Chapter 21

Yuki's p.o.v

I clutched Zero's arm but whether to hide myself or hide him wasn't clear yet. Bloody Rose was pointed at the intruder and I had a flashback to my creation. Akira had launched an attack too and that hadn't end well for me.

Kaname glared daggers and all around us, the same vampiric assholes who thought the world of themselves, cowered by the walls. Truly, they were awe inspiring. But I had to admit this was the most I felt like myself in months.

I slip my hand into a slit I made in the dress and reached for Artemis. It paid to be prepared if your psycho vampire stalker planned to force a ring on you. The comforting weight of the weapon soothes my soul and gives me back part of the confidence I'd lost in my glittering cage.

"Completely understandable Uncle. But couldn't you have used better– well, let's call them table manners shall we? Blood is so hard to clean up you know." Kaname replied in the calmest of tones.

Zero tried to shove me back before the invader could identify me but I stayed in place and met his gaze. "Kaname-sama, perhaps you could introduce us to your esteemed uncle?"

Fury flooded Kaname's face when he finally grounded out, "Yuki stay out of it."

I spare him a glance but then I return to the intruder. Something about him made my brain itch and put my instincts on hyperdrive. And it had nothing to do with the fact that Kaname himself seemed scared of him.

"No, nephew. Enlighten her. She's the one that is supposed to become you wife right? You caught yourself a pretty bird with this one son. Wonder what your parents think of her."

"We're very proud of his choice. Kaname could have picked many a worse wife brother." A new set of vampires stepped into the fray. The woman and man closely resembled one another and I realize with disgust that my jailor was the result of an incestuous relationship.

The woman with brown eyes smiled warmly at me. "Yes, our son picked very well for himself. Now tell us Rido, what are you doing here?"

Even as more guard detail stalked up to him, Rido's gaze stayed firmly on me. The man seemed undeterred by the danger to himself and looked at me — only at me.

A wicked grin appeared on his face. "I heard a rumor that my dear nephew was getting engaged to a beautiful anomaly tonight and my, am I glad I came."

Run. Run! RUN!

My hand was captured by the man before I could move away and was gripped between steel.

"You truly are as beautiful as they say Yuki." He tried to kiss my hand but met the tip of Artemis instead.

"Remove your hand," I threaten, "before I remove your head."

"A most vicious action from such a young one my dear. I am ancient one you realize." Rido replies.

Kaname stepped to us and I hear Bloody Rose's safety come off. Rido finally looks at Kaname. "Your immortality streak will be broken if you don't get away from her."

"You'd be surprise at how well you fiancé can defend herself. After blood always tells." He lunged.

I meet his attack with the back end of Artemis and swing forward with the blade.

Zero fired his gun.

Kaname attacked.

More vampires flooded the dance floor.

The night dorm descended into chaos.

Zero's p.o.v

The ancient vampire evaded all the shots but other, lesser, vampires caught them for him.

Kaname tried to reach Yuki but was detained by his own attackers.

Yuki held herself admirable on her own, deflecting the blows the ancient vampire rained on her.

If she was capable of holding her own against an ancient one then Yuki would tear Kaname apart.

I'm forced to tear my eyes away from Yuki by the other vampires that are invading. My shots aren't perfect with all the moving and running from the weaker vampires, but as long as they catch anyone they would have to be good enough.

Running low on bullets in my cartridge, I resort to brute force to kill my attackers. I snap the neck of the next vampire to throw themselves at me.

Vampires kept flooding the ballroom. The Night Class fought alongside their leader but no one could reach Yuki.

Rido kept pushing her to the edge of the fight putting dozens of his little soldiers between them and everyone else. A punch catches me off guard but I retaliate with a kick to the knee and ripping the head off.

Takuma flashed to my side. "Go! Grab Yuki and take her somewhere safe. We'll deal here."

I don't bother acknowledging him but take off after the still fighting pair.

Yuki gave as good as she got but she seemed evenly paired with the ancient vampire. Her strikes were cleaner than before and with more precision than Cross had taught her. Artemis wasn't an extension of her anymore. Artemis was her.

The same aura that had possessed her when Kaname implied Cross would kill me bled off her in waves. It wasn't detectable to everyone but for someone who had been closed when it had screamed for blood then, it was obvious that it was demanding blood now. And not the kind that she would drink.

Kaname's p.o.v

"Kaname!" I throw away the last of the traitors and turn to my father.

"Father?"

His fingers dig into my shoulders. "Where did you find that girl?"

"Yuki?" I asked confused. "I didn't find her. My beast took me to her."

His eyes searched the room frantically. "Tell me everything about her now."

"But father! She's missing. I need to rescue her!"

"If you want to save her you'll start talking. Don't leave a single thing out."

"I-I don't understand. Rido has her, that's more important!"

"If you want all of us to survive you'll tell me where the hell you found the youngest heiress of the Yamasaki family!"