Vampire Knight: Redemption

No Blood

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I hit the ground as someone landed on my back. I yelped, but Akatsuki had already burned the guy and he disintegrated into sand. "What the..." I said. "Darn my horrible bad luck. And darn the universe for bad timing!" I half yelled, shaking my fist at the sky.

"Arya, are you okay? Why did he turn into sand? And spontaneously burst into flames first?" Kera asked.

"Not sure. Akatsuki?" I looked at him. I knew very well the attacker was a vampire, likely a Level E, and when most vampires died they turned into sand (the exception being Purebloods which became glittery stuff), but I couldn't exactly tell Kera that. She was human and I wanted her to stay that way.

"I can't say. Maybe the fire caused it? Either way, we should head back to the academy now, Lady Arya." Akatsuki said.

"Just call me Arya, please." I said.

"You deserve the title and I will give you nothing less." He said.

"This is a conversation for later and in different company." I said. "Come on, Kera. You ready to go? I have a bone to pick with Aido."

"Ya let's go. It's getting to weird for me." Kera said. I smiled at my friend and we headed for the academy, Akatsuki following not to far behind.

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As it turned out Aido was asleep when we got back so I spent several hours with Kera. Once it got dark she went to bed while I headed out for my job.

I hadn't seen Zero all night and it was almost midnight, but I didn't mind patrolling by myself. I closed my eyes for a moment when Zero's voice reached me, along with Yuki's. I headed towards them, curious what was happening. It didn't take me long to find out.

Zero had his gun out and pointed at Yuki and Yuki had out her Artemis rod in front of her. I grabbed my dagger and planned to jump between them, but the Black Butterfly shocked me. I dropped it suppressing a hiss.

I looked back to see Zero cock the gun and jumped between him and Yuki as he pulled the trigger. The blot hit me in the shoulder and I bit back a cry. "What are you doing?" I said, holding my shoulder as it started to bleed.

"I swore I'd kill Yuki the next time I saw her, but until now I haven't had a chance. I planned on following through with my word." Zero said shifted the gun so it was aimed at Yuki. I stepped in the way, my arms up.

"Stop Zero. You can't shoot her." I said.

"You're siding with her?" He asked.

"I'm not siding with anyone." I replied. "I'm trying to stop you from shooting Yuki for no reason."

"Then you're siding with her?" Zero asked again.

"No Zero. I'm acting as a mediator. I'm not for either side." I explained. "You're both my friends and I prefer my friends not to hurt each other. Plain and simple."

"It's never that easy." Zero said.

"You live by that philosophy and that seems like a hard, lonely way live. There doesn't have to be an alternate path, a second agenda. Sometimes things really are black and white Zero."

"If it's black and white shouldn't you be in white?" Zero asked. "Like the rest of them?'

I looked at my uniform and realized what he meant. "Us, Zero. You're a vampire too. Shouldn't you be in white as well?" I pointed out.

He didn't say anything, but lowered the gun and walked away. I paused then looked at Yuki. "You okay, Yuki?" I asked.

"I'm fine. Thank you for that." She said. I nodded.