[Vampire Knight] Deeper than Blood (Book 1)

Chapter Five

(Picture is Maria and Akiko)
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"Maria, this is Mikio Shoto, my boyfriend," Akiko introduced Mikio to Maria before classes the next night. "Mikio, this is Maria Kurani."

Maria squealed again, bursting Akiko's and Mikio's eardrums, literally. Akiko's and Mikio's eardrums healed straight away, thanks to their amazing Pureblood healing powers. She jumped onto Mikio, wrapping her legs around Mikio's waist as Mikio's skin turned a shade paler, if that was even possible.

"You are the second Pureblood I've met!" Maria gushes, nuzzling a flustered Mikio's neck. She sniffed Mikio's neck, a purple eyes turning crimson. "I've always wanted to taste pure vampire blood, but I know it's taboo to ask a Pureblood for their blood."

Maria floated away from Mikio (literally) and her eyes faded back to their regular purple. Mikio was blushing hard, and he turned to look at Akiko.

"How do you know each other?" he asked.

"We're distant relatives on my mother's side," Akiko explained.

"Shizuka Hio?" Mikio asked, looking at Maria with an excited look for some reason. Akiko knew that Mikio was interested in the Pureblood families, since he doesn't know much about them. It's his life duty - which is an eternity - to learn about all the Pureblood families. He's only learnt about the Kuran family because Akiko is a Kuran and the Shoto family because, well, he is a Shoto.

Maria nodded, grinning. Mikio started asking Maria about the Hio family, and Maria looked like she was losing respect for all Purebloods. Later after that was all done, Mikio had learnt that Shizuka was the last living Pureblood of the Hio family. Akiko thought that wasn't true, seeing as she was a Hio as well as a Kuran. She only had the name Kuran because she was raised by her aunt and uncle.

Finally class begun and Akiko, Mikio and Maria sat together at the back, Akiko in the middle and Mikio and Maria on either side. After her introduction Maria left the class, Akiko going after her.

"Maria, come back!" Akiko called. Maria stopped and turned to look at Akiko, looking sheepish.

"I don't think the other vampires like me very much," she said, sticking her finger in her mouth.

"Why's that?" Akiko asked.

"I don't think they like vampires that get sick easily."

Akiko wrapped her arms around Maria, and Maria physically and emotionally relaxed.

"Don't worry Maria! If they say or do anything to you, I'll go after them. And believe me, I'll set Mikio on them too. I don't think they want to be on two Purebloods' hate list."

"Thank you Akiko," Maria said, hugging her back. "You're a lot nicer than everyone else."
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"Hey Ichiru," Shizuka said happily, jumping onto her bed as Ichiru stood at the door, a far away look in his eyes. Shizuka looked over at that pensively, but didn't say anything about that. "I'm so glad Akiko grew up to be such a beautiful young woman, nothing like that monster of a fiancé I had."

Maria jumped to her feet and walked over to Ichiru, looking up at him.

"To be honest, I'm glad that Haruka Kuran took her away from me in the end," Shizuka admitted. "If it meant that she wouldn't have to grow up in that dreadful cage."

Shizuka turned and walked over to the window and looked out, looking down at Akiko and Mikio, who were kissing under the moonlight. Shizuka stared a little while longer at her daughter until she noticed Zero standing underneath a tree, staring up at the window Shizuka was standing at. Shizuka began to twirl a lock of Maria's hair around her finger as her and Zero's eyes met, and Zero disappeared into the shadows.

Shizuka grinned, stepping back and turning to Ichiru. "It seems that Zero is coming over here. He must have figured out who I was."

Shizuka walked downstairs and stood in the middle of the floor. The door swung open and Zero stepped in, holding a gun in his hand.

"Yes, you can sense me," Shizuka told him. "Because we share a bond."

Zero walked up to her and pointed the gun at her chin. Shizuka felt no fear. Even if Zero killed Maria, only Maria will die and Shizuka would just simply be sent back to her own body.

"Good, you've come to kill me," Shizuka said.

"That night, four years ago, you showed your true face, which was covered in our blood," Zero said, narrowing his eyes. "Shizuka Hio."

"As you know Zero, this isn't my body so I want you to treat it carefully."

Ichiru dropped his sword down and Shizuka drew it as Zero bought his gun down, the sword and gun pressing down on each other. Someone called Zero's name and he turned, and Shizuka wasn't going to have that.

"Don't you dare look away!" she screamed, slashing Zero's chest at the same he shot her in the shoulder.

Zero dropped down to the floor, his eyes turning crimson. Shizuka laughed.

"That's what I hate about using a borrowed body: they're so hard to control."

Zero collapsed to the ground again, groaning in pain.

"When a vampire loses blood, they only start to crave more," Shizuka explained as she turned, handing the sword to Ichiru. "Get him out of here."

"You're going to let him live?" Ichiru asked.

"I have no use for him any more," Shizuka answered as she walked away, Ichiru swinging an unconscious Zero over his shoulder and carrying him to his room.