Everything Isn't What It Seems

Another Rival

       After the Shizuka incident Zero went MIA for a couple days. I cornered Yagari after class on the second night and he finally told me where he was. I ran to Kien's guest room and barged in.
       When Zero saw me his eyes got wide and I ran to him. He caught me in his arms and we fell back on the bed. I crashed my lips down on his. We pulled apart when we needed air,"I miss you too," he smiled.
      "Have you ate?" I smiled.
      "Only from you."
      "Not what I meant. Do you want a drink?" I asked. He nodded and bit my neck, taking a little extra this time. He was back to himself the next day and out.
        We were walking the next night when we saw a vampire about to lunge at Yuki. I shoved Yuki behind me while Zero knocked the vampire down,"What do you want?" Zero asked.
       "Zero Kiryu, you killed a pureblood. Now, you must pay the price with your life," the vampire said.
     "I won't," he said and shot the vampire.
     More senate vampires showed up,"even if you kill us all, we will get you?" One said.
     "Lady Tala," One breathed out. They all bowed.
         "You will not kill Zero. That's an order from 2 purebloods!" Kaname appeared with the rest of the night class.
      "You protect this Level E?" One asked.
     "Yes," Kaname said.
     "With my life," I said.
      "The senate will hear about this," another said and they all left.
       A couple days later Kien called to see me, I walked in his office to see Zero also,"what's this about?" I asked.
      "You both received a letter," Kien said.
     "From?" I asked.
     "The Association," Zero answered.
    Kien handed us the letters,"it's for an Aristocrat party. Looks like we're babysitting later," I sighed.
     "Go together?" Zero asked.
     "Of course. I'd love extra time with you," I smiled.
     "Good go sleep. I'll come get you later," he smiled.
     "Okay," I pecked his lips and went back to the moon dorms and slept.
        Akatski woke me up a while later,"it's time to get up and get ready, Tala."
    "You do know I'm attending as a hunter and not a vampire, right?" I asked.
      "Yes, Zero should be getting here too," he smiled.
      I jumped up and ran to my bathroom to shower. I walked out to my closet and grabbed my hunting clothes. These consisted of: a black stomach high long sleeve shirt, black tight pants, my boots, alone with my belt that held one knife, and another strapped to my thigh.
      I walked down to the parlor couch to sit and wait for Zero. Takuma and Akatski walked down in suits.
     "Please, tell me that's not what you're wearing? You're also a pureblood people will know this," Akatski said.
      "It's what I'm wearing. I told you, I'm a hunter tonight," I sighed.
       "I think she looks fine," Takuma blushed.
           "Takuma!" Akatski growled.
       "Right, sorry," he chuckled.
       "She's on a job, she must dress the hunter part. People are still going to bow to you though, Tala," Kaname said.
       "Yeah yeah," I said.
        Then Zero walked in,"ready?" He asked.
      "Yep," I smiled.
     "I'll see you there," Akatski said. I nodded, hugged him, then left.
         Zero and I walked through town hand-in-hand. When we got to the location I let his hand go and we walked in. Some of the Aristocrats has beat us here including Kaname and the others. We walked around on separate sides of the room. I watched Zero close as some of the senate was here and may try to attack Zero, I doubt it, but still. A lot of the Aristocrats bowed as they passed me.
       The party started to wind down I saw Zero's eyes widen and he walked away,"What?" I asked to myself.
       I tried to follow him but was cut off by the Aido family.
       "It's nice to see you after all this time. You've developed well," Mr. Aido said.
     "Thanks, uncle," I smiled.
       "So you're a pureblood now, maybe Kaname will choose you after all," Mrs. Aido said.
     "Mother," Hanbusa said,"I'm so sorry, Lady Tala."
      "No it's okay, my aunt has her opinion on the matter. I'm actually with someone else. The white haired hunter that is here also, is my boyfriend," I smiled.
     "A hunter and a Level E, why someone so low? Your father would roll in his grave!" My uncle said.
       "Zero and I became a couple before I was even changed again. I was just a hunter then also."
       "He'll fall to Level E soon, then what? Kaname won't want a girl like that!" My uncle boomed.
     "He won't fall to Level E, he's being properly taken care of, by myself. Kaname doesn't want me anyway nor me him. I think you should take you leave now, uncle," I said and narrowed my eyes.
      "Yes, we should. Forgive me, my lady," My uncle bowed as did the rest of the family and left.
       I found Zero at the doors and we left. Once we got back Zero walked me to the moon dorms, I kissed him goodnight and he left. When I walked inside I went right to my room to see Kaname on my bed.
      "Hanbusa told me what happened tonight with your uncle. You were not scared to tell him you are with Zero, even though everyone knows he'll fall to Level E. Why?" He asked.
      "Well hello to you too. I'm not ashamed of what Zero is. If I have anything to do about it he'll never fall to Level E. I love him and I'll never be afraid to admit I am with him," I said.
     "He told me you refused the offer we may be together also, why? It's not uncommon for purebloods to mate together."
      "Everyone knows you want Yuki, and as I said, I love Zero."
     "I do love Yuki, but she is human. You are not."
       "You have the power to change that, I wouldn't if I was you though, because I'll kill you. I wouldn't leave Zero just to save the pureblood population."
    "Why?"
     "I love him."
     "Do you?"
     "More and more every single day! He means the world to me, you know this, Kaname!" I yelled, then my table broke in half and the windows shattered.
     "You have quite the power," he smiled.
     Akatski ran in,"what happened? Tala, are you okay?" He asked as he looked me over.
    "I'm fine. Both of you leave, please," I said glaring at Kaname. Akatski left, but Kaname did not.
     "You should think about the offer," he smiled.
     "I will not," I glared.
        "I know you won't. But you really should. I could leave a Yuki human and let her life her life as she would that way." He smiled as he walked out, he left then I went to bed.
        A couple months later it was Christmas break,"aren't you coming with us?" Akatski asked.
      "No I'm going to hang back with Hanabusa," I smiled.
        "And Zero," Takuma said.
      "And Kien And Yuki," I said.
      "Mainly Zero," Ruka said.
      "Yeah," I smiled.
      "Be careful. I'll see you when we get back. Love you, Tal," Akatski smiled, hugged me, and kissed my forehead.
      "I'll be here. Love you too," I smiled, hugged and kissed his cheek.
           Nothing exciting really happened on break. I snuck to Zero's room quite a bit, and Hanbusa stayed in the headmaster's spare room, he didn't really say why. When everyone can back, besides Senri and Takuma, who was seeing family, the sneaking out had to stop. Kaname brought a rose encased in resin for Yuki, a dummy for Zero, and a book for me. Akatski brought me back a new black leather jacket, I fell in love with it.
      "Won over her heart with a jacket. Looks like competition for you Zero," Kaname smiled.
      "It's beautiful," I smiled.
      "It's a plain jackets they had others, but I though you might like that one better," Akatski smiled.
       "I love it thank you," I smiled and hugged him.
        A couple weeks later Senri and Takuma came back. I noticed Takuma avoiding eye contact and keeping his distance. After a couple days of it I cornered him in his and Senri's room,"what's your deal?" I asked.
      "What do you mean?"
     "Why are you being so distant? You don't even laugh the same!" I growled.
     "Nothings wrong. I'm sorry my lady for being so distant," Takuma said.
     "Just don't shut us out, okay?" I smiled.
       "Okay," he smiled. I kissed his cheek and turned to leave the room when Senri walked in.
       "Lady Tala, you look lovely tonight. What about your classes?" Senri asked.
       "I just got back in from a hunt. You know these are my hunting clothes," I smiled.
        "Right," he smiled, I left the room. I walked to mine and ignored the bad feeling I had in my gut and went to shower then bed. I wasn't attending classes because of the hunt.
        Nobody bothered me or nothing. I know Akatski came in and sat with me for a few, but he didn't wake me up, nothing. I heard a commotion outside and jumped up, threw my hunting clothes on and ran out of the building. All I saw was Takuma carrying Rima into the dorms.
     "What happened?" I asked.
      "A miss understanding is all, Tala. Why aren't you in class?" He asked.
       "The hunt earlier drained me. I told Kaname I wasn't going, I said that earlier to Senri, you were right there," I said.
       "I forgot," he said as he walked passed me and put Rima down.
         That's when I caught the scent,"Yuki," I whispered and ran out. I followed the scent to a roof tops I jumped a top it to see Kaname kissing Yuki, but saw the blood trickle out the side,"no," I whispered.
      "You don't understand yet, Tala," Kaname said.
      Zero pulled his hammer back,"I know that smell. That's Yuki's blood. What did you do, vampire?"
        "Zero, he's mine," I said. I pulled both of my blades to attack. He set Yuki down on the ground and stood up to face me.
      "You need to understand before you attack me,"Kaname started.
     "No!" I yelled and ran at him.
      Yuki threw herself in front of him,"no, he's my brother."
      "What?" I asked.
     "He's my brother."
     "It's true," Kaname said.
        "Tala, were both purebloods. I do want to know something though," Yuki said.
     "what?" I asked.
      "You were a pureblood before I reawakened, why not leave the Level E and take Kaname for yourself?" She asked.
      "First, Zero is not and will not be a Level E. Secondly, because I don't nor could  I ever love Kaname like I do Zero. Why does everyone keep asking me that? I will not leave him until he decides he's done with me!" I yelled shattering the windows. I turned and ran off.
            Nobody cared to follow me where I went. I ran to the small lake and climbed up the tree,"can you come down?" Zero asked.
     "Why?"
    "I want to talk to you."
       I climbed down from the tree,"what's wrong?"
       "I heard what Yuki said. Why?"
    "Why what?"
     "Why do you love me so much that you'd have let the purebloods die off before creating more?"    
      "Zero, I can't explain why I love you. I just do. I always have and I always will. I wasn't born a pureblood, I was made one. I don't care about them. I do care about you though," I smiled.
     "And I You," he smiled.
     "Hungry?" I smiled.
    "Yes."
    "Bite?"
    "Please?" Zero bit into my neck and pulled what he needed. My wounds closed up. He kissed my neck where he bit me, then my lips then walked away. I knew he wanted to be alone so I didn't push or nothing. I was back in the tree when I smelled Kaname's blood and then dread.
       "Oh no," I whispered.
      I ran back to the moon dorms to find Akatski. On the way I ran into a few vampires trying to take day class girls. I glared at one and she turned to dust, before I could get to the other he burst into flames. I looked over to see my brother,"I've been looking every for you, Tala!" Akatski said.
      "Sorry," I smiled.
     "I'm just glad you're okay," he hugged and kissed my forehead.
     "You too," I smiled.
      We got to the moon dorms to see everyone fighting. I pulled my blades and did some hand to hand also,"where's Yuki?" I asked Ruka.
     "Lady Yuki is with Hanbusa," she answered.
     "Okay. Kaname?"
     "He left. He'll be back soon," Sirein answered.
     "Right. Let's go," I said and we continued to fight.
      Yuki and Hanabusa was with us by the time we made it to the roof top Rido was on,"I smell 2 purebloods," Rido smirked.
       "I won't let you hurt her," I said and stood in front of Yuki.
      "Tala," she whispered, I turned and smiled at her.
       "Then I'll go through you," Rido said and shot forward.
        We were fighting pretty hard when I heard Yuki screamed. I spun around to see vines had wrapped around her. I ran to her, but only got a couple steps when I was caught too.    
        "I'm going to drain Juriy here, but you I want as a play thing," he smiled.
      "Keep. Your. Paws. Off.  My. Girlfriend!" Zero yelled.
"Which one? The beautiful Yuki? Or the very beautiful Tala?" Rido asked as he twisted a piece of my hair around his finger.
     "Tala! Let her go!" Zero growled.
     "I don't think so," Rido smirked. Zero pulled the Bloody Rose out and vines wrapped around his hand.
       "Zero! No, just get the hell out of here!" I yelled.
     "I won't leave you!" He growled then pulled the trigger.
       As soon as Zero shot the vines dropped and I was free. I pulled my knife from my thigh and was about to strike Rido when Yuki used Artemis,which transformed into a giant scythe, and killed him.