"It was an accident?!" Yagari's disbelieving tone was the first thing I heard as I felt myself regain consciousness. "I promised her mother that I would watch over her. I owed her that much. And now Zero's gone and drank so much blood from her she passed out!" Yagari's angry again, he also seems quite....flustered. What was that he was saying about watching over me and owing my mother?

I could hear his footsteps echoing on the hollow wooden floor, as he paced around angrily. Either he was raging at thin air or me, or he was angry at someone.

With a final mutter, I heard his footsteps leave the room and the door slam.

"Yagari, wait!" A voice cried after him, the headmaster's voice. His lighter footsteps pattered out of the room, and the door clicked shut again.

"I know you're awake," a new voice said. Immediately I shut my eyes tightly, and stayed as still a possible.

"You can't fool me," Kaname said, and I heard his delicate footsteps cross the room to where I lay in bed. A light hand pressed my forehead, and his command came.

"Open your eyes."

I had no choice but to, and stared up at Kaname's red-brown eyes. I was aware of the white walls of the infirmary around me, and felt a dry sense of amusement that I was back there again.

"When I said 'watch over him'," Kaname began. "I didn't mean to let him drink as much of your blood as he could and pass out as a result." I bit back the urge to laugh.

"What if I told you I didn't want to be controlled by you anymore? That I am tired of this life and just wish I could leave it? If you were controlled by a vampire who didn't care about you in the least, wouldn't you be sick of it?" Something in Kaname's eyes flashed, whether with sadness or anger, I didn't know. All I knew was that I had struck a nerve in him.

"I see," his hand brushed a stray lock of hair out of my face gently. I stared up at his red-brown eyes in surprise. "If that is what you think, then it saddens me a great deal."

I could only stare in shock as Kaname left the room, the door closing shut for the third time.

Light peaked through the curtains drawn across the window, and I lay back down on the pillow, exhausted and drained of blood, and too confused over Kaname's words.

I let sleep engulf me again, with relief. I just wanted a break from this world. I'd read books and fairy tales and it almost felt as if I was in one, but without the wicked witch and the prince. Just me, the hopeless princess in distress.

This isn't your fairytale, a cold voice whispered in my head. Who will be your knight in shining armour? Or more accurately, your vampire knight?

The warmth of sleep closed in on me, and I sank into it gratefully, into darkness.

When I woke up, all I was aware of was my thirst. Bright rays of sunlight no longer peeped through the curtain, but rather cool rays of moonlight. It was night time, and I was hungry. Ravenous in fact.

I licked my lips thirstily, wishing for once that I could have a nice meal.

Little by little you're sinking into the depths of a vampire, a voice cooed to me. Soon you'll be a nice little vampire, drinking blood and obeying purebloods without question.

I shook my head fiercely. That wasn't true, it wasn't.

The door creaked open then, making me look up. Kaname stood there, his eyes unwavering, but I sensed a change about him. He seemed much more tired, as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He still stood tall and straight, but I could see it in his eyes and through the blood bond connecting the two of us.

"I suppose I should apologise," Kaname began with a sigh. Walking over to the chair next to my bed, he sat down calmly. "I don't like to think I am becoming like my uncle. But tell me, Saki. If you had to protect the person you loved, would you give up almost anything for them?" I considered the question thoughtfully, momentarily forgetting about being angry at him.

"I don't know," I replied finally. "The only person who I care about most is my mum, and I don't think she would ever need protecting." The door in his eyes that had always hidden Kaname's emotions had closed again. He gazed at me with a look of sadness and regret.

"Then perhaps, one day, you will never understand why my actions are so."
He left after that, and while I was sitting there, trying to figure out what was going on, the door opened again, revealing another visitor.
She had pale, light grey-purple hair, cut straight, with a small bun looping over her head. Her eyes looked so much like Zero's. Maybe she was his sister? I hadn't heard anything about him having sisters though.
"Hello, Saki," the girl beamed at me, skipping towards me with a childish elegance.
"How do you know my name?" I asked her, somewhat warily. She giggled in reply.
"I saw you," she replied, in a girly, childish voice. "That's why I wanted to come to Cross Academy." I was mystified. She'd seen me? Where? Who was she anyway?
"Oh, Maria," Kaien appeared at the door. "I see you've already met Saki. You shouldn't be running off like that, I've brought someone who will show you around the school. Please come now."
"Ok," Maria beamed at Kaien, before skipping back to him. "Bye bye, Saki, I'm sure we'll meet again soon." Was it just me, or did that sound a bit ominous?
With a final wave, Maria skipped out, the door swinging open in her wake, as she followed the headmaster down the hall.