Hi guys!! I'm so sorry I haven't updated since August, ever since I started Uni I've had no time to do anything else except work and go the Uni! haha, I've been working on this since I broke up for the Christmas holidays, so hopefully it's good! I've even made it longer to apologise for the wait! I've gone through the previous chapters and corrected any spelling mistakes, but if you still find some, let me know and I'll sort them out. Also I'm thinking about maybe naming the chapters, so if you have any ideas for the cahpters so far, let me know! I hope you like this chapter, cause I really enjoyed writing it!

Disclaimer: I do not (unfortunately) own Vampire Knight, though I do own 2 posters and both series' on DVD...

Weeks have passed since the beginning of the new term and Christmas is closing in. Zero has accompanied me on the prefect duties every night apart from the occasional night where he makes me stay in the dorm and try to get some sleep. I look over all of the Academy's students, both Day Class and Night Class, as Cross-san talks about the upcoming holiday. Kaname-san, the Night Class president, sits next to me; the unofficial Day Class president.

"Now Yuuki-chan and Kaname-kun will inform you of the preparations for the Christmas party." Cross-san takes his seat as we step up to the microphone. My eyes catch Yori-chan and Zero sitting next to each other and give me a bit of courage to speak; I get really nervous speaking in front of the whole school.

"Although the Christmas party is still quite far away, we thought that we would start the preparation a bit earlier this year to avoid any problems like we encountered last year." I smile as the other students laugh at what I said, remembering the running around we all had to do that day for the decorations.

"We've decided to give each class a specific job to ensure that the preparations, and the night, go as smoothly as possible." Kaname-san looked across the audience, the girls hanging by his every word. "Also this year both the Day Class and the Night Class are going to be helping each other with the preparation on certain days. These days have not been decided as of yet, but you will all be informed of everything by your home room teacher. Myself and Yuuki-chan will also be visiting each home room nearer to the time to answer any questions or queries."

"Cross-san has decided that there will be no classes the week after our exams so that we have enough time to get everything ready. Nothing is set in stone yet, but we will be holding lots of meetings in the next few weeks." I look up to Kaname-san and nod, indicating that I'm finished talking.

"Are there any questions?" A few hands rose into the air. Damn. I was hoping no one would so we could leave. Kaname-san pointed to someone sitting near Yori-chan.

"Is there going to be a theme, or it just going to be formal dress again?"

"We're going to leave that up to the students this year; as I said before, nothing is set in stone yet. During home room one day next week, we'll get each class to vote for their class representatives, who will then bring any ideas of what type of party you would like to us. We will then bring it to the attention of the staff and if they're okay with it, it'll go ahead." I hate it when people spoil surprises; I was hoping to wait for a couple of days before telling anyone that. All the students starting talking about this new idea of doing something a bit different.

"Quiet down everyone." The noise died down. Though everyone likes their headmaster, they hate to see the wrong side of him. I have to stop myself from sniggering, he's a kitty cat on the inside. Kaname-san points at someone else to speak.

"What about dates? Do we have to find a date to go with, or go in groups?"

"That depends on what you want to do. If you want to ask another student to accompany you to the party as your date, then that's up to you, but it isn't necessary." I watch as some people seem pleased at Kaname-san's words. I point at one of the girls near the back of the assembly hall.

"What about the Night Class? Can the Day Class ask one of the Night Class to be their date?" Kaname-san looks down at me and I shrug.

"I don't see why not. We will have to organise a day for both Classes to get together if anyone is wanting to ask someone from the Night Class to be their date, or vice versa. Are there any more questions?" No one answered. Cross-san stood back up, coming towards us.

"If you can all start leaving from the back. You can either go back to your dormitories or go to the meeting area. You have about an hour before you have to be back in the dorms." The meeting area is a building Cross-san set up for the Day Class to relax, allowing the girls and boys to interact because they're not allowed in each other's dorms. Only Zero and myself can go into the opposite sex's dormitories. The Night Class have different rules, they have co-ed dormitories, though the Day Class don't know about that. All the staff and students start leaving, chatting excitedly about the upcoming dance.

"When are we going to hold the first meeting?" I walk down the stage's steps with Kaname-san.

"Probably next week after each class has picked a student to represent their class. If you make sure the Night Class chooses their representatives, I'll do the same for the Day Class."

"Sounds good. I'll see you later, Yuuki-chan." He ruffles my hair slightly as a blush creeps into my cheeks, before walking over to his classmates.

"Wow, Yuuki-chan, I think that was the most confident you've been in front of the whole school." Yori-chan smiles at me as I walk towards her.

"Heh, thanks Yori-chan. I felt more confident this time." I puff my chest out, laughing. Zero joins us, walking on my other side.

"Yeah, I was shocked. You weren't even shaking this time." I hit him playfully in the arm. I haven't had any of my tablets for a long time, I'm feeling much better with only the occasional headache, but I'm really pale now. The dreams are getting worse though, most of them about Zero. I don't know whether it's a side effect to stopping the tablets or not though.

"Are you going home this weekend, Yori-chan?" We have a longer weekend this week to let the students visit their families.

"Yes, we're going to visit my grandmother this time."

"Oh tell your family I say hi. I miss your mom." We laugh as we walk towards the dorms.

"You should come with me next time." I shake my head, stopping outside the doors.

"I can't leave Cross-san; he'd probably burn the place down."

"Well I'm going to pack some of my stuff. I'll see you when I get back." I gave her a hug before heading over to Cross-san's building with Zero. Unlike with the holidays, where Cross-san brings in people from the Vampire Hunters Association to take over the duties so I can rest a bit, we still have to do our patrolling over the weekend.

"Noodles?" I laugh and nod as we walk through the door. "Go have you shower; they'll be ready for you getting out."

"Thanks." I make my way up the stairs, stopping by my room to pick up a clean uniform. Our rounds start in about an hour when all the students have to be back in their dorms, unless they're going home. A shower is just what I need before patrolling.

Snow starts to fall as we walk towards the Night Class buildings. The wind starts to pick up and I have to keep my hair back with one hand and use the other to keep my skirt down.

"That's it! Tomorrow I'm wearing sweat pants." Zero chuckles beside me. "It's not funny," I grumble.

"You can go back if you want." I automatically shake my head, even though he's not looking at me.

"It's alright. I've got to stay here and protect you, you never know what kind of monsters might try and eat you." I walk off in front of him, climbing up some steps.

"Funny." I turn back to face him and see a slight smile on his face. In return I smile back, glad that he rarely glares at me anymore. I continue walking up the steps. I grip my head and stumble slightly as a shooting pain goes through my head. Everything flashes red for a moment before going back to normal. Before I can fall, Zero grabs hold of my shoulders straightening me up. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just went dizzy all of a sudden." He turns me around to look at him, his eyes staring straight into mine.

"Don't lie to me Yuuki. Have you been sleeping okay lately?"

"Yes." His grip tightens slightly and I flinch as his nails dig into my shoulders.

"Yuuki." That stern look makes its way onto his face.

"I..." Before I can say anything else, a high pitched shriek pierces through the air. Releasing me, Zero looks out towards the trees. I look around him and gasp seeing a figure covered in red. The smell hits me and I almost retch. Red eyes search over both of us before focusing on me.

"So lucky... so very very lucky." My body stiffens as he licks his lips. "Such sweet sweet smelling blood." Zero's eyes quickly glance at me; suddenly realising he'd pierced the skin on my shoulders. Returning his gaze to the vampire, he raises an arm in front of me. I hear him swear under his breath.

"Zero..."

"If you know what's good for you, you'll leave this place." The vampire lets out a laugh.

"Leave? I'm not leaving. This is a good opportunity. Yes. A very lucky one, I've found."

"When I give the signal, run." I look up at him.

"I can't. I'm not leaving you here." Zero's eyes flick back to me and I'm sure he growls at me. I'm sure I saw a slight tinge of red in his eyes...

"Yuuki, just do as I say." My eyes travel back to the crazed vampire as he slowly saunters towards us.

"Okay," I whisper. Zero reaches into his jacket but he's not quick enough. The Level E lets out a howl before leaping towards us. He throws Zero away before ramming into me as he pins me up against the wall.

"Such sweet sweet blood, little girl." His tongue traces up my neck and I shiver. My sight goes hazy at the similarity between this and the dream of the attack when I was younger. He threw Zero away just like the vampire did to that young boy. I was helpless then, just like I'm helpless now. Oh God, I'm really going to die this time. I try to force my body to move but I'm frozen by fear. I feel the point of his teeth touch my skin, about to pierce. Artemis. Come on, snap out of it and grab Artemis.

My hand lies near my leg and my fingers twitch slightly as I try to grab it. Please, somebody save me... Zero, I... A bang pierces through the air and I see the symbol for Cross Academy behind the Level E. The vampire slumps forward before turning to dust and being carried away by the wind. I look to the side and see Zero holding a gun.

"Zero, I..." Before I can say anything else everything turns darks and I feel the ground come up to meet me.

"Daddy why do vampires go crazy?" He chuckles before picking me up and putting me on his knee.

"Not all vampires go crazy, Yuuki-chan. Vampires who were once human go mad with the bloodlust, they're unable to control it. But Purebloods can go crazy in a different way. They're just like humans in a way, rather than going mad with bloodlust, they can go mad with power or the thought of acquiring power." I pout, puffing out my cheeks.

"But why? If they take those things you give the Night Class, won't they be okay?"

"It's not the same. A Pureblood can last a very long time without blood but still be okay. An ex-human cannot. If they don't have proper blood, they'll go mad."

"What about real blood, daddy?" He pushes the hair out of my eyes.

"Even with proper blood they'll eventually go mad, it'll just take a bit longer. All ex-humans fall to Level E eventually.

"But that's not fair! It's not their fault they can't control it daddy." A tear rolls down my cheek at the thought of the fate of a turned vampire.

"I know it's not honey. But that's the way it is."

--

My eyes open, searching around franticly. Where am I? I look above and see the moon, big and round in the sky. Blood red.

"Zero? Where are you?" I walk towards the ledge and look down to where I was previously standing with Zero. I see him down there talking to... me. Lifting my gaze slightly I see the Level E approaching. I'm about to call out but a hand grabs onto my arm. My head moves to look at the woman standing beside me.

"Look again." Her voice carries across the night. Obeying her words I look back down. The Level E is not longer there, just me and Zero. His hands are on my shoulders, shaking me.

"I don't understand." I look back to her, her long white hair staying perfectly still despite the wind.

"Look at him." My eyes travel down to where Zero is standing, his hands no longer on my shoulders. One on my head, moving it out of the way, and the other on my arm, keeping me still. Zero... what are you doing... I watch as his head comes up from my neck, laced in blood. He lets go of me, and I watch my body fall to the ground. Lifeless.

His head turns upwards, looking straight past me, up at the blood moon. I stare into his eyes, stained crimson red, like my blood on his lips.

"No... Zero would never do that to me..." She pulls me into her embrace and I pull my arms up around her, tears falling. "He would never hurt me."

"He can't help it my child. He's falling, it's started. The uncontrollable bloodlust has set in. He will fall to Level E. You will have to kill him, before he kills you."

"No... There must be a way to save him."

"A Pureblood's blood will slow the onset of him becoming a Level E. But it is not permanent, he will fall. Unless..." I pull away from her to look at her face.

"Unless what? Please tell me, I want to save him." She cups my cheek with her hand, her face coming closer.

"He must drink the blood of his Pureblood creator." Her other hand comes up to rest on my arm. "He must drink my blood." My eyes widen. Before I can do anything else, she pushes me off the edge. I turn as I fall. I see Zero smiling up at me, his arms stretched out as if to catch me. I stretch my arms out towards him.

I watch as his eyes change back to crimson and his face changes slightly, menacing. No... this can't be happening... Please don't hurt me, Zero...

"Zero!!"

--

"No! Please, don't hurt me!" I thrash my arms around, trying to get out of the grip on my shoulders. I feel the tears leak out of my tightly shut eyes. "Zero! Oh God, please don't hurt me..." The grip on my shoulders starts to shake me. I lash out again, my first making contact with something hard.

"Yuuki, calm down." My eyes shoot open at the calm velvet voice.

"Zero..." His hands release my shoulders as I grab a hold of him, wrapping my arms around his back, head in his chest. One of his hands comes up to my head, the other on my back pulling me closer to him.

"It's okay. You're okay." I sob into his chest, soaking his school shirt. We sit in that position for quite a while; I'm not sure how long. Slowly I pull away after what seems like forever. I use my shirt sleeve to wipe my eyes; someone must have taken my jacket off after the attack.

"I'm sorry." His hands are still in the same position, though there's now a gap in between us.

"Don't be, it's not your fault you're having nightmares." I shake my head slightly.

"That's not what I mean..." His hand moves from the back of my head to my cheek, lifting my face up so I'll look at him. I shift my eyes to the side, avoiding his gaze.

"Then what?" Placing my hands on his arms, I pull them away from me, moving back slightly from him. I quickly gaze around the room, unsure of where we are. I spot both of our jackets hanging up on a coat hanger attached to the wall.

"I just stood there..." My voice comes out as a whisper as my body starts to shake ever so slightly. "I couldn't move, my whole body froze. He... he would have killed me because I froze." I push my fisted hands to my eyes, trying to push the pain away in my head.

"I wouldn't have let him kill you." I shake my head, thoughts spinning through my mind. He pulls my hands away from my face and I look at his eyes, tears rolling down my cheeks.

"What if it was a Day Class student and you weren't there? What if they died because of me? What if a Level E murdered them because I was too scared to stop them?" He pulls me back towards him, moving me so I'm practically sitting in his lap, hands pressing me to him.

"You wouldn't let that happen."

"I might! That Level E could have done anything to me, and I would have just let it happen!"

"It reminded you of the night you were attacked as a child... didn't it?" I nod slightly, my hands gripping the front of his shirt. I hear, and feel, him sigh. "I won't let them hurt you, whatever Level they are. Or the Day Class."

"Okay." I hiccup a few times, Zero rubbing circles on my back trying to calm me down. I pull away again, fidgeting slightly at how close we are. Standing up I wander around the room, stopping at the bookshelf. "Urm... where are we?"

"My dorm room. It was the closest building, so I brought you here when you fainted." I hum as I scan the books.

"'Dracula'?" I laugh, catching him smile out of the corner of my eye. "You have a room to yourself?"

"Cross-san thought it would be best. With me being a Level D..."

"Yeah, I guess he's right..." Making my way over to his desk I see revision books and Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'. "The exams will be here soon..."

"Cross-san said that your grades aren't very good." I shake my head, picking up the novel.

"I haven't even started reading this yet..." Putting it back down I turn around to face Zero, my hands behind me on his desk, leaning back.

"I can help you prepare for the exams... if you want that is." I shake my head but give him a small smile.

"It's okay. Yori-chan tried to help me once but she ended up focusing too much on me and failed the exam as well. Cross-san helps me occasionally... but most of the time he's busy." I watch him as he leans back on his hands.

"I don't mind. I know all of the stuff anyway." A smirk appears on his face. "Unlike some people." I grab one of his books and throw it at him.

"Okay. I'll let you tutor me. But if you fail don't blame it on me. I tried to warn you." I look at the clock hanging on the wall: 2am.

"We'll start after the weekend." I nod. We both look at each other. Silence working its way between us.

"Does Cross-san know what happened earlier?" He sits up resting his elbows in his thighs.

"I went to see him while you were sleeping."

"What about the Night Class? We were right next to their building. They would have heard the gunshot and smelt the blood on the Level E as well as mine." I see that look in his eyes again, dark with hatred.

"Kuran was with Cross-san when I went to see him. He kept them in line." I nod, dropping my eyes to the floor. I find it so hard to look at him when he has that look. "Yuuki." I look up as he sets his seat in front of me before sitting on it. "Before the Level E attacked... what were you going to say? Are the dreams getting worse?" I nod silently. "What about just before, when I had to wake you up?"

"I saw my father... I mean Cross-san, telling me about what happens to ex-humans when I was little. And then..."

"What happened?" I shift my eyes to the side.

"I was standing on top of a building with someone, I don't know who." For some reason I feel as if I shouldn't tell him about that woman, or what she said. His creator. "I was looking down at us talking; you had your hands on my shoulders, like you did before the Level E turned up. I saw him approaching... then he was gone. When I looked at us again you were feeding from me. But it wasn't a normal feeding... it was animalistic. You dropped my body and looked up at me, or rather past me at the moon, as I watched you. Your eyes... they were like that Level E's."

"Whoever was with me pushed me off the building. You held your arms out to me, you looked normal again so I reached out to you. But you changed again and I... I started to panic."

"Is that when you woke up?" I lift my head slightly to look at him.

"Yes." I hear him sigh as he runs a hand through his hand.

"Yuuki..." He grabs onto my arms, just above my elbows, pulling me forward ever so slightly. "I would never do that to you okay? I'll not get to that stage."

"But all ex-humans, they..." His eyes catch mine as he presses his index finger to my lips.

"I won't let myself." He takes his hand away and pulls something out of one of his drawers. "I'll use this on myself before I ever hurt you." I stare at the Bloody Rose, an anti-vampire weapon like my Artemis. I lift my gaze up to meet his.

"No." Confusion crosses his face. "I'll think of something. I'll find a way. You will not fall to Level E." He gives me a strained smile, dropping the gun to place his hand on my head. I realise I'm no longer standing, but kneeling on the floor in front of him.

"Okay." I smile at him. He ruffles my hair before standing up and walking over to his wardrobe. His hand rests on the handle as I watch his every movement. "Yuuki, in your dreams... what do you see?" His head turns to my direction.

"The first day of term I dreamt that I drank from Yori-chan... and I killed her. I've only had that one once... they're mostly of you. I... I see myself drinking your blood. I can't sleep because I'm scared. In the dreams... I'm enjoying drinking from you and when I wake I feel revolted, disgusted at myself. Feeling like that... it frightens me so much that I can't sleep long."

"That's why you're looking so tired lately?" I nod. He pulls open the wardrobe door, pulls out a grey jumper and throws it at me. "Put that on, it's cold outside. I'll walk you back to your dorm."

"Yori-chan's gone home for the weekend... can you take me to Cross-san's instead? I don't want to be in the dorm alone..."

"Sure." I pull the jumper over my head, sticking my arms through the right holes. I breathe in, calming at his lingered smell on the jumper.

Looking back up at him, I watch as he unbuttons his shirt and slides it off his shoulders, placing it in the dirty basket. A blush makes its way to my cheeks; I've never seen a boy's bare chest this close in person before...

"Urm... I'm sorry for getting your shirt wet." My eyes rest on a newly forming bruise on the left side of his chest. I stand up, using the desk to pull myself up, and make my way towards him.

"It's okay, don't worry about it." He pulls a dark blue jumper out of the wardrobe. I unconsciously touch the bruise with the tips of my fingers, feeling a shiver run through his body. "Urhh, Yuuki... what are you doing?" I look up at him and snap out of my daze, pulling my hand away. I feel my cheeks darken even more.

"I... before I woke up... I did that, didn't I? I remember hitting something..." My voice comes out as a whisper. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It didn't even hurt." He smirks down at me before pulling the jumper over his head. I playfully hit him in the arm.

"I mustn't have been trying hard enough then..." I follow him out the door, he locks it behind us. We walk down the stairs and into the cold night in silence. I look up at the sky, new snow starting the fall. "Beautiful..." I hear him chuckle beside me.

"It sure is." I open the door into the building, Cross-san always keeps it unlocked in case I decide to come here after the night duty rather than going to my dorm.

"Are you coming in or going back to your dorm?" I step inside, turning around to see him.

"I'll head back. There's a lot of guys staying the weekend so I need to be there." I nod and start to pull the jumper off but his hands stop me. "Don't worry about it, keep it. It's an old one anyway."

"Thanks. I'll see you in the morning." He smiles slightly before walking away, raising his hand in a wave. I watch his retreating back, snow blowing around him, until I can't see him anymore. Closing the door, I use the key hanging up to lock it.

I move through the house in the dark, avoiding bumping in to anything. I walk up the stairs as quiet as I can so that I don't disturb Cross-san. Entering my room I pull off Zero's jumper, placing it on my desk and change into some pyjamas. I look at the clock on the wall; 3.30am. Wow, I've spent a long time in Zero's room. I pick up his jumper again taking it to the bed with me. My pyjama top is only a thin strapped t-shirt so I pull the jumper back on before climbing into bed.

Closing my eyes, I think of Zero feeding from me and that woman who said she was his creator. I'll never let that happen to him, no matter what. I promise, Zero. I won't let the bloodlust take you away from me...

So what do you think? I hope it's okay, I tried to show the Level E as being a bit crazy to show the madness caused by the bloodlust. I should have the next chapter finished soon, I've set out a plan for the next 5 or so chapters so it won't be too hard to get into writing them! Hope you liked this one! See ya ^.^