Vampire Knight Chpt. 1


It was twilight at Cross Academy, a time when the sun struggled to thrust its last pinkish rays over the tops of the hills, a time when the dark and the light meet and the night swallows the day, and a time of excited chaos. At this school, there were two groups of students—a Day Class and a Night Class. The Day Class had school from just after sunup to just before sundown, and the Night Class had school just after sundown to just before sunup. The Day Class now filed to their dormitory, the Sun Dormitory, and the Night Class emerged from their Moon Dormitory, the starched white uniforms of the Night Class contrasting sharply with the dull black uniforms of the Day Class. The Night Class was supposedly a group of “elite” students, very gifted, and every one of them extremely beautiful. The Night Class’s secret? Every single member of the Night Class was a vampire. Only members of the Disciplinary Committee knew that.
There was a long and tremulous “kyaaaaaaaa” from the anxious Day Class girls as they sighed at the Night Class’s beauty. A couple Night Class members grinned at them; the girls swooned and tried to wade their way towards the boys. A short girl with dark brown hair and brown eyes stepped in front of them, flashing her specially printed armband, which signified that she was a member of the Disciplinary Committee, and held her arms out beside her to block the girls.
“Nothing to see here!” she admonished, slowly pushing them back. “I’m Yuki Cross of the Disciplinary Committee! There is nothing to see! Ah!” The girls had pushed her to the ground and flung themselves at the Night Class, who lurched away.
A tall boy, also with an armband around his upper arm, helped Yuki to her feet and glared at the giggling Day Class girls. They shrunk back and hurried to the Sun Dormitory. Yuki brushed herself off and glanced at the retreating girls, then looked up into the boy’s gray eyes.
“Thanks Zero,” she said quietly.
Zero brushed a bit of dirt from Yuki’s cheek and ran his hand through his own silver-colored hair. “No problem.” That was Zero—always simple, direct, and blunt.
Yuki started to walk in another direction when she bumped into the shoulder of another boy. Both she and the boy leaped back, startled, but they saw that each were wearing the black Day Class uniform and shakily smiled. Yuki looked away apologetically. “Err, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
“It’s alright,” the boy said back, his smile reassuring. He held a suitcase in his hands and a whistle around his neck. “I’m Jacob Judge,” he added, before lifting the whistle to his lips and blowing it shrilly at a couple of lagging Day Class members. “I’m Jacob of the Disciplinary Committee! Get to the Sun Dormitory before you’re marked late!” He showed them his armband, and the defeated girls slunk to their Dormitory.
Yuki grabbed Jacob’s arm, a surprised look on her face. “Jacob Judge? I’ve never seen you before. If you’re new, how did you end up a Committee member so quickly?”
“Didn’t the Headmaster tell you?” Jacob’s pale blue eyes looked confused as he shifted the heavy suitcase in his arms. “We know about the Night Class’s secret. We’re transfer students, but we’ve heard about this school and what it’s trying to hide. He felt that the vampire thing was too big of a hassle and hired more people to help you and Zero, so we’ll be attending this school and helping you out with Committee stuff.”
“We?”
Then the throng of students behind Jacob cleared, and Yuki noticed a stretch limo. The door opened; out stepped three other people, all wearing Committee armbands, whistles around their necks, and black Day Class uniforms. Each carried a suitcase.
“This is Alyssa Silvera, Josh Greenhagen, and Morgan Kerrick,” said Jacob, pointing to each person in turn. Alyssa looked Hispanic, with long, curly black hair, glasses, and brown eyes. Josh was pale and had blue eyes and shoulder-length blonde hair. The last was a small, short (yet still taller than Yuki) Morgan, whose hair was also shoulder-length but light brown. She had blue glasses and green eyes. Jacob himself had blue eyes and cropped brown-blonde hair.
Yuki was trying to remember all of the American-sounding names when Zero walked up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. “You the new Disciplinary Committee members?” he asked. They nodded in turn. “So you know about the Night Class?”
“And about Zero being a half-vampire? Yep!” piped Morgan stupidly.
“Shh!” Yuki scolded, putting a hand to Morgan’s mouth. Morgan’s eyes sparkled.
Zero glared at Morgan but kept his voice steady. “I’ll take you to the Headmaster. He’ll give you your room numbers. Follow us.” Yuki and Zero turned and walked off, knowing that the new Committee members would follow.


***

“Ha ha! Hello! You’re the new Committee members, are you not? Oh, how nice!” The Headmaster of Cross Academy dramatically danced around his office. He wore a fluffy pink coat with bright blue fur lining the hood and cuffs. Yuki saw Alyssa and Morgan glance toward each other, amused. Probably wondering if he’s gay, Yuki thought somewhat irritably.
“Yeah,” Zero mumbled, trying to quiet the excited Headmaster. “We need their room numbers and keys.”
This only made things worse, however. The Headmaster again gave a theatrical “ha, ha” and rooted through his desk. “Ah! Ah, ha ha! Josh, Jacob, Alyssa, and Morgan, yes? Ah ha! Here you are!” His voice turned singsong as he handed people their room numbers and keys. “Enjoy your stayyyy!”
Yuki could almost see the thoughts in Morgan and Alyssa’s heads. Yep, he is gay. Yuki shuffled her boot embarrassedly, blushing. Her adopted father was not gay. He was just…very…feminine.
Josh was roommates with a “Kyo Kanon”, whom he said he didn’t know. Apparently, Morgan and Alyssa were also roommates, as they suddenly jumped up and down shouting, “Yes! Yes! We’re roommates! Party! Party!” They flounced down the hallway to their room. Jacob glanced down at his paper. He was in the same room as Zero Kiryu. Oh, great.

***
***
“So…what time is it?”
“It’s about 7:45 pm.”
“Oh. I was just checking.” Zero carried the last suitcase into the dorm room of Kyo and Josh, then shuffled back to Jacob, who was standing in the doorframe.
“Are we done?” Jacob asked.
“Uh huh, we’re done.”
“That’s good.”
Zero’s hand reached into his pants pocket, but it came up empty. A puzzled look crossed his face as his eyes swept the floor; he put a palm to his forehead and sighed. “I think I left my room key in that last room. Do you mind if I go get it?”
“Nah, but I’ll head back.”
“Whatever. See you later.”
Zero’s back turned to Jacob, and Jacob copied, promptly slamming into the back of a white-uniformed Night Class member who was looking at the bulletin board. Jacob’s forehead sported a red mark, but the Night Class member only turned. His eyes were the same chestnut brown shade as Yuki’s, and his hair so dark brown it was almost black. He smiled reassuringly.
“I’m sorry,” he said kindly. “I was in your way.”
“No sir, I’m sorry. I did not see you there. Oh, wait…” Jacob’s eyes narrowed, recognition dawning in them. “Are you…Kaname-sama? I’m so sorry!”
Kanamae frowned. “We’re all equals here. It’s just Kaname. Moreover, do not worry about it. How did you know my name?”
“The Headmaster mentioned you in his letters. Kaname-sama?”
“It’s just Kaname.”
“Err, right. Kaname?”
“Yes?”
“What are you doing here? This is the sun dorm. Night Class students aren’t permitted in here. You know…so they don’t think it’s ‘feeding time’.” Jacob chuckled lightly at his own joke.
Kaname was not amused. “I was invited by Headmaster Cross. I have a signed paper here.” He flashed the paper at him.
“Oh. Okay, then you’re alright. So, will I be seeing you around, Kaname-sa—I mean, Kaname?”
Kaname smiled mysteriously. “You probably will.”
Jacob’s eyebrow raised, but he said good-bye to him, anyway.

***
It was 8:00 pm, and Yuki still couldn’t find Jacob. She had looked everywhere for him—his dorm room, the library, the balcony—but he wasn’t anywhere. She felt a responsibility for whatever happened to the new Committee members: she was their teacher, after all. Outside, Jacob sat on a bench on the patio, staring up absently at the bright full moon.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jacob saw a girl about his age wearing the Day Class uniform saunter cautiously closer to him. He turned to her curiously.
“Hello,” he said, “may I help you?”
“I-I’m Emily,” she timidly told him, “I’m Emily, one of the new Disciplinary Committee members. I’m looking for Headmaster Cross.”
Jacob smiled. “Oh, you’re Emily! Headmaster Cross and I talked about you over the phone. You and your friends, I mean. What were their names again?”
“They’re Stephanie, Kiana, and Raquel.”
“Ah yes, them. Where are they?”
“They’re in the Sun Dormitory. I was carrying the bags, so I was the only one who didn’t get my key.”
“I have my key,” explained Jacob, “but I’d rather enjoy the moon than sit inside a room right now.”
Emily smiled. “Hee hee. Do you mind if I share the moon with you?”
“I don’t mind at all. Sit, sit.” He patted the space beside him.
“Thanks.” Emily sat next to Jacob, looking awkwardly up at the moon.
The sound of rapid breathing and footsteps broke the tense silence as Yuki hustled into view. She looked tired and annoyed. “I-I’ve been…looking…everywhere…for you…Jacob…Judge,” she wheezed. She looked at Emily and frowned. “Who’s…this?”
“I’m Emily,” the girl said. “I’m another new member of the Disciplinary Committee.”
“They got here a little after we did,” Jacob informed Yuki.
“Really?” Yuki asked. “How many are there?”
“Four. I, Stephanie, Raquel, and Kiana are all new.”
“There’s four for me, too,” said Jacob, listing off the names of people in his little gang.
“Wow, that’s eight, plus me and Zero, so that’s eleven,” Yuki laughed. “It’s not even a Committee anymore…more like a staff.”
Emily saw her opportunity and piped forth, “I haven’t gotten my key yet. I need to find Headmaster Cross. Do you know where he is?”
“Sure I do. He’s my adopted father, after all. I’ll take you to him.”
“Well,” interrupted Jacob, rising to his feet and stretching, “I’m going to head to my dorm room. Bye, guys.”
The two girls said good bye to him and Yuki led Emily away.  

***


Jacob slipped off his shirt and changed into his pajamas. Zero was in the bathroom, so he didn’t know yet that he and Jacob were roommates. Tentatively, Jacob called to Zero through the door.
“Yeah?” Zero’s voice was muffled. He emerged from the bathroom shirtless, with only his pajama pants on. “What are you doing here?”
“We’re roommates.” Jacob showed him the paper.
“Oh. Okay.”
Jacob watched Zero put on his pajama shirt and then reach across to his dresser drawer. Zero took out a glass and two tiny red tablets, filling the glass with water from the sink and dropping the red tablets into the water. They fizzed, and the water turned to blood, hissing with pink, champagne-like bubbles. Wordlessly, Zero drank it, and then looked to Jacob.
“You know about me, right?” he asked bluntly.
“Yes, I understand. I’m all right.”
“You aren’t scared of me or anything?”
“Of course not, Zero.” Jacob sat on the edge of his bed. “You and I will be fine. I’m not frightened of you. I know that you’re a half-vampire and that there’s nothing I can do to change it.” Jacob leaned on his side and slipped the bed sheets over himself. “So don’t be afraid to…you know…trust me. Your secret is safe with us.”
Zero looked at his feet. “Even with Morgan?”
Jacob laughed softly, recalling Morgan’s momentary slip-of-the-tongue. “She didn’t do it on purpose. Morgan and Alyssa have their moments. Your secret is safe, don’t worry.” He grinned. “Even when it comes to Morgan.”
Satisfied, Zero slipped under his bed sheets and turned out the light on his dresser. Amused, Jacob followed suit.