of times, but not properly."

"A day!?" Nagisa exclaimed. He searched through his memories to try and recall how he'd ended up unconscious in the first place- Wait! The Chairman had captured them! They had been in the dungeons- Nagisa had really thought he was going to die... "How did we escape? Who saved us? What happened?"

"Our classmates came to save us.. and that Asano brat might of gave them a hand. He was only interested in saving you though- tried to kill me. Didn't do a very good job at it, as you can probably tell." Karma said sardonically. Nagisa just blinked in surprise. He couldn't believe Asano of all people had tried to help him!

"I can't believe all the things we've found out about the academy and the chairman. It's a miracle we made it out alive." Nagisa said the rush of relief making him feel almost deliriously happy. He expected Karma's expression to mirror his, but the Vampires face was set in that unhappy look. "What's wrong, Karma?"

"If the others hadn't come to rescue us, you would of forced me to kill you." Karma said solemnly. At his words, Nagisa's mood dropped like a lead balloon.

"Karma- I'm sorry.. I didn't mean to-" Nagisa started to say, at loss for words.

"You're right. It isn't fair to blame you for what happened." Karma said, glaring down at the floor, his Amber eyes full of self loathing. "I should be able to control myself. I should be able to stop myself from killing the person I care about. I really am just as much of a monster as they say."

"That isn't true!" Nagisa shouted, sitting up quickly and forcing Karma to meet his eyes. "I put myself in that position knowing what would happen. I just wanted to save you.."

"What would you do if that was the other way around? If I'd put you in a position were you were forced to kill me- how would that make you feel." Karma said, his voice quiet and hurt. Nagisa bit his lip; Just the thought of hurting Karma was unthinkable to him. But it seemed like he already had hurt him.

"I- " he started to say.

"Except that would never happen, would it? Because unlike me, you aren't a beast. You could never be driven to the point of killing me no matter what happened." Karma said getting increasingly before adding. "I used to think the difference between Humans and natural vampires were purely in our abilities. But now I realise that isn't the case."

Nagisa couldn't think of the right words to attempt to comfort him, so instead he just wordlessly leaned forward and hugged Karma, pulling himself close to him. He felt Karma tense at his hold, then gradually relax into it.

"I'm sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing." Nagisa said quietly after a moment of silence. "I thought I was saving you, but maybe what I did just ended up hurting you more. But the reason I did it was because I care about you and because I think you're worth protecting. You aren't a beast, Karma."

"Promise me you'll never do that again. Never." Karma said squeezing Nagisa tightly as he spoke. Nagisa nodded.

"I won't." He said, leaning back. Nagisa was sure Karma's Amber eyes looked a little less forlorn. His melancholy had abated for now, but Nagisa was sure that deep down Karma would still be worrying that he was a beast.

"Nagisa.. I've been thinking a lot while you were out and I've been wondering; what exactly are we? As in what is our relationship?" Karma asked, genuine curiosity in his voice. Nagisa remembered just how isolated Karma has been all his life- It was no wonder relationships were confusing to him.

"We're friends." Nagisa said, feeling himself blush slightly, although he wasn't sure why. Karma smirked.

"Do you normally kiss your friends like you kiss me?" Karma asked. Nagisa felt the heat rise to his cheeks, his face suddenly bright red.

"N- No. I don't normally kiss them. Or EVER kiss them. You're the only one I've kissed actually." Nagisa spluttered, feeling suddenly bashful as he remembered the kisses.

"Right, so does that make us something more than friends?" Karma asked, a devious sparkle in his eyes. Nagisa's face somehow got even redder, his cheeks almost luminous at this point. Something more than friends?

"W- well I suppose we sort of are." Nagisa said, putting his hands to his face. "I mean- I'm not sure! I've never done this before.. It's moving very quickly, I've just woke up and- "

Karma silenced Nagisa by placing a chaste kiss on his lips, that quickly developed into something more passionate. Nagisa squeezed his eyes shut feeling a mixture of shock and pleasure. He gripped Karma's shirt as he felt the other run his hands through his hair. But no sooner had he got used to the strange feeling Karma pulled away.

"I want to be in a relationship with you. A more than friends relationship. Were we kiss each other." Karma said. Nagisa had no idea how he could be so calm and confident; Nagisa's head was reeling and his heart was beating out of his chest. "So far we've come together because we've been fighting the academy as a team. That's what our relationship has been based around, but even when all this is over and we have nothing to fight, I will still you and I still want to be with you. Do you want the same?"

Nagisa blinked, clearing his head and properly analysing Karma's words. He was right, their entire relationship had been based around resisting evil so far; Planning together, fighting, protecting each other- that was how they had grown close. But Karma wanted a relationship even when there wasn't any evil to fight. Nagisa imagined it; The two of them together, no evil academy to worry about, just enjoying each others company.

"I think I'd like that." Nagisa admitted, a smile on his face. Karma smiled and leaned in to kiss Nagisa again. This time, Nagisa was less taken by surprise. He reached his arms up around Karma's shoulders.

He still felt self-conscious around kissing.. he felt as if he wasn't sure what to do so he just focused on enjoying the sensation. Suddenly, Karma pulled away very quickly, and the next thing Nagisa knew, the door burst open and a handful of their classmates piled in.

"Nagisa! You're awake again- how do you feel?" Kayano asked at the very forefront.

"- We've been preparing for the upcoming battle with the Chairman while you were out- we have all sorts of strategies to update you on-" Maehara said.

Nagisa was still flustered from kissing Karma, he just nodded along with a slightly dazed expression.

"Yeah- we've all been at the mountain hut all night making strategies with Korosensei." Terasaka added, walking in behind them.

"Guys, give Nagisa some space- he's probably still not himself." Isogai said, raising his hands. Nagisa was eternally grateful. He glanced over at Karma; he looked cool as a cucumber.. with his stupid Vampire hearing he probably knew they were going to burst in anyway.

"I'm fine." Nagisa assured them. Smiling as his heart rate returned to normal. "Just still a little tired."

Seeing his classmates made him happy though; Other than Kayano, he'd known all of them since childhood, but after being in this class, he realised their relationship was deeper than just average friendship; these were the kids who'd risked their own lives to save his and Karma's.

"I'm glad." Isogai said, walking further into the room towards Nagisa. "We really thought you had died for a moment. When we saw you were alive we were so relieved."

"Thank you." Nagisa said, sincerely. "From the bottom of my heart, I mean it- you didn't have to save me but you risked all your lives to do it, I can never thank you enough, I owe you all a life debt I- "

Nagisa was cut off when Nakamura pulled him into a one-armed hug.

"Hey, we're friends aren't we? Of course weren't going to let you be killed off that easily." She said with a casual laugh. "But if you're that worried about it, you can buy us all dinner some time and we'll call it even."

Nagisa smiled into the hug, his blue eyes darting around at the people in the room. He suddenly felt so much love.

Things weren't great right now; His mother was likely distraught still thinking he was dead, their headmaster was a powerful vampire who experimented on kids and the whole of E class would inevitably have to fight him since they all now know his secret, Karma could be tracked by said headmaster- but despite all the danger he and his friends were in, in that moment, Nagisa felt happiness. He hadn't expected to live through being captured; he thought he'd die in that cold dungeon below the school.. if his friends could free in from there, he felt that together they could do anything.

I hadn't recently read the last chapter when I was writing this chapter, so sorry it is a little repetitive and similar to the end of last chapter (hey, at least I know I'm consistent in my writing style). This chapter somehow ended up being about the power of love and friendship. Lol. I It's sort of a lighter transitional chapter before the inevitable drama that's about the happen. I also wanted to explore Nagisa and Karma's relationship a little, they've has so much intense things to deal so I wanted to give them a chance to reflect on what they mean to each other.

Gakushuu is not as good at lying as he thinks he is. He's finally going to tell his comrades the truth about himself.. That was a pretty big moment for him after spending a lifetime hiding the truth.

Sorry this chapter took so long for me to publish!

Thank you for all the reviews, they literally motivate me to keep going with this story..! Please review to let me know your thoughts and if I should write more!