Ayame's POV

Dropping my bag, I collapsed onto my bed face down. The fatigue of the mission hit me hard, and despite the longing to pass out, I knew I still had to take care of my injuries, less I want to end up in a worse condition. With a sigh, I slipped my coat off and entered my bathroom. Removing my shirt, I bit back a groan as the bandages I had hastily wrapped agitated my wounds.

Unwrapping the bindings, I turned and winced at the damage. Three diagonal lines stretched across my back just below my shoulder blades. They were definitely going to scar, but luckily I cleaned them well enough not to gain an infection.

Shifting through my medical supplies, I frowned. My head perked up, hearing familiar footsteps enter my room.

"Nee-san?"

I internally smiled as I took out the needed supplies.

"Washroom."

Making sure my front was covered, I rose a brow seeing a hint of red on Zero's cheeks. "You've seen me in less, Zero." The boy's cheeks flushed further, as he glared down at his feet. "We were kids then, and Sensei didn't want us wasting time by taking separate baths." He defended.

I rolled my eyes, narrowing my eyes as I poked thread through a needle. I ignored the footsteps nearing me and the burning eyes as I concentrated on my task.

"Nee-san... your back."

I sighed, glancing up at the mirror. Blue met lavender in an intense staring match. The boy frowned, seeing he wouldn't be receiving answers out of me anytime soon.

"You should be in the hospital or the Association's Medical Wing."

I grimaced at the thought of staying at the Association for any longer than I had to.

"I'm fine. The bandages worked well enough to stop me from bleeding out," I explained before turning to the silver-haired boy. He stared at me in confusion as I placed the needle and thread in his hands. "It won't properly heal if it's not closed. I need you to stitch it up for me."

Zero's eyes widened as he stared between the needle in his hands and me. "I-I c-can't!" He panicked uncharacteristically, trying to push the needle back in my hands, "I'm not qualified enough to do this!"

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed his hand, pulling him back into my bedroom. Placing the supplies on the nightstand, I laid face down on my bed and motioned him to grab a seat.

"Zero, I've taught you how to stitch a wound, and you did fine. Just remember not to make the stitches too tight. Now help me before I make them worse." I ordered.

Zero grumbled as he sat beside me on the bed. Grabbing the supplies I had taken with me, he carefully cleaned the wounds hesitating as he was about to begin stitching.

"Do you have any anesthetic?" He wondered.

I shook my head. "I ran out. Just start, and no matter how much pain I look like I'm in, don't stop."

Zero frowned but nodded. I bit my lip, gripping my sheets as I buried my face into my pillows to hide my groans of pain. I held back tears feeling the needle and thread pass through muscle and skin to take care of my wounds.

By the time Zero had finished wrapping the injuries in fresh bandages, I was nearly delirious from the pain. Exhausted, I allowed myself to fall into the embrace of Somnus(1), never noticing the caring hands as warmth blanketed me.

Zero's POV

I gazed at Ayame in worry and awe. Despite only being a few months older than me, she always held this aura of confidence and strength; of someone you could always rely on. Very rarely would she ask for help, and to see such an admirable person in so much pain was like a nightmare I never wish to witness ever again.

Taking care not to agitate her injuries, I slipped her covers over her and returned her supplies to their usual storage areas. Taking a glance at her, I let a hint of smile dance on my lips.

"Sleep well, nee-san."

* * * * *

Ayame's POV

I groaned, hands blindly grabbing for my phone. Squinting at the brightness of the screen, I frowned seeing that I had slept through the afternoon and had already missed gate duties. Feeling the haze of sleepiness fade, I pushed myself out of bed and changed into a comfortable set of black joggers and a fitted turtle neck.

Rechecking the bandages, I nodded in satisfaction seeing that they remained stark white, no blood seeping through.

Strapping my gun holster around my thigh and knives on my belt, I bounded down the hall, balancing as I slid down the banister, landing perfectly on my feet.

Just as I was about to make my way out, I tensed. Whipping a knife to the side, I sighed as my eyes met the frightened eyes of the idiot who decided it was a good idea to sneak up on me.

"I thought we made it clear what would happen if anyone sneaked up on me the last time this happened, Headmaster."

The said man nervously laughed as he glanced behind him at the knife that had embedded itself into the wall mere centimetres from his head.

"W-well I just wanted to check on you Ayame~" The man recovered quickly from his near death as he bounded to me, cooing.

I groaned uncomfortably, but allowed the man to fuss over me, knowing he'd be insufferable if I denied his mother-henning.

"I'm fine, Headmaster. My injuries have been taken care of and should be healed in a week or two." I reassured, pushing his hands away from removing the bandages so he could see himself.

"Now I should help Yuuki and Zero patrol." I slipped on my shoes, waving the man over my shoulder.

"You should be resting!" My guardian protested.

"Hunter regenerative abilities." I reminded over my shoulder.

* * * * *

I rose an eyebrow as I watched Yuuki gaze longingly into the classroom window from my perch on a ledge above my fellow guardians. Following her gaze I rolled my eyes, catching sight of a familiar pureblood.

'Of course, it's Kuran.'

It seemed Zero's train of thoughts followed my own.

"So how is Kuran Kaname, your hero, doing tonight?" He deadpanned, staring off into the distance.

Yuuki froze in shock at having been caught and quickly tried to come up with a reasonable explanation.

"It-it-it-it's not like I was only looking at Kaname or anything!" I smirked at Yuuki's poor lying skills, "Everyone in the Night Class is behaving themselves perfectly tonight! And it doesn't look like anyone from the Day Class is wandering around either! Looks like we're in a for a quiet and peaceful night! We probably don't even need to be here!"

Third Person POV

"Don't be naive, Yuuki."

Zero turned, whipping out Bloody Rose as Yuuki yelped, stumbling as she tried to retrieve Artemis from her thigh holster. Both their eyes widened seeing the sudden intruder.

"Ayame!"

Yuuki grinned, running up to the older girl, jumping to glomp her. Not wanting to worsen her wounds, the elder dodged smirking at the brunette's pout.

"But seriously Yuuki, be real here," Ayame glanced back into the classroom, eyes blank as she surveyed the white-clad students, "The Chairman may think that they're all pacifists, but you shouldn't believe everything you see."

Yuuki frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Ayame's right," The blonde hid back a smile at the change of address coming from Zero, knowing he didn't want anyone else to know his sudden soft spot for her, "There is no way in hell we're going to let our guard down. You said it yourself once."

Yuuki tilted her head in confusion gazing at her partners.

"The reason why they look so human..." Zero began.

"Is so that they can hunt us down more effectively," Ayame finished, leaning against the balcony, casually flipping a knife.

Feeling stifled by the tense atmosphere, Ayame sighed, pushing off her resting place. "Let's go patrol, Zero."

The silver head nodded, following the eldest guardian. Yuuki watched in worried silence as her friends left. She could never understand them.

Ever since they've arrived to become wards to her adopted father, they have always been an enigma. Eight years ago was the first time she has ever seen utter blankness in a person. It was as if Ayame had given up on life altogether. Four years after was her first time seeing such pure hatred in a person's eyes... Zero's eyes.

Yuuki shoulders slumped as she gazed back at the Night Class.

'I know... that not all vampires are good and kind,' Yuuki thought helplessly, 'The parents I can no longer remember... were probably also killed by vampires.'

The teen ruffled her hair sighing before she noticed two figures below her.

"Can you walk?"

"I.. don't think so. It hurts too much."

"Geez, looks like some Day Class students are breaking curfew again." Jumping off the balcony, Yuuki grabbed hold of a passing branch to slow the fall, landing perfectly in a crouch, startling the two Day Class girls.

"You two! I want your names and your class!" Yuuki demanded, flashing her armband, enforcing her role as a guardian of the Academy. "Wandering around after dark is strictly prohibited under school regulations! It's very dangerous, please return to your dorms immediately."

The two girls pouted at the prefect's demands. "We just came to take photos of the Night Class students. What the hell is your problem?"

Yuuki's eyes widened as she caught sight of the wound on one of the student's knee.

"You're bleeding!?" Filled with alarm, Yuuki hoisted the girls to their feet, pushing them towards their dorms, "This is really bad... quick! Get back to the dorms!"

"Huh? Why?!"

"Hur-" Yuuki stiffened. Twisting on her heel, she slipped Artemis out its holster. "Who's there!?" She demanded as she expanded her weapon.

Her eyes widened as the weapon was caught with a swift hand, her chestnut eyes meeting burnt orange.

"How scary," The man mused as he pushed the staff away, "I'd expect nothing less from the chairman's foundling."

"I-It's Kain Akatsuki and Aidō Hanabusa from the Night Class!" The Day Class girls squealed, "No way...!"

"We smelt blood and decided to come and take a look around. You really are mean, Yuuki. After all," Aidō chuckled, "We came here especially to see you."

Kain allowed his cousin to step forward, taking his position in keeping the prefect in place by gripping the staff.

"Ahh... it's such a lovely scent..." Aidō mused, taking a sniff, "Mmm... the scent of your blood."

"Kyaa! Did you hear that? Did you? He said we smell nice!"

"I don't really get it but still...!"

"Aidō! If you dare lay a finger on one of them I won't... forgive..." Yuuki began to trail off as the blond reached up to stroke her hand.

"Did you fall earlier? The scent that I was talking about," Aidō held back a smirk as he gripped her wrist, revealing her bleeding hand, "Is of your own blood, Yuuki."

Yuuk panicked seeing the blood, struggling to remove herself from the man's grip. Aidō stared mesmerized as he took in the scent of her blood.

"Aidō!" Yuuki yelled.

"Mmmm... You really are... tempting me..." Aidō smirked, holding her hand up to his mouth, revealing his fangs and flicking his tongue along her wound for a taste.

"A vampire!?"

"Impossible..."

Before he could take a bite, everyone froze as a cut suddenly appeared on Aidō's cheek. He winced, stumbling back, holding a hand to his cheek. Glancing back at the knife embedded in the tree bark his eyes narrowed as he surveyed the foliage.

Yuuki's eyes widened, holding Artemis in a defensive stance as she stood protectively in front of the Day Class girls who huddled against each other in fear.

Kain glanced behind him, eyes wide as his reflexes forced him to dodge an incoming attack the silence of the gunshot echoing around the clearing. Aidō froze as a sharp blade found itself at his neck, his hands held behind his back.

"Drinking blood while on school grounds is strictly prohibited." Ayame reminded from behind him.

"Getting drunk on the scent of blood..." Zero appeared, glaring at the vampires as he pointed his gun at Kain to keep him from running, "You've finally revealed your true nature, vampire." 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(1) In Roman Mythology, Somnus is the personification of sleep.

Another chapter since I promised myself to update every Wednesday. Please leave a comment of what you think. It really motivates me to write more despite my lazy habits. 

Updated: 19/03/06