I startle awake as my head slides off the seat belt. I yawn, and look out of the window. I feel rustling on my legs. I look down, and find Kaname and Zero resting peacefully on either side of me. I smile, and stretch my arms as far as this small vehicle will let me.

"Morning." Ichiru says turning back to look at me. I smile at him, and let another yawn escape.

"Morning, Ichiru. Morning, Kaito." I rub my eyes as Kaito responds. I notice the sky brightening. I thought I was only going to take a nap, but I slept through the night. How convenient. I feel so refreshed.

"Are we almost there?" I whisper over to them.

"Almost. Just another hour, and we'll be there." I nod my head, and sit back. Zero suddenly wakes up, and slowly sits up. I look over at him curiously until he meets my brown eyes with his crimson eyes. I bite my lower lip, and look over at Kaname, who is still resting peacefully. I look over at Kaito and Ichiru, who are looking on ahead in silence.

I look over back at Zero, and I turn my hand around to show him my wrist. He eyes it for only a moment before nearing it, and licking it slowly. A light pinch is what I feel when he plunges his fangs into my wrist. I watch him intently. He really seems to enjoy the taste of my blood. With just the way he's savoring the taste of it. I blush brightly, and gulp.

"How would it feel if he were in his normal body?" I blush at my crazy thought, and try to block away any crazy thoughts like those from my mind.

I jump as Kaname digs his claws into my leg in his sleep. Looks like even in his sleep he can sense these things. That causes more blood to spill.

"STOP!" I yell out, and I startle Kaito enough to brake hard.

"What the hell?!" He yells out at me. I unbuckle myself, and slip out of the vehicle. I walk towards the shade, and all the while run my hands through my hair. I turn my head to look at my wrist that is still spilling blood, and at my leg as well.

"Maybe after we rescue Yagari-sensei. . .I should break ties with those two, but the problem is that I don't want to. It's too late. I've grown too attached to them. I can't let them go now." I lean against a tree, and try to calm myself.

"Are you okay?" I nod my head, and look over at Ichiru.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm okay now." I say giving him a forced smile before standing up from the tree.

"You look really distraught between the two of them." I blush, and look away from Ichiru.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He sighs, and I cast a side glance at him.

"There's no point in denying it, stupid. It's obvious to me." I frown.

"Yeah, well people said the same thing about you and me." I tell him trying to defend myself.

"Well, you do like me." I blush even brighter.

"What the hell?!" He chuckles, and I frown. Sure I like him, but of course as in a friend that I never really had. I've never comfortably joked around or talked to someone about my feelings that way.

"Guys are idiots." I mumble before walking past him back to the awaiting vehicle.

"Is the princess ready to continue?" Kaito questions as I renter the vehicle on the passenger seat this time. I think for now I need to keep my distance from Kaname and Zero until they cool their heads. Good luck, Ichiru.

"Don't call me a freaking 'princess', and yes, I'm ready to go." I say to him as I put the seat belt on.

He tosses me a packet of tissues and I catch it. Using them to clean up the blood leftover on me. Though it's kind of dry, so I'll definitely need a shower after we reach our destination. The realization is setting in and I'm getting nervous. They're all probably a bunch of grumps like Kaito, Sensei, and Zero. Ah...

"It would be best if you didn't go, Ichiru." I jump and look over at Kaito as he looks back over at Ichiru. I turn around myself to get a gauge of his expression. There's a slight challenging smirk on his face.

"I don't need to hide away from the hunters. I'm going." That had never crossed my mind. I suppose since Ichiru was a companion of Shizuka's he'd be considered an enemy of the hunters, even if he's human. Oh, that's right, why is he human and Zero isn't? He didn't tell me about that, and I didn't ask.

"Wait, are they like going to hurt him or arrest him?!" I look over towards Kaito. He is frowning as he keeps his eyes on the road.

"What a hassle... They'll definitely try it, that's for sure. Can't you just be a good boy and stay out?" Kaito says annoyed and that just makes me even more worried. Ichiru definitely is not going to back down. Ugh, why must he be this way?!

"No, I'm good." 

"You dumbass, you think you're going to be safe surrounded by hunters after what you did?" I look back as Zero finally speaks up. He is glaring over at Ichiru who looks down at him. What could he have done to get such a pained look from Zero? I wonder if it has to do with the reason he turned into a vampire or even a neko too. I still don't know how they ended up in their current state.

Actually, I don't know much about them. So much has happened since they came and in such a short amount of time, but there has been no real chance to talk about them. I don't know them at all. 

"Oh, are you worried about me? What a sweet big brother? It makes me sick." Oh man, this is getting tense, I'm getting super uncomfortable. I just want to hide in a hole somewhere. I really wanna be at the Association now.

"I didn't say that. You're just going to cause an unnecessary hassle as we try to rescue Yagari-sensei. I don't even see why you want to help us." Now would be a great time for a car crash. That's how bad the atmosphere is. How is Kaname so unaffected by all of this?! He's just sitting there so calmly and it's like he's not even here with us.

"I don't care about helping any of you. I'm only here to help Alondra." Damn it, don't drag me into this! I don't wanna be here! I sink down in my seat, avoiding Zero's gaze as I listen in on their uh... arguing. My gaze moves over to Kaito who looks so annoyed. I'm trapped here, I need to ease some of this situation somehow!

"Okay guys, we're all in this together! So, we'll just have to get along and get through this! This is for Yagari-sensei and it won't benefit any of us to be at each other's throats!" Somehow I don't sound very convincing hiding behind my seat, but oh well! 

"As the young princess wishes." My jaw twitches as now Ichiru calls me a princess. I sit up to glare at him. He looks a little smug, I think he did that on purpose in order for me to stop hiding away. Curse him.

"You really think it's a good idea for him to walk in to the hunter village?" Oh, it's a village now. "He's not going to receive any kind of welcome. Some people will want action against him because our parents were very well respected before they died." Well, I did not know that. They're orphans. Does that mean Ichiru had something to do with the death of his parents? That really worries.

"I see... Um, well what can we do? Ichiru is on our side, so I'll vouch for him! Leave him to me, I'll take care of him!" I say to them in a determined tone. There's only silence, looks like they don't believe me. Ah well, either way, I won't let the hunters hurt or take Ichiru.

"You heard her, we go with what she says." It feels like Ichiru is totally patronizing me. That jerk, of course he's still got jerk tendencies, that wasn't going to change at all! 

"Well, no point in arguing that now. We're almost there. We need to make sure things are all good for us to arrive." Kaito says finally ending this situation. Took him long enough, that jerk! Actually they're all jerks, I'm a jerk too! Oh boy...

"The one person that can and will help us there is Kaien Cross. He's a hunter like us, but for those who don't know, he is human, but he's got strong vampire genetic like you and has been alive for at least two hundred years."  My eyes widen as I look over at Kaito. He must look awful for a two hundred year old!

"Wha... uh, um... how?" I'm not even sure what to say without sounding mean or rude. There can't be much a man his age can do.

"His vampire genetics keep him looking like a man in his early to mid-thirties. So, he can be very useful." Kaname finally speaks up. I haven't heard him say anything since I came back in the car. I suppose he's calmed down finally. I nod my head and feel more reassured. I suppose I'll learn more about him as we meet in person.

                                       ~0~

I whistle at the sight of the small village that is home to vampire hunters, or at least that's what Kaito explained to me along the way.

"So the big building over there is the main headquarters?" I question Kaito. He nods his head, and stops at the entrance. He turns to me, and I look over at him.

"What?" I question him.

"When we get in there researchers are going to want to get their hands on you, and test you. So stay close to me at all times, understood?" I gulp, and nod my head.

"Right. Stick to you at all times." I put my arm through his, and he looks at me judgmentally. "You said stick close to you." He sighs, and the door opens for us. I look back over at Ichiru, Kaname, and Zero, who make their way towards the entrance as well.

"Wait, will Zero and Kaname be allowed in? They are vampires after all." I question Kaito.

"Zero will be fine. He's been tamed already, so that won't be an issue, but Kaname is something else." I pull my arm away from Kaito, and stop near the entrance. He totally doesn't sound like he cares at all when it comes to Kaname.

"What do you mean? Is he going to get hurt?" Kaito doesn't even have enough decency to hide his smile. Wow, I think he hates purebloods. I don't know what his deal is, but there's no way I'm going to let Kaname get hurt for his satisfaction.

"I'm not going in there until you tell me how to get Kaname safely in there." Kaito simply looks at me, and starts to walk in without me.

"Carry him." Ichiru tells me. "As long as a vampire is restrained or held by a hunter they can enter the Association without an issue." Ichiru tells me.

"Thank you." I tell him before looking back at Kaname.

"Is that alright with you?" He walks towards me, and reaches a hand up to me. I smile, and bend down to pick him up.

"Lets go. If Kaito isn't going to keep you safe, I will." Ichiru says as I stand up with Kaname in my arms.

"Right. Thanks again. Really." I tell him with a smile as we walk close together into the Association. I look around to find a whole bunch of people had stopped to watch us, and their gazes are not very welcoming. I have never been so overwhelmed by so many hateful gazes. Yikes..

I press Kaname closer to me, and step closer to Ichiru. "This place isn't very welcoming." I whisper over to him.

"It isn't especially since I've been considered a traitor since the day I left my home with Shizuka-sama. They don't see me or the vampires too kindly." I nod my head, and avoid looking at the hunters.

"Where exactly are we supposed to go? I don't see Kaito anywhere." I whisper again to Ichiru. He stays silent.

"This way." Zero says from beside me. I stop, and watch him take a left. I look over at Ichiru, and he motions for me to follow him. I nod my head, and we follow Zero's lead to wherever the heck Kaito got to.

We stop in front of a door. I look down at Zero, and I reach for the doorknob.

"Took you long enough." Kaito says as a greeting. We step in, and I look at a long haired blond man, wearing a huge coat even though it's hot outside, he wears glasses that hide his light brown eyes, and he stares at us shocked. Or rather Zero and Kaname. Maybe Ichiru too.

"Move, Alondra." Zero whisper yells at me.

"What, wh-"

"SO CUTE! <3" I jump as the man jumps over his desk, and pounces at me. I yelp, and Ichiru quickly moves me out of the way. The man makes direct contact with the door that was behind us. I wince for him.

"That's gotta hurt." I say feeling a little sorry.

"Don't be sorry." Zero says shaking his head at the groveling man.

"Who is he?" I question the guys with me. They sigh, and he sits up rubbing his reddened face.

"Kaien Cross." I gasp. This is the man that feels like a vampire even though he's human?! Holy crap!